 |
| ResumeStandards.com - Careers, Jobs & Employment Information |
 |
|
|
 |
Federal Job Search Strategies: 7 Tips to Help You SucceedArticle Category : Others Despite constant calls by politicians and policy makers to reign in government spending, the federal government remains the largest employer in the United States. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, there are currently more than 2,700,000 employees working for the federal government in civil service positions. For nearly every federal job vacancy, the number of applicants exceeds the number of available positions by at least tenfold. Why do so many Americans aspire to a federal job? The answers are diverse. Some consider it a patriotic duty, while for others it’s an act of enlightened self-interest. Whatever your motivation, however, the benefits are significant. Simply put, Uncle Sam is an excellent boss. Working for the federal government offers employment stability that cannot be replicated in the private sector. Once a new employee completes a predetermined probationary period (usually 1 year), lifetime employment is nearly guaranteed. Laws and regulations governing federal personnel practices make it extremely difficult to fire, lay-off, or forcibly transfer most employees. On the rare occasions when lay-offs do occur, displaced employees are given very preferential hiring treatment for similar positions that becomes available. The result is that very few federal employees have ever missed a day of work due to a lay-off. Fringe benefits, including an excellent retirement package, are also a major motivating factor. Health benefits for federal employees are generally better than those offered in the private sector, and the government currently picks up more of the premium costs than most private employers. For an employee enrolled in Blue Cross/Blue Shield’s family coverage, for instance, the government currently pays $578 of the $771 monthly premium. Retirement benefits are based on a complicated formula that incorporates the employee’s salary, years of service and retirement age, but independent studies consistently determine that the plan is more generous than nearly all private sector employers. Federal salaries are competitive as well. In 2005, the average salary for all federal workers worldwide is $60,203. Due to the salary structure and political realities, raises are virtually guaranteed every year. In January 2005, the raise was set at 3.5%. In addition, salary adjustments are made for employees in major metropolitan areas. Federal service also provides far more opportunity for advancement than most other employers. At the senior management level (known as the Senior Executive Service, or SES), salaries range from $107,550 to $162,100. There are currently approximately 7,000 SES employees in federal service. With all of these benefits, it’s no wonder that many job seekers are trying to land a position with the federal government. While the competition is fierce, here are some key strategies that can help you in your search: 1. Check the government’s official employment web site (http://www.usajobs.opm.gov) often. Virtually every federal job vacancy is listed there, and it’s updated every day. Most vacancy announcement are only open for a period of approximately 3 to 4 weeks, and the application process can be detailed, so it’s best to check frequently so you can start working on your application as early as possible. 2. Avoid services that claim to help you land a federal job. Companies that guarantee you a federal job are scams, and these services can’t do anything that you can’t do yourself. 3. Be willing to accept a pay cut. While federal salaries are competitive, the compensation structure is such that salaries typically start low but increase quickly. Every federal job has a starting grade and a “full performance” grade. Typically, professional positions start at grade 7 in the federal pay scale (referred to as General Schedule-7, or GS-7), and increase to GS-9, GS-11 and GS-12 at 1-year intervals. For an employee in Washington, D.C., that would mean starting with an annual salary of $35,452 but earning $62,886 after three years of service (not counting the annual government-wide salary increases of approximately 3% per year). 4. Consider “trainee” positions. The term has a negative connotation, but starting in a designated trainee position can be a great way to get your foot in Uncle Sam’s door. These positions, which generally require no specific work experience, are typically filled at the GS-5 level ($25,000 - $30,000 per year). Because many federal jobs are only available to current or former federal employees, working as a trainee for a year or two often opens a lot of doors. 5. Read the vacancy announcement carefully. Procedures for applying for a federal job have been streamlined in recent years, but it’s vitally important that your follow the instructions provided to the letter. Unlike their private sector counterparts, federal hiring managers have to abide by standardized procedures without exception. For instance, they are legally prohibited from considering applications that arrive after the closing date on the vacancy announcement-even one day late. Likewise, if you don’t submit the requested documentation on time (transcripts, etc), they can’t collect it from you later. 