Ten Things To Do If You Really, Really Hate Your Job

1. Begin focusing on what you want instead of how much you want to escape. When you find yourself sharing the latest horror story, stop in mid-sentence and say, "What I want to have is..."

2. Create an image that describes you in your job. Are you on a riverbank with no way to get to the other side? Lost in a jungle? Poking through a thorny hedge? When you get comfortable with the image, begin visualizing a change in the obstacle. Imagine building a bridge across the river or finding a path in the forest. Don't force the image or the change. When you're ready it will come.

3. Think of developing skills, not serving time. Take every course that's offered and focus on skills that can lay a foundation for your own business or next job. Can you learn HTML or PowerPoint? Can you use some evenings, weekends and lunch hours to solicit some free lance gigs?

4. Focus on satisfactory, not superior performance. Use the time difference to build your new life. People often say, "I can't do anything -- I work ten hours a day!" If you are firing yourself or expecting to be fired, your job is finding a new job. Be ethical: you owe your company the minimum you need to earn your salary." But don't be surprised if you start to accomplish more than ever and find yourself getting promoted.

5. What conflict are you escaping? Dishonesty? Corporate greed? Hypocrisy? Allow yourself to wonder if these qualities are mirrored in your own life -- or even in your mind. If everyone around you seems dishonest, are you being dishonest with yourself? With others? After you resolve your own conflict, you may find the workplace has changed or you have been catapulted into a new, more satisfying life.

6. Put on your shield and armor when you enter your workplace. Everyone should learn how to create a psychic shield. Imagine that you are surrounded by an outer shell that is made of a solid material -- so strong that nothing can get through to hurt you. Some people prefer to imagine a protective golden light, but I think the solid shield is stronger. Take two or three minutes to put on your shield, every day, before you enter the workplace.

7. Give yourself a gift every day -- a splurge of time or sensual taste buds. Read a book, talk to a friend, eat your favorite food. Don't deaden your senses with alcohol (although if you're a wine connoisseur, your special wine can be a gift) or spend big bucks at the mall. Think simple.

8. Find at least one thing in your life to appreciate: the softness of your cat's fur, the winter sky, the spontaneous hug from a friend. Appreciate as much as possible about your job: the money, the view from the window, the new computer, friendly conversations with the guy down the hall. Savor the experience. Appreciation is the engine that attracts good things into your life.

9. Tune in to your intuition before deciding what to do next. Meditate and listen to the world around you. The saying "frying pan into the fire" is real. If your goals and desires do not come from a secure place within yourself, you will find yourself paying undue attention to wet blankets ("If you quit you'll never get another job") and false friends ("Just quit! Move to Tahiti! You won't starve!"). Sometimes the same "advisor" proposes both ideas in the same week. A good coach or counselor will give you confidence in your own intuition, not impose their views of what you should do now.

10. Write this down somewhere: After you've left -- and you will -- all that time will seem to have gone in the blink of an eye. You will have trouble remembering what bothered you so much. The rest of your life will still be ahead of you.

Interview Thank-You Letters

The number one etiquette tip for interviews is writing a thank-you letter. This is not a tool commonly used by job seekers right now. If you are looking for an advantage and a way to stick out above the other job applicants then follow up your interview by showing appreciation and courtesy.

The letter should be written and sent within 24 hours of your interview and sent to all people who either interviewed you or helped you out in the process. If it is not appropriate to send a letter to everyone who was involved with your interview, then just send one to the highest-ranking interviewer.

Writing to the employer is another way to showcase skills and competency in communication and your career. Make sure your letter is understandable, easy to read and professional yet personal. Now that you have met the person or people you are writing to it is okay to include some personalization.

The letter format should include the following:

* First, express your sincere appreciation for the interview.

* Second, reemphasize your best qualifications for the position requirements.

* Third, reiterate your enthusiasm and interest in the job. At this time you may want to offer additional information not previously given.

* Fourth, once again mention your appreciation.

SAMPLE LETTER:

Address

Date

Interviewer's Name
Title
Business
Address

Dear Mr. Henley,

I want to thank you for the chance to be interviewed for the assistant project manager position yesterday. It was a pleasure to meet you and become more familiar with your business and its services.

My interest in working for you and meeting all your needs and requirements for the position increased after the interview. I think my past experience and education has prepared me well to fill the position and I would work hard to make a significant contribution to your business.

I want to restate my interest in the position and become a part of your team. The position holds many opportunities that I am seeking. If you need, please don't hesitate to contact me at 511-555-1151 or fclancy@e-mail.com for any additional information.

Thanks again for your time and consideration.

7 Secrets of a Highly-Effective Resume Cover Letter

Just like the late, great Rodney Dangerfield, the "humble" cover letter gets no respect.

Job-seekers spend so much time and energy on their resumes they've got nothing left to offer their poor, neglected cover letters.

Big, BIG mistake!

It is the well-written cover letter not the resume that can single-handedly land you more job interviews. The cover letter is your one chance to really "market" yourself to an employer using proven marketing strategies rarely found in the typical cover letter.

Conversely, there's only so much you can do with the traditional CV or resume. I believe the carefully crafted cover letter is more important to your job search success than any other written document, including the resume.

As a direct marketing professional for over 20 years, I bring to you my 7 secrets of a highly-effective resume cover letter:

1. ADDRESS your cover letter to a specific person. Do your best to find out "To Whom" you should address your cover letter. "Dear Manager" is lifeless.

2. OPEN with an attention-grabbing first sentence to really grip the reader. This will almost guarantee your cover letter and resume get a closer look.

3. REMEMBER less is more. The best cover letters have plenty of white space. Cover letters that are clear, focused, short and sweet land more job interviews period.

4. FOCUS on what you can do for the employer. How can you benefit the company specifically? Do a little research and relate this simply and clearly in your letter.

5. CHOOSE WORDS that show enthusiasm and passion for the position you seek... (big, big secret!) Then, carry this passion into the interview with you.

6. REQUEST ONE ACTION you want the employer to take: "I would really like the opportunity for a personal interview this week." (You never know until you ASK.)

7. END your cover letter with something enthusiastic and telling like, "I look forward to being interviewed at your earliest convenience. Thank you so much for this opportunity." Sincerely, Jane Jobseeker. (Notice how Jane assumes she'll land the interview? This is clever, smart, and it works like a charm).

Think of your cover letter as a sales letter. The only purpose of your resume cover letter is to land you more job interviews. That's the bottom line. By using the proven marketing strategies I've outlined above you will land more quality job interviews than your competition.

You must find a way to get your "foot in the company door" to have any chance of landing the job. With the right cover letter you can blow the doors of opportunity wide open. And remember, more job interviews translate to (drum roll please)... more job offers.

