When to start a search

When it comes to starting your job search, there’s no time like the present—except, maybe, if the present happens to be during a major life change, a big project at work, or the summertime.

Career experts say job seekers should always be actively looking. The stars will never align perfectly in your job search and if you wait for them to do so, a great opportunity could be missed. 

The best time to look for a new job is when you don’t need one; you just want one. For the complete discussion see the article here.

Moms’ jobs can make a difference …

The Church surveys and research make some projections for the sisters of the Church. Two thirds of all sisters will at one point be the principal breadwinner for their family. This comes about with the husband’s loss of employment, unexpected death or divorce, or a sister remaining single.

There is little opportunity for a mom with the responsibility of a child to move beyond minimum wage work. To make a shift is almost impossible for a family without help. They have to work hard to make the day-to-day.

The biggest motivator for moms is the financial security that a "non-traditional" job can offer. For more details on this topic, see the full article on a Wyoming program here.

Job Longevity Shows Commitment

Reporting your longevity on each job is an essential part of your resume. Employers look for you to stick with a job two years or more to convey your committment; job hopping is not a favorable attribute. Your resume should have beginning month and year for each employer reported.

To make the most of your job experience review the topic of longevity and how to convey it here.

Display Your Career Passion!

Ever wonder what employers look for when they recruit candidates? Well now you can stop wondering because we're going to tell you. We recently conducted a survey in conjunction with Millennial Branding, a Gen Y research and consulting firm, to learn what hiring managers are looking for when they search for candidates, the disconnects between employers, job candidates, and the generations that currently make up the workforce. To check out the infographic presented.  click here

Career Fair Checklist for Career Fair Success

Are you planning to attend a career fair soon? Are you searching for pointers to help you succeed at the career fair? Do you know the activities job-seekers should perform before, during, and after the career fair?

Please note that it is important to prepare 10 to 15 hours for each Job Fair with regards to the companies being represented. You need to research each company to more fully understand the scope of their products and/or services, marketing strategies, and needs or solutions that you may offer them. For specific in-depth suggestions of 1) what to do in preparation before attending a Job Fair plus 2) guidelines on what activities to pursue while at the Job Fair as well as 3) what activities to accomplish following the Job Fair, click here for a fantastic list of do’s and don’t’s.

Special bonus, this employment blog maintains an up-to-date list of Colorado Front Range Job Fairs.  Click here for daily updates.  For easier reading in your Internet browser to enlarge type size, use the control key plus the + key. To reduce the type size, use the control key plus the – key.

Best 100 Colorado Companies for Flexible Jobs

Based on years of researching companies that hire for telecommuting, part-time, flextime, or freelance jobs, FlexJobs has compiled the best list of 100 of companies located in Colorado that specifically have hired for jobs with at least one of these flexible working options. Below you will find the company profiles on Colorado employers such as Catholic Health Initiatives, Imagine!, and Niche Technologies Inc., as well as each company's telecommuting, part-time, freelance, and flexible job posting history, a staff-written description, and the company's headquarters and website.

The purpose of the free Colorado List of Best Companies for Flexible Jobs is to help people in Colorado to easily find and research the legitimate employers embracing workplace flexibility.

If you you're looking for a job in Colorado, click here.  This guide is excellent and free as a resource for jobs!

10 Best-Paying Jobs Of The Future

If you decided on a new career path today, wouldn't you like to know which jobs will be in high demand and pay the most once you were out of school? To serve as a guide, 24/7 Wall St. has identified the best-paying jobs of the future. These jobs will grow the most in the next decade and have median incomes well above the national average. Almost without exception, these occupations will be in highest demand

One change that will create high demands for some professions is the increasing amount of data available to businesses.  For more info, click here

Reasons for Changing Jobs

During the time the economy struggled, it was important just to have a job. As the economy improves, you may consider the opportunity to change jobs. Carefully consider the reasons you come up with to justify a significant decision.

Don’t overreact. Leaving a job to minimize pain should not be the primary reason for accepting another job. Both negative and positive motivators must be considered; as well as extrinsic (short-term) motivators, and intrinsic (long-term).

See an interesting diagram in the full article to assist your decision making here.

Nonverbal First Impressions

It begins even before you say your first word in an interview. As the interviewer walks toward you to shake hands, an opinion is already being formed. And as you sit waiting to spew out your answers to questions you've prepared for, you are already being judged by your appearance, posture, smile or your nervous look.