6. Bulk up your resume. This may be good advice for any job hunter, but it’s particularly important when applying for a federal position because of the way initial GS grades (i.e., starting salaries) are determined. Many vacancy announcement can be filled at any of a few different GS grades, and the level at which a new hire is brought on board is determined by his or her years of pertinent employment history. It is a little-known secret that federal hiring managers want to start new hires at the highest grade they can justify, because by doing so they can minimize the risk of turnover. Most federal employees who leave government service before retirement do so during the first five years of their career, because starting salaries in the private sector are higher. So, how can you help your new agency pay you more? If you’re in a position that makes it difficult to gain work experience in your desired field, remember that self-employment, if legitimate, counts as employment experience for federal hiring purposes. For instance, if you’re a stay-at-home mother with the goal of re-entering the workforce as a writer, working from your home as a freelance writer for three years would count as work experience when you apply for that federal job. Incidentally, on the date of this article there are currently 27 writing and editing vacancies listed on the USA Jobs web site! 7. Above all, don’t give up. Although the competition for federal jobs can be tough, the benefits are well worth the effort. Like any job search, most applicants can realistically expect to be turned down many times before they are offered a position. Tenacity and a positive attitude are your most vital assets. Sean Dunagan is the president of Pinnacle Associates, a web-based resource for freelance professionals and home-based business owners. For more great information, please visit Pinnacle’s web site, http://www.pinnacleassociates.50megs.com
Article Category : Others I believe it would be safe to say that the transportation industry is one of the highest revenue producers in today’s modern economies.Millions upon millions of private passenger vehicles rule the highways and rural roads in countries around the world. Automotive reconditioning services, for the retail car/truck dealer, provide significant income opportunities for well trained, highly motivated entrepreneurs. There are several categories in the automotive reconditioning field. These categories include: 1) Leather Repair and Reconditioning 2) Vinyl and Plastics Repair and Reconditioning 3) Paint Touch-up 4) Paintless Dent Removal 5) Alloy Wheel Repair 6) Windshield Repair 7) Gold Plating Services 8) Mobile Detailing Services As a journeyman of auto reconditioning, in the retail car business in the US, I believe there is more opportunity in these industries than ever before. Why Now? Over the past 25 years, we have witnessed many changes in the reconditioning sector of the auto industry. The climate and environment of the “recon vendor” has experienced dramatic change. We have seen a departure from the “craftsmanship approach” to these highly specialized services. The new trend has become franchising. In the last 10 years, the “comprehensive franchising” approach to this industry has had enormous negative effect. These “comprehensive franchises” promise their franchisees training, support and expertise in all aspects of auto recon. As a result, they produce large numbers of unqualified technicians who can not perform any of the services well. For the educated candidate exploring the opportunities available in this industry, it is clear that franchising is a poor choice. With proper research, one can find the best products available for all of the auto recon service sectors. The manufacturers of these products will gladly provide ample training specific to their products. This eliminates the need for the 3rd party middle man…. the franchiser. The capital it takes to purchase a franchise agreement, is better spent tooling up as an independent vendor. Not only will you spend less money to get your new venture started, you will not have the franchiser earning a percentage of YOUR income. Research! Take the time, do your homework! Contact a qualified specialist in the industry for information and consultation. Specialize! No matter how talented you may think yourself to be, start gradually. Pick one sector in the industry that interests you and start there. When you have mastered that particular craft, add another. Study Sales Techniques! Read some of the leading publications on sales techniques and practice your pitch. Remember: 1. Qualify (make sure the person you are selling has the authority to purchase) 2. Demonstrate (provide demonstrations of your products and services) 3. Cost Justify (successfully performing your specific service will justify your price) 4. Close the Sale (superior performance and customer service will ensure repeat business) Now, more