BYU Career Blog

2011-07-15T10:00:00.004-06:00

Jobs Interview Skills Worth Mastering
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2010-05-21T10:04:00.000-06:00

Resume & Cover Letter Writing Workshop
May 28 12PM-1PM 2490 Wilkinson Center

2010-04-16T08:22:00.000-06:00

These Companies are Hiring
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2009-10-16T10:21:00.009-06:00

Virtual Internships: A Growing Trend and Great Opportunity

The job hunt is fierce. But a phenomenal new type of internship is on the rise, and it’s one that will boost your skills while at the same time allow you the flexibility of working from home and on your own clock. Employers are turning more and more to virtual interns, and we’re seeing a real rise in this on UrbanInterns. In fact, The Wall Street Journal published a story about this a few weeks ago.

Other advantages of a virtual internship? You don’t have to go to school in a major city to get access to awesome companies, and a lot of these positions are in areas that you’re probably already pretty skilled at, like social networking, blogging and research. We’re also seeing a rise in these positions at small businesses in particular, which is a great opportunity for you because you get exposure to management and get to play an important role as an intern at a small company.

So what’s the best strategy for going about finding a virtual internship? Here are some tips:

Promote yourself as a social networking genius. Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and other niche social nets are surprisingly foreign to a lot of small business owners. In addition, this type of task is time-consuming –- they need helping hands to execute the strategy and to be the social media face of the brands they’ve worked so hard to build.

Make sure all your online profiles are up to date, but at the same time would not offend any small business owners who might find them. Prospective employers will probably try to research you before hiring, because they can’t meet you in person. Your online presence should be a professional reflection of yourself –- one that employers would feel confident representing their companies.

Be aware of your virtual interview. When you’re applying for a virtual job, your interview could be on the phone or via Skype. In either case, keep the constraints of your interview in mind and be fully prepared. In other words, make sure your phone and Internet connections are good with no static before starting. You also won’t be able to rely on body language to convey yourself or interpret your interviewer’s mood, so be extra cautious with your words.

Now, what are you waiting for? Go to www.urbaninterns.com/login and fill out your profile to get discovered by hundreds of employers looking for virtual interns. In addition, Urban Interns currently has local jobs in NYC and Boston, and we’re rolling out eight new cities (Los Angeles, Chicago, Philadelphia, Dallas, San Francisco, Atlanta and Washington, DC) very soon –- be the first in line for jobs in those cities as well as virtually! Note: if you’re not in one of those areas, select “Other.”

Lauren Porat and Cari Sommer

2009-10-09T14:03:00.004-06:00

Resume Writing Strategies that Bring Results

In today’s tough economic climate, the competition for jobs is fierce indeed, which is all the more reason we need to be using effective resume writing strategies that work!

Here, we are not going to show you how to put your resume together; instead, we will share five excellent resume writing tips that you can use.

Tip #1: Know the job and company you are targeting.

Do your research before you start or update your resume. Look up the company you are applying to, and learn everything you can about it. Search online, talk with people in the industry, and make notes. Learn their mission statement, what their goals are, and how they are perceived in the community.

Notice that when you are researching the company, you are likely to see a few things or facts that stand out or are repeated. Also, this type of research could bring issues to the surface that you might not have noticed or learned about earlier. In fact, you might also uncover some information that might make you uncomfortable about the company, showing you that they may not be a good fit for you. Remember, even though you are focusing on their needs, and how you can benefit them, using effective resume writing strategies means that it has to feel good to you too!

When you are armed with plenty of information about the company and the job that you’re targeting, you can begin to formulate some key phrases that you will use in your resume, whether it’s in a qualification or an accomplishment.

Tip #2: Talk their talk.

I
n other words, use language in your resume that the company and industry uses. Don’t go overboard on jargon, but using industry terminology further shows the company that you know what you’re talking about.This can be a very valuable tip if you are posting your resume online. It is possible that an employer might search candidates using specific keywords and keyword phrases - and if you have these in your resume, this could help bring your resume to the top of the pile.

Word of warning: Use keywords and keyword phrases judiciously. Don’t overuse them, otherwise you could be perceived as “keyword spamming. Just use them where appropriate, in a natural manner. A good rule of thumb is that one keyword or keyword phrase for every 100 words of text should be fine.

Tip #3: Prepare your resume so that it targets one job and one company.

Thanks to the marvels of word processing, it is relatively easy to tailor your resume to the job and company you are targeting. If you are sending out 5 resumes to 5 different employers, make sure each resume is specific to each company. You can do this by putting a simple addition to a summary statement, such as: “How I Can Help ABC Company’s Finance Department…” or some such statement.

Specifically mentioning the job and company in your resume will set you apart. The employers will see that you spent time focusing on them. These are not only effective resume writing strategies, but strategies that also show employers that you are different. You really care. You really do want to join their team! You look like a winner!

Word of warning: Be double sure, no… make that triple sure that you carefully review every resume you send out to ensure that you are matching your resume to the right company!

Tip #4: Highlight critical and important information.

I
t is perfectly acceptable to highlight information that you want to be sure your reader sees. Consider that you only have a few seconds to get someone’s attention on your resume, and that someone is likely only scanning through at first. Knowing that, if, in your accomplishments, for example, you state that you have managed 35 accounts worth $1.2MM each, you might want to highlight it by either bold facing it, underlining it, or italicizing it, thereby increasing the odds that the reader sees it.

Kathy Tremblay

2009-10-08T18:46:00.002-06:00

Build Your Network Relationships

One of the most valuable skills for anybody, at any stage of life, working in just about any field is networking. Through this skill we have a wider reach to serve and to be served. With a strong network you can find a job, receive recommendations and be recommended, give advice, or just make someone’s day.

Many of us build networks through transactional means such as LinkedIn or collecting business cards. Build networks by building relationships. These networks will give you better support and be there when you need them most.

Birthdays and Birthday Lunches: great way to stay connected showing you care and setting you apart from other.

Notes- thank you, congrats or appreciation: take the time to make the relationship personal with a short, handwritten note.

Christmas Cards: great way to stay in contact with people away from where you live.

Professional Organizations: connects you to professional peers and opens lines of communications you may not otherwise have.

Community Involvement: by giving this passion-based service you show your true character and that you care.

Be Friendly and Gracious to Everyone: get past first looks and talk with everyone, be nice to everyone, you want your family to have a good name.

Have Charity: charity is better than 1,000 names on LinkedIn or Facebook, help everyone know they have something to offer.

Connect: be perspicacious, or aware of the world around you, lots of opportunities come in unexpected ways.

Be Bold: it is good to say what your heart says rather than what you think others expect you to say.

Focus on Relationships and the Natural Consequence will be a Strong Network.

2009-10-02T14:15:00.002-06:00

Career Advisors

Advisors offer one-on-one help with professional resumes, networking, interviewing skills, letter writing, job searching and general career information. To schedule and appointment with an advisor, please come to our office (2410 WSC) or call (801-422-6535.)

2009-10-02T13:57:00.004-06:00

eRecruiting

With eRecruiting, students can search job listings, find internships, apply for jobs, gather company information, view event schedules, and market themselves to potential employers.

BYU Career Services 2410 WSC 801-422-6535

2009-10-02T13:49:00.004-06:00

Personal Interests and Experience
(You can talk about these in an interview)

1. Investing. Have you put away money since your tenth birthday and watched your savings grow significantly? Are you active in trading and investing through your E*TRADE account? Do you currently manage your finances beyond balancing your checkbook? Since many high school and college students don’t manage their own money, your experience and knowledge could stand out.

2. Family business. If you’ve been part of your parents’ business development process or worked in a family-owned restaurant or store, your dinner table conversations may have involved hiring practices and workplace challenges. Even if you didn’t start the company, your experience is a source of knowledge and brings value to your job search.

3. Travel. Any trip that has broadened your perspective of the United States or the world adds value to your relevant work experience. Did you hike the Grand Canyon or backpack through Europe? Did you visit a country where you couldn’t even read the street signs? Be sure to tell potential employers how you overcame these challenges and broadened your life experience.

4. Passions or hobbies. What do you care about and what do you do in your free time? Whether it’s running marathons, building model airplanes or teaching yourself to cook, anything that demonstrates your dedication and drive has value in the workplace. If you’ve committed yourself to a goal and achieved it (or are working on achieving it), you’ve spent a lot of time and energy in this area of interest. Be sure to mention these experiences in an interview or professional networking situation.

5. Social media. Have you made a (positive) name for yourself in the social media word? If you’ve become highly involved in an online community like Twitter, YouTube, Ning or LinkedIn, be sure to mention this experience in a job interview. Many companies are focused on enhancing their presence online and may appreciate your experience and knowledge in this still-new arena. If your talent includes more than Facebook-stalking your peers, and you’re proud of what you’ve done, don’t hesitate to share.

6. Technology. If you have computer knowledge beyond Microsoft Word, take it into consideration as a marketable skills. If you have significant experience with Quickbooks, Photoshop or are really advanced with Excel or PowerPoint, definitely play up these skills. If you can write HTML code (even basic), that can be very valuable too.

7. Moving. Did you attend more than one high school because your parents decided to move? Did you transfer colleges after your freshman year? If you successfully made friends and acclimated to a new environment, you might mention this experience in an interview. If you didn’t love your first pick of colleges, your desire to change and improve your situation shows strength and courage. Play up your ability to make the most of change when speaking to potential employers.

8. Overcoming a life challenge. Were you injured and completed physical therapy? Have you dealt with a learning disability or taken care of a sick parent? Though these are very personal experiences, you might mention these personal trials in an essay, cover letter or interview. Some of life’s greatest challenges have nothing to do with work or professional experiences. Give yourself credit and consider talking about these difficult life experiences from an attitude of strength. They’re part of who you are today and potential employers will appreciate your honesty and courage.

In addition to brainstorming all of the above types of experience, I poked around the Web to find even more. Freelance work, certification that requires training or courses, awards of all kinds and any involvement with a nonprofit are also worthy of mention. If I’ve left anything off this list, please share additional types of experience in the comments below.

As your post-summer assignment, go back through this list and put together a master list of your own. If you’re stuck, talk to five people who know you best. Ask your parents, siblings, mentors, best friends and favorite professors to help you come up with a list of valuable experiences you’ve had and specific qualities you bring to the table.

When it comes to selling ourselves, we often don’t see what’s right in front of us. Yes, it’s important to be humble, but in a competitive job market it’s also necessary to articulate exactly what knowledge, skills and experiences you bring to the marketplace. Happy listing!
Lindsay Pollak

2009-10-02T13:48:00.010-06:00

Optimal Resume

Optimal Resume is an online site that helps you get your career started through 7 tools.Resume BuilderLetter BuilderOnline PortfolioSkills AssessmentInterview PrepVideo ResumeWebsite BuilderTo get started go to optimal resume and click on new user. The password to start a new account is optimal2.

Career Placement Services 2410 WSC 801-422-6535

2009-10-02T11:05:00.002-06:00

Most young people are indeed more experienced than they think.

We all know that jobs and internships are relevant, but it’s important to take inventory of all your talents and experiences so you don’t freeze up when writing your resume, interviewing for your dream job or filling out your LinkedIn profile. Whether you’re crafting a cover letter for a new job or negotiating a higher salary a current one, it’s important to take inventory and gain confidence in your experiences and abilities.

How far back should you go in your analysis? As a general rule, resume-relevant experience goes back four years for students and recent grads, unless you’ve done something super impressive like winning an Olympic medal or starting your own business, which you should always mention. Read more on the timeline for recalling your achievements in my blog post, Career Q&A: Is it lame to put high school achievements on my resume?

