Posts Tagged: job search
On MyPath.com: Job Opportunities with Women-Owned Businesses
Posted in Career Advice Job Hunting Recommended Resources Women on January 28, 2010 at 9:09 am
I recently came across a study by the Guardian Life Small Business Research Institute predicting that about one-third of new jobs created over the next eight years will be at small businesses owned by women.
As a woman small business owner myself, I was really intrigued by this news. It also reminded me that many students and young professionals miss out on great opportunities because they overlook the potential to get a job at a (man- or woman-owned) small business.
In this week’s podcast, I share my thoughts on the opportunities available in small businesses, how to find these opportunities and the pros and cons of working for a smaller organization.
As always, I look forward to your feedback and comments!
Tags: career, job search, MyPath
You Have More Experience Than You Think (Part I)
Posted in Career Advice First Job Out of College Generation Y Job Hunting on September 28, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Remember those days when your first assignment back at school in September was to write an essay about everything you did that summer? In recalling those memories, I started to think about the way people recount and catalog their experiences.
When young professionals in particular think about their accomplishments, they don’t often view their experiences and skills as relevant to their job search. But many seemingly non-professional experiences are more relevant than you might think.
I recently wrote about how even the most professionally inactive summers may have qualities applicable to your job search. To find out why summer jobs, self-improvement and summer socials are important, read my blog post, Slacked off This Summer? Time to Turn up the Heat! on The Huffington Post.
As I was writing that post, I realized that most young people are indeed more experienced than they think. We all know that jobs and internships are relevant, but it’s important to take inventory of all your talents and experiences so you don’t freeze up when writing your resume, interviewing for your dream job or filling out your LinkedIn profile. Whether you’re crafting a cover letter for a new job or negotiating a higher salary a current one, it’s important to take inventory and gain confidence in your experiences and abilities.
How far back should you go in your analysis? As a general rule, resume-relevant experience goes back four years for students and recent grads, unless you’ve done something super impressive like winning an Olympic medal or starting your own business, which you should always mention. Read more on the timeline for recalling your achievements in my blog post, Career Q&A: Is it lame to put high school achievements on my resume?
I’ve put together a laundry list of valuable experiences and skills that may not automatically come to mind when conducting your job search. Here are the first five as a teaser — stay tuned for the rest in days to come: (more…)
Tags: Career Advice, job search
Guest Post: Résumé Tips for a Bad Economy
Posted in Career Advice Economic Crisis Job Hunting Recommended Resources Resumes on February 20, 2009 at 12:30 am
It’s Friday! Today I’m happy to share a guest post from Lauren Randa Hasson, better known as the Résumé Girl. Lauren has great energy, great tips and a great blog. If you’re a college student or recent grad looking for resume help, check out her services. (She even offers a free initial consultation. Take advantage!)
After writing a recent post about resumes, I wanted to share advice from an expert on the topic. Lauren was gracious enough to provide a guest post with 10 tips designed to help you improve your resume — a crucial element of finding a job in the current economy. Over to you, Lauren…
Resume Tips for a Bad Economy
Résumé writing in a bad economy means taking extra steps to make sure you get noticed. Sending out more résumés does not necessarily improve your chances. But submitting résumés that are well written could mean the difference between getting the job or not. Here are The Résumé Girl’s top ten tips for résumé writing in a bad economy:
Tip #1: Include a List of Your Qualifications Right Up Front
Tell the reader who you are and what you want right away. Don’t make them search your résumé for this information because, unfortunately, they won’t. They’ll move on to the next. In the first section of your résumé, reiterate the key points in your cover letter. Be specific as to the kind of position you’re looking for. After all, they will only spend a few seconds with your résumé. Do them a favor and give them a cheat sheet.
Tip #2: Customize Your Section Headings for the Position
It might sound tedious, but customizing the section headings of your résumé is a great way to highlight the relevance of your résumé for the reader. For example, instead of writing “Work Experience,” tailor it to the job you’re applying for by highlighting the type of experience it is, like “Public Relations Experience.” If you do, even the busiest reader will take notice! You can also use this method to highlight your different levels of relevant experience. For example, you can list your “In-House Experience” separately from your “Agency Experience.”
Tip #3: List Your Most Relevant Qualifications First
Many jobseekers believe that their work experience needs to be listed in chronological order. However, listing your most relevant qualifications first will keep the reader from getting bogged down with filler information that doesn’t apply to the position and catch their eye. If you don’t have any relevant experience, put your education immediately following your summary of qualifications. (more…)
Tags: Career Advice, Job Hunting, job search, resume
Career Q&A: How to make your resume stand out in a crowd
Posted in Career Advice Career Q&A Job Hunting Resumes on February 12, 2009 at 6:25 pm
Q: I’ve been applying for jobs since September and have not been called for a single interview. I’ve taken my resume to Career Services for a review and some tips, but still nothing. How can I make my resume stand out in a crowd?
A: You’ve taken the right first step, which is having an expert — in your case, career services — review your resume and make sure it’s the best it can be. However, having a good resume is not enough these days. Employers are being bombarded with resumes, so the real way to stand out is to promote yourself beyond sending in a resume. You have to go the extra mile to get noticed.
