Cover Letter Advice from A Resume Writer

Good advice from someone who knows. The more personal you can make your cover letter the better. Show them you have done your home work.

Make sure the reader knows you’ve done your research. It’s important for the reader to feel that you are enthusiastic about the position and company. To do this, you have to know enough about the company to write about it confidently. If the company has a blog or twitter handle, mention a recent article they posted. If you want to work in a certain area within the company, write in your letter what you like about that specific program or department.

Obvious But True: Employers Want to See Results in a Resume

Here is something I have tried to say a number of different ways here on the blog.

"When you get down to it, it doesn’t matter what you say you can do, who you worked for or for how long. Employers want to see results. After all, what makes a successful company? A staff full of experienced individuals or accomplished individuals? Results on a resume tell prospective employers that, if hired, you can actually get them results.
How to make it happen: Make a point to include at least one quantifiable accomplishment for every position you include on your resume. That means numbers. Writing something like “Introduced and signed on 17 new clients in 3 months” is possibly the most persuasive thing you can write." - 4 Things Employers Want to See in a Resume - Simply Hired Blog

Really can't stress this enough. You need to say it and then prove it if you want to be taken seriously by employers.

Resumes for Teachers

While I pride myself on providing top quality resume writing services, my first passion (and day job) is being a teacher. I understand the level of competition many educators face when applying for an open position.

Resumes for teachers are the marketing tool that leads to a position that is right for you. I offer targeted, confidential, and professional resume writing for teachers, college instructors, administrators, and anyone else in education. Whether you are a college graduate, returning teacher, or career changer, I can help.

Being a teacher myself I am fully aware of the latest trends and buzz words, from differentiated instruction to I.E.P implementation to R.T.I.. I am also able to help educators target their resume to specific openings within a school district. Aligning yourself with the target school's professional improvement plan is an essential strategy in landing that all important interview.

Keywords are key.

One of the most important aspects of the modern resume is the keyword section. This is the part of the resume that allows the reader to quickly get a sense of what a potential candidate brings to the table.

For example, if you were searching for an elementary position, you might want to include the following keywords in your resume:

Community Relations
Individualized Educational Plans
Academic Goals & Standards
Parent/Teacher Liaison
Extracurricular Direction
Student-Centered Instruction
Technology Integration
Discipline Management
Positive Learning Environment
Multicultural Awareness
Process Improvement
Program Management
Strategic Planning & Leadership

So, if you are a teacher and are looking to apply for an open position, let me help. I offer free evaluations if you already have a working resume, and I offer special pricing for new resumes for teachers. Contact me today and I'd be happy to discuss them with you.

Stop Putting Multiple Phone Numbers on Your Resume

According to a number of recent surveys the emerging trend for contact information on a resume is to include a website address(if applicable) online profile links, city and state only (no street address), a single phone number (no second/third number, no fax number), and a single email address.

I am not sure I agree with leaving off the street address, but the rest of this makes sense to me. I especially agree about the phone numbers. I regularly tell clients to use 1 number and sick with it. Keep it clean and make it easy for a potential employer to contact you.

Facebook's Dominance in Career Branding

While it is true that FB is huge- it is often not the best place to market yourself. More "serious" social media like LinkedIn are often a better choice.

"Today, there is no question that Facebook dominates as the number 1 social media site with 845 million users, forecasting 1 billion users by August 2012! This number of users, which is 695 million more than Linkedin must inspire the following question: Is it reasonable for anyone managing a career and working towards establishing a visible online profile to ignore the opportunity to establish a presence on Facebook? Professional Pages and Business Pages on Facebook have influenced millions and are easily established without any cost. Although a personal profile is necessary to establish a professional page, it is not necessary to have any direct link between them." - Career Networks vs Social Networks

A Professional Resume Writer Can Help Showcase Your Influence

Writing a resume isn't easy. It is about more than simply filling in a template you found online. You need to be able to really showcase your skills in narrative form.

