Don't apply!

Every day I receive tons of resumes from individuals with no qualifications related to the job I have posted. It is useless to send resumes blindly to HR professionals in response to an ad for a job which you have no qualifications to perform. Candidates often question why they do not get responses to their resumes. It is because you are applying for a job that you are not qualified for.

You are wasting valuable time if you are sending resumes in response to an engineering position and you are an accountant. If you do not match the required qualifications listed in a job posting do not respond to it. If you are close to the position described, it is not a big stretch for you or you have done the job recently... then certainly apply. Hiring managers are looking for specific people for specific jobs with very specific skills. Don't apply to jobs that you would "like" to do all day long. You have to find jobs for which you are qualified.

Better Tactic: Do send your resume to anyone you can find... though send it to them directly. Simply state that you are a great ____ and are searching for a great new position and to keep you in mind. If you see a posting by a recruiter online, find that person's direct email and send them a resume with a nice short cover letter. If the posting lists no contact person or email, find the company's website and apply online or send it to their general HR email box. Or, mail them a copy though the mail! Physically mailed resumes always get priority since they have to handle the resume and at least look at it.

Good luck!

The job market is up and down... as usual.

The job market these days is up and down, all over the place, great in some areas and bad in others. Overall, most people are working, unemployment remains low and there are a lot of new jobs being created.

Over the last three months my recruiting firm has picked up many new clients who are investing in new companies, growing their operations and expanding their workforce. The trick when finding a new job is to make good connections in your city and finding contacts that can help you market your skills.

Get your resume together, make new contacts each day, get out of the house and be realistic. If you need to take a cut in pay to accept a new job, think about what you have lost already by being unemployed. If you're out of work and used to make $100k per year, you're loosing over $8,000 each month by staying unemployed. Positions with lower salaries are fine, get in there, prove your worth and make your own way. You will succeed!

Till next time, good luck! Scott

Get Outside!

Too often I talk with people asking tons of questions, revising their resume 500 times, stressing about their interview or stuck for new ideas.

Get outside! Go roam around your local community, find some local networking events to attend or go to a chamber of commerce luncheon. If you are inside all day, your competition is going to beat you every time. You are competing for a job against some pretty smart people out there. Get out and make some personal contacts.

The old saying: "It's not what you know it's who you know" is partly true. People will refer you into their company and help you get a job if they know you. It's your major advantage! Who do you know? Go out and have lunch with them today.

Till next time. Good luck! Scott.

The Waiting Game

I get lots of questions on how long to wait for a response after a resume submission, after an interview or a second interview etc. Here are some good guidelines to help you time your communications:

Submitting a resume: Submit your resume the instant you see a new posting. Do not wait one more second, you want to be first in line and consideration.

Confirming receipt of your resume: After you submit your resume, wait two days then start calling HR or the hiring manager to confirm receipt. Try the first day and if you get someone, or leave a message, sneak in a short commercial about yourself. "Hello, This is ___ and I submitted my resume two days ago regarding the x position. I have 5 years of ___ experience and believe I would be a great fit for you position. I would love to discuss this opportunity with you, please give me a call at your earliest convenience."

Leaving more messages: Leave a message with your contacts every three to four days until they call you back or give you a time line for follow up. 80% of the time you will get the "brush off" by them saying "We'll call you." Be polite and courteous though keep calling about every 4-5 days anyway after the brush off. You will get a more concrete answer sooner if you keep yourself in their minds.

After your First interview: Send a mailed or e-mailed thank you letter early the next morning and follow up with a call after two days. Simply ask for the progress on the position/other interviews/feedback and when you might be able to come in to meet more people for a second interview.

After the Second Interview: Call every 3-4 days to check in and to stress your interest plus to reinforce your fit for the position.

HR vs. Recruiters: HR folks are trained to get you off the phone quickly while Recruiters may give you a straighter answer and may tolerate more follow up calls from you.

Stay positive, courteous and respect everyone's time though be persistent and you will not fall through the cracks. Candidates who consistently follow up get to the finish line faster and more often.

