Be careful about how much info you post online
PORTLAND, OR -- Exactly how much contact information should a person list on their resume? Some say that hiring managers won't accept resumes that have no mailing address listed. Others in the industry indicate that it's becoming "more common" to list only a contact number and name when posting a resume on the Internet, in order to avoid identity fraud and safeguard personal privacy.
Interestingly enough, a colleague even mentioned this possibility: "Employers can even look up where you live and determine the value of your home through zillow.com or the local tax assessor. They can tell when the home was purchased, the annual taxes, and even if it's for sale. Wow. The world has changed, hasn't it? How do you tackle this issue? First, when posting your information online, it's critical that you do take steps to protect your identity.
You should only use your name or even just your first initial and last name, and provide a cell phone number or generic email address to be reached. Any time you are posting your resume on job boards and career sites, you will run into people who pose as 'employers'. These people promptly go to work as identity crooks. Always be mindful about what you are posting! If you are not careful, it can be a dream come true for an identity thief.
Protect your identity & confidentially post your resume
LOS ANGELES, CA -- You've decided to take the leap and look for a new job. But where do you start? While the job market is very competitive right now, there are still lots of jobs being offered by hiring managers who search all of the top career websites. Sure it may take some time, but posting your resume on ALL the top websites will give you better exposure than your competition.
If you want the benefit of maximum exposure, but don't want to spend 60 hours researching and filling out website forms consider letting a service like Resume Rabbit do the work for you. With this service, you fill out one easy form and in about 15 minutes you'll be posted on up to 85 top career websites like Job.com, CareerBuilder, HotJobs, Dice and more.
If confidentiality is a concern, use Resume Rabbit's confidentiality feature. Your resume can be seen, however, no one will see your name, street address or phone number. Whether you do it by hand or use a service like Resume Rabbit, creating accounts on all the best career sites will give you access to millions of jobs and exposure to 1.5 million employers and recruiters daily. Try Resume Rabbit today.
Some questions by employers are out of bounds
MIAMI, FL -- In the job application and interview process, there are questions employers aren't allowed to ask job seekers. Prospective employers should avoid personal questions on family history, marital status or if they have children. Employers may go over the job descriptions and ask an applicant if they can meet the physical job requirements. Employers may also ask if you're over 18 and about criminal convictions.
If a job applicant is asked a forbidden question, it can lead to an uncomfortable moment. Deal with those questions in a light tone and with a sense of humor. Interviewers should try throwing the question back to the interviewer. The job applicant should ask the interviewer if the reason behind the question is reliability and then offering to talk about work history and attendance, turning the outcome into a positive moment.
While employers should avoid personal questions, there are questions designed to explore interpersonal skills. A job seeker may be asked to give an example of how a disagreement with a co-worker was resolved. Job seekers should have examples and practicing with friends and family. If an illegal question is asked, job seekers are best served by staying tactful.
Job search advice for experienced workers
SACRAMENTO, CA -- Jill Angel thought she had it made. After a wide-ranging career that included teaching and broadcasting, she took early retirement in 2005. The plan was for her to stay home with her two daughters. However after a breakup at home, a house refinancing and a recession, she worries she'll never get out of debt. She's eager to find a job to supplement her retirement income. So far, she's had no luck and she thinks she knows why. "I'm old," said Angel, who's 52. "I've had several great careers, but you're just not as marketable in your 50s."
In this weird new world of recession-era unemployment, looking for work can come as a shock to people who first entered the job market many years ago. But according to career experts, people over the age of 50 just have to learn how to compete. These days tailoring your resume to specific openings and steadily networking is the best way to land your next interview. Targeting your resume to the online job posting can also make a big difference.
With national unemployment rate for people 55 and older up to 12% - competition for jobs is stiff. It's important to realize that the marketplace has changed and you should create your personal brand. If you're over 50 and out of work, research where the hot jobs are and where your skills match. There are companies that value older workers and understand what they bring.
Job search engine tool helps you beat the competition
LOS ANGELES, CA -- With a new service called MyJobHunter, you can search all top career sites at once & apply to all matching jobs with one click. Just enter what you're looking for, review the matching jobs and 'check mark' the ones you want. Then, click a single button and you'll instantly be applied to all of them at once (whether 1 or 1000) with your resume and cover letter.