"Think first about the ways that your ideas have shifted the roles you’ve had at previous jobs. For example, if you had an idea about a staggered work schedule and it helped save your past company money, then be certain to talk about this. Describe how you came up with this idea and why you felt it was important. Discuss whether this idea is still being used in your past workplaces.
Consider the ways in which other team members around you were able to benefit from your knowledge. Whether you worked on training new employees or you were always the person others turned to when they had questions, this is all valuable information for the hiring manager to know." -Showcase Your Influence | CircleBlog

3 Tips for Telephone Interviews

Interviewing can be nerve-wracking, but they are an integral part of the hiring process. Getting comfortable in the various formats in which an interview can take place is an important first step. Not all interviews happen in person. In fact more and more interviews are done via telephone, Skype or some other teleconferencing platform. Here are three tips to help you prepare for such a case.

"1.Prepare. Know with confidence, clarity and conviction your brand’s strengths, weaknesses, and potential areas of concern about your candidacy.
2.Keep documentation at your fingertips – be it resume, notes or answers to tough questions.
3.Practice in a quiet space. Before your designated interview time, rehearse and practice multiple times to increase your chances of excelling in the phone interview."-Career Hub: Twelve Tips for Telephone Interviews

Good Advice on Requesting Letters of Recommendation � LUCareerCenter To Go

Most jobs require a collection of letters of recommendation. Asking for a letter of recommendation is always a slightly uncomfortable experience. Use this one piece of advice to both break the ice and get the conversation rolling.

"Be sure to ask: “Do you feel you know me and my abilities well enough to write a strong letter of recommendation for this application?” You’ve now given the professor the opportunity to decline gracefully. If the answer is “no,” don’t push. This inquiry may be done via email-if you already have an established relationship with the potential recommender." -Requesting Letters of Recommendation

The Top Mistakes Job Seekers Make on Facebook

Stop complaining. Life is full of changes and sometimes you just have to roll with it.

" Thousands of users are making it clear that they hate Facebook Timeline, especially in their status updates. Complaining about Facebook Timeline — among other things — will lead people to think you will not be able to handle the little things once you get a job.
Employers are Googling you to get a first impression of who you are and what you will be like at the company. The virtual complaining can come back and haunt you." -The Top 3 Mistakes Job Seekers Will Make on Facebook Timeline

Best Cover Letter Advice

Sometimes the cover letter is even harder to write than the resume. On the one hand you want your resume to be the focus, so you do not want to save info for the letter, or over stuff the letter so that the resume looks redundant. On the other hand you need to say something valuable, otherwise why write the cover letter at all.

The best piece of advice I ever read about what to include in your letter was to come right out and ask for an interview. In sales, they always direct you to ask for the sale. Well, ask for the interview. Just ask for it!

You do not need to stoop to begging, simply ask in a respectful manner that they consider you for the position and ask to speak with them personally about your qualifications. Your cover letter is not the place to be timid.

Should You Lie On Your Resume?

Everyone feels the temptation to fudge the truth a little on their resume, but before you do consider the consequences. A recent survey asked whether or not it was OK to lie on a resume. The responses were varied and eye opening.

"People who get ahead are the ones who take some educated risks.
Let's be real, if a CEO can get away with being hired and working for years with lying on resume so should any of us.
Lying on a resume is just plain dumb. The trend seems to be to check an applicant's references out more and more, unless you are a burger flipper.
Lying on resumes, regardless of your status, just does not cut it!"- Would You Lie On Your Resume?

Bottom line: You should never lie on a resume. employers check references, especially in a tight job market when they have the luxury of being picky. You do not want to lose a job opportunity for trying to stretch the truth.

Quick Tip on Job Fairs

Go where the jobs are- visit some local job fairs. But before you do, here is some advice.

"The most important first step is to make sure you are going to the right Job/Career Fair; look out for ones not just happening at your university but also at any surrounding cities. If you’re not looking to work for a bigger industry, the chances are a lot of the companies you want to meet will be quite selective about what fairs they attend. Particularly as the fee they have to pay to attend a fair can be quite an obstacle for many industries. Look out for a fair with a focus on your industry and if there are particular companies you are really interested in, check any online listings to see which ones they will attend. If you struggle to find this information, you could always contact companies directly to ask them; this shows you have initiative and are serious about wanting a job." Career Flux - Your Strategy For Career Fair Success

Glass Ceiling? Not for Urban Women

I wouldn't go so far as to say the glass ceiling is shattered, but this is a good sign.