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

Networking - Using your contacts

Networking to find a new job is one of your best tools. You have tons of friends, former work colleagues and contacts in the local community that want to help you succeed. You need to start making a list of all those people then call each and every one. Tell everyone that you are looking for a great new position and be specific. You will trigger 1,000% more leads if you say "I am looking for a new Sales Manager job in Industrial Products" other than "I'm looking for something maybe in sales, not sure what I want to do."

Develop a short script if you like to get into the practice of calling people, catching up and then asking them if they know of any great companies or other people in your field that you can network with. Ask them who they know is great around town and a great networking source as well. Your goal is to find all the good companies in town, not necessarily just the ones that your friends think are hiring at this time. Your call and lead list should mushroom quickly.

Call your friends, take them out for lunch one on one and ask them for some advice and LEADS.

Till next time. Good Luck! Scott

New Website Updates

Check out all the new updates to FreeJobSearchHelp.com! I have added hundreds of real work from home job opportunities (Under the "Work From Home" section), links to the most popular online job boards and resume services right on the home page plus more answers to tough questions (Under "Your Career Questions Answered").

Check back weekly for more updates and click all around!

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

Resume Summary Section

Reading hundred's of resumes a day I have found that a strong and direct Summary section at the top of a resume really grabs my attention. Leave out your objective statement and replace it with a summary paragraph. There are basically three topics that you must cover with no more than 4-5 sentences up front.

#1 - Education and direct experience summary
#2 - General skills summary
#3 - Personality/working style details

Below is a great example of a powerful summary that will get you noticed:

SUMMARY

B.S. Accounting; Accounting Professional with over four years of intensive general accounting experience. Broad exposure to all accounting functions including AP/AR, GL, budgets, monthly closings, bank reconciliations, variance analysis, bank accruals and working with auditors. Motivated individual with excellent computer skills and advanced knowledge of MS Office Products (MS Excel, Word & Email)

Model your summary like this and you will do great.

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

Working with Recruiters

I talk with candidates all day long that have had bad experiences with recruiters (I'm a recruiter too). They tell me horror stories of bait and switch jobs, no follow up, claims of help but no response and wrong information. Most recruiters take pride in finding great people for great jobs and nothing else. The best recruiters know the client companies in and out, the pros and cons, give you straight information up front and tell you the truth the whole way through.

Recruiters can only help you if they have a specific job open that you fit and when their client wants to hire you. Other than that, they're good to network with. Find a reputable recruiter with lots of experience and you should be fine. Know that they are trying to make money off placing you and want you to stick around for a long time to keep their client happy. Watch out for the very junior recruiters and the over aggressive ones that will bite you!

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

Work from Home Jobs - Company Listing

I have done some research on Working from home & Starting your own business and compiled a large list of websites that claim to offer great opportunities.

Click below for a large listing on my website under "Work From Home."

There is a long list of transcription, customer service, data entry, bookkeeping, loan officer and freelance websites to help you find a great home business.

Do lots of research and try to reach out to these companies in-person or on the phone to ensure legitimacy. Also, check with the better business bureau to make sure the companies have a great reputation first.

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

Take a break from searching

You deserve a break! Give yourself permission to take one day off from your job search and go do something fun. Go to an amusement park, visit a museum, take a walk in a park or just hang out with your family and friends. If you are struggling to find new ideas, new companies and new jobs all day long, you will get discouraged and burnt out. Take one day off from your job search and come back to it with a fresh perspective.

Take a break!

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

Best Jobs these days?

Someone recently asked me "What are the best jobs to get into these days?" The question was specifically aimed at 1-2 year training/certificate/Associate Degree programs. There are several great options out there these days though the ones with the most promise and immediate job prospects are in health care.

Looking for a new career? Need a change? Check these out...
Health care training programs to explore:

- Nursing - Nursing is hot! Usually a 2 year program with great job offers while you're still training.

- Medical Imaging - Not just X-rays anymore, MRI, CT scans, Mammograms and radiological imaging is a long term career with great income and job security. Usually 2 years.
- Sonogram Tech - Many specialties use Sonogram Techs (cardio, angio etc.) to look at more than just babies. 1-2 year program with good jobs leading to great careers.
- Pharmacy Tech - Pharmacies are a great place to work and can lead to better opportunities anywhere in the country. Usually a 1-2 year program.

