Author: Nell Taliercio

Okay, you’ve found a job advertisement that you could possibly apply to. Now what do you do? This is where your job researching will start kicking in. It’s important to know or at least have a good idea that the job ad is legit before moving on to the applying stage.

The first thing you need to do is read through the job ad carefully a couple of times. Does it appear legit by reading the ad alone? Are there things that don’t really ring well with you? For example, maybe the job ad is for an accounting position. If the ad says that you don’t need any experience and you’ll be making $1,000 a week, then discard it. It is a scam.

A legit ad will contain much the same as a regular onsite position would contain. Compare it with an onsite position job ad if you need to. If they come close, then you can move on to the next step. Some positions, like customer service or data entry may not need much experience, but specialized positions, like accounting would.

Who is the company hiring for the position? Is it a company that you have heard of before? If it is, you can move on. If not, then you’ll need to research the company to see if they are legit. Here are some ways that you can do that:

• Visit telecommuting or work from home forums and search for the company name to see if they have been talked about before. Don’t be afraid to join the forum and ask if you need to.

• Use your search engines and type in the name of the company and add the word scam next to it. See what comes up.

• Visit the company website, if they have one. Does the site look professional or does it shout out claims of -Work From Home and give you pictures of sports cars and mansions?

• Check out the Better Business Bureau website and type in the company’s name. If the company is listed on their site, look to see what kind of track record they have.

When you’ve gone through that part, now how do you feel about the job? Are you satisfied with what you’ve found or are you still hesitant? If you’re still hesitant, then you can always try contacting the company and ask them more questions. Legit companies will generally be happy to answer you, but it could take a few days.

If you think the job ad is okay, you can go ahead and apply. Don’t give them your social security number or financial account information until you feel confident to do so. Stay on your toes throughout the application process in case surprises pop up, such as them asking for money for training materials.

The job research process could take up a good chunk of your time, but it could save you from an unfortunate situation. Take your time doing your homework, because most legit jobs take a few days to a few weeks before they make a decision of who to hire.

Nell Taliercio has been working at home full time since 2004. She’s worked as a telecommuter, virtual assistant and affiliate marketer. In 5 years she’s discovered many secrets to finding legitimate work at home jobs and securing them. You can find work at home job information and tips at: http://www.justonlinejobs.com

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1309947_36.html

About the Author: Nell Taliercio has been working at home full time since 2004. She’s worked as a telecommuter, virtual assistant and affiliate marketer. In 5 years she’s discovered many secrets to finding legitimate work at home jobs and securing them. You can find her work at home job information and tips at: http://www.justonlinejobs.com

http://www.justonlinejobs.com

Author: JenB

Changing jobs is stressful, regardless of who you are. Take the time to learn ways that you can make the transition a little smoother and spend a lot less time worrying about what’s coming next. If you take your job changes in stride, you’ll be much better able to handle them in the long run.

Everyone changes careers at some point in their life. Whether the decision is voluntary or one that is made based on outside circumstances, you need to know that you are not alone in your switch. Some people don’t bother changing jobs when they should because of all of the stress involved in the job switch process, but it’s something that you occasionally might need to do, and that you can do stress-free as long as you are prepared. Here are some tips to avoid stressful job changes. Organization is key. You need to make sure that your life is organized, your job search is in order, and that you have everything in its place and a place for everything. Disorder is a big cause of stress during career transitions.

Focus, focus, focus. Don’t worry about this or that or the other. Stop, take a deep breath, and go one step at a time through the process. Focus on everything that comes along as it does. For example, focus first on a great resume. Then focus on finding the job that you want. When you land interviews, focus on interview skills. Don’t think of the process as a whole, but by each part of the process. Research when needed. Find jobs, or find where the jobs are. If you plan on moving in order to find jobs, plan out your relocation before you just pack up and leave. Being cautious and planning ahead will alleviate a lot of unnecessary stress in your life.

Nothing is certain, and this can cause a lot of stress in the job search. Try to be calm and accept that this is a scary process, but you can handle it. Accept that you’ll have to meet new people, fit in with new groups and try to make the most of every situation. Every time you start to worry, stop and say ‘oh well’. That stress-free attitude can help. Speaking of attitude, this is a big one. Stay positive, and leave the defeatist attitude at home. Don’t let yourself get overwhelmed by your options or everything that is going on around you. Take a minute to make sure that you are able to handle this, and then reassure yourself periodically that things are going well.

