From Informational Interviews to Job Offers

What is an informational interview?



An informational interview is a meeting where a job seeker asks for advice rather than employment. Rather than get a job offer, a job seeker uses an informational interview to:



1. Learn more about a company or job function

2. Inquire about job leads

3. Network



For job seekers, informational interviews can secure meetings with managers, shape positive first impressions, and develop relationships that may pay off in the future. Managers are open to informational interviews because:



1. They do not require a big time investment. Informational interviews can be done during lunch or during an afternoon coffee break.

2. They can give managers an opportunity to identify new talent, either for now or in the future, without a formal recruiting process.

3. Informational interviews allow managers to give advice.

Who doesn’t like to have their ego stroked?



Seven Secrets to Successful Informational Interviews



Here are my tips on how you can succeed in your informational interviews:



■ How to ask for an informational interview. After you’ve identified who you want to meet, ask friends, family, ex-coworkers, & fellow alums if they have contacts at a certain company or a particular line of work. Utilize social networking tools, such as LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter, to find contacts. In the introduction e-mail, keep it short and simple. Provide some background information on yourself and explain why you want to meet.

■ Clearly define what you want to get out of the meeting. If you don’t know what you want, the person on the other side of the table will have a hard time helping you. I’d recommend going for easy wins such as learning more about a company or a job function. So prepare questions such as: “What do you like working for company X?” or “When you think about successful folks in position Y, what made them successful?”



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The Secret Formula to Employment: Akhtaboot unveils the 8 essential skills that employers consider when hiring

In recent years, there has been an increasing interest in education throughout the globe. Most parents are investing in their children by educating them and preparing them to face the highly demanding work environment. As a result, thousands of students graduate from universities with similar degrees. With that in mind, what really matters nowadays are the competitive attributes that distinguish you from other candidates. Akhtaboot presents to you the 8 essential attributes that employers look for in potential candidates. Try to master one or more in order to be able to compete effectively in the job market.

The Remarkable CV

“If you call failures experiments, you can put them in your resume and claim them as achievements.” Mason Cooley.

Don’t underestimate the power of a CV because a well written CV will certainly get you an interview. Your CV is the first instrument that you can use to exceptionally brand yourself. Therefore, use it efficiently to highlight your strengths and to bury your weaknesses. What is even better is to turn your weaknesses into strengths. For example, if you do not have a university degree, you need to emphasize your job experience. But the question remains: Will my CV get me a Job? Probably no, but an interview will!

Relevant Work Experience

“Good judgment comes from experience, and experience comes from bad judgment.” Barry LePatner.

Have you ever stopped to wonder why most of the employers you applied for have never called you back? One reason may be the lack of relevant experience. Therefore, set your long term career goals and plan your way to reach your goals by applying to jobs that will enable you to gain the relevant experience and prepare you for your dream job. After all, reaching the top won’t happen overnight!

Good Cultural Fit

“You just can’t fit a Cadillac in the India Cultural Center.” Dawn Hudson.

Managers tend to create a culture for their organizations that is compatible with their own way of thinking. The culture of any organization is a set of shared values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors among all employees. Research the company’s culture before you go to the interview and check if you match their general environment. In the interview, emphasize how you fit the culture by sharing experiences and stories that the Company can relate to.

The Ability to Work in Teams

“Coming together is a beginning. Keeping together is progress. Working together is success.” Henry Ford.

Learning to work in teams is vital element to your career success. Believe it or not it can sometimes be harder than working on your own. The good news is that you can definitely learn how to be an effective team member. Cooperate with other team members, try to share as much information as you can with them and don’t hesitate to offer help whenever your expertise is needed. In the interview, state real examples on how you have added value to your previous team members.

Problem Solving Skills

“Leaders are problem solvers by talent and temperament, and by choice.” Harlan Cleveland.

These days, managers prefer to hire people who can be counted on to solve problems and handle responsibility. It is not professional to go back to your manager seeking his help whenever you face a tiny insignificant issue. Instead, try to research and find the solution yourself. Remember that you can find any type of information over the Internet, so don’t go running to your manager until you have exhausted all the resources available to solve the problem.

Multi-tasking

“If you can’t ride two horses at once, you shouldn’t be in the circus.” American Proverb.

Some jobs require you to have more multitasking abilities than other jobs. If you have limitations to your multitasking abilities, try to apply for jobs that require more routine tasks such as sales. At the end of the day, managers want things to get done on time. Therefore, your most important mission is to set priorities for your tasks and manage your time in a way that enables you to finalize them.

Long-term Commitment

“Unless commitment is made, there are only promises and hopes… but no plans.” Peter F. Drucker.

Companies’ biggest fear nowadays is the loss of employees’ loyalty and long-term commitment, especially after the recent financial crisis. Companies have been forced into lay-offs, which in turn have affected employees’ morale. Due to this fact, managers have become more hesitant to trust their newly hired employees until they show constant interest for the good of the company. Present new ideas, give your opinion about critical issues and offer help to your colleagues whenever you feel your expertise can add value.

Communication Skills

“The art of communication is the language of leadership.” James Humes.

Nowadays, soft skills are more important for managers than technical ones especially in areas where there is a lot of interaction with clients and outside parties. The perfect employee would be cheerful, diplomatic, patient and able to deliver complex information in a simple manner.

Remember that employers don’t expect to find all 8 characteristics in you. If you think that you have one or two, try to strengthen them and highlight them in the interview in order to impress the employer. Don’t waste time trying to create something you don’t have. Instead, focus on a couple of attributes and master them in order to shine!

Top Job Sites Pros & Cons

I'm sure you know about all the famous job sites, simplyhired, monster, dice, the list goes on. As a new grad, you've probably used most of them. But how do they stack up when reviewed by job-seekers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each site? In this post we take you through the Top 6 sites related to job search and analyze each so that you will be able to understand their full potential and use them wisely.



 Best job search engine



SimplyHired.com • Aggregates results from other job sites

• Multiple search options

• Can send resume to other major sites

• Networking features



• Cannot post resume directly to site



Analysis



SimplyHired.com is reviewed by two major sources: Searcher magazine, which compares this job search site to Indeed.com, and PC Magazine, whose writer offers a glowing write-up of the site. BusinessWeek readers voted SimplyHired onto its list of top websites, but no commentary is offered.