If you are interested in the health care field, check out all the local schools, find the one with the best reputation and the right schedule for you and go for it!

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

Stay Motivated!

During your job search, sometimes even very early in, you may get discouraged with your progress. I talk with candidates almost daily who are frustrated with their search and have run out of ideas. It is difficult being a detective and marketing yourself to various positions at once though the payoff should be very rewarding!

Being wanted by a company, getting an interview, receiving an offer etc. is very uplifting. Think to that feeling you get when you hear great news and hold onto it. Try to focus on securing lots of phone interviews and the rest will fall into place. If you are simply placing your resume on internet job boards and waiting for a call, you will get discouraged quickly. You have to search for new local jobs daily, make new personal contacts daily, network with new people plus your friends and co-workers to find the other 50% of the jobs out there.

I hear every day that a friend of a candidate has introduced them to a new company or their own boss, providing quick interviews and offers. Get some help, get outside and keep very active. You will succeed! If you are totally burnt out, give yourself a break for one day. Go to an amusement park and have some fun!

Till next time, Good Luck! Scott

Salary and Relocation Help

Are you being paid what you're worth? What is a good salary for your job? What happens if you relocate to another city? Salary issues are complex and sometimes at the heart of your desire for a new job.

You need to get real salary data for your specific job and one place with great info is: www.salary.com . Check out this site's salary wizard and free cost of living calculator. You can get basic info for free or very detailed reports for a fee. Their cost of living calculator will compare your salary in another city to see what you need to make in order to live the same lifestyle there. www.bankrate.com is another great site with more than thirty different calculators including cost of living, mortgages, debt to income ratio, interest rates etc. All free.

Get some real data on your job's correct salary and detail your finances before you ask for that raise or negotiate an offer!

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

Summer is here!

The Summer Job Season is here! What does this mean for you?

Most think it's difficult to get a job in the summer because of vacations, kids out of school etc. This is not true. Millions of people will get new positions this summer and competition for great jobs right now is fierce. The market is on a tear, the job market is doing good, consumers are spending like crazy and companies are hiring lots of extra help.

Summer jobs may take longer to close because of vacations and scheduling etc. but, do not despair. There are tons of new jobs opening up in your city so get your resume out there now to get a jump on your competition.

Tip of the day: Apply to all the major job boards AND search daily for jobs using www.indeed.com (right at the top of this page) to find lots of new jobs just as they are posted. www.indeed.com searches all the sites at once for you, saving you valuable time.

Till next time... Good luck! Scott

Quick Resume Tips

Everyone seems to be looking for advice on their resume these days. Resumes are complex and very tricky so you must get some help. Find a good resume writer in your neighborhood and talk with them right away. Don't just wing it or use your Uncle the writer. Get with someone who knows exactly what to do.

Here are some quick tips to fix up your resume:

• Skip The Objective - Take this out, no one wants to read what YOU want to do. Replace it with a nice quick summary of your best skills.
  
• Add Impact Statements - Show your value to the company and excellent skills. Stay away from just listing things you were responsible for doing.
• Keep It Simple - Keep your formatting, wording and style simple. Too many fonts, colors and font sizes are distracting. Make it flow nicely and an easy read.
• Complete Sentences - Use complete sentences and periods. Don't truncate your thoughts.
• Buy a Resume Book - Look at my website under "Useful Books" and buy "Resumes That Knock'Em Dead." http://www.freejobsearchhelp.com
  
• Get Some Expert Help - You need someone to write you a professional document that will market your skills correctly and effectively. This is critical and well worth their fee.

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

My new favorite TV show: The Big Idea with Donny Deutsch on CNBC. Check out this show! Donny D. is a top Ad Agency owner and talks with entreprenuers, very wealthy people and other inspiring individuals. This show is about the American Dream and how to attain it for yourself. Tape it and watch it anytime to spark you own ideas.

Till next time... Good luck! Scott

Things not to do/say in the interview

Some people shoot themselves in the foot in an interview and some interviewers just can't get over it. You need to choose your words very carefully and think through your answers. You also have to be on your best behavior. Below are just a few things NOT to say/do in your interview. Yes, candidate's or mine have said/done these things over the years. I'll add more in the coming weeks.

