Tag Archives: job search

Five Ways to Beat the Winter Blues

Beat the Winter BluesIt’s winter and chances are you may feel less energetic than usual. Shorter days with less sunlight, coupled with the season’s characteristically inclement weather, may have you reaching for sweat pants and flannel sheets, comfort food, and the remote control.

The weather outside may be frightful, but the recession’s climate of uncertainty can also make for a bleak forecast. Coupled with job and financial stress this year, the usual winter blues may be magnified for some with headlines that are hard to ignore.

Unemployment has remained steady throughout the past year as companies have cut their workforce to operate with minimal staff. Research conducted by Express Employment Professionals found that 68% of employed survey respondents feel that their workload has increased, with 49% also reporting higher stress levels.

Whether you’re looking for a job or feeling stressed in your current position, here are some ways to stay positive this winter and throughout the new year:

Stay engaged with lifelong learning: Whether it’s through a local college or just your local library, pursue an interest with an evening class or seminar. You’ll have something to look forward to a few nights each week and the experience can help spark creativity, an attribute that’s highly sought in professionals.

Get some exercise – with a friend: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report that winter weight gain averages four to six pounds. Make plans with a friend to take a brisk winter walk, go ice skating, or head to the gym. You’ll release stress-fighting endorphins and have the opportunity to spend quality time with others.

Write a card to someone: Write a cheery note to someone, just because. It doesn’t have to be a special occasion to make a friend feel valued, and it can actually boost your mood as well.

Change your work routine: If your work allows you to take an additional break now and then, try to get up, stretch, and walk around during the day. Bring a special blend of coffee to try with your co-workers, organize a fun lunch together, or find other meaningful ways to change your work routine.

Take a break from technology: Society is now more connected than ever and it’s easy to feel bombarded by negative news. Give yourself permission to turn off your TV, mobile devices, and computer for awhile. A little down time can go a long way.

Find a balance: While sleeping to avoid stressful situations can be a sign of depression, it’s also important to get plenty of rest. Eight hours of sleep and sticking to an established sleep schedule is part of wellness. A good night’s rest can change the next day’s perspective.

Don’t let the winter blahs get the best of you. Stay focused on feeling confident in your job or job search, and seek out the support you need. Regardless of the season, you always have the ability to make positive changes to impact your life today.

All Onboard! Wow Your Employer In 90 Days or Less

Wowyouremployer The first day on a new job can re-ignite the feelings of the first day of school. Your nerves are jittery. Your heart is beating fast. Your breathing is shallow. Thoughts race through your head like, “Will my co-workers like me?” or “What if I mess up or don’t know what I’m doing?” After you’ve been through all the interviews and reference checks, you finally have landed the job. Now, it’s all systems go. It’s time to show your new employer what you’re made of and reinforce the reasoning behind why you were hired.

From the minute you walk through the door on that first day of your new job, your onboarding process has begun. Traditionally, it’s during the first three months of employment where you’re expected to learn the ropes and become familiar with your job and the goals of your company and department. This is your chance to shine, so here are a few tips to help win over your new employer in 90 days or less.

Stay calm. As easy as it is to let the newness of everything overwhelm you, try to remain calm. Instead of dwelling on “what ifs” think about what you can do. There was a reason why you got offered the job over other potential candidates. You have the skills, so just remind yourself of that fact.

Have a positive attitude. Not only will your employer be watching you during these first 90 days, but your teammates will be too. It’s important to have a positive attitude at all times.  When you first meet your co-workers, extend a confident handshake, make eye contact, smile, and let them know how glad you are to be part of the team. These signals will help break the ice and communication barriers, letting others know you’re approachable. Continue to remain positive as you go about your daily job. Know that every new job brings challenges. A good attitude is contagious – it just takes one person before it starts to catch on with others.

Also, get to know your co-workers. These individuals can help you learn the ropes at your new job and answer any questions you may have, so start now by developing a good relationship with them.

Familiarize yourself with department processes. You’re joining a team that already has a work plan outlined. What is that plan and how do you fit into it? Learn how the team functions. Some basics include discovering if there is a clock-in/clock-out process, designated times for going to lunch or taking breaks, safety procedures, codes for using the printer, and more. Ask questions early on so you can quickly get up to speed and not accidentally step on anyone’s toes because you didn’t know the rules.

Learn your responsibilities. What is your job description? Ask your manager if you can have a copy for your personal records so you know exactly what’s expected of you. The tasks on your job description will play a major role in determining whether or not you’ve achieved your goals when it comes to review time.