Finally, the most important advice I can offer you is this: FOLLOW-UP every job lead, contact, and communication. Following up is the "golden key" to getting hired for the job of your dreams. Use follow-up cover letters, thank you letters, even follow-up phone calls. Following-up can literally double your chance for success. It is also the one secret ingredient missing from 99% of every job-seeker's playbook.

Good news for you!

The Telecommuting Tightrope

For many of us, telecommuting seems like the ideal situation. You wake up, shuffle over to your home office, work at your own pace. You take a break when it suits you, you end your day when you're ready to. You can rearrange your work schedule to fit around your personal life.

Or can you?

What motivates most people to seek telecommuting is the need for a balance between work and play. Ironically, it's often this desire for balance that leads people to the realization that telecommuting is not for them.

Take Meg Rottman. Now the President of her own Public Relations company, StylePR, Meg once thought that telecommuting was the perfect solution.

At the time, she was working as a Fashion Editor for a company located in New York. Since she was on the West Coast, and her job didn't require her presence in an office, she felt it was a natural fit to work from home.

"At first, it seemed like a great opportunity," says Meg. "Ultimately, I found that I didn't have 'work time' and 'play time'. It morphed into just 'time'".

"I found that there was no beginning or ending to my day. And there was no time off. I would jump out of bed in the morning with an idea and go directly to the computer. And then, often I would still be typing at 11:00 at night. It was almost like being on call. I wanted my time to be more compartmentalized".

This is a common side effect of working from home. It takes no small amount of discipline to structure your day- and stick to it. The funny thing is, having the ability to take a break and do other things in the middle of the workday is the reason many people want to telecommute in the first place.

Meg realized this. "If you really schedule your day, then how can you justify taking a walk, or putting a roast in? You can't," she says. "Maybe you're giving up what made working at home so great to begin with."

It wasn't all bad though. Meg did discover some things about herself. "I really did not need supervision, I was completely self-motivated. The surprising thing was that I worked more".

Not surprising is the fact that Meg now owns her own company. "[Telecommuting] definitely gave me the feeling that I was already working for myself, so why not do that?" she says. "Yes I have to drive to my office now, but it is easier for me to separate work and home and create a more balanced life."

Mystery Shopping

Mystery shopping is an excellent way to make extra money. In fact, some people make a full time living doing it.

There are many mystery shopping companies that will pay you to shop, eat at restaurants and take part in focus groups.

A mystery shop consists of getting paid to go into a business without the employee's knowledge and reporting back to the mystery shopping company.

A focus group is when you get paid to sit down with other people who are also getting paid and discuss new products or services.

Mystery shopping jobs and focus groups are easier to find if you live in or near a large metropolitan area.

After you do a mystery shop you answer some questions and file your report with the mystery shopping company. These reports are usually set up as a series of questions and often can be completed quickly.

The reason they have mystery shops and focus groups is so that companies can get feedback on their employees, products and services. That way they can see where there might be problems and make the necessary changes to improve things.

A few years ago I had some free time and I wanted to make some extra money. I took a course, How to Become a Mystery Shopper, at a local community college. After completing the course I registered with a few mystery shopping companies online.

You can do a search on Google for "mystery shopping." Bypass the mystery shopping websites that are trying to sell something. You want to find the mystery shopping websites for the actual mystery shopping companies. These mystery shopping companies will never charge you any type of fee to register or to do mystery shops or focus groups.

Be sure to read all the free mystery shopping information you come across. There is an art to being a good mystery shopper. Basically you are like a reporter. You will never add your feelings or what you think to a mystery shopping report. Your job is to just answer the questions, report the facts and describe what actually happened during your shop.

You never want to give your own recommendations. That is not why you are hired. If the mystery shopping company wants a consultant, they will hire one. All they want you to do is to answer questions with just the facts of your mystery shopping assignment.

Once you find a few mystery shopping companies you can then register with them. They'll contact you by email whenever they have a mystery shopping job in your area. You'll only respond to the emails when you want to do the shop. Otherwise you can just delete the email. You get to pick and choose the shops you want to do.

A couple of years ago I did some apartment shops for the Jancyn Evaluation Company that took me about half an hour to complete. Since they paid $25, I was basically being paid $50 an hour.

You can register with the Jancyn Evaluation Shops Company. They may pay more than $25 today for apartment shops since it has been about two years since I've done an apartment shop for them.

Jancyn also does a lot of shops and surveys for the Ross Dress for Less retail stores. I'm not sure if Jancyn still has a business relationship with Ross, but I once handed out survey forms in one of the local Ross stores here in the Seattle area and made $500 for about 30 hours of work.

Here's the URL for Jancyn if you'd like to register with them to do some shops. http://www.jancyn.com/

Another mystery shopping company that I get a lot of email requests for shops for is the Secret Shopper Company. They seem to specialize in shops for Veterinary Clinics. They pay $15 plus up to $100 payment NOT including tip + $10. The only catch is that you have to own a cat or dog, which I don't, but maybe you do. Here's their URL http://www.secretshopper.com

OK, I've saved the best for last. Fieldwork specializes in setting up focus groups for some of the biggest companies in the US. They pay $50 to $75 for a focus group meeting that usually lasts about an hour.

The last one I did with them was for some research for eBay. They were trying to come up with a name for a new category on their website.

Fieldwork is located throughout the US in major metropolitan areas. You'll have to visit their website to see if they are located near where you live.

It's great if you have children since Fieldwork does a lot of focus groups involving children. Perhaps you can talk your kids into splitting the fee with you. Again, the pay usually works out to be about $50 to $75 an hour.

Unfortunately I have no children, but the next time I get an email for a focus group for children I'll borrow a couple of my neighbor's children.

Resume That Effectively Promotes You!

Imagine for a moment that you have created a wonderful product. You are excited at the possibilities of attaining name, fame and wealth marketing this product. You create a business plan and a marketing plan. You plan an excellent packaging and a presentation that would do justice to the benefits the product offers to the world and you get all set to market it.

Let us get back to reality. You are that wonderful product. You have created the product after years of studying, qualifications and building up your personality.

Aren't you excited about marketing it!

Your resume is the place to start with which needs to be an excellent presentation - Your Sales Page. It needs to be presented with all the benefits that it offers to the customer - your employer. Then you as the product is all set to achieve a dream run.

Do you get the picture? Your resume is your advertisement, your presentation is your sales letter and your packaging is what gives the world the first impression of you as the product.

Here are a few of the important aspects to focus while creating your resume.

