2012 Job Market: 5 Tips for Using Social Media to Find a New Job

written by Todd Wilms, SAP (http://www.forbes.com)

The latest economic reports now describe the economy as “good, but not great.” We are seeing some slightly positive signs that the economy will improve, unemployment rates will drop, and that certain sectors (like small businesses) are hiring again. Still, competition for the 2012 job market will be fierce as we still see in the U.S. 9% unemployment rate, with many more being under-employed.

So, how do you set yourself apart and position yourself for a job in 2012? Social media, in combination with your current job-searching techniques, is the answer.

1: Manage Your “Digital Persona”

Your first step is to see yourself as others will see you. Most people see this as just your “online resume.” However, at some point in the process, your future employer is going to do a Google search on you. Your goal here is to maximize your presence online – to “represent you in the most positive light” wherever you can.

First, remove anything you can that you don’t want an employer to see – start with your popular social media sites like Facebook, and photo-sharing sites like Flickr or Tumblr. Change the privacy settings to private to help remove this content from the public eye. Those pictures of you at your family cookout – smoke in one hand, drink in the other – may be harmless family fun, but you never know when it will tip the scale for an employer.

Now improve the sites you can control, usually starting with LinkedIn. If you haven’t figured this out already, the best quote I have heard about LinkedIn is “it is facebook with a tie.” This is THE place for most employers to find you or research you later. In addition to the obvious resume-like aspects of your LinkedIn profile, ask for recommendations from current and former co-workers. Make sure what is included here is how you want to present yourself.

Next, start getting active. This is discussed further in the next section, but focus on joining LinkedIn groups or communities/blogs/sites that are in your area or discipline. Focus on those which have relevant conversations on your area of expertise. Start answering questions, posting or sharing idea, or promoting great content you see. Think a bit like a magazine publisher – pushing your (and other’s) great content into these groups. Remember, this leaves a digital footprint- much of which will be on your LinkedIn profile page. Employers are in these same communities and will see what you have to offer long before you face them in an interview.

2: Create Your Network

Pride, stigma of being out of work, embarrassment, or other concerns keep most people looking for a job in “stealth mode.” The best advice I have received was to realize that almost everyone has – at one time or another – had to really work at finding a new job. The vast majority is eager to help you, but in true Jerry Maguire fashion, you have to “help them, (to) help you.”

Use your groups and communities to search for former colleagues and connect with them – whether on LinkedIn or other social site or community. Find a few names or authors you want to follow (I am on LinkedIn, by the way) whose opinion you liked or you see as a good connection point for you.

Now that you have your network, start to leverage it. First, don’t just say “hi, looking for a job, let me know if you hear of anything.” You will get a lot of well-intentioned support, but little else. You need to take the reins here and do the following:

1. Tell them your situation,
2. Tell them what type of job you are looking for (including titles, locations or descriptive terms),
3. Provide them a list of companies you would like to work for (this gives them a place to start steering you),
4. Give them an indication that you would like to set up some time to discuss this with them.

You need actionable steps and you want these folks to start connecting you to other people to improve your network. True story: I knew one woman who was 9 people removed from her original contact to land her perfect job. That is tenacity!

3: Research Opportunities

Besides just checking the job boards and LinkedIn (which is a valuable not-to-be-skipped step), start looking for opportunities not disclosed yet. Follow your 5-6 ideal companies and read their updates on twitter, facebook, blogs, etc. What are they saying? Where are they expanding? What new deals have they won? Do those have a need for a fine professional like you? In generally, employees are looking for the best person that is the easiest to find. Make it easy for them. John Decker continues, “If someone can get to a manager with a problem before they start formally looking for candidates, and can do so with a good introduction, they have a much better chance of being hired. Be the only candidate, not one of hundreds.”