Depending on your situation and the types of jobs you’re applying for, here are some suggestions: (more…)
Tags: Career Advice, Job Hunting, job search, resume
On CareerTV: “Feed Your Future” Recession-proof your job search”
Posted in Career Advice Economic Crisis First Job Out of College Generation Y Internships Job Hunting Networking Recommended Resources on February 8, 2009 at 2:07 pm
Many thanks to CareerTV for interviewing me for a new segment, “Feed Your Future,” sponsored by PricewaterhouseCoopers. If you’re a student at UT-Austin, please come to the LIVE event on Monday, February 9th at McCombs School of Business. Click here for more information on this FREE event.
To watch the video, click here.
Free “extra help” for your job hunt: Forte Foundation Virtual Campus
Posted in Uncategorized on November 16, 2008 at 3:08 pm
If you’ve been reading my blog for a while, I’m sure it won’t surprise you that I was the kind of student who went to “extra help” sessions after class. I wanted to take advantage of every opportunity to do well and get a good grade. This was especially true in classes like Calculus, where I felt totally overwhelmed during regular class hours (okay, and maybe a little distracted by the cute hockey player who sat next to me).
If you’re feeling overwhelmed by your job hunt or career management (particularly in this very challenging economy), there are places you can turn for extra help after hours. I’ve written before about the fact that university career services offices provide free job search and career help to all students and alumni, but I’m aware that these offices can be overbooked and, of course, only open during the day.
If you need more help, more resources and more advice, and you need all of this late at night or on the weekends (and, let’s be honest, it’s hard to fit in a job search when you have classes and/or a full-time job) , here is a new resource I recommend: (more…)
I’ll be blogging for Job Action Day on Monday
Posted in Career Advice Economic Crisis Recommended Resources on October 31, 2008 at 12:07 pm
I’m happy to announce that Quintessential Careers’ founder and publisher Randall S. Hansen has invited me to participate in Job Action Day 2008, which is set for this Monday, November 3rd. I’m thrilled to be included in this “day for job-seekers and workers to confront the current economic crisis head-on and take action steps to improve their careers.” (Read the full press release here.)
Other career bloggers selected to participate include:
Alexandra Levit: Alexandra Levit’s Water Cooler Wisdom
Barbara Safani: CareerSolvers
Career Manangement Alliance Blog
Curt Rosengren: The M.A.P. Maker [Meaning Abundance & Passion]
Darrell Gurney: In The Line of Hire
Diane Danielson: THE WOMEN’SDISH with Diane & Friends
Jacob Share: JobMob
Louise Fletcher: blueskyresumesblog
Maggie Mistal: what if…
Miriam Salpeter: Keppie Careers Blog
Rich Milgram: EmploymentMetrix.com
Steven Rothberg: CollegeRecruiter.com Blog
Wendy Terwelp: Rock Your Career
Willy Franzen: One Day, One Job
I hope you’ll support Job Action Day by reading and commenting on the blogs from these terrific career professionals. Be sure to come back to this blog on Monday to read my contribution!
Podcast: Survive and thrive in a tough job market
Posted in Career Advice Generation Y Job Hunting on October 22, 2008 at 7:25 pm
Are you worried about how to survive or thrive in this current job market? Listen in to my discussion with Christine Hassler, host of TwentySomethingYak for advice on how to handle being unemployed, find a new job or succeed in your current position. Christine and I discuss what industries are hiring, what you can do to keep yourself motivated and much more.
Book Review: “Courting Your Career”
Posted in Career Advice First Job Out of College Generation Y on May 31, 2008 at 7:42 pm
Shawn is associate director with the MBA career management center at UNC-Chapel Hill. He knows that job searching isn’t always fun for students and young professionals, so he decided to use the dating metaphor to make the process more palatable. It works. Shawn’s tone is friendly, knowledgeable and detailed, and the dating metaphor is clever (e.g., cover letters as pick-up lines).
My favorite part of the book is the sample scripts, where Shawn outlines exactly what to say in various situations, such as calling a networking contact or approaching a recruiter at a career fair. He also provides some tips I haven’t seen elsewhere, such as a guide to the best places for men and women to buy interview suits (helpfully ranked by price).
Recommended for Gen Y job seekers looking for expert advice combined with a fun twist on the career search process.
Click here for a preview of tips from Courting Your Career: Match Yourself with the Perfect Job.
For more, check out Shawn Graham’s Courting Your Career Blog.
What does your voice mail greeting say about you?
Posted in Career Advice Etiquette First Job Out of College Generation Y Internships on March 31, 2008 at 8:00 am
I spent this weekend speaking at the National Conference on Student Leadership in Atlanta, where I met some incredibly talented and interesting student leaders. In one workshop, we spent some time on the topic of voice mail greetings — what to do, and perhaps more importantly, what not to do.
In today’s super-busy world, callers are more likely to get your voice mail than you personally. So, if you’re in the middle of a job or internship search, make sure your greeting reflects the professionalism you will show on the job.
If you have a—ahem—less-than-appropriate voice mail greeting on a phone you plan to use for your job search (“Hey, leave a message” or the one I’m hearing a lot lately, “Don’t leave a message”), re-record a new one. “Hi, this is Laura Roberts. Please leave me a message and I’ll call you back as soon as possible.” That’s all you need.
Potential employers should feel as if they’re calling another desk in their office, because that’s exactly where you want your phone to be someday. This is a simple change to make, and it can make a world of difference.