SimplyHired.com aggregates results from major job websites, newspapers, company websites, associations and other online sources. Employers cannot post jobs on SimplyHired; this site is strictly for job seekers. Users can search by occupation, job title or location, and results can be filtered by job type, education, work experience, company revenue, company size or niche characteristics (like fastest-growing companies). After using the site for a while, reviewers note, you'll receive job suggestions based on your search criteria. You can't post your resume here, as you can on Monster.com or Yahoo! HotJobs, but a free feature allows you to send your resume out for posting on five other job sites. SimplyHired has partnered with LinkedIn and also has features and widgets that allow users to connect to Facebook, Myspace, and iGoogle for greater networking possibilities.



Features:



Resume Posting? N

Career Advice? N

Types of jobs? All



Best large job search site Yahoo! HotJobs

• Can see how many times resume has been viewed

• Block resume access by specific companies

                           • Multiple search options



• Not as many job postings as Monster.com



Analysis



TopJobSites.com, JobHuntersBible.com and ResumeHelp.org all compare Yahoo! HotJobs to other large job search sites, and recommend it as a top choice. The Wall Street Journal mentions HotJobs in an article about job site trends and notes how fast it is growing despite the slow down of competitor supersites.



Yahoo! HotJobs ranks below Monster.com in sheer number of listings, but reviewers say HotJobs' features are more appealing. Users like the "status" feature that allows you to see how many times your resume has been viewed (Monster has a similar feature), and if you're afraid that your current employer might find your online resume, HotJobs allows you to block certain companies from accessing your profile. You can browse this site by keyword, industry or state, and there are tools for resume writing, interviewing and networking. You can also subscribe to newsletters that cater to particular segments of the market, such as technology, government, sales, health care and college grads.



Features:



Resume Posting? Y

Career Advice? Y

Types of jobs? All



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Merry Christmas from New Grad Life

As the season turns to beautifully decorated trees, gracious gifts, and family and friends, we would like to wish you and your family a Merry Christmas.

Enjoy your holidays and take care!

5 Job Hunt Mistakes New Grads Make

1. Parents are too involved



Millennials routinely involve their parents in the smallest details of their lives, even after they graduate from college. Recruiters have come to expect heavy parental involvement in the interviewing, recruiting, and negotiation process of recent college grads. Recruiters aren't thrilled about it, but they have adapted to that reality. You'll stand out from the pack as exceptionally mature and professional if you keep your parents' advice entirely behind the scenes; recruiters shouldn't experience any direct involvement by your parents.



2. MySpace mistakes



Do not post anything on publicly accessible websites that you wouldn't feel comfortable showing a recruiter. No racy photographs, for example, or rants about a job or professor you hate. Google yourself and see what comes up, because recruiters will see the same results.



3. Failing to network



Networking is a powerful tool in landing a good job after graduation. You may think you don't know anyone of consequence, but if you sit down and draw up a list of everyone you know (including your friends' parents and your parents' friends), you'll likely be impressed at how wide your network is. Each one of those people has a network in turn, so even with just two degrees of separation, you are well on your way to building a solid network. Let your network know that you're looking for a job, explain what kinds of roles or industries you're most suited for, and make sure to follow through on any leads.



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Creative Approaches to Getting a Job

Creativity can land you a job

   Share    



Ever want to slap your forehead and say, “Why didn’t I think of that?” You might, after you discover how one New York man found the right job, largely as a result of blind luck … or was it creative smarts? Read on to judge for yourself and, more importantly, to find the two lessons that can get you hired, too …



The Sandwich Wrap Resume Trick



“College prepares you for the real world. That’s what my guidance counselors told me, anyway,” says Robert Basso of Hicksville, NY. “I thought a Bachelor of Arts degree was going to guarantee me a job with great benefits and a pension after I graduated from college in 1994. Wrong.”



After finding it impossible to get a position, Basso was reduced to begging for his old college job back — making sandwiches at a deli on Long Island.



Fortunately, the owners supported Basso’s efforts to find a job related to his degree, and gave him latitude to promote himself to employers while at work.



One day, Basso hit upon an idea.



“I decided to wrap every sandwich I prepared with my resume and include it with the order. I sent out about 75 resumes that way over three days. Much to my surprise, I got customer reactions — some nice and some not so nice,” says Basso.



Geographic Employer Targeting



While this may seem like a low-tech equivalent of email spam, Basso was targeting potential employers in one respect — geographically. All the sandwich orders went out to office buildings within a few blocks of the deli. And Basso knew that, like a fax, his resume would likely be carried to a manager who could give it their attention.



“I was aiming for any entry-level job, but all the calls I got were for sales and marketing positions. The resume itself was pretty standard, but I guess the delivery method was extraordinary and convinced employers that I knew something about marketing,” says Basso.



Within two weeks, Basso’s “sandwich” resumes had produced five job interviews and four offers, one of which he happily accepted in the marketing department of a health care firm. Success, right? Wrong.



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Akhtaboot as Online Media Sponsor in the First Forum on Organizational Success and Excellence

Mr. Philip Diab - CEO of Leadership Formation,Dr.
Amjad Al-Aryan - CEO of Pharmacy1, Osama
Fattaleh - COO of Aramex during the Pannel
Discussion

Under the Patronage of Her Excellency Suhair Al Ali, Minister of Planning, Leadership Formation held the first ever Executive Forum on Organizational Success and Excellence in collaboration with Akhtaboot as main online media sponsor. The event was held on December 9, 2009 at the Sheraton Hotel and attracted participants from diverse organizations and industries.

Attendees had the opportunity to learn from renowned leaders of global and regional organizations about best practices and approaches for excellence and growth in today’s business world. Featuring world-class leaders in the fields of project management, strategic excellence, leadership and governance, the single day event provided invaluable insights for corporations, non-governmental organizations and government agencies facing the challenges of growth, development, and sustainability.

Keynote speakers shared their personal experiences on topics regarding Organizational Success and Excellence. Speakers included: H.E. Suhair Al-Ali, the Minister of Planning and International Cooperation; Mr. Gregory Balestrero, the CEO of the Project Management Institute, a global association with nearly 400,000 members and a similar number of certification holders (PMPs); Ms. Linda Crompton, the CEO of BoardSource, an organization dedicated to advancing the public good by building exceptional non-profit boards and inspiring board service; Mr. Ricardo Vargas, the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Project Management Institute(PMI); Mr. Philip Diab, the CEO of Leadership Formation, a consulting firm that enables organizational success in strategy, alignment, execution, and people.