4: Prepare Yourself for the Interview

Great! You have landed that coveted interview. You need to research the heck out of the company and the people you will be interviewing with. Visit their LinkedIn profiles and see what they are reading, their backgrounds, their roles, etc. Guess what – they are doing the same thing about you. And, since you have worked on your digital persona, you know what they think of you. Be prepared to answer questions on the “pro” and “con” of you. Know how to respond no matter which “position” your interviewer takes.

5: Leverage Intel for Your Negotiations

Just because the economy is bad and you may just “need a job,” it doesn’t mean you need to be at the mercy of your future employer. Try sites like Glassdoor and (again) LinkedIn to see what these companies are offering for your type of job and what the average in the market is. Check your network to see if they have some perks you can ask for (extra vacation, additional training, conferences to attend, etc.) Most often, if you leverage this as “career development” you can find most employers willing to negotiate with you. Worst case, you know that you got the best deal you can, and now you can make the decisions with the benefit of full insight.

Next Steps

Find the few things you know you can do right now. Some of these may not apply to you. Pick your battles. But know that finding any job, let alone that “great job” is hard. The more you practice “socializing your job search,” the better you increase your odds over the next person.

Great blog written by Todd Wilms, SAP (http://www.forbes.com).

If you liked the skills listed above, check out the executive recruiters at BestLogic Staffing. Additionally if you need a new Resume or Cover Letter, visit AssembleMyResume.com.

Wish you the best in 2012 !

Job Interview Tips

An interview gives you the opportunity to showcase your qualifications to an employer, so it pays to be well prepared. The following information provides some helpful hints.

Preparation:

• Learn about the organization.
• Have a specific job or jobs in mind.
• Review your qualifications for the job.
• Be ready to briefly describe your experience, showing how it relates it the job.
• Be ready to answer broad questions, such as “Why should I hire you?” “Why do you want this job?” “What are your strengths and weaknesses?”
• Practice an interview with a friend or relative.

Personal appearance:

• Be well groomed.
• Dress professionally.
• Do not chew gum or smoke.

The interview:

• Be early.
• Learn the name of your interviewer and greet him or her with a firm handshake.
• Use good manners with everyone you meet.
• Relax and answer each question concisely.
• Use proper English—avoid slang.
• Be cooperative and enthusiastic.
• Use body language to show interest—use eye contact and don’t slouch.
• Ask questions about the position and the organization, but avoid questions whose answers can easily be found on the company Web site.
• Also avoid asking questions about salary and benefits unless a job offer is made.
• Thank the interviewer when you leave and shake hands.
• Send a short thank you note following the interview.

Information to bring to an interview:

• Resume or application. Although not all employers require a resume, you should be able to furnish the interviewer information about your education, training, and previous employment.
• References. Employers typically require three references. Get permission before using anyone as a reference. Make sure that they will give you a good professional references.
• Transcripts. Employers may require an official copy of transcripts to verify grades, coursework, dates of attendance, and highest grade completed or degree awarded.

Working with Headhunters (Candidates and Companies)

Working with Headhunters (Candidates and Companies)

***For Candidate***

Headhunters -- who are generally more active than simple recruiters -- primarily look for candidates to fill top-level, desirable positions. If you already have a job like that, they feel they can find you a better one; besides, when they find you a job, they get paid too.

If you are contacted out of the blue, it's probable that the recruiters found your resume on a job board -- one of our writers posted his resume on January 1, and by January 4 he'd gotten ten unsolicited calls. Since you probably posted your resume on several boards the last time you looked for a job, your information is out there.

When should I contact a headhunter/recruiter?

Contact recruiters before you need them. It could take a year or two before the right opportunity arises, so it's wise to develop relationships early. Find out which firms specialize in your industry and job level.

If you're about to change jobs, contact recruiters with whom you've worked, because you already have the relationship built with them and their companies.

How do I meet headhunters?

If you know someone who is searching for a new job, ask for an introduction to a headhunter/recruiter. Recruiters are always looking for qualified candidates to add to their internal databases.