than ever, there is great opportunity in the auto reconditioning service industry. This is due to the incredible demand for qualified craftsmen. For minimal start-up costs, you can take advantage of the current environment in the auto reconditioning service industry and CASH IN! Copyright 2004 David Ridge - All Rights Reserved About The Author: David Ridge is a journeyman entrepreneur in the automotive reconditioning services industry. With over 22 years experience in the field, he has served dealerships across the US as a technician and reconditioning services advisor. He is a recognized expert in several sectors of the auto reconditioning industry. He is also a specialty vehicle enthusiast. These vehicles include specialty choppers and hot rods. David provides auto recon services consultation and support at: http://www.autoreconditioning.net His specialty vehicles can be seen at: http://www.chopperzusa.com
Article Category : Others Making Your Future Work Better For YouIt’s the commonest concern people have about their careers. Where am I heading? Is this the right direction for me? How can I tell what will suit me best? Making good career decisions doesn’t have to be agony if you clear away a few misconceptions. Break Out of Your Limits: Ignore the naysayers. We aren’t limited from birth by some trick of inheritance. We make this mistake because we restrict our goals to a few, narrow areas: making that specific promotion, winning those specific sales, being CEO by the time we’re 40. The goals may not even be our own; sometimes we pick up unrealistic aims from those around us. Find New Options: Setting your eyes on a single goal and achieving it through every obstacle makes a great story, but it’s like betting your life savings on a horse. If it wins, you clean up; if it loses, you lose everything. The more possibilities you can see, the more likely it is at least one of them will work out. Everyone has some untapped potential. You just need to recognize the flavor. Find what fits who you are and do that before everything else. Form Your Own View: Your future potential isn’t defined by other people — even your boss. All someone can see of us is our past or present behavior, not whether this represents our true selves. We often fall short of what we could do — or would do, if we remembered to make better choices. So much of our behavior is automatic. Constant repetition of what worked before wears grooves into our minds. We run on railroads of habit, doing what we always do and missing chances to explore better options. Let Go Of Old Habits: These boundaries that hem us in are formed of nothing more substantial than habit — the automatic habit of repeating what worked in the past. They can be tough to let go, even if they no longer serve us well. Give them a decent burial. It’s time to move on. Discover Your Possibilities: We can make sense of this mass of possible futures by putting them in categories. Do you feel best when you have lots of people around you? Do you enjoy making new relationships and keeping old ones fresh? Are you a social animal? If so, your future probably lies in the category of directions we call Relationship-oriented. Do you prize fairness? Does injustice make you angry? Are you the kind of person who feels standards of behavior are important? Do you need to feel what you’re doing has meaning? Do you like to see things done correctly? If most of these statements are true of you, your direction probably lies in the Ethics-oriented category. Practical, active go-getters; people who prefer less talk and more action; those who are driven by the need to succeed and the sense of satisfaction that comes with reaching your goals; people of these types come under the category of Achievement-oriented. They flourish in fast-moving roles full of clear objectives and challenges to be overcome. Learning-oriented people are creative, innovative and prefer to solve problems with brain rather than brawn. They enjoy discovery and developing their abilities. they’re more excited by ideas than activities; some are dreamers who see far into the future and bring about radical change. Do What Comes Most Naturally: Whichever flavor your future potential comes in, it’s yours to relish and enjoy. Stop worrying about weaknesses. Forget so-called gaps in your abilities. Fasten on what comes to you most naturally, pursue it with all the energy you can muster, and wait for the fireworks to begin. Building on your natural strengths is the best possible way to create a life that gives you fun, excitement and the satisfaction of being fully yourself. We can’t always have exactly what we want, but the more you can find ways to use your strengths instead of fretting about what doesn’t work so well for you, the more you’ll find yourself enjoying what you do. Adrian W. Savage writes for people who want help with the daily dilemmas they face at work. He has contributed more than 25 articles to leading British and American publications and has been featured in The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, USA Today and The Chicago Tribune. Visit his blog on small business life.