Do not say/do:

• "I have other offers but, yours pays a lot more and that's why I'm interested."
• "I have demonstrated experience. Here, look at this..." They proceed to hand over stacks of paper including old references, marketing plans, reports they've done, misc papers etc. Not good.
• Never bring a gun into an interview. Yes, someone came into my office one day and it fell out of their briefcase. Not good!
• Never walk around your interviewer's desk and show them something on their own computer.
• Why did you leave your job? "My old boss was a jackass and the company was going bankrupt."
• Never ever answer your cell phone during an interview and talk to the person calling!
  

Be confident and smart with your answers. Think first and you will be just fine.

Till next time. Good luck! Scott

Set up a "Power Lunch"

Your friends, family and former/present work colleagues are one of your best resources for a new job search. Offering to take someone out to lunch is an offer very rarely refused, so get to it. Try inviting only one friend at a time to maximize the conversation and ideas. Use this time to network with your friends, ask them for ideas, ask for honest advice on your resume, ask them about their company plus to brainstorm.

You will come up numerous ideas and tips to help your job search that are truly sincere. Your friends and family want to see you happily employed so asking them for help should not be hard at all. It will also get you out of the house on those hard days and give you great new ideas.

Till next time... Good luck! Scott

Can I work from home?

There is a big trend and lots of hype around working from home these days. You must do your research. There is no "magic bullet" job so watch out for the many scams out there. Stick to something tangible and stay away from the fads (juices, water filters, "health products," cosmetics etc.).

One scam I just researched is the "Make money taking a survey" scam. Survey means... Sign up for trail offers (Like Blockbuster DVD rental by mail), pay money to other people (Pay Blockbuster $9.99 for the first "trial offer" month) and the survey company will give you money back (If you complete the trial offer and are billed for a second month at $17.99). The survey company will give you $28.00 for this survey but, you've paid out $27.98. Sure, you get two months of Blockbuster's service and make two cents but, is this really making you money? Every other "survey" is just like this. Skip it!

Find something on your own: What skills do you have? What was your job before? Can you do that from home? Do you have any special skills or basic skills you can use like writing/typing, talking on the phone etc.? There are lots of writing, data entry and customer service jobs that you can do from home. Look on monster.com, or other job websites, for these opportunities.

Check out the "Useful Books" section on my website for some good ideas: http://www.freejobsearchhelp.com

Some quick (though not large) money can be made from eBay. Go to local yard sales this weekend and pick out some nice things for cheap that you think will sell well, then resell them yourself. Look around your own house and sell some unwanted items too. You'll have a little money coming in next week. It's fun!

Till next time... Good luck!

It's live! www.FreeJobSearchHelp.com

I'm excited! My brand new job search help website is finally live. Go to:

http://www.freejobsearchhelp.com

There is a ton of useful information with more coming over the weekend. This will become a great website to help you jump start your job search, keep you organized and help you land that perfect new job.

Check the website often and read this blog daily for the latest job search advice. All free!

Till next time... Good luck! Scott

An Internet only search will drive you crazy!

I talk with a candidates every day who going crazy and are frustrated with their internet job search. You can easily spend many hours a day searching through numerous job websites with nothing to show for it. The internet job boards are an awesome resource but, you must use them wisely. If you sit around all day sending tons of resumes to random jobs and companies, you will get discouraged very quickly.

Tips for maximizing your internet search:

#1 - Use the automated search functions on each website. Set up a custom search, or 2-3, to search for jobs in your area for you every day. Have them emailed to you so you can sit there and read through the possibilities. Monster.com, HotJobs.com etc. all have these services.

#2 - Use Indeed.com (Right at the top of this blog!) This website searches many job sites all at once for you. Search this 1-2 times a day to save time and find the latest jobs.

#3 - Don't get too distracted. Keep a schedule each day for internet searching. Certainly roam around looking for new companies and leads but, don't stray too far. Before you know it you'll be on a wacky site looking at funny videos and off your search.

#4 - Remember that your goal is to find information to help you make personal contacts. E-mailing your resume into a company is great but, the response rate will be maybe 1-10%. To get your response rate up to 50% or better, you must call the company. You must put a voice/face with your name to get that job!

