Off-Topic Good Resume and Interview Books

[Kathy]

I also just found out I will be losing my position of twenty years in January...my company is going to try to find a position for me in their corporate office but no guarantees. I gave myself the entire weekend to be sad and feel the emotions as they came and went. What I'm most sad about is leaving my friends and co-workers. Putting that aside, I am choosing to be happy and optimistic. Need to change things up every twenty years or so....thanks for the good advice. I'm going to be reading this post.

[bubbles76]

Originally Posted by Laura S.

I completely and totally agree with everything said about keeping resumes short.

Unless you're going to apply for a federal job. In that case, they add up the experience they find on your resume and the top scorers get interviews. So, put everything into that resume. I called my "kitchen sink" resume.

I was just about to say this. My resume for federal government is 8 pages, but I would never consider doing this in the private sector. What Cateyes said is also very important. I would also like to add that if you meet the criteria, going the internship route is a very good way to get your foot in the door with federal employment.

[bk1]

If you are interested in going into a new field, you might want to see if there are any volunteer opportunities that might help you get your foot in the door of a company, or anything similar to your new profession. You can also list volunteering on your resume. I am currently transitioning to a new career, and volunteering has gotten me interviews. A lot of interviewers now use open-ended questions, wanting you to outline your accomplishments during an interview. I must say I've gotten much tougher interviews in the past few months than previous times in my career. I have found a book called "This is how to get your next job" by Andrea Kay to be very helpful to prepare for interviews. It could give you a leg up on what questions might be asked. Good luck!

[jhsimpson]

Network, Network, Network

Build a LINKEDIN.com profile - Make the connections with colleagues.

Check out this site: http://www.harrydahlstrom.com/

Get ahead of the inevitable deadline and see what resources your state/locality may offer. In my community the Public Library has a monthly meet and greet. Library and potentially County/State department may have resources for FREE!

Some recommendations, as I've been down this road, I would suggest is:

Create a new e-mail account specifically for your career/job search. GMail or a sub-account from your ISP. You don't want to pollute your regular e-mail account with career/job search e-mails.

Utilize a new phone number (voice.google.com) to front end your work/home/mobile number. That way if you need to control your voice access and not let your current employer know you are looking to leave.

You'd be surprised how may telemarketers will troll job-sites for phone numbers and e-mail addresses for their own marketing. Having separate e-mail and phone numbers will help you 'control' this situation.

Books are great but unless the are updated frequently (What Color is your Parachute is AWESOME) they tend to not stay up on the trends and tactics of employment recruiters.

Finally, NEVER ever ever ever pay for a Job Search Service! They are wolves in sheep's clothing! Use the internet, scan the job boards for your profession or desired profession. Network with colleagues, friends and especially long ago acquaintances. Facebook is great and LINKEDIN is more for the professional connection. But don't dismiss your local community. If you have a Community College close by - See if they have a placement office and offer community support. Hit up your Chamber of Commerce or check in with local places of worship (regardless of your denomination). Yes it initially will take some effort to get the ball rolling for your next opportunity but believe me once it gets up to speed it will all start to fall in place.

Best of luck and don't get discouraged. Apply for something that is totally out of left field so you get the practice to interview even though you have little interest in the position. The recruiter may see something in you and have a different job somewhere else that hasn't been advertised/publicized and you NEVER know!

Cheers,

-JHS-

[Paula N]

This has already been mentioned above, but make sure your resume and cover letter are free of any spelling and grammar mistakes. To weed down a large stack of resumes, all with equally strong qualifications, I have seen a single spelling mistake cause a resume to be discarded. Harsh, but when a manager has about 10 to 15 minutes to go through a stack of 50 applications, the decision is made quickly. I have also seen resumes discarded for being too visually slick and fancy - almost as if someone is trying to show off their graphic art skills, if that makes sense. It needs to look professional, but not go overboard. Stick to a standard layout.

I took a job search workshop recently, and the presenter emphasized that everyone needs to watch their online profile. You absolutely will be googled by a perspective employer, so know what's out there about you. I was surprised by how much was known about me during my last interview, and I don't have Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn. It was nothing bad or unprofessional, but it was still a bit unnerving.

[lizh]

Check out Liz Ryan at Human Workspace: http://humanworkplace.com/

She's a 50 something gal who used to be in Human Resources and gives advice from the "other side of the desk". She has lots of free content on linkedin and other social media. She is a very empowering job coach!

7 years ago, when I moved across country with out a job, I hired a woman to help me write my resume and cover letter. (we did it all online and over the phone) I tweaked it and taliored it for every position I applied for, but it was the best money ever spent!

Good luck!
Liz

[Izzy]

Everyone has posted good points and suggestions. I want to support and add a few of my own.

1)Network is the key. It really is a hard pill to swallow but in this economy and job market, it is who you know. Search for networking groups in your field and in your area. Be willing to travel a bit if you need to attend the meetings. Many networking groups have monthly or bi-weekly meetings. If you go to these meetings it is a great way to establish professional relationships. It is so discouraging to do all the work to prepare for an interview, travel etc etc and to walk in and realize you are there to meet an HR quota before they hire the marketing manager's sister in law. You can tell if you are in a quota filler interview. It is very discouraging. Networking groups are great because once you develop those relationships, people will remember you and thus you will have that inside track.

2) Linkedin is awesome too. There are many groups on that site so join the ones that apply to your field. It's another way to get in on discussions and possible job openings or to find out about networking groups. Reach out to people in Linkedin. Make connections. The more active you are, your name will pop up when recruiters do searches.

3) I agree never to pay for job search service. But there are coaches out there who will work for free and they can be a huge help.

4) Temp agencies. So many temp to hire positions become permanent. My brother started one 6 years ago that was supposed to be a 4 month job and he is still there, benefits, PTO and all. Build relationships with your temp contact. They know what is going on in the field they are a huge resource and excellent reference.

5) Community College is another great resource. The one by me has a Workforce program. This program offers all kinds of free classes to help with job search. Resume building, networking, Linkedin profile etc. These classes are also great networking opportunities.

6) If others have opposing experience I apologize but the big internet job sites like Monster are not helpful. I have never met anyone who got a position through monster. Same with Career builders. For every job posting there are at least 600 applicants. That is just too big of a competitive field.

7) Be willing to work part time or maybe even 2 part time jobs. I know one friend who had 3 part time jobs. She commuted from one to the other for 3 years until one of them offered her full time. Many places hire from within so if you are part time, you have that inside track.

I hope this helps. Best wishes to you in your search.

[nyskier]

I agree with Izzy about the large job posting sites. In my long corporate career I only found one job through one of those sites. Here is what they are useful for: if you find a job at a specific company and then either know someone who works there, or can network into the company, you will have a much better chance. As many have said above, networking is key, especially in this tough environment. If you respond to an ad on a website, be aware that they may receive hundreds if not thousands of applicants. Then, the resumes are probably scanned electronically to see if certain key words are included.

If you don't have many contacts already, try to find a networking group in your area. I would check out local colleges, churches, community centers , libraries as well as a group such as Five O'Clock Club. Also, don't overlook friends and neighbors because you never know who can help.

Best of luck!

[Laura S.]

I found my current job through one of the big job websites. And, people have found my resume and offered me contract work, something I'd have been interested in at certain points in my career. So, I wouldn't totally discount them. Yet, the networking is important as well. I think it's a balance of both/and rather than either/or - whatever balance works for you.

Good luck with your search. I hope you land someplace that is good for you.