6 Common Job Hunting Mistakes to Avoid

6 Common Job Hunting Mistakes to Avoid Job hunting and resume writing offer many pitfalls to the unwary. Knowing which mistakes to  avoid increases your chance of impressing an employer with your credentials and securing that  all-important job interview. Here are six common job-hunting mistakes you need to avoid: 1. Lack of a Cover Letter Its unclear what the source of this statistic is, but some sites claim 50 percent of cover letters  never get read. The implication is you can skip writing a cover letter altogether. Ah, but theres a catch, isnt there? If half of all cover letters are ignored, it follows the remaining  half are read. So not including a cover letter is like playing the job applicants version of Russian  roulette. Employers expecting to see a cover letter will dismiss any applicant who hasn’t taken  the time to write one. Even if an employer doesn’t read your cover letter, don’t assume they aren’t looking for one.  Companies use some odd strategies to cull job applicants. An employer may not read the letter,  but still cull applications without letters. If so, your unread cover letter might still get you through  a round of the applicant selection process. Frankly, when the job market is this intense, not including a cover letter is a major mistake. At  worse, it wont get read; if it is, your letter gives you a chance to sell yourself and your resume to  the employer. Don’t take chances! 2. Not Networking Its reasonably common for people with good resumes to assume their work speaks for itself. As  a result, they think they don’t need to network. Unfortunately, many of these confident, talented  people remain unemployed. In todays competitive job market, you cannot afford not to network and social media makes  networking easier than ever. LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter allow job hunters to display their  resumes, make industry connections and build a reputation on industry forums and message  boards. For example, an expert in contractor software might offer advice to software users on  one of LinkedIns forums, building connections that eventually lead to a job. Don’t assume online networking eliminates the need for in-person networking. Nothing beats  a face-to-face meeting. Join professional networks and attend local events likely to attract  professionals in your industry. 3. Overly Creative Resumes Weve all heard tales of people who secured employment because they created elaborate,  creative resumes. Sometimes taking an unorthodox approach to your resume works. In most  cases, attempts to make a resume stand out only work long enough to get tossed on the reject  pile. Perfumed paper, bunny stickers, weird font choices and outlandish graphics all fall under  creative flairs best left for birthday cards, not resumes. If your normal email looks something  like HotBob45@party.com create a new email with a more professional feel. Employers aren’t  impressed with unprofessional emails. You may use online acronyms among friends, but use of words such as LOL, IMO and other  online shortcuts on a resume won’t make a good impression on employers. Nor, for that matter,  will spelling errors. Use your spell-checker. A single spelling mistake can make or break a  resume. On the other side of the creativity canyon, don’t use a standardized resume template, such as  the ones Microsoft Word provides. Hirers have seen thousands of cookie-cutter resumes, and  recognize them immediately. A template resume implies you lacked the will and imagination to  write and format your own resume. Even worse, theyre boring. 4. Unfocused Resumes Some resumes meander from education history to employment to skills without focusing on  whats important: why the employer should hire the applicant. Your resume should quickly and  concisely tell your employer what he or she needs to know. Don’t waste time. Youve only got a few seconds for your resume to make an impression or its  going into the reject pile. Use bulleted lists for your skills and achievements rather than burying  them in dense, hard-to-scan paragraphs. Tailor the resume to each specific job, but don’t take large amounts of text from the job  description. Employers recognize this instantly after all, they wrote the job description. You’re  better off paraphrasing short parts of the job description and modifying your resume to suit the  job. Which brings us to the next huge job applicant mistake: 5. Lying or Elaborating on an Application I get it. I really do. The current job market is competitive and sometimes you need an edge to  get noticed. Exaggerating a few areas of your resume tempts many job applicants. Some people  pad their academic achievements. Others exaggerate their job accomplishments or neglect to  mention certain parts of their job history. Ethics aside, I can provide a very compelling reason not to, ahem, fictionalize your resume: youll  get caught. Employers can cherry-pick their employees in a tight economy. They check facts  online or pay for professional background checks. If the results of their research don’t match  whats on your resume, youre not getting hired. 6. Applying without Cause Finally, avoid the temptation to apply for jobs where you lack qualifications. A school of job  hunting suggests under-qualified applicants should apply for jobs anyway because doing so  shows moxie and gets applicant names onto the hirers desk. Your resume will indeed wind up on someones desk, but they wont be impressed by your moxie.  They wont think Heres a real go-getter, lets keep him in mind for other positions.  Theyll just  toss your resume. If they remember you at all, their opinion will be negative. Apply for jobs youre capable of performing. Tailor your resume for each application, and  keep your networking ear to the ground for upcoming positions. Don’t lose hope; eventually  persistence and hard work will pay off, and youll find the job you want.