Article Category : Others Outsourcing has moved upward in the most-improved columns of efficiency and respectability through eLance.com. This website offers time-saving access to high-quality expertise that enables you to offload projects for quick completion, while maximizing your budget and letting you focus on those items not easily delegated. If the project you have in mind falls into one of the twelve categories currently supported by eLance, you are literally in business: 1) Software & Technology, 2) Writing & Translation, 3) Sales & Marketing, 4) Management & Finance, 5) Legal, 6) Website Development, 7) Graphic Design & Art, Let’s take a sidebar for a moment here to discuss the subject of budget. Although outsourcing does enhance your ability to save money, eLance is not a marketplace for slave labor. There are always exceptions, but for the most part, the Service Providers bidding on your job(s) are sincere professionals eager to return a quality product at a fair price. Prior to setting the budget for your project listing, take a little time to understand the market for the type of work you are posting. Google your main and sub-categories, and then check out websites and pricing to get a feel for going rates. You might also want to consult with applicable local businesses and with colleagues as well, to help determine a price that is affordable for you but not insulting to prospective bidders. Buyers who attempt to milk the system-or who are sub-contracting, for pennies, work they themselves have acquired through bidding-will quickly discover that only the very least qualified suppliers are submitting bid proposals for their jobs. Simply put, be reasonable and fair in your pricing expectations. Once you’ve established your budget, you will have a couple of options that can assist you in pre-screening in-coming bids. You’ll have a choice of whether or not you wish to allow Service Providers to communicate with you, via Private Message Boards, prior to their actually placing their bids. This communication is optional but advisable, because you will receive more comprehensive bids if the Service Providers are able to clarify their questions in advance of bid commitments. You will also be able to list up to three questions you’d like bidders to answer, which will further assist you with your pre-qualification. Perhaps the most important decision you’ll make as you’re creating your listing is whether you want your project to be at the Basic or the Select Level. Either one will give you access to top-notch Service Providers, but there is one key difference between the two: At the Select Level, Service Providers cannot see the other bid proposals being submitted. This results in more detailed but fewer responses, generally from the most seriously invested tier of registered providers. At the Basic Level, where Service Providers can read each other’s submissions, you will still receive bids from highly-qualified individuals, but you’ll have a larger number of responses, with less proposal detail. This Basic level also produces a lower bid range, since providers view all the other bid amounts and competitively bid against them. Participation in the Select Level costs more for both you and the Service Providers than Basic, so you’ll need to decide the best option for each of your project listings. eLance gives you additional information on the listing levels to help you make the most advantageous choice. Once you’ve paid a fully-refundable deposit of $25 to re-confirm your identity, your job will be posted and bids will begin pouring in. This brings you to the most difficult part of the entire process: hiring the best match for you and your job-at-hand. Some bids will be rejected right away due to inflated pricing or an obvious qualification mismatch, but you will generally end up with a collection of contenders. If your project has been listed at the Basic Level, you will have received bids from both Select and Basic Service Providers, and in the upper right hand corner of each proposal, you will see the eLance statistics for each bidder: average feedback rating, number of feedbacks, and total dollars earned through eLance projects. These statistics, in addition to the bidders’ Profiles, Feedback Comments and Portfolios, will help you complete the “pictures” created by each proposal submitted. On a number of proposals, you will also see the words “New Provider.” Please don’t discount these bids out-of-hand, even though there might not be much of an eLance track record yet. You will frequently find the most qualified, cost-effective option in someone who has just signed on to eLance and is eager to build a strong clientele base and a solid reputation. If your project was listed at the Select Level, you’ll see all of the statistics as before, but only Select Service Providers will have placed bids. There will be “New Providers” in this category as well, though, so take the time to review their credentials. Once you’ve read all the relative proposal and background material and then made your selection, you will go into the Buyer Activity section of “My eLance” and “offer” your chosen Service Provider the job. When the Service Provider “accepts,” you