6 Reasons Your Resume Got No Response

Job seekers - are companies just not into you?

by Larry Buhl, for Yahoo! HotJobs



Tweet

     



In the best of times responding to a job listing can feel like sending your resume out to sea in a bottle. But at least you received a call or an email acknowledgement. Now, with the volume of applicants higher than ever, you're more likely to hear nothing.



If there is a resounding silence from your queries, keep looking and networking. But you can also do some sleuthing to give you a better chance of standing out next time. Recruiters and career experts agree that, if you didn't get an interview or phone call -- or even a thank-you email -- it may be due to at least one of six reasons.



1. They're just not that into you.



You're good, but someone else more closely met the qualifications. In a tight job market employers can usually get exactly the type of candidate they want. A polite "thanks, but no thanks" letter or email would be nice. But don't expect it these days.



2. They may be into you, as soon as they get to you.



Companies receive so many submissions these days that they don't even have time to send out letters or confirmation emails. "I know a major software company that's taking more than three weeks just to send out acknowledgement notes, and some companies are spending months sifting through resumes for just one opening," workplace etiquette expert Sue Fox tells Yahoo! Hot Jobs.



3. They would have been into you if you had followed directions.



"Many job listings use the word 'must,' not 'it would be nice to,'" according to Dave Opton, CEO and founder of ExecuNet. "If it says you must have experience in X, then tailor your resume to show that," Opton says.



If you're answering a job listing, be sure you respond in exactly the way the company wants. And be aware that if you're not applying for a specific job but rather sending out dozens or hundreds of form letters, your resume is likely to end up in companies' spam folders.



| 1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page

10 Things Employers & Recruiters Want From Job Seekers

Get a job with these 10 qualities

Reprinted with permission from careerealism.com.



Tweet

     



Every job hunter has the same question: What do employers look for, and how can I best show I’ve got “it?”



A few days ago, I attended a panel discussion for career coaches led by three of the leading recruiters in Greater Boston. Each recruiter had the assignment of explaining their view of today’s hiring environment, what employers are looking for, and then to give a few tips for candidates. The recruiters deal with different specialties, including: Human Resources, Medical Devices, Information Technologies (IT), and Marketing. Nonetheless they agreed on one thing: Five years ago, if an employer listed a job with 8-10 bullet points of “requirements,” a candidate might have been hired if he/she only had 3-4 of them. But today, virtually every client of theirs wants “12 out of 10 requirements to be evidenced – just to get the initial phone interview.”



It comes as no surprise they all report both recruiters and companies are being inundated by resumes, as more people are chasing fewer and fewer jobs. In this environment, they report employers have come to view job boards like Monster as counter-effective. When they advertise a position, they get SO MANY responses it becomes an overwhelming task just to sort through all the extraneous resumes to find the quality people who would be of interest. Result? They are utilizing alternative methods of identifying and recruiting top talent. It is more time efficient and effective for both corporate (in-house) and contingency (third party) recruiters to scour LinkedIn and other social media sites to find candidates worth pursuing. More and more, self-submitted resumes are not responded to because they aren’t even read!



Employers are looking for the following:



1. Candidates are expected to clearly articulate their accomplishments as part of their personal brand. LinkedIn profiles must highlight an individual successes and results! Skills are important – but only insofar as candidates use them to attain results. Never lead with: “XX years of experience doing…” Each resume bullet point should tell a story: “Accomplished X by doing Y, resulting in Z.”



2. Clear branding. Know who you are, what you offer, and what you are after. Be comfortable with your own story, and have that story down pat. Convey it consistently in your resume, LinkedIn profile, on Facebook, and increasingly on Twitter. Tip: get all those references to partying, and anything that wouldn’t well represent an employer’s brand off your own Facebook page – NOW! LinkedIn is seen as a way screen people in, and Facebook is viewed as a means to screen people out – even before an individual knows he or she might be considered.



3. Fit, fit, and fit! It’s the buzzword of the decade, but it means different things to different companies. Fit goes beyond the job requirements and speaks to an individual’s experience working in a similar type organization in size, product/service, marketplace or geography. Questions of “fit” go to the concerns. Would a given candidate be happy working as part of this company/team…and would the people here be happy to work side by side with this individual? If hired, would the person last? Commonly, employers are utilizing behavioral interviewing to determine if a candidate is a “fit.”