"Step aside, guys. Women are moving up the payroll. According to a March “Women at Work” report by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS), the gender wage gap continues to narrow. Women earned 81 cents for every dollar earned by men in 2010, up from 76 cents in 2000. Moreover, recent reports suggest that young urban women now earn 8% more than male peers, likely due to higher college graduation rates." -The 15 Jobs Where Women Earn More Than Men - Forbes:

Reason You Need a Professional Resume Writer #27

OK, the #27 may be hyperbole, but the point still remains that you are better off with a professional at least editing your resume. Below is a quick anecdote to prove the point:

"I had a candidate come my way by way of referral. The resume had an error in the objective and right away, I had a negative perception of the candidate. If it wasn't for the personal referral, I would have trashed the candidate's sales resume. Lucky for the candidate, the referral insisted that I interview the person. Turned out the person was a high potential candidate but could have lost out on getting the call to interview because of a simple error that could and should have been corrected." -Sales Resume Tips: Check for Errors:

Now for the shameless plug: if you'd like this resume writing professional to look over your resume just shoot me an email. I'd love to help.

No Photos in Your Resume

Pictures in a resume create havoc for the HR department. They are deadly afraid of being accused of hiring discrimination, so make their life easier, and improve your chances at making a good impression on a potential employer.

"Unless you are a model or an actor applying for a modeling gig or auditioning for a part, you should never, ever, ever, ever, EV-VER include a headshot with your resume.

Why? Because it all goes back to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the federal laws against discrimination in hiring. We have laws that make it illegal to not hire someone based on age, sex, race, color, national origin, religion, military status, and physical or mental disabilities."

more:

"So, in order to remove as many potentialities as they can, they do not want to see any identifying information on a résumé that could clue someone in to your status in any of these protected groups.

There have been stories where administrative assistants were instructed to use a black marker and cross out any references to church and religious affiliations, race-based groups including fraternities/sororities and advocacy groups, military groups, and even mentions of these groups or status in cover letters. Others have been instructed to throw away résumés if they included too much information to easily disguise it." - Your ResumeShould NOT Include a Headshot | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel

Job Interview as Batting Practice

80% of success is just showing up right? Well, yes, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't prepare for your job interview as conscientiously as you wrote your resume. After all, ball players are professional hitters. It is what they do for a living. yet they still take batting practice every day. What makes you think you are any different?

"The most important hiring decision that someone will make about you is being done by a person who does not know what they are doing. As a job seeker your fate is in the hands of someone whose gut instinct is going to tell them whether you are qualified for the job and how you will fit into their organization. HR handed them your resume. They looked at it for 60 seconds (if you are lucky) and this will be the person determining your future. There are exceptions but they are few. Unprepared meets unprepared and let’s hope for the best." - Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog:

Short & Concise Resumes are Key

I am sure you have heard it before. Resumes should turn into novellas. Shorter is better. In fact the norm for most resumes is 1 to 2 pages, even for experienced professionals. A recent survey on LinkedIn showed an strong preference for 2-page resumes as long as there is enough value in the extra page.
Just as important is concise writing. That means short paragraphs, bullet points, and solid organization that ensures the resume can be quickly skimmed. In addition, it is extremely important to write with a marketing perspective. Follow with your lede. Create a strong impact “above the fold”, as it has become critical for job seekers in one of the most competitive employment markets in recent memory.

so cut out the fluff and get straight to the point. Your odds of landing an interview will increase drastically if you do.

Use a Professional Resume Writer to Avoid Resume Black Holes

Interesting that an advice column lists one of our specialties here at Quality Resumes as the top strategy to avoid the dreaded resume black hole.

"What to do to keep your resume out of that black hole and, hopefully, get it reviewed by the hiring manager? These tips will help get your resume, as least, a fighting chance of being considered for a job.