Have regular meetings with your manager. Your supervisor can provide you with great feedback as he or she helps you learn the laws of the land around the office. Seek out your supervisor’s guidance. If your manager doesn’t normally meet one-on-one with employees, ask if it’s a possibility. Knowing what you’re doing right or what you need to correct can help you keep moving in the right direction. Come to each meeting prepared with any questions you may have or achievements you would like to celebrate. Doing this shows your boss that you have initiative and you want to do your job well.

After the interview’s over, employers have a whole new set of expectations they need from you as an employee. The 90-day trial period is the time for them to bring you up to speed and gradually immerse you into your new career. It’s a test to see what you can do – but you can ace it with flying colors with these helpful tips.

Is Your Job Search Too Broad?

Looking for a new job can be a time-consuming task, full of twists and turns along the way. To better help you search for a job, some advice is to focus on niches that interest you. This will help you narrow your search and dedicate more time to finding the right job for your skills.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, many industries have seen an increase in employment. So, you might want to see if any of these areas are of interest to you!

  • Employment in computer systems and related services increased by 8,000 in October. Overall since June of 2009, this niche has seen an employment increase by 53,000
  • Professions in health care increased by 24,000 jobs in October.
  • Employment in retail saw an October increase of 28,000, particularly among automobile dealers, which increased by more than 6,000 and electronics and appliance stores which increased by over 5,000.
  • Employment in manufacturing and construction is holding steady. 

As you continue with your job search or begin to embark on a job hop, be sure you have a focus. Here a few tips to help you make yourself more marketable to the industry you’re wanting to work in.

  • Tailor your résumé to the industry. If there are specific skills you have that would be a great fit for a niche job, list them on your résumé.
  • Get to know people. Sometimes getting a job depends not on what you know, but who you know. Try to get plugged into networking meetings where you could make new contacts to help get your foot in the door.
  • Utilize the internet. In addition to sites like Monster and CareerBuilder, also check out online niche job boards to locate jobs through specific search criteria. Here is an example of a website to check out for identifying niche markets.

Knowing which job industries are hiring and what you have a passion for doing can have a great impact on your job search success. When you narrow down what you’re looking for, your job hunt tactics can become more direct, helping you to better hit the bull’s-eye and find the right job for you. 

Formatting Rules to Keep Your Résumé Fit

WEB10MSC_RESUME-BOOT-CAMP_W2 A good résumé takes effort and time to create. A well-written, professional-looking résumé can take you far in the job search, while a poorly constructed one may do very little to get your career moving. Depending on the career field you are in or trying to enter, résumé content will vary from person to person. But, once you have decided what information you want and need to include on your résumé, it’s time to consider how to format that content. Check out these across-the-board formatting rules that you can use, regardless of the job you’re applying for. 

Include your name and contact information. Always be sure to include your first and last name, as well as your phone number and an e-mail address. It’s important to have all of your contact information in one area, preferably at the top of the page to help ensure that it’s seen first.

Divide your résumé into sections. Dividing your résumé into sections helps make it easier for a potential employer to quickly scan for key facts. Designate the different sections by including a short, descriptive title. For example, if you list any information about any degrees or training you have received, include a title such as “Education and Training” above that section. This helps keep your information organized and concise, and allows you to highlight the reasons why you would be a great fit for the job.

Use one font style. It’s better to limit your document to only one font, and try not to use anything difficult to read. Use a more professional, simple font style like Times New Roman, Arial, Georgia, or Tahoma. Also, be sure to use 10- to 12-point font to ensure that the person reading your work history doesn’t have to squint to decipher what it says.

Keep it short. The purpose of a résumé is to give a potential employer a summary of your skills and abilities. You want to give them enough information to know what you’ve accomplished in your career and why they should bring you in for an interview. The longer you work and the more work experience you gain, the more difficult to keep this content to just one page. But, the consensus among employers is to keep it as short, sweet, and to the point as possible.

Invest in good paper stock. If you’re delivering a printed copy of your résumé to a potential employer, invest in good paper stock. A heavier paper made out of a cotton or linen blend may help you get noticed. This also communicates to an employer that you put time and thought into creating it. The next time you’re ready to print off a résumé, stop by your local office supply store and purchase a heavy weight (90 lb. – 110 lb.) cardstock.

Create an electronic version. Many job openings today require applying online, so it’s a good idea to have a version of your résumé that will upload correctly when submitted. To format your résumé for online use, follow these tips:
• Use Times New Roman or Arial font
• Keep all of your content left aligned
• Remove any bullet points and replace with an asterisk or a dash
• Use spaces between all titles and headlines
• Copy and paste your Word document into a text editor, such as Notepad, prior to uploading it into the online job application text box. This will help remove any formatting from your résumé that could display incorrectly online.  

