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Dress to Impress: 4 Tips to Leaving a Good Impression in a Job Interview

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As the old saying goes “You never get a second chance to make a good first impression”. You may be one of the most well-qualified individuals in your field, but you may still struggle to find a new position if you don’t make a good impression at the personal interview. Even when you have great credentials, your presence and demeanor during the interview process may be deciding factors that can work in your favor or against you in different ways. Someone who is equally well-qualified and who has a better demeanor may win the job. If you want to put your best foot forward in your future job interviews, pay attention to how you look.

Choose Professional Attire

A great idea is to invest in a quality interview outfit rather than trying to pull something together out of your existing apparel. Because some companies require you to attend multiple interviews, it may even be smart to have a few new outfits from somewhere like Be.Bespoke to choose from. Men should ideally wear a suit with a jacket to make a good impression. Women should wear a pantsuit or even a long skirt with a button-down blouse. Darker colors paired with a lighter-colored shirt or blouse are smart, traditional options.

https://youtu.be/USnK7uvHUaI

Ensure Your Clothing Fits Properly

Even when you choose the perfect clothes, they can still make a bad impression if [Read more…] about Dress to Impress: 4 Tips to Leaving a Good Impression in a Job Interview

Tips for Getting Ahead of the Competition in a Tough Job Market

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These days, with so much uncertainty in many industries and global markets, as well as more people switching careers regularly, you often end up having a big pool of candidates to compete against when it comes time to find a new role. This can be particularly difficult when your local job market is declining, or when your industry is being disrupted. When this happens, you need to know how to shine, and stand out brightly from your competition. Read on for some key ways to go about this today.

Have a Stand-Out Resume

One of the key components of a strong application is your resume. This is usually the first thing HR managers or business owners see, so it really needs to show, within a few seconds, why you’re worth learning about further. You want a document that people will stop to read thoroughly, instead of just skimming before moving on to the next person’s.

There are numerous elements involved in putting together a CV that stands out. Make sure you use helpful formatting, for one. Readers have limited time, so won’t spend long on each document to begin with. As such, you must make your resume scannable (e.g. broken up into bite-size pieces of information instead of big blocks), and put the most important information first so it’s quickly evident that you have some of the skills and experience required.

Always tailor your resume to the position you want to land and the company you want to work for too. While you’ll have a template document to use as the basis, don’t keep sending out the same document to every potential employer  –  the jobs will likely be different in some capacity, plus the recruiters will be looking for different things. Read the job ad carefully for clues, and research firms so you get an understanding of how they work and what qualities they may want in their team members. Be sure to include any appropriate “Buzzwords” contained in advertisement you’re responding to in your resume.

Remember it’s not about [Read more…] about Tips for Getting Ahead of the Competition in a Tough Job Market

6 Ways to Streamline Your Job Hunt

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Searching for a new job can be overwhelming, especially when the search for a job stretches on for a long time. Between preparing your resume, crafting cover letters, and jumping through interview hoops, embarking on a job search can be one of the most frazzling and anxiety-ridden parts of modern adult life.

If you’re on the hunt for a new job, or facing the prospect of embarking on a job hunt, use these tips to streamline the search. This will not only make your job search more manageable, but could hopefully shorten the duration as well.

1) Treat a Job Search as Your New Full Time Job

You must treat finding a job as if it were your full time job. So you need a place to work where you can concentrate without distractions. Along the same lines you need to work full time hours. When you get laid off it is too easy to get into the habit of staying up late and then “sleeping in”. If you are going to be successful you need to be organized and spend your “work hours” creating a resume ( and then constantly tweaking it), seeking out potential employers, submitting resumes, interviewing and following up.

2) Be Selective

You should definitely apply to any job you feel you’re qualified for, but you only have so much time and energy to devote to job searching, so don’t waste any of it by applying for jobs you know you have no chance of even being interviewed for. Be realistic, but don’t sell yourself short, either. If you’re missing one or two of the qualifications asked for in the job posting, you might still have a chance of getting an interview, because companies know they may not find a candidate with all of the experience and skills they’re looking for. But if you’re missing several of the company’s desired qualifications, move on to the next job.

Apply this strategy to interviewing, too, so you don’t waste your time interviewing for a job that pays significantly less than your desired salary, offers fewer opportunities for advancement, or is otherwise not advanced enough for your skill set. Be honest when interviewers ask about your desired salary range, and if they don’t ask, don’t be afraid to ask the salary range during an initial phone screening. This might put off some employers, but most will understand that you need a certain salary or certain benefits and don’t want to waste theirs or your time by interviewing for a position that can’t compensate you as you require.

 

3) Use Your Network

Many people get jobs through [Read more…] about 6 Ways to Streamline Your Job Hunt

Out of Work? 5 Ways to Stretch Your Budget until You Find a New Job

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It’s not fun to experience the stress of unemployment. You’re not sure where your next check is coming from and there’s no real certainty regarding when it’s coming. Though being in limbo feels terrible, if you stretch your budget wisely, you can make it through without worrying.