4. One recruiter put it this way, “The length of time [companies are taking] to fill openings is increasing. Companies are increasingly picky about who they hire. But they are hiring people who have ‘bull’s eye’ skill sets, have industry experience, and are a fit for their particular corporate culture.” More and more, you have to have all three to be hired, and candidates should adjust their job search accordingly.



| 1 | 2 | Next Page

The Big Job Search Lies

Four myths that won’t land you the job

Tweet

     



You’ve been lied to, bamboozled, misled and fooled by the people you are closest to. Your well-meaning parents, friends, and even your spouses have led you down the path to perpetual unemployment.



Everyone, right or wrong, wants to give you their opinion of the best way to land a job. These are some you should ignore:



1. Keep applying





For different jobs, yes. For the same job, no. Appyling over and over may have actually been a good idea at some point, before electronic applications became widely used. Paper applications are easily misplaced, or lost in a big stack, but that’s not the case anymore.



Over time, the paper application has been phased out and replaced by electronic applications. Sometimes these are emailed directly to hiring managers. Sometimes they’re sorted and stored by sophisticated software called an Applicant Tracking System. This system allow employers to keep applications on file, where they can be easily retrieved and reviewed. There’s no need to apply more than once every 90 days or so, and in many cases you won’t be able to. It is more likely to annoy a hiring manager than show persistence.



2. Employers never check your history





This just flat out isn’t true. Employers are willing to spend the big bucks on hiring the right people, and they do. Background checking is a nearly $1 billion dollar per year industry, and that doesn’t include drug, credit and reference checks.



If the prospect of a background check concerns you, the best thing you can do for yourself is be honest. 80 percent of employers will check your background in some way, so lying will only get you caught during the interview process, or fired if you somehow make it through.



| 1 | 2 | Next Page

Helping Yourself While Helping Others; Volunteer!

Why volunteer? You think... With our busy lives, it’s hard to find the time or effort to volunteer. However, the benefits of volunteering are enormous; whether it's to you, your family, your community or anyone involved. The right match can help you find friends, reach out to your community, learn new skills, and even advance your career. Akhtaboot provides you with some benefits of volunteering.

12 Ways to Fail a Job Interview

A job interview checklist - to avoid

The original article, 12 Ways to Fail your Job Interview, can be found on Fiscal Geek.



Tweet

     



During my time in management I have had the opportunity to hire many people which means I’ve interviewed over 50 people both for my positions and for fellow managers. It was one of my favorite parts of the job getting to meet new people, learn their motivations and in many cases learn what not to do. I guess you could call this of a collection of non job interview tips. Frankly it’s much easier to identify those things that are going to keep you from your dream job. For background my current company follows a rigorous interview process that involves no less than 5 different interviewers over the course of the day including a high level manager we call the As Appropriate. So without further ado 12 sure fire ways to fail your job interview.



1. Chew Gum.



Constantly. Through all 5 different interviewers. Okay honestly I never thought this was necessary to mention but this was the proverbial nail in the coffin of this interview candidate. He sat their masticating all day long. Every interviewer commented on it.



2. Lie on your resume.



Show some integrity and at the very least if you are caught in a lie your best course of action is to fess up or bow out. This candidate listed a technical certification that was easily looked up. They assumed we wouldn’t look. We did. It’s fine to polish your resume and use language to dress up your skills and experiences but just make sure they really happened.



3. Arrogance is a Sign of Confidence.



Nope it isn’t, arrogance is a sign that this person is going to be difficult to manage. Attitude can easily trump experience and skills both positive and negative. We’ve said no on candidates that had incredible experience and technical depth but just were so caustic we couldn’t hire them.



4. Act Indifferent about the Job and Play it Cool.



The job interview is the time to shine and demonstrate how you would fit in to the team and how your skills and experience can be a match for the position. This is not the time to show that you could settle for this job.



| 1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page

Ten things your resume shouldn't have

Resume tricks that will backfire on you

Tweet

     



As a Certified Professional Résumé Writer, over the years I have come across many tacky résumé tricks that candidates use in a misguided effort to stand out. Most recruiters are on to these gimmicks. When you use these tricks, you may appear desperate, or worse yet, dishonest. Avoid them because they do not work and are bound to fail.