Writing a powerful objective in two short lines which will explain clearly what you are seeking. It should be a statement about your career direction. This is the headline of your advertisement.

A well formatted list of your qualifications and certifications in reverse chronological order gives your resume a sense of organization.

Properly presenting your skills and accomplishments can make the difference in getting an interview call or not. This is the key to your appointment for the interview as the interviewer is more interested in what you can do for them than your qualifications.

Using powerful words in your resume makes it more energetic and exciting. Using powerful words also projects your abilities as a good communicator.

Use plenty of key words picked up from the advertisement and the job profile. Most of the resumes are sorted digitally using the words used in the job description.

Reading and revising your resume as often as possible. Because every reading will help you perfect your resume, polish it and make it a power document projecting you in brilliant hues. Be rest assured you are ahead of the pack if you have an excellently written resume.

There are plenty of good websites providing resume articles and tips including www.ezinearticles.com. Check them out to learn more.

Every improvement to your resume will make your interview call rates to take a quantum leap. That is half the battle won in getting your dream job.

Turning the Table: Questions for Your Interviewer

(DES MOINES, Iowa - January 26, 2005) The fateful final question of all interviewers may carry more weight than you would think. Upon hearing "Now, do you have any questions," you are given a chance to show the quality of your character and interest in the company. No matter how well the interview went, passively responding to this question with a shake of the head and a polite smile will only communicate to the employer that you are not interested in inquiring about the job, the company, and your place within their organization. Your approach to this Question & Answer time will directly impact the interviewer's assessment of you and the interview.

When thinking of questions the first things that probably come to mind regard your salary, hours, vacation, and benefits. It is not a good idea to ask these types of questions during this time. It would only express to the employer that you are more concerned about yourself than learning about the company. These kinds of questions are valid only when a job offer has been made.

When preparing for this part of the interview develop questions regarding the company or the organization. This will positively influence your interview by showing that you care more about the company and the job than just how much they will pay you. Good questions to ask are:

* How would you describe your company culture?

* What is the typical career path for someone in this position?

* What is your company's biggest challenge?

* Where do you see this industry in the next five years?

* Who is your competition and how do you compare?

* How does your company measure success?

* What skills are the most important for this position?

* Describe your ideal employee.

* Tell me about the people I'd be working with.

Not only will these questions indicate to the interviewer if you are right for the job, but their answers will indicate to you if the job is what you're looking for. Just as you may not be a perfect fit for all companies, not all companies are a perfect fit for you. Just as you try to sell yourself to a company, a company should try to sell themselves to you. In this case you should ask questions like:

* Are there any plans for a corporate merger or outsourcing initiatives?

With mergers and outsourcing often come layoffs. Before accepting a position you may want to be aware of this. Many job seekers are under the impression that only unsuccessful companies downsize. That is not always true.

* Are promotions based on seniority or accomplishments?

Some companies still operate on seniority. No matter the accomplishments or lack of accomplishments they are offered advancing positions before a new hire is. You should know that if you put in 110% that you will receive what you are due.

* If you could change one thing about how this company functions, what would it be? Not every company functions perfectly and you may want to be aware of where their weaknesses lie.

The interviewer will recognize questions that have been prepared after thoughtful consideration. Take the time to determine what is important to you and what you highly value in a company so you can ask appropriate and intelligent questions.

Unlimit Your Life!

Do you have a tendency to think in absolutes?

Is everything good or bad, black or white?

This type of thinking can severely limit your options. Or worse, prevent you from getting an accurate picture of what's possible.

Most people are uncomfortable hanging out in the "I don't know" space. The anxiety of not knowing triggers a rush to decision making. However, learning how to deal with periods of uncertainty while weighing your options will afford you the time to make a superior choice.

So how do you do this? Try a new approach and get support.

Broaden Your Reach

Suppose you wanted to explore career options. If you usually get advice from one or two people, instead make a list of every possible person who might provide information. If you get a knot in your stomach at the thought of contacting these people, you're on the right track! You're out of your comfort zone, and that's good. To build up your courage before tackling this list, ask a trusted friend for encouragement and moral support.

As a further challenge, attempt to connect with a person who has achieved prominence in their field. While getting an appointment with a successful individual or receiving a return e-mail may take time, the effort could result in valuable insight and net you a future mentor.

Ideally, speak with one person working in each of the ranks (upper, middle and/or lower) of the career area you are exploring. Keep the information flowing by asking your contact for another name.

Besides getting a more detailed picture of what you can expect from this career choice, you'll begin to get a view of all the permutations that are possible. Each person's opinion will broaden your view and knowledge.

Explore The Gray Area

It is in this huge "gray area" where a wonderful new career might be waiting for you. You could even discover that you already possess many of the requisite skills, making a career transition easier than you thought.

In the end, the choices you make will improve if you do the research and take the time for reflection. Don't panic or rush the process. In this case, faster is not better, slower is. And a wonderful by-product of this process is a newfound sense of self-confidence and fresh possibilities!

Why Employers Want an Employee with a Degree

You wake up in the morning, head to work, and find out your company is downsizing and you are being laid off. No big deal you think, you have experience, you've worked at the same company for years. You think companies will WANT to hire you. Guess what, your wrong. It's a new day and age, while you may potentially find work. It's a lot more difficult than you may think to get a job these days. Most reputable companies are looking for qualified people who also have an education.

Through the companies eyes, they see an education as a sign of dedication to a career/field. Without an education, you are liable to get up and move to a different career in a heart beat as you don't have years of education backing you up. A company knows that when you have an education you are in for the long haul.

People with an education are a commodity these days, if you don't have one, many companies won't even go beyond glancing at your resume. So what can you do, to prevent a situation like the one I've outlined above from happening? If you currently have a job, you can start working on attaining some form of education at one of the many accredited online schools.

Get Inspired About Your Career

Get Inspired about Your Career

Do you linger in bed long after your alarm goes off on work mornings? Do you dread Sunday nights because they lead to Monday mornings? Do you watch the clock and wonder if the day will ever end? Do you look outside your workplace and ask, "Is there more to life than just this job?"

If you suffer from any of these symptoms, it is time for you to create a new career! In her CD book, Advanced Energy Anatomy, Carolyn Myss, Ph.D. lays out a seven-step process for bringing an idea to physical creation. Here's that seven-step process applied to creating a new career inspiration.

1. Get Inspired. Inspiration comes from the Latin words that mean, "to breathe in". To infuse your career creation with life, passion, and excitement, ask yourself,

* What would I do if money were not an object?

* What did I love to do as a child but left behind?

* What activity do I do so intently that I don't notice time passing?

* Am I interested in turning down the road not taken at a past career fork in the road?