In addition to keynote speakers, a number of panel discussions were held throughout the Forum, allowing local experts and members of the audience to tackle core topics related to leadership. Panelists included: H.E. Nadia Al-Saeed, General Manager of Union Bank; Osama Fattaleh, Chief Operations Officer of Aramex; Dr. Amjad Al-Aryan, Chief Executive Officer of Pharmacy 1; Khalil Khouri, Chief Executive Officer of NSCC; Andrew Cobb, Chief Projects Officer of Arab Bank; Haifa Najjar, Superintendent of the Ahliyyah School for Girls and Bishop’s School for Boys and GAM City Council Member; Amal Shabib, Chief Planning & Development Officer of Nuqul Group; Abed Shamlawi, Chief Executive Officer of Int@j.

As main online media sponsor, Akhtaboot has actively promoted the event through its website (www.akhtaboot.com) and other social media channels so as to attract Companies and individuals interested in learning about best practices and approaches for excellence and growth.

Wearing the Same T-shirt Doesn’t Make you a Team: Akhtaboot unveils the 9 essential roles that make up a successful team

Teams have become a strategic tool in organizations’ success. Due to the recent financial crisis, organizations are restructuring themselves in order to be able to compete effectively and efficiently in the highly demanding market. Management in many organizations has agreed that teams are more flexible and responsive to the continuous changing environment than traditional departments. Teams have the capability to quickly unite, organize, coordinate, adapt and disband.

Contrary to the traditional belief, the success of a team depends less on how clever, talented or qualified employees are, and more on how they behave. Employees should be able to understand their team roles within a particular team; this will assist them in developing their strengths, managing their weaknesses and improving their overall contribution to the team.

Akhtaboot presents the nine roles that make up a balanced and successful team; each is grouped within three main types of employees.

Action Players: Result Oriented Employees

The Team Executive – Implementer

Have you never missed a deadline? Do you like to turn people’s ideas into positive action? Are you are willing to handle jobs everyone else avoids or dislikes? If you answered yes to all of the above, then you are an “Implementer”. Implementers rarely miss deadlines and are eager to turn decisions and strategies into defined and manageable tasks, sorting out objectives and pursuing them logically. However, most implementers are close-minded and inflexible.

The Doer – Shaper

Do you like to be challenged? Do you tolerate working under pressure? Do you usually say what’s on your mind? Do you do whatever it takes to achieve your goals? All the above characteristics define a perfect “Shaper” who gives structure and energy to the team and directs them towards achieving results. Yet, while they strive to achieve their objectives, Shapers sometimes forget to be sensitive to the feelings and perceptions of others.

The Perfectionist – Completer

Have you ever been frustrated from a teammate who worries excessively about minor details and refuses to delegate tasks? Sorry for the bad news, but you can’t kick him out of the team because nothing will be finalized without this annoying team member. What we call a “Completer” is a perfectionist who will often go the extra mile to make sure everything is just right. Completers are detail-oriented and motivated by their own high standards.

Saviors: Problem Solving Employees

The Genius – Plant

Don’t ever underestimate a “Plant”! He is quiet and silent, but when the time is right he astonishes the team with innovative and creative ideas. Plants are open-minded and willing to accept change. They are geniuses but have low communication skills, as they are unable to deliver and convince other team players of their ideas.

The Person Who is Loved by Everyone – Monitor

“Monitors” are fair and logical observers, they judge their colleagues based on what they actually see. In most situations and problems, Monitors will make the right decision, as they are unbiased and are able to see all options with the greatest clarity. They take everything into account; they move slowly and analyze all aspects of the situation. However, they can become excessively enthusiastic for some things without logical grounds, and they may face difficulties inspiring themselves or others to be passionate about their work.

The Know-it-all – Specialist

Have you ever felt that there is only one team member who you always can turn to when you are stuck or when you need information about a specific subject? He is the “Specialist” of the team. Specialists tend to be the most knowledgeable about their own particular field, as they are eager about learning and educating themselves. They are constantly working to improve their skills and wisdom. Specialists bring a high level of concentration, knowledge and expertise to the team, but they limit their involvement to cover this narrow aspect of team work.

Feeling Employees

The Leader – Coordinator

Have you ever felt deceived by a team member who only implies to others what they should do but he does nothing to help? Unfortunately, this team member is playing the leader role and he manages the team’s chaos. By default, the “Coordinator” becomes responsible for organizing tasks among team members. He explains group goals, sets the agenda and the timeline but does not dominate discussions.

The Fuel of the Team – Teamworker

“Teamworkers” are the oil that keeps the team engine running. They are good listeners and excellent in resolving conflict. The value of Teamworkers tends to show only when they are absent and when the team begins to argue and no one is there to solve the problem. Because of their unwillingness to take sides, a Teamworker may not be able to take decisive action.

The Thief – Resource Investigator

The “Resource Investigator” is enthusiastic; he vigorously pursues contacts and opportunities at the start of the project and passes his enthusiasm to other team members. He focuses his attention on building relationships outside the team rather than concentrating on internal issues. Unlike a Plant who strives to create new ideas, a Resource Investigator would rather steal them from outside parties. Yet, he tends to lose his energy by the end of a project and he starts to neglect small details.

The success of a team is not only about having all the above team member types, it’s also about the integration and coordination of these roles. Teams can be made up of 4 to 12 employees; therefore, it’s not necessary for a team to have all the 9 mentioned roles. Best teams, regardless of their size, try to utilize the benefits of each member’s role toward achieving a common goal, so keep in mind that wearing the same t-shirt doesn’t make you a team!

Job Sites Reviewed - a fantastic read!

I'm sure you know about all the famous job sites, simplyhired, monster, dice, the list goes on. As a new grad, you've probably used most of them. But how do they stack up when reviewed by job-seekers? What are the advantages and disadvantages of each site? In this post we take you through the Top 6 sites related to job search and analyze each so that you will be able to understand their full potential and use them wisely.



Best job search engine



SimplyHired.com






• Aggregates results from other job sites
• Multiple search options
• Can send resume to other major sites
• Networking features




• Cannot post resume directly to site

Analysis

SimplyHired.com is reviewed by two major sources: Searcher magazine, which compares this job search site to Indeed.com, and PC Magazine, whose writer offers a glowing write-up of the site. BusinessWeek readers voted SimplyHired onto its list of top websites, but no commentary is offered.

SimplyHired.com aggregates results from major job websites, newspapers, company websites, associations and other online sources. Employers cannot post jobs on SimplyHired; this site is strictly for job seekers. Users can search by occupation, job title or location, and results can be filtered by job type, education, work experience, company revenue, company size or niche characteristics (like fastest-growing companies). After using the site for a while, reviewers note, you'll receive job suggestions based on your search criteria. You can't post your resume here, as you can on Monster.com or Yahoo! HotJobs, but a free feature allows you to send your resume out for posting on five other job sites. SimplyHired has partnered with LinkedIn and also has features and widgets that allow users to connect to Facebook, Myspace, and iGoogle for greater networking possibilities.