If you aren't able to connect with a recruiter via networking, you can always approach them with a low-key, professional resume and letter. Never come across as being overly motivated to change jobs; you want the recruiter to work hard to find you the best opportunity, even if you're willing to take the first job that's offered.

How can I be sure my headhunter is trustworthy?

Given the economic situation that arose at the end of the last decade, recruiters have come to realize that they hold a lot of power when it comes to placing candidates. Many companies are choosing to hire employees first as contractors, so that if they don't work out or if the company needs to reorganize or reallocate resources elsewhere, it's easy to let them go. That said, recruiters are also extremely motivated to find you a job where you're happy and successful -- it increases the likelihood you'll use them again.

Generally, recruiters are more trustworthy now than they've been in the past 10-20 years. The advent of the internet and the sheer number of firms means that, once you're a client, you're a valuable asset they don't want to lose.

If you want to check into your recruiter, the best way to do so is to simply run a web search. You'll have to comb through at least a dozen pages of results -- often more -- because the recruitment firm's name will be on a lot of job postings. Seek out anything that sounds troubling to you, because in the end it's you who'll be trusting your information and your reputation to your recruiter. If you feel uncomfortable, choose someone else.

***For Companies***

What should I be aware of when I work with headhunters?

Working with headhunters can be tricky. Some are honest, and some are not.

Some have the best interests of candidates and their clients at heart, and others do not.

This should not deter you from using the services of a recruiter. Knowing what to expect

from a good recruiter and knowing the warning signs of a less-than-scrupulous headhunter

can make the experience of working with one more rewarding, whether you are a potential

client or a candidate. However, understand that all headhunters are sales people, and good

ones are trained to get what they want, quickly. What they want is a placement, and of

course, their fee.

Therefore, I always tell companies that when they are dealing with headhunters to set

ground rules.

• Get everything in writing and don't accept a resume until you see the details of the fees,

guaranties, etc. in writing.

• Not all hires are good. Be sure there is a guarantee period that is at least 30 days.

• Make sure that the fee is on base salary, not total compensation. You don't want to pay a

fee on bonuses, commissions, and the like.

• What is the candidate screening process. Do they meet the candidates or do they just do

phone screens?

• What are the payment terms? Is money due up front or when you hire someone?

Recruiters work on both contingency (you pay when they find someone), and retainer (you

pay up-front and as you go along). There really isn't a preferred method. More experienced

headhunters (like the author of this article), or executive search companies, will only work

on retainer, they want to know that the client is committed before they start a search. That

doesn't mean that inexperience recruiters work on contingency, many are simply more

comfortable with a contingency arrangement.

• Don't accept resumes from headhunters whom you do not have an agreement with, and

let all your managers know. Be aware that in the United States it is not legal for anyone to

send an unsolicited fax. Therefore, if you receive solicitations from headhunters via

facsimile, send it back.

Many headhunters will not disclose the names of their clients to candidates.

They do that for several reasons:

• The client doesn't want people knowing who they are.

• The client doesn't want candidates calling them directly.

• The headhunter does not want you calling the client, and going around them.

• The headhunter does not want word to get out that the company has an opening, thereby

increasing the chance that the client getting a sales call from another recruiter.

14 Reasons to Make a Sideways Career Move

14 Reasons to Make a Sideways Career Move

by Dawn Dugan, Salary.com contributing writer (source: www.Salary.com)

When it comes to your career path, sometimes "up" isn't the only direction in which to travel.

A sideways or "lateral" move -- defined as a move either within your current company or to a new organization with similar title, pay, and responsibility -- can often pay off in the future.

Here are 14 reasons to make a lateral move.

Reason #1: You want to enhance your value and be more marketable

A lateral move often gives you the opportunity to gain additional skills and knowledge.

Reason #2: You'll work with a better boss or supervisor

Sometimes making a lateral move is a good way to cement an opportunity to work with someone who will be a great mentor. These relationships can often have a positive and lasting effect on your career path.

Reason #3: You want more visibility

If you are working in a peripheral part of the company, making a lateral move to a more vibrant part of the company can give you the responsibility and visibility you desire.

