Business Corner

You’ve got the interview. You’re ready, willing, and able and pretty excited about the company. They’re a good company with a respected brand. They have an interesting product line – right up your alley. From all indications, they sound like a good employer. The job they posted sounds almost like they pulled the description right out of your resume. It looks like this might be “the one.” You have impressive qualifications, some good success stories that fit their industry and their goals, and you have the experience they need. It looks like an offer is almost inevitable. What could possibly go wrong?

Problem #1 – You don’t dress to fit the company you’re interviewing with. You can tell what kind of “look” they like by driving by the company at the beginning or end of the day some time before your interview. You should dress in a way that’s comfortable for you and comfortable for the team you want to join. One young Veteran chose a young professional look from Gentleman’s Quarterly that was comfortable for a transition from a military uniform to civilian clothing. It wasn’t the look that most software developers choose but it was as casual as he could comfortably go. His qualifications and personality carried him through the interview and into the job

Problem #2 -You don’t pick up on “buying signals.” The questions the interviewer asks need your focus. If you veer off from what the interviewer showed interest in, you’ve lost an opportunity to make the sale. You’re just another product on the market. There are other products that will fit the position. Your resume is a marketing piece that gets you the interview. The interview is your opportunity to make the sale. You might not think of yourself as a sales person but we all are, especially in an interview. Listening well and being prepared with clear, concise answers to the most obvious questions are key to selling yourself.  Read more... (452 words, estimated 1:48 mins reading time)

Everyday, millions of people follow the job search rules. They send a standard cover letter, which doesn’t say much and send a generic resume to an unknown entity in the Human Resources Department via the internet. And then, they play the waiting game, because almost every ad asks that you do not call. A few of the places that you applied to have an automated response, as generic in nature as the cover letter and resume you sent.

It thanks you for your interest and sets a time frame that they “may contact you” if you have “the proper qualifications.” Most employers, however, do not even have the courtesy to say “don’t call us, we’ll call you.” And you wait, and apply for other opportunities, and the “game” continues.

But most successful people are risk takers. They look for new ways, innovative ways, to do what others do better. They look at opportunities in a different light. There are ways to stand out, that many job seekers overlook because they are too busy playing by the rules of Human Resources, who are, by virtue of their position are rule makers, not risk takers.

Here are calculated risks that today’s job seekers can take, which can lead to unexpected, positive results:

Risk #1: Send a letter to the President, not to Human Resources, via snail mail. See, when a letter goes by the internet to Human Resources, there are programs which search for key words. If you do not match the key words, your resume is placed into the “no” pile. You want your letter read. You want your resume read. So why send it in with the rest of the herd, looking for the same opportunity as you? Send a letter of introduction to the President of the company you’re applying to.  Read more... (693 words, estimated 2:46 mins reading time)

Everyone knows the job market is not what it once was, so to gain some leverage and stack the odds in their favor many people are turning to an age old industry of HEADHUNTING or Recruitment. Having a headhunter on your side is like hiring an assistant to put in as much if not more work as you do in the quest for employment. Working with a contingent headhunter is ideal because the candidate is not responsible for compensation.

The client who is requesting certain positions be filled is. So why doesn’t everyone work with a recruiter when looking for new career opportunities? Legitimate recruiters will not work with just anyone, so that means you have to be a standout candidate for the headhunter to want to invest their time, energy and reputation in presenting you to their client.

What is the best way to team up with a good headhunter? Do your research! Visit your favorite search engine like google.com or bing.com and search for your local and “recruiters” for example “Bay Area Recruiters” if you lived in the greater San Francisco Bay Area like I do.

Upon going through the results pick out a few recruiters that seem professional and connected then forward your resume to these agencies. Upon reviewing your resume, experience and qualifications you can be sure that if you match up with any open positions at their clients companies you will be notified right away. How can we be so sure? Well this is the headhunters job and when placements are made is the only time they get PAID.

Another thing that makes working with a recruiter a great thing is they can give you inside information you might not otherwise receive. Since the recruiter has a relationship with the employer they can ask direct questions to the employer and get specific answers as to what key characteristics are selling points for the company to make hires.  Read more... (374 words, estimated 1:30 mins reading time)

Some people want to have more income to cover their needs. One possibility is by finding part time job. It is good to have a part time job because it means you can still do your regular activities. The problem is that sometimes it is difficult to find part time job. In this internet era, it is an easy thing because you can just visit certain reputable website and find a part time job which suitable with your skill.

One of websites which offer you with the place to find a part time job is UniTemp.Net. Actually, this website is ready with Part Time Jobs NJ and it is good news for New Jersey citizens who need a part time job. If you think it is a great opportunity for you to improve your career you can directly send your resume and CV. Let the agencies call you for working interview. This website is considered as a facilitator between you and those agencies which finding an employee. The advantage of using this kind of service is that you can get your favorite part time job faster than before.