I’ve put together a laundry list of valuable experiences and skills that may not automatically come to mind when conducting your job search. Here are the first five as a teaser — stay tuned for the rest in days to come:

1. Writing. Do you write for your school newspaper? Did you start a blog? Book reviews, short stories and letters to the editor are all important uses of your communication skills. If you’ve acquired bylines, don’t be shy about showing potential employers what you’ve done. Any well-written content labeled with your name holds value in the marketplace, especially in a business world where writing skills are often lacking.

2. Course work. Every student takes classes, but what have you done specifically that demonstrates the skills and knowledge you bring to the workplace? Notable accomplishments include completing projects from beginning to end, writing research papers, building presentations or models, testing theories, conducting labs and participating in an organized debate. Be selective in what you share, but don’t be shy about it either.

3. Group projects. Though they often seem like a drag, group projects teach us a lot about ourselves and how we work with others. Did you face challenges in working with different types of people? Was your group stuck in a last minute crisis? Did you somehow save the day and pull off a killer presentation? Since most companies value teamwork, these types of experiences add value to your candidacy for a position. If you’re the go-to group leader because everyone knows you’re organized and efficient, mention this as well.

4. Second language. Are you fluent in another language from college courses or Rosetta Stone? Have you learned sign language to help a parent or aid your volunteer efforts? Whether you’ve been bilingual (or more) since birth or learned through time, knowledge of multiple languages is a significant asset in today’s marketplace.

5. Study abroad. Have you lived in another country? Did you participate in an exchange program or live with another family while overseas? The desire to live in another place shows curiosity and confidence. The ability to adjust to another culture demonstrates flexibility, resilience and resourcefulness. These traits are extremely important when adjusting to a new work environment, and employers want to know you’re adaptable.
Lindsey Pollak

2009-10-02T11:00:00.001-06:00

You Have More Experience Than You Think

1. Sports. Even if you aren’t a star athlete, your participation in an organized sport (varsity, JV, club level or just for fun) is valuable. An employee who is a “team player” and works well with others can move mountains in the workplace. Athletic experience builds your competitive nature, increases your level of confidence and gives you strong leadership skills. Remember to consider these lessons and experiences when discussing your skills and abilities in a job interview.

2. Clubs and organizations. From French club to student government, be sure to note your involvement in organized group activities. Make special note of any leadership roles that involved coordinating events, budgeting or acting as liaison among group members, faculty and staff. Also take some time to think about club projects you managed from beginning to end — employers will correlate these to workplace project management skills.

3. Greek life. Aside from the toga parties (which employers definitely don’t want to know about), Greek organizations provide some valuable experience for the working world. Many Greek organizations place significant value on networking events, fundraisers and recruitment. If you held a direct leadership role, planned events or coordinated publicity for your fraternity or sorority, you should share these achievements with potential employers. Keep in mind that there are some lingering stereotypes from Animal House and the like, so proceed with caution.

4. The arts. Whether you’re involved in art, music, dance or theater, your performance skills and the self-confidence it takes to share your talents in front of an audience are very attractive to an employer. Don’t be shy about touting your creative accomplishments, even in a serious corporate setting.

5. Entrepreneurship. Did you start a business, activity or club? Have you participated in a family business? Whether it’s been a success or struggle in today’s economy, the lessons you’ve learned from taking initiative and building your own group or company are worthy of mention. Be able to speak of your motivation to become an entrepreneur and the ups and downs you faced throughout the process.

6. Volunteer experience. Did you tutor peers at your school, help manage a food drive or give your time to an elderly community? Whether you’ve spent one week, one month or one year volunteering, you have gained skills, built relationships and experienced struggles and triumphs that are valuable to an employer. Include these experiences on your resume and discuss them in your professional conversations.

7. Part-time work. Have you worked in retail, at a restaurant or behind the snack bar at your neighborhood pool? Even telemarketing, babysitting, mowing the lawn and dog walking can demonstrate hard work, dedication, organization and persistence — qualities that all employers want and need. When you discuss these work experiences, however, it’s up to you to point out how they are relevant to jobs you are seeking now. Give serious thought to what your part-time work has taught you and how it’s contributed to your skill set.

8. Campaigning and activism. Were you active in the 2008 presidential election? Have you written letters, made phone calls or found other ways to speak out about the causes you support? If you’ve shown dedication to a cause or movement, it can be smart to share this in a job interview. Keep in mind that politics and certain issues are a source of controversy, though, so focus more on explaining your involvement and the specific abilities you developed rather than trying to convert a recruiter to your cause or point of view.
Lindsey Pollak

2009-09-21T20:58:00.000-06:00

Why Don't Employers Call You Back

Job searchers, please understand that hiring managers and HR professionals are receiving 10times the amount of resumes than they would have a year or two ago. Their time is spread thin and it is difficult to respond to each resume or application. Don’t expect to hear from every company that you’ve applied. The position may have filled and the manager has moved on.

If you interview for a job, though, a good hiring manager will always follow up. Additionally, be mindful of several things.

First, don’t apply for a job for which you clearly are not qualified.
Second, prepare for your interview. If you know nothing about the company you are interviewing with, it’s an immediate red flag to the hiring manager.

Finally, if a hiring manager indicates that she will contact you in two weeks and you have not heard from her, you should follow up with her. It may be that the process is taking longer than she expected. Remember, two years ago, job seekers were particular about the jobs they would accept. Today, managers are trying to find the “perfect” candidate rather than settling on a candidate.

2009-09-20T11:54:00.000-06:00

Safeguard Your Facebook Privacy

Facebook statistics show that it has 250 million active users each with an average 120 friends. More than 1 billion photos are uploaded every month by its users, over 70% of whom use applications like games and quizzes in Facebook. Unfortunately, most users don’t know the implications of entering personal information, making friends, and playing games on Facebook. This guide will show what you can (and cannot) do to safeguard your Facebook privacy. read more
Mahendra Palsule

2009-09-18T14:42:00.000-06:00

The Elevator Speech or the Me in 30 Seconds

It’s called an elevator speech, but your personal commercial that describes your career assets can happen on an escalator, at a ballgame or in a place of worship. The idea is that when someone asks you what you do, you often have less than a minute to answer (before the elevator door opens).

According to Karin Combs, career coach and owner of Source One Career Coaching (www.sourceonehr.com/), the elevator speech has four basic components:

* Your name and title (a title everyone will understand)
* Who you serve (e.g. internal customers)
* What you do (the skills you have to help a company make money, save money and/or solve problems)
* Your target market (i.e., target companies, geographic areas, company size, area of interest)

“As you begin to say your elevator speech out loud, it will sound like a script,” says Combs. “Practice your elevator speech with everyone! Begin to own it and believe it and it will start to sound more natural. Make it your own words and practice, practice, practice!” (Combs has an elevator-speech template on her website at www.sourceonehr.com/images/Perfecting_Your_Elevator_Speech_Exercise.doc.)

In role-playing with networking colleagues, Interactive Marketing Leader Ray Smith (raysmithweb@gmail.com) would pretend to be the hiring manager. Before hearing an elevator speech, Smith would say “I have 10 people out in the hallway who say they do what you do. I'll give you 30 seconds. If you convince me that you're the one I should hire, I'll tell the rest to go home right now. But if you sound just like the rest, I'm going to yell ‘next!’ Go ahead and tell me what makes you different."

Smith says that to test the effectiveness of your elevator speech, ask your networking contact to repeat what you do. “If what they're repeating isn't what you want communicated, keep shortening the elevator speech and revising it until they do.”

To make his elevator speech memorable, Scott Wittich begins with “My name is Scott Wittich, and I’m out of control,” using a slightly depressed voice and pausing for effect. With a more upbeat and enthusiastic tone, Wittich continues with “Actually, I'm a Financial Controller who is out of a job…”

“If you are going to use humor in an elevator speech, it has to feel and sound natural,” says Wittich. “The bigger point to be made is that no matter what the content of your elevator speech or how you say it, it has to sound natural and be true to who you are or you will sound phony.”

In its entirety, Scott’s elevator speech is:

My name is Scott Wittich, and I'm out of control... Actually, I'm a Financial Controller who is out of a job. But I am looking for a Controller or Accounting Management position that will allow me to get back in control to help a company control its costs and assets.

Many people think accounting is boring, but when I worked with operating departments to develop a $125 million annual budget, and worked with those same departments to reduce budgeted costs by $16 million in 5 years, which enabled our operation to be the lowest cost producer of 12 branches, I found that very exciting, especially when it provided job security for the plant's employees. I am looking for the opportunity to again work with managers to develop and achieve similar goals.

(In this section, Wittich tailors his target market according to his audience, including industry type, company size and geographic location.)

Again, my name is Scott Wittich, and I would appreciate it if you would let me know about any companies searching for a Controller or Accounting Manager.

“I think it is important to emphasize each point of your speech and change the tone of your voice so you don't speak in a monotone,” says Wittich. “If you forget to say something or say it in the wrong order, no one will know, as long as your body language doesn't indicate you made a mistake. Just recover and keep on going.”

An elevator speech does not tell your entire life story, says Combs. "The goal for the elevator speech is for people to want to know more! Then you can arrange for a phone discussion or meeting later.”
James Sanford

2009-09-18T10:26:00.000-06:00

10 Ways to Be Liked in Your Job Interview

No matter your resume and talents, if you mess up a job interview you won't get that position. In today's tough economy you need every possible edge. As authors of the new book, "I Hate People! Kick Loose from the Overbearing and Underhanded Jerks at Work and Get What you Want Out of Your Job," we see it as a simple equation: You want to be liked -- not hated.

Here are 10 simple things to do that will dramatically increase your chances: from wearing the right expression, to knowing what not to say, to never ever breaking a sweat.

1. Don't be a "smiley face."

Excessive smiling in a job interview is seen for what it is -- nervousness and a lack of confidence. A smiley-face person exudes phoniness, which will quickly be picked up by the interviewer. Instead be thoughtful and pleasant. Smile when there's something to smile about. Do a practice run in front of a mirror or friend.

2. Don't be a small-talker.

Your job is to be knowledgeable about the company for which you're interviewing. Random facts about last night's episode of "Dancing with the Stars" or your favorite blog will not get you the job. Never feel you have to fill an interview with small talk. Find ways to talk about serious subjects related to the industry or company. Pockets of silence are better than padding an interview with random babble.

3. Don't sweat.

You can lose a job by wearing an undershirt or simply a little too much clothing. Sweaty palms or beads on your forehead will not impress. You are not applying to be a personal trainer. Sweat will be seen as a sign of weakness and nervousness. Do a practice run with your job interview outfit in front of friends. The job interview is one place you definitely don't want to be hot.

4. Don't be a road block.

Interviewers are seeking candidates eager to take on challenging projects and jobs. Hesitance and a nay-saying mentality will be as visible as a red tie -- and seen as a negative. Practice saying "yes" to questions about your interest in tasks and work that might normally give you pause.

5. Don't be petty.

Asking the location of the lunchroom or meeting room will clue the interviewer into your lack of preparation and initiative. Prepare. Don't ask questions about routine elements or functions of a company: where stuff is, the size of your cube, and company policy on coffee breaks.

6. Don't be a liar.

Studies show that employees lie frequently in the workplace. Lying won't get you a job. In a job interview even a slight exaggeration is lying. Don't. Never stretch your resume or embellish accomplishments. There's a difference between speaking with a measured confidence and engaging in BS. One lie can ruin your entire interview, and the skilled interviewer will spot the lie and show you the door.

