Resume Refresh Part 2: Websites for Job Leads

Take advantage of job recruiting websites.

Take advantage of job recruiting websites.

So you have polished up your resume and purchased a cardstock that you are confident will make your experience jump off the page. Nicely done! You are taking the steps you need to take to securing your next job. However, not all recruiters are waiting for pieces of paper. While your resume is presented professionally and is sure to impress any employer who reads it, there is more work to do.

If you haven’t uploaded your resume to job hunting websites such as Monster, LinkedIn or Indeed, then now is the time. In this digital era, it is increasingly common for employers and human resource teams to look for potential candidates on the Internet. Just as you use the resource as a means of finding available jobs, employers are on the opposite end hunting for potential new employees. Make sure you are part of their candidate search process.

If you are not familiar with job recruiting websites, or aren’t sure how to go about uploading your employment information where it will be found, then you have come to the right place. Read on for the second installment of our Resume Refresh series, and pick up a few tricks to nab your next great job. Continue reading…

Take Initiative: Follow Up After an Interview

Send an email to those who interviewed you.

Send an email to those who interviewed you.

After completing an interview, you are probably a little nervous. You spend the rest of the day second-guessing your answers, wondering if your responses were correct, concerned you didn’t say the right thing and worried about how long it will be before you hear anything back. But relax! Interviews are not easy and when they are finished the stress you put on yourself can be even more difficult to cope with than the actual interview prep work you did.

Instead of freaking out and being nervous about next steps, take the initiative with a follow-up. If you aren’t used to following up after interviews then you might think this is a bit invasive and could hurt your chances of landing the job, but this is not the case. In fact, following up in a professional manner can demonstrate to an employer that you were grateful for the chance to interview and that you are dedicated to the position.

However, like interviews themselves, follow-ups don’t come in a one-size-fits-all approach. Different types of interviews require various ways of following up. Handling the communication correctly is what is important. Continue reading…

How to: Create a Job Hunting Budget

Have a budget ready do you can take the path with comfort.

Have a budget ready so you can take the path with comfort.

That old phrase “It takes money to make money” is, unfortunately, true. This doesn’t mean you are going to go broke trying to find a job, but it does mean that you need to be prepared. Job hunting takes time and effort, and you have to eat and live while doing so.

Additionally, even when you land an interview, there are going to be costs included, such as transportation to and from the interview, whatever it costs to make resume copies, having your suit dry cleaned and whatever other expenses you will certainly come across. Be ready by having your budget established.

You certainly have been in situations when you were looking for a job, either because you were tired of where you worked, you moved, or a company you worked was having financial difficulties of its own and had to let some employees go. All these reasons are common and can put you in a situation in which you have to turn back to the job postings and put effort into polishing up your resume.

This costs you time and energy. Naturally, it would be easier to sleep or enjoy your recent freedom, if only for a few days. Instead, you need to organize your funds.
Consider the costs of a job hunt and start writing them down. If you don’t have a budget for this purpose already put together, it is time you start taking the proper steps in that direction. Continue reading…

Resume Refresh Part 1: Buzzwords

Have confidence in your resume by arming it with the right words.

Arm your resume with the right words.

As spring takes hold, it might be time to dust off the resume and freshen it up. While you certainly have put a great deal of work into making your resume look professional, it can always use a little lift. Now is the time for that boost!

Take charge this spring and have a resume that you can feel confident handing over to employers and human resource personnel. Demonstrate you are the right person for the job by having a resume that stands above the rest. You don’t just want to be included in the shortlist of resumes, you want your resume to be put on top.

And while you may think resumes are all about experience, there is a bit more goes on into making yours stand out from the rest. Buzzwords are key to a strong resume. By incorporating the right buzzwords, you can trigger responses from employers. Additionally, having the right buzzwords in place will allow your statements to be shorter and your resume to have a less-cluttered appearance.

For some advice on buzzwords to use and those to steer clear of, check out the lists below:

Buzzwords to use

While certain words will certainly help boost your resume, overusing them will do the opposite, noted Business Insider. When incorporating buzzwords, don’t use the same ones over and over, or alternate between only a couple. Continue reading…

Get Rid of Your Worst Spending Habits

Via HotOffTheRunway.

Via HotOffTheRunway.

As a human being, you have naturally developed habits. While some of these habits are good for you, other habits can get you into trouble, like spending money too often when you should be saving it for your or your family’s future.

But these bad spending habits don’t always have to come in an extreme form (like gambling or going out to eat every night for dinner) In fact, sometimes the worst spending habits are the little ones that you do so often you don’t even consider them a habit any longer, just a way of life. You tell yourself, “But, that’s what I do,” and that redundancy can be your biggest enemy.

Whether this means you are buying a cup of coffee every morning or hitting up the office vending machine every day after lunch, these are the habits that not only constantly work against you, but are also the hardest to break. Continue reading…