Features:

Resume Posting? N
Career Advice? N
Types of jobs? All


Best large job search site


Yahoo! HotJobs






• Can see how many times resume has been viewed
• Lets you block resume access by specific companies
• Multiple search options




• Not as many job postings as Monster.com

Analysis

TopJobSites.com, JobHuntersBible.com and ResumeHelp.org all compare Yahoo! HotJobs to other large job search sites, and recommend it as a top choice. The Wall Street Journal mentions HotJobs in an article about job site trends and notes how fast it is growing despite the slow down of competitor supersites.

Yahoo! HotJobs ranks below Monster.com in sheer number of listings, but reviewers say HotJobs' features are more appealing. Users like the "status" feature that allows you to see how many times your resume has been viewed (Monster has a similar feature), and if you're afraid that your current employer might find your online resume, HotJobs allows you to block certain companies from accessing your profile. You can browse this site by keyword, industry or state, and there are tools for resume writing, interviewing and networking. You can also subscribe to newsletters that cater to particular segments of the market, such as technology, government, sales, health care and college grads.

Features:

Resume Posting? Y
Career Advice? Y
Types of jobs? All


Best job site for technology fields


Dice.com






• Targeted to IT professionals
• Helpful discussion forums
• Tech-centric career advice




• Not appropriate for non-IT jobs

Analysis

Both PC Magazine and About.com's guide to web search recommend Dice.com for job searchers seeking employment in the information technology industry.

Users and reviewers say Dice.com is the best job site for positions in the information technology industry. Reviewers like this site's straightforward interface, and say industry-specific niche sites in general work better than mega-sites like Yahoo! HotJobs or Monster.com in matching up employers with job seekers. Dice.com also offers advice on writing resumes and obtaining IT certification, as well as a variety of discussion forums. Experts say you should consult several sites when conducting a job search. Other good bets are SimplyHired.com and CareerBuilder.com

Features

Resume Posting? Y
Career Advice? Links to resume and advice sites
Types of Jobs? High-tech jobs only


Most popular job site


Monster.com






• Most job postings and resumes of any job site
• Can block resume from being viewed by current employer
• Multiple search options




• Numerous "junk" postings; no way to filter

Analysis

As the biggest job search site, Monster.com is reviewed by a number of sources, including Star Reviews, TopJobSites.com, JobHuntersBible.com, AskMen.com, LoveToKnow.com, and About.com. All compare the pros and cons to other job sites and most rank Monster very high.

The biggest job site online, Monster.com features over 1.1 million job listings from companies and over 41 million resumes from job seekers. Monster offers advice about resumes, interviewing and salary negotiation, and the Privacy Plus feature allows you to block specified companies from viewing your resume, keeping it confidential from a current employer (Yahoo! HotJobs was first with this feature). Monster Networking hooks up job-seekers in the same industry, and Monster Learning is a directory of online degree programs. Still, while Monster.com has the widest scope, some users and reviewers complain that many of its listings are "junk" posts from headhunters and agencies; competitor Yahoo! HotJobs allows you to filter these posts out.

Features

Resume Posting? Y
Career Advice? Y
Types of Jobs? All


Aggregator job site


CareerBuilder.com






• Pulls job listings from newspapers, not other job sites
• May turn up unique listings




• Not as wide a selection of jobs as major job sites

Analysis

CareerBuilder.com is analyzed by TopJobSites.com and Workforce Management magazine, which judge job sites by traffic and popularity. This job site is also reviewed by Star Reviews, JobHuntersBible.com, AskMen.com, and by About.com's guide to job searching.

CareerBuilder.com pulls job listings not from other job sites like HotJobs.com or Monster.com, but from the pages of major newspapers -- so a search on this site might turn up something unique, especially if you're looking for work in a major metropolitan area served by one of these newspaper chains. Job search experts say it pays to visit as many sites as you can, so CareerBuilder is worth a visit, but any search here should be supplemented by looking at a major job site like HotJobs.com or Monster.com. However, CareerBuilder's future may be uncertain as one of its major owners has filed for bankruptcy.

Features

Resume Posting? Y
Career Advice? Y
Types of Jobs? All


Best online classifieds


Craigslist.com





• Large variety of freelance and part-time opportunities
• Little to no duplication on other job sites




• Many unreliable or dubious job posts

Analysis

JobHunt.com and About.com both review the pluses and minuses of Craigslist, concluding that it's an effective online job search option when used carefully.

Craigslist.org's job board is like a local newspaper's classified ad section, with listings broken down by state and metropolitan area. Employers can post for free or for a nominal charge, so a broad variety of full-time, part-time and freelance positions are listed. The large job search engines like Yahoo! HotJobs and Monster.com are usually blocked from gathering ads from Craigslist, so opportunities posted here won't show up elsewhere. On the downside, reviewers say, the low bar to employer job postings can result in a profusion of shady or unreliable job opportunities, so extra caution is required when responding to ads.

Features

Resume Posting? Y
Career Advice? Y
Types of Jobs? All

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Happy Halloween!

From everyone at New Grad Life we would like to wish you a Happy Halloween!

New Grad Life's Makeover

Take a look around! There's more content, better navigation, and it's more pleasing to the eye. Enjoy!

Akhtaboot at Maharat Face to Face Job Fair- Oct 19, 2009 at the Sheraton Hotel, Amman

In its ongoing commitment to support Jordan’s young graduates to find the right job and plan their career path, Akhtaboot- the career network showed its continuous support to Maharat Program by participating in Maharat Face to Face job fair which was held on Oct 19th at the Sheraton Hotel, Amman.

Maharat is an Employment and Training Program for Jordanian recent graduates that provides a world-class development opportunity for Jordanian youth and companies. Akhtaboot and Maharat have always been partners in trying to leverage the Jordanian job market by giving job seekers the opportunity to grow their career related knowledge.

Maharat has granted Akhtaboot two booths; Akhtaboot’s CV evaluation booth where Maharat graduates were given free advice on how to rewrite their CVs, common mistakes they should avoid and important elements to make their CVs stand out from the crowd in today’s competitive business world. The second booth was devoted to interview Maharat graduates through giving them the opportunity to work in Akhtaboot, where they can gain excellent experience in a dynamic environment that promotes continuous career development and skill improvement.