Clip Coupons to Cut down on Costs?

Many people don’t realize the power of couponing and how much money you can truly save. There are tons of websites and apps that will guide you through the process of taking advantage of the best deals. But remember that coupons are usually for name brand items. Often you can find a store brand or generic brand for less so it pays to compare. The problem comes with quality. often the generic or store brand is the same quality as the name brand but sometimes it isn’t. For instance often the cheap dishwashing liquid is watered down so you need twice as much to do the same job (not a savings). Also store brand Tomato soup just doesn’t taste the same as good old Campbells.

Cook and Eat at Home

Though McDonald’s fries might be your favorite, it’s still cheaper to purchase a bag of potatoes and make fries at home. It’s also healthier as well. Take a look at [Read more…] about Out of Work? 5 Ways to Stretch Your Budget until You Find a New Job

Moving on After Being Laid Off: How to Gain Back Confidence

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Getting laid off can be a traumatic experience. If you have found yourself in this situation, you could be wondering what you can do to restore your confidence. Getting motivated to go out job hunting after this hit to the psyche can be pretty tough. Below are a few tips that can help you move on after this difficult period in your career.

Know You’re Not Alone

First, you should know you are not the only person who is in this situation. In fact, layoffs are actually very common. You might even know a few coworkers from the same company in the same boat. Understanding that you are not alone in this situation can help you feel a little bit better about things. It might even help to go out to lunch with a few of these coworkers and lament your circumstance. Let yourself grieve and move on. You can also find support through a hiring service or resources from hiring firms.

Work Out a Financial Plan

A lot of people find themselves [Read more…] about Moving on After Being Laid Off: How to Gain Back Confidence

5 Ways You Can Build Your Professional Skillset with Certifications

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In a competitive job market, making your resume stand out from the crowd could be as simple as earning a certificate or two by passing a few exams. This can serve as verification of special skills and training. Many certifications will be recognized and respected by hiring managers. This can give you an instant advantage over those who don’t have the certification. Here are five ways certifications can improve your job prospects.

1. Project Management Professional

A PMP certification shows that you have the management skills to get things done. Every growing business wants someone with the leadership ability to organize and complete special projects that come along. Applicants with the demonstrated skill to guide teams to finish projects on time and on budget are seen as a great asset. A few big projects under your belt could provide a great boost to your career and distinguish your resume.

According to the Project Management Institute: [Read more…] about 5 Ways You Can Build Your Professional Skillset with Certifications

Tips for Coping with Unemployment

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UnemployedUnemployment is tough, not only are there financial repercussions, but there are psychological ones as well. Getting laid-off no matter whether it is due to adverse nationwide economic conditions, or due to personal errors in judgement, it’s still painful. According to a Gallup poll Depression Rates are Higher for Long-Term Unemployed. “The longer that Americans are unemployed, the more likely they are to report signs of poor psychological well-being. About one in five Americans who have been unemployed for a year or more say they currently have or are being treated for depression — almost double the rate among those who have been unemployed for five weeks or less.” 

On the other hand, Healthy Eating Linked to Lower Likelihood of Depression so even if you’ve been fired, you need to continue to take care of yourself and eat healthy meals.

Unemployment can initially result in our systems going into a form of “shock” which makes it difficult to think clearly and so we tend to get depressed and just “shut-down”. But it is important to act quickly to minimize the negative impact on both yourself and anyone who is depending on you.

1) Cut Back on Expenses

The first thing you need to [Read more…] about Tips for Coping with Unemployment

5 Resume Tips for Healthcare Employees

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Typically, one of the first steps for landing a career in the healthcare field is to apply with a resume to your desired position. Even though the Bureau of Labor Statistics projects job growth of over 30% across the healthcare field in the next several years, you may not have an easy in depending on where you live. You must make sure that your resume gives you the edge that you need to win out over all the other applicants. [Read more…] about 5 Resume Tips for Healthcare Employees

Preparing for a Healthcare Job Interview

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Healthcare Job InterviewLooking for your first healthcare job is an exciting journey that may have a few bumps along the way. Although preparing and submitting a sleek resume is the first step of the process, the in-person interview may be the most important part. Good preparation, including reflecting on your experiences and learning more about the job, can transform you into an exceptional candidate. If you aren’t sure what you might need to prepare for in your interview, take a look at these ideas.

Prepare to Talk About Your Experiences

During the interview, your goal is to impress the interviewers with your capabilities and skills. Declaring that you’re good at talking with patients is helpful, but demonstrating [Read more…] about Preparing for a Healthcare Job Interview

When is Moving for a Career Worth It?

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In the current job marketplace, more people are being forced to consider relocating in order to either find the job of their dreams or even just to find any job at all. With every passing year, the idea of remaining with the same employer for decades has become more the exception and much less the rule. While moving on to greener pastures can be alluring, knowing when to make the leap is important. To determine whether or not relocating is the right call to make, it pays to keep the following things in mind.

New Expenses

Consider the difference in the costs of living between [Read more…] about When is Moving for a Career Worth It?