1- The Extensive Vocabulary Gimmick



Using big words and lengthy sentences will not help you sound important, especially if they are used incorrectly. Don't hide behind your vocabulary. Your résumé should be an easy read. When your résumé is not concise and direct, the reader gets uncomfortable. Use common words and clear sentences to put the focus on your background and abilities. Make sure to include effective keywords and phrases that you know the reader will be looking for, but stay away from industry-specific buzzwords that may get lost on your recruiter



2- The Case of the Missing Employment Dates



Eliminating your dates of employment to disguise career gaps will not work. Recruiters know that missing dates can only mean one of two things, either you are trying to hide a poor career history or you are just plain careless. Always include employment dates to pass the detailed résumé review. To extend the longevity of your résumé and minimize gaps, consider listing the year only, instead of month and year.



3- Hiding Behind a Functional Résumé



The functional, or ‘skills based’ résumé is designed so that your skills and relevant accomplishments are separated from your employment list and placed upfront. Many job seekers trying to minimize career issues such as gaps in employment use the functional format. If you use this technique, you can be sure a perceptive recruiter will go directly to your career history to try to find what you are hiding. In addition, these résumés tend to be disliked by many recruiters because it is difficult to connect where you did what you did. Avoid the functional format if you can. Whenever possible, use a reverse chronological format to keep your responsibilities and accomplishments under their respective job titles. If you must, use a combination of functional and reverse chronological that will strategically minimize your obstacles and meet your prospective employer’s needs.



| 1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page

Dealing with Competitive Colleagues

Handling overly competitive attitude in the workplace

On a day-to-day level, maintaining a professional relationship with your colleagues while keeping in mind that they have different working styles is essential to creating a productive environment. However, sometimes overly competitive attitude can make this difficult to achieve and can create disagreements in the workplace. Workplace competition has both advantages and disadvantages. By only highlighting the downside of it, you overlook the potential benefits such as increasing innovation, creativity and motivation. On the other hand, it's clear that too much competitiveness can be exhausting and intimidating, pushing those who are less competitive to the side, can eventually result in bad office politics. Akhtaboot is here to the rescue with some tips on how to handle overly competitive attitude in the workplace.

Get to Know Your True Motivators

Many of us compete against other people for different motives. It could be because you want to have what others have, or it can be a need to conform to workplace norms, or it can simply be in your nature. It's important to evaluate your own level of competitiveness when it comes to work. If your competitiveness is derived from feeling insecure for any reason, make an effort to address the trigger of that insecurity. Perhaps you need more training or career development in order to be able to get to the next level. Research the available training options available so that you feel reassured that you're on the same level with your competitors at work.

Treat your Competitors with Courtesy and Respect

Overly competitive coworkers can be difficult to handle and deal with. Tempting as it can be to react in the heat of the moment, try to be friendly while keeping in mind that an overly competitive person can be potentially undermining. On the other hand, chances are if you don't give them the reaction they're seeking, they'll realize that it's a waste of time to try to evoke you and they'll feel more motivated to treat you nicely in return.

Handling Sneaky Competitive Colleagues

Sneaky competitive colleagues are always on the look for ways to make others look bad. They tend to consider everyone else as a potential threat to his or her field. Spotting a sneaky competitive colleague is easy. They never let your boss know that you were involved in the project, or they usually “forget” to forward emails that concern you, and will never hesitate to declare that they were the only responsible person for the project’s outcome in which you played a major part too. Since such people are unlikely to change, you'll need to figure your way around them as well as stand up for yourself.

Turn the Competition into your Favor

Competitive colleagues are usually outspoken about their determination to surpass others. Try to come up with ways to focus that ambition to your own good and the good of the team. For example, asking them for their advice and input about the projects you’re working on together, rather than assuming they're going to run away with all the glory. This flatters them while giving you an opportunity to learn from them. Keep in mind that competitive personalities can be a source of morale-boosting to the rest of the team provided they meet the deadlines and don't behave in a territorial manner.

3 Job Search Mistakes Everybody Makes

Finding a job is tough, but these 3 mistakes could really cost you

Tweet

     



Many of you are making 3 serious job search mistakes. We need to clear these up if you want to get a job.