Click another button and you can automate the whole process. MyJobHunter actually remembers your search criteria, looks for new job matches every day, and automatically applies to them for you when it finds a match. Then you'll get an email each day listing every job applied to with links so you can review the descriptions.
Did you know that most employers find qualified applicants within the first group of resumes they receive? That's why MyJobHunter really works! It gets your resume in the hands of interested employers immediately after their jobs are advertised - and long before your competition. This gets your resume there faster and increases your job opportunities. To learn more, go to MyJobHunter.com.
Six tips for saving on job searches
NEW YORK, NY -- With little relief in sight on the employment scene, job hunters have to be savvier and more careful than ever about what they choose to spend money on as they search. Luckily, one of the best ways to find a job - networking - is practically free. The key is to stay focused on your goals. Here are some tips on ways to keep spending down while looking for the job you want.
1) Network online: If you don't have a free profile on LinkedIn, get one. The LinkedIn profile is the new online resume. 2) Network in real life: Don't neglect networking in person just because you're searching online. You have to get yourself out from behind the computer and engage in person. 3) Go back to school: Keep your skills updated and stay informed on trends happening in your industry. 4) Know when to hire professionals: If you feel your resume is out of date, it can be worthwhile to hire a resume writer or work with a career coach.
5) Be methodical: Planning each step of your job search will help you save money and time. There are many job search tools that might be worth investing in as well. Often these tools can save you time and organize your job search efforts. 6) Job searching is tax-deductible: Keep your receipts for things like travel, job search tools, photocopying and resume writing.
Education can be the key to your success
NEW YORK, NY -- If you think that the only way to earn a degree is to spend gobs of money and traverse across a complicated college campus, taking anywhere from two to eight years to get your Associate's, Bachelor's or Master's or even doctorate degree...think again. With advances in technology, you can now get your degree online, from an accredited university in your spare time and from the comfort of your own home.
Jennifer Day, Chief of the Education and Social Stratification Branch at the U.S. Census Bureau says, "In 1999, average annual earnings ranged from $19,000 for high school dropouts, to $26,000 for high school graduates, and $45,000 for college graduates and $99,000 for the holders of professional degrees. That includes medical doctors, dentists, veterinarians and lawyers.
According to the U.S. Census Bureau the difference in lifetime earnings between a high school diploma and bachelor's degree is a million dollars. Add on a master's degree and you can expect to earn an additional half a million dollars in earnings. Those with professional degrees earn much more - about 4.4 million dollars during their working life. To learn more about available schools & programs, and instantly request complimentary course catalogs of the ones you like, go to Find-The-Right-School.
Facebook friends open door to new employment
NEW YORK, NY -- Derryn Brenan owes her new job at least partly to Facebook. Unemployed for four months, she felt the biggest risk to her future career was in losing touch with the industry. To keep up, she turned to social networking sites Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
"The guys I've been working with over the last two years are very into the new media," Mrs Brenan says. "I kept my Facebook status updated and kept my network of people in the business aware of what I was doing and the sorts of things I was looking for. Every few weeks my network would broaden a little bit." Mrs. Brenan wore out her email contact list which led to two job interviews. She wasn't the right person for the job, but with one of them, three months later the guy rang back and said, 'There's another job' opening. By that time she had finally secured the job she has now, a marketing contract with Mercury Energy which runs until Christmas. Her boss, the head of marketing, was a Facebook friend she had worked with in the past.
He stood down from the interview panel because of their past connection, and Mrs Brenan believes the link made the difference in a roundabout way. "I'm sure it helped," she says. "Because we are Facebook friends he sees my updates and I see his. It means that when he's thinking of staff I'm fresh in his mind."
Career Tools Highlighted in This Issue:
- Confidentially Post Your Resume Online Get your resume posted on over 85 job sites - confidentially!
- MyJobHunter - Job Search Engine Tool Search all top job sites at once & apply to jobs with 1-click.
- Find the right school today Earn a degree online and increase your marketability!
