Your resume, or as known in other parts as a CV (curriculum vitae) is an overview of your experiences and qualifications to perform a specific job. It is your first introduction to a prospective employer and determines if that introduction will ever progress to a meeting or formal interview. I have read literally thousands of them in my life. In that time I learned very quickly to decide if I had any interest in looking further. I will share some thoughts on what things I loved and hated about reviewing CVs. My number one decider in looking at a resume was if after a very brief glance at education and experience was if I could tell what position they were applying for. I often had multiple positions open at once and if the resume did not make it very clear what position they might be suited for I did not have time to try to figure it out for them. Since cover letters were very often simply fill in the position blanks at the top followed by a few clichés and generic reasons why they … [Read more...] about A Proper Introduction – What I Hated and Loved to See on a Resume
Archives for 2013
What are Good Incentives for Employees?
Any company will benefit from an efficient, hardworking and motivated workforce. These attributes can be attained and enhanced by ensuring the staff enjoy their work, are valued and treated well. Employee incentives are an effective method to motivating, encouraging and setting goals to get the best from staff. Incentives can prevent the drudgery of work repetition or the feeling of being stuck in a job or career rut. One-off incentives for employees are good for when a specific target requires reaching, or to maintain good morale, regular incentives will help keep the staff happy. So what makes a good incentive? It has to be something that is of value to the workers. It is of no use to offer incentives that are of little use or hold no value to the receiver. For example, tickets to a ball game may be a praised reward to some, but of no value to someone with no interest in sport. Also be aware not to patronize. Rewarding additional hours, worked in order to achieve a goal within a … [Read more...] about What are Good Incentives for Employees?
How to Ask for a Raise
There are few more difficult topics to approach your boss with than a request for a pay raise. While the intent is to get compensated for your value if done wrong it can lower your worth in the eyes of your employer and cause lasting stress and discomfort in the workplace. Before considering the request for a raise it is important for you to honestly reflect if you deserve it. Key questions to consider are- Has your pay been stagnant for more than 18 months? Have other people gotten raises in that time period? Has your work actually warranted a raise? If it is the same quality and value for years and a declining economy is it reasonable to ask for a raise? Is your work worth more someplace else? If you are being paid market value for your position what are you basing your request on? Can you document your value to the company in hard numbers? The most difficult of these is truly assessing your own value to the company. If the sole justification is because you have worked … [Read more...] about How to Ask for a Raise
How to Write a Perfect Prospective Letter
If you have taken the time to write and polish your resume to perfection when looking for a job, doesn't your prospective letter deserve the same level of attention? Many job seekers overlook this necessary step and end up receiving fewer requests for interviews than if they had taken the time to writing adding more detail than simply stating that they are interested in applying for a particular position. The following tips will help you make your prospective letter stand out from the rest and distinguish you from the pack as a stellar candidate. 1. Keep your letter relatively short. Four or five paragraphs should be enough to get your message across. You will need to plan for an introductory paragraph, three paragraphs in the body of the letter, and a concluding one. 2. Do include the name of a mutual contact if you have one. If you know someone in the company or told about the position by someone the hiring manager knows, mention this in the opening paragraph. Seeing the name will … [Read more...] about How to Write a Perfect Prospective Letter
Hiring Fresh Graduates: What Makes a Professional
Many of us go to college with the assumption all our hard work will eventually lead to a high paying job. For some graduates, that is the case. They land their dream job – sometimes even before graduation – and seem to live the ideal life. On the other hand, there are plenty of individuals with college degrees who flounder, unemployed, for months and months. Why do some graduates find success and others don’t? Employers See Recent Graduates as a Risky Investment You are a freshly minted college graduate. You have boundless energy and endless enthusiasm. Why can’t you get a job? There are a myriad of things an employer must consider when interviewing a potential candidate. Sometimes, assumptions are made before you even sit down in the hot seat. Other times, your non-verbal communication is shouting so loudly you can’t get a word in edgewise. Here are the things an employer is assuming or interpreting during your interview. You have an unprofessional attitude – and you don’t … [Read more...] about Hiring Fresh Graduates: What Makes a Professional
How Can You Deal with a Coworker That Is Driving You Crazy?
