Job Search Depression, Job Search and Your Marriage, Job Search and Religion And Simple Discouragement in a Long-Term Job Search

Job Search Depression, Job Search and Your Marriage, Job Search and Religion… And Simple Discouragement in a Long-Term Job Search I had something completely different to write about, but Ill save that for Monday.  I just got a comment on a 2006 blog post titled I Smell Blood.  This is one of my all-time favorite blog posts (and is a Favorite Friday post).  I want to respond to the comment in this blog post, and will break it down so I can insert my own thoughts and links. Please leave your own comment if you have something to add, and please share this with your LinkedIn and Facebook networks.  There is a lot of pain and discouragement out there, and we need to be more helpful, patient, loving, and building. Im taking the liberty to offer my unsolicited response to Joeys comment because (1) the comment is now online for all to see, so its public, and (2) he said at the end that he appreciates any wisdom (not that Im wise, but Ill try), and (3) I think putting it in this post will help many, many other people.  Joeys comments are in the boxes, mine are after each box: Woke up ANGRY this morning about my situation I hear you Joey.  I didnt consider myself a very emotional person but I was angry, discouraged, sad, and all kinds of other feelings during my job search.  The lows were really low, the highs were really high, and it was a roller-coaster that didnt have much in-between.  Dont define yourself by the emotions you feel during the job search.  Its natural to feel these emotions, but if you allow them to define you, you will derail everything. and completed a google search containing job search AND depression and a related article came up, this really hit home. My first post on job search depression was titled Depression Clouds Everything.  This was a huge realization for me.  It needs to be discussed more. I thought I was alone in my loser-feelings during my job search, but going to job clubs and networking with other job seekers really helped me rise above the clouds and see I wasnt alone.  It also gave me a network of people I could talk to who I finally felt understood the issues and challenges I was dealing with (instead of the superficial articles on AOL and MSN).  Here are other posts I have written that mention depression So many times I have “helped” and continue to help others, volunteer, and try to give back and play it forward…however after 8+months no luck! Ah, the whole givers gain idea.  I networked (very poorly), and hoped and expected goodness to come out of it.  I got nothing except discouragement.  I encourage you to continue to help and give and volunteer, but completely do away with the what am I going to get from this hope.  When I voluntarily gave up hope that giving would help me get a job, I realized it was giving me something else.   Giving (volunteering, etc.) gave me stuff I wasnt looking for and didnt recognize while I was still hoping that all of that would lead me to a job.  I finally realized that by giving and helping I was getting peace in my heart. I was getting personal satisfaction by helping someone else out of a hellhole.  I thought of the families that were affected by helping people.  Sharing hope and helpful tactics made me feel important and appreciated, even if people didnt say thank you.  It was the one thing I could do to have purpose again, and it was refreshing to my soul. I started going back to church several months ago which has helped Thats good find it where you can.  Not having a day job is a great time to reflect on life and purpose and direction.  Take advantage of this time and immerse yourself in service at church, as this might help you expand your network. More importantly, if you find hope and faith and have a change of attitude (as per the I Smell Blood post that you commented on), people might think Joey is ready for an introduction to my friend.  As long as we are hurt, though, people are not going to be ready to open their network to us. and continued working out Again, take advantage of this time to take care of yourself, physically.  Too often when we have a day job we neglect our bodies.  Learn about your body and the food and exercise that helps you be sharper and ready for the day.  I get plenty of messages from people who land their dream job and find they dont have any time to workout.  More than that, I personally think working out is a huge boost to you because of what happens chemically when you work out.  For me it has been a survival tactic to just get through certain days. as jobs for someone with my experience is slim in and near my sleepy little town. Perhaps you need to something completely different.  If you want to stay in your field, can you find work remotely (and still live in your town)?  Or, is it time to leave the sleepy little town?  Word of caution, this is a HUGE decision, and the grass is certainly not greener anywhere else.  Even in bigger cities people are having a hard time finding meaningful employment.  Maybe its time to leave your field and do something else?  This is where a good employment counselor (not a coach) would come in handy.  This person should be able to help you figure out what you want to be when you grow up.   My book, 51 Alternatives to a Real Job, created so much interest because people are sick and tired of the new job, which is less fulfilling, less stable, less rewarding, and highly volatile.  Just maybe you are ready to look at a different way to pay your bills which might mean you take a major leap of faith and offer products or services, from your own business, and take 100% respo nsibility for success and failures.  Its scary, and there are a 100 reasons to not do it, but the alternative doesnt look so hot either. My marriage is also taking a toll even though I try to do as much as possible to handle all household duties. This is a very tough time for a marriage. I wrote this raw post: The Spouse’s Role In Your Job Search. You can print this out for your spouse with the idea that you need to have an open and frank discussion.  