Living Life Abundantly

From Bad to Worse: Unemployment Rate Hits Working Americans Across the Spectrum

With massive layoffs and cut backs is anyone hiring?

According to the US Department of Labor:

the number of unemployed people rose to 9.4 million in August, and the unemployment rate increased to 6.1 percent.

Over the past 12 months, the number of unemployed persons has increased by 2.2 million and the unemployment rate has risen by 1.4 percentage points, with most of the increase occurring over the past 4 months.

Depending on your skills, education, determination, and networking ability, the right job is out there for you!

Think outside the box to find your next gig.

Despite the grim reports about the economy and unemployment, it is still possible to find a job. It may not necessarily be your dream job making the ideal salary, with top notch benefits, and cool perks…but it may be enough to keep your head above water while seeking better opportunities. Stay optimistic, positive, and focused on your goals.

Your job search may lead you to a new career, a new business, and/or an overlooked or missed opportunity.

Job Hunting Tips

Whether you are a newly minted college graduate entering the workforce for the first time, are a retiree looking to get back into a job or someone who is just fed up with their job and is looking to transition into another career, you can get started on the trail of that job you want by following the tips given in this article.

Check your resume for mistakes

Before turning in your resume, make sure that it is tailored to the position you are trying to secure and that it is free of typos, spelling errors and grammatical mistakes. You should also be sure to tailor your resume to the specific criteria of the position you are applying for. If you have your sights set on an accounting position, you need to emphasize any prior experience which is applicable. Make sure that your resume is no longer than one and a half pages; one page is better.

Tackling the interview challenge

An interview of 1,400 CFOs done by a California consulting and staffing company revealed agreement on the most common errors made by job seekers in the interview process. The most common of these were:

• Not knowing about the company or even the position applied for
• Being late for the interview or even worse
• Being arrogant during the interview

Body language is of great importance; you should make good eye contact, have a firm handshake and avoid defensive postures like crossing your arms. The way you dress matters too – remember that it’s always better to be overdressed rather than under dressed.

Answer questions smartly

Being nervous can lead you to do poorly in interviews. These jangled nerves can even lead to forgetting the questions asked in the interview! To prepare yourself and be less nervous, make sure to do your research on not just the position itself, but also the company you are applying at. If you don’t know the answer to a question, say so and offer to get back to the interviewer with an answer later.

Getting the necessary referrals

An employee referral is a valuable thing – it is in many cases the best way of securing an interview. Remember that hundreds of resumes pour in when companies advertise a vacancy and that having a referral from an employee will improve your odds. As many as 60% of job vacancies are filled through recommendations by current employees.

Online application

An increasing number of companies are now asking applicants to submit their resume or application over the internet. This means that rather than making a good first impression in person, you must do this by email. This is a very important piece of communication; treat it with the seriousness it deserves. When applying online, remember these tips:

Complete your sentences and do not use abbreviations

If your email is too casual in its tome, a prospective employer will probably pass you by. Even when you are writing a prospective employer via email, always keep the tome of your email professional.

Get directly to the point

Be clear about why you are writing; using a story or other embellishments will probably not get the attention of a prospective employer; but it probably will make them feel that you have wasted your time and to keep on looking through that stack of resumes. Be direct and professional in your email.

With some preparation and some patience, you really can get that job you’ve always wanted. Don’t give up and be willing to wait for that perfect job instead of grabbing the first position you see – it can mean you’ll end up just as unhappy as before. Make an informed, solid decision which is right for your professional advancement and then act on it.

Making Sure You’re Ready

You are trying to get a job and you are all ready with your resume, reference sheet, and cover letter. Before you get all excited and put your info in the mail, you will want to go through a few check points.

First and foremost, run a spell check on your computer. But don’t stop there. Read your documents over and over to make sure there are no typographical or grammatical errors. It might also help to have someone else read over them as well to be sure that it looks the way it should.

The more people who see your resume, the more likely that misspelled words and awkward phrases will be seen (and corrected).