Reason #4: You want to track yourself for a high-level position within your organization or industry

The more you learn about all facets of a particular company or industry, the more broad knowledge you'll possess to perform senior roles to your fullest capacity.

Reason #5: You want to facilitate work-life balance

Whether you want to remain in a particular geographical area, spend less time commuting, or free up time for family or personal passions, a lateral move may allow you to maintain other things aside from work that are important to you.

Reason #6: You want to build your network within the company

Moving from one department or organization to another means working with new faces and making new contacts, both of which are integral to your career.

Reason #7: You are burnt out, and want to revitalize

Changing departments or organizations is a good way to ensure you have new challenges to face, and are once again excited about going to work.

Reason #8: You want to avoid a layoff, or enhance job security

If your department is being downsized, or you don’t perceive it as being high up on the value chain, making a lateral move to another department can increase security.

Reason #9: You want to break out of a stagnant situation

You're feeling at a dead end, or not quite sure where you want to go from here. Making a lateral move will help you explore new possibilities.

Reason #10: You want more opportunities for advancement

If you have stiff competition in your division and are constantly getting passed up for promotion, moving away from your current environment can provide new opportunity.

Reason #11: You want better benefits

Sometimes making a lateral move from one organization to another can provide you with significantly better benefits, such as health insurance, retirement plans, and employee perks.

Reason #12: You want to better match your values with that of the department or organization

You may not get a fancy title or more money, but having values that align is invaluable when it comes to your motivation and happiness

Reason #13: You want additional education

Many lateral moves come with training and additional education that only increase your value, both to your current employer as well as to future employers.

Reason #14: You are still searching for your dream job

If you find you don't love what you do, exploring a lateral move can help you find a job you are passionate about.

Sometimes sideways is the best way

When considering your next career move, don't discount the lateral move. Just like chess, sometimes sideways is the best move to get you to where you eventually want to go.

12 Tips for Generating Strong Job Leads

12 Tips for Generating Strong Job Leads

by Dawn Dugan, Salary.com contributing writer (Source: www.salary.com )

Whether you are unemployed or simply looking to make a move, in a world where jobs are more competitive than ever, finding a job is a full-time job.

You can up the odds of landing a good gig by creating an organized, systematic plan to generate job leads. This article explores 12 active ways to ensure the leads keep rolling in.

1. Use your network

Only about 25 to 30 percent of jobs are advertised in the newspaper. The rest are "hidden." The best way to access these hidden jobs is through friends, colleagues, acquaintances, and contacts in your industry.

Identify and reach out in an organized manner to people who can help you, and let them know what kind of work you're looking for. If they can't help you, they probably know of someone who can.

2. Make it personal

Remember the days when you sent out a pile of generic cover letters and resumes, then waited for the phone to ring? Gone.

Replace this passive activity with a more action-oriented effort to establish relationships. Make sure every contact you make, whether it is by snail mail or email, references something you've learned about the contact or organization, and reveals something memorable about you.

3. Try the foot-in-the-door approach

Instead of asking for a meeting to discuss potential jobs (it's too easy to say "no" if there aren't any), try asking for a meeting for advice or information. Approached this way, most people are happy to help.

This approach gets your foot in the door, regardless of whether there is a job currently available. The person you meet with will remember you in the future if a suitable job opens up, may know of a person or organization that needs someone just like you, or may even be impressed enough to create a position for you!

4. Make cold contact

Make a list of potential employers, research each one carefully, then send each one a custom-tailored, personalized cover letter and resume describing what you can do for them.

You could possibly connect with a job that hasn't been advertised yet, or remind a company that they need help in a specific area.

5. Build your own website

Highlight your education, accomplishments, skills, and knowledge. Most important, make sure your website is properly optimized.

Quite often, employment agencies and human resources departments will do keyword searches in an attempt to find ideal candidates for certain jobs.