Best Resources For Resume Writing

Best Resources For Resume WritingFinding the best resources for resume writing is crucial to the success of your application. You want to be able to put together a complete document that is impressive and professionally done.As you begin looking at the many different styles and formats of resumes, it can seem like a lot of work and that you are wasting time and effort. After all, why would you spend so much time doing it if you are not going to make a difference? There are many different reasons, but the most important is that you want to get the job.Another reason is that you may find that the resource won't be able to help you at all. With so many different styles and formats available, you may find that you need someone who can help you create something unique that will be of benefit to you. Fortunately, you will find that there are many people who can do this for you.To find these people, begin an online search for 'resume writers.' It may take a while to find someone that you ar e comfortable with, but with enough searching, you should be able to find someone. You will want to find someone who has a good reputation and someone who is easy to communicate with.Once you have found the right person for the job, the first step is to find the right company to work with. In many cases, it may be easier to work with a company that has a specific type of resume writing service that is well-known and has worked well for other clients.Also, look at what they have to offer you in terms of samples or templates. For example, some companies may offer what is known as a 'one page' resume. This may be a good starting point for you because you can use it as a template to begin to build a resume from.While you are looking for the best resources for resume writing, you will want to take the time to sit down and carefully review what you are going to send to the company. You want to make sure that you are specific about your requirements and that you explain why you are hiring the particular person. This will give the company a chance to properly analyze your needs and find the perfect candidate for the job.With the right resources, you can get started and begin to put together a resume that will wow the potential employer. Take the time to find the best resources for resume writing, and you will be successful in getting your resume read by the company.

My dream job a sex writer

My dream job a sex writer I am not a big believer in the dream job. For one thing, I dont think people know their dream job. Because its a job description that has to cover eight hours a day of work. Its hard to imagine something youd love to do eight hours a day, much less fit into in a nice, neat job description. And then theres the be-careful-what-you-wish-for syndrome. Because its hard to know what youd like to do for eight hours a day til you try it. I used to think I wanted to be a sex writer. My masters thesis from graduate school was about my sex life. But when I tried to support myself writing about sex, when I started pitching stories to Cosmo, I found that no one wanted to hire me; magazines hire people to write about officially important sex research. I wanted to write about me. So I looked for that magic intersection of things Im good at and things I like to do and things people will pay me for. And I ended up being a career writer. Fortunately, though, I was able to be a career writer writing about me. Which is probably what I wanted to do all along. So this is a great argument for the advice I give all the time which is to shut up about not having your dream job and just take any job so you can learn about what people will pay you to do that you might like to do. Still, I am very excited to tell you that finally, someone offered to pay me to write about my sex life. I had a great time, but surprise, I discovered that I couldnt resist slipping in some career advice anyway. So I guess I have my dream job, right here. If there were such thing as a dream job. Anyway, heres the piece I wrote, for The Daily Beast.