Career switches are never an easy thing. However, when you plan accordingly and adopt a positive attitude, you can generally beat most of the stress that comes your way. Don’t let yourself become so stressed about changing jobs that you stay somewhere where you aren’t happy. All in all, as long as you’re organized, focused, and prepared, you shouldn’t have too much stress when it comes to job hunting.

Six sigma classes are a great technique for your employees if you are a business owner and are searching for a way to boost business. 6 sigma is amazing and is an asset to any company.

Article Source: http://www.articlealley.com/article_1309913_36.html

By Karen Flowers

Ok, so you found the perfect position, right? Well if your resume is focused, strong and tailored to what an employer is looking for, you may have found yourself a new job! BUT, if you don’t let them know how much you want the job, you may very well be the wishy-washy candidate that ends up in the reject pile, and that is just not the party place to be.

When you invest time into your resume, whether you write it yourself, a friend helps or you hire a professional resume writer, it shows. Period. By investing the time into creating a resume that really highlights your go-getter attitude and take charge methods of work-mode, you are essentially showing the HR Manager that you are indeed the right choice to have on the company team.

The fact is, companies don’t want another boring office staffer. They want someone who is as eager for the company to succeed as the big boys in the corner offices are. You can place yourself right into that spot by a simple thing called, value proposition. This is just a fancy way of saying that you are capable of supplying their needs for this position. At the end of the day, you may not check every one of their boxes for a yes interview candidate, but if you can show them what you can do for them, in a way that is enticing, and makes them go hmmmmm they just might bring you in for an interview. It is at that point that you need to give it your all and really work your magic to get them to understand your ‘value proposition for their company in particular.

A resume with the right kind of value proposition garners interviews. All you have to do is catch the readers attention, and by transforming your resume from dull, dry and lifeless, to exciting, forward thinking confidence in your abilities. It isn’t as hard as you may think.

Start with the basics. List the job titles you have held as well as the duties that came with them.

1. Then, focus on the following: Achievements in each position, acknowledgments for project management, and goals completed.
2. Special areas where you helped save the company money, time, and also mention if you protected the company due to your due diligence and research.
3. Work along the basis of the job requirements for each position you apply to. Work your past into the future duties required of you at X company.

Follow those, and your resume will be rockin’ in no time. Happy interviewing!

Karen Flowers, aka The Resume Chick promotes being the best you can be before the job interview and after. Her clients have acquired numerous salary increases from her resume writing skills. True, sometimes a resume and one’s experience is all in the eye of the beholder, BUT when you can have SUCCESS sprawled out all over your resume, it is hard to look the other way! You can learn more about Karen and her resume writing services at http://www.theresumechick.com.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Karen_Flowers
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By Andrew Omari

So you’ve been laid off? Haven’t found work? Waking up in the mid afternoon waiting for that magic e-mail to arrive in your in-box requesting that you come in for an interview? Well, this is for you. It goes without saying that you reap what you sow. Well, you therefore will never reap what you never sow. Since there are tons of guides on how to find a job, and what steps you can take to polish your resume, network, join associations and network some more, I felt that I would approach the subject from a completely different perspective. Here are the 5 things you can do to guarantee you never get a job, in no particular order.

1. Do nothing. I mean nothing.

My favorite. Wake up. Pick up the Wii remote. Order some Pizza (or ask mom to). Such is the life of luxury for the unemployed. No effort, no responsibilities, and no pressure. Clearly, you should take advantage of the fact that a job, career or your own business is not just going to magically appear in your lap. I should also warn you that no, you aren’t Neo, and you are not in the Matrix. So go ahead, sit there on the computer, Facebook all day, work on your Farmville farm, “tweet” about how you don’t have a job, and join your unemployed peers in mass despair over your unemployment. Wake up at noon everyday. Don’t brush off your resume. Don’t sign up for job sites. Don’t talk with friends. Don’t try to network. Just do nothing.

2. Don’t let anyone know you are looking for a job

Your friends, they should all think you are still working at your last job. They don’t have to know, do they? Don’t update your LinkedIn profile, and the world will never know you are sitting at home enjoying Curbed Your Enthusiasm. No one is going to hire you if they don’t know you are looking. So it goes without saying that if you don’t let anyone know you are in the market, you probably won’t receive any interviews or offers. Better yet, if you don’t use your network of family, friends and ex-colleagues, you’ll have no way of your network for potential job leads. Sure, most jobs don’t even make it to job boards like Monster or Hotjobs, because, just like you look to friends, families and people you are familiar with to, so do potential employers. But you don’t care about that. So don’t even think about brushing off that business card, breaking out that suit, and working on that handshake. You should be working on your form for Guitar hero.

