Saturday, August 15, 2009

Preparing Resume

Preparing Resume

The purpose of a resume is to advance the job search to the next stage-an interview. Though the document will not secure a job in most cases, it is an essential first step to begin a process that hopefully will end with a successful result.
For the person preparing and submitting the resume, it is a tool to move forward. However, for the manager reviewing the resume it is a quick screening tool to determine whether or not to spend more time on a job candidate. Managers that review numerous resumes generally develop a screening process that allows them to separate out the job applicants for interview or those to refuse. The amount of time a manager spends reviewing a resume varies, however, some managers spend as little as 7 seconds on this task. With so little time for the job applicant's biographical document to make a positive first impression, it is imperative that a person work hard to communicate well in this piece.
Following are some key points to work through to help improve the overall impression:
The document should not exceed one page with normal margins and normal font size. Including the right pieces of information are necessary to get to the interview stage. Just as important, though is selecting the information to leave out. A candidate demonstrates their decision-making ability by determining what information to omit. The content that is or is not in a resume or CV begins to tell the manager about the candidate's work style and ability. The information that is contained in the document should demonstrate a candidate's ability to perform well in some aspects of the job that they are pursuing.
The resume objective should answer the question, "Why did you send me this resume?" This is the place where the job applicant states their reason(s) for pursuing a job. The objective should share about why is this position interesting for the candidate and why should the candidate be a desirable employee for the company. Each resume sent out should have the objective clearly oriented to that company and the position an individual is pursuing. Here are a couple of examples of an objective for resume or CV use.
To obtain a challenging position utilizing my strengths and experience to work with people in an atmosphere conducive to professional growth and development.
To promote the mission, vision and values of a company by utilizing my experience, expertise and enthusiasm.
The design of the document should appeal to others. Several important design elements to be aware of include:
White space - It is important to have an attractive design to the document. No one is required to read your resume or CV. It is helpful for you to make it appealing by having an appropriate amount of quality information. This document is not a biography, however. In putting only the most important information in the best form, you should have margins that are blank with plenty of space. There should be some space in between entries and categories of information to help with setting apart important information. It may be helpful on this point to keep different versions of your document and compare them to see differences in what is appealing to the eye in terms of design and white space.
Hierarchy of information and "color" - Using the sample outline helps greatly to organize information in order and rank of importance. When holding the document a little ways away, the boldness or color of the text should communicate the importance of the item. Once again this can be done with white space such as the amount of space an item is inset from the margin as well as the size and type of font.
Design flow - It is helpful to design in the way that the eye has been trained to move. At one of the later drafts of a resume or CV, it is helpful to observe the flow of information. Ensure that the elements naturally guide the eye from the top-left to the bottom-right.
Fonts - In design, less is often more. With fonts, this is true. Because serif fonts help guide the eye along the line of text with the natural built-in lines-the serifs-this type of font is most often selected for larger amounts of text.
Paper - If the document will be presented as a hard copy, it is important to put it on quality paper. This could be a heavier weight white paper or a linen or other quality business paper. Select the paper and color that fits the organization to which you are applying and represents you individually.
Simplicity - Once again, the resume or CV should be appealing. In the last versions, the candidate will do well to evaluate whether or not their resume has the necessary information and if so, then does it look inviting.
Be honest. Claims that a candidate makes in a resume or interview will often be checked in conversations with a candidate's references. For example if a person puts that they are fluent in another language, the interviewer may ask them a question in the other language to ensure accuracy of content. Even if claims are not checked, there will be a level of performance expected that is consistent with the information shared in the resume or CV and the interview. Market yourself well, but do it with integrity for peace of mind and better long-term employment opportunities.

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Get Job intervew

Get Job intervew

Preparing for a job interview enhances the quality of your interaction skill. It helps you to empower yourself with confidence in your own abilities.
Basic Preparation. There are no hard and fast rules associated with the preparation of a job interview. Basic preparations include an objective assessment of skills, values, interests and achievements, updating your resume and research on the organization and the position applied for. It also includes practicing answers to probable questions. You need to also pay attention to the details of your chosen attire and overall appearance, knowledge of the location of interview and the protocol for follow-up.
Aside from basic preparation, you also need to prepare for certain important factors. Some are mentioned below:
• Self-Assessment: This is very important and should be done methodically to understand yourself better. It helps you to assess your abilities, identify your strengths and discover areas for improvement. You should keep all concrete achievements, including articles, congratulatory letters, certificates and appreciation from clients or your present employer.
• Updating Your Resume: You need to update your resume so that all of your recent achievements are included. Your resume should be written with functional headings to help the interviewer focus on your achievements. Your resume is the primary introduction to the employer. It should be designed to create a favorable impression; therefore, you should ensure that your resume is written with crystal clarity.
• Research: Research helps you to assimilate information about the company. You should gather as much information as possible on the company before attending the interview. You could visit the public library, local bookstore and the Internet to collect relevant data. This enables you to understand the work culture, mission and priorities of the organization.
• Utilize Your Alumni Network: It would be helpful for you to discuss the organization with alumni who have already worked or are working in the organization.
Preparing for a job interview is one of the most crucial stages of building a career. It has the power to make or break your interview.