#1: You believe your job search is completely dependent on your resume and cover letter.



Wrong. In a perfect world, your resume is more of a formality than a necessity. If someone already knows you or has received an excellent recommendation of you, they are more focused on getting to know you in the interview rather than picking through the details of your resume.



A bad resume is definitely getting cut, but a great resume does not guarantee you the job.



Let’s be honest, I don’t care how many cool internships you’ve had or what your GPA is: many employers feel that an entry-level candidate is an entry-level candidate. In large companies you may have to meet a certain GPA or major requirement, but much past that, it’s all about you.



Your personal brand is what lands you a job. Not your resume. Your personal brand should match online, offline, in your personality and in your appearance. The way you write your LinkedIn profile, what you say online, and who you meet in person are a few important aspects of a job seekers personal brand.



#2: The Internet is the only tool you have used to aid your job search.



I’ve been doing a lot of research for Job Search Boot Camp and have found career expert, after career expert claiming that 80% of open positions are not posted online. They also claim that the vast majority of job seekers rely solely on the Internet to find a new job.



To turn this idea into simple math, this means that roughly 80% of the people are going for 20% of the jobs. Not only are those online jobs way more competitive, they are most likely more generic than those you’d find offline.



So what does this mean for you? It means that if you’re smart, you’d be playing in the offline field where you’d be one of the 20% looking at 80% of the jobs.



| 1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page

Dealing with Competitive Colleagues

On a day-to-day basis, maintaining a professional relationship with your colleagues while keeping in mind that they have different working styles is essential to creating a productive environment. However, sometimes overly competitive attitude can make this difficult to achieve and can create disagreements in the workplace. Akhtaboot is here to the rescue with some tips on how to handle overly competitive attitude in the workplace.

Akhtaboot to Power Mashrek International School’s Recruitment

Akhtaboot - the career network is proud to announce the launch of Mashrek International School’s Career Connect solution, “Powered by Akhtaboot”, which will provide Mashrek International School with their own fully integrated and branded jobs section with the ability to post unlimited job postings and receive job applications directly onto their careers section on their own website.

As part of Akhtaboot’s relentless efforts in providing world-class recruitment services to its clients, Mashrek International School will be able to make the most of their Career Connect solution with a single point of contact for all of their recruitment needs with a variety of CV filtration and organization tools, making the hiring process simple, efficient and as cost-effective as ever.

Ms. Bana Nasser, Human Resources Coordinator at Mashrek International School, said:

“Mashrek International School is very pleased and impressed with Akhtaboot’s Career Connect service as it will help us find and match the right people with the available vacancies. We are definitely looking forward to a successful extension of our collaboration with Akhtaboot.”

With Career Connect, Akhtaboot goes beyond helping companies and educational institutions simply find the right candidates; it actually provides them with a one-stop recruitment gateway that is specifically designed and customized to cater to the employment needs of companies.

Top 5 Unique Job Interview Strategies

Interesting Pointers For Your Next Job Interview

This article was reprinted with permission from http://www.careerealism.com



Tweet

     



It can be overwhelming to think about how much work it actually entails to find a job in today’s web 2.0 world. If you are very serious about it, you have likely educated yourself in all the various facets of a job search and become well-equipped to go out and tackle the task. But, so have many others. Once a company narrows down the candidate pool to a group of people they want to meet, and you are one of them, it’s time to start thinking about your next steps. Only one person can be chosen in the end. When all things are equal, what makes you stand out?



Finding strategic and creative ways to land job interviews is half the battle. Once you are chosen for an interview, it’s not always going to be enough to arrive early, smile at the right times, answer the questions properly, ask the right questions, and then conduct all the proper follow-up tasks. Chances are you are going up against other candidates who will also be doing those same things. Now is the time to go that extra mile.



The best proactive strategies are somewhat subtle in nature and just flow with the rest of the process. The following are the top five strategies 80% of candidates do not utilize:



1. Confirm your interview.



If you have at least a few days between when you set up your interview and when it actually takes place, use the extra time to your advantage. Call or e-mail to confirm the interview, and let them know you are really looking forward to it. Not very many candidates do this, yet it’s these little acts of professionalism that matter.