Maybe Im off-base in that post, especially for your marriage, but the communication needs to happen.  The job search was a black hole in the history of my marriage, and I wish I would have been more communicative.  I would suggest that handling all household duties, though, might not be in the best interest of your marriage.  I find that doing dishes and laundry gives me a quick sense of accomplishment, but if you spend too much time doing household duties you might be unintentionally sabotaging your job search.  Make sure you communicate boundaries and expectations of household duties. Not really sure what to do next or were to turn. There is a lot of junk out there, isnt there?  It looks to me like you are getting help from great places. If I were to do it again today I would spend more time volunteering at job clubs and looking for networking meetings to go to, even if you have to travel a bit to get their. My pastor said that having and keeping HOPE means that your best days are ahead of you (I have to remind myself daily). I like that.  Have you read anything about how having a vision affects your thinking and chemicals? Its amazingly powerful.  I was hopeless in my job search, and when I finally got the idea for JibberJobber, I got hope back in my life.  Darkness turned to light, and I recognized a reason to live and move forward again.  I dont know what your JibberJobber idea will be, but when you find it, you will know.  Search for this diligently and obsessively.  The results of finding it are life-changing. Heres a post I wrote on hope in the job search: Finding Hope In The Job Search: The Lifeline. He also mentioned that new starts begin with new thinking. I know its hard to get to that thinking when you are depressed, but I hope some of the stuff I shared above will help you on that journey ? As I continue my search for what on earth to do next while attempting to keep it all together…I dearly appreciate this forum as well as any wisdom that can be shared. Thank you come back often and share your thoughts, as it will help many other people.  And, share these posts with everyone you can, including your pastor, who touches many lives. Thank you! My pleasure, thank you! Job Search Depression, Job Search and Your Marriage, Job Search and Religion… And Simple Discouragement in a Long-Term Job Search I had something completely different to write about, but Ill save that for Monday.  I just got a comment on a 2006 blog post titled I Smell Blood.  This is one of my all-time favorite blog posts (and is a Favorite Friday post).  I want to respond to the comment in this blog post, and will break it down so I can insert my own thoughts and links. Please leave your own comment if you have something to add, and please share this with your LinkedIn and Facebook networks.  There is a lot of pain and discouragement out there, and we need to be more helpful, patient, loving, and building. Im taking the liberty to offer my unsolicited response to Joeys comment because (1) the comment is now online for all to see, so its public, and (2) he said at the end that he appreciates any wisdom (not that Im wise, but Ill try), and (3) I think putting it in this post will help many, many other people.  Joeys comments are in the boxes, mine are after each box: Woke up ANGRY this morning about my situation I hear you Joey.  I didnt consider myself a very emotional person but I was angry, discouraged, sad, and all kinds of other feelings during my job search.  The lows were really low, the highs were really high, and it was a roller-coaster that didnt have much in-between.  Dont define yourself by the emotions you feel during the job search.  Its natural to feel these emotions, but if you allow them to define you, you will derail everything. and completed a google search containing job search AND depression and a related article came up, this really hit home. My first post on job search depression was titled Depression Clouds Everything.  This was a huge realization for me.  It needs to be discussed more. I thought I was alone in my loser-feelings during my job search, but going to job clubs and networking with other job seekers really helped me rise above the clouds and see I wasnt alone.  It also gave me a network of people I could talk to who I finally felt understood the issues and challenges I was dealing with (instead of the superficial articles on AOL and MSN).  Here are other posts I have written that mention depression So many times I have “helped” and continue to help others, volunteer, and try to give back and play it forward…however after 8+months no luck! Ah, the whole givers gain idea.  I networked (very poorly), and hoped and expected goodness to come out of it.  I got nothing except discouragement.  I encourage you to continue to help and give and volunteer, but completely do away with the what am I going to get from this hope.  When I voluntarily gave up hope that giving would help me get a job, I realized it was giving me something else.   Giving (volunteering, etc.) gave me stuff I wasnt looking for and didnt recognize while I was still hoping that all of that would lead me to a job.  I finally realized that by giving and helping I was getting peace in my heart. I was getting personal satisfaction by helping someone else out of a hellhole.  I thought of the families that were affected by helping people.  Sharing hope and helpful tactics made me feel important and appreciated, even if people didnt say thank you.  It was the one thing I could do to have purpose again, and it was refreshing to my soul. I started going back to church several months ago which has helped Thats good find it where you can.  Not having a day job is a great time to reflect on life and purpose and direction.  Take advantage of this time and immerse yourself in service at church, as this might help you expand your network. More importantly, if you find hope and faith and have a change of attitude (as per the I Smell Blood post that you commented on), people might think Joey is ready for an introduction to my friend.  As long as we are hurt, though, people are not going to be ready to open their network to us. and continued working out Again, take advantage of this time to take care of yourself, physically.  