Here is a checklist to keep in mind for your cover letter:

• The contact name and company name are correct
• The letter is addressed to an individual, if possible
• The cover letter mentions the position you are applying for and where it was listed
• Your personal information is all included and correct
• If you have a contact at the company, mention him or her in the first paragraph of your cover letter
• The cover letter is targeted to the position you are applying for
• The letter is focused, concise, clear, and well organized
• If you have a gap in your employment history, explain it in your cover letter
• The font is easy to read
• No spelling or grammatical errors
• Read the cover letter out loud to make sure there are no missing words
• The cover letter is printed on good quality bond paper matching your resume
• You have kept a copy for yourself
• Your letter is signed

When it comes to your resume, there are also a few things to keep in mind. Much is the same as for the cover letter, but you want your resume to be tip top as well. Here’s a check list:

• There are no typographical or spelling errors
• The format is consistent throughout the entire document
• Use a good quality, heavier paper – heavier than regular copy paper
• You may want to use a colored paper, but make sure it is not garish like hot pink or neon green. Cream, gray, and off white are always good choices
• Use 8 _” x 11” paper
• Print on only one side
• Use a font between 10 and 14 – you want it to be easy to read and look pleasant to the eye
• Use non-decorative fonts, but don’t be afraid to experiment and use something a little interesting – just not TOO interesting!
• Stick to one font
• Avoid italics, scripts, and underlined words except for when underlining your headings
• Do not use horizontal or vertical lines, graphics, or shading.
• Do not fold or staple your resume.
• If you must mail your resume, put it in a large envelope and mail flat
• Be sure there is enough postage on the envelope to make it to the company
• When at all possible, deliver your resume in person and ask to speak with the personnel director when you do so.
• Follow up after a reasonable period of time if you have not heard anything. This shows initiative on your behalf and makes you memorable in the mind of the person doing the hiring.

There are literally hundreds of different ways you can write a resume and so many formats you can use, it can be mind boggling.

If you are applying for a creative job, it is alright to be creative with your resume, but not too creative. A professional position, however, necessitates a professional resume.

Whichever way you decide to go, be sure to have your resume be eye catching and intriguing. As we have said, the resume is your first introduction to your potential employer, so you will want to make the best first impression that you can right out of the gate.

Do some research and look for various formats that you can try with your own resume. There are many, many places on the Internet that offer up free templates where you can just fill in your own information and you are on your way.

The Objective Statement

There are two schools of thought regarding an objective statement. Some people say you shouldn’t include this on a resume because that is what your cover letter is for. Other people say that stating what you want to accomplish in your career is probably the most important part of the resume.

You can choose to include an objective statement if you like, but if you do, you need to know a few things. First and foremost, this statement should be brief and concise – not more than a sentence or two. An objective tells potential employers the sort of work you’re hoping to do.

Be specific about the job you want. For example:

To obtain an entry-level position within a financial institution requiring strong analytical and organizational skills. Tailor your objective to each employer you target/every job you seek.

Objective statements improve your resume by helping you:

• Emphasize your main qualifications and summarize them for readers
• Inform your readers of the position(s) you are seeking and your career goals
• Establish your professional identity

To improve your chances for success, it’s always a good idea to tailor your objective statement (as well as your whole resume and cover letter) to particular organizations and/or positions. This means, for example, calling a position by the name the company uses to describe it. You might even indicate the organization’s name in your statement.

Strive to match your qualifications with those desired by the organization. If you are unsure what your resume’s readers will be looking for, you’ll need to do some research to give your objective statement a competitive edge.

Before drafting or revising your objective statement, you will find it helpful to answer as many of the following questions as possible.

About you:

• What are your main qualifications (strengths, skills, areas of expertise)
• What positions (or range of positions) do you seek?
• What are your professional goals?
• What type of organization or work setting are you interested in?

About the Company or Organization:

• Which of your qualifications are most desired by your resume’s readers?
• What position titles (or range or positions) are available?
• What are some goals of the organizations that interest you?
• What types of organizations or work settings are now hiring?

The most common mistake made in writing objective statements is being too general and vague in describing either the position desired or your qualifications. For example, some objective statements read like this:

An internship allowing me to utilize my knowledge and expertise in different areas.

Such an objective statement raises more questions than it answers: What kind of internship? What knowledge? What kinds of expertise? Which areas? Be as specific as possible in your objective statement to help your readers see what you have to offer “at a glance.”

To come up with an objective statement that is effective, try one of these formulas:

1. To emphasize a particular position and your relevant qualifications

A position as a [name or type of position] allowing me to use my [qualifications]
To utilize my [qualifications] as a [position title]
A position as a Support Specialist allowing me to use my skills in the fields of computer science and management information systems.