2. Develop a rapport with the people who interview you.



Typically interviews (including phone interviews), start out with some small talk. Don’t just answer questions asked of you, ask them questions too and get a lighthearted conversation going! Ask them how they are doing and maybe share a lighthearted story. Try to help take the rigid formality of a job interview down a notch so that the conversation can flow easier. If any of the interviewers share something of some level of significance, be creative and use that information in further communications. Your thank you letter to that person could briefly mention something that had come up. For example, if an interviewer mentioned that his or her child was sick, why not briefly mention in your thank you letter that you hope his or her child is feeling better? Who wouldn’t appreciate that?



| 1 | 2 | Next Page

8 Job Search Tips to Remember

Secrets job seekers should know

Tweet

     



Not getting the results you want in your job search? Here are eight ways to help put your search on fast-forward:



1. Monitor your online time: We’ve all experienced the phenomena of “online creep” where you log on to get one piece of information and three hours later, you’re still surfing the computer. Decide in advance how much time you need to spend online and then stick to it. If needed, set a timer to remind yourself that it’s time to move on to other activities.



2. Sign up for personal “job agents”: Many sites now offer “personal job agents” that can automate your job search for you. After registering information about the specific type of job you are looking for, the agent notifies you by e-mail when jobs are posted on their database that meet your criteria. You can then apply for any position directly with the employer.



3. Follow up your online correspondence: Don’t sit around passively waiting for the phone to ring after you respond to a job posting. Take the initiative and follow-up by phone several days later to check on the status of your application. This one action can distinguish you from the competition and get you an interview.



4. Use the job boards to scope out companies in active hiring mode: Do you repeatedly see ads for multiple positions within the same company? Apply directly to those firms even if you don’t see a specific posting within your field of expertise. Chances are they’ll need employees in a variety of positions and departments.



5. Maximize the research capability of the internet: The internet is the ultimate research tool. You can find out just about everything you need to know about companies and industries of interest – use that information to gain a competitive edge in your correspondence and interviews. One of my favorite resources for getting in-depth information on specific companies and industries is Vault.com. They have extensive reports on management consulting firms, law firms and a number of Fortune 500 companies (among others).



| 1 | 2 | Next Page

Salary Negotiations

Negotiating your salary isn't about demanding more money; it is a discussion in which both sides try to agree on a positive outcome. Some people get uncomfortable at the idea of salary negotiation as they might fear they’ll come across as rude or greedy. It’s normal to feel nervous, but once you've proven yourself well qualified for a job, it’s your right to ask for more if you believe you deserve better. Akhtaboot provides you with a few steps that will help you get what you deserve in terms of compensation while maintaining a good relationship with your manager.

7 Phrases to Leave Off Your Resume

Resume writing - less is more

This post was written by Rick Saia, a Content Writer and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) at PongoResume.com.



Tweet

     



So you're writing your resume and figure the structure is fine, but what about the content? With more and more resumes being sent to fewer positions, employers see the same phrases come up over and over again. In order to write a resume that stands out, job seekers should avoid using the following seven phrases:



1. "Effective Communicator"



This phrase on resumes doesn't distinguish you from other job applicants, but that's exactly what you need to do today to be called in for an interview. Hiring managers assume you can communicate well, so, if you don't know how — either by e-mail or with your voice — you have about as much chance of getting hired as a tree.



2. "Detail-Oriented"



Every job requires a certain level of attention to detail. So, again, this won't help your resume — or your chance at landing an interview. The best thing to do here — if you know the job you're applying for calls for this trait in particular — is to be ready to explain in an interview how your high level of attention to detail resulted in a key accomplishment in your current or previous job.



3. "Highly Skilled"



This is a nothing phrase. You have skills, and you can use some or all of those skills in some kind of job that calls for them. The only way you don't have skills is if you've been doing — here it comes — nothing. Do you believe you have more skills than the average applicant? Show, don't tell.



| 1 | 2 | Next Page

Akhtaboot to Power Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) Recruitment

 
Akhtaboot - the career network is proud to announce the launch of Jordan University of Science and Technology (JUST) Microsite Solution, “Powered by Akhtaboot”, which is a free service provided to educational and informational websites - as part of Akhtaboot Cares Initiative - Akhtaboot’s CSR arm.

As part of Akhtaboot’s relentless efforts in providing world-class recruitment services to its clients, JUST students and website visitors will be able to search and apply to hundreds of job vacancies directly from JUST website.