Knowing how to deal with a coworker that is driving you crazy is essential for your success in a company as well as your mental well-being. It will even benefit your overall health. Sooner or later you will run into a coworker that drives you insane. Ultimately, there is likely little you can do to keep this from happening. Even carefully evaluating a company before joining its ranks ultimately cannot protect you. After all, a new hire could walk through the door at any minute. This means that you need to have a strategy in advance for how to deal with a coworker that stresses you out. Step One - Neutralize Maybe you’re in luck. Perhaps your dilemma isn’t quite as bad as it seems. The first step is to pause and carefully evaluate your situation. Ask yourself important questions such as, “Can I take easy steps to minimize contact with this annoying person?” or "Are there steps I can take to reduce … [Read more...] about How Can You Deal with a Coworker That Is Driving You Crazy?
How to Conduct a Romantic Relationship at Work
For many, the only time to meet people is at work. Many of us work long hours, and have little time or interest in drunken bar encounters or the challenges of dating websites. Having an office relationship can be exciting, with the stolen glances and secretive liaisons in the stationary cupboard. The secrecy and fear of being caught can add to the sexual tension, but the downside is they office romances can also cause resentment, gossip, and bring up questions of favoritism. So how do we conduct an office relationship while staying on the right side of our employer and colleagues? Be Aware of Company Policy. Check in with human resources and read the company's policies on having relationships with co-workers (or a relationship with your boss). Be aware of what you are heading into and if it's worth gambling your career for if there is a strict rule against dating your colleagues. Discretion is the Word. Try and keep the intimacy away from the workplace and stay … [Read more...] about How to Conduct a Romantic Relationship at Work
How to Relieve Stress: 3 Clever and Effective Ways
Considering the damaging consequences of stress, the question, “How to relieve stress?” should be on everyone’s mind. According to research by the American Psychological Association in April 2012, job pressure is the top cause of stress in the United States.[1] By reducing your stress levels, you can boost your productivity and even feeling more energetic! Relieving stress is important for a myriad of reasons that go well beyond workplace productivity. High levels of stress produce hormones, such as cortisol and adrenalin. These stress hormones are necessary to make it through life, but if you are under the influence for too long of a period of time, rather nasty negative health outcomes can ensue. In fact, 77% of people surveyed in the study mentioned above said they regularly experience physical symptoms due to their high levels of stress. This all underscores the great importance of tackling stress head on in whatever way works best for you personally. In this article, we … [Read more...] about How to Relieve Stress: 3 Clever and Effective Ways
The Key Benefits of Life Counseling
Life counseling opens up new possibilities as it can serve to alter your perspective on every aspect of, yes, your life! In this article, we will take a look at how life counseling can work for you and help you transform and alter yourself and the world around you. Is Life Counseling Right for You? Whether or not life counseling is right for you largely depends upon who you are. If you are not very open to other people’s ideas, notions, insights and directions and you know it, then working with a life counselor will probably feel like a massive waste of your time. However, if you are generally a pretty open minded person, then you will likely find that working with a life counselor is a positive step. So what kinds of benefits can you expect from life counseling? According to the International Coaching Federation, 67% of people find "higher level of self-awareness," and 62.4% of people achieve "smarter goal setting." Other items clients have reported … [Read more...] about The Key Benefits of Life Counseling
How to Get Your Boss to Say "Yes"!
Making a request of your boss can be a daunting prospect. You want something in your job; maybe a pay rise, an extra assistant to work on a large project you are managing, or it could be some time off for a family function. In order to achieve that "something" you need to ask your boss. Know how to ask. Knowing how to ask can make the difference between achieving your aims or coming away rejected. Firstly, decide what it is you really want. Be clear and concise so your boss fully understands what he/she is being asked to say yes to. You can't expect a yes from your boss to a request they don't understand. Make it clear for them. Show you've done your homework. Don't undermine yourself by lacking in facts. Prepare yourself with information that support what you are asking for. Look at it from your bosses perspective. Approach the request in a way that works for your boss too. If you know your boss is a stickler for staff having a good work/life … [Read more...] about How to Get Your Boss to Say "Yes"!