Too often when we have a day job we neglect our bodies.  Learn about your body and the food and exercise that helps you be sharper and ready for the day.  I get plenty of messages from people who land their dream job and find they dont have any time to workout.  More than that, I personally think working out is a huge boost to you because of what happens chemically when you work out.  For me it has been a survival tactic to just get through certain days. as jobs for someone with my experience is slim in and near my sleepy little town. Perhaps you need to something completely different.  If you want to stay in your field, can you find work remotely (and still live in your town)?  Or, is it time to leave the sleepy little town?  Word of caution, this is a HUGE decision, and the grass is certainly not greener anywhere else.  Even in bigger cities people are having a hard time finding meaningful employment.  Maybe its time to leave your field and do something else?  This is where a good employment counselor (not a coach) would come in handy.  This person should be able to help you figure out what you want to be when you grow up.   My book, 51 Alternatives to a Real Job, created so much interest because people are sick and tired of the new job, which is less fulfilling, less stable, less rewarding, and highly volatile.  Just maybe you are ready to look at a different way to pay your bills which might mean you take a major leap of faith and offer products or services, from your own business, and take 100% respo nsibility for success and failures.  Its scary, and there are a 100 reasons to not do it, but the alternative doesnt look so hot either. My marriage is also taking a toll even though I try to do as much as possible to handle all household duties. This is a very tough time for a marriage. I wrote this raw post: The Spouse’s Role In Your Job Search. You can print this out for your spouse with the idea that you need to have an open and frank discussion.  Maybe Im off-base in that post, especially for your marriage, but the communication needs to happen.  The job search was a black hole in the history of my marriage, and I wish I would have been more communicative.  I would suggest that handling all household duties, though, might not be in the best interest of your marriage.  I find that doing dishes and laundry gives me a quick sense of accomplishment, but if you spend too much time doing household duties you might be unintentionally sabotaging your job search.  Make sure you communicate boundaries and expectations of household duties. Not really sure what to do next or were to turn. There is a lot of junk out there, isnt there?  It looks to me like you are getting help from great places. If I were to do it again today I would spend more time volunteering at job clubs and looking for networking meetings to go to, even if you have to travel a bit to get their. My pastor said that having and keeping HOPE means that your best days are ahead of you (I have to remind myself daily). I like that.  Have you read anything about how having a vision affects your thinking and chemicals? Its amazingly powerful.  I was hopeless in my job search, and when I finally got the idea for JibberJobber, I got hope back in my life.  Darkness turned to light, and I recognized a reason to live and move forward again.  I dont know what your JibberJobber idea will be, but when you find it, you will know.  Search for this diligently and obsessively.  The results of finding it are life-changing. Heres a post I wrote on hope in the job search: Finding Hope In The Job Search: The Lifeline. He also mentioned that new starts begin with new thinking. I know its hard to get to that thinking when you are depressed, but I hope some of the stuff I shared above will help you on that journey ? As I continue my search for what on earth to do next while attempting to keep it all together…I dearly appreciate this forum as well as any wisdom that can be shared. Thank you come back often and share your thoughts, as it will help many other people.  And, share these posts with everyone you can, including your pastor, who touches many lives. Thank you! My pleasure, thank you! Job Search Depression, Job Search and Your Marriage, Job Search and Religion… And Simple Discouragement in a Long-Term Job Search I had something completely different to write about, but Ill save that for Monday.  I just got a comment on a 2006 blog post titled I Smell Blood.  This is one of my all-time favorite blog posts (and is a Favorite Friday post).  I want to respond to the comment in this blog post, and will break it down so I can insert my own thoughts and links. Please leave your own comment if you have something to add, and please share this with your LinkedIn and Facebook networks.  There is a lot of pain and discouragement out there, and we need to be more helpful, patient, loving, and building. Im taking the liberty to offer my unsolicited response to Joeys comment because (1) the comment is now online for all to see, so its public, and (2) he said at the end that he appreciates any wisdom (not that Im wise, but Ill try), and (3) I think putting it in this post will help many, many other people.  Joeys comments are in the boxes, mine are after each box: Woke up ANGRY this morning about my situation I hear you Joey.  I didnt consider myself a very emotional person but I was angry, discouraged, sad, and all kinds of other feelings during my job search.  The lows were really low, the highs were really high, and it was a roller-coaster that didnt have much in-between.  Dont define yourself by the emotions you feel during the job search.  Its natural to feel these emotions, but if you allow them to define you, you will derail everything. and completed a google search containing job search AND depression and a related article came up, this really hit home. My first post on job search depression was titled Depression Clouds Everything.  This was a huge realization for me.  It needs to be discussed more. I thought I was alone in my loser-feelings during my job search, but going to job clubs and networking with other job seekers really helped me rise above the clouds and see I wasnt alone.  