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All other inquires should be directed to info@newgradlife.com

2 Years Of Work Experience Required? Who Cares?

You should be concerned with things you can control: your resume,
your job
networking progress, and your job interview skills. You should not fear things
that lie outside your realm of control like the economy, who else is applying
and how smart/experienced they might be, and so on.

I’ve heard of a lot of job interviews that recent college
graduates have had for entry-level positions that were posted as requiring 1,
2, even 3+ years of experience. Did they get the jobs? Some did, some did not. I
myself have done this numerous times.

The point is this: if you are contacted by the employer and
they want you to come in for a job
interview, do you know what that means? That means that “2 years of related
work experience” wasn’t so important anymore when they saw your resume.

Don’t concern yourself with things like how or why exactly the
interviewer decided to give you a job
interview. Maybe their secretary just scanned through the resumes and
decided upon yours and a few others, or the interviewer themselves felt like your
resume was a breath of fresh air. Maybe your resume was the lucky lottery
ticket picked out of the sea of applicants. Does it really matter why?
Self-doubt can cripple your confidence, so move on.

Okay, at this point, there is a slight chance that I’ve sold
you on applying to entry
level jobs that require experience. What about the job interview itself then?
How do you make up for the fact that you don’t have a lengthy work history of
2+ years to show off? You must reiterate to the interviewer that you have
hunger, passion, and are willing to learn the skills to make it in the industry.
This is why youth is such an attractive quality to companies. Show off your
energy, enthusiasm, and give examples of your skills as related to your past
work experience, clubs you were part of during college, or volunteer
work. Practice mock job interviews in a room, with a friend, anywhere,
because likeability and confidence will go a long way. With this kind of
approach you may just outsmart the next guy who’s got more experience than you.
Stop thinking, start applying.

What’s been your experience with applying to entry level
jobs that require experience? How do you feel about this topic? Got advice for
college graduates out there? Comment below and let your voice be heard.



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Copyright © 2013 New Grad Life. All rights reserved.

7 Job Interview Sins You Cannot Make

5. You do not know how to sell yourself. 



Don't assume credentials will speak for themselves. It is your responsibility to prove to the employer why you are the best person for the job. Selling yourself is not bragging about how great you are. The best ways to sell yourself are by asking great questions, sharing stories and examples that demonstrate why you have the traits and skills needed for success in the position, and closing the interview strong. You can finish strong by asking for the job while recapping why you are the best candidate.



6. You are not likeable.



Another reason why interviews exist is because employers hire people they like. The most qualified candidate is not always the person who gets the job. Treat every person with respect. If you are rude to the secretary, you are not getting hired. Don't badmouth anyone or be negative. Don't be a robot; include humor when appropriate. You have to be enthusiastic and friendly during the entire interview process. Note: if you have to fake enthusiasm, that's a sign you should not be interviewing with the organization. If you can't get excited for one hour about the possibility of working for the employer, do you really think you will be excited working for the organization 40-50 hours a week?



7. You don't bring your "A" game throughout the entire process. 



The interview process begins the moment you come in contact with someone who could potentially refer you or hire you. Treat every career conversation like an interview, because every career conversation is an interview. Once you get into the formal interview process, bring your "A" game at all times. I remember going through a series of four back-to-back interviews with a Fortune 100 company when I was in college. I asked most of my questions in the first interview, and one or two more in the second interview. In the third interview, I asked no questions at all, somehow thinking that the first two interviewers would tell the third interviewer about all the brilliant questions I asked earlier. The third interviewer even threw me a bone by telling me it would be good to ask some questions, and I replied by saying that I already asked my questions earlier in the day. Big mistake! Even if you ask the exact same questions with each person you meet, that's better than asking none. Treat each interview as if it is your only chance to make a great impression. You want each person you meet (including secretaries) to be sold on hiring you because you never know who has the final say. It only takes one person being adamant against hiring you for you to lose a job offer.



Pete Leibman is the Founder of Dream Job Academy and the Author of the new book titled “I Got My Dream Job and So Can You.” His career advice has been featured on Fox, CBS, and CNN, and he is a popular Keynote Speaker at career events for college students and at conferences for people who work with college students.




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Ignore The Economy, College Grads

Study up on industries that are booming and pay attention if there’s something new. I say “new” because it’s usually tech, medicine, education, and finance (although you could make arguments about the last one there). How often do you read the news and find out that the mystery shopper industry or zoo industry is booming? The big industries I mentioned will always make the Yahoo! Homepage for “Top Industries For Job Hunters” week after week because they are the most absolute basic, necessary industries that really do make the country go round and round. That doesn’t mean you should ignore niche industries; in fact when you’re looking for your very first job as a college graduate you shouldn’t just cast a wide net, you should cast a spider web the size of Texas looking to snag anything and everything.



Lastly, the short stories you read about recent new graduates who are waiting tables, who have moved in back with their parents, or who have gone back to school to shield themselves from the economic storm are abundant. None of these stories will help you land a job; it’s just that when you are pessimistic, more pessimism feels good for some reason (misery loves company, duh). These stories are simply stories: tales that media outlets pump out that grab your attention. I don’t blame media outlets; they feed us what we are interested in reading and I get that. However, start reading the “college grad starts a business” stories or the stories where a new grad finally gets a job because they were willing to do internship after internship. These lives exist as well, believe me it’s not all doom and gloom around us.



If you are job hunting and are negative about it right now, negative news compounded with a negative economy cannot make your situation better. Discover the facts, but don’t dwell on them. Strive forward and do your own thing – and remember to be patient. Good luck, new grads!

What are some of the stories you've read about the job market for new grads? How do you deal with it? Comment below!



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Copyright © 2013 New Grad Life. All rights reserved.

10 Weaknesses That'll Destroy Your Job Interview

6. Be spontaneous and don't prepare for the interview. Suggestion: Practice answers to interview questions, even if you feel confident, especially if it’s been a while since you've interviewed. Keep your answers clear, effective, and not overly long.



7. Don't bring your portfolio or work samples. Suggestion: If you can show examples of your work, effective job interview strategies would include bringing a portfolio of your work or at least some samples.



8. Ask about pay and benefits right away in the interview. Suggestion: You don't have the job yet and the HR department doesn't even know your name. Your research should have given you an indication of compensation and benefits.



9. Don't show interest in the position for which you are applying. Suggestion: Be energetic and positive about the job opportunity at hand.



10. Ask interviewers right away if they'll hire you. Suggestion: Let's be tactful and polite here. Let interviewers know how interested you are in the opportunity and ask them what the next steps in their hiring process will be. Let them know you are interested in moving forward with the process.