7. Don't be a bad comedian.

Humor tends to be very subjective, and while it may be tempting to lead your interview with a joke you've got to be careful about your material. You probably will know nothing about the sensibilities of your interviewer, let alone what makes them laugh. On the other hand, nothing disarms the tension of a job interview like a little laughter, so you can probably score at least a courtesy chuckle mentioning that it's "perfect weather for a job interview!"

8. Don't be high-maintenance.

If you start talking about the ideal office temperature, the perfect chair for your tricky back, and how the water cooler needs to be filled with imported mineral water, chances are you'll be shown a polite smile and the door, regardless of your qualifications. Nobody hiring today is going to be looking for someone who's going to be finicky about their workspace.

9. Don't be a time-waster.

At every job interview, the prospective hire is given the chance to ask questions. Make yours intelligent, to the point, and watch the person across the desk for visual cues whether you've asked enough. Ask too many questions about off-target matters and you'll be thought of as someone destined to waste the company's resources with insignificant and time-wasting matters.

10. Don't be a switchblade.

Normally the switchblade is thought of a backstabber, often taking credit for someone else's work. In an interview setting, the switchblade can't help but "trash talk" his former employer. If you make it seem like your former workplace was hell on Earth, the person interviewing you might be tempted to call them to find out who was the real devil.
Jonathan Littman and Marc Hershon

2009-09-18T09:35:00.001-06:00

Simple Things To Remember When In A Job Interview

Often, when scheduled for a big job interview, we often take the simplest things for granted. After you’ve finished with all the background research you need to do regarding the company or organization you’re applying to, you’ll need to remember these few simple things that will help you seal the deal in an interview.

1. From walking into the room, maintain a pleasant outlook. Especially if you’re being interviewed in the morning, wear a simple smile on your face and just be friendly. Contrary to popular belief, not all interviewers are corporate sharks out to bite your head off. Maintaining a pleasant demeanor will likely be viral and spread a warm and positive aura across a tense and formal setup.

2. The first of the job interview questions will likely be a request to tell something about you: the perfect opportunity to lead the interview. The interviewer is asking this in order to 1) know more about you and 2) to know which direction the interview is likely to head.

By speaking confidently, surely, but not arrogantly about your intentions, strengths & weaknesses, preferences, skills, etc., you’re leading the interview into an informational conversation which is what the interviewer wants and needs.

3. Listen and speak sincerely. Never pretend to be something you’re not; you will just be found out and are likely to just look stupid. Your job interview answers should lead towards revealing more of what you are about and why you would be perfect for the job without your coming on too strong. This can be accomplished through intently listening and comprehending the questions, and answering as truthfully and articulately as you can. Good communications skills show professionalism and dependability.

4. Keep track of your own body language. First off, maintain eye contact – showing confidence and honesty. Avoid fiddling with your tie, shifting uncomfortably in your seat, slouching, and most of all biting your nails: all these shows signs of weakness, disinterest, and insincerity –traits that won’t snag you a job interview follow up.

2009-09-04T23:32:00.000-06:00

5 Steps to a Fantastic Linkedin Profile

As the largest and most vibrant professional social network, LinkedIn provides a wealth of opportunities for job seekers and ambitious young professionals. But LinkedIn doesn’t work unless you work it.

How can you make the most of LinkedIn? Here are some tips for creating a profile that will impress employers, colleagues, headhunters, professional association members and more:

1. Include keywords in your summary statement. The Summary portion of your profile provides a chance to share the highlights of your bio in your own words. It’s also a place to include key words and phrases that a recruiter or hiring manager might type into a search engine to find a person like you. The best place to find relevant keywords is in the job listings that appeal to you and the LinkedIn profiles of people who currently hold the kinds of positions you want. Check out LinkedIn’s Company Pages feature to search through the profiles of employees at your dream employers. And remember, it is absolutely fine — crucial, in fact — to include unpaid or volunteer work in your Summary. If you are a current student or recent grad, you can include relevant coursework and extra curricular achievements as well.

2. Write for the screen. LinkedIn, or any website for that matter, is not the place for long-form prose. Present your summary statement in short blocks of text with lots of white space. Bullet points are great, too.

3. List all experience. One of the most valuable aspects of LinkedIn is the way it connects you with former colleagues and classmates—which, as we all know, are some of our best networking contacts. It would be a shame if a long lost former colleague or classmate, who happens to be a recruiter now, couldn’t find you because you hadn’t listed that shared employment in your LinkedIn profile.

4. Collect diverse recommendations. Nothing builds credibility like third party endorsements. The most impressive LinkedIn profiles have at least one recommendation associated with each job a person has held. Think about soliciting recommendations from professors, internship coordinators and colleagues, employers, classmates with whom you shared an extra curricular activity and professional mentors.

5. Share your news frequently. The best way to stay on other people’s radar screens is to update your status on LinkedIn (the box near the top of your profile) at least once a week. Tell people about events you are attending, major projects you’ve completed, professional books you are reading, successes you are celebrating or any other news that you would tell someone at a networking reception or on a quick catch-up phone call.
Lindsey Pollak

2009-09-01T21:26:00.000-06:00

Build Your Network Now

Now is the time to build your network. Start connecting with friends and acquaintances. Whenever you meet someone who is successful or whom you think will be successful in the future, develop a relationship. Get their name, telephone number and email address and add them to a contact list. You never know when you might need them.

You probably have some idea which of your classmates or ward members are likely to be very successful. They are the ones who get the good grades, who are socially connedted, who may be class officers or ward leaders. You need to establish relationships with people who can help you in the future.

Most jobs are secured through networking. Recent surveys have shown the almost thirty percent of new jobs are found in this way. When I was a senior executive, I always asked my staff whether they know anyone qualified for whichever opening I was trying to fill. I never used any other method to find people.

Now, while you are still in school, is the time to develop relationships with as many people as possible whom you can go to in the future to find job opportunities. You need to start building these relationships now, before you need them. You need vital relationships to accelerate your executive ascent.

2009-09-01T19:55:00.000-06:00

Ideas to Grow Your Job Search Network Right Now

A recent study confirms that networking is the best way to find a job. But growing a network takes time so you want to build it before you need it. Like a tree, a network requires caring and time to branch out to its full potential. The more you invest in your network, the more you’ll get out of it. Even if you can only afford a few minutes per day, start growing your network as soon as you can and continue nurturing it until you need its fruits. Here’s how to start.......read more
Jacob Share

2009-09-01T12:30:00.000-06:00

Your Facebook Page Can Kill a Job Opportunity

This generation didn't invent stupidity. It's just the first to post it online for all the world to see. And that's the rub: Employers are getting savvier about looking you up online. How? In some cases, just by Googling your name.

More and more companies -- 61 percent, says the Ponemon Institute, a privacy research organization -- are running online background checks of prospective hires. And 43 percent of those potential bosses nixed candidates based on what they found out about them. As one consultant told the New York Post, "Your Google results are your new résumé."

Hiring someone is risky business. Employers, after all, don't like surprises. They look at what people post and wonder, Is that new salesperson, the one who posted something silly, crude or stupid likely to do the same at a convention? Will the new guy in advertising turn off clients with endless chatter about his World of Warcraft score? No question, the easiest way to deal with a potential problem is before the hire.

Some applicants demonstrate a complete lack of judgment and maturity. Anyone applying for a job would be wise to review his or her online persona from an employer's perspective. "I had a candidate who wrote on a religious blog things like 'We're right and they're wrong and they're all going to hell,'" says one recruiter He didn't get the job, because the employer feared he'd spend his days preaching to co-workers. Then there's the guy who got passed over after bragging about how well he did in Vegas. To one potential boss, that screamed "Gambler!"

Yes, religious platitudes are protected speech, and gambling in Vegas is legal. But take note: If the boss has concerns, he probably won't hire you.

And it's not just about getting hired. An applicant couldn’t believe it when his former bosses at a publishing company took exception to what he wrote on a friend's MySpace page. "I left in a very professional manner so I could get a good reference," says the applicant. "Then I wrote a two-line comment, a little ha-ha funny. But I guess if you read the post out of context, it wouldn't seem too funny."

What did his former employer take out of context? This: "Thank goodness this is my final day in this dump.”

"I should have used common sense," the applicant admits his chances of getting that reference are now shot. "Anything that you put online is public information."

This should seem pretty obvious to the generation who grew up on these sites, right? Maybe not, says an admissions expert. When it comes to the Net, she says, young people tend to fall for two traps. One: "Many of them believe it's truly private, and they'll determine who gets to see what, and it will stop there." Wrong! And two: "Their sense of what things will be like in the next stage of their life is not realistic."

In other words, they don't always grasp the fact that first impressions are often last impressions. They figure, I'm a good person, I'm a smart person, and eventually everyone will see that. "Teachers will give you the benefit of the doubt," Norman says. "But employers aren't rushing to do that."

So what do you do about that foolish, immature picture now that you're looking for a job? Take it down! And anything else that could possibly be construed as offensive.

But what if the picture is now on other sites? After all, a friend can post your photo on his Facebook page or someplace less secure. And from there, it can be posted on another site. In other words, you're no longer in control of your photo.

This problem is so pervasive that a new industry has cropped up: identity management. "Complete transparency is great for the Internet, but not when it comes to your personal life.

This pocketbook warfare tends to seal the deal, but not always. While a student at Yale Law School, for example, one young woman applied to 16 firms for a summer associate position but didn't field a single offer. It turned out that students had spread vicious rumors on a law-school discussion forum. You may think walking the straight and narrow is the solution. Think again. "Half the stuff is totally unexpected.

These new business models serve to remind us that the World Wide Web is still the Wild, Wild West. You've got to be careful out there. On the other hand…… after graduating from Notre Dame in 2005, a 25-year-old landed a position in the ad-sales department of an upscale magazine. Her future employers checked out her Facebook profile and saw pictures of her scuba diving, traveling through Italy and helping introduce computers to a small African village. On the flip side, there were photos of her at a tailgate party and a guy playfully planting a kiss on her cheek. But those pictures didn't bother the employer, who offered her the job anyway. "They were looking for someone who would mesh with their community," she says. "My profile showed I'm a well-rounded person."

Let's face it, most of us have done something we regret. It's called being human. But tossing it online is another matter. And for some, it's even become an addiction, one with a nickname: Crackspace. Young or old, students and execs alike turn into exhibitionists, putting every aspect of their lives on public display. In a forgiving, kindly environment, yes. "But in a business environment?"

In a recent survey, hiring managers checked out job candidates online and discovered these cyber-skeletons:

31% lied about qualifications.

24% were linked to criminal behavior.

19% bad-mouthed their former company.

19% boasted about drinking and doing drugs.

15% shared confidential information from former employers.

11% posted provocative photographs.

8% used an unprofessional screen name.

Source: CareerBuilder.com

Protect Your Virtual Résumé

• Don't post anything obnoxious, lewd or risqué, and don't trash former employers.

• Switch your Facebook or MySpace profile to "private."

• Edit what friends write on your "wall." You'll be held accountable for their idiocy.

• Don't write anything on someone else's profile that can come back to haunt you.

• Avoid crazy e-mail addresses like spicychica2, dirthead and imsotired.

• Google yourself regularly. Better yet, sign up for a Google Alert, which will tell you when your name is mentioned online.

• Think of your profile as your public relations tool. Use it to present your accomplishments and creativity, not to settle scores and attack others.
Readers Digest

2009-08-14T13:48:00.002-06:00

Ten Tips for a Standout Resume video
Linsey Pollak

2009-08-14T13:41:00.000-06:00

Manage the Transition from College to Career video
Lindsey Pollak

2009-08-05T08:09:00.000-06:00

How to Make More Money: A letter from Marshall Bean, an Employment Specialist

First off, most people have a very limited view of what their money making potential is. Ever since we are young we are taught to pick a career, get an education and become a specialist in said career, and make our living in that career. This can be good, but when it comes to the root of it, if a job makes you happy and it makes you money, take the job. You can always change later. Also be open to having more than one part-time job.