1.Use resume keywords that match the skills listed in the job description, so your application has a shot at making it to the top of the pile."

The Importance of Professional Resume & Branding Services

Here at Quality Resumes I often tout the importance of getting a professional's help (hopefully mine!) when it comes time to craft a resume. Personal branding is another area where a specialist can help.

"The fact is that Personal Branding is not as straightforward as many seem to think. I would go as far as asserting that most people severely underestimate its complex and comprehensive nature. It goes well beyond opening a blog or a number of accounts in the social networks, let alone having a logo or a suitable picture (helpful as undoubtedly all of these all are). Personal Branding is a philosohy – even a way of life – with its own set of principles, guidelines and specific skills to master. It requires dedication, clear objetives, more than a fair share of common sense, a nose for PR and an unfliching commitment to the best within ourselves not only for our personal gain but (in the best case scenario) for the benefit of others too." - Personal Branding: When To Call In The Pros | Personal Branding Blog - Dan Schawbel:

Pinterest for Job Search?

Here is a forward thinking way to use the suddenly everywhere Pinterest:

"Pinterest, the red hot social networking site that lets users create online scrapbooks, is not likely to replace LinkedIn as the best site for employment networking online. But it does offer a slick, easy place for people in creative professions to post their portfolios and resumes. Traffic to the three-year-old site has increased tenfold in the last half a year, to some 10 million visitors a month." -Using Pinterest To Find A Job - Forbes:

The Importance of Numbers on a Resume

Numbers allow you to nail down specifics in an easily scannable manner and should always be included.

"Numbers bridge corporate cultures. If you write, "Increased revenue," that's nice -- that's a good thing. If you write, "Increased revenue by 25 percent over a three-year period," then that tells me a lot more about what you did. How many people did you supervise? How big was the budget you managed? By what percent did you increase efficiency? How many clients did you have?" -5 mistakes you may be making on your resume - CBS News:

Avoid a Boring Job

To paraphrase your mom: there are no boring jobs, just boring people. We have all been there- a job we'd rather not keep, but that pays the bills. Well, there are some steps you can take to alleviate the tedium. here is #5:

"5-Continous learning. There are always new things you can learn that will directly apply to the job or place of work you have right now. It may or may not entail a class. You may discover someone you work with can teach you something new. Learning is growing and you won’t be bored." -8 Tips for How to Avoid a Boring Job | Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog

This is great advice, education is never wasted, and it brings along the added benefit of looking great on your resume. If you would like to continue your education but do not have time because of your busy schedule, check out the convenience of accredited online colleges.

Keep Your Resume Simple

Came across the following anecdote that tells how someone learned the hard way that using lots a technical jargon can cost you a sale. The same principle applies to your resume. While some techno-speak may be necessary, remember that the first reader may not be the same person who will actually interview and hire you. Keep the resume simple enough for someone not directly involed in your field to understand.

"We'd just come out with a new word processor with some really great features, including distributed logic, hard drives that were soft–sectored and stored more information, had asynchronous and bi-synchronous communications, CP-M for running PC applications and more.

I was jazzed and called a law firm I'd been trying to sell. They gave me the appointment and I when we got together, I began to tell them all of these things, assuming they understood.

They were very polite and told me to call back in a few weeks. When I did, my contact told me that it was the most confusing presentation they'd ever seen and they didn't have a clue what I was talking about." -Never Use Internal or Industry Language

Job Interview Attire for Men

Guys, have you ever wonder just how to put together a safe interview outfit? Wonder no more:

How to Dress for a Job Interview: An Illustrated Guide | The Art of Manliness

Ask Your Interviewer These Questions

These are excellent questions that will show you are prepared and truly interested.
1. How would you describe the general culture of the company and the workplace?
2. Why did you choose this company?
3. Will there be any form of training provided?
4. What are some of the biggest challenges/successes facing the department currently?
5. What process will be used to evaluate my employee performance?
6. Who will be my direct supervisor?
7. Are there many opportunities for professional development within the company?
8. What is the usual time frame for making the hiring decision?
9. May I contact you if any further questions arise?