Dig deeply, don't censor your answers and write each inspiration on a separate piece of paper.

2. What Do You Think? Run each of your inspirations through your head! Ask,

* Can I see myself doing this?

* Does it make sense?

* Do I think I can do it?

* Am I willing to think about it?

Be honest in answering these questions, and record your answers on each idea's page. Rule out the inspirations that don't survive here.

3. What About Your Will? Run each of the surviving ideas through your will! Your will houses your mental capabilities for choosing, intending, wishing and desiring. Ask yourself,

* Will I be able to do this?

* Am I able to communicate it?

* Am I able to make the right choices and decisions to do this?

Again, write down your answers for each idea. Narrow your list of ideas once more to the ones you believe you'll be able to do, communicate or make the right choices for.

4. What Do You Feel? Run your survivors through your heart! Ask yourself,

* How do I feel about this?

* Does it feel right to me?

* Can I follow my heart on these inspirations?

Write the answers to these questions for each idea; rule out the ones your heart isn't into.

Here's where the going gets tough. The first four steps are energetic. They're ephemeral, they don't affect your physical life, and they're cheap and easy. The next three steps involve assessing your surviving career ideas in the physical world.

5. What Will Others Think? Run your surviving inspirations through your self-esteem. Ask yourself,

* Can I endure criticism for this choice?

* Will others think I'm foolish?

* What if others laugh at me?

Write your answers for each of the surviving ideas and go to the next step.

6. Can I Afford It? Run your surviving inspirations through your financial life. Ask yourself,

* What will it cost to change?

* Can I live on what I could make in this new career?

* Can I learn to live with less?

Record your answers and go to the next step.

7. Am I Willing to Deal With My Fears? What, you have no career ideas or inspirations that survived? Congratulations, you have met your fears!

Relax, you're not alone!

It's important that your mind, will and heart are all aligned, or you'll run into problems. Careers your mind likes but your heart doesn't will be short-lived. Careers your heart might like don't even get consideration if your mind allows its fears to stop you dead in your tracks. Your will doesn't have clear direction if your head and heart aren't aligned.

Run each of your inspirations through your mind, will and heart. Release those inspirations that don't have energy in all three of your mind, will and heart. You won't have enough energy to try them effectively. Hold onto the inspirations for which your mind, will and heart are aligned.

Run those inspirations through your self-esteem. Ask yourself,

* Do I have the guts to pull off this career change, even if others disapprove?

* Can I grow up and not need others approval to change?

* Am I willing to change my social group to pursue this new career?

Now that you're feeling bold and independent, run the ideas that survived through your financial screen again. Weigh your desire for a career that satisfies you with your need to remain unchanged economically. Ask yourself these tough questions:

* What economic changes must I make in order for this career to be feasible?

* Would living more simply (read: less expensively) feel better if I felt better about my career?

* What expenses that help me cope with my current career won't be necessary if I change?

* What's more important -- feeling good about myself or having things?

Finally, take the hardy career inspirations that remain and ask,

* Can I see myself putting this inspiration into practice?

* Am I ready to birth this career inspiration into the world?

* Am I ready to share the energy of my career idea with the world?

Shake the tree of your fertile imagination and see what career inspiration falls from it. Some ideas are ripe for picking; others need a bit more time on the tree to ripen. Hold onto those inspirations that didn't survive - you'll want to review them when you change careers next time!

Knowing and Guessing

The line between average and exceptional work performance is dotted with ordinary day-by-day behaviors. I was reminded of that line recently. My husband was explaining to a nurse how he'd inadvertently taken the last dose of the live typhoid virus on the wrong day and wondered if he needed to retake the sequence prior to our Africa trip. "No," she commented, "I think you'll be fine." We both knew she was guessing.

While rolling down my sleeve from the next set of immunizations, a different nurse poked her head into the room. "I overheard your conversation at the desk." she said to Dan. "We've never had that situation, so I thought it best to call the drug manufacturer for advice. Turns out you need to retake the entire dosage." We were grateful she took the extra step.

It's not possible to know all the answers to all the questions you'll get tossed in the workplace. But, be willing to say when you don't. That's better than giving out misinformation or guessing at an answer without making it clear it's a guess. People who are winning at working add four words - "but I'll find out." And they do find out and get back to the person. That extra step differentiates their performance in the workplace.

Jeff was already in the department when I was hired to manage it. "I don't know" was his typical response when queried beyond the surface status reports of his projects. At first, I expected Jeff to automatically find out the answers to my questions and inform me, his new boss. But he never did. Jeff managed to train me to follow up to his "I don't know," with "please find out and tell me."

Jeff worked for me for two years and at the time I moved on, I was still asking him to find out. For Jeff and people like Jeff, "I don't know" is a habitual way to reduce their task list. To them, "I don't know" ends it. What they don't realize is what else it ends in the minds of their bosses, clients or customers.

It baffles me that someone thinks saying "I don't know" suffices when it involves their work responsibilities. It baffles me how frequently people offer their best guesses like factual answers. And it baffles me, in my twenty years in management, how surprisingly few people took the small step to find out. Those who did stood out. They went from guessing to knowing. Find out answers and you'll build knowledge that differentiates you.

Want to be winning at working? Stop guessing; start knowing. The next time you find yourself venturing a guess on an important answer, pause. Then reframe your response with, "I don't know for sure, but I'll find out for you." Not only will you be adding to your knowledge base, but when you find out and follow up with the person, you'll be building your credibility and crossing an important performance line.

Career Change Success Is Yours If you Follow The Formula

Recent surveys suggest that, given the chance, about four out of 10 people would change career tomorrow and a further two might. The most popular reason given would be to earn more. But others want a new challenge, to do something more fulfilling, or to have a better quality of life. If you are one of these who might, what's stopping you?

Simply stated there are only two things stopping you from making the successful career change you dream of - belief and action. Or in my terms: PMA + SMA = Career Change Success

But everyone goes on about PMA - Positive Mental Attitude, don't they? What does it mean?

To some extent we all have some influence over the things that happen to us. I don't mean to say that we can make everything work out right all of the time, but we can hold an attitude of expecting things to go right.

It also means belief in yourself; that you have the skills and experience; qualities and attributes that will benefit a new employer. The one who wins isn't necessarily the one who can, but the one who thinks he can. So if you are going to make that career change, you must think you can.

Belief in yourself is also about being true to yourself and your core values. It's not about short-term gains, 'acing' interviews or 'finessing' your way into a high-paying job that you've no real hope of holding down. The move you make must be consistent with your core values otherwise you won't achieve that all important career satisfaction. If you get there by the wrong means, you'll probably end up as one of the four in ten again!