After sending your online application letter, resume, and CV you just need to the call from the agency for working interview session. It is your opportunity to show your skill, knowledge, and ability in the working interview session. For your information, this service is only the facilitator and the successfulness are depending on your performance and ability. Just prepare yourself well and inform all your skills and abilities to make the agency or company sure that you are a qualified part time employee.

This article is targeted at helping graduates and school leavers get their first job (it does not look at writing a CV or motivation letter or at interview skills as these will be covered in a future issue). Across Europe as a whole the average unemployment rate among those with a college degree and aged between 25 and 34 is currently 6.2% and rising. In addition, only around 30% of jobs are filled via published vacancies.

These days, qualifications are not enough so what can students and graduates do to make themselves more marketable? And what can they do to make themselves stand out when up against so many other graduates? The following will set you in the right direction toward getting your first job (although they apply equally as much to anyone who is looking to change career):  Read more... (664 words, estimated 2:39 mins reading time)

1. Think about some of things that you have done and achieved. What are your hobbies and interests and what extracurricular activities have you been involved in? Even things which you do not think sound very interesting can give an indication of your capabilities. Have you ever been in charge of organising something or have you ever had to work in a team? Think about some of the challenges you have faced in any groups that you are, or have been, a member of. You will be surprised by the skills you will have used e.g. team work, organisational skills, problem solving, communication skills. All of which are skills that are transferable into a wide range of industries. Then update your CV to highlight these skills.

2. Look out for graduate training schemes – these are a great way to get your foot on to the career ladder and gain relevant experience.

If you are reading this article, it means you have just had an interview and now you want to send a thank note to your interviewer.
Why should you write a thank you note?
Thank you letters have a powerful impact on the interviewers. An interview can take weeks or even months to set up and conduct. Interviewers are human and they appreciate the fact that their hard work and effort is noticed. A simple thank you note makes interviewers take a second look at your CV with a smile on their face. This a powerful tool when you are being short listed. Thanks to the thank you note, your name will be fresh in the interviews head.
How to write a thank you letter
A thank you letter must be done in a letter format and can be emailed or sent to the interviewer. A thank you letter normally consists of three paragraphs. A thank you letter should be sent within 24 hours of the interview so that recruits can see it before they start to short list.
First paragraph
The first paragraph should consist of you thanking the interview for the interview you had. Make sure to include the position you applied for and the date it was held.
Second paragraph
The second paragraph should be a little about why you are the best candidate for the job and what can you bring to the position. Also state how interested you in the company and why would the companies best suit for you.
Third paragraph
The last paragraph should be about re-thanking the interview for his hard work and also that you available to come down again for a second interview if needed. End the paragraph by letting them know that you are expecting to hear from them soon.
Here is an example of thank you letter
Dear James
I would like to thank you for the time you have taken to meet with me about the retail Assistant manager position yesterday. The job seems to be an idea match for my skills and interested. I was very impressed about your companies’ success rate and how it become the retail market leader in a few years.
As well as bring 10 years of retail management experience to your company, I will also bring strong leaderships skill and people management skill, excellent selling with a track record and also brilliant project management skill.
Once again thank for the time you have taken to see me and conduct the interview. I am very interested in working for you from the begin of June. I hope to hear from you soon.

The secret to gaining more job interviews is having a top notch CV that sell’s your key skills, strengths and qualities required by each individual employer. So, why do people remain unemployed after posting out their CV to hundreds of employers? Because your CV does not secure you job interviews and here’s why…
1. 6-8 page CV is to long and to boring “but I have so much experience that I need to share it…” I hear you shout. Job hunters often get carried away when recording their employment history, writing every single job duty they performed – keep your CV short and to the point, our research shows that employers prefer CVs to be one or two pages long.
2. Dirty Envelopes – The envelope is the first impression the employer has of you, if your envelope is clean and the address is centralised the employer wont even notice it. But when you have a dirty or scruffy envelope the employer will think “who is this guy? They haven’t even made an effort with the envelope”
3. Poor Eye Sight – I’m not saying if you have poor eye sight you wont gain interviews, but some job hunters knowing they have to keep their CV on 2 pages will use font size 10, 9 or even 8 – you wont get a job if the employer cant read your CV
4. Using hypnotic language – NLP and hypnotic language can really help during job interview, but on a CV it sounds really out of place “as you read this CV you feel a great urge to offer me the job..”
5. Adding a Picture – It is becoming more common to add a picture to your CV – But why? We don’t know many employers who offer interviews because of your picture; actually some research shows images repel employers. # images are required for Actor CV and for some Security Positions
6. Sending it alone – Never send your CV alone, now I don’t mean send some flowers as well, but you do need to send a Covering Letter with every CV. This is due to some organisations employing thousands of employees for a high number of different positions, how will they know which position you want to apply for without a covering letter?
7. One Line Profiles – The first section all employers read is the personal profile, this should be a detailed and targeted paragraph highlighting the skills and qualities you would bring to the employers organisation. Using a one line profile is equivalent to using a “yes” or “no” answer during a job interview
8. Coffee Stains – A guy recently wanted some advice on gaining job interviews, after a few questions I found that he was well experienced in his profession and had been applying for many jobs using his CV, which meant his CV needed improving. I asked him to show me his CV, which he did. To my surprise it had coffee stains along one side of the CV. I later found that he had printed 30 CVs split coffee on them and only binned the top 5 copies and sent the rest (and not as stained) copies out to employers – no wonder he was still unemployed
9. The Sample CV – People often use sample CVs or CV templates as a starting point for their CV, which is a good idea as long as you personalise your finished products. When using sample CVs ensure you send out your updated CV as a friend of mine spent 4 hours writing a CV only to send out the template she had downloaded of the internet to the employer
10. The Under Sell – If you wanted to sell a used car, what would you record in the advert “this car is real old and has rust under the wheel trim…” or “This is a reliable car with a full service history…” to sell anything you need to talk about the positives of the product you are selling. This is true with CV’s you need to really sell yourself making your CV stand out above the other 300 CV’s that the employer will receive