It also gave me a network of people I could talk to who I finally felt understood the issues and challenges I was dealing with (instead of the superficial articles on AOL and MSN).  Here are other posts I have written that mention depression So many times I have “helped” and continue to help others, volunteer, and try to give back and play it forward…however after 8+months no luck! Ah, the whole givers gain idea.  I networked (very poorly), and hoped and expected goodness to come out of it.  I got nothing except discouragement.  I encourage you to continue to help and give and volunteer, but completely do away with the what am I going to get from this hope.  When I voluntarily gave up hope that giving would help me get a job, I realized it was giving me something else.   Giving (volunteering, etc.) gave me stuff I wasnt looking for and didnt recognize while I was still hoping that all of that would lead me to a job.  I finally realized that by giving and helping I was getting peace in my heart. I was getting personal satisfaction by helping someone else out of a hellhole.  I thought of the families that were affected by helping people.  Sharing hope and helpful tactics made me feel important and appreciated, even if people didnt say thank you.  It was the one thing I could do to have purpose again, and it was refreshing to my soul. I started going back to church several months ago which has helped Thats good find it where you can.  Not having a day job is a great time to reflect on life and purpose and direction.  Take advantage of this time and immerse yourself in service at church, as this might help you expand your network. More importantly, if you find hope and faith and have a change of attitude (as per the I Smell Blood post that you commented on), people might think Joey is ready for an introduction to my friend.  As long as we are hurt, though, people are not going to be ready to open their network to us. and continued working out Again, take advantage of this time to take care of yourself, physically.  Too often when we have a day job we neglect our bodies.  Learn about your body and the food and exercise that helps you be sharper and ready for the day.  I get plenty of messages from people who land their dream job and find they dont have any time to workout.  More than that, I personally think working out is a huge boost to you because of what happens chemically when you work out.  For me it has been a survival tactic to just get through certain days. as jobs for someone with my experience is slim in and near my sleepy little town. Perhaps you need to something completely different.  If you want to stay in your field, can you find work remotely (and still live in your town)?  Or, is it time to leave the sleepy little town?  Word of caution, this is a HUGE decision, and the grass is certainly not greener anywhere else.  Even in bigger cities people are having a hard time finding meaningful employment.  Maybe its time to leave your field and do something else?  This is where a good employment counselor (not a coach) would come in handy.  This person should be able to help you figure out what you want to be when you grow up.   My book, 51 Alternatives to a Real Job, created so much interest because people are sick and tired of the new job, which is less fulfilling, less stable, less rewarding, and highly volatile.  Just maybe you are ready to look at a different way to pay your bills which might mean you take a major leap of faith and offer products or services, from your own business, and take 100% respo nsibility for success and failures.  Its scary, and there are a 100 reasons to not do it, but the alternative doesnt look so hot either. My marriage is also taking a toll even though I try to do as much as possible to handle all household duties. This is a very tough time for a marriage. I wrote this raw post: The Spouse’s Role In Your Job Search. You can print this out for your spouse with the idea that you need to have an open and frank discussion.  Maybe Im off-base in that post, especially for your marriage, but the communication needs to happen.  The job search was a black hole in the history of my marriage, and I wish I would have been more communicative.  I would suggest that handling all household duties, though, might not be in the best interest of your marriage.  I find that doing dishes and laundry gives me a quick sense of accomplishment, but if you spend too much time doing household duties you might be unintentionally sabotaging your job search.  Make sure you communicate boundaries and expectations of household duties. Not really sure what to do next or were to turn. There is a lot of junk out there, isnt there?  It looks to me like you are getting help from great places. If I were to do it again today I would spend more time volunteering at job clubs and looking for networking meetings to go to, even if you have to travel a bit to get their. My pastor said that having and keeping HOPE means that your best days are ahead of you (I have to remind myself daily). I like that.  Have you read anything about how having a vision affects your thinking and chemicals? Its amazingly powerful.  I was hopeless in my job search, and when I finally got the idea for JibberJobber, I got hope back in my life.  Darkness turned to light, and I recognized a reason to live and move forward again.  I dont know what your JibberJobber idea will be, but when you find it, you will know.  Search for this diligently and obsessively.  The results of finding it are life-changing. Heres a post I wrote on hope in the job search: Finding Hope In The Job Search: The Lifeline. He also mentioned that new starts begin with new thinking. I know its hard to get to that thinking when you are depressed, but I hope some of the stuff I shared above will help you on that journey ? As I continue my search for what on earth to do next while attempting to keep it all together…I dearly appreciate this forum as well as any wisdom that can be shared. Thank you come back often and share your thoughts, as it will help many other people.  And, share these posts with everyone you can, including your pastor, who touches many lives. Thank you! My pleasure, thank you!