So you should start your career change process by being clear in your mind about:

? what you really enjoy doing;

? what makes your work satisfying, great fun, fraught, or dull;

? what you're good at and want to continue doing;

? what's important to you;

? and how your decisions affect those close to you.

You can work out the answers to these questions from my advice on your skills analysis, your contributions and your values - then your career change becomes career reality!

But only if you use the second part of my formula - SMA by which I mean Sustained Meaningful Activity. In other words do the things you need to do, for as long as you need to do them, until the career change you want to achieve becomes career reality.

What are the things you need to do?

? Follow all the advice you can get and be clear that you have the skills and capacity to present a compelling case to a new employer.

? Work out how you will make your case come alive by preparing scenarios and stories that colourfully illustrate how your experience brings value and benefits to the new organization.

? Be prepared for disappointment - you may not get there first time - but stay positive and don't just give up. Move on to the next one right away.

? Build up your network of people who can support, advise and challenge you; most people will be very pleased to help.

? Get your CV or resume updated and reviewed by someone you respect.

? Research potential businesses that may have the right type of opportunity, but are also likely to be consistent with your values.

? Ask questions at interview so you can gauge whether the opportunity is right or simply 'there'.

? Make sure your writing skills are up to the task of producing not only excellent application cover letters, but also carefully crafted target letters for the direct approach to employers.

? Be clear how you can access the 'unadvertised' jobs market, by networking, research and targeting.

? Maintain your confidence and optimism and never quit, give up or give in - you know you can do it, so keep going till you get there.

It will be worth it!

With over 25 years running 'people' businesses, and as a Career Coach, Consultant and Author, Peter Fisher is well placed to guide job seekers through the steps needed in order to achieve that all important new position.

He has personally coached thousands of individuals to career success.

Get a Raise: How To Ask Your Boss For More Money

How many people do you know who think they deserve a pay rise, but are too scared to ask? You might even be one of those people! Why is it we are afraid to ask for what we believe we are worth? It's time to stop worrying and start asking, but before you charge into your boss's office give yourself the best chance of success with these helpful tips?then book that meeting with the boss.

Do an audit. Make a huge list of all your achievements in your current role. Think about where you add value to your organisation and how you have grown the business. List both demonstrable results such as statistics, sales figures, client testimonials and reports as well as those things that can be a little more difficult to quantify, such as improving staff morale.

Know what you're worth. Find out what similar jobs to yours are paying in the market. Look at the same industry and other industries to determine what your market value is and what type of additional package benefits are on offer for similar roles.

Create your ideal package. Make a list of what you would like to receive in salary, car allowance, employee benefits, superannuation and time off. Look at the total dollar value of the package - don't focus only on the individual components.

Consider the organisational situation. Be aware of how the organisation is performing before you approach your manager. If times are tough, your proposal is less likely to be considered but if the company is performing well your manager might be more open to your request.

Book a time. Make an appointment with your manager and let him or her know that the agenda will be your remuneration package. Try to schedule this appointment for early in the day so your manager is not distracted by competing priorities and you are not spending a nervous day waiting for the appointment time.

Practice. Go over your presentation in your mind and perhaps even with a friend or colleague. Know what it is you want to say and why you believe you deserve this raise.

Objection! List all of your manager's potential objections and consider how you would respond to them.

Be calm and positive. Take a few deep breaths before the meeting and remind yourself of why you deserve this raise and the positive impact it will have on your life. Don't approach your manager timidly or they won't believe you are worth the raise. Believe in yourself and your achievements.

Be aware of body language. Make sure you sit forward in your chair, your shoulders are straight, sit forward in your chair and make eye contact and smile. Try to appear relaxed and comfortable not nervous and fidgety.

Build your case. Before you launch into your presentation about what you want and why you deserve a raise, ask your manager these questions:

How do you feel I have been performing over the past few months?

Do you agree I have added value/sales/benefits to this organisation?

Are you happy with my performance to date?

Your manager's responses to these questions will allow you to understand what his or her opinion of your performance is and help you to position your request in light of their responses.

Be assertive. Use positive assertive, not aggressive, language when you are making your case for why you deserve this increase; don't moan or complain. Talk about the benefits to the company and to you.

Don't blink, don't look away. When you do tell your manager the total package figure you would like to receive, don't blink and don't look away. Hold their gaze and remain calm.

Allow your manager to respond. Remember, you've been thinking about this and putting together your proposal for some time - this is the first your manager has heard about it, give him or her time to respond and process your request. Don't talk while they are responding, let them talk through their thoughts and issues without interruption. Allow yourself to sit in silence if required. Don't try to fill any silence with further explanation or justification.

Be flexible. If appropriate, let your manager know that you are prepared to be flexible in how the raise is provided to you perhaps is can be phased in, include a bonus or one-off payment or involve changing the structure of your current package.

Agree on a response timeframe. If your manger can't give you an answer immediately, agree on a timeframe within which he or she will come back to you with an answer. Around one-week should be an appropriate amount of time.

From The WorkWise Collection: Job Hunting in the New Economy

To succeed in today's global marketplace, companies must hire the best and the brightest. Having talented employees can make the difference between success and failure.

Job hunting in this new economy is competitive, dynamic, results-driven, and requires your best efforts. In the past, jobs and careers were permanent, stable, and predictable. Today all of that has changed. Jobs, careers, and the world of work are transient, unpredictable, and involve risk. If you want to be successful, you have to take smart risks, know the rules, and play by them.

To set yourself apart from the competition, follow these job-hunting tips for the new economy:

1. Know what you have to offer. What are you selling? What specific skills, experience, and knowledge do you bring with you? The question employers want answered is: "What can you do for my organization?"

2. Create solid marketing materials and package them well. Does your rйsumй present specific accomplishments, complete with results that demonstrate what you can do for a potential employer? If not, why not? Is it clean, neat, and easy to read?

3. Make it easy for employers to hire you. Think about a variety of options that could work for you and the employer. Keep an open mind about when, where, and how the work could be done. Cutting off the discussion too early can result in lost opportunities. Whereas maintaining an ongoing conversation can lead to innovative solutions that suit both parties.

4. Take the initiative in selling your services. Let people know what you have to offer. Give employers a reason to talk with you; they need to know the benefits that hiring you will provide them. Be prepared to offer that information, even if they don't ask for it.

5. Think about the employer's needs, not your agenda. Never mind your agenda (getting a job), think about their agenda (solving a problem). What problem are they trying to solve? Describe how you can help. Then follow up, follow up, follow up.

Apply these job hunting tips and you are sure to set yourself apart from the competition, shorten your job search, and find the work you love!