From 9 Killer Questions Candidates Ought to Ask the Interviewer | The Undercover Recruiter

Grad School for Experience

"One of the ways graduate school enables you to further your professional development is through evaluation. Other professional development opportunities, such as seminars and networking venues, allow no opportunity for evaluation. When you are pursuing a traditional or online master degree, evaluation is naturally built into the program, since you are graded for your efforts. As you work toward your degree, you are also given the opportunity to evaluate your skills and your retention of the information you learn. Perform well, and you can add your high scores to your resume or refer to them in your next job interview." -Grad School as Part of Your Professional Development

Good News on the Job Front

"Steve Bersin who runs Bersin & Associates, a global analyst and research firm recently published research that confirms businesses are now investing again. In his most recent research to senior HR executives around the world, he reports 35% of respondents told them one of their top three challenges was “attracting critical talent in growing markets.” This number is nearly double what they saw a year ago.

The economy is better.
The GDP is growing.
The Small Business Optimism Index is up four months in a row." - Raise Your Career Metabolism in 2012

Should You Quit Your Job?

Even in a down economy no one wants to stay in a job they either do not like or can not do well.

"When you ask, “Should I quit my job?” my first question back to you would be, “Have you served at least two years in this current company?” My two year rule is based on the rationale it takes at least 24 months before you can get into the system of a company before you start to really impress and make a solid contribution.

For the first six months you are likely to get on board, the next six, figure out the people, process, systems, and then you have the next 12 months to start making solid contributions. If you have at least served that long, it’s fair to ask “Should I quit my job?” and consider quitting when there is a trigger for that thought." - ‘Should I Quit My Job?’ – Questions to Ask | CAREEREALISM

18-24 and Jobless

While this sounds bad, it also means there is a bumper crop of willing workers that employers can hire inexpensively as the economy turns. Be ready kids, the jobs will come.

"By the end of 2011, only 54.3% of those between the ages of 18 and 24 were employed, according to a Pew Research Center report released Thursday. And the gap in employment between the young and all working-age adults is roughly 15 percentage points -- the widest on record.

The Great Recession hurt the young more than most other age groups. Their employment decline has been steeper and their median weekly earnings fell by 6%, while holding steady for others, Pew found. "- Fewer young adults hold jobs than ever before - Feb. 9, 2012:

The New World of Work

"According to London Business School professor Lynda Gratton, author of a new book entitled The Shift: The Future of Work Is Already Here, new career realities demand we give up our dreams of a sheltering employer that protects us like children and face up to the fact that we all need to grow up. She recently wrote in Forbes:

We are in the midst of an industrial revolution greater than the world has ever seen with all the turbulence, the challenges and the opportunities that previous revolutions have brought. Partly as a result of this, it seems to me that the relationship between companies and their employees is undergoing a fundamental shift. All over the world the old Parent to Child relationship is moving towards a potentially more balanced Adult to Adult relationship."- An Easy Way to Find Career Success: Buck Up and Grow Up! | Brazen Life:

Be Prepared for Strategic Interview Questions

The following advice, given to a potential interviewer of millennial job applicants punctuate how important interview preparation can be.

"I am not saying here that you should start asking candidates brainteasers, rather, recognize that logical and strategic thinking is important in business.

Make sure to have the candidate walk you through situations that really show the candidates ability to think strategically while following a logical process to project completion." -5 Survival Tips for Millennials Job Interviews | JobMob

Interviewing: Practice Make Perfect

"While it’s entirely possible for you to run through potential interview scenarios in your own head – which you’re likely doing anyway while you stew over how intimidating the interview process may be – the most effective means of practicing for an interview is to actually have a friend or family member play the role of interviewer.