#5 - Go outside. Go get coffee at Starbucks, sit around and watch people, try to meet new people, ask what they do and where they work. Go take a friend to lunch and brainstorm with them. Get some fresh air and find new leads!

Till next time... Good luck! Scott

Searching for a job while you have a job

Searching for a new job while you still have one is a great idea. While interviewing for a new job you will have leverage because you already have a career and are searching for a better option.

Here are some tips to aid in your covert search:

#1 - Do not search for a job from your present workplace. Keep searching to an absolute minimum from your current job because you don't want them to find out! Inevitably you will get careless, leave a job website open, print a copy of your resume or leave a file on your computer named "resume" and you will get caught. Resist the temptation to search for jobs online from work. Someone is always watching your internet traffic. Use your lunch hour, nights/weekends and computer at home to do the bulk of the work.

#2 - Set up a free web based e-mail account to send and receive all your e-mails. Any service like Hotmail.com or Yahoo! will work. Do not have anything sent to your work account. Someone is always watching you there. Check the free account during work hours but be very careful.

#3 - Get in your car and go to a parking garage to make calls. Make calls in your car away from your current employer's parking lot. Don't get caught in your car sitting there with resumes everywhere while on the phone. Use your lunch hour to get away.

#4 - Keep a copy of your resume on a "thumb drive" instead of on your hard drive at work. Small keychain thumb drives are very cheap now. Keep this with you so anytime someone needs a copy you can e-mail it to them.

#5 - Try not to tell anyone at work that you are looking. Your trusted friend can also slip up too so it's best not to tell anyone at the start. When you start to get offers, tell only a select few people you can trust so they can be your references (and remain your advocate) before anything negative breaks out.

#6 - Use anonymous/confidential names and company names on your online resume when possible. When you put your resume out on Monster.com they give you an option to remain anonymous. Don't forget to put "Confidential" for your current employer too. Keep info out of snooping recruiter's hands and others who may stumble across you on the internet. This will not hurt your chances, only protect your current job.

#7 - Keep interview clothes in your car so you can stop at a restaurant or gas station to change into this outfit after leaving your present job for an interview. Do not wear interview clothes to your present job. People automatically ask you if you're interviewing whether you are or not.

As always, do you best in your current job and find that next great career!

Till next time... Good luck! Scott

Money isn't everything, be happy!

Job seekers today are searching for that perfect job in a great location with less hours, more authority and more pay. In this competitive world there are few jobs that are perfect. When searching for a new job, it is critical to ask yourself "What are my motivations?"

Survey after survey has been done over the years and #1 on the job wish list is always the quality of the work, personal fulfillment and quality of life. Money, a very important factor, is always ranked second to third, or worse. If you are currently underpaid though love your job, it may be advantageous to look at other options other than a brand new job. You should explore ideas like getting a new degree and/or moving up within your company.

If you are unhappy in your job, it doesn't matter what they pay you, everyone wants out. There are usually obvious reasons that you are unhappy. Work on these first to see if there is a solution. The best advice I give to anyone is that there are ALWAYS 2-3 things about every job that you hate. So you must ask yourself "What can I live with and still be happy?" You must be able to tolerate a few negative things about a job unless you are miserable.

If you are miserable and have explored solutions to the negative influences in your job with no success, then start looking. You must remain realistic though. You may or may not find that perfect job of a lifetime that offers you happiness, tons of money, advancement and is right down the street from your home. Discover your core motivations and what makes you happy, then set out on your job search prepared with great questions for interviewers.

Till next time... Good luck! Scott

New Job Market numbers out today

The Bureau of Labor Statistics published its latest report today and jobs were added, though not as many as last month, and unemployment is up. Jobs added last month were 88,000 and unemployment is now up to 4.5%. What matters more is that they have revised their previous estimates on new jobs/unemployment so the differences to today are actually more.

Summary: Our economy remains strong, jobs are still being created, just not at the blistering pace they were in the previous 3-6 months. Experts are all over the place but, most are optimistic that the US economy will remain strong and maybe slow a little in the summer.

What this means to you is... Now is the time to find a new job. Lots of volatility means people quitting and getting laid off while new jobs are still being added. All of this is good for you. It means that positions are opening up everywhere and you need to target everyone within reason.