How To Find A Telecommute Job

The answer may be easier than you think, but there's a catch.

The truth is that you find a telecommute job just like you find any other job- with research, persistence and a bit of job search savvy.

The caveat? Ever wonder why more companies don't advertise telecommute jobs? In this competitive job market you'd think more of them would see the benefits of hiring telecommuters. Well, many of them do, they just don't advertise their telecommute positions. The sad fact is that when they do, they are inundated with responses from applicants who aren't remotely qualified for the position. There seems to be a persistent rumor circulating that the desire to work at home somehow qualifies a person to perform a job. This has really turned employers off to posting telecommute positions for the world to see.

With that said, you can see how important it is to be very realistic when applying for a telecommute position. Think of your home-based job search as a "traditional" job search. Keep in mind that many companies are telecommute friendly, even if they don't list that in their job listing or ad. In fact, the company you are currently working for may be willing to allow partial telecommuting. That should be the first place you look. Many companies are testing the waters by allowing employees to work from home on a part-time basis.

If you feel that this is a possibility for your company, the first thing you should do is determine whether or not the job you do is appropriate for telecommuting. If you are a receptionist who does clerical and phone work, then your job could possibly be performed from home, but if you also greet clients then it may not be an option. Here is a good article on how to convince your boss to let you telecommute.

For an external job search, definitely check out the sites that cater to telecommuters. Some good sites are About.com, Gil Gordon's site (http://www.gilgordon.com/), and www.Dice.com. Aside from that, you should identify companies that you want to work for and apply to them. You will find a listing of Telecommute Friendly Companies here at 2Work-At-Home.com.

When I was making a career change, I made a list of the top 10 companies that I wanted to work for. I sent my resume and cover letter to each of them. I ended up landing the job with my first choice. As it turns out, the person I replaced had just been promoted on the day my resume was received. The company's Human Resources Manager was passing my future boss in the hallway. Handing her my resume she said, "Oh, here you go. You'll need to replace yourself!". Timing is everything.

While you do want to inquire about a company's policy on telecommuting and flexible work arrangements, you should not let that be the focus of the interview. You want to leave the impression that you are a quality candidate, not that you are desperate to stay at home. Most companies don't offer telecommuting right off the bat. In most cases, you must work for a predetermined period of time before telecommuting becomes an option.

Take a good hard look at your resume. Companies that hire telecommuters are looking for specific skills and qualities. Make sure your resume highlights those skills. A resume is particularly important for someone who is looking for a home-based position because in many cases, the very skills required to write an effective resume are the skills an employer is looking for. Also keep this in mind when interviewing, as these skills will be evaluated through the interview process. Many employers conduct phone interviews and will get a sense of your communication skills and your professionalism this way.

Even if you don't have the skills that are in demand for telecommute jobs, don't lose hope! It's never too late to learn a new skill. Take a course at a local college, or one of the many online courses that are available.

Whatever your situation, remember to stay focused on finding a job that matches your skills and experience, present yourself in a professional manner, and treat your job search as you would if you were seeking a non-telecommute position.

Can You Actually Fail A Personality Quiz?

Q. I didn't get a job that I interviewed for. The employer told me that I had "failed" the personality quiz. How is that possible? Does this mean that I have no personality?

A. "Fail" is a pretty strong word when it comes to taking a personality quiz. In fact, it is so strong that it makes me wonder about the professionalism of the potential employer that administered the personality quiz to you.

There is no pass/fail in a personality quiz; especially an employment personality quiz. There are simply factors that are important to the employer that either are, or are not, present in your personality.

To say that you "failed" the personality quiz is a misnomer. You simply did not have some personality traits that the employer deemed important for the particular job that you applied for.

Other than the fact that they insulted you, they probably did you a favor by giving you that personality quiz. By screening you out based upon a certain personality profile, they saved you from accepting a job that you would probably have ended up hating and leaving after a short while.

A personality quiz is an interesting animal. There are actually many different types. You've already encountered a pre-employment personality quiz, but that's not the only type out there.

Before we go off into the subject of a personality quiz, it's important that we agree upon the definition of the term personality. Let's keep it short:

Your personality consists of all the traits and behaviours that make you unique and that determine how you are likely to act in any given situation.

Given that this definition is true, then a personality quiz is designed to measure those traits and to quantify them into some meaningful profile that enables someone to predict how you will behave.

Is that really possible? Yes, in most instances it is possible to accurately how someone is LIKELY to behave under a given set of circumstances. The key word here is LIKELY. We've all seen or read about people who have exhibited extraordinary acts of heroism who were otherwise thought of as a most unlikely hero due to being timid, shy, young, or whatever.

It is not possible to totally predict anyone's behaviour no matter how sophisticated a test is or how educated the person who designed it was.

While the pre-employment personality quiz is designed to match candidates with job vacancies and predict the likelyhood of that candidate thriving in that particular business' culture, there are also other types of personality quiz that are used for other purposes.

Closely aligned to the pre-employment personality quiz is the promotion candidate personality quiz. A quiz of this type is designed to match the personality of an existing employee, who is being considered for promotion, to the type pf personality that is needed to survive in the position for which there is a vacancy.

A relationship personality quiz is designed to test the compatibility factors between two people. It measures those traits that have been determined to promote a long term relationship.

There is also a type pf personality quiz that measures a person's sanity. It is typically used by the legal system to determine if someone is "legally insane" and can be held accountable for their actions in a court of law.

And then there is the personality quiz that is designed for entertainment purposes only. These are typically found in magazines and are developed by writers for the sole purpose of amusing their readership if not for simply filling pages.

You shouldn't put too much weight on your scores for this type of personality quiz. The questions are rarely scientific and there is no sense getting your panties in a wad over something that has no real merit.

As far as the "scientific" personality quiz is concerned, none of them are 100% accurate and a skilled quiz taker, or a pathological lier, can skew a personality quiz to meed their own purposes. Like anything else that can't be seen, touched, or smelled, take these personality quiz results with a grain of salt.

Resume Writing - Importance of a Professional Summary

The Summary is the preview of your entire resume. This may be be the only part that an interviewer or employer might read for shortlisting your resume. This may be the only section an employer reads prior to the interview. Gear up the summary to be the show window where the goodies are lined up to entice the person into entering the shop. Include your professional characteristics like highly energetic, an ability to solve complex problems, a dynamic team player, exceptional interpersonal skills, committment to excellence etc. Describing your professioanl qualities with power words.