Dotted in Red A Free Resume Template with a Touch of Red

Dotted in Red â€" A Free Resume Template with a Touch of Red Dotted in Red â€" A Free Resume Template with a Touch of Red Passion, boldness, and intensity are just a few words that come to mind when people see the color red. If that describes your work ethic, and your approach to getting the job done, check out our free ‘Dotted in Red’ resume template. It’s bold and intense, but not over the top. We think it’s perfect for professional job seekers who want a resume that will help them stand out, but who also want a resume that is unquestionably professional. We’ve created this fashionable resume with red headings, classic layout, and a place for you to add your credentials, skills, and education. You can even add personal information to the about section we have provided to you. This template is sure to grab the interest of any hiring manager!Feel free to download this awesome resume template. All you need to do to get started is share this post on social! File size: 55 KB Format: .doc Downloaded 4,586 times License: Free, personal use only. Please read the license terms for resources. Downl oad previous article Looking for a Customer Service Role? next article What are Hard Skills and Soft Skills? you might also likeCadmium Yellow: Simple, Yet Elegant Resume Template

Best Tips For Writing A Freshman Resume

Best Tips For Writing A Freshman ResumeSome people do not like the idea of taking a lot of time to write a resume, but a true freshman needs to have one because it is one of the most important documents that they will need to write in their lifetime. Most of the time, the admissions officers will see your application and then decide whether or not you will be accepted into the university.So, you better start off with the best possible start for your first semester. You will need to prepare yourself with a freshman resume and cover letter and you can start this process from the very beginning. The first thing that you need to do is to get ready for your freshman admission interview.Your freshman admissions interview will be one of the most important steps that you will ever take in your life and all you want to do is make sure that you look your best. The process of writing a freshman resume is easy but the process of preparing for your freshman admissions interview will keep you awak e at night. It is important that you focus on your best features in order to impress the admissions officer and this is one of the first steps you need to do.This process of writing a freshman resume can be frustrating and exhausting, but it is well worth it if you get the college that you have always wanted. Writing a freshman admissions resume is not as difficult as some think but you will find it takes a bit of time to get it right. If you cannot write a good one, there are a lot of great writing software programs that can help you out.There are a lot of people who find writing a freshman admissions interview a little overwhelming and if you are one of these people, then you need to understand that it is very easy to become overwhelmed with the amount of material that you have to tackle and the fact that you have so many people at stake. As long as you have all of your information organized and ready to go, you should not have any problems. All you need to do is make sure that yo u are organized and ready to go so that you can focus on what you have to say and the rest will fall into place.Writing a freshman admissions interview will be easier than you think but it is going to require you to dedicate a lot of time to it. The first impression you make on your admissions officer is what they will remember the most and they are going to be the ones that will get to decide whether or not you will be accepted into the university. You have to make sure that you impress them with your personality, work ethic, and athletic ability.Your freshman admissions interview is an important one and you should make sure that you are prepared. Before you go into your interview, make sure that you have all of your information organized so that you can write the best possible resume. You need to make sure that you have the basics covered and that you know exactly what your goals are when it comes to your admissions essay.Remember that if you have taken the time to prepare for you r freshman admission interview, then you will be in a much better position to succeed. Your admissions essay will be the single most important document that you have and you need to make sure that you do a great job.