will pay him or her according to the terms stated in the proposal (usually a deposit of 25-50% of the total bid amount), a process most easily accomplished using eLance electronic funds transfer or Pay Pal. At that point, you and the Service Provider can begin communicating directly, based upon your mutual agreement, through the Private Message Board, email and/or telephone, to get the project started-and voila!, you can cross that task off your list. Assuming your outsourcing requirements fall into one of the twelve eLance categories, you will discover that managing those demands has just become immeasurably more?well, more manageable. There is a legion of talented freeLancers out there, ready and willing to do everything possible to help you get your you-fill-in-the-blank job accomplished through new, efficient partnerships. As you begin building associations with a group of Service Providers, you’ll soon find that you’ll want to avail yourself of the option enabling you to invite individuals to bid on projects, a time-saving feature that lets you quickly hire your favorite(s)-and together, you can make each other’s day-one right after the other-the eLance way! Matt Bacak became “#1 Best Selling Author” in just a few short hours. Recent Entrepreneur Magazine’s e-Biz radio show host is turning Authors, Speakers, and Experts into Overnight Success Stories. Discover The Secrets To Unleash The Powerful Promoter In You! Sign up for Matt Bacak’s Promoting Tips Ezine ($100 value) just visit his website at http://www.powerfulpromoter.com or http://promotingtips.com
Article Category : Others The United States is well known as a land of opportunity and as a result people from all over the world flock to its shores. However there exists here a class of people who are, sadly, ignored or forgotten. They are typically referred to as inner-city or underprivileged children. Unfortunately this label has almost become a stigmatism instead of a reminder that there are a number of people who need help to attain a more satisfying standard of living. Many of these young people are aware that attending a four year college or university would be a great way to lift them up from poverty. But, as the old saying goes, “It takes money to make money.” If you are already poor how can you afford to pay for the astronomical cost of obtaining a college degree? And if you cannot afford to pay for the degree how can you get a well-paying job? These are questions that the disadvantaged regularly have to grapple with and few are finding any worthy answers. One excellent answer is online career training. Career training is a much more affordable alternative to an expensive college degree. It is training that provides specific yet comprehensive knowledge and skills to a student. All that is needed is a computer and internet access. From there it is up to the student to decide which course or subject matter is most interesting and then enroll. There is no need to drive to a campus and wait in long registration lines. Instead enrollment in a career training course can be done in the privacy of your own home right over the internet. Once your enrollment is accepted your training can begin immediately. Career training allows students to work at an individual pace, thereby getting the most benefit from the training. Upon completion of the training the student is fully prepared to enter the work According to the U.S. Department of education, over 80 percent of the fastest-growing jobs require at least some postsecondary education. Career training can provide that necessary additional education. So if you or someone you know needs a helping hand why not look into career training and take advantage of living in the land of opportunity. —————————————————-
Article Category : Others More and more people are looking to gain an edge in their working environments.?One method that business people are increasingly turning to is feng shui.?Feng shui promises that by arranging your office environment correctly, it is possible to create a better energy in your office, and that energy can promote further opportunity and advancement.In feng shui, there are a few very basic, yet potent, guidelines to creating an effective office environment ? and that can instantly boost the career quotient of almost any office inhabitant. Although, some offices may require more extensive rearrangement to help promote success, most offices only require a few modest changes.?Use these suggestions to help you create your own “Power Office.”? 1.?Sit in the power position.? 2.?Sit behind a power desk. Here are dimensions for an auspicious desk (in inches): 3.?Sit in a power chair. 4.?Put power behind you. 5.?Get power in front of you.? 6.?Activate your desk dragon. Kathryn Weber is a certified master practitioner in classical feng shui and the publisher of The Red Lotus Letter a weekly feng shui E-Zine.?She has been featured and quoted by publications and websites, including Seventeen Magazine, First for Women, Martial Arts Professional, the Indy Star Newspaper, Self-growth.com, and Transformations.com.?Log on to www.redlotusletter.com to subscribe or to contact her about a personal consultation, speaking engagement, or workshop.