3. “The world is falling, woe is me.”

The Apocalypse might as well be occurring tomorrow, and you might as well just make sure the world knows. While your at it, wear black wherever you go, smell like cigarettes, and carry around your flask of the scotch you’ve taken from your father’s Another great way to ensure you , is sulk in your own despair, constantly. It’s a no brainer that will love your attitude , so by constantly, they will be first in line to help. Don’t carry a bright, positive attitude, and people won’t to recommend you or help you in your search.

4. “To Whom It May Concern…”

To whom it may concern. Dear recruiter. I am highly interested in your organization. I would love to work with such great people. I’m a business person. My qualifications are ideal for your company. Blah. Blah. Blah. So, if you think this sounds great now, try reading the same generic wording over and over again. Your average recruiter or HR representative will probably go through hundreds of resume to fill a single position. So why stand out? Why separate yourself from the pack with a unique resume, a catchy introduction or non-generic words? Why stop the reader from placing your resume where all the other went? Just go with the pack. Don’t stand out. I guarantee you will also be getting a generic letter back from said HR department that goes something like this: “while your credentials impressive, we unfortunately cannot offer you a position at the moment.” Frame it. You have just succeeded in not getting hired.

5. After your done reading this article, go read more articles.

Yeah, you read that. That’s right. Keep reading more articles. Because we all know, reading more articles will fill your brain to the tipping point, at which point it will either (a) force your body to actually act out on the words you just read and do something or (b) cause you to hibernate. Most likely (b). So go ahead, hibernate, I’ll see you next Spring.

Did you like the satirical flavor of this article? You can find much more at Exhired.com, a blog featuring the lighter side of unemployment, as well as news, resources and great offers for job-seekers, unsatisfied employees, and entrepreneurs.

Andrew Omari is the editor of Exhired (http://www.exhired.com), a blog featuring the lighter side of unemployment, with stories, tips and resources for making your work life, well, bearable. Visit http://www.exhired.com today.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Andrew_Omari
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By H Hugo

If you have become unemployed, retrenched or laid off recently there are steps you should take immediately to protect yourself and your family.

• Make all your family members aware of the fact that you are unemployed and their source of income has been affected and that they need to consider any expenditure carefully. Work as a team and make an adventure of doing whatever is required to keep the family together.
• Immediately apply for whatever government, social service unemployment benefits you are entitled to. The bureaucracy involved can be very time consuming so the sooner you apply the sooner you will get your benefits.
• Make use of whatever government or other employment services are available. Get your name down on their lists and follow up regularly to make sure they know who you are.
• Assess your personal budget and decide what is essential and what expenditure can be trimmed and take action to do this. For instance do you need a gym membership or could you exercise in the park.
• Make an inventory of your skills and put together a CV which emphasizes your skills.
• Be proactive in sending your CV to the companies that you would like to work for. Include a covering letter that says why you would like to work for that company, emphasize what skills you can offer them.
• Start doing whatever you can to bring in an income. By staying active and doing something positive you will avoid becoming depressed.
• Take time out to decide what it is you would really like to do with your life. Maybe this is the time you could change your career and follow a different path.
• Use whatever resources are available in your community to network with people who might be able to assist you in finding employment. Talk to people at the library, church, wherever.
• Consider becoming self employed. What skills or assets do you have that you could turn into an income? Use the family van to do deliveries for a local store. Offer painting or gardening services in the neighborhood. Use your computer for an internet business.

Whatever else you do stay positive and proactive. Unemployment is not the end of the road. The worst thing you can do is allow yourself to slip into inactivity and become depressed.

There are employment opportunities for those who actively look for them or for those who make their own opportunities.

Unemployed, Retrenched, Retired – Whatever your reason for needing to earn extra money or a complete income, the internet offers you a low cost way of becoming self employed immediately. You will find an income solution that you can start today at http://www.get-working.com/ It works for me and I am sure that you will find it can work for you. Get Working Today and enjoy the benefits of working for Yourself.