2. To emphasize the field or type of organization you want to work in and your professional goal or your main qualifications

An opportunity to [professional goal] in a[type of organization, work environment, or field]
To enter [type of organization, work environment, or field] allowing me to use my [qualifications]
An opportunity to obtain a loan officer position, with eventual advancement to vice president for lending services, in a growth-oriented bank
To join an aircraft research team allowing me to apply my knowledge of avionics and aircraft electrical systems

3. To emphasize your professional or career goal or an organizational goal

To [professional goal]
An opportunity to [professional goal]
To help children and families in troubled situations by utilizing my child protection services background

4. A specific position desired

[position name]
Technical writer specializing in user documentation
Some things to keep in mind when formulating your objective statement include the following:

• Integrate key words and phrases used in the job advertisement(s)
• Play with word choices to fit your strengths and your readers’ expectations. You might try

Substituting for “use” words like “develop,” “apply,” or “employ,” etc.

Replacing “allowing me” with “requiring” or “giving me the opportunity,” etc.

Changing “enter” to “join,” “pursue,” “obtain,” “become a member,” “contribute,” etc.

• Blend two or more of the above generic models or create your own!

Depending on the format of your resume, the objective section should be written in sentence format with its own heading.

The next two sections are interchangeable depending on which applies the most to the position you are applying for. If you think your job experience is more relevant to the job then list “job experience” next. If it is your education that will help most, then put that section next.

Before you write, take time to do a self-assessment on paper. Outline your skills and abilities as well as your work experience and extracurricular activities. This will make it easier to prepare a thorough resume.

When you do this, be sure to write down dates as it can be very important – especially in showing that you have a consistent work history. Gaps in work history do not bear well with potential employers as it gives the impression that you are not reliable.

Gather together the names of the businesses you have worked for along with their address and phone number and the name of your immediate supervisor at the time. Do not include salary history on a general resume. If salary comes up, it will be during the interview or at the time you are – hopefully – offered the job.

Note special achievements and awards you have received along with the date you received them. You may also want to include a blurb about the qualifications that needed to be met in order to receive that award.

But we are getting ahead of ourselves. Let’s begin with the heading of the resume.

The Heading

The heading of your resume provides basic contact information about you. That means your name, address, any telephone numbers you are available at and your e-mail address. You can arrange this information in a variety of ways. The simple way is like this:

Michelle Smith

555 My Bright Way
Yourtown, IL 54321
Home Phone: (555) 555-5555
Cell Phone: (555) 444-4444
e-mail: [email protected]

As you can see, the name is in larger print than the rest of the information and in bold. The rest of the contact information is in smaller print and not bolded.

Another format you can use for the heading looks like this:

Michelle Smith

555 My Bright Way * Yourtown, IL 54321 * Home Phone (555) 555-5555 * Cell Phone: (555) 444-4444 * michellesmith @youremail.com

Yet another way that you can construct the heading is like this:

Michelle Smith

555 My Bright Way
Yourtown, IL 54321
Home Phone (555) 555-5555 * Cell Phone (555) 444-4444 * michellesmith @youremail.com

The important thing to remember about the heading is that it contains your up-to-date pertinent information and highlights your name. Here are some other pointers to remember when writing the heading of your resume:

• Avoid nicknames.
• Use a permanent address. Use your parents’ address, a friend’s address, or the address you plan to use after graduation.
• Use a permanent telephone number and include the area code. If you have an answering machine, record a neutral greeting.
• Add your e-mail address. Many employers will find it useful. (Note: Choose an e-mail address that sounds professional.)
• Include your web site address only if the web page reflects your professional ambitions.

The next section is your objective statement.

The resume is a selling tool that outlines your skills and experiences so an employer can see, at a glance, how you can contribute to the employer’s workplace. Your resume has to sell you in short order.

While you may have all the requirements for a particular position, your resume is a failure if the employer does not instantly see that you “have what it takes.” The first hurdle your resume has to pass–whether it ends up in the “consider file” or the “reject file”–may take less than thirty seconds.

The most effective resumes are clearly focused on a specific job title and address the employer’s stated requirements for the position. The more you know about the duties and skills required for the job…and organize your resume around these points…the more effective the resume.

You will need information to write a good resume. Not just information about jobs you’ve held in the past but also information to select the most relevant accomplishments, skills and experience for the position you are applying for.