If you can wrangle someone into being the mock interviewer, you’ll have the opportunity to run through question and answer practice sessions. This provides you the chance to refine your answers, practice speaking clearly and delivering clear and comprehensive responses, and to master the non-verbal communication aspects of interviewing for fulltime jobs and partime jobs as well. The manner in which you conduct yourself during an interview is as important as the answers." - Hone Skills With Practice Interviews in Media Jobs | CAREEREALISM

How to Deal with being Fired

At some point in your career you may have very well been let go, downsized or otherwise relieved of your position. But how do you handle it if you were outright fired?

"Be honest from the get-go. Don't lie or think that telling half-truths will diffuse the situation. Know this: If the prospective employer discovers the truth - and he or she probably will - your chances of landing the job will be slim to none. By telling the truth, you'll display credibility, integrity and principle. You're not the only person to ever be fired and it is likely that the interviewer sitting across the table from you was also fired sometime in his or her career."- Dealing With The 'F' Word During A Job Interview - Careers Articles

Employers Googling Job Prospects

"A logical place for recruiters to search for information online about candidates is Google. Google is one of the largest search engines on the Internet.

When recruiters search for you, what will they see?Nothing!

If you are not present on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Twitter, and Facebook, recruiters will never see you at all. And that means you could miss out on job opportunities as a result. According to MSNBC, “These days, small and midsize companies aren’t even posting jobs, instead going to sites like LinkedIn in search of their ideal candidate.” " -What Does Google Say About You? | CAREEREALISM

Old School Job Search Still Common

While Twitter and Facebook are important parts of the job hunt, old fashion job boards are still the most popular.

"With the advent of social recruiting and the increased use of social media sites for job searching and hiring, both directly on sites like LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, and on mobile platforms, it's interesting to look at the data on how much job searching really has changed - or hasn't.

A Social Recruiting Survey conducted by TweetMyJobs.com reports that while 29% of job seekers use social media as their primary tool for job searching, 50% of job seekers still spend most of their time searching on job boards." -Where Do You Search for Jobs?

Coffee Networking When Job Searching

"When you’re out of work, one of the first few things to go – besides pants – are social skills. Sitting at home, filling out applications, talking occasionally with the cat. These things are not social activities.

Instead, organize as many coffee meetings during the week as you can stomach. I’d say at least once a day, three days a week. Troll LinkedIn and Twitter for former colleagues, people who you’re interested to meet… anybody who you could hold a coffee-break conversation with. Set a time limit of 15-30 minutes or so and pick a location close to where they’ll be coming from (you’ve got time to waste, they don’t)." - Practice Your Interview Skills One Coffee at a Time | Psychotic Resumes by Nick Armstrong

Importance of Numbers on a Resume

Numbers have power- just ask your accountant. This is just as true on a resume as it is on a tax form. In order to get the most bang for your buck use actual digits when writing numbers. Digits catch the eye much faster, and in the end, most resumes are skimmed, so the easier you make it on the reader the better off you'll be. This rule holds true for sales figures, percentages, team members, just about anything that deals with amounts. Rather than say you were in charge of a team of twenty, use "20". Did you raise sales by over one hundred thousand last quarter? The say 100K. 

Remember, you only have about 10 seconds to make that first impression with your resume. Do not waste any time with long words where a digit will do the job just as well if not better.

Create an Elevator Pitch

"Right now, if a hiring department representative was standing right in front of you, what would you tell them about yourself? Not sure? You might want to think about it. Start thinking about the thirty seconds of time you have to impress someone who you’ve just met. And then think about how you can wow them in that time, even if it seems short.

◦ What do you do? – First of all, think about what you do and what you intend your career path to look like. You need to consider what your skills are and what your experience is and then boil that down into a sentence or so.

◦ What are you proud of? – In the time you’ve been in your field, think about what you’ve done that you’re proud of. This might be a percentage of sales, an efficiency process improvement, etc.