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5 Ways To Waste Your LinkedIn Account

4. Not leveraging Groups



One of the most powerful features on LinkedIn is the LinkedIn Groups. Get involved! Join groups, specifically those which are relevantly niche to you area, are local, and have many members. Groups connect like-minded professionals. For example, if you are a Financial Analyst, chances are that there is a (local) group for you. By joining groups, you will receive regular correspondence from the group through email announcements and discussions, as well as job postings. If you are bold job seeker, you might want to use the group as a means of self-promotion by posting a concise few lines of who you are and what you are looking for. Please keep in mind that the position which you seek is consistent with the focus of the group. Groups are sometimes moderated and the group manager has the prerogative to screen posts which might not be consistent with the group’s focus. Many groups are open, but some require a preexisting organizational membership. There is also an often underused Jobs feature, through which postings on LinkedIn can be searched by keyword and geographic area.


5. Not being a good LinkedIn citizen



While you should be selective in terms of whose requests to connect that you will accept, if someone appears to be reasonable, give the person the benefit of the doubt. Being a good citizen might also mean responding to a question or posting a positive comment to someone else. You don’t want to be too loose though either. If someone sketchy asks for the email address of one of your 1st Degree connections, you might want to either forward the request or ask the target person for permission to share his/her email address. There are stalkers out there after all. Share congratulatory remarks when you hear of one of your 1st degree connections “announcing” a new position (often by way of the person simply updating his/her LinkedIn Profile). When a LinkedIn request of some sort comes to your email account, see what it is and act on it in whatever appropriate way is warranted. All of this presumes that you check your LinkedIn page on a regular basis to keep in-the-loop. All in all, LinkedIn is a not only a great tool if used properly and used often. But, it is an essential one to be in-the-game.



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Elliot D. Lasson Is Executive Director of Joblink of Maryland, a community-based nonprofit in Baltimore providing employment assistance to job seekers. An HR professional for over 20 years, Elliot holds a Ph.D. in Organizational Psychology from Wayne State University.

Top 50 Online Job Hunt Tools for Recent Graduates (2)

26. Furl – Social Bookmarking www.furl.com

27. Reddit – Submit, vote on, and rank news www.reddit.com

28. Digg – User submitted reviews of websites, services, blogs www.digg.com

29. Technorati – User reviews of what’s happening on the live web www.technorati.com

30. StumbleUpon – User reviews and web channel surfing www.stumbleupon.com

31. Pandora – User defined internet radio www.pandora.com

32. Last.fm – User defined Internet radio www.last.fm

33. Skype – Social network, IM, and VOIP www.skype.com

34. Jaxtr – VOIP linked to websites, blogs and social networks www.jaxtr.com

35. Fon – By, sell, and share wifi connections www.fon.com

36. Meebo – Web based multi platform IM www.meebo.com

37. Google Maps – Mashup maps with other data www.maps.google.com

38. Yahoo Maps – Mashup maps with other data www.maps.yahoo.com

39. Google Calendar – Shared and mashup calendars www.google.com/calendar

40. Evite – User generated invitations and events www.evite.com

41. Meetup – User generated special interest group meeting listings www.meetup.com

42. Eventful – Create and share events www.eventful.com

43. Favorville – People helping people www.favorville.com

44. Prosper – Peer to Peer lending www.prosper.com

45. Indeed – Job listing aggregator www.indeed.com

46. SimplyHired – Job listing aggregator, also on LinkedIN www.simplyhired.com

47. FeedDeamon – Manage RSS feeds www.feeddemon.com

48. Wikipedia – User created encyclopedia www.wikipedia.com

49. Razume – User submitted resumes, professional community review & Feedback www.Razume.com

50. Clusty – Cluster Search results in folders http://www.clusty.com/



Was this article useful to you? If so, subscribe to the free New Grad Life Newsletter to get more great career management resources!





By Phil Rosenberg President, reCareered

http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/03/top-50-web-20-tools-for-job-seekers.html

3 Golden Keys to Job Hunting for New Grads

2. Focus



What is the particular job position you are looking for? What industry? Fresh graduates have a lot of trouble with this one, partly because many are not even 100% sure what job they want. Once again, coming out of College, you have experience with this: you spent 4 years trying to figure out what you want to do with your life, what to major in, so this is just another thing you have to figure out.



Two things College grads should focus on:



1. What is the job position you really want?

2. What industry do you want to work in? What companies do you find attractive?



We are in a recession and you’ll be told not to be picky, but believe it or not, sending out 50 resumes every day to 50 different jobs at 50 different companies in totally different industries will not yield the best results for your job search.



So what happens if you focus on a job and industry?



Job position: Take a look over at your resume, what duties have you performed that could be applicable to an entry-level job that you like? Fast-forward to an HR manager reading your resume, they’ll see your job duties are similar to the ones advertised in this new job opening, and you look like promising candidate now. Match your skills and strengths to particular job types as well.



Industry/Company: Get involved in an industry you’re passionate about. Join clubs and organizations and read their newsletters, magazines, and books. Most importantly keep up with the trends in the industry. Why? Let’s say you are networking with a particular person who works for a company in the entertainment industry and bring up in the conversation some trends you noticed or predictions you have. What will happen immediately is that person will be impressed that not only have you done your research as a college graduate, but you have a strong passion for that industry and it shows! Passion truly does give you motivation, and motivation is a recipe for success when you are working so remember that.



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KA-BOOM! A Dozen Dynamite Online Job Hunting Tips!

5. Search for Employer sites. If you know, for example, that you want to work for a printing firm, then do an area-specific search on YellowPages.com or Switchboard.com for printing firms. Use your search results to visit the Web sites of companies you’d like to work for – it’s becoming more and more common for businesses to have an Employment page of their own or an email or mailing address for employment inquiries. Bookmark and check back on any businesses that you find especially appealing.



6. Pay close attention to listings. Notice the date it was posted, as you may not want to apply to a job that has been online for six weeks. If a listing contains the company’s Web site, not only go there but read as much of it as interests you – an employer’s site speaks volumes and can provide an accurate portrait of the company. If they have an Employment or Careers page, then you can be sure that they hire frequently or receive an abundance of job inquiries. It’s also pretty typical for job listings to lack a salary or pay rate – don’t let this prevent you from applying or sending an email unless you’re otherwise suspicious of the listing. And lastly, pay attention to the contact information. If a listing is posted anonymously, you may be able to Google the phone number or email address to find out details. Additionally, if a contact person is listed, Google their name for further information. If an email is provided, but no company Web site, check to see if the @ location of their email is the company site. You can learn loads about employers from these sneaky tips – don’t feel bad, because they’ll do the same to you!