Tip: If it makes you happy and it makes you money, take the job. Having a job in a side field will always make you more money than not having a job because it isn't in your field.

Second, make yourself more marketable. For a long time I was charging a less than standard rate for my freelance web projects, because I felt unqualified. Finally I bit the bullet, enrolled in certification test, passed it, and now I charge what ever I want. Do what you can to make yourself more marketable. Service opportunities and organizations are great free way of building your credentials. President of anything sounds good. Spend time to learn resume writing techniques.

Tip: Make a goal to be worth more. If your last job payed $7/hour find one that pays $8. If you are currently employed, what is holding you back from getting a raise?

Third, learning to manage and save your money can be just as useful as getting payed more. Track your finances. Divide your money into maintenance (food, rent, etc) savings (around 10%) and free money (dates, TV's, personal projects) Make sure you pay your tithing and fast offerings the moment you get your pay check, this will free you up when things get tight. Also learn to manage and save your time. Do you spend too much time on Facebook? Learn to discipline yourself and you will find that you suddenly have more hours in your day.

Tip: Pay your tithing and fast offerings first, this act of responsibility and smart money management prepares your mind to make better financial decisions.

Lastly, be happy. Being happy opens doors to new job opportunities, makes you more marketable, and effects how you spend your time.

Tip: Be happy.

How to Be Happy:
What is happiness, and what is its relationship to money?.
-Happiness is something you feel, and is a positive state of being.
-Money is a possession that acts as an intermediate in exchanging things of value, or in other words: Money is power.
Is power bad? No. Our Heavenly Father has all power, and He is good. But the mere possession of power, unknown to popular belief, does not actually make one happy. Happiness is a direct result of what we do with our power.
Consider this quote by Ezra Taft Benson:

"Forget yourself and find someone who needs your service, and you will discover the secret to the happy, fulfilled life"

When we seek to increase others, a natural consequence is that we increase ourselves, and this feels great. Believe it or not, you can actually be happy today. Heavenly Father has created this world with all the essentials that one needs to be happy. If you have anything AT ALL then you have the means to be happy. Look around you, is there something or someone that can be increased? Go and improve what ever is in your power and see how you feel afterwards.

Tip: Happiness is a result of improving what lies in our power, not a result of having power.

How to Make More Money and Still Be Happy:
Finally, once you know how to be happy, take it to work with you. Don't go to work just with the intention of gaining more money. Go to work with the intent of improving, and by consequence, to be happy. Those in hiring positions notice this and always hire the happy or "passionate" worker. They can tell if you are there just for the paycheck. When all is said and done, the reason we get up in the morning, and go to work in the first place, is because we want to be happy. If you are happy, people will want to hire you because you have what they want.

Tip: Go to work with the intent to improve. Improve yourself, your relations with others, and the business you are a part of. By natural consequence: You will be happier, your relationships will be better, and you and your business will make more money.

I hope you all have found this useful, and are more empowered to improve your financial situations and enjoyment of life.
Remember to take advantage of the opportunities that are available to you. Feel free to e-mail me or contact me if you have any further employment questions.

Bests,

-Marshall Bean
About Marshall Bean

2009-08-04T09:07:00.001-06:00

Search smarter and harder for a job

"The current job market requires a much more aggressive approach, as well as some creativity," says Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., an outplacement company. That does not mean using colored resume paper. It means you have to find new ways to get in front of hiring authorities, look where others are not and be willing to take jobs most people would avoid, said Challenger. Sounds like, "Do what others fail to do." Challenger offers some advice for entry-level candidates, but these ideas work for any job seeker.

Have a seat and stay awhile. If there is a company for which you want to work, but you cannot get an appointment with the manager of the specific department, then show up at the person's office and simply wait until he or she gives you 10 minutes. You have nothing to lose and you will have gained an interview without a resume!

Show up early and often. The manager you need to talk with will most likely have free time before or after normal work hours. If normal hours are 9 to 5, show up at 8 a.m., or arrive at the end of the day and be prepared to stay until 6 p.m. to make a compelling case as to why you deserve an interview.

Use your research skills on the Web. You can find virtually anyone or any company on one of the hundreds of social and professional networking sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter.

Create your own job fair. Plan a social event and invite friends and family who are working. Create business cards. Social events can foster business references.

Join professional associations. Practically every profession has an associated society or member organization. Join and network.

Land that interview. Listen actively and answer questions succinctly. Be prepared to sell yourself.

Advertise your job search. Use the network you have cultivated, including former bosses, internship supervisors, teachers and classmates. Do not hesitate to approach former professors to go over your resume and find job leads. Talk to older friends who may have already found a job. You must make it known that you are looking.
Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., an outplacement company

2009-08-03T23:23:00.000-06:00

Practice for a Successful Interview

Practice is the key to a successful interview. Practicing the response to the various questions asked by an interviewer is always helpful. Using actual examples to answer questions about oneself can be a great technique. Practicing for questions will help to avoid that awkwardness that can come with facing questions.

Being prepared for all types of questions is really important. You should especially be prepared for answering a common question like "Do you know what we do in our company?? Your preparation should also include knowing the name of the person who will interview you. This way you can use it to address him or her during the job interview. In case you do not know the name, it is better that you call in time and know it much before the interview. Another thing to be prepared is some information about the company, which you can relate while answering the questions.

2009-07-20T13:13:00.000-06:00

Tips for Using LinkedIn

Mino Sullivan, a highly regarded career coach and work expert lists 10 Tips to Enhance Your Job Search Using Linkedin. You can click the link to download a copy for yourself.

Briefly the tips are as follows:

1. Complete your profile thoroughly – include a picture or yourself, your work history, accomplishments, and recommendations from past supervisors, coworkers and clients.

2. Build your network – the more the merrier, whether or not they are directly related to your industry – they may know someone who knows someone.

3. Prepare for interviews using Linkedin – research companies and their executives before you interview.

4. Join Linkedin groups – become known and get to know others.

5. Participate in discussions – share and learn, demonstrate your knowledge.

6. Search for jobs daily – use the job board, some of the listings may be exclusive to Linkedin and recruiters are often named providing more networking opportunities.

7. Ask and answer questions – be a part of the community, share your insights.

8. Identify target companies – you can target by industry and geography to narrow your focus your efforts.

9. Promote your blog/website – let people know what you are up to.

10.Final tidbits – update regularly, include a link to your Linkedin profile in your email signature, use an “out of office” auto responder.
Mino Sullivan

2009-07-17T08:38:00.004-06:00

Looking for a job is a full-time job

JoAnna Franke is the director of one of the most useful programs at any college—career services, an office where the goal is to help students become valuable employees and help them find work in their field.Career services offices hold job fairs throughout the year, and Franke said student attendance at these types of fairs is on the rise, particularly with the job market situation. “Students are taking them more seriously now,” she said.

According to Franke, there are several things students can do while in school to better their chances of finding a job after graduation. A student’s first year isn’t too soon to start thinking about career opportunities. Franke recommends all students, even freshmen, consider part-time employment while going to school, even if it is a work-study or on-campus job.

“One thing we hear from recruiters is that they like students who know how to work, have a shift, get to work on time and have responsibilities at work,” she said. “One of the best things you can have especially in these hard economic times is work experience.”

By their sophomore and junior years, students should look for internships, Franke said. “Students need to be able to say to employers I understand the jargon of my field and I’ve seen it in action,” she said. By the time they’ve reached their senior year, students should have participated in job fairs, beefed up resumes and sharpened interview skills.

For seniors, the job hunt also becomes an exercise in broadening expectations, Franke said. Some jobs that may not immediately appear to relate to a student’s field of study can often offer a variety of employment opportunities.

For recent grads, be patient and be ready to go where the jobs are, Franke said.
JoAnna Franke, , director of Career Services at Texas A&M University

2009-07-16T14:13:00.000-06:00

Student Business Cards

The vast majority – more than 70%, some sources estimate – of job positions are filled by word of mouth or networking. That means no resumes and no classified ads. It means: business cards. Okay, so that was sort of flawed logic, but you still need a business card. The main reason is this: college students like to party. Clubs and parties are great places to meet business partners but it’s not exactly the right place to tote a briefcase full of resumes. ....read more
Chris Lesinski

2009-07-15T14:04:00.000-06:00

Avoid typos when passing out resume

"Dear Sir or Madman,"

"I am a rabid typist. My work ethics are impeachable, and I have nervous of steel." "I am attacking my resume for you to review." It doesn't take 10 typos to sink a resume, just one, according to staffing company Accountemps. So if your covering letter promises that "following is a grief overview of my skills," good luck in your future endeavours.

Such errors are easy to make, and in fact all of these bloopers were made in real-life resumes, Accountemps said in a study released Tuesday. Yet executives don't take kindly to them. Twenty-three per cent of those surveyed said just one is enough to send the resume to the trash heap. Two typos and 28 per cent of hiring executives are pulling the trigger.

"The resume is an applicant's first chance to impress the hiring manager," said Kathryn Bolt, president of Accountemps' Canadian operations. "Mistakes on one's application materials may prompt employers to assume there also will be mistakes made on the job." All of which is to say that the successful applicant is most likely the one with the "keen eye for derail."
And whatever you do, don't end off with this: "Hope to hear from you, shorty."

Some tips from Accountemps to void resume errors:

- Get help. Enlist detail-oriented family members, friends or mentors to proofread your resume and provide honest feedback.

- Take a timeout. Before submitting your resume, take a break and come back to it with a fresh set of eyes. You might catch something you missed the first time.

- Print a copy. It's easy to overlook typos or formatting mistakes when reading a resume on a monitor, so print it out for review. Read through it slowly and pay close attention to font styles and sizes, in addition to spelling and grammar.

- Try a new perspective. Sometimes readers inadvertently skip over parts they have read previously. Review your resume backward to help avoid this problem.

- Read it aloud. Your ears might catch errors your eyes have overlooked.
John Morrisey, Financial Post

2009-07-14T22:05:00.002-06:00

Could Your Facebook or Twitter Account be Hurting Your Job Search?

More and more people are signing up every day for social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter. But as you're getting online, so are your employers, and if you're not careful with what you put on your profile, a local employment agency says that could be hurting your chances of getting a job.

"Prospective employers can really learn a lot about a potential employee's level of
professionalism, conduct, or even cultural fit, just based on their personal blogs, web pages, or social networking sites," says Tara Marcelle, District Manager of Kelly Services. And in some cases, negative information online has cost people job offers, or even worse, their current job.

That's why employment agencies are recommending you follow a few simple guidelines on your Facebook or Twitter page. Marcelle says, "Candidates should really refrain from posting unprofessional photographs, refrain from using inappropriate language, or really staying clear of really controversial subjects."

But having a Facebook or Twitter account doesn't have to be a detriment to your job search, as it can actually be a benefit. "Posting your resume, posting your education history, anything that you would typically use in a job interview, a cover letter, resume, anything like that, that's definitely great things to post on any social networking site," says Marcelle.

And even if your site is casting an unprofessional light, it's never too late to change it. "Obviously, everything that's out there is out there forever, but it doesn't stay on their profile, their profile that they have out there, so that's why they should always update their profile on a regular basis," adds Marcelle. And with the right care, your online profile can help get you a job instead of costing you one.
Tara Marcelle, District Manager of Kelly Services

2009-07-13T21:20:00.004-06:00

Advice To Have Success In The Job Interview

In a job interview, especially if it’s the first job you’ve ever applied to, your own body turns against you. The heart races and sweat drops on the forehead, excitement slowly turns to a nervous streak that won’t go away. You’re likely to just look like an undependable amateur, too weak to snag that much needed job.

