25. Jun
2009

Responding to Job Ads

Written by: parisalexandra - Posted in: Job Articles

Many companies take out job advertisement to announce job openings and make the recruitment process easier. There are several ways for them to do this. First, they can do a direct ad placement or they can hire a job search firm that does the advertising for them.

Aside from letting potential hires know which career opportunities are open, job advertisements also serve as an indicator of labour market strength. Prominent sources of jobs ads include online job posting sites, the weekend section of major newspapers and the employment section of professional journals.

There are two basic types of job ads. The open ad includes the company name and their contact information. These are companies that are not concerned about hiding their identity. For a job seeker, it means that you can check on the company before sending I your job application. A blind ad, on the other hand, conceals the name of the company. Companies use this to sample the market, to maintain privacy and to research on availability of candidates.

Posted job ads often require the potential employee to send in a written response. However, it is advisable that you not spend so much time on answering one ad unless you know it’s a good fit. When structuring your response, highlight your skills and how it matches their needs.

If there are particular ads that you find interesting, keep copies of those. Any correspondences you may have with the company and their ad replies should also be kept for future reference.

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23. Jun
2009

The Resume Checklist

Written by: parisalexandra - Posted in: Job Articles

When it comes to job seeking, a well-written resume is your foot in the door. This document should highlight significant information about your skills, experiences and achievements.

The following is a checklist that analyzes your resume’s suitability to your job search needs:

Format:
•    Is it updated?
•    Does it include information about your current position?
•    Is it formatted properly and is visually attractive?
•    Is it on a standard size paper that allows for easy printing?

Writing Style:
•    Is the content grammatically correct with no spelling or typo errors?
•    Are the tenses consistent? (ie present tense for your current position and past tense for former positions held)
•    Did you use concise sentences and paragraphs?
•    Did you start your phrases with action verbs?
•    Did you avoid using the first person point of view (“I” or “me”)

Content:
•    Does it have your phone number and email address?
•    Does it have a general summary or an objective that lets the employer match the position with the kind of job you are looking for?
•    Is your work history laid out chronologically?
•    Does your work history show the title you held, the place of employment, the location of the employer and the dates covered by the employment?
•    Have you listed your achievements/accomplishments related to the job?
•    Does it show any progress in your career? (ie promotions or lateral transfers)

Also as a general reminder, if you intent to add a references section to your resume, you should call them beforehand to let them know that they should expect a call from potential employers or recruiters.

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22. Jun
2009

Letter to Express Withdrawal from Consideration

Written by: parisalexandra - Posted in: Job Articles

When doing your job search or planning your career change, chances are you applied to more than one job opening. If this is the case and you do get accepted to more than one job, you will need to make a big decision.

First you need to weight the pros and the cons between the two jobs. You need to check which one is offering the higher salary and better benefits. You should also try to find out more about the company’s culture and its stability as a business.

Next, you need to draft the letter of withdrawal for the other company. This letter should express appreciation for the interview opportunity. You must also indicate that you are requesting removal from the candidate list. This letter must be well-written, diplomatic and professional. You should aim not to damage the relationship with any individuals and with the company itself when asking for a withdrawal from consideration.

The following is a sample letter of withdrawal from consideration for a job application:

—————————-

Dear <Addressee>:

Thank you for giving me the opportunity to meet with you and discuss the role of <position applying for>. I had a few options I was considering and have already accepted a job offer elsewhere. I am, therefore, withdrawing my application.

I appreciate the time you took to explain the role and your company and wish you well in the search for <position>.

Sincerely,
<Name of Applicant>

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18. Jun
2009

Posting Your Resume Online

Written by: parisalexandra - Posted in: Job Articles

Recruiters and direct employers usually use the internet to post job openings and new employment opportunities. As such, it is a good channel to start off on your job search approach. The first thing you need to know about posting your resume online is that it does not offer you the same control as a hard copy document.

When posting your resume online, be mindful of your formatting. Unless the website specifies that you can render your resume in html and you actually know how to do it, keep it as simple as possible. Use text format, remove bullets and extra lines. Remove formatting such as italics, bold and underline. You can substitute and asterisk (*) for a bullet point and dashes for lines.

Once you’re done. Publish it online and check how it displays. Do this before sending it out to potential employers. You may also want to take a look at other resume postings online to see how they styled theirs given the limits of online resume posting.

Next issue you need to think about is security. The internet is open to anyone. Job sites that allow you to post resumes may have some display criteria (public, private, employers only, etc) which helps increase your safety. However, for those that are not so clear about their privacy policies, don’t be so quick to post your personal information. Displaying your complete name, address and home phone opens you up to identity fraud.

You need to carefully evaluate the job sites where you will be posting your resume. Choose one or two large job sites that have big databases. You may also want to think about being industry-specific about your posting. This would limit the calls from employers that are not a match.

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17. Jun
2009

Chronological vs. Functional Resume

Written by: parisalexandra - Posted in: Job Articles

A resume is a way to communicate your skills, achievements and work experiences to potential employers. It is a way for you to open the door to a career opportunity. But, it takes more than a piece of paper to get you in.

Think of it as a marketing literature of who you are as an applicant. If there are hundreds or even thousands of people competing for a recruiter or an employer’s attention, you need something to set you apart. As such, your resume must be written to crate an interest in you – to sell who you are.

Potential employers or recruiters, usually spend about 20 seconds to scan your resume before moving on to the next one in the pile. As such, any skills relevant to the position you are applying for needs to be highlight.

There are two basic resume formats: chronological and functional.

Use the chronological resume format when you are applying for a job in the same field. It would also be the ideal type to use if you’ve been with a company long enough to show significant career growth. This is the most widely used format for resume writing. It is usually written in reverse chronological order, with the most recent job experience on listed first. This type of resume lists your work history, how long you’ve been with a company, your title, job responsibilities and accomplishments.

The functional resume, on the other hand, highlights your competencies and skills. You may also include your accomplishments to demonstrate a particular functional area. This is the appropriate type to use if you are planning a career change, you have been on leave for a long time and are re-entering the job market, or you have inconsistent work history. It may be difficult for some recruitment agents or employers to follow this type of resume and as such, their use should be reserved for special circumstances.

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Responding to Job Ads

The Resume Checklist

Letter to Express Withdrawal from Consideration

Posting Your Resume Online

Chronological vs. Functional Resume

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