Tips for Applying for Jobs Over the Internet



So now that you’ve compiled a folder-full of bookmarked Web sites to check daily, you need a game plan for applying to the jobs that you find.



1. First, follow the instructions! This is absolutely essential. Every job listing is different, so make sure you do exactly what they ask their applicants to do. If they request no phone calls, don’t call! If they provide an online application system, follow the directions explicitly. If there are no specific instructions, use the contact information as a cue – if a phone number is provided, then they probably would like you to call. If an email is provided, they’re most likely expecting applicants to email a cover letter and resume. The same goes for mailing addresses or fax numbers. If all of this is provided, email is always your easiest and safest bet.



2. Next, take your Dad’s advice: perfect your resume. Your resume should be accurate, neat, clearly organized, free of typos, and targeted towards the type of job you are trying to get. You may want to create a couple different resumes to have on file – during my job hunting days, I had a film resume, complete with Screenings and Production Experience lists, as well as a general labor resume, which I used for non-film job applications. I also kept another version that pinpointed my design and web experience. The more versions you have prepared, the faster it will be to apply for jobs. Lastly, save your resume as a PDF. It looks more professional and prevents anyone from altering the text.



3. Now is your biggest challenge: the cover letter. This, unfortunately, is your first impression. Void of any human connection, you are forced to grab the employer’s attention with nothing more than HTML text. How do you do it? First, use the job listing as a cue. The language used in the job posting as well as the application method can serve as guides to what the employer is expecting. Alter your cover letter to be formal or informal, based on your observations in the listing. Next, be brief, concise, honest, and personable. Avoid reiterating everything that’s in your resume, since you’re most likely going to be attaching it anyways. Instead, highlight what you’ve done and what you have to offer that’s relevant to the position. Unlike your resume, you should never copy and paste a cookie-cutter cover letter – always customize the letter to the position and employer. Lastly, leave them wanting to know more. Tell enough to have them interested – not your life story.



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Resumes: 5 Great Tips to Organize Your "Education" Section

3. How should I list Honors and Activities?



You do not need an entirely separate section for either Honors or Activities. Only create these separate sections if you need to fill space! Instead, put them under the appropriate school.



Do you have a lot of honors and/or activities? If you need space, you can group them together. For instance, you can have a bullet that says “Honors:” and name your honors, separated by semicolons. Then have a bullet that says “Activities:” and list your activities, separated by semicolons. Not sure how to handle the dates of all these things? Try putting them in parentheses after the honor or activity, and before the semicolon.



Examples:



a. Honors: Undergraduate Honors Thesis Research Grant (Honors Program award); Phi Kappa Phi Honor Society; Golden Key International Honour Society



b. Honors: Dean’s List (2006-2009); Baylor University Alumni Scholarship (2005-2009); Greek Women’s Leadership Award (2009); Midwest Conference Academic All Conference Team (2008 and 2009)



c. Activities: Latino/a Student Association, Secretary (2006-2007), Delegate/Community Service Committee (2005-2007); Mexican Student Organization, Social Chair (2005-2006); South American Student Association, Member (2004-2007)



d. Activities: Varsity Women’s Basketball Team, Four Year Letter Winner; Pi Beta Phi Fraternity, Board Director (2006-2007) and Member (2004-2007); University Chapel Choir, Member (2004-2007)



4. Do I need a separate section for Study Abroad?



No! Study abroad is part of your undergraduate education. It can be a bullet, or if you want to emphasize it because of your international interest or language ability, you can bold it. Do not put a space between your undergraduate degree section and the study abroad section, unless you need to fill space.



Example of bullet format:



[end of undergraduate section here]

•      Junior-year semester at University of East Anglia, Norwich, England (1993)



Example of bolded section under undergraduate section:

[end of undergraduate section here]

Reid Hall, Columbia University, Paris, France



Summer 2003 Study Abroad (Coursework: 19th Century French Painting, French Language)



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College Seniors Speak Out - are schools helpful for job hunting?

NGL: “What’s one thing you’d recommend Career Centers do to better serve students?”



Ashley: “Have your own job board. I know some Universities actually do this and it’s pretty awesome. Usually they partner with some big job board company and draw in entry-level listings.”

Omar: “Give more hands-on stuff: mock interviews, workshops. I would even go for as to say bring in a guest speaker…..like a past hiring manager for a big company. They really know what you need to do to get noticed as a job applicant.”

Sonia: “All Universities have to start emphasizing networking way more. Both in person, and online. Most people I have met have never even heard of LinkedIn! What are you supposed to actually say at a networking event? How can you not seem not so desperate? You know? That sort of stuff.”



NGL: “Let’s talk news. We see lots of stories popping up lately where Students are suing their schools because they can’t land jobs, what do you think?”



Ashley: “Really, really, stupid! What are they thinking? I think it’s way more embarrassing for the student themselves than the University. The lawsuits are just ridiculous to me.”

Omar: “I laughed when I first read a story…..I think it was a year ago, of this girl who sued her University for the entire cost of her tuition. Schools are not here to give you jobs, they give you degrees. People don’t realize that.”

Sonia: “I can understand where the Students are coming from, but they are really just taking their anger out on the schools where they learned so much….it’s just silly. What do they expect from a University, a job? No, you get your degree and THEN, if you know to network with people, write a good resume, and interview well, you can maybe land a job.”



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20 Job Search Facebook Apps for College Grads

8. Work With Us by Jobvite – The Work With Us application displays jobs on profile or fan pages. Anyone can browse interesting opportunities at companies where friends work, apply to the jobs and send Jobvites to their own friends and contacts.

9. MeetingWave – MeetingWave is a business or social networking tool that helps you connect offline with people you would like to meet – whether traveling or near home. You can set up meetings with friends only or with a mix of friends and “new” people.



10. Inside Job – InSide Job connects you to helpful people at places you want to work next by giving you access to where people have interviewed, worked, or are currently employed. Find the right person you are looking for. Post jobs. Get the inside scoop.



11. Workin It by Simply Hired – Give gold stars to your friends to thank them—think of it as professional props for the people in your network. A good excuse to thank your friends…and a great excuse to get to know everyone else in your network a little bit better. You will thank YOURSELF when you need that “friend of a friend” to help you find your dream job or give you an internal referral at their company, since 80% of jobs are found through friends.