Common knowledge dictates that in order to ace an interview, you need to put your best foot forward in any way possible. Be the best you can be. Polish yourself up and try your hardest to be a strong, dependable, of course hirable person – even just for an hour, until the interview is over.

This is the wrong perspective to take in job interview preparation. This type of thinking just puts you in an awkward and uncomfortable position. While it is good to try your best to impress, that attitude should come with resolve and your natural personality.

Approaching an interviewer and thinking only about how you can sell yourself as the best candidate for the job will get you anywhere but hired.

Remember that despite your interviewer’s intimidating streak, he or she is still a person and people appreciate and remember sincerity. Talking honestly about who you are will be a breath of fresh air to a person who’s spent an entire day screening nervous wrecks and hard-selling eager beavers, and will likely get you a job interview follow up.

Another thing that people forget is that an interview is a conversation. Besides talking about yourself, your achievements and why they should hire you, try listening. Before you end up blabbing away the time with stories about your graduating with honors from some prestigious university (sounding like a total show-off in the process), try listening to what the interviewer really wants to hear from you.

You don’t need a killer line, or an impressive quote to make you sound patriotic and dependable, you just need to keep quite and listen. Silence is a normal part of any conversation; it’s the time when people in the conversation think of what to say. It’s okay to be silent if some job interview questions make you think.

Remember: think fast and speak slowly. Take fair enough time to think of good answers and speak as you would to a friend, calmly and surely.

The thing about these kinds of interviews is, in the first place, you’re already qualified for the job that’s why you’re being interviewed in the first place. You’ve hooked the fish, now just slowly but surely reel it in. You’re already right for the job, so you have nothing to be nervous about.

You just have to convince the interviewer that you’re up to speed, and you really are what you say in your resume. All the job interview skills you need are being yourself with a dash of confidence.

Acing a job interview is fairly easy. It’s a matter of convincing yourself, believing the fact that you deserve the job more than anyone else who’s applied.
The Job Interview Secret

2009-07-13T21:15:00.003-06:00

Things To Remember When In A Job Interview

Often, when scheduled for a big job interview, we often take the simplest things for granted. After you’ve finished with all the background research you need to do regarding the company or organization you’re applying to, you’ll need to remember these few simple things that will help you seal the deal in an interview.

From walking into the room, maintain a pleasant outlook. Especially if you’re being interviewed in the morning, wear a simple smile on your face and just be friendly. Contrary to popular belief, not all interviewers are corporate sharks out to bite your head off. Maintaining a pleasant demeanor will likely be viral and spread a warm and positive aura across a tense and formal setup.

The first of the job interview questions will likely be a request to tell something about you: the perfect opportunity to lead the interview. The interviewer is asking this in order to 1) know more about you and 2) to know which direction the interview is likely to head. By speaking confidently, surely, but not arrogantly about your intentions, strengths & weaknesses, preferences, skills, etc., you’re leading the interview into an informational conversation which is what the interviewer wants and needs.

Listen and speak sincerely. Never pretend to be something you’re not; you will just be found out and are likely to just look stupid. Your job interview answers should lead towards revealing more of what you are about and why you would be perfect for the job without your coming on too strong. This can be accomplished through intently listening and comprehending the questions, and answering as truthfully and articulately as you can. Good communications skills show professionalism and dependability.

Keep track of your own body language. First off, maintain eye contact – showing confidence and honesty. Avoid fiddling with your tie, shifting uncomfortably in your seat, slouching, and most of all biting your nails: all these shows signs of weakness, disinterest, and insincerity –traits that won’t snag you a job interview follow up.

A key to sealing the deal in any interview is ensuring that you are remembered. This can be done in a variety of ways. You can dress really nicely if it is appropriate, or accent your clothes with a distinct accessory that you can pull off.

Of the dozens of other applicants that might be applying for the same job you are, you should be unique and distinguishable from the pack. The way to get hired starts from being noticed. Don’t be afraid to be creative, but don’t go overboard either – nothing’s more annoying than an eager beaver who hasn’t even been hired yet.

Writing a job interview thank you letter is a simple and effective way to be remembered. Not only is it traditional in business, it shows gratefulness on your part and is yet another chance to reiterate that you are the best person for the job.

Acing a job interview needn’t be done with tricks or trade secrets. Sometimes, the simplest techniques are the most effective.
Job Interview Secret

2009-07-11T23:32:00.003-06:00

Referrals are the #1 Source of External Hires

Referrals from current and previous employees, customers, and vendors are the number one external source, accounting for 27.3%. Nearly 40% of all positions filled within companies result from internal transfers or promotions. Interestingly, job boards (excluding company sites) produce only 12.3% of external hires and seem to have reached their peak.

These facts make cultivating “insider” connections one of your best sources for job leads. With the implied endorsement from a trusted source that you have when referred to a company, you gain a great advantage over your competition. Not only are you most likely going to get an interview ahead of the pack, you are also an attractive candidate due to the fact payment to a recruiter may be partially or totally removed from the equation, substantially reducing the employer’s cost of hiring.
From Career Hub

2009-07-11T22:19:00.006-06:00

Job Search Tips

Once you have a couple of years of college under your belt and you are nearing graduation, you want to start thinking about finding a job after graduation. The process can be overwhelming and sometimes scary for someone who is going through it for the first time, but these tips will help you get through it easier.

One of the first steps to finding a job after college is to go and look at the BYU Career Center. You want to make an appointment with a career counselor and they will help you with deciding what kind of career would be the best for you. You can start doing this as a freshman, only because this way you are familiar with where the career center is and they already know who you are when you come back for more lengthy visits. When you become a senior in college, think about visiting the center weekly and that will help to ensure you’re first in line when the job opening hot tips come through.

The second thing that you should do is to remember to start your jobs search early. You don’t want to find yourself with a week until graduation and not have a student jobs lined up. Depending on what kind of career you are looking to have, you might want to do some traveling. For example, if you are looking to get into the pharmaceutics, some of the largest companies are based in Pennsylvania and New Jersey.

Another thing to consider is taking an internship with a company. There are two reasons that this is a good thing to consider. First, it gives you an idea of what the company is like to work for without you making a very firm commitment. The other reason is that it lets the company see what you are like – your working habits and such. Two or more resumes are even better.
When you have one or more internships on your resume, it looks good to companies who might want to hire you because it shows that you have put into practice what you have learned during your college years.

A resume isn’t simply something that shows your work history. A resume is a way to show companies what you have learned and what qualifications that you have to work for them. Education and learning is as important as work history to most companies.Searching for a job during your college years and after graduation doesn’t have to be difficult and it doesn’t have to be something that you will lose sleep over. As long as you talk to your college career counsellors, start out early in your job searching, and consider taking an internship, you’ll find that the job search goes much more quickly and much more smoothly. There are resources out there and they are available for the asking but you have to take advantage of them and use them, or else they will go to waste.
Andrew Korn

2009-07-11T22:11:00.002-06:00

Follow Up On Sent Applications

It's very easy to get in a groove and just apply for job after job. After a while you start forgetting what all you applied for. The last thing you want to happen is have someone call you and mentiond you applied and you totally forgot. You need to build a filing system or spreadsheet to track all your applications and when you applied. I published a previous blog post titled "How to organize your job search," which includes a link to a job search template to help organize all the jobs you applied for. Very helpful. From there, follow up on sent applications. In today's age, the most aggressive people are the ones who stand.
examiner.com

2009-07-11T16:11:00.002-06:00

Start Wherever You Are

It is never too early or too late to start thinking about your career plans. So whether you are a freshman, sophomore, junior, senior, recent grad, or not-so-recent grad, it is important to make a commitment to work on your career, starting today. I recommend taking career-related actions weekly. As long as you're not standing still, you can rest assured that you're moving closer to your goals and dreams.

2009-07-10T22:06:00.000-06:00

Focus Your Resume on Key Themes

Focus Your Resume on Key Themes - Do you have several general areas/industries you are interested in working? It's a good idea to develop several different versions/themes of your resume. Also, if you go to a networking event or job fair, one resume may not fit well with a specific recruiter or company versus the other. Sometimes it's also good to carry a generic version of your resume. Why would a recruiter for Tech/IT sales want a resume that's geared towards advertising sales?
examiner.com

2009-07-09T14:16:00.004-06:00

Forget the "shotgun" job search method

Many people still use the "shotgun" method for conducting a job search. They read the Sunday job ads; they submit a standard resume to as many job boards as they can find; they call on a few friends. Then they submit their standard resume to either a handful of opportunities each week, or they submit to dozens of jobs with the same resume as long as the position sounds remotely interesting.

"As job seekers become more fearful of the economy, they fall back on the shotgun method because it feels like they're out there working it," says Phil Rosenberg, former division director of Robert Half International who's now CEO and founder of reCareered, a career counseling and resume writing firm.

The problem with the shotgun method is that it does not work, especially in a job market where employers have the pick of the litter. In fact, it does more harm than good. Recruiters are not likely to want to help you because you have given all potential hiring firms free access to your information, which negates the value they provide to their clients. Second, you commoditize yourself: By posting your resume everywhere, you become indistinguishable from a plethora of job seekers with similar skills. Consequently, hiring firms can immediately negotiate on price, driving your salary down or out. What's more, when you try to be all things to all prospective employers by sending a standard resume to everyone, you end up being nothing to no one. Your resume won't get noticed because it doesn't stand out.

cio.com

2009-07-07T18:14:00.002-06:00

Jobs for Change

Jobs for Change is the leading jobs board for organizations looking to recruit top quality passionate about making a difference....read more

2009-07-07T17:57:00.006-06:00

How Do I Ask My Professor for a Reference

Here's how not to ask: at the last minute and supplying no information about yourself and what you're applying for. You have to coach your references. Send an e-mail reminding the professor which class you took with him or her, how much you enjoyed it, and asking if he or she would feel comfortable offering a positive reference as you go through your job-search in the public sector. Explain which kinds of jobs you're looking for and which skills and attributes you hope he/she will elaborate on. In effect, you are almost writing your own reference. Include a work sample or remind him/her of the good work you did in the class: "I appreciated your positive comments on my research project about low literacy levels in rural areas as much as I appreciated the A!"You must respect the professor's right to say no; if he/she doesn't feel comfortable, you've got to look elsewhere. Find out whether you need a written reference; most jobs will ask for a phone reference. It's not a bad idea to get a few written references on file while you're still close to the college classroom; they can serve as the basis for future recommendations. If you can attend open office hours and talk in person for a few minutes, so much the better.
Ellen Reeves

2009-06-30T15:43:00.003-06:00

Business Career Center

I want to call your attention to the Marriott School Career Center. It provides career services to all Marriott School students and is located on the fourth floor of the Tanner Building Room 446. There are career advisors available to assist graduate and undergraduate business students with resumes, interviewing skills, networking and employer contacts in most majors: accounting, finance, marketing, HR, strategy, supply chain management, and information systems. Appointments can be made through the reception desk or by calling 801 422-5800.

2009-06-21T17:29:00.005-06:00

Don't Waste Time Online

Avoid the temptation of relying on websites like Monster, Career Builder and Craigslist as your primary job-seeking activity. You are less likely to distinguish yourself from the crowd by reviewing ads and sending your resume to be filtered by an automated application. Instead, one-on-one relationship building with decision makers and influential players in your industry is the best use of your time.