• The nonverbal messages
• The Handshake
• Your Posture 
• Eye  Contact 
• Your Hands 
•  Don't Fidget

Preparing what you have to say is important, but practicing how you will say it is imperative. The nonverbal message can speak louder than the verbal message you're sending. For details on the above see the complete article here.

Cover Letter for over 50

Searching for a new job when you are over 50 can produce anxiety, but you can create a cover letter that makes you stand out as a highly desirable job candidate. The first thing that employers notice about your application is your cover letter, so it is important for it to be effective.

Your cover letter is a tool to get you noticed by employers; it should be customized for the job you are seeking. Draft a compelling message for each position, and let employers know why you want to work for them and how your skills and experience are useful for the position.

For more information on the letter content, see the complete article here.

Write a Persuasive Cover Letter

You put a lot of thought and work into developing a professional resume, but may lose steam when it comes to the cover letter. When you submit a resume for a job posting or to a referral, you may be asked to submit a cover letter. There is at least a 50% chance that your cover letter will actually be read.

A well-written persuasive cover letter is a powerful addition to your suite of career marketing documents. So transform your existing cover letter from boring to attention-grabbing in five steps.

See the five steps with examples in the full article here.

100 Potential Interview Questions

While there are as many different possible interview questions as there are interviewers, it always helps to be ready for anything. So here is a list of 100 potential interview questions. Will you face them all? No interviewer would be that cruel. Will you face a few? Probably.

You be well-served by being ready even if you're not asked these exact questions.  In reviewing these questions try to formulate an answer or be ready with a personal example you can elaborate on.  

Find the complete list here. 

Strategies for a Career Change

People are becoming more apt to take action to become upwardly mobile. According to the Wall Street Journal, nearly 40 percent of all people seeking new jobs are also trying to change careers.

Think through the process or method you will use to accomplish your goals; accept that there is a level of risk involved. Younger workers have an easier time changing career, but if you have been in a profession for several decades, it may be difficult to match your current salary with an entry-level position.

The article outlines three key elements of the process:

• Accept the Risk
• Avoid the Traps
• New Career Choices

For more on these topics, see the complete article here.

Benefits of career networking

Networking is the key to obtaining a new job. It is also the key to advancing in your currently employed position. Using networking while employed is a career strategy.

For many people, professional networking feels forced and uncomfortable. In industries where who you know is as important as what you can do, however, networking is a crucial business skill. It can lead to new job opportunities, mutually beneficial partnerships and exciting business ideas. With a few simple strategies, you can develop better networking abilities quickly.

To see three networking strategies to use to advance your current career, see the complete article here.

Job Search Site List

The internet provides a vast resource of information relating to job searching. In order to make effective use of these resources an organized and disciplined approach to your job search is appropriate.  While job leads are necessary, the fact remains that networking and personal contacts are the most effective path to a job interview and ultimately an offer. Using the internet to identify available job openings and then using networking to get an inside track can provide a powerful search strategy.

The following compilation of sites was prepared by Karla Nuzman, an employment Specialist.  It presents an extensive set of site addresses broken into useful career categories.

COMPANIES	CONSTRUCTION	ENERGY
ENGINEERING	FELONS	FINANCE – BANKING
GENERAL	GOVERNMENT JOBS	HEALTHCARE
HOSPITALITY	IT– TECHNOLOGY	JOURNALISM – BROADCASTING
	REGIONS – LOCATIONS

For multiple web sites for Job Searches by career, click here.

Top 10 Best Job Sites

 Looking for a good position is never easy, especially in tough employment markets. But even so, there are hundreds of thousands of jobs available at any given time, if one knows where to look. Many of them are posted on job boards.

A job board’s primary function is to connect companies with potential employees. And as recent studies show, companies find nearly 25% of their external new hires through these sites. Surveys have also found that up to 32% of job seekers found their jobs by either responding to an ad or posting a resume on a job board.

To see the top sites click here.

Smart career moves to make by 30

For people in their twenties, life can be a rich time for personal self-discovery—a period when you’re more willing to take risks and maybe even make mistakes along the way. These can also be some of the most formative years for your career.

When you graduate, you may have an idea of what you want to be when you “grow up,” but may not have an idea of just how to get there. You don’t want to leave everything to chance - especially if it affects your future earning power.

Career experts and coaches have their opinions on the top dos—and don’ts—for the younger generation of career builders. For those past ‘twenty something’ look to see what you did right, or not so. Here are 30 savvy moves to make at each stage of your career before you hit 30, or might be able to catch up on after. See the complete article here.