6. Join professional and trade organizations in your area

Many of these organizations hold regular meetings, seminars, and conferences. Joining these organizations will give you credibility, will increase your education and knowledge, and will allow you to rub elbows with some of your industry’s movers and shakers. It will also get you in front of the people and companies you want to work for.

Being active in professional and trade organizations is one of the best ways to get a good job quickly.

7. Contact your college career/alumni office

One of the most overlooked benefits of your college degree is the large network of people you acquire upon graduating.

Contact your alma mater's career department to find out what kind of services they offer. Chances are they can put you in touch with fellow graduates in your line of work who would be more than happy to lend a helping hand.

8. Attend job fairs

Search local publications for job fairs happening in your area. The key to generating leads at job fairs is to know who is attending ahead of time, and to develop a planned approach for visiting these potential employers.

Even if you are a high-level employee and the job fair is focusing on low-level employees, attending so that you can meet specific hiring managers is a good way to find out if there's a good fit now, or to ensure you're remembered if there's a good fit in the future.

9. Use online jobs sites and boards

Many job seekers neglect this route, thinking they will get lost among the throngs of other job seekers. While job boards shouldn't be your only way of generating leads, used correctly they can yield results.

Using the right keywords and truly understanding the finer points of how to use these sites can help you stand out in a crowd. Online job sites and boards are also a great resource for company information, which can help you custom tailor your outreach.

10. Align yourself with recruiters and headhunters

Find out who specializes in your industry or area, send them your information, and arrange a meeting. Headhunters and recruiters have tons of contacts, and it's in their best interest to find these contacts the best possible employees.

If there's not currently a potential match, be sure to keep in touch frequently. The squeaky wheel gets the grease.

11. Stay linked in

Ask new contacts to join your LinkedIn network, or other online business-related networks you belong to. This will keep them abreast of what you're up to, and will keep your name fresh in their minds when that perfect position becomes available!

Joining groups in LinkedIn is also a terrific way to meet people who are in your industry.

12. Follow up each lead

Finding a job is more difficult than ever these days, but the formula for successful lead creation remains the same. In addition to making as many contacts as possible, through as many avenues as possible, it's important to follow up on every single lead.

Even if there's not a current match, following up will allow you to cultivate the relationships that may lead to future employment.

Persistence pays

You'll up the odds of finding your dream job if you generate as many good leads as possible. Follow the 12 tips in this article, leave no avenue unexplored, and be persistent.

It may take a little longer these days, but eventually, with the right strategy, your hard work will yield the results you're looking for.

About BestLogic Staffing:

BestLogic Staffing (BLS) is a full-service staffing search firm that has diligently emerged itself in recruiting and placing qualified and quality candidates with expertise in Accounting, Finance, Executive Management, A/E/C, Engineering, Environmental, Manufacturing, Energy, just to name a few.

Our Services
* Temporary Staffing * Temp-to-Hire * Direct Placement * Executive Search * Payrolling * HR Consulting

Whether you are looking for a job, adding to your staff, or need any advice within the scope of hiring-we will do whatever it takes to help you succeed!

Responding to Job Postings

Responding to Job Postings

(Source: www.rileyguide.com)

The fastest way to respond to Internet job listing is to e-mail your cover letter and resume to the person or organization indicated.

However, there are some simple rules to follow before hitting the “send” key. Look at it this way.You have 15 or 20 seconds to get someone’s attention using email. In that time, you must convince the recipient to

• open your email
• read your message
• not delete your email

Do it wrong, get into the wrong mail box, or make someone’s job harder, and the best resume in the world from the most qualified person in the world will be trashed.

Getting your email opened, read, and actually considered really comes down to some simple rules.