Not only do you want your résumé to have good information, but it’s also important for it to look good too. Use this advice to help you stand out from the competition when you apply for your next job.
 
We hope you’ve enjoyed the Résumé Boot Camp series and that you will use these tips of the trade to whip your résumé into shape! Here’s wishing you best of luck in all your job search endeavors.

What to Do About Work Gaps

WEB10MSC_RESUME-BOOT-CAMP_W2 Whatever the reason is you’re looking for a new job, you’re going to need a résumé. And, you want one to stand out to an employer and make them take notice of you in a positive way. So, what do you do if your work history has a few gaps along the way? With typically only one minute to grab someone’s attention with your résumé, prospective employers sometimes don’t take the time to investigate little potholes along a job seeker’s workforce journey. Employers see work gaps frequently, but what they really want to see is an individual’s career growth and progression. So, if you’re currently experiencing a few of those gaps in your work history, what can you do now to help your résumé compete with the elite?

Format your résumé into a functional format. The functional format focuses on your actual skills and accomplishments rather than on the dates you worked at a job or your job titles. When you arrange your résumé by your skills, you’re highlighting the main points of why an employer should hire you.

Align your skills with the job you’re applying for. Be specific about your skills and relate them to the job you’re applying for. It’s important to keep things relevant. If you’re applying for a job as an administrative assistant, the prospective employer probably doesn’t want to know that you also have a knack for laying concrete. Instead, list out relevant skills like your knowledge of Microsoft Office, the ability to book meetings using Outlook, and experience in coordinating multiple events or meetings at a time.

Include your accomplishments. You’re trying to tell an employer why they should choose you over the other job applicants. This is your time to wow a potential employer about what you have achieved during your work history. Listing these helps combat a work gap by showcasing that you do have experience and good skills that achieved results. This showcases you as a more serious job candidate. Again, keep your accomplishments relevant to the job you’re applying for, but be sure to target your proudest achievements.

List your volunteer experience. Do you volunteer for an organization? If so, include that in your work history section. It doesn’t matter if you got paid or not. It’s still work experience you can include to show you haven’t been sitting around during your time away from a job.

These are a few tips to help you out. Sometimes an employment gap cannot be avoided, but that doesn’t mean you’re not qualified for the job. In addition, one more piece of advice is to create a cover letter to go along with your résumé. In your cover letter, be succinct about your work gap, but use this as an opportunity to better explain your work history. Apply these tips to help your job search, and don’t let a work history gap derail your career plans.

Strengthen Your Résumé’s Core

WEB10MSC_RESUME-BOOT-CAMP_W2 Your work experience is an important part of why a potential employer should want to hire you. So, what does your current work history say about you? Does it make a potential manager take notice of you or does it only get a quick glance, never to be looked at again? Your work history section is the core of your résumé. As such, it has to be a strong foundation to be the focal point of your résumé. So, here are a few tips to help strengthen the work history section of your résumé. 

Work History
For each work experience you list on your résumé, make sure to note your title, the name of the company, and the start and end dates of your employment. If you are still currently employed there, say so. An example would be: Construction Supervisor | XYZ Construction Company | August 2008 – Present. If you are with the same company and have received promotions, list out each job title you’ve held and specifics about the work you did in each role. Do you have a gap in your work history? Find out how to fix that.

Next, to bring life to your work history section, describe your job duties and accomplishments. Be sure to incorporate numbers and results of projects you’ve worked on. This is the area where you want to show how much of an impact you have made through your work. For example, instead of saying, “managed the budget of ordering office supplies,” say something like, “oversaw the office supply ordering process and saved the company $200 per month on purchases.” This latter option showcases what you did and just how well you did it by demonstrating the cost savings you created for your company.

It’s important to still keep these points short and sweet, but be as specific as you can by including some numbers and results. The numbers are the validation that potential employers want to see to ensure that you can do the job and do it well. Also, use power words to add some punch to your information.

So, in the end, here’s a sample of what your work history section should look like:

Construction Supervisor
XYZ Construction Company | August 2008 – Present
• Oversaw employee safety procedures and successfully trained 100 team members about CPR and fire
   protection procedures
• Won a new company contract and saved the company $3,000 in construction fees
• Managed a team of 20 construction employees with no turnover in two years

One other important note to make is to keep your work history section relevant to the job you’re applying for. It’s about tailoring your information. For instance, if you’re trying to get into a professional environment, don’t include a previous summer job as a dog walker. And, if you have a long work history of several different jobs, again, just pick out the work experience that is relevant to the new job you’re applying for.

These are just a few tips to help your résumé work history get noticed. Be concise, and again, it’s OK to brag on yourself a little here. You want to let the employer know why you’re the best for the job opportunity.