Nursing is very much in demand nowadays, and it is one of the few professions out there that are always recruiting and rarely have retrenchment. The nursing sector is always on the lookout for new members. The problem after college is not where to find the best job, but rather deciding on the sector to pursue your nursing career. The opportunities are very many and getting into what really suits you needs prior research.
Where to Pursue your Nursing Career
The settings for a nursing career are pretty much endless. Nurses are spoilt for choice on where to pursue their trade. The choice will usually depend on personal preference. There are a number of positions that require nursing skills.
• Home care business
• Private and public health agencies
• Medical transport services like ambulances
• Military
• Community clinics
• National hospitals
• Companies and corporations
• School sanatorium
• Health related industries
• Wellness establishments etc
The above are just some of the many areas that nurses can find the best job and pursue their career. Other areas include the more specialized nursing sector areas like caring for the elderly, pediatrics, maternity, theater, critical care and women hospices, sports injury attendants, chronic diseases like cancer nurses and newborn care.
Reasons why Nursing is a Good Career
Since the beginning of time and even with thousands graduating, there is always a shortage of nurses everywhere in the world, from the developed countries right to the Third World. Secondly, in the recent years, the role of the nurse in overall care of the ill has been expanded to involve a larger role towards a patient’s recovery. Most physicians are now on a consultation basis only thus opening up more room for a more extensive nurse’s role. Thirdly, with a little training, the returns are actually very high. Nurse’s jobs are very rewarding in terms of money and soul healing.
Additionally, given their importance in everyday society, it is very hard to lay off workers in the nursing sector. This level of job security is not enjoyed in other jobs. When you want to find a job with very flexible working hours, the nursing career is a good option. Unlike doctors who can be called in any hour, nurses are usually on the 9am-5pm schedule. A nursing job additionally provides for one of the best bases for a higher flying job. It is very easy to become a cardiologist, general surgeon etc. All you need is to add on little bit more on your knowledge and skills and you on your way.
When you want to find a job in the nursing sector, there is a lot of information available online. You can opt to pursue the job search yourself or just sign up for a nursing agency that will place you in a position of your choice. The best thing about nursing is that even international recruits have a very good chance of getting a job in almost every country as long as they are qualified.

When you cut to the chase on every interview, there is really only one question that every employer needs to ask: “Why should we hire you?” Every job seeker needs to be able to answer this question in one form or another, without hesitation and with conviction. Here are some tips to help you prepare your answer:
Right Skills: Every job requires some core skills. Hopefully you have some or all of the skills required for the job. It is unusual for any candidate to have a complete match for every aspect of the job requirements. Nevertheless, before you are prepared to answer the key question, you must understand what the employer is looking for in a candidate. If you have experience in the industry, you are likely familiar with the specific job requirements. If you don’t have experience or if you are a recent graduate, then find out what skills are required for the job by asking around. If you don’t have the skills or are making a career change, then you either need to go back to school or look for an entry-level job where you can acquire the skills. In today’s competitive environment, having the right skills is a minimum job requirement.
Right Experience: If you are looking for something more than an entry-level job, then you must have experience. Employers will pay a premium for people who have been through the “school of hard knocks” and can bring their experience with them to a new job. If you have relevant experience, then you will quickly become productive without a long training period. Furthermore, you are less likely to make “rookie” mistakes that could cost the employer money, production time, and possibly customers.
Right Attitude: More than skills and experience is the right attitude. When people are fired, more often than not, the reason is poor attitude and not their technical ability to do the job. Employers look for people who can work together well with others. Business is a team sport. While individual positions are important, every enterprise succeeds based on the ability of everyone in the organization to work together and succeed as a team. Thus, bringing the “right attitude” to the game is a key to a successful job search.
These are three critical elements to answer the basic question for all employers: “Why should we hire you?” If you can craft a concise response that includes the right skills, the right experience and the right attitude, you will be on your way to respond with confidence. This will be your “elevator pitch” that you can practice until you can say it without thinking about it. Whatever else you might be asked, nothing is more important than conveying this core message. Even if the question is never asked, you can conclude your interview by summarizing the essence of why they should hire you, and leave them with a positive lasting message to remember you. While this will not guarantee you will get hired, it will be the best way to maximize your chances of success.