◦ What do you offer? – Finally, think about what you have to offer to a new company. Whether it’s amazing ideas or a can-do attitude, try to think about the one thing you have that others don’t." - What’s Your Elevator Pitch? | CircleBlog

Professional Learning Plans

Book Recommendation: Learn Your Way to Success: How to Customize Your Professional Learning Plan to Accelerate Your Career by Daniel Tobin

"Learn Your Way to Success helps us become more conscious of our daily opportunities to learn and guides us on the best practices to take advantage of them. Daniel Tobin presents a number of tools and methods readers can use to set a personal learning agenda, keep track of what is learned, and determine how to use that learning to improve performance in their current job, prepare for their next job, and plan their careers."- How to Customize Your Professional Learning Plan to Accelerate Your Career | CAREERBRIGHT

Interview Preperation

As any good job coach will tell you, what lands you a job is convincing a company that they need you. Here are three questions that go a long way to accomplishing that task.

"[B]efore you meet with the manager, make sure you can answer three questions:

1. Why do you think the job is a great move for the company?

2. How can you save and/or make the company money in the job?

3. How will you hit the job running?" - 3 Questions to Ask Yourself Before an Interview | CAREEREALISM

What to do When You Have no Degree on Your Resume

There is more than one strategy for dealing with this problem on your resume, but this is a good place to start. Alternatively, you can also consider getting a bachelor degree online.

"Add Professional Development. This is an opportunity to showcase self-initiative – and is a category on your resume that can help downplay the fact that you did not obtain a degree. For instance, it is especially critical in the IT sector for professionals to be up-to-date on new developments happening in the field. Professionals also need to be trained on new developments in technical infrastructure and obtain or renew certifications. Showcasing your participation in training, such as courses, seminars and conferences will demonstrate to an employer that you have the know-how needed to do the job applied for. This provides greater value to certain employers than seeing that a candidate has obtained a college degree alone." - Resumes When You Don’t Have a Degree | CAREEREALISM

Ease Job Search Stress

"Pace your learning. If you’re not tech savvy or internet literate, don’t try to learn everything at once. Yes, you do need to use a computer and the internet, but you don’t need to become an expert overnight. In priority order, here is what you need to learn; but learn each item well before moving on to the next. Don’t try to learn the entire list at the same time; you’ll only confuse yourself.

Word processing. You MUST be able to prepare and modify a resume.
Email. You need to set up an email account, many of which are free. Learn to send, reply and attach your resume to an email.
Find and learn how to use job boards. Don’t try using all of them. If you focus on Indeed.com and jobs in Linked In, you will find that the majority of posted jobs are in those applications." - 4 Things to Do If You’re Feeling Overwhelmed By Your Job Search | Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog

Sample Interview Question: Challenges Facedd

Explaining a challenging situation you faced in a previous job is a fairly standard interview question. Make sure you can answer it well.

"Tell us about the challenges you faced during your previous job and how it helped you further in your work?
Discuss the things that you found difficult while working with the previous company. It can be achieving the targets, market research, maintaining the records, etc. Any such thing you found challenging should be discussed here. Also explain them what measures you undertook for converting these challenges into opportunities." - Interview Tips for Building Successful Job Career: MBA Interview Questions

Provide a Salary History

Oftentimes a prospective employer will ask for a salary history, either in writing along with the resume as part of an applicant's portfolio, or at the interview itself. While some may feel off put by the questions, there is no reason to shy away from it. 

Some employers simply want to know if you have been over or under paid in your previous position to gain an upper hand when it comes to salary negotiation. One way to combat this is to know your worth ahead of time. This way if you were underpaid at your last position you can bring that to light as well.

Where the Jobs Are

"If you want to ride a crest of increasing employment over the next 10 years, get into health care, personal care, social assistance, or construction. That's the advice you can glean from a report issued by the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics today. Here are the 10 jobs with the brightest future." - The Jobs With The Brightest Future - Jacquelyn Smith - Forbes

Tax Deduction for Job Search

" In this economy, many people are job searching, which can be expensive. Between paying for resume quality paper, mailing out resumes and traveling to interviews, the search for a job can cost you quite a bit during a time when you can least afford it. Whether you have been laid off or are simply looking for a new job, if you have job-search related expenses, you may be able to qualify for a tax deduction. (Just make sure you keep those receipts!)" - ** Everything Finance - A Good Personal Finance Blog - Its all about Money!

Every little bit helps. Click the link to get the full details.