Professor Ahmed Shlash Alawneh, Dean of Student Affairs at JUST, said:

"I’m very impressed with Akhtaboot’s ongoing devotion to serve both job seekers and the business community through providing Jordan University of Science and Technology students, graduates and job seekers with Akhtaboot’s user-friendly job search tools directly on JUST University website. The enthusiasm the Akhtaboot team to simplify the job search process for all concerned parties is truly impressive and we are looking forward to maintain a successful relationship with them."

The signing of this agreement coincides with Jordan University of Science and Technology 9th Job Fair, which was held on JUST Campus on the 30th of April and was fully organized by the Deanship of Student Affairs, King Abdullah the 2nd Fund for Development.

10 Weaknesses That'll Destroy Your Job Interview

Big Job Interview, Little Mistakes

This article was reprinted with permission from danielhenrygroup.com



Tweet

     



You've gotten your foot "in the door", and have been invited to an on-site interview. Now is not the time to make any errors due to a lack of preparation. Avoiding these simple mistakes can allow for a more successful interview. Always be prepared with an interview strategy.



1. Make a nuisance of yourself and show up early for your interview or be late. Suggestion: Don't be more then fifteen minutes early and don't be late.



2. Pester support staff and receptionists with questions or treat them rudely. Suggestion: Treat support staff with adequate respect and leave them to their work.



3. Don't bring a copy of your resume. Suggestion: Bring multiple copies of your resume for interview staff, in case they need one to refer too.



4. Don't ask questions or ask irrelevant questions. Suggestion: Be prepared to ask smart and effective questions that will provide you with information you may need to know. 




5. Share a lot about yourself. Suggestion: Share briefly about yourself in regards to being an asset to the given opportunity. Interviewers don't want to know about your winning the spelling bee.






| 1 | 2 | Next Page

Top Qualities of Truly Loyal Employees

 

Employee loyalty is so much more than staying at one single company. Who would you consider more loyal: an employee who has been around for 15 years, does only the bare minimum to get by, and will never hesitate to criticize you or the company at work and in public, or the employee who's been there for 1 year, embraces the company’s values and culture, and works hard every day to help the company get there? While experience years matter, most probably you’d pick the 1-year employee every time. Akhtaboot is here to highlight the top qualities to help you identify and retain loyal employees.

They Tell You What You Least Want to Hear

The more levels on the corporate ladder that separate you and an employee, the less likely that employee will disagree with you. Remarkably loyal employees know that you most need to hear what you least want to hear: that you are making a mistake. They'll tell you because they know that while you may not like what you hear, you care tremendously about doing what is best for the company.

They Never Disagree With You - in Public

Loyal employees don’t disagree with your decisions in public but only in private. Loyal employees don’t try to prove their managers wrong in front of other coworkers. Instead of doing so, they discuss, disagree and complain in private. Loyal employees trust they can share their opinions because what they have to say is in the best interest of their supervisor and the company. Even when they disagree with a decision that has been made, they follow through with implementation.

They Are More than Their Job Description

Loyal employees can easily adapt to shifting priorities and will never hesitate to do whatever it takes to get things done. Loyal employees ignore the job description if it has boundaries and jump in when needed even if it’s not their job. Just make sure their efforts don’t go unnoticed.

They Reflect a Good Image of Your Company

When an employee feels loyalty to a company, they take pride in the company’s services, workplace and culture. They will help you find more business leads by encouraging their friends, family and contacts to try your company’s offering. In addition, a loyal employee will portray a good image of your company to the community and public, even when they’re not on the job. A good example of this is to dedicate time for community projects or charity work, under the name of your company.

They Even Quit in Style

Sometimes even the most loyal employees need to leave. It can be because they found a better opportunity, a different lifestyle, to enter a new industry, or to start their own thing. Loyal employees know that their departure will create a tremendous hole, so they will let you know what they're thinking to give you plenty of time to prepare. Granted, being willing to tell you well ahead of time that they plan means that they trust you to an exceptional degree. This means that they know for a fact that you won't start to treat them in a bad way or fire them on the spot.

Searching for happiness: What makes life meaningful?