Your Interview: hard questions, best answers

There are many challenging interview questions that you may be asked in a job interview.  You need to be quick on your feet with good answers. By reviewing tough questions and formulating good personal responses reflecting on your experience with actual situations, you prepare yourself.  Review typical questions and consider an appropriate response, based on your background and skills. 

There aren't necessarily any right or wrong answers, but carefully consider the job you are applying for, your abilities, and the company culture before you respond.

For a set of questions to test your wit and skills, see the full article here.

Tips for how to find a job

If someone started looking for a job today, there is no way of knowing how long it will take. You have to make looking for a job a job in itself. It needs to be a 24-hours-a-day, seven-day-a-week, 365-days-a-year job.

There's always the opportunity of working in the temporary arena. People should be calling temporary employment firms to find light industrial jobs, or jobs that will make a minimum wage or maybe a little more. For example, if you've been an accountant your whole life, there are opportunities out there, and you might be able to find some temporary jobs.

Develop a system of looking for a job. This way, you focus on the process without having to worry about the results. Keep track of the calls you make and the interviews you get. That way you can follow up on the interviews.

For a comprehensive outline see the full article here.

Tips for networking when job hunting

Try networking, it really does work. At least 60%  of all jobs are found by networking. Develop contacts - friends, family, neighbors, college alumni, people in associations - anyone who might help generate information and job leads.

You can take a direct approach and ask for job leads or try a less formal approach and ask for information and advice. Contact everyone you know. You may be surprised by the people they know.

For a complete copy of the article on networking see it here.

Cover Letter, before and after

In addition to a cover letter being specific in linking your abilities and experience directly to the job requirements, the letter has to also grab the reader.  It may be that the cover letter gets the reviewer to read the resume or in a pursal of your resume they want a confirmation their impression from the cover letter.

In any case an example of a real cover letter in ‘before and after’ versions can give you some pointers on the possible improvements you might incorporate in your introduction. For a brief comparison of the two versions see the examples here.

Your Cover Letter, In Minutes!

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What Makes a Good Cover Letter?

A good cover letter should convince the hiring manager to give you an interview. It needs to be customized for the job, and help you stand out from the crowd.

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How to Create a Great Cover Letter

A cover letter is the best way to introduce yourself to a potential employer. It tells them a little bit about yourself, your background, and why you are interested in the position. A great cover letter is going to help you get your foot in the door and give you the best chance at getting a great position with any top company. There are many tools and resources you can use to help you create the best cover letter for advancing your career.

To create a cover letter to go along with your job application, it is helpful to have the right tools at your disposal. If you are very confident in your word processing abilities, you can use a program to create your own organized and professional cover letter. However, if you feel like you need some help creating a good outline, use cover letter templates. These templates can be opened in your word processing program, and then you can plug your information directly into the document. A template will have a neat, professional layout already in place for you. This way, you won’t need to worry about choosing a font or properly formatting the document.

The easiest way to create a great cover letter is to use an online cover letter writer. These specialized webpages will let you enter your information into pre-selected information boxes. When you are finished plugging in your contact information and the body of the letter, the website will then create your completed cover letter. You can then save it to your computer’s hard drive or print it out immediately to include with your employment application.

Top Cover Letter Tips

Your cover letter should always be accurate and professional. Never submit your cover letter without giving it a second look. Check for grammar and spelling errors and make sure you’ve included all the right contact information at the top of your letter. You don’t want to miss out on a job opportunity because you accidentally missed a digit in your phone number or spelled your email address wrong!

Another good tip for cover letters is to highlight your skills with carefully selected keywords. These words will jump out at the prospective employer and tell them exactly what your strengths are. Use words that are easily understood and simple, like organized, experienced, and professional. Keep it simple so your cover letter will be easy to read and understand. Many hiring managers are busy and have a lot to go through, so they’ll appreciate a short and sweet cover letter. Try to keep the whole thing to one page.

The right cover letter will improve your chances of getting noticed at a prestigious company. You can stand out from the other applicants if you use the right formatting and keywords. Using the right tools and tips will help you get the position you are truly qualified for. Whether you are a teacher, an accountant, or a recent graduate looking for anything, the right cover letter will get you started.

The Keys to an Outstanding Cover Letter

When applying to various jobs, experienced job seekers know that the resume is only part of the package. The other part is the message that comes either in paper form or, more recently, in e-mail form. We're referring to the cover letter, an art form that has been neglected by far too many job hunters. Putting all of your effort into your resume and ignoring the introductory message that accompanies it is a costly mistake. If you understand the keys to crafting an outstanding cover letter, there's no need to be left in the dust in the race to find gainful employment.