Tip of the Day: Find a new company you never knew of around town and find out what they do. Look on the internet, Hoovers, your local chamber of commerce website or the yellow pages. Look for companies that will employ people like you in similar positions. Odds are that people will be moving around and having your resume in front of HR, even without a solid opening, will only help you!

Check out the BLS report here: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Till next time, Good Luck! Scott

Website going live soon!

My new website is going live this weekend!

The web address is: http://www.freejobsearchhelp.com

It's easy enough to remember and provides exactly what it says. Free help and advice for you job search. Content is coming together quickly and I'm adding lots of cool features. It will be a premiere, easy-to-use resource to help you jump start your job search and keep you motivated.

I will post here when it is up and running. Until then and afterwards, this blog will be the best way to communicate with me, ask questions and reply to my daily posting.

Tip of the day: Check out www.indeed.com I have been recommending this website since I found it about six months ago. This one website searches numerous websites all at once for you. Saving you tons of time! Indeed.com only lets you search for job titles in specific cities... But what comes up is awesome, results from the top job websites all at once. I couldn't believe how easy it was. Now you can check Monster, Careerbuilder, Hotjobs and Craigslist etc. all with ONE search. You can do this every day with no sweat and apply to brand new jobs instantly.

So stop accessing all these websites individually and save your sanity. When you're done, get outside and meet new people!

Till next time... Good luck! Scott

Job Search Tip of the day.

I hear every day that someone sent their resume to a company and they "never heard anything." Why is this?

There are several reasons your resume did not get a response. Here are some major ones:

1. You were too late - As soon as an ad is posted resumes start streaming into in-boxes, overloading people in HR.
2. You are not qualified - You applied to a job that you "would like to do" but are not qualified to do.
3. Your salary or experience is too much - Managers typically hire people in a "sweet spot" with just the right experience and salary.
4. The job is on hold or they have enough candidates already - Even if you're the perfect candidate, managers tend to work through their resume piles until they find someone to interview and hire. They only need one person and you may just be the second.
   
5. Your resume is unreadable, has no key words they can find quickly or your experience is hard to match with the position description.

Tips for you:
#1 - Make your resume stand out! Have lots of people look at it and make lots of corrections until people can tell exactly what you do in a few seconds. Make sure it matches the position you are applying to.

#2 - CALL THEM! Call the hiring manager, or anyone in HR and say "Hi, My name is John Smith and I sent my resume in for the X Position. I would love to confirm that you received it and talk with you about this position." Do this once a week until you get a yes or no. Trust me, even getting a no will ease you mind.

Till next time... Good luck! Scott

Free Job Search Help Online Debut

Hello all Job Seekers!

I am creating a new website with tons of great easy to read information for job seekers. I am a professional recruiter with many years of experience helping people get that perfect job!

Searching for a job is a tedious and exhausting process and there is no easy place to get free tips and tricks to maximize your efforts. Check back for the new website address I should have live within a week.

Now to today's topic: "How is the job market?"

I get this question a lot. People want to know how tough it is out there to find a new job. The simple answer is: It's a great job market! It all depends what kind of job you are looking for. Here is some recent data on the actual job market statistics.

Employment Situation Summary: The Bureau of Labor Statics said in early April that unemployment is unchanged at 4.4% and payrolls were up by 180,000 workers while earnings were slightly down. What does this mean? Unemployment is still low, more people continue to get new jobs and earnings are status quo.

The BLS also concluded that jobs were up in retail, construction and healthcare while manufacturing continues to decline. This reinforces that healthcare jobs are going to keep booming for a while and our migration to a predominantly service economy will continue its course.

So what does this really mean? People who are searching for a new job are more likely to find new opportunities in their field. US companies continue to grow, especially in foreign markets, the job market is good and if you have great skills you should have nice job prospects.

Daily insight: Check out healthcare jobs and jobs with an international focus. Baby boomers are starting to flood the US plus China will out pace us in a few years as a world dominator. Learning Mandarin Chinese is all the rage!

Check out more info here: http://www.bls.gov/news.release/empsit.nr0.htm

Till next time. Good luck! Scott