The modern job search has changed dramatically from only a few years ago. With the explosion of the internet most job searches typically now start online. As such, there’s a ton of information available on the web for the prospective job seeker. So much so, that it can be difficult to navigate and use in an effective manner. Let’s go though the big areas that should be used and explored in any quality search.
1. Search Engines: Mention the words “internet job search” and 9 out of 10 of us will probably think of online job search engines. These sites are almost always free (though most encourage users to register) and have a searchable jobs database to find jobs by location, keywords, salary etc.
Because of their popularity, these websites are often kept current and are easy to use and navigate. Additionally, they’ll often have a bunch of other free resources like salary surveys, resume posting, and company research. For many people, they’re truly becoming a one-stop shop for their job search.
There are several different types of online job search sites. The most popular and well-known are the big national websites (these are the Monsters and Careerbuilders). With all their resources they usually present a user-friendly website that also draws in the most job postings.
There are also the national niche’ sites. These websites are focused on a certain industry (i.e. technical or sales jobs), or a particular group or job type. While these sites certainly will have fewer available jobs, for the particular job-seeker they cater to they are often an excellent resource and help to find potential “matching” jobs quickly.
1. Regional websites are important because they offer the “next level” of job postings. Typically, it’s less expensive for an employer to post jobs on these sites (occasionally it’s free) so they can post a wider variety of openings. The sites also have the advantage of being Area-focused and can offer regional specific services and content.
2. Employer Websites: The most accurate, complete, and timely job information for an employer is available on their own website. Almost all large to medium sized employers (and many small employers as well) have a “Careers” or “Employment” section on their internet site.
Typically, these websites have the most current and accurate job information as they are maintained directly by the employer. Since there is little or no cost to add jobs to their own website (as opposed to placing adds on job search engines) all the available jobs are usually posted instead of only the high-profile position. Employers want you to find their job postings on their website instead of some search engine because it doesn’t cost them anything. As a result, it’s often the best place to find all the jobs for a particular employer.
3. Newspapers: Newspapers are the traditional source for job postings. Prior to the internet, job hunters frequently scanned the “want ads” in the classified sections of their newspapers. For many of the largest regional or national newspapers the want ad scanning has evolved into online posting of jobs that are searchable by the website user. These postings may also be the same that appear in the print version of the paper.
Many local or smaller newspapers many not have the resources to build and maintain a searchable website. Often, local newspapers are owned by a single company and have pooled their job search resources into a single site for all their newspapers.
While small newspaper websites may not have all the jobs on some of the larger more popular sites, they are an excellent resource for strictly local or part time work that wouldn’t warrant the employer placing (and paying for) an ad in a regional paper or search engine. If you want to find part-time work in Apple Valley, for example, the local Apple Valley newspaper is a great resource.
The job resources in the larger newspapers often can rival and compete with the big national job search engines. They usually have advanced search capabilities, resume posting, and employer/company research. The smaller newspaper sites can be more difficult to navigate and use and will often be solely listings of job openings that may need to be scanned manually.
4. Social Networking: One of the most effective means of find jobs is by networking with family, friends, and former co-workers. In the past, this was accomplished by each person maintaining their own manual “network” of people to communicate with. This too has changed (dramatically!) with the advancement of web based social networking websites where people can collaborate and communicate with others anywhere in the world.
Along with some of the more well known sites such as Facebook, there are also sites that focus exclusively on business networking. On these sites, networking with people who work in the industry or even at the company you’d like to work for can be a valuable advantage over other applicants.
These websites can offer you experience and insights that would be difficult to gather on your own, especially if you are making a career switch and have little or no experience in your new industry.
As with other web sites, be cautious about where you go and who to interact with. There are plenty of news stories recently about the misuse and true dangers that can occur with social networking websites. Just because the other individual says who they are and where they work doesn’t mean it’s true. Always be cautious and protect your privacy!
There you have it – use all of these resources for an effective online job search!