If you are an entry level candidate it can be very frustrating to find a job. I was recently talking to a new grad that said she was having a horrible time finding a job. It seemed to her that every position she found posted in the paper or on the internet was requiring 1-2 years of experience. However, after talking to her a bit more, I found that she was really selling her self short. She had a ton of hands on experience from her training at school and great volunteer experience. My suggestion to her was to highlight all of these transferable experiences and skills on her cover letter and resume. She was employed within a few weeks.
Don’t sell yourself short in this job market, take some time to dig deep and really think about the experience you have. Please note, I am not suggesting that you apply to every job you see and waste your time and the employers time. Don’t apply to a position for a rocket scientist if you just got your Associate Degree in Medical Assisting . . . However, if there is a job out there that you know you would be perfect for and the only thing standing in your way is a few months of experience, go for it!
Have a questions about finding or keeping a job? Email askevie@workplacestaff.com to have all of your employment related questions answered by a professional!
Texting at work is a new epidemic that is sweeping the nation, one that several people are losing their jobs over. As a self professed texting addict, I can relate to how important it is to text all of your friends about the hideous outfit your boss is wearing today, but I don’t. Why you may ask? Well, it is simple, I really like my job, and I want to keep it.
Back in the day, the biggest complaint that I would hear from employers was that employees were using their cell phone during business hours. Over the past year or so, the cell phone use has become primarily via text messaging. However, I am not really sure why people think this is more appropriate, it’s not. You are still using your cell phone at work, which is inappropriate and unacceptable.
Take my advice if you want to keep your job, leave the cell phone in the car during business hours. There will be plenty of time to catch up on your lunch break. Remember you need your job to keep the texting bill paid. 
A cover letter is a wonderful because it explains to an employer in specific detail why you would be a great employee. An employer wants to know that you want to work for their company not just any company. Do your research and write a meaningful cover letter to send with every resume you submit . . .You will be surprised at how much more attention your resume will get!
Have a questions about finding or keeping a job? Email askevie@workplacestaff.com to have all of your employment related questions answered by a professional!
The National Employment Association confirms the fact that over 80% of those people who elected to accept a counter offer and stayed at their current employer, are no longer with their company six months later. This is why I strongly recommend never taking a counter offer! Let’s take a look at the following scenario:
You have been working with ABC Company for 5 years. You realize now that you have gone as far as you can with this company. Your boss does not appreciate you, you haven’t received a salary increase in two years, and any prospect for a promotion is years in the future – when someone eventually retires. So, doing what any intelligent person would do in this situation, you look for a new job. Fortunately for you, you find one that is perfect for you, not to mention the higher salary.
You turn in your resignation to your boss, and she seems surprised. Later that evening as you are getting ready to go home your manager pulls you into to her office and her boss is there. They tell you that you are too valuable to the company that they don’t want to see you go. Your boss says that there have been plans in the work regarding a promotion for you, but the plans were confidential, so she could confide in you yet. They offer you a promotion and even supersede the offer from the other company.
Here are the questions you should ask yourself in this situation:
- Why now, why after five years and one foot out the door is your company willing to show you how much they value you? My suspicion is this . . . It costs less for the company to give you a raise than it does for them to invest in a replacement for you – or they are stalling to find your replacement.
- Is the money a promotion the only you were looking at other companies? In any case, how long will this new salary keep you satisfied? Furthermore, how many years are you going to go without seeing another raise or promotion at your current company?
- How are things going to change for you now that the company knows you have been looking for another job? If there were any prospects for you to get any additional raises or promotions, do you really think your chances are any higher after you essentially have one foot out the door?
Take my advice and accept the position at the new company. If you don’t you could miss out on the best opportunity of your career. If you are not happy with your current position now, no amount of money is going to make you happy in the future. Money does not make you happy. Don’t believe me, just look at all the people who have won millions in the lottery and are completely miserable. What will make you happy is working at a company that appreciates you and will help you grow a career. Don’t sell yourself short by accepting a counter offer. Companies, let this be a lesson to you as well. If you have a great employee that you don’t want to lose, don’t wait until it is too late to show them their value.
You may not be aware, but there is a recession going on out there. This makes me wonder why I am still hearing stories every day about people showing up to job interviews in a sweatshirt or a baseball cap, or as I wrote about earlier in the week, texting at work. To survive in this job market whether you have a job, or you are out looking for one, you have to be at the top of your game. In an employer’s market stepping even one toe out of line can cost you your job or getting hired because there is a line of people just waiting to take your place. Today I am going to start a series on being at the top of your game in a recession. Let’s start by taking a look at your Cover Letter and Resumes. For better or worse, your Cover Letter and Resume are your first impression. It is imperative that these items be impeccable.
Your Cover Letter should be personalized to each position you apply for and comprised of four basic sections:
- The first section should state why you are sending in your resume and/or what position you are applying for.
- Section two should cover why you would be a good fit for the company. You should cover all of the skills and abilities that you bring to the table that would make you a good hire.
- The third section should contain your call to action when and how you will follow up on you submission. Expert tip: If you say you are going to call on Thursday, do it! It is too early in the game to look unreliable.
- The last section is your closing. Make sure you keep it professional.
Once you have perfected your cover letter, it is time to take another look at your resume. Unfortunately, there is no black or white way to do a resume, but here are a few tips that may be of help:
- Ditch that old Objective: I am not a big fan or resume Objectives; instead I love to see a Skill Summary or Professional Summary. It is a great way to focus on what you have to offer.