Development Director Job Description - Algrim.co

Development Director Job Description - Algrim.co Development Director Job Description Template Download our job description template in Word or PDF format. Instant download. No email required. Download Template Using Your Template Follow these instructions to use your new job description template Step one: Fill out all details in your job description template using the provided sample on this page. Step two: Customize your requirements or duties to anything special to your workplace. Be sure to speak with team members and managers to gauge what's required of the position. Step three: When the census of the team has agreed on the description of the work, add in a Equal Employment Opportunity statement to the bottom of your job description. Step four: Check with your legal department, management team, and other team members to ensure the job description looks correct before creating a job advertisement. Choose a job board that's specific to your needs.

Women at Work Thoughts on the Glass Ceiling

Women at Work Thoughts on the Glass Ceiling Oh, the glass ceiling. In 2010, only  3% of Fortune 500 CEO’s are women, just 25% of University Professors are women, and only 6% of women are among the highest paid employees of Fortune 500 companies. The Rady School of Management at University of California San Diego (where I got my MBA) is a member of the National Association of Women MBA’s (NAWMBA),  an  association dedicated to empowering female business professionals to propel more women into leadership positions in corporate America and to enhance the diversity of the nation’s workforce.  While I was in business school, I attended a brunch with a great group of businesswomen  and UCSD MBA alumni. We also had a special guest from the Committee of 200, an organization of the world’s most successful women entrepreneurs and corporate leaders.   With our special guest and all of our cumulative experiences,  we  discussed the challenges, situations, and obstacles that businesswomen  face today. At this meeting, I learned some shocking  statistics of women in the workplace.   Women are getting more graduate degrees than men, BUT we are only  holding 18% of leadership positions across the ten sectors  of politics, business, law, sports, academia, journalism, religion, film/TV, nonprofit, and military.    Time and time again we are hitting our heads against the glass ceiling. The Good News About the Glass Ceiling We were encouraged at our meeting that  to get through this glass ceiling, we need  to increase our network and  ask other women for help.  Women need to have connections for credible introductions into industry associations and companies.   We, as women, need to learn from each others experiences and network, network, network just like our male counterparts. A recent article from the Washington Post says, “The sacrifices women must make to ascend the leadership ranks are still disproportionate to those made by their male peers.  The lack of flexibility and childcare in the U.S. is not improving fast enough to allow the numbers of women stuck in the pipeline to really ascend. Instead, women  remain in lower positions or opt-out completely from the workforce. In either case, the pool of ideas, talent, and experience among our decision makers shrinks.” What We Need to Break Through the Glass Ceiling As the article above stated, most importantly, we need a cultural shift that values the unique leadership traits and diverse perspectives that both genders â€" men and women â€" bring to the table, and a commitment to having them work side-by-side to tackle the challenges we collectively face. [RELATED: The Top 20 Classy Career Girls of 2015] Do you ever feel that you are bumping your head on the glass ceiling?