The first thing you need to know is that much like a resume, a cover letter should be brief, simple, and easy to read. Hiring managers don't possess large amounts of time to read the mounting pile of messages on their desks or in their inboxes. If they bother to give you their attention at all, consider yourself lucky! Keep them in a good mood (the kind of mood that prevents them from deleting your message) by writing no more than a few paragraphs, with your total output being a page or less. It's perfectly acceptable to use bullet points; indeed, this can be a useful strategy in summing up your main qualifications for the job. Sell yourself effectively in fewer than 500 words, and you may just be the winner. Besides, a brief message accomplishes one of your primary objectives: Keep the reader in a state of wanting to learn more about you. In the job search, this means piquing the hiring manager's interest so that he or she will grant you a phone call or, better yet, an interview.

The second key is use an attention-getter or "grabber." Hiring managers see the same phrases and sentences over and over. Imagine how many times they hear somebody claiming to be a "self-starter" or a "people person." Your objective should be to stand out from the crowd and grab the hiring manager's attention within the first few sentences. An example would be: "Your company is a leader in the marketplace – but it needs a sales manager who can put this company over the top. I am that sales manager." Yes, that's a bold statement, but at least it's unique. One can imagine the hiring manager calling someone just to see if he or she can back up such an assertion. Any callback is a good callback, even if it's done out of curiosity. You might be surprised at how a bit of curiosity can turn into real interest and eventually a hire.

There's another key to cover letter magic, which is keywords. If you see certain words in the job ad, job description, or company website that stand out and represent what the company would expect from you as an employee, pay attention because those are important keywords. These words and phrases should be inserted into your cover letter in a way that's natural and not overdone. You'll also want to insert commonly used industry buzzwords that pertain to your line of work. The idea is not to load up on keywords, but rather to show that you're attuned to the changing needs of the industry as well as the job position itself.

If you're not the type of person to write documents from scratch, you'll want to know about next key, which is the worldwide web. Look online for sample cover letters and free cover letter templates that suit the type of job you're looking for. It's as easy as filling in the blanks if you manage to locate a cover letter generator online, and this can be accomplished in no time by entering a phrase such as "free cover letter builder" or "free cover letter template" into Bing, Google, Yahoo, or any search engine of your choosing. If you're willing to invest money into your job search, a professional letter template may be available for a reasonable fee from a writing or printing company. Yet another option is to skip the templates and instead look at a variety of free cover letter samples that you can easily find online through a search engine. The idea is to look at a number of examples and let them inspire you to compose a document that suits your particular style, situation, and purpose.

Here another key that's essential to your success: Avoid the one-size-fits-all approach. Yes, it is very easy and convenient to blast out the same copied-and-pasted message to a hundred different employers. In some ways, that might seem like a good strategy, since you'll be reaching more hiring managers. However, it's important to realize that quality is much more important that quantity when it comes to your job hunt. It's much better to impress a handful of hiring managers than to bore a hundred of them with the same old boilerplate letter; even if you're using a template, your message doesn't need to look or sound like one. For each and every cover letter you send, do your due diligence and learn as much as you can about the company and the hiring manager at that company. Address your message to that person specifically (this is always preferable to "Dear Sir or Madam"), and mention things that pertain to that company in particular. This strategy will demonstrate that you care about the company and that you're truly interested in working there.

So, to sum it all up, start with the first key, which is to compose a simple cover letter that is brief and gets directly to the point. Get the hiring manager's attention as quickly as possible by writing something interesting and bold (but not arrogant) within the first few sentences. Insert keywords in a manner that is logical and organic. Use templates and samples from the Internet to guide you, or consult a professional for assistance. Additionally, eschew a one-size-fits-all approach in favor of a highly tailored strategy that demonstrates knowledge of each individual company and hiring manager. Combine all of these keys and tips, and your search for a job might end up being much quicker and easier than you ever imagined it would be.

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Ready for your video interview?

As if mentally preparing for a job interview wasn’t hard enough, now you need to look good on camera, too.

More companies are making video interviews an integral step in the hiring process. Depending on the survey, from 30 percent to 60 percent of organizations conduct some portion of job interviews via webcam.  There are things you can do to be ready, including knowing where to look, practicing and making sure you’re talking from an appropriately work-like setting.

Here are the recommend preparations for a video interview:

1. Get the gear
2. Talk from an office setting
3. Declutter and remove noisemakers
4. Adjust the lighting
5. Dress appropriately
6. Look into the camera
7. Practice
8. Be on time

For the details on these video savy topics, see the full article here.