1. Use the right Subject. “Seeking employment” is not an acceptable subject. If you are responding to an advertisement, use the job title or job code cited in the advertisement to make it easy for your e-mail to be recognized and routed to the appropriate person. If you are “cold calling” an employer, put a few words stating your objective or in the Subject line.
2. Include a cover letter in your email and address it to the recipient. “Here’s my resume, please tell me if you have any jobs I might fill” is not a cover letter and does not encourage anyone to look at your resume. Whether or not you are responding to an advertised opening, the cover letter will introduce you, specify how you meet the needs of the employer, and will encourage the recipient to read your full resume.
3. Always send your resume in the body of the e-mail message, not as an attachment. Force someone to open an attachment just to get to know you and your 20 seconds are over before they even start. Put that resume right in the message so the recipient will see it as soon as he or she opens the message. This technique also helps you get through e-mail systems that reject all attachments in this day of rampant computer viruses.
4. Make sure your resume is properly formatted for e-mail. Plain text resumes not formatted for email can be unreadable, and unreadable resumes will most likely be deleted. Take the time to make sure it will look as good on all computers and in all email systems as it does on your screen. This means shorter text lines, spacing between sections, and text-based highlights.
5. If responding to an advertisement, read the application instructions and follow them. Failing to follow application instructions not only delays your resume, it labels you as someone who doesn’t take direction well. It’s the Trash bin for you. They might specify an email address and job code to use. They might even actually ask you to send your resume as a Word attachment. Whatever they want, you do.

Always remember: It only takes a second for someone to delete an e-mail message. Don’t give them a reason to trash you! Think before you respond!

Check out our websites:

BestLogic Staffing www.BestLogicStaffing.com

AssembleMyResume.com www.AssembleMyResume.com

Great websites to start looking for employment

Great websites to start looking for employment – ( BestLogic Staffing )

America’s Job Exchange – http://www.americasjobexchange.com/

careerbuilder.com – http://www.careerbuilder.com/

careeronestop - http://www.careeronestop.org/

Indeed (one search-all jobs)

- http://www.indeed.com

job-hunt – http://www.job-hunt.org/

Monster - http://www.monster.com/

Yahoo! hotjobs – http://hotjobs.yahoo.com/

Simplyhired - http://simplyhired.com

craigslist - www.craigslist.com

BestLogic Staffing

BestLogic Staffing (BLS) is a full-service staffing search firm that has diligently emerged itself in recruiting and placing qualified and quality candidates with expertise in Accounting, Finance, Executive Management, A/E/C, Engineering, Environmental, Manufacturing, Energy, just to name a few.

Our Services
* Temporary Staffing * Temp-to-Hire * Direct Placement * Executive Search * Payrolling * HR Consulting

Whether you are looking for a job, adding to your staff, or need any advice within the scope of hiring – we will do whatever it takes to help you succeed!

Using Social Networks for Your Job Search

Using Social Networks for Your Job Search ( By Neha Bawa – BestLogic Staffing)

The good thing about social networking is that it allows you to create a brand or an image for yourself in a very public sphere with very little cost to you. At least financially.

With social networks expanding beyond the reach of teenagers and college students, creating and utilizing professional contacts is become easier and daunting at the same time. The key is to know how to separate the grain from the chaff. In other words, when you’re using networks such asTwitter, LinkedIn or even Facebook, begin with researching and following people in your industry.

Websites such as Twitter allow the option of creating lists that you can follow; therefore staying current with the industry becomes quite easy.

However, for professional purposes, LinkedIn is probably the best place to begin because you can tap into your own network contacts, which can include your friends, employers and school networks.

About.com has a list of recommendations to follow when establish an online presence geared specifically for job searching. Bear in mind that creating a credible online presence takes a lot of time, effort, consistency (i.e., becoming a subject matter expert) and frequent updates. Although frequency is a relative and subjective term, an absence of longer than two weeks may become detrimental to your online persona.

Other resources VisualCV TweetMyJobs

For more information, go to our websites:

www.bestlogicstaffing.com & www.assemblemyresume.com

Five tips for using Facebook & MySpace for Job Searches

Five tips for using Facebook & MySpace for Job Searches

(By Neha Bawa -BestLogic Staffing – www.bestlogicstaffing.com )

Increasingly, people are beginning to turn more and more to online social networks to tap into their job search potential. And while they’re online, it’s easy to forget that an electronic trail is much harder to cover up than a paper trail, so establishing a few rules of decorum that won’t hinder your job search process or your employment possibilities.