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Preparing Job Fair

Preparing Job Fair

You recently heard somewhere that a job fair is an excellent way to meet lots of potential employers and maximize your job search time. To locate upcoming job fairs:
• Review media, including free job publications. Don’t forget to check radio and TV stations.
• Check your target companies’ Career section Web sites. They’ll often promote job fairs they’re attending.
• Contact college career service offices in your area. They regularly conduct or know of job fairs. Non-students or alumni may be welcome.
• Search the Internet using the key words “job fair” or “career fair” and your city and state.
• Bookmark your favorite job search resources for upcoming job fairs and locations, as well as preparation tips.
To prepare for a job fair, follow these suggestions:
• Register for the job fair in advance. Be sure to get a copy of the hiring company exhibitors.
• Select the companies you’re most interested in and research their Web sites, annual reports and recent media coverage. Talk to your networking contacts.
• Develop your “elevator pitch” that explains what you do, what you bring to the table, and how this aligns with the company’s business.
• Develop a list of questions to ask. The worst question you can ask at a job fair is, “What do you do?” A more appropriate question might be, “I saw in your most recent annual report that you are expanding your marketing operations.
While at the job fair, make sure you: Seek out your targeted companies and introduce yourself with a firm handshake and confident demeanor; Pitch your candidacy for a position; Ask questions and make a connection; Get business cards of people you meet at the booths.

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Career Tests for Teens

Career Tests for Teens

Do you know whether your child is a structured traditionalist, or a sensitive artist? Do they do their best work in solitude or on teams? One of the most widely used career assessments for teens, the Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI®), assesses your child's personality type on four scales: Extraversion/Introversion, Sensing/Intuition, Thinking/Feeling, and Judging/Perceiving. Based on these measures, the test results provide information on careers, industries, and work environments that are good choices for your child's personality type. Knowing your child's personality type is crucial to choosing a career path that will motivate, challenge, and satisfy them.
Extensive research has been done using the MBTI to correlate personality type with career success, so that once your child knows their type, they can benefit from the career experience of thousands of similar types. The test results will help them to understand the key factors for their job satisfaction, crucial stressors to avoid when choosing a career, and some common pitfalls they may encounter as they start on their career path. Although your child's interests may change over time, their personality type will remain constant, and preparing your child with an awareness of their personality type will benefit them for the rest of their life.
Most of us remember a day in our teens when our high school guidance counselor called us in for career counseling. She scrutinized and evaluated us, gave us tests with cryptic questions, and in the end proclaimed with some certainty that our career destiny was to become a fireman-or a stonemason, or a math teacher, or something equally mysterious.
With so many career options in the modern workplace, it can be difficult for parents and teens to narrow down the choices. The good news is, those career tests your guidance counselor gave you have come a long way. Today's career assessments provide an accurate, sophisticated, and time-effective way to help your child discover their career aptitude. Tests of your child's personality, preferences, talents, and interests provide you and your teen with essential information as you make choices for college and beyond.
To discover the best career for your child, it is also important to understand how their interests, hobbies, and favorite activities can inform their career choice. There are six major career categories: Conventional, Investigative, Realistic, Artistic, Enterprising, and Social. Then, it matches your teen's test scores with the interest profiles of successful professionals to rate the careers that are the best match for them. The Strong Interest Inventory results can help your child to understand the day-to-day tasks that certain jobs require, and how their interests match up with possible careers.
Both the Strong Interest Inventory and the Myers Briggs Type Indicator can be taken with the assistance of a qualified career counselor. You may choose to visit a counselor in your area, or you can have your teen take these tests online. If you feel your teen may need ongoing coaching, it may be best to visit a counselor in person.
However you decide to take the tests, you can ensure you get the most out of the assessment by reviewing and verifying the results with a qualified counselor or coach. Your counselor or coach will help you to make sense of the results and apply them to your teen's individual situation, and will assist you in planning the next steps for your child's career exploration.