How to write a CV to use at a job fair University of Manchester Careers Blog

How to write a CV to use at a job fair University of Manchester Careers Blog These are the 2 most commonly asked questions: Should I take a CV to a careers / job fair? What do I put on my CV? Firstly not all job fairs are the same Summer / graduate careers fairs: Recruiters at these fairs are looking for candidates to start work almost immediately for graduate entry level jobs or in some cases summer internships.   They are more likely to consider a CV as an initial method of application. (You may still have to apply formally too if they need more information) Autumn Careers Fairs: Many of the recruiters here will be recruiting for schemes (graduate and internship) that start the following summer. This is often the beginning of the process for them so it is an opportunity to engage your interest and get you to apply.   Few of them will take CVs actively because they will expect you to apply online. Part time job fairs: The recruiters at these fairs are likely to want CVs and to get candidates started quickly. Specialist fairs:  There may be mini fairs organised for particular  degree subjects  or types of work. Find out about the recruiters and the jobs on offer and consider the type of work they are offering. Immediate start = more likely to take CVs Find out who is  attending and what jobs they are advertising for Big careers fairs organised by The University of Manchester Careers Service always provide an online list of recruiters with links to the opportunities available  (smaller specialist fairs or fairs run by other organisations may not always do  this). This enables you to work out who you are interested in and what the requirements are for the jobs available. So now you have a list of the organisations you are interested in The jobs you will apply for Writing the CV Under normal circumstances your CV should be tailored specifically to the job you are applying for with a specific company. Its not a multi use document, one size does not fit all. So if you are giving it out at a fair to more than one employer you need to be sure that it is going to hit the ballpark! Are all the roles you are applying for broadly similar  e.g all in chemical engineering?   If not,   e.g. you are applying to retail graduate schemes and marketing grad schemes then you will need 2 CVs to show off 2 different skill sets. Look at the requirements for all the graduate / internship schemes of the same type that you are applying to and make a list of the skills, attributes and experience they are looking for. You will hopefully see a trend appearing. These are your top 5 or 10 skills  to get in  your CV. Context: are all the employers in the same sector creative, scientific, engineering, teaching etc. This could have an impact on where you draw your skills from what might you consider relevant experience? If you have a decent LinkedIn profile make sure it is on your CV. Use the CV guide   What about a personal profile? Any occasion where you are giving out a CV without a cover letter is an opportunity for a well crafted personal profile. BUT if you cant do it well dont use one, a bad profile can work against you. Keep it short 2-3 lines Make it relevant it will only work if you are looking for a challenging role in social media marketing with all the companies you give it to. Dont make unsubstantiated claims. If you say you have 2 years of marketing experience, or proven editorial skill make sure the evidence is there on the CV. Consider your unique selling point what do you want to draw their attention to on your CV? Benefits of applying later A fair is an opportunity to ask questions to make informed choices, but also to get the information you need to make your application better. If you  can find out what  really makes a good applicant, or more about what a role in XXX is like then you have an opportunity to improve your application. So its not always a good idea to rush out a CV at a fair if there is an opportunity to do it better afterwards. Can I get help? If you are taking a CV to a fair or planning on applying later we can help. Use our applications advice service to get feedback and tips on how to tailor that CV for the purpose you want to use it for. All Events and fairs Undergraduate Undergraduate-highlighted applications Applications and interviews careers Careers fairs CV employers graduate schemes job hunting jobs

5 Things You Need to Double Check Before You Submit Your Cover Letter

5 Things You Need to Double Check Before You Submit Your Cover Letter First impression matters a lot, especially when you’ve got only a couple of paragraphs to represent yourself as a potential employee worth hiring. Those few words can set the right tone and help shape your career just the way you had envisioned.Some applicants think of cover letters as something redundant but in reality, they’re the first thing that a prospective employer looks at before thinking of hiring you.evalApart from adding on to your resume, your cover letter functions as an introduction of yourself before all of your credentials and certificates laid out in the CV are looked at.One of the most difficult things about writing a cover letter is that you may invest a significant amount of time and effort to make it perfect without knowing whether anyone is going to read it or not.Writing a cover letter that sets you apart from other candidates is all about planning and the right execution.You’ve to make sure that it’s very well written, exhibits your skills, experience and qualities, and doesn’t comprise of any glaring error that may cost you the interview.Remember that you may have an amazing resume but if your cover letter fails to be up to the mark, it’s most likely that the employer won’t even look at your resume and move on to another application instead.If that happens, your attention-grabbing and creative introduction, your relevant experience etc. would go in vain.Here we’ve jotted down 5 key things that you must double check in your cover letter to impress the hiring manager.1. The Hiring Manager’s NameevalFirst of all, you need to