1. Stay current

While it’s important to stay abreast of developing trends in your field, it’s also important to keep your own online persona active. If you’re in the market and looking for work, keep yourself in the public eye. You can’t be considered if people don’t know you’re around.

2. Keep your status updates relevant to your job search

This part of networking is rather flexible. We all tend to connect with friends and family on online social networks, so, as far as possible, keep your status updates related to your quest for employment and career. Mentioning your efforts to expand your qualifications is also noteworthy.

3. Establish boundaries for social networking against professional networking.

The last tip is actually a great segue for this one. Yes, we all interact with friends and family on social networks, especially on Facebook and MySpace, but an online presence is very easy to track and research. Therefore, establishing boundaries between social and professional networking becomes essential. The best rule of thumb with boundaries is: “If you don’t want your mother to see it, then don’t post it.”

4. Don’t complain about your employer, internship, professor or colleagues. You never know when that could come back to haunt you.

A quick internet search will show you a lot of stories of people who have vented about their employers and colleagues online only to regret it with drastic steps taken against them. Yes, it’s possible to lose your job over letting out a little steam in the public sphere. So hold yourself back when the temptation to whine is high.

5. Limit the number of photos posted.

Being active online means considering the repercussions of every step taken. College students tend to post pictures of parties and drinking nights, which don’t reflect very well in the public sphere and they hinder the prospects of future employment. A future employer may not be willing to develop a generous opinion of you or your professionalism after stumbling across a photo-journal of a wild, drunk night of yours.

Make sure to Visit our websites:

www.BestLogicStaffing.com & www.AssembleMyResume.com

Resume Writing Tips - College Grads

Resume Writing Tips (written by Neha Bawa – Bestlogic Staffing)

All right – so you’ve picked up your credits, done your time in school and you’re ready to begin working. But you’re worried that you don’t have enough experience to put down on your resume. Or you’re worried that you don’t have a good resume. In fact, you may not even have an actual resume at all.

But that’s all right. Because identifying the problem is the first step. Doing something about it is the second one.

The Anatomy of a Resume

Field of work notwithstanding, all resumes need to have a few key elements: – - An Objective: Describe your career objective in 1-2 sentences. – Education: List any degrees completed, in progress or relevant certification and course work. – Experience: Beginning with most recent position, list your past employers, internships and/or major projects that relate to the position you’re applying for.

How do I write mine?

By keeping active keywords at the forefront of your mind. Employers search their databases using certain keywords, so it’s important that you include these keywords when you submit your resume. Most times, you’ll be able to find the words you need in the job description, e.g., job titles and skill headings. All it means for you is that you tweak your resume slightly for every job that you apply for. Moreover, using numbers to describe your achievements and responsibilities can greatly expand and elevate your image. Using numbers and quantifying creates vivid images in our mind when we read them, whereas general statements are easy to skip over or forget. Typically, the more specific you can be in describing your duties, the better.

How long does it need to be?

Long enough that it covers the length of your relevant experience but short enough that it doesn’t put prospective employers to sleep. Sometimes a single-page resume just doesn’t have enough space to cover all the information you need to convey. How do I get it out there? Use the power of networking and the Internet to aid your job search. While job boards are a good source, use your online and on ground social network. Consider posting your resume on a personal web site or social networking sites like LinkedIn.

The First Impression

Common sense helps when you’re out applying for work. Before you submit your resume, take the time to: – - Spell check. Misspelled words and grammatical errors don’t help. – Get a second set of eyes. Ask someone – a teacher, a supervisor, a tough friend – to give your resume a quick look to make sure you’ve done every thing right. Don’t ask your mom.

www.bestlogicstaffing.com & www.assemblemyresume.com