Article Category : Others According to an annual survey conducted by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, these are the most important qualities that employers are looking for in a job candidate, in priority order: (1) Communication skills; (2) Honesty/integrity; (3) Teamwork skills; (4) Interpersonal skills; (5) A strong work ethic. Be sure to highlight those skills in your resume, during your interview, and in your thank-you letter. That same survey discovered the number-one thing that can turn potential employers off — a job candidate’s appearance! Specifically, they cited unusual hair color or style, body piercings, tattoos, and unusual clothing as things that most often gave a bad first impression. What you think is “cool” may be the “hot” ticket to the reject list! So keep your need to express yourself under wraps during the interview, and you’ll have a better shot at getting the job. Bonnie Lowe is author of the popular Job Interview Success System and free information-packed ezine, “Career-Life Times.” Find those and other powerful career-building resources and tips at her website: http://www.best-interview-strategies.com.
Article Category : Others The gift basket industry is a lucrative at-home business that more people are starting to get into. According to Entrepreneur Magazine, this business is bringing in over $2 billion per year. If you are thinking of starting an at-home business but don’t know where to begin, rest assured that finding basket supplies is not that overwhelming. Knowing that may at-home businesses do not make it long, you may be apprehensive about starting your own. Here is a very nice hobby site http://www.hobbiesforfun.com. You may envision yourself surrounding by basket supplies and debt without enough sales to help you cover the basics. It is frightening to think of not succeeded in you new venture, but you can deal with these fears and gain success in your at-home business with just a little patience and planning. To battle the fear of not being able to sell enough, start by making baskets specifically for family and friends. This will give you the time and practice to build your skills. You can also start spreading the word about your new business idea. Of course, while at this stage of the plan, you will still be working your regular job. This is the time to be patient in practicing your creativity and finding what ideas seem to work best. By only gathering the basket supplies you need, you will not see them go to waste. As you move the product immediately, you can enclose a business card that your friends and family can use to spread the news of your new business. Once you have done this, you can start stocking basket supplies to be ready for orders that will come in from the word of mouth. Donating a basket arrangement to a good cause will help you make good use of your basket supplies as well as get your name out there. Consider fundraisers that are raffling off items; you can enclose the business card in the basket and provide them as the people sign up at the raffle display. This will probably have several orders coming in rather quickly, so you’ll probably need to stock up on more basket supplies at that point. Once the business grows, you will probably want to move away from the cheaper bargain store basket supplies. Although there are great deals there, you can find more quality items with wholesalers. You may even find local companies that need to get rid of over stocked items that would be perfect as basket supplies for your business. About The Author
Article Category : Others A “blog” is simply an internet (web) log. Blogs are created for personal or professional use. They may promote a product or service, or merely serve as a personal online journal. There are currently just over four million blogs today, with a new blog born every seven seconds.The problem of cocooning candidates Today, we work and live in an era of heightened cynicism and secrecy. Isn’t it much harder than it used to be to call into a company and attempt to speak with a candidate by telephone? Central voice mail systems have grown more sophisticated and guarded. And even when recruiters are able to finally speak with an actual live person, it’s often a reluctant administrative assistant or receptionist. Finally, if you are fortunate enough to be transferred to your candidate, more often than not you are greeted with that person’s individual voice mail recording. It has become de facto practice by many professionals today to simply leave their “do not disturb” function turned on for most of the work day. Later, they will screen and return external calls at their discretion. To address these changes, in recent years legitimate e-mail and web site marketing was considered a non-threatening (and somewhat successful) way to reach these “cocooning candidates.” These are in fact still viable tools, but there costly learning curves associated with them. Some recruiters have gone back to launching traditional direct mail campaigns. However, this can be an expensive and time consuming proposition to undertake with regularity. Success may be mixed until you find just the right combination of style and timing. Moreover, most outreach marketing attempts essentially are competing for a candidate’s