A well written summary should include:

A powerul phrase describing your job or profession
A broad statement of expertise
A stement your your skills
A view of multi skills you possess
Range of experience and environment worked in
Well documented accomplishments
List of awards, recognitions, promotions, commendations on superior performance
An outstanding personal trait
One sentence describing your objectives

A good summary may include all of the above or some of these elements. Whatever elements you decide to include, ensure that it does not run into large paragraphs. The entire summary may at best be in 3 to 4 sentence. Write and rewrite your summary to reach a perfect statement without nnecessary words. Check a sample summary below.

Export/Import Management professional with over 10 years in the International trade and global franchise development. Highly proficient in structuring international joint ventures, quickly evaluating international procurement sources, and finacing imports and exports. Comfortable working in different cultural and ethnic environments with multiple language skills.

Note how quickly the summary establishes the experience, job objective, skills in the specific job function, expertise and additional skills of language and interpersonal skills. All these would be further supplemented in the body of the resume.

Resume Software - The Hidden Pitfalls

Disadvantages of Resume Software

Format
A large majority of software requires the use of their format; most commonly using the chronological resume style. While the chronological style is certainly the most traditional manner to write a resume, it is not always advantageous for everyone. The chronological style resume focuses on work history. Individuals who are changing jobs may prefer to emphasize their skills instead, which a chronological resume format will not allow.

Limited Options
Resume software provides limited options and does not allow the user the freedom to express their own unique style and personality. This can be critical in today's competitive job market. Job seekers need every edge available to them when submitting their resumes with hundreds of similar resumes.

Personal Copy
Some software will not allow the user the option of saving their work and using it again, particularly if it is one of the free resume on-line varieties. This creates a situation where the user does not possess a copy of their resume; a real disadvantage.

Canned
Resumes produced with resume software often appear exactly as they are: canned. There is no originality, which can leave the employer uninspired when they read the resume; a situation that should be avoided at all costs. The prospective job seeker's goal is to excite the employer enough that they put the resume down and call the applicant immediately for an interview.

Privacy
Additionally, in today's world of the computer virus and hackers, the wise job seeker must also consider the issue of privacy. When using a free resume on-line; especially if the site hosting the resume software offers to promote the resume for the job seeker, the possibility of someone obtaining private information and using it in an underhanded manner must be considered.

Resume software can be very beneficial; however it can also be detrimental It is up to the job seeker to seriously weigh the advantages and disadvantages.

Getting Past Fear

Have you gotten tons of career advice, solicited and unsolicited? You nod when you hear it and think, "Yeah, I know this stuff." So, what else is new?

But what have you done with the advice? Fess up. Probably very little.

Do any of these scenarios fit?

* You're in a job you absolutely hate. It's ruining your health and your life. You stay because of the money or the fear that there's nothing better out there.

* You're in a job where your boss ignores you, barks instructions and expects you to be a workaholic. But you stay because a new boss might be worse.

* You're lazy. You figure that one of these days, you'll hear about a great job, the economy will improve, or maybe your boss will realize how great you are. Plus, you don't have a resume.

* Or, you're unemployed and decide not to pursue a job that you heard about, or a field you are interested in, because one person said they were looking for experience you didn't have. Well, they know best, right?

Hello. I want to grab you by the shoulders, look into your eyes and say, "Wake up and smell the coffee!" Santa Claus is not coming down your chimney, and Elvis has permanently left the building.

So, why do otherwise savvy adults live with this passive mindset? F-E-A-R. Fear of failure. Fear of success. Fear of rejection. You name it, fear has a starring role, with procrastination and laziness as costars.

But there's help at hand!

I read a book 12 years ago, Feel The Fear And Do It Anyway by Dr. Susan Jeffers, that changed my life. It has been changing my clients' lives ever since.

The crucial thing I learned from this book is that everything depends upon your attitude, your perception of the situation. Not what happens. Not what people say or do. But how you view it.

So, you've heard that before, too, right? Has it changed the way you tell yourself how to view what happens? I doubt it.

Here's the powerful stuff (and stuff I bet you've heard before, too). Nobody changes his or her attitude without working at it. I'm here to tell you that you need to work that attitude muscle, just like you do your biceps at the gym. Otherwise, forget it.

You don't wake up one morning, optimistic, ready to take on the world and feeling like Pollyanna. Especially if you're out of work, hate your job or are just plain lazy.

So, how do you change your attitude?

Years of therapy. No, just kidding. Like exercising your biceps, the attitude muscle needs work everyday. I recommend reading Jeffers' book, cover to cover.

In the meantime, here are some tips:

Internal Dialogue exercises (you need to do these more than once a day for starters):

* Change the dialogue you have with yourself. Instead of thinking, "I'm afraid" or "I don't want to look stupid," think, "I can handle that" or "I know I will get a job."

* Instead of thinking, "Gee, that's a problem," think, "It's an opportunity." If someone says, "You don't have the kind of experience for that type of work," think, "It's one person saying it; let me get more information."

* And forget about words like "should" or "try." Ban them from your vocabulary. They are negative and weak words. Own your power! You either will or won't.

When I first read Jeffers' book, I pasted positive quotes all over the refrigerator and near my desk. I suggest you use quotes that are meaningful to you.

Here's one I love: "I'm not a failure if I don't make it .I'm a success because I tried." Unknown

Finally, most people think they are the only one experiencing gut-wrenching fear. NOT.

You are going to feel the fear whenever you are in new territory (a good thing), but SO IS EVERYONE ELSE. This is one club you'll want to join. Membership requirements-facing down your fear and bravely moving forward despite it!

Ten Great Careers For Single Parents

The challenges of raising a child by yourself, whether you're a mother or father, can be very difficult. Add the burden of having to be out of the home for 40+ hours per week to work and raising a child at the same time can be nearly impossible. This article describes ten careers you can train for that will give you the money to support your child and the time to be there for them.

These careers all take less than two years to complete training for, some take only six months. They all offer flexible work schedules with above average pay. Best of all, with a certificate or associates degree, it will be easy to find a job.

Healthcare careers

Jobs in healthcare are in great demand right now. The largest generation in the American population is aging and retiring from the workforce. Increased life spans are placing a huge burden on the healthcare industry. While hospitals and their 24 hour operation offer the most employment flexibility, there are health care positions that don't take place in a hospital. Home care positions also offer scheduling flexibility.

Nursing - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $33,970 annually.

Dental Hygiene - 1 & 2 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $17.37 hourly.

X-ray technician - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $27,190 annually.

Medical Assistant -1 & 2 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $17,640 annually.

Medical Coding - 2 year program. Approximate starting wage: $16,460 annually.

Creative careers

These creative careers are also in great demand. Employers typically offer standard hours, but many people employed in these fields are able to work from home. Others open their own businesses and can work later at night or otherwise exercise more control on when they work.

Graphic Designer - 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $21,860 annually.