Re-Employed? Pick up the pieces

One of the ugliest features of the Great Recession and its dreary aftermath has been the high rate of long-term unemployment, which the Labor Department defines as being jobless for 27 weeks or longer.  About 1.4 million people altogether were long-termers as of January 2014.

Today, the economy is improving and the jobless rate is falling, but that leaves lots of newly employed Americans picking up the pieces of their financial lives thrown off the rails by the recession.

What if you're 50?  You don't have as much time to make up for lost earnings and forfeited retirement contributions. But there are steps you can take to get your retirement plans, and your finances in general, back on track.

• Celebrate (in moderation).
• Assess the damage and set a new budget.
• Start saving and tackle debt.
• Get a checkup.
• Catch up on retirement.
• Plan on it happening again.

For the details of these steps see the complete article here.

Exact words for salary negotiations

You have the most power to negotiate a salary after you've impressed your future employer in interviews, but before you sign an official job offer. Most employees will informally offer you the job before they give you anything to sign, and this is a good time to talk about what you want.

Your new employer wants to hire you, and has no desire to keep interviewing. More than anything, they're anxious for you to start work. This is the time; ask for more money.

For pointers on strategy and language, see the full article here.

Strategies for job seekers over 40

The recent recession battered all segments of the U.S. economy, erasing 8 million private sector jobs in the process.  For every job opening, there are at least five out-of-work Americans.

Middle-aged professionals have been hit particularly hard.  There are inherent difficulties that older workers face when having to compete against younger applicants in the new economic environment.

If you are 40 or older and looking to re-join the workplace or move up in your career, there are several extra strategies that need to be part of your job-hunting process. That’s because age discrimination still exists in subtle forms.

You need to be aware of the stereotypes that pervade the marketplace concerning older workers and learn how to overcome the barriers that hiring managers may put in your way because of your age. See the complete article here.

Things Never to Say to Your Boss

“Think before you speak” is always a good policy  …

At work it's even more important. Saying the wrong thing to your boss can do serious damage to your career -- and some of the things bosses don't like to hear may surprise you. 

Checking with some managers came up with a list of nine phrases they strongly dislike.  To see the list of what not to say and what you should say instead, see the complete article here.

Baby Boomer Job Hunting

People in their 50s and 60s might have a lower overall unemployment rate than their younger counterparts. But when they lose a job, they have a harder time returning to the workforce. Midlife and older job hunters are concerned that their age will hurt their chances of landing work, especially if they’re looking while unemployed.

66 percent of people ages 55 to 64 who are unemployed have been out of work for more than six months, according to an analysis of 2012 census data. That’s more than twice the number of those under 25 who’ve been out of work six months or more.

Ageism is one reason it’s harder for older workers to find a job. Potential employers fear – justly or not – that older workers won’t be able to keep up, won’t know the latest technology or will put in a few years and then retire. To counter these fears and get strategies for success, see the entire article here.

Job Search Tax Deductions

When you're job searching, it's important to keep track of your job search expenses, because these costs may be a tax deduction when you file your income taxes.

If you've been looking for a job in the same line of work you're currently in, many of your expenses like phone calls, the costs of preparing and copying your resume, and career counseling are deductible. You don't have to be out of work to have some of your costs qualify as a deductible expense, but only expenses that exceed 2% percent of your income count.

Be sure to include as income your severance and unemployment, they are taxable. See the complete article here.

Resume, elaborate: Problem, Solution, Results

Use the PSR – for “problem, solution, results” — methodology to punch up your experience bullets and provide a brief project summary.

So what is this magical PSR methodology? In a nutshell, it’s a classic writing technique that authors have been using for years. Instead of providing information in a vacuum, you lure in reviewers by defining the challenge you’ve faced, your course of action and the results you achieved.

• Define the Problem
• Describe the Solution
• Outline Your Impact

The final step is to edit all of this into powerful accomplishment bullets, project summaries and interview vignettes. For more detail and an example, see the complete article here.

Interviewing, a Comprehensive Discussion

Considering that your resume has been successful in getting a call to interview, you need to understand the interviewing process. In a labor market where there are many qualified candidates competing for the same position, how you do on the interview can often determine whether you get the job. 

Here are topics you might find enlightening in your interview preparation:

• Types of Interviews
• Interviewing Strategies
• Illegal Questions
• Who gets Hired?
• Negotiating Your Compensation Package
• More Information About The Interview

For the complete discussion see the complete article here.