- Keep your resume accomplishment driven. Employers love to see what you have accomplished in your previous positions because this is a good indicator of what you will be able to achieve for them.
- Watch out for grammatical and spelling errors. Nothing can get your resume thrown out quicker than having a ton on mistakes on your resume. Have two or three people check your resume read it over before sending it out.
Follow these steps and you will on your way to having a great Cover Letter and Resume!
One of the biggest problems that people have with interviews is that they get nervous and say things they shouldn’t say. One of the best ways to ward off nervous jitters is to be prepared. There are several different ways you can prepare for an interview, but I think the best way is to ask a couple of people you trust to have a mock interview with you. Sure you can always practice questions with yourself in a mirror, but this often leads to people sounding rehearsed. In a mock interview you still have to develop answers on the fly, but it is not as nerve wracking because you are practicing with a friend or family member.
When performing a mock interview have your helper try different interviewing types and questions so you are prepared for whatever comes your way. A great site to get sample interview questions is www.quintcareers.com. You will also want your “interviewer” to give you pointers and suggestions to make you better for the real thing. As the saying goes, practice makes perfect, and while I don’t suggest that you should sound completely rehearsed in a job interview, I do feel that having some mock interviews with friends will help you immensely.
Have a questions about finding or keeping a job? Email askevie@workplacestaff.com to have all of your employment related questions answered by a professional!
It should come as no surprise to anyone that is on the job market, that you have to be at the top of your game if you want to get hired. Employers have a bigger pool of applicants to choose from than ever before. For that reason, it is very important to dress for success, not only when you go on an interview, but whenever you correspond with an employer in person.
Here are a few quick guidelines:
- For women, wear a pant or skirt suit . . . this will help set you apart from the people that simply go to an interview in a sweater and black pants.
- For men, wear a suit and tie . . . make that first impression great!
- Make sure your hair is tidy, your clothes are pressed and cleaned, and you have brushed your teeth . . . this should all go without saying, but when you have heard as many stories as I have, you should never assume.
- If you are in a healthcare field, I strongly suggest not wearing scrubs to an interview, unless it is a last resort. If you are going to wear scrubs make sure that they are cleaned and pressed.
- If you are in the trades, don’t over dress . . . It is probably unnecessary to go to an interview dressed in a suit, but you should still go in business casual attire. I suggest wearing a button up or polo shirt and a pair of slacks.
- From your head to your toes take extra care to make sure that you are well groomed and put together, you only get that one chance to make a first impression.
- Even if you are just going to a company to fill out an application or drop off your resume, you should still dress for an interview!!!
Have a questions about finding or keeping a job? Email askevie@workplacestaff.com to have all of your employment related questions answered by a professional!
If you currently have a ringback tone on your phone, and you are actively seeking a job . . . You may want to consider removing your ringback tone. Why you may ask, well let me tell you:
- More often than not, the songs used are inappropriate. If your song of choice talks about partying or getting drunk, what is an employer going to think?
- Many people don’t know what they are. This means that you could get a hiring manager calling you for a job interview, but instead of hearing a normal ring when they call, all they get is music. The employer may then assume that your number is bad and go onto the next applicant.
- It can be annoying or frustrating . . . The employer may not like your taste in music and if they have been bombarded with a lot of ringback tones in one day they may get frustrated and simply move on to the next person with a normal ring rather than listening to a song they hate.
In conclusion, it is a tough market, why do something that could make it harder for you to find a job.
Have a questions about finding or keeping a job? Email askevie@workplacestaff.com to have all of your employment related questions answered by a professional!
The new year is upon us . . . what better time to pull that resume out and make some changes? Here are some suggestions to make your resume stand out in the new year:
- Retire that worn out resume objective . . . It is my firm belief that your resume objective will not get you hired, but it can definitely land your resume in the reject bin. Resume objectives are often redundant and poorly written . . . Do yourself a favor and replace it with a snazzy Professional Summary or Summary of Qualifications to really showcase what you bring to the table for an employer.
- Leave off the year you graduated from high school, it ages you. In addition, if you continued on to college or a trade school, you can often leave your high school information off completely.
- Don’t put “References available upon request” it is already implied and putting on your resume in superfluous.
- If you have been in the workforce for less than 10 years, keep your resume to one page. On average, an employer will give your resume a 15 second glance to decide if they want to look at your resume more in depth. If you are sending out a 3 page resume the employer may feel that they don’t have the time to look at it or you have over exaggerated.
- Don’t lie . . .the truth always comes out and I am sure you are pretty awesome without having to lie on your resume.
Have a questions about finding or keeping a job? Email askevie@workplacestaff.com to have all of your employment related questions answered by a professional!
Is the email address on your resume keeping you from getting an interview? If your email address is something similar to biggpapa69@emailco.com, it may be keeping you on the job market longer than necessary. A professional email address shouldn’t give a company any clue to your religious beliefs, political party, or extracurricular activities. The email address on your resume should be just as professional as everything else you put in front of a potential employer. Ideally, your email address should be similar to firstname.lastname@emailco.com. In addition, using an email address like hireme@emailco.com or iamtherightcandidate@emailco.com may seem clever to you, but they often look desperate to hiring managers. I often suggest that job seekers create a separate email address just for job seeking. That way, all of the correspondence regarding your job search is in one place and it won’t get lost in the myriad of forwards from friends and family.
Take my advice; create a professional email address for your resume. There are several sites that allow you to create a free email address (e.g. gmail, yahoo, hotmail.) You will thank yourself when you get that job offer
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