Should Magistrates be Offered Far Harsher Sentencing Powers

Should Magistrates be Offered Far Harsher Sentencing Powers Should Magistrates be Offered Far Harsher Sentencing Powers? Magistrates’ courts are one of the oldest judicial institutions in our country. The history of magistrates’ and community courts goes back a long way, and today, magistrates’ courts remain an important part of the British justice system. Just recently, magistrates sentencing powers were debated in Parliament, amid overall proposed reforms of the entire justice system. Magistrates are volunteers who do not receive a salary for their work. They are required to be within the prescribed age limits, to have a sense of justice and peace, and a general awareness of current issues. They are not required to be legally qualified judges, or to have any prior legal training. Once selected, magistrates receive training on how to carry out their magisterial duties in court.   As far as criminal cases go, magistrates’ courts currently handle summary hearings for minor crimes â€" including but not limited to shoplifting, drunk dr iving, disorderly behaviour, minor assault charges, and more serious crimes like burglary and drugs etc. Depending on the nature of the crime and other relevant information, magistrates who generally hear cases in groups of three, consult and arrive at the proper sentence, which usually depends on sentencing guidelines. Currently magistrates have the power to decide if an offender should be kept in a prison cell or in custody or be granted bail. It becomes necessary to decide this if another hearing is required to reach a decision, or if the case needs to be passed on to a higher court. A magistrates’ court usually passes on serious cases involving rape, assault, robbery etc. to crown courts. Magistrates have the power to give a prison sentence, order community service, or impose a fine, or a combination of all. At the moment, the maximum prison sentence magistrates can give is 6 months for a single offence and 12 months for more than one offence. The maximum fine that magistrates can impose is £5000, and there is no limit on how many hours of community service work a magistrates’ court can sentence.   While these sentences can prove effective in deterring people from committing a crime again, it is not always the case. Some offenders may go on repeating a crime despite being sentenced and may need harsher punishment. Sometimes, more severe sentences may be required, but magistrates may be unable to do anything due to the limitations imposed upon them. An argument in favour of increasing the sentencing power of magistrates is that they will be able to dispense justice at the local level expediently and more effectively. Having more sentencing powers will mean having to pass on less cases to higher courts, which will reduce the time taken to deal with certain cases. Of course, this will also significantly reduce the amount of resources required to pass the case to a higher court, which ultimately translates into financial savings. Finally, giving more se ntencing powers to magistrates’ courts may help reduce the overall level of crime, in particular among nuisance repeat offenders. What do you think? This entry was posted in News. Bookmark the permalink. Richard History Of The London UndergroundAre the Tracks Lined with Gold for A Qualified Train Driver Abroad?

Yes, Facebook Can Help You Find Your Next Job

Yes, Facebook Can Help You Find Your Next Job Everyday I counsel job seekers on how to leverage social media to accelerate their job search. And Im happy to report that over the last year, more and more people are using LinkedIn as a way to stay in touch with people and build new relationships. But when I ask clients if they use Facebook, 9 times out of 10 the reply is, Well, I have a Facebook account, but I only use it to keep up with personal relationships, not for job search.Why is it that people think the two are mutually exclusive? Why do many   people assume that you cant find a job on Facebook? According to a recent survey by JobVite, nearly nine out of 10 job seekers (86%) have a social media profile. Facebook has the majority with 84% of job seekers, followed by 39% using Twitter and 35% using LinkedIn. Nearly 1/3 of job seekers (31%) have a profile on all three networks. But more than 1/3 of job seekers surveyed that have a Facebook profile don’t use it in any way to look for work. On the other hand, nearly all job s eekers with a profile on LinkedIn and almost 3/4 of those on Twitter leverage their networks for job hunting.Of those surveyed, 42% had 150+ contacts on Facebook, compared to just 26% with the same number of contacts on LinkedIn and Twitter.   So job seekers are using social media more aggressively on the platforms where they have fewer contacts. The odds of finding someone who can help you are greater when you have a larger network to draw on. Why are avid Facebook users less inclined to use it for job search? Here are some of the reasons I have heard in the past and my rebuttals to the Facebook for job search naysayers.My friends dont know anyone. Usually when someone tells me this it means that their friends are not in their field so they dont know anyone that could be useful in their search. But that is an incorrect assumption. You dont know who your friends know until you ask them. Who are your friends friends and who do they know? Thats the real question you should be asking a nd Facebook is a great tool for shedding light on this.I want to be myself on Facebook and I cant do that if employers can view my profile. You dont have to share everything about yourself with everyone. Facebook has an extensive privacy section and you can make decisions about who sees what every time you post.My current boss is a Facebook friend and I dont want   him to see my job search activity. Job seekers can use a third party application like BranchOut or BeKnown to source important contacts via Facebook without adding them as Facebook friends.No serious employers will be sourcing talent via Facebook. Go to Facebook and do a search on an employer you are interested in. Im pretty sure you will find their Facebook page. And that page is filled with fans who like their page and regularly comment on it. Facebook fan pages are a place where companies build engagement with the people who use their products and services. Its also a place where job seekers can source valuable informa tion about the company and even job leads.