2009-06-18T18:04:00.002-06:00

The Future of Work

On a gloomy afternoon earlier this month, a group of Harvard students took a break from crafting final papers to peer into the future. Surveying a shattered employment landscape, they summoned the optimism to regard looming obstacles as opportunities for scenic detours. "There are definitely downsides to it being harder to get a job," says Alex Lavoie, a 21-year-old junior from Avon, Conn. "But it's forced people to look harder at what they really want to do instead of following a standardized path."

During the fat years, that path led many of America's élites to Wall Street. These days, that's a less appealing destination. In 2008 the financial sector, which had ballooned over the past three decades, contracted for the first time in 16 years. "The glamour is gone," says Bridget Beckeman, 20, a junior from Westford, Mass., who will intern at an investment bank this summer. But it hasn't disappeared. Financial centers like Charlotte, N.C., will flourish anew; driven largely by a banking boom, the city's workforce has grown 50% over the past decade, according to John Connaughton, a professor of economics at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte. (See which businesses are bucking the recession.)

The fall of finance has its upside. Top grads will tack toward a variety of potentially lucrative positions that prize technological savvy and analytical aptitude. According to consulting giant McKinsey & Co., nearly 85% of new jobs created between 1998 and 2006 involved complex "knowledge work" like problem-solving and concocting corporate strategy. Job opportunities in mathematics and across the sciences are also expected to expand.

The U.S. Department of Labor spotlights network systems and data communications as well as computer-software engineering among the occupations projected to grow most explosively by 2016. Over the next seven years, the number of jobs in the information-technology sector is expected to swell 24% — a figure more than twice the overall job-growth rate. There will be some limits to that growth. "This place is going to get more and more high-end talent and less and less commodity-type folks," says Mark Dinan, a Silicon Valley recruiter.

"The real question is, What's the next big thing, and what's going to be the big moneymaker?" Cloud computing? Nanotechnology? Genomics? The answer will come from the companies that entrepreneurs can create — and destroy — more easily than ever before, because the cost of start-ups is dropping rapidly. Richard Freeman, director of the labor studies program at the National Bureau of Economic Research, says that "these really sharp, aggressive, Harvard-type students doing entrepreneurship, forming new businesses ... would be the best thing that could happen to this economy."

Where else could your next job come from? Health care and education, the labor market's traditional bulwarks in lean times, show no signs of abating. An aging population will open up opportunities too. "Construction of senior communities, assisted-living facilities, nursing homes ... these things are all going to have to expand tremendously," says Connaughton. The key to finding the jobs of the future will be knowing where to look.
Time Magazine

2009-06-18T13:49:00.000-06:00

Career Transitions: Student Development 317 (2 Credits)

University Career Services invites you to sign up for specific sections of Career Transitions: Student Development 317 (2 credits). These classes are designed to assist you in preparation for internships, on-campus employment, transitioning to the job market following BYU graduation or graduate school. You will learn the skills necessary for resume writing, job applications, interviewing, networking and mentoring, employability, and many other relevant issues.

The Graduate School Preparation teaches you how to submit a flawless application including a resume and letter of intent, as well as practicing powerful interviewing strategies. In addition, there are sections specifically focusing on International Students, Health and Human Performance Students, and Students with Disabilities.

Sign up for:

Fall Semester

Sec 1 Semester MW 11:00a - 11:50a 3012 JKB Preparation for Internships, Employment and Graduate School (International Students)

Sec 2 Semester MW 2:00p - 2:50p 3012 JKB Preparation for Inte rnships, Employment and Graduate School

Sec 3 Semester W 4:00p - 5:40p B-150 JFSB Preparation for Internships, Employment and Graduate School (Health and Human Performance

Sec 4 Semester M 5:00p - 6:40 p 3012 JKB Competitive Strategies for Becoming a more Successful Applicant for Graduate School

Sec 5 Semester T 4:00p - 5:40p 1510 WSC Preparation for Internships, Employment and Graduate School (Students With Disabilities))

Sec 6 Semester TH 5:00p - 6:40p B-101 JFSB Preparation for Internships, Employment and Graduate School

2009-06-16T22:56:00.015-06:00

Tips for your Interview

So you are all set with your resumes, cover letters and everything to brazen out the interviewer!!! But are you sure that you would be able to ace the interview and touch the heights of success? May be you are not. But don?t you worry, because facing a job interview is not that difficult with Wow You?re Hired. Moreover, for an acing in a job interview, there are some considerations that need to be kept in mind which are thus:

Moreover a number of things are required to be considered while facing and preparing yourself for a job interview so that you can easily land into your dream-job. Here?s how you can chase success in achieving the job you have desired to be into for long:

1. Ensure that you make it to the interview sharp on time. You would definitely not want to be late and lose the chance of creating the right idea in the mind of the interviewer. Besides you need time to loosen up and recollect all the important ideas for succeeding in a job interview

2. Make sure that you take additional copies of your resume, cover letter and photographs when you are going for your job interview. This should be done because you never know when the panel of the interviewers ask for separate copies of the resume and cover letter

3. Ensure that you hold two or three replicas of your resume and stuff so that if required you are not short of them. Apart from this, a number of organizations carry out interview by a team of interviewers that ask for separate replicas of the resume and cover letter. In that case you should make sure that you do not fall short making the right impression by giving them separate copies of your resume.

4. Keep a watch on your body language as it speaks a lot more than your resume and cover letter in a job interview. Maintain constant eye contact with the interviewers and shake hands firmly with them. Don't let them get the slightest of the indication that you are nervous or losing confidence. Walk straight and sit and get up confidently.

5. Make sure that you dress up formally for the job interview. Use light-odor perfume and light make-up if you are a woman. Moreover, avoid unnecessary accessories. For men a formal pant and shirt with a good perfume would be enough to come-up as a pleasing personality.

In a nutshell, nothing can be as demanding as accomplishing a job interview and that too for the job which you have always desired of. But if the aforesaid points are taken well into consideration, nothing can keep you astray from conquering your job of dreams.

Parting words of wisdom state that if small things are taken into consideration then nothing can drive you away from conquering you job of dreams. As the ocean is made from small-small drops of water, success reaches those who don?t forget to reach out to even the smallest things in life.

2009-06-16T22:05:00.003-06:00

Find a Job or an Internship

To find internships of interest to you in this tough economy, I recommend using job aggregators, like Indeed, SimplyHired and LinkUp. Indeed and SimplyHired collect listings from across hundreds of job boards online, including Monster and CareerBuilder. LinkUp uniquely collects listings directly from company websites, often revealing opportunities that weren’t externally advertised. Craigslist is also a great place to search local opportunities, so check out the internship listings under each city or area of interest or proximity to where you live or go to school. Lastly, never forget the power of the almighty Google. Try Googling specific companies or types of internships. You might be surprised by how much you find.
Lindsay Pollak

2009-06-11T21:06:00.003-06:00

Networking as an Under Grad

Network with the people in your “major classes,” meaning the ones where you definitely have something in common with everyone else. Also, your teachers, parents, career counselors and friends are great resources. Your family will go out of their way to help you when you’re in need of a job. As you move down the pyramid, there are more people (friends and then acquaintances), but fewer will help you out. Attending networking events and career fairs can help as well.

2009-06-11T09:23:00.007-06:00

Prepare for Court

So, when you say you're a great project manager and describe how organized you are, how you pay attention to detail, and how your projects always come in on time and under budget your employer will probably want to see how you accomplish these amazing feats.

You would be surprised how many times I interview someone and ask them for some examples of their work and they say "oh, I don't really have any examples", or "I can't really show you anything because it's all proprietary". Really, you don't have any examples of scope documents, project plans, work breakdown structures, risk mitigation strategies, performance monitoring, etc.? You're just going to wing it and talk about how you did these things? How can I possibly tell how you think, document, manage, and report progress without looking at one or two actual examples?

Needless to say, the candidate that comes prepared to an interview with a professional portfolio of their work and is prepared to walk me through a couple of real examples has a huge advantage over the candidate that shows up empty handed. In fact, I will posit that having a portfolio should be a minimum requirement when you apply for a job. Walking through a project plan or documentation you've prepared let's you practically exhibit how you think and organize yourself.

As you're doing your job you should always be thinking about what artifacts you want to preserve to potentially include in your portfolio. So, keep copies of your work, especially those artifacts that you're proud of and that really show off the caliber of work you do. If you're worried about confidentiality, black out identifying text or substitute place holder text. You can also consider developing a new artifact which displays your skills in the same way as the original work product but does not reference any privileged or confidential information. This should be noted in the description of the artifact. In some cases you can ask your employer if they mind if you keep certain artifacts for your portfolio. Likewise, if you receive accolades for something you've accomplished save the email or memo to include in your portfolio.

Make notes on the artifacts you save that highlight what is especially noteworthy. For example, if you're a purchasing agent and you developed a spreadsheet or report to improve visibility of future spend that shortened delivery times and helped to improve cash flow make a note of that and stick it to your spreadsheet artifact so you can highlight that when you discuss it. The important thing is to start now and continually update your portfolio as you go. If you ever get laid off you may not have the opportunity to go back and retrieve information or you may not remember all of the details.

It is important to remember you may be in legal trouble if you share confidential information. Ask your employer if you can share specific things you have worked on, and only share that which is not classified or confidential. You may need to be creative to come up with items that prove your case, but if you start now, you will find them.

So, get ready for court and start populating your portfolio today. You know you will need it.
LinkedIn Discussion Group

2009-05-31T16:07:00.008-06:00

Finding New Employees Using Social Networks

Mr. Kennedy’s former co-worker, Brian Karbel, used a software tool to search the profile information of his Facebook friends and LinkedIn contacts. He flagged Mr. Kennedy as a possible match to a job listing. Mr. Kennedy, who lives in the Boston area, responded to the invitation, scheduled an interview and, within a week, was working as a support engineer there. “I landed a job I might never have even heard of otherwise,” he said. .... read more
Wall Street Journal

2009-05-27T14:35:00.009-06:00

Ten Tips to Instantly Improve Your Resume

Think of it this way: even securing interviews with a resume that just doesn’t cut it puts you in the challenging position of having to try to “sell up” from the “just okay” first impression your resume has already created for you in the eyes of the interviewer.
A smarter plan that will ultimately save you time, money and frustration is to start off on the right foot and create the best first impression possible. Here are ten steps to get you started.
....read more
Mary Bradford

2009-05-27T14:29:00.007-06:00

How to Get a Job when No one is Hiring

David Perry, a longtime headhunter, says you're wasting your time if you're looking for job postings online. And he should know: he's often the guy on the other side helping companies lure new talent. Perry, who's based in Ottawa, says that in the last 22 years he has accomplished 996 searches totaling $172 million in salary. And the bottom line in today's economy, he says, is you have to tap the "hidden job market." ......read more
Fortune Magazine

2009-05-21T12:37:00.004-06:00

No Such Thing as Deleted on the Internet .....read more
Yahoo Tech

2009-05-21T10:59:00.005-06:00

What’s the biggest mistake that grads make when they’re job hunting?

The biggest mistake is doing nothing, becoming paralyzed by the bad economy. The reality is you have to get out there and do stuff, even if you don’t get your dream job right away. Take a retail job, temp, volunteer, do something just to get out there. Don’t stay at home playing video games. It sounds obvious, but a lot of people think it’s better not to take a mediocre job or temp — but it’s better to be out there.

2009-05-21T10:55:00.002-06:00

How to Prepare for the Job Market

Get as much real experience as you can. Whether it’s internships, part time jobs–anything where you can have accomplishments, real world experience and are meeting as many people as you can. Not networking in a cheesy way, like using them. I just mean meeting other people and offering to help them, and someday they might offer to help you. Also use the Career Center. So many college students don’t take advantage of that. They can help you make sure your resume is excellent.