Recently I’ve been contemplating giving up on the modern world and moving to a cabin in the woods. I mean – what is with all of this technology, the 50+ hour work week, and guilt over the simple pleasures like spending time with friends and family on the weekends? Maybe I would be able to feel happier and more fulfilled if I turned my back on the world of today and instead started living a simple life. After all, despite the fact that technology has made our lives easier over the past century, people do not report being happier than they were before smart phones, computers, and the internet.

Picture it – a cabin in the woods next to a gurgling river, a garden out back with beautiful flowers and delicious produce, a feeling of being close to nature, like my ancestors. More time for important social interactions, which are really at the heart of a meaningful life. No more random interneting or hours spent ignoring my husband in favor of my smart phone. Instead I’ll spend my days doing meaningful things, going to bed with the setting sun and sleeping as much as I need. Really, imagine it. Don’t you all want to come and join me in the woods?

But would I really be happier if I gave up modern conventions and moved to an isolated cabin? Up until a few hours ago, I really thought that might be the solution. But then I read an article by a 26 year-old, Paul, who had given up the internet for a year. He felt that the internet was preventing him from figuring out who he truly was, and it was time to take back his life and his identity. And giving up the internet was good – for the first few months. He spent more time with friends, used his boredom to write more and explore his creativity in other ways. He read more and went out more. But then Paul adjusted to not having the internet and soon found himself developing bad habits offline. He was unable to keep in touch with people who were far away, and his snail mail began to overwhelm him until he was unable to cope with sending responses to his fans. The moral of his story – we are who we are and we will be who we will be, internet or no internet.

Read More->

9 Steps to LinkedIn Networking for a Job

A simple guide for job networking on LinkedIn

Tweet




     



Competition for advertised jobs is fierce. An advertised job posting can generate applications from thousands of potential candidates. Likewise, employers can cherry-pick potential employees. So how do you differentiate yourself while job hunting on LinkedIn? With all the tools for job seekers on the site you may get overwhelmed. Try this step-by-step process below and land a job on LinkedIn successfully!



To increase your chances of generating a response including an interview from a job posting, you should:



• Use LinkedIn to locate a company insider with a common connection (professional association, alum, etcetera)

• Request an informational interview to determine if the job is still available, name of the hiring manager, desired characteristics of the potential employee, and etcetera

• Customize your resume and cover letter using this information

• Ask your company insider to deliver your resume and cover letter to the hiring manager



Next, I am going to provide you with the steps I used to apply for a position last week with a Fortune 100 company.

1. Go to http://www.linkedin.com/

2. Click on the “Advanced” link for the Search People field in the upper right region of your screen

3. Select “Located in or near:” for the Location field



4. Input a zip code for the Postal Code field and select the appropriate entry (such as 50 mi) for the Within field to ensure the location of the company is within this geographical range

5. Input the name of the company in the Company field and select Current in the box below this field



| 1 | 2 | Next Page

5 Ways To Turn Off A Hiring Manager

Job seekers beware

Reprinted with permission from FabJob.com .

Tweet



     



Are you high maintenance? Do your friends tease you about being a "diva"? Is one of your favorite phrases "enough about you, let's talk about me"?



If you answered "no," check out the following behaviors, compiled from bad moves of dozens of real-life job-seekers, for ideas guaranteed to make a negative impression on employers.



1. Get More Information Before Applying



Before you apply for a job, make sure you're not wasting your time going after a position that's beneath you.



When you see an ad for a job that looks interesting, phone the employer and demand to speak with the person in charge of hiring. Once you have that person on the phone (if necessary, keep phoning until they agree to take your call), grill them about the job.



Get answers to questions such as: "How much does it pay? How much vacation time will I get? How big will my office be?" and anything else that's important to you.



Finish by insisting that they fax or email the job description to you.



2. Create a Cover Letter That's All About You



Start your cover letter with a strong statement such as "This is the type of position I've been looking for."



Then go on to explain what you want in a job. For example, "I am searching for a financially rewarding position where I can gain experience and pursue my interests." Add that you see this job as a stepping-stone to something better.



Even if they haven't asked for salary expectations, tell them the minimum amount they'll need to pay you "with benefits."