cross-check whether you’re addressing the cover letter to the appropriate person or not.Notice we mentioned ‘person’ here and not something like ‘Dear Hiring Manager’ or ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘To whom it may concern’.It’s crucial to use the right person’s name at the top of your cover letter. This will let the employer know that you’ve spent at least some time researching the org anization. When it comes to going through cover letters, the persons responsible usually include a hiring manager, an assistant editor, an internship coordinator or an HR representative.evalDevoting some time to research the person’s name and addressing your cover letter to him/her gives it a personal touch that can pay off. It also proves that you haven’t sent a copy-paste cover letter that you send with every application.If you found the vacancy in an advertisement, it would most likely have the name of the person whom you should address it to.If not, it’s best to call the advertiser or organization and ask for the right person’s name. It’s also equally important that you don’t misspell the name you’re addressing your cover letter to.Remember don’t directly use his/her first name. Instead mention ‘Mr.’ or ‘Ms.’ and then his/her last name.2. Your Contact InformationImagine this â€" your cover letter is absolutely error-free and quite impressive, and the orga nization wants to reach out to you for scheduling an interview but fails. Absolutely horrible, if you ask us.Stop this right now from being even a possibility because if the employer faces difficulty while getting back to you, they’ll simply move on to the second appropriate person.Put your name along with your contact details at the top of the cover letter.Remember that you don’t need to provide your complete postal address but you’ve to include your phone number as well as your email. Make sure you’ll be available on the phone number you provide throughout general office hours, at least. It’s wise not to give your land-line number in case you’ve plans to stay outdoors.Also, your email address needs to create a professional impression. Avoid providing your personal email address or any email address that sounds childish. You can always create a professional email address with a free email provider in case you don’t have one.evalTry to make it as simple as you can. For instance, your first name together with your last name is good way to go. Finally, avoid providing any existing professional email address, the password of which you have forgotten.3. The Company’s NameThis is another crucial point to double check, especially when you are applying to multiple companies. Not only should you check whether it’s the right name but ensure correct spelling as well.Remember to include the full name of the organization The name of the appropriate person you’re sending out your cover letter toHis/her position in the organization (if you can find that out)Contact details of the organizationIt may sound awkward but many applicants get this wrong by not mentioning the company’s name in full. Understand this, how can a company hire you when you’re unable to even spell its name properly?Remember, the more attentive you’re of a prospective employer’s reputation, the more likely it is for your cover letter to be read. Sending off your cover letter in to the wilderness of the internet can be highly discouraging and thus it’s always advisable to make yours perfect in every possible way.4. The DatesIt may sound surprising how a job applicant could mention the date wrong in the cover letter but it often happens to many people. They send out cover letters with incorrect dates. This mainly happens when you submit the same cover letter for a significant number of vacancies you apply for.This also may happen when you use an older template for current use. However, in both cases, you need to make sure that you’ve double checked the dates and mentioned them correctly.One of the most common mistakes done by the job applicants is mentioning 5/6/2017 instead of 6/5/2017 as the latter one is correct.It conveys the message to the employer that you are a careless person and nobody wants to employ a careless person. In addition, if you had written your cover letter in the last week and sent that out this week, remember to mention the day whe n you actually submit it.Ideally, you should leave the place for dates (the upper corner of the cover letter) blank and fill it up on the day of sending it out.5. Spelling and GrammarDon’t upload or click send before you’ve taken sufficient time to meticulously proofread your cover letter for spelling mistakes and grammatical errors.Don’t just rely on spell-check. Instead, try to take a print out of it and give it one further proofread for spelling and grammatical errors.For instance, is it “you’re” or “your”? Did you mean “effect” or “affect”? (Remember, one’s a noun, one’s a verb).Even the smallest mistakes in your cover letter can make a busy hiring manager refrain from reading it â€" particularly if the position you’re applying to involves ‘good communication skills’.Spelling and grammar check is an extremely crucial part of proofreading your cover letter. You must not submit your application with poor spelling and grammar mistakes.Having spelli ng and grammatical errors shows the employer that you have a bad command of the language and you’re careless as you failed to correct those mistakes. Ideally, you should get someone else to proofread your cover letter and point out any confusing things or mistakes.People you could ask to proofread your cover letter may include family members, friends, teachers or your career counselor. Double check everything in the cover letter.If you provide a company’s name, ensure you get that right. If you specify geographical areas you’ve worked before, ensure you mention the names right as well.Final WordsMaking your cover letter absolutely error-free in every way possible might not ensure that you’ll get the breakthrough but there will be a high probability that it’ll be read. Make sure you double check the above key things in your cover letter and correct the mistakes.