2009-05-18T19:51:00.002-06:00

Yes - People Find Jobs through Facebook

Be sure to include keywords in your profile that are related to the jobs you want to find. Not sure what words will pop? Grab words and phrases directly from job listings that appeal to you.

Post content that is professional and relevant to your career, such as links to articles you’ve written and testimonials about your professional skills and experience.

Increase your visibility to potential employers by building your network. Remember, it’s not just who you know, it’s who knows you (and can see your profile).

Be active. People are more likely to contact you if you are actively updating your profile, updating your status and adding connections.

2009-05-16T20:15:00.001-06:00

Resolutions for Your Career

As you think about your plans and goals , here are 12 career-related resolutions to consider adding to your list. ....read more

2009-05-15T19:55:00.000-06:00

How do I Prepare for the Job Market

I think you want to get as much real experience as you can. Whether it’s internships, part time jobs–anything where you can have accomplishments, real world experience and are meeting as many people as you can. I don’t mean networking in a cheesy way, like using them. I just mean meeting other people and offering to help them, and someday they might offer to help you. Also use your college’s career services office. So many college students I know don’t take advantage of that. They can help you make sure your resume is excellent.
Lndsey Pollak

2009-05-08T19:34:00.002-06:00

Dismissing the Three Myths of Job Hunting after Graduation

I have recently spent a great deal of time in my office talking to students who are very confused about what their options are after graduation. The problem is, they are limiting their options before they even get started. Students think that 1) major = job, 2) job boards = job, and 3) NYC (or Chicago, LA, you pick) = job. I’d like to address these three myths. ...read more
Kelly Lux

2009-05-08T19:13:00.003-06:00

Looking for a Job in a Recession is not at Tough as it Seems

A year ago, many college juniors were expecting to be popping the academic bubble and taking the next step toward independence–and some have. But the short-term job outlook is more uncertain for many others and stress-levels are beginning to ratchet up. So what can you do to kick-start your career? Here are four tips. ....read more
LinkedIn Blog

2009-05-08T19:07:00.005-06:00

Don't Know What You Want. Here is how to Find a Job

You’re graduating, and can’t decide what type of work you want. Don’t fret! Here are some tips to help you get into action. ....read more
LinkedIn Blog

2009-05-04T19:58:00.005-06:00

Create an Elevator Pitch (Also Called the Me in 30 Seconds)

An elevator pitch is a short summary of your background and skills and accomplishments. It should be concise, confident and brief enough that you could share it with someone during an elevator ride. And practice, practice, practice.

2009-05-04T14:27:00.009-06:00

Interview Insights: 10 Ways to Make the Most of the First 10 Minutes

According to a Robert Half International (RHI) survey of 150 senior executives at the nation's 1,000 largest companies, hiring managers form either a positive or negative opinion of job candidates within just 10 minutes.

Brandi Britton, senior regional vice president with RHI, says, "Your behavior may be under scrutiny from the moment you arrive for the interview." Use these tips from Britton and other career and job-search gurus to make sure you wow them from the minute you walk in the room. .....read more
Yahoo Hotjobs

2009-05-01T12:14:00.006-06:00

Did You Know?

Over 370 members of BYU Wards sought help from the Provo Employment Resource Services (Employment Center) 702 W Columbia Ln Provo, UT 84604 801-818-6161 from May 1, 2008 to April 30, 2009. You can get help with self assessment, your resume, interviewing techniques, networking, job search, tips to get you hired, the me in 30 seconds technique, power statements and a variety of other skills.

The center is staffed with trained employment specialists who provide assistance to members and nonmembers alike. It also offers a number of workshops to prepare you for your job search including a two day career workshop. A four hour version of this workshop is offered on campus a number of times a year. The next one will be held in the Wilkinson center on Saturday, May 30 from 9 AM to 1 PM. Watch this blog for the location.
....read more

2009-05-01T11:26:00.006-06:00

On the Shortness of Life - Video Games vs Seneca

It is not that we have a short space of time, but that we waste much of it. Life is long enough, and it has been given in sufficiently generous measure to allow the accomplishment of the very greatest things if the whole of it is well invested.

The part of life we really live is small. For all the rest of existence is not life, but merely time.

Why do you delay? Why are you idle? Why to you waste time on video games? Unless you seize the day, it flees.” Even though you seize it, it still will flee; therefore you must vie with time’s swiftness in the speed of using it, and, as from a torrent that rushes by and will not always flow, you must drink quickly.
Tim Ferriss
....Read more from Seneca

2009-05-01T09:16:00.000-06:00

7 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media

Between current economic conditions and the technological evolution of the Internet, the traditional approach most job seekers have taken in the past is no longer viable.

The approach — developing a resume and cover letter, locating jobs on and submitting your resume to corporate sites and job banks, and crossing your fingers in hopes of receiving a call from a hiring manager — is, for the most part, a thing of the past. The new approach is far different. It boils down to the fact that there are fewer jobs available, more competition for those jobs and more touch points for recruiters and seekers to interact. ....Read More

Don Schawbel

2009-04-30T23:46:00.002-06:00

What Does Your Online profile Say About You

As early as 2006--an estimated 77% of recruiters said they check out candidates online, and 35% had rescinded an offer based on what they found.
ExecuNet survey

2009-04-29T21:26:00.003-06:00

Cover Letter Etiquette

Whether you’ve written one or one hundred cover letters in your lifetime, they can present enough challenges to make you dread the process each time. It’s for this reason that many people resort to the “carbon copy” cover letter as opposed to creating an original one for each job application.

The “carbon copy” cover letter is not recommended because it lacks authenticity. Even worse, it forces you to turn your back on cover letter etiquette. If you want to make sure that your cover letter is unique and appropriate, let’s take a look at some cover letter etiquette tips to consider. .....Read More
From Resume Resource

2009-04-25T21:04:00.006-06:00

Stop Job Hunting Like It’s 1999! Dos and Don’ts for ’09 Grads

“I’ve sent out, like, a hundred resumes and I still haven’t found a job!”. Emailing out resumes and waiting for a response used to be a perfectly decent strategy for finding a job. Not anymore. Today’s job seekers, especially ‘09 grads job hunting in a recession, need to be more creative, more proactive and more tech savvy than ever before. We are blessed to live in a time when there are so many new job hunting tools and techniques. Take advantage!
LIndsey Pollak
....read more

2009-04-25T08:40:00.017-06:00

Launch Your Career with LinkedIn

Your LinkedIn profile is your connection to over 35 million professionals in the business world. Use it to show the world who you are. To help the world find you. This network will not just help you find a job, but GET a job. ....read more
From: LinkedIn Blog

2009-04-25T08:28:00.018-06:00

Going Back to Grad School Instead of Getting a Job

The current job market is not ideal for anyone, but there are ways to cope:

Communicate and connect with friends, family, alumni, professors and previous employers. There is no shortage of advice that may be helpful, and the power of networking during a job search should not be underestimated.

Open your mind to new ideas. It may not be the perfect, but it may help define future plans more clearly. Be innovative and creative with the options you do find, and optimism always helps.

Plan for change. It was never my own intention to head to graduate school right out of undergrad, but like all well-laid plans, mine changed. The ability to be flexible has been key to considering each opportunity as it comes my way.

Experience. If you don’t have plans, look for experiences. Many of my peers have decided to teach English in a foreign country, join programs like Teach for America that combine higher education with teaching, or travel with a non-profit to promote a cause. Others are shadowing alumni in interesting careers over the summer, or working for free to try out different careers while applying for graduate schools or continuing their job search.

2009-04-24T09:31:00.004-06:00

Can you use Facebook and Twitter to find job leads?

You can use Facebook, but first clean up your page and delete any controversial content or photographs. Use the status update tool on the site to ask your friends for help. “Write: ‘I’m looking for a job in D.C. in public policy. Anyone got any ideas? Leads? Advice?’ You will get feedback and help,” she said.

Search Twitter to find employees tweeting about their jobs. They may mention job openings that have not been posted or reveal information about a company that you wouldn’t find anywhere else, she said.

Create a profile on the LinkedIn Web site and urge your parents to sign up as well, so you can have access to their contacts. You might not want to friend your parents, but you definitely want to link to them. You need to use everyone who can help you in this market, and that means networking with your parents’ friends.

Once you find people who might be able to help, ask if you can meet with them briefly to talk about the career. Don’t ask about job openings at their company. Your approach is that you want information.

2009-04-24T09:27:00.003-06:00

Everyone is scouring major online job boards for work. Are there other, less-trafficked ways to approach your search?

You can still use the big job boards to figure out what industries and jobs you should be focusing on. But smaller, specialized job boards for a geographic area or occupational field are more likely to yield more useful leads. And don’t forget to visit corporate Web sites for lists of job openings.

You can also look at companies that aren’t in your chosen field but are hiring. You don’t have to be an accountant to work in an accounting firm or an engineer to work in an engineering firm, because there are often many disciplines — like marketing, human resources, facilities maintenance — within those companies.”

Other possibilities are jobs in the federal government, one of the few big organizations that is hiring on a large scale. “The federal government has offices in virtually every city in the country,” Mr. Rothberg said, and it is “hiring for full-time, entry-level positions.”

Don’t forget a resource in your own backyard: BYU's Career Center. Not only can career counselors help with resumes, but they can also determine what industries and employers you should focus on, assist with researching jobs and connect you with alumni working in your field.

2009-04-23T15:33:00.006-06:00

Use a Separate Email Address for Job Search

We recommend getting a separate email address for job hunting, so that you give a consistent, professional impression; and that you're not using your company email or a silly moniker. However, we have another reason we'd like to add. If you are going to use a separate email for job hunting, you may have to loosen up on the spam filters. Sure you may get a few Nigerian Princes writing you, but isn't it worth suffering through a handful of those and NOT missing an email from a recruiter with a short timeframe? At the very least, you need to check your spam filters frequently.

2009-04-21T15:42:00.007-06:00

Manage your online Facebook profile because potential employers and college admissions may be checking

In the early days of the 'book, you didn't really have to worry about everyone having access to your friend lists, photos, profile, etc... Now, anybody can join the site, and we're not surprised to hear that college admission departments and employers are using Facebook as research for applicants, thanks to its treasure trove of information on people. While you don't have to be incredibly uptight and formal about it, it's probably a good idea to fill out your education, work, and interests on your profile, because it just could snag you that job interview. On the cautionary side, use a bit of common sense when posting images and messages to the site. It's probably best not to post those pictures from that crazy party last weekend -- you know, that one that you don't fully remember. ...read more
Tim Stevens

2009-04-16T14:59:00.002-06:00

Guidelines for Using Social Networks

Social networks demand careful etiquette. The experts I spoke to offered these tips: Don't spam people. Don't put on like you're best friends with people you don't really know; if you're contacting an old friend for the first time in years only to ask for a job, at least be up front about it. Don't ask your friends to recommend you for positions you're not qualified to do. And don't sound like a sad sack—whining about not working isn't going to convince people to help you. It's also easy to get carried away when selling yourself. Sure, you can make a funny video as your cover letter, or take out ads on Facebook targeted to people in your industry, or ask your wife to hold up a sign begging for a job on your behalf—but to a lot of people, such efforts could signal that you're not taking the process seriously.

2009-04-16T14:49:00.003-06:00

Here is another way to use LinkedIn

One way to use LinkedIn is to investigate the organizational structure of any firm before you go to interview there. "You can see the résumé of the person in the job that you want or where the person who was in the job that you want has gone," says Willy Franzen, who runs the entry-level jobs blog One Day, One Job. Many job listings don't include a position's full description. By looking at the bios of others who've filled the job, you can get a better idea of what's required from you.