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By Richard Wilkinson

You’ve done the hard part, secured an interview. This proves that your cv was well written and presented professionally. It impressed the recruiters so much they have invited you for an interview. Many people fail at the interview stage because they don’t do the basic things required to give a good account of themselves at an interview. Dressing well for an interview is essential in helping you to create a good professional impression. Someone who turns up in a nice suit is going to make a better impression than someone who turns up in a pair of combat pants and a tee shirt. Here’s a few tips to ensure your attire doesn’t let you down.

• Regardless of what the dress code for the organization is dress conservative. Finding out what the dress code is should be a part of your research. Visit the company and see what people are wearing.

• Your hair should be well groomed and your finger nails trimmed and clean.

• Keep the aftershave and perfume low key. If you have to wear it, use just a hint. Over powering perfume or aftershave does not go down well.

• Limit your jewellery. If you walk in covered in gold like Mr T, don’t be surprised if you are rejected. No jewellery is better than cheap jewellery. Remember the company is looking to hire someone for their professionalism, someone who will represent them, you need to look professional.

• Women should wear a dark blue or neutral coloured suit.

• Men should wear a conservative suit with a belt with a good quality shirt.

• Body piercings should be removed for the interview. Apart from earrings for women. For men? If it’s a corporate job you are applying for, then men’s earrings are out.

• If you have tattoos, then cover them up. You maybe a biker in your spare time and are proud of your tattoos but there’s a time and place to show them and an interview is not the place.

You have to play the interview like a game. Like an actor’s rehearsal. You need to dress for the part. You may complain that people shouldn’t judge by appearance, that it’s a shallow way to make judgments about people. I agree it is, unfortunately impressions count, whether we like it or not we all make snap judgments about people from their appearance. If you are applying for a position at a company, that company has the right to demand that you dress in a certain way. If you are not happy with the requirements of the company then don’t apply for the position.

Richard is a freelance writer and author. He specializes in self development and writes extensively on techniques people can employ to secure the job of their dreams and reach their full potential in their careers. He is the author of the website http://www.samurairesume.com where he posts articles and advice on job seeking.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Richard_Wilkinson
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By Corinne Stuart

After a career break you may choose to move down a couple of rungs on the career ladder.

You may choose to opt for a job that is less well paid but less stressful for a better work life balance.

In the current economic climate it may be wise to look for an alternative to your previous employment if that market has been particularly hit by the recession.

You need to think carefully about how you market yourself if you are “downsizing” or moving into a new field.
How much do you need to earn and what is the typical salary for the job?

Look at recruitment company websites who operate in the field you are investigating. Some industry job sites publish salary checkers which give you a feel for what is a good rate of pay and what’s not. Talk to anyone you know in that industry to find out who are the best payers. There’s always one cheapskate in every industry.

Follow your dream
If you’ve made the decision to downsize then this is the opportunity to do something you’ve always wanted to do. It may require you to retrain so careful thought needs to be given to financing but see it as an investment in yourself and your long term happiness. After all, you’re worth it.

Test the water
If you’re not sure whether you are going to like this new path, why not volunteer in your chosen area or offer your services free of charge to an employer as job experience? Many employers need all the help they can get at the moment and if it costs them nothing what do they have to lose?

Change your CV
If an employer thinks you’re over qualified for a position they will see you as a risk. They risk that you will see this job as nothing more than a stop gap and move on once something better comes along with all the associated expense for the employer in terms of time and recruitment costs. Read the job description carefully, emphasise the match to your skills and experience and how you can benefit the employer but go easy on the glittering career bit.

Fishing in a bigger pool
A big plus for downsizers is that you do tend to be fishing in a bigger pool of opportunities. There are more openings available the lower you move down the pyramid.

Write a compelling cover letter
You would be amazed at how few people bother with a cover letter but it enables you to sell yourself to the employer before they have even looked at your CV. A compelling cover letter will paint a picture of you for the prospective employer and help your CV and application stand out from what may be dozens of others. It will help you get the interview.

Be flexible
In your ideas and approach. Make it easy for an employer to see you as an asset.

If you’re downsizing because there really isn’t anything else at the level where you feel you should be and you’ve exhausted all lines of enquiry then think positively. See this as a stepping stone to where you want to be. It doesn’t mean you can’t enjoy the job or do well does it? We can’t always have the life we would choose but we can choose how we feel about it.

Corinne Stuart is the founder of The Confidence Hub at http://www.theconfidencehub.co.uk a UK based website dedicated to helping you return to work in today’s tough job market.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Corinne_Stuart
http://EzineArticles.com/?Moving-Down-the-Career-Ladder—How-and-Why?&id=3206445