Facebook Is Great for Job Search

Facebook Is Great for Job Search One reason recruiters are turning to Facebook  to build talent communities, share job leads and research candidates is its popularity-  in a single day,  Facebook has  1 billion users and is the most used social network! It isnt just the volume of users that makes Facebook an attractive source of hiring and research â€" its also the fact that 70% of Facebook users engage daily, versus only 13% of LinkedIn users, according to a 2015 Pew Research study. While many job seekers consider LinkedIn to be the professional network and place to be, it isnt the only social network recruiters will look at. According to Jobvites 2015 Recruiter Nation study, 55% of recruiters reported using Facebook to recruit. Jobvite Recruiter Nation 2015 If you are actively job seeking or plan to, you should know how to put your best foot forward and use Facebook to network and uncover job opportunities. Google Yourself First Head over to Google or your favorite search engine and search for your name. Take note of what appears on the first page of search results. Chances are, you will see a listing that says [Your name] Profiles | Facebook. Click on this link, and you will see the Facebook profiles of people with your name. Complete Your Profile If you are going to become more active on Facebook for your job search, one way to enhance your profile is to add past work history and professionals skills to your  About section. You can learn more about each section by reading this:  Prepare Your Facebook Profile For Job Search Know About  Status Update Settings Next, look at your status updates. Do your posts have a globe next to the date? If so, your update is public, which means anyone and everyone can see your update and comments others have added. If you do not want certain status updates to be public, you can change your settings by clicking on the inverted triangle and changing the post to Friends. You can learn more by reading:  Prepare Your Facebook Profile For Job Search Check Your Privacy Settings Facebook has a reputation for changing privacy setting criteria. If you havent looked at yours in awhile, it would be wise to do so. You can change privacy settings for Who can see my stuff, Who can contact me and Who can look me up. If you do not want people to be able to search for you by email or phone number, adjust those settings. You can also prevent your profile from showing up in search engine results by removing that criteria. Job seekers think that their profiles on platforms like Facebook are private and that hiring managers cant find them. This is not always the case, says Lisa Brown Morton, President and CEO of Nonprofit HR. Know your settings, but a better strategy is to be careful about what you post. Stay Professional At All Times Oversharing and acting unprofessional is also a common mistake many job seekers make, Morton says. As a rule of thumb, if you wouldn’t show it [to] your grandmother or put it on your resume, you shouldn’t put it on social media. Avoid using profanity, sharing provocative or inappropriate photos or speaking negatively about your current or past employer. Search For Job Leads Facebook isnt a job board, but you can use its Groups feature to find people posting jobs in your field and geographic area. Chris Russell, recruiter and founder of CareerCloud, recommends searching Facebook by using your city and the word jobs to find groups that share job leads. Here a two more secrets to help you use Facebook for job search. Connect and Engage with Your Network Have you stayed connected with your college classmates? What about other alumni? Be sure youve added your college and even high school information if you want others to know what schools you attended. Consider joining Facebook groups for alumni as well. Participate in discussions in groups or communities by your occupation, and like a companys page or join its career group to interact with employees managing those accounts. You can also search Facebook for people who work at your dream company. In the Facebook search bar, start typing people who work at {insert name of company}. You can see who works there and who your mutual friends are. Dont Just Lurk, Leverage Social Media to Stand Out By failing to have an active digital presence, job seekers miss opportunities to build up their professional profiles and find job opportunities their competition is likely taking advantage of, Morton says. Socially savvy job seekers will have an advantage over those who are not active. Every day people are using social networking platforms such as Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter and Instagram. Your connections with people on these networks could potentially turn into a new job if you use them appropriately. Remember: Companies prefer to hire referrals and people they know. Originally appeared on USNews World Report

Writing a Great Purpose Statement Resume

Writing a Great Purpose Statement ResumeWriting a great purpose statement is essential to any resume. After all, it is your first impression on the reader that will speak volumes.To do this, you should consider a great purpose statement is one that speaks about you as an individual. Your skills and talents are what you are going to present to the employer. Your motivation for applying for the job is going to be the reason why you are submitting a resume. Here are some tips to help you write a great purpose statement:It will show the employer who you are and how your professional skills have been developed over time. Most employers today are looking for people with a passion for their jobs. They are also looking for people who can become a great asset to their organization. Therefore, a person should not solely rely on their qualifications but should go the extra mile to demonstrate their overall worth.Lastly, demonstrate that you are organized. If you are able to organize a resume, y ou are more likely to be able to organize your life as well. Organizing your life makes you more successful. Therefore, having a well-organized resume helps you demonstrate you are organized.You should also be specific and brief about what you want to say. Make sure you leave out things that the employer does not need to know in order to make an informed decision.You should also avoid keeping the interview short and to the point. The interviewer wants to hear your thoughts on the company's offerings. Asking questions about the company's mission and vision are also a good idea. You should also be interested in knowing more about the organization and the things that you would be doing once hired.Lastly, keep in mind that your resume is a tool. It can be used as a reminder of all the accomplishments that you have made and how well you have done them. Therefore, you should make your resume a reflection of who you are and how well you did the things that you did.Writing a great purpose s tatement resume is not hard to do, as long as you follow these pointers. Use this information to help you create a great purpose statement resume for your next job interview.