attention today. Consider this: ? Only 29% of eligible job seekers visit the “Big Three” (Monster.com, Hotjobs.com, CareerBuilder.com) Recruiters (or researchers) who seek candidates for open positions, or to profile candidate requirements for the purpose of building a network pipeline, there are two ways we can use blogs: (1) The first way is to start your own blog and attract top talent to your blog site. This is not an overnight marketing cure-all, and it will require some patience. But cultivating a readership of professionals in your niche field is a highly effective means of reaching candidates who would have never otherwise learned about your career openings. The key to making this work is to learn to attract a specialized readership to your blog, just like a beacon in the night. You don’t need millions of readers?Just hundreds of the right readers. (2) The second approach is to search other existing blogs and develop contacts and relationships. This is a perfectly legitimate means of networking, as any internet page is essentially public domain information. Based on posting activity and interactions you initiate, you can easily develop in-roads and find more candidates in less time. Let’s talk about both approaches. You want to start your own blog. Now what? How much time do I need to spend on my blog? What do I write about? By their very nature of being near real-time, dynamic logs about life, blogs are frequently published mediums. I publish my blog at least three times per week (sometimes more often if I have more to say). If you are going to take the time to create an effective blog, and develop a regular reading audience, I suggest blogging at least twice every week. How do I decide what to blog about? Who is your audience? What message are you trying to convey? Are you recruiting for new business clients? Looking for joint venture relationships? In need of candidates who are in short supply in your market place? Are you selling products or services, or promoting your company brand? The first step you should take is to decide on what your intended focus will be. If you write about what’s wrong with our political system one week, then the following week write about outsourcing IT services to India, then in week three prattle on about how beautiful your home town is in the fall, your readership will not feel a sense of community or predictability about you. This completely defeats the purpose of building trust and credibility! You would be better off making cold calls if you continue on this path. One of my blogs (The Hiring Insider, www.hiringinsider.com) shares tips and tools to help line managers, corporate recruiters, human resource professionals, etc. learn to make better hires faster (or so I hope). Week in and week out, I try to maintain a specific, consistent thread of helpful information that builds upon previous week’s blog entries. However, a new reader should be able to jump in without any trouble at any time, so remember this as you plan your writing agenda. My other blog (http://jobsblog.blogspot.com) provides tips to job seekers in the life sciences field who are confused about who to trust in the pharmaceutical job market, and what practices to engage in and avoid in order to land the best possible job for their skill set. As you craft your blog entries, constantly think about who, what, why, where and how. Be sure to ask yourself where you are headed over time with your blog topics. Try to stay theme-related. How do I choose a service to blog on? There are many services available. For beginners, I recommend using blogger.com (Pyra labs). Google acquired blogger.com in February of 2004 (http://weblog.siliconvalley.com/column/dangillmor/archives/000802.shtml) and is really enhancing its features. It’s also FREE. Yep, you can register for an account in less than ten minutes and be up and blogging. Other great tools include Typepad (http://www.typepad.com/) and Movable Type (http://www.movabletype.org/). Again, the most important ingredients are publishing good content, and establishing and maintaining a base audience. However, you aren’t done yet. Now that you’ve come this far, you need to promote your blog and get yourself out of the starting gate. Begin by submitting your blog to the blog search engines. There are several hundred of these, and they are growing by the day. It is somewhat arbitrary which ones you choose to register with. However, at a minimum, I recommend that you register your site with at least the following: www.technorati.com What if I don’t want my own blog? If you decide instead that you want to search other blogs to source candidates, you can do any or all of these three steps: First, search for blogs based on what skill sets you are seeking (Oracle blogs, copywriting blogs, programmer blogs). Secondly, read the blog entries and see who is posting comments. Third, most bloggers have “blog-rolls” on either the left or ride side of the page. These cite other blogs that they like, and are usually related to the subject matter on their own blog. Resourceful recruiters will take advantage of these links and research them as well. You will also find blogs they may like or recommend which are unrelated. While I generally post relevant blogs, I also try to have a little fun. After all, recruiting is challenging work?Why not take a break and see what Dave Barry is up to? http://weblog.herald.com/column/davebarry/ ?Lucia Apollo Shaw, HireWorks, Inc. 2004 HireWorks, Inc. helps small to midsize organizations in the life sciences recruit and retain top talent. http://www.hire-works.com Visit our blog at http://www.hiringinsider.com