2009-04-16T14:46:00.004-06:00

What is "Networking"

The word networking can seem a bit slimy, conjuring up images of finger-gun-shooting frat guys who are talking to you only to get something in return. But networking need not be so wretched. Now you can use the Web to find people who'll help you find work. The most forward-looking job seekers I spoke to said they'd all but abandoned job-listing sites in favor of social networks like Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter. For a few people, job-hunting on these sites paid off; for others, the social networks showed some promise—at least more promise than sending in resumes. For a couple of others, social networking proved useless.

2009-04-16T14:04:00.005-06:00

Finding a Job with Twitter

A couple of weeks ago, I explained why Twitter isn't a great search engine so I was naturally wary when people began calling it a great search engine. Boosters say that people looking for work can use it just like they'd use Facebook or LinkedIn—to connect with people and companies they find interesting and to engage them in conversation in the hopes that they'll get noticed. Last year, for instance, a software developer named began following several Ruby programmers over Twitter. He became friends with a guy who worked at a small company called Gnoso. He sent them a résumé and told the friend about it over Twitter. The friend pushed for Smith to get the job—and he was hired.
Farhad Manjoo

2009-04-16T13:56:00.006-06:00

Finding a Job

Over the last few days, I've spoken to a half-dozen people who've been searching for work during the downturn. I also talked to recruiters, job search coaches, and folks who are building new online tools to help the unemployed find work. They all report the same thing: The key to finding work in this economy is to look beyond job-listings sites like Monster.com; if your search consists mainly of scouring available jobs and sending in your résumé and cover letter, you're on the wrong path.

That's because companies will often look to fill positions before paying for a listing. If they do post something online, it's often a perfunctory listing designed to comply with HR policy, even though they actually plan to fill the job in some other way. What other way? Every year, the employment consulting firm CareerXRoads conducts a survey of HR managers at large companies. The 2009 survey shows that just 12 percent of recent new hires were found through job boards, while 27 percent were found through referrals—that is, people who work at the company or who have connections to the company recommend the largest share of new people. There's a word for this sort of job-seeking: networking.
By Farhad Manjoo

2009-04-15T21:17:00.003-06:00

Be careful what you put on Myspace and Facebook

When thinking about your future, has it ever occurred to anybody that all the party photo's will follow you forever? The Facebook and Myspace photo's have cost many people the job they really wanted. An example would be two girls up for the same job. The employer does a search on both of these social sights. He sees his future employee in wild photos. He realizes that this girl is not for his company and would not be the best person to hire.

Employers are doing searches on past behavior and your credit history. You have to authorize the credit history information, but not the Facebook and Myspace stuff. Our privacy is a thing of the past. This is a harsh reality with camera's on almost every corner, every parking lot , and mall too. But, you have control over the impression that future employers will have of you. Looking cute on the sight is fine. Looking trashy will surely NOT get you the job!

2009-04-14T09:36:00.006-06:00

5 Tips to Stand Out From the Crowd

There is no doubt this is a very challenging time to be entering the workforce. But it is absolutely not impossible to find a job, despite the recession. Here are some tips to stand out from other graduates -- hint: it takes some extra effort: ....read more
Lindsey Pollak

2009-04-14T09:21:00.008-06:00

You are about to graduate from college and will be entering one of the toughest job markets in decades. Is the situation as hopeless as it looks?

Unemployment is at a 25-year high, and employers expect to hire 22 percent fewer graduates this year than they hired last year, according to a survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers. So, yes, the situation is troubling, but it certainly isn’t hopeless. Accept that you may need to adjust expectations — not just about the job itself, but also about its pay and location.

If you studied finance, consider working in accounting, insurance, small business or government, rather than just Wall Street. Keep in mind that the rest of your life is unlikely to be determined by your first job “Understand that no matter what you choose, it will be an opportunity to learn about work and about yourself, and that will help with your next step.

2009-04-14T09:17:00.003-06:00

Should you consider doing unpaid work if you can’t find a paying job?

Absolutely. Many companies and nonprofit organizations advertise paid and unpaid internships, but you can also create your own. Contact companies, especially small ones, in your field and ask if they would allow you to do unpaid, entry-level work in exchange for the experience and industry connections

You can volunteer at a nonprofit organization in an area relevant to your career, like accounting, marketing or education. This allows you stay involved in the work force in some way, developing your skills so you have something to sell to employers when the market turns around.

2009-04-10T23:25:00.007-06:00

Introduce Yourself

The best way to articulate what you do to others, is to put yourself out there and introduce yourself to people. Get a few things wrong, adjust your style and get out there again and again.
Career Hub
....read more

2009-04-10T23:19:00.003-06:00

Ace the Interview

You need to make a genuine connection with the interviewer. How to do that? Put away the interview "nerves" and the belief that you are being judged and substitute it with a truly collegial attitude - in which the you are identified with the interviewer's pain or challenges and you sincerely establish yourself as someone who can help with the solution(s).

If you lift the day of the interviewer as your day is lifted by every single moment of pleasantness, generosity and caring that you encounter, you will be remembered and (hopefully) presented with an offer. Such an attitude - that breaks through the superficiality and indifference of so many human encounters - is good in its own right, not just for business.

2009-04-10T22:59:00.004-06:00

Fix Your Search

If your phone isn't ringing, whatever you're doing isn't working...so fix it. How?
....read more

2009-04-10T22:53:00.001-06:00

Conduct a people search, not just a job search.

Job boards are fading away and aren’t as useful as they were a decade ago. Now, everyone is on social networks and can be contacted, without having to go through chains of command. The best way to navigate the recruitment process is to contact employers directly, instead of applying for a job that might not be available anyway. Use search engines, including Twitter, Facebook, Technorati and Google to locate employees who work at companies you’re interested in and reach out to them. By doing this, you’ll appear genuine and have a better chance of getting the job you actually want.

2009-04-06T11:14:00.007-06:00

Be a Serious Person

Recently I joined Facebook and I have become friends with several persons who post as many as six times per day with many comments that are silly. Should a recruiter through legitimate or devious means gain access to your Facebook comments, they could easily concluded that you are not a serious person. A person who makes Facebook or other social network postings should consider whether or not the posting will create a negative impression either because of what is stated or how frequently you post. They also might wonder if because you spend so much time on Facebook, that it is detracting from your school work and that you might so the same thing on a job.

2009-04-04T18:39:00.004-06:00

The Truth About Interviewing

The truth about interviewing is that most initial interviews last only about five minutes. Oh, sure, the actual interview always takes longer than that. Twenty minutes. Thirty minutes. Sometimes even an hour. But the interview is usually over in five minutes or less. If you have not convinced the interviewer by the five-minute point that you are the right person for the job (or at least a contender who should be taken to the next level), it can be next to impossible to recover. Recoveries do happen. But they are very rare. ....Read More
Collegegrad.com

2009-04-04T17:47:00.004-06:00

Confessions of Hiring Experts

If you worry about every possible way you can blow a job interview -- from mispronouncing the boss's name to babbling incessantly when you don't know what else to say -- you're going to walk in there feeling like you're destined to fail. True, job interviews are rife with opportunities for you to embarrass yourself, but hiring managers are more forgiving than you might think. ....read more

2009-04-04T17:30:00.013-06:00

Spend Less Time on Monster, More on FaceBook....read more

Job Search Guy Blog

2009-04-03T19:03:00.000-06:00

Find the Internship You Want

Finding an internship you want can be challenging as many employers hire fewer interns than full time employees. Finding a quality internship that interests you is like finding a job; it requires lot of time, research and networking. The more time you put into the hunt, the more likely you are to find an internship that is exciting to you and likely to propel you to the career of your choice. ....read more
BYU Marriott School

2009-04-02T10:27:00.006-06:00

This is Fascinating (watch it)

2009-03-31T09:16:00.005-06:00

How to Get a Job When No One is Hiring

David Perry, a longtime headhunter, says you're wasting your time if you're looking for job postings online. And he should know: he's often the guy on the other side helping companies lure new talent. Perry, who's based in Ottawa, says that in the last 22 years he has accomplished 996 searches totaling $172 million in salary. And the bottom line in today's economy, he says, is you have to tap the "hidden job market." ....read more
Fortune Magazine

2009-03-30T22:32:00.009-06:00

Use Power Statements in Your Interview

When presenting your skills to others, use concise statements that briefly describe the value you will bring to the organization. Highlight a strength you have and show how you have used that strength to achieve results..... read more
providentliving.org

2009-03-30T22:14:00.005-06:00

Me in 30

A "Me in 30 Seconds" statement is a simple way to present to someone who you are. You need to be able to give your Me In 30 at any time. It is the answer to the question, "Tell Me About Yourself." ....read more

2009-03-30T20:39:00.003-06:00

Teamwork

Interviewers, inevitably, seek the ideal candidate. To become this perfect hire, put yourself in the mind of the interviewer. Take a good look at yourself. What does this person look like? How does this person dress, and carry him
herself? Which qualities does this interviewee demonstrate in his or her answers? Increasingly, interviewers will ask behavioral questions -- questions that seek to understand you through the prism of your past behavior and accomplishments. Here's a look at some questions you might receive. These questions are designed to get you talking about your ability to work in a team.

Are we all on the same page?

Are you a team player? Teamwork is a big buzzword among HR professionals. This quality, beloved by many high school coaches, is also a darling of most employers. Because many managers, especially in sales positions, like to see themselves as coaches and use motivational speeches similar to those you might hear in a football locker room, it's a good idea to be aware of the team player concept when you step into the office for your interview. Are you willing to sacrifice some of your own needs, desires, free time and glory, for the greater good of the team? Being a team player, especially in entry-level positions, means doing the dirty work while someone else gets the glory. But it also means not shouldering more of the burden than you can bear. It means evenly distributing the work and the resulting credit and wealth.

How well do you work with others?

Describe a situation in which you sacrificed your immediate needs for the larger good of a team.

Have you participated in any team activities? What were they and what did you learn from them?

How important is recognition to you?

What do the words "team player" mean to you?

2009-03-28T07:37:00.005-06:00

Ask for the Job

One of the important bits of advice for a job seeker is, after an interview, if you want the job, tell the recruiter. Unless you show an enthusiastic interest, you may be bypassed. This is the best way to let the interviewer know you are interested. Also ask when the decision is expected to be made. A day or two after the interview, send the interviewer a personal thank you note, preferably hand written. Every week or two, telephone the interviewer asking about their hiring decision.

2009-03-25T12:27:00.011-06:00

Be Persistent

I'd like to relate three experiences where persistence paid off. I wanted a lease on a property where I would build a cafe. It was in a very desirable office complex and there were a number of others seeking to lease the property. I called the leasing agent every week for about two months. At the end of that time, I was awarded the lease. When I asked why I was chosen, the agent said, "because you kept calling."

Another example. When my home teacher was visiting a few weeks ago, we were talking about this and he related that his son had the following experience. He applied for a job and gained an interview. He found that there were a number of candidates who were similarly qualified. He called after the interview, thanked the recruite and reexpressed interest in the position. When he was offered the job, he asked why they had chosen him. The recruiter replied, "you were the only one who called back." It is not always the best qualified who is hired.

A third example. On my third job, I was sitting at my desk one day when I received a phone call from a recruiter. I asked if I would be interested in interviewing for a job with a company in a different part of the country. He said that if I was, he was coming to town the following week and would like to meet me at a hotel. I agreed to meet him. I knew he was interviewing a number of candidates and there would be competition. After we met, he told be there were five other candidates ahead of me. I called him weekly and over a few weeks four of the others washed out. Two of us flew to meet with the senior executives of firm including the CEO. I was offered the position. Never give up if there is still a chance.