12. Seek Job Search - SEEK & you shall find. The SEEK Job Search application lets you personalize relevant job search results in your Facebook Profile. Get the freshest jobs delivered every time you log in. Send it to your friends so they stay informed too.



13. Konoker Jobs – KONOKER Jobs is a job advertisement and job search tool allowing individuals to advertise regular and freelance jobs for free, as well as apply for postings from within the application. KONOKER speaks English and Danish and follow the users’ settings



14. Jobs – Search thousands of open jobs, directly from employers. Find jobs where your friends work. See what jobs your friends are interested in. Find a job by updating your profile with your work status and dream job.



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Your LinkedIn *Status Bar* - Tips for Job Seekers

If you do choose to write that you are looking for a position, here are some things that DON’T work:



…is enjoying acting in her first theatrical production! [Why would you have this update posted for 12 days (at least)? What about your job search?]

…is looking for a job in IT. [boring and too broad]

…Any help would be appreciated. [desperate?]

…1 month ago [update please?]

…3 months ago [really. Update. Please?]



Some better updates:



… is seeking full time employment as an HR Manager in the Boston area. [If your headline is strong, this update will be a nice complement and will present itself as an opportunity for recruiters!]



…is actively networking and researching opportunities with established and growing architecture practices [This one shows you are doing your part to create a great position for yourself, without looking like you need help or are desperate for work.]



Let’s take a look at one that tries hard but doesn’t quite do the trick:



Accountant looking for next great opportunity!



There’s some desperation coming through here. “Great opportunity” is a catch phrase that might not land the way you want it to land, especially with an exclamation point at the end. Use your *headline* to state what sets you apart from every other accountant. In your status bar, state what kind of position you are looking for, what sized firm you are targeting, or something about what activities related to your field you are doing day to day.



There is a fine line between enthusiasm and desperation. Get someone with a professional eye to check which side of the line you are on.



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4 Ways to Use Craigslist to Get a Job (2)

However, here’s an idea: consistency is appreciated mainly more towards walk-in methods of application – on the Internet, this method is called “spam”. One’s dedication towards applying for a job can easily be misinterpreted as an annoyance; this will further disqualify the applicant from the job. Don’t get desperate. E-mail once and move on.



"To Whom it may Concern:



My name is Herbert Lui, and I’m interested in the ABC position in XYZ company. I believe that my experience with DEF company bolstered my communication skills, used to address customer inquiries and interact with co-workers. The details of my experience can be found in my resume, which you will find attached to this e-mail.



I hope to hear from you soon.



From, Herbert"



Granted, it’s a bit crude and not perfect (far from it, actually), but it’ll work. Do not copy this e-mail word for word (what’s the point? In fact, if a prospective employer gets ahold of this article and sees that the e-mail was copied and pasted, how would he feel?), but please try to take away the general picture. In fact, the whole “To Whom it may Concern:” part seems a bit formal, and can be simply replaced with “Hi there:”.



Secondly, don’t hesitate to create a framework for e-mails. Because of the numerous e-mails one will be sending throughout the distribution of his/her resumes, it will be very beneficial to simply copy and paste his/her OWN layout and adjust company names and personal qualities to suit the prospective employer. Don’t copy this one.



3. With the telephone...



It’s usually not common to see Craigslist employers request a telephone call (this is more common towards dedicated employment sites, such as Monster or Workopolis), but if the opportunity ever comes up, then by all means capitalize.



There will be people who are more comfortable speaking to a real person than communicating via e-mail; and with telephones, these people will naturally shine and stand out. They will have the voice, tone, and wit to carry a conversation with the employer. For everyone else (possibly the majority of people), telephone conversations will pose more of a challenge than an e-mail because text can be edited and revised, whereas spoken words can’t.



One possible solution would be to try emulating the conversation before it actually takes place; anticipate the questions (both common sense ones – like “What part of this job interests you?” and “What qualities do you feel can serve us best?”, but also more untraditional questions relating to your job, which can be usually expertise-related).



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10 LinkedIn Mistakes You Shouldn't Make

4. Don’t List Enough Companies You Worked At Or Schools Attended



One of the ways you are found on LinkedIn is through searches on company names or schools. If you are only listing your current company and/or not even displaying your college, you are missing out on potentially being found. Check this out: I did my Junior year of college abroad in Beijing nearly 20 years ago. I had been out of touch with all of the 15 or so Americans that were there that year. Two of those 15 have found me on LinkedIn! And another high school friend who I lost touch with found me this week on LinkedIn. They would not have found me had I not listed my Junior year abroad school and high school name on my profile. Companies are even more important in that there are potentially more colleagues that may be trying to find you or recruiters trying to network with you! You may be missing out!



5. Not Having Three LinkedIn Recommendations



This is the same as not having your personal photo on your LinkedIn profile. Why? When you sign up for LinkedIn and first fill out your profile, LinkedIn recommends that you write three LinkedIn Recommendations. You need to do this in order to get your LinkedIn Profile to 100% Completion. Job postings on LinkedIn similarly require three LinkedIn Recommendations. These recommendations can only work in your favor, so why don’t you have at least three of them?



6. Too Few Connections



This is a topic for debate, but too many people have too few connections on their LinkedIn Profile, and thus are not getting found. The idea is simple: when you do a search you will see results from your network. And vice-versa. So the more connections you have the more search results you will appear in pure and simple. Combining this is the fact that Windmill Networking is about finding value in online networking with people that you don’t know. So what are you waiting for?



7. Not Listing Three Websites



LinkedIn gives you the ability to list three websites on your profile. Are you taking advantage of it? Do you have a Twitter profile or other social networking profile that you want to advertise? Company website? A blog that you enjoy reading? Anything that you would want associated with yourself should be listed here. You will be adding to the search engine optimization of your own websites just by the fact that you list them here!



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6 Words That Kill Your Resume

5. Problem-Solver. Can I just say that this is a given… We are ALL problem solvers. If you are human, you are a problem solver it is just part of human nature. Does it really need to be said on your resume? I think not. Instead try: Troubleshooter, Forward-Thinking, or Visionary Leader.





6. And last but not least Dedicated and Dependable. Again I have to say boring, boring, boring. Spice up your resume with something creative. Instead try: High-Potential, Quality-Driven, and Dynamic.



As a job seeker, what are some other words that you think are overused on resumes these days?

Please comment below!



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About Jessica:

Jessica Holbrook is a former Executive Hiring Manager for Fortune 500 companies and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates powerful, customized, and targeted resumes that are guaranteed to get her clients interviews. For a free resume analysis visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com or for a free phone consultation call 1.877.875.7706.