Better yet, don't waste your valuable time writing a cover letter when anyone can see from your resume how lucky they would be to have you.



| 1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page

Ten Mistakes that Can Sabotage Your Job Search

How to be more efficient in your job search

By Jay Edward Miller of alabamajobwatch.com



Tweet

     



Your resume is the number one most power job search tool in your arsenal. It has the power to make you successful beyond your wildest dreams. But if you screw it up, it also has the power to stop you dead in your tracks.



1) Overuse of "blasting" to distribute your resume. Mailing or emailing hundreds or even thousands of resumes to employers and recruiters can be counter-productive. For one thing, you are limited to a weakened, general, all-purpose version of your resume. Your cover letter if you have one, addressed to "Whom It May Concern" will be meaningless. Your submission will be lumped with the spam and junk email. You will have no opportunity to move the process forward by following up with a meaningful phone call, letter, or email.



And if that isn't bad enough, if a recruiter or employer reads your resume, they are smart enough to know that everyone else has a copy of it. If you are a recruiter and you know a thousand other recruiters have the same resume, you would know the tough time you would have earning a commission on the placement. Plus, you might figure that all the local employers have the resume and could cut you out of the loop. If employers know that all the other employers have your resume they may not be interested in competing with them.



Indiscriminate blasting reduces your market value. Don't expect quality interviews; expect interviews for hard-to-fill or high-turnover positions. Some commission hungry agents will be forgiving and may take a chance on you, higher class agents and employers will not.



2) Applying for jobs you are not qualified for. What is the harm? The job looks interesting, the "apply" link is right there, what is the worse that could happen? All they can do is say, "no".



If you are unqualified and waste a recruiter's or employer's time, they will ignore you in the future. And when their time is wasted, they suddenly have a memory like an elephant. That is not the way you want to be remembered in a job search. Plus, how smart does it make you look?



3) Not customizing your resume and cover letter for each employer. The Internet makes it so much easier to investigate companies. Corporate websites will tell you exactly what they are looking for in employees. Leverage these resources. The resume and cover letter are the most powerful marketing tools in your arsenal. And with today's technology, sending a generic resume and cover letter is inexcusable.



| 1 | 2 | 3 | Next Page

Your Student Loans Will Affect Your Credit Score

A financial lesson to for new graduates

This guest post was written by Go Banking Rates, bringing you informative personal finance content and helpful tools, as well as the best interest rates on financial services nationwide. Visit them online to read more student loan articles.



Tweet

Student loans are a form of debt, which means having one will affect your credit score. Of course, it's pretty hard to get through school without one.



If you're worried about the impact a student loan could have on your credit, know that how you handle it will determine whether that effect is positive or negative.

How a Credit Score is Calculated

Your credit score is an extremely important number. As a soon-to-be or recent college grad, your credit score will play a huge role in your financial future. Basically, it gives lenders and creditors an idea of how financially responsible you are--how heavily you rely on credit and whether you pay bills on time, for example--and helps them judge the level of risk you present as a borrower.

Your credit score will play into how easily you can obtain credit cards, loans and even an apartment, so taking care of it now will save you a lot of grief in the future. Here's a breakdown of how your score is calculated:

• Payment History: Your ability to consistently pay bills on time makes up 35 percent of your score.


• Amount Owed: Coming in at a close second, the amount of debt you owe is 30 percent.


• Credit History: At 15 percent, the length of time you've been using credit is also considered.


• New Credit: 10 percent of your credit score is reliant upon how often you open up new lines of credit.


• Types of Credit: Also at 10 percent, the varied types of credit you possess (credit card, student loan, auto loan, etc.) will affect your score.

| 1 | 2 | Next Page

Group gender composition: Does it matter?

source

When I was younger, I can remember being split into teams in gym class and different tables in art class and having one question: how many girls and how many boys are in my group? Depending on the activity, it seemed important to know this so you could assess your chances for success. More boys on your team, and you might be more likely to win dodgeball. More girls at your art table, and you might paint a better mural.

An adult might have told me that was silly - how many boys vs. girls were in my group didn’t matter. However, recent research suggests that the gender composition of a group does matter. Though it doesn’t matter in terms of impacting actual performance, it can influence how group members think about one another and about their group as a whole. Because I love research that examines people in their natural (or somewhat natural) environments when they are interacting with other people, let’s take a look at how the researchers demonstrated this. 

Read More->