The more you know about the employer and the position, the more you can tailor your resume to fit the job.

Some people think of a resume as their “life on a page,” but how could anyone put everything important about him or herself on a single piece of paper (or two)? Actually, resumes are much more specific, including only relevant information about you for specific employers.

Like a life, however, a resume is always growing and changing. As your career goals shift or the job market changes, as you grow personally and professionally, chances are you will need to re-write your resume or at least create new versions. Writing a resume is a lifelong process.

How do you know what in your life…past, present, and future…is most relevant to prospective employers? How do you select which information to include? The quick answer to both these questions is “it depends.” It depends on your individual career goals as well as on the professional goals of the companies hiring in your area or field of interest.

In the end, only you, through research, planning, questioning and self-reflection, can determine the shape and content of your resume, but the strategies below along with those on the job search can help you ask the right questions and begin exploring your options.

Depending on whom you ask, a resume may be viewed as the single most important vehicle to securing your next job, or it may be viewed as an unnecessary nuisance.

In both cases, this is incorrect.

A resume is a professional introduction meant to encourage a one-on-one interview situation – the opportunity for communication that can lead to a job offer.

It is a rare candidate who is hired by his or her resume alone. It is just as rare to be offered an interview without one.

A resume is often the first line of contact. It establishes a first impression of a potential job candidate’s skills, background and hiring value. If written well, this impression can be a positive one, offering the reader a sense of the candidate’s “fit” for the position and company being targeted.

If written really well, it may convince the reader that the job candidate is ideally suited for the job. When coupled with an effective cover letter, the resume can be a very strong marketing tool.

Preparing a resume may be seen as a hassle, but having a well-constructed, well-designed resume is an important part of your job search. Consider that for each available job opening there may be as many as 100 to 1000 resumes submitted.

If your resume fails to adequately and accurately convey your hiring value (for the specific position), fails to establish your hiring value over competing candidates, or is difficult to follow, your ability to compete against those 100 to 1000 professionals vying for the same position will be greatly diminished.

If your resume secures an interview, it has done its job. If it sets you ahead of the competition in the mind of your interviewer, then it has given you a distinct advantage, and has gone beyond its job.

A great resume does what all good marketing pieces do: it sells the “consumer” (the potential employer or hiring manager) on the “product” (you).

Like it or not, the job of looking for employment is a job in sales and marketing. The product you are “selling” is you, and the “customer,” who has unique needs and interests, needs to be sold on the fact that you have what it takes to get the job done and to meet the needs of the position.

He or she is going to want to know how you are going to solve his or her problems, and he or she is going to give your resume about 15 seconds, or less, to sell this. 15 seconds is the average time a hiring manager will allot to a new resume – before giving it a potential “yes” or “no” response.

The resume will not get you the job (well, it has happened, but it is extremely rare), but it can certainly secure your chances of being seen and interviewed, just as it can cause you to be passed over in favor of a candidate who offers a better presentation.

As with any type of marketing campaign, use your resume as one tool in your search. Continue to network, improve your interviewing skills, and use every avenue available to you to better your chances and opportunities.

And, after you have secured that next position, do this all over again. Always be prepared for the next opportunity. Keep your resume up-to-date and stay career fit.

So, essentially, a resume is you in short form on paper. That is why having a good looking, easy to read resume is so important.

The Compton Career Link Worksource Center is collaborating with the Employment Development Department to host the 6th Annual Hire-A-Youth Job and Career Fair on Thursday, April 24th from 11:00am- 3:00pm for youth ages 16-24.

This is the perfect opportunity to secure employment, especially for summer job seekers!

If you or someone you know is looking for a job, dress for success, take several resumes, and get to this job fair to meet and interview with potential employers.

Compton Career Link Work Source Center
700 N. Bullis rd.
Compton, CA 90221
(310) 605-3069 or (310) 223-2907

Doing what you love and loving what you do is a job match made in heaven.

Unfortunately, there are too many people working unfulfilling jobs that they hate

Spending 8+ hours every day doing something you hate is physically and mentally taxing…it pays the bills while sucking the life right out of you!

Your time is too precious to spend it unhappy. You owe it to yourself to find a job that meets your every need. If you can’t find one create one!

Here are 10 Tips for finding the job that is right for you: Read the full story