Article Category : Others How long has it been since you last had to search for a new job? These days it’s not at all unusual to change careers or jobs several times in a lifetime. The idea of retiring from the same company after a lifetime of service is much less a reality in today’s world than it was a couple of decades ago. The likelihood of unexpectedly losing your job is greatly increased today due to a number of different factors such as corporate downsizing, technological evolution, and globalization just to name a few. Being thrust into a job search can be a rude awakening and an eye opening experience. Ideally a job seeker should already be prepared for the unexpected with an up-to-date resume and versed in good communication skills. The reality is most people don’t have a current resume much less know how to effectively converse with a prospective employer. This lack of preparedness intensifies the stress and fear that comes with being unemployed. Having current documents and sharpened interviewing skills will greatly increase your sense of control over the situation and relieve some of the stress. The process of writing your resume will highlight to you the skills you have acquired and the challenges you have overcome. In turn your confidence in your abilities will have a positive impact on your self esteem which will effect a potential employer’s impression of you. Review your resume and determine whether it portrays you to be the candidate a prospective employer would be eager to meet. It should paint a picture of a person ready and willing to use your skills and talents to further the mission and improve the bottom line of a prospective employer. A progressive climb to bigger and better opportunities should be evident upon first glance. Knowing how to answer and ask questions intelligently with professionalism and grace is just as important. Your resume is the tool to unlock the doors to interviews. Once the door has been opened the ability to communicate well is necessary to convey how you can be an asset to the company. This is the time to present your personal sales pitch. You should be prepared to ask intelligent questions as well as answer questions. Inquiries about the company’s philosophy and mission, what will be expected in the position, and the degree of camaraderie among employees are examples of some of the questions you should ask. Usually applicants are given an opportunity at some point to ask questions and are very well expected to do so. Spend some time reviewing your personal marketing documents. Do some research on the internet or at the local library to learn how to communicate well in an interview. Make your own list of questions about the job and the company to pose toward the end of the meeting. Practice answering and asking questions with a friend or family member. Pay attention to your body language and composure as well as your verbal responses. You can turn an unexpected job loss into a positive experience. Take some time to discover the multitude of possibilities in which your skills and talents can be used and make it a positive one. You know the old saying, “When a window closes, a door opens.” Even if you aren’t currently seeking a new job, a career advance, or a change to improved employment conditions, be proactive and do the best you can to stay a step ahead. Keep your resume updated and your interviewing skills sharpened…just in case.Compelling, targeted resumes that will open doors to interviews developed by Angela Betts. Angela offers resume writing skills developed from over 8 years of experience. For more career and job search tips sign up for our free newsletter at http://www.resumeritr.com. Contact Angela at 501-467-8768 or send an email to info@resumeritr.com to request a free resume critique or resume development services.
|
|
|
|
Submit ResumesArticles
USEFUL LINKS
Pages
Mobile users save 90% or more on international calls with Pingo!
|
Search Advertising, 9) Administrative Support, 10) Training & Development, 11) Audio, Video & Multi-media, and 12) Architecture & Engineering.Once you are registered on the site as a Buyer (a sliding scale of fees is involved), eLance provides an extremely user-friendly series of steps and links that guide you through the project listing process. This article serves as a summary of those steps, with a few suggestions and tips merged in along the way for added success. First, you need to select one of the twelve categories, and then a sub-category (e.g., Writing & Translation?Editing & Proofreading). You will then select a Title for your project and give a detailed description of the job-at-hand, including specific expectations, any required expertise, and so forth, followed by the total number of days and the date range that your project will be open for bidding. Next you will establish the timeframe for job completion once a bidder has been selected, and you will set your budget.