Desktop Publisher - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $18,670 annually.

Web Designer - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $33,970 annually.

Help Desk Analyst - 1, 2 & 4 year programs. Approximate starting wage: $23,060 annually.

Bonus Career

If you like working with technology and don't want to sit behind a desk all day, you'll be surprised how lucrative this career can be.

The Top 10 Ways to Manage Your Career

Many people in the last decade have experienced either a layoff or termination in their lives or the lives of somebody they know. While many of these people affected have experienced outplacement-consulting services, some have not and they may be in for a rude awakening - corporations no longer "take care of you". Managing your career in these times require you to have a game plan and an understanding of yourself and human behavior. That is why outplacement consulting and career coaches have become so popular and are being sought out by individuals, not just corporations. A career coach can help you manage more than just your career, they can help you communicate better and get along with others better.

1. Know Thyself
Most people don't know what they really want in their careers. They have a degree and they went out into the world. 20 years later, they don't have a clue why life sucks. There are some very good assessment to determine personality types, preferences, skill, attitudes and interest. An honest assessment of what you like to do in the style you prefer and with whom you want to do it with, goes along way in determining what you should be doing in you career and in life for that matter.

2. Establish a game plan
What is most important to you in your career? You must know how to navigate using the tools granted to you by God. When was the last time you actually wrote down what creates satisfaction in your job.

3. Think of yourself as self employed?always
Job search is not something you do daily; as your skills in a sport get rusty without practice, so do your job search skills. What are the latest techniques and best practices, how can you maximize your network, etc.

4. Develop a clear and concise message about who you are and what you most want to-do
When you know what you're good at and what you want, you go for it, and people stand out of your way. You no longer have competition. You no longer self sabotage or tolerate the behavior of other associates or bosses.

5. Tell everyone in your network what you want

6. Stay motivated
It's not about pumping you up. It is about realizing how you were wired since birth and how to use that programming to achieve happiness. We call these values and beliefs. Knowing what is important will make it easy to say no to things and people that waste your time. At the same time, you will discover opportunities that in the past have eluded you.

7. Continue to promote yourself
Most people get caught up in the politics of the office. Circumventing this will energize you and put you leaps and bounds above your peers.

8. Get out of your comfort zone
We get caught in our comfort zone; before long however, this comfort zone becomes a rut. It is at this point that we become complacent. Complacency leads to poor performance and poor performance leads to job termination. Continue to take risk. There is no failure in life ?only outcomes?if you don't like the outcome, make a course adjust or "change" and keep on truckin".

9. Stay in top physical condition
There are more people on "drugs"; today than ever in our society. Prozac, Zoloft, Paxil, Xanax, Valium, Viagra, while some people have medical reasons for taking these, research has shown that many of these disorders stem from "burnout. Knowing what is important in all areas of your life as well as your career allows you to have peace of mind and balance.

10. Re-evaluate your values and goals yearly
How did you do this year, what needs improvement? What areas of your life need more attention? How are you measuring and tracking that?

Resumes OR CV : Get That Job

Your resume is your sales document. It tells the world of your achievements, capabilities and roles you have enjoyed. It should standalone and represents you well. To impress your potential employers there are a few guidelines that will help you create an amazing resume.

Create a captivating covering letter - use friendly language, refer to the job advertised and allow some of your personality to show through this document.

Don't present it in plastic folders - these are bulky and expensive and your interviewer will discard the unsuccessful applicants anyway. Keep it simple, clean and stapled.

Keep it short - no more than 2-3 pages maximum. Only refer to the past 10 - 15 years experience of your career, regardless of how long you have been working.

Keep it relevant - only include details that are significant and important to help sell you.

Start the resume with a Personal Capability Statement. This is 2-3 sentences or bullet points on what you are good at, your skills and knowledge. Place it right at the top of the document so it is the first thing people see.

Place your contact information in the footer of the document so if they print it out your details are on every page. Don't dedicate a whole page to your contact information. You only need to list your name, address, mobile and email contact numbers.

Don't use italics or underlining. These can be hard to read and will make your document look messy.

Use a common 12 font i.e. Times New Roman or Arial are safe. Avoid fancy fonts that also may not work when emailing documents.

Don't use gimmicks or present it as a PowerPoint presentation - interviewers don't like this.

Use white space - don't cramp the document and this will allow the interviewer to also write notes on the document.

Avoid jargon or industry terms and acronyms. If you use acronyms always list an explanation of what that it. Not everyone is familiar with all the terms.

Don't list your job description - don't bore the reader with everything you did in the job.

List your responsibilities - make a short and relevant list of the responsibilities you had in each role.

List your achievements - many people only list their responsibilities in the resume, make sure yours stands out by listing your achievements.

Make the achievements specific - use statistics, client testimonials and comments and targeted information i.e. increased sales by 21%, received 97% on customer satisfaction survey.

Show others and get their feedback about the document - find people who understand resumes and can give you constructive feedback on your resume.

Get it edited - pay for someone to edit your document and check for spelling and grammar. This small cost will give it a professional finish.

Don't send academic transcripts, work samples - save this for the face-to-face interview.

Use positive and energetic words in your resume. Avoid clichй's and look for creative ways to package what you want to say.

This document should sell you, be honest, get feedback on it and then send it out confidently for the jobs you desire.

Write Resume Keywords That Gets Your Application Read

As children we often used to read stories where magical words can open caves filled with treasures or magicians using words like abracadabra... sim sim.. and magically things appear out of thin air.

Resume Keywords are the magic carpet that carry your application to the shortlisted files. It is especially important when thousands of resumes are recieved by the HR and the entire process is digitised. The sorting and shortlisting from a digitised data bank is done through keywords.

So what are the keywords and how does an electronic data bank work? Technology enables the data banks are searchable by inputting a particular word or key phrase to select suitable resumes from the huge resume data banks. The employers use specific keywords, traits or phrases which best describes the position they are seeking to fill. The search will electronically sort through the resumes and select bio data or curriculum vitae which have a high density of the keywords that match the keywords searched for by employers.

Successful use of keywords require that your resumes are rich in nouns specific to your profession or careers. You can get a fair idea of the employers use of keywords by looking at their job descriptions in the advertisement.

The broad or major keywords could be the position itself. Positions like Accounts, Finance, HR, Human Resources Management, Customer Relations, CRM, Customer Care, Marketing, Sales, Information Technology, IT, Software Development, Production Management, CEO, CEO, Profit Center Head may be the headline of the job advertisement and a good bet as an appropriate keyword.

Within these broad categories there would be further searches with more detailed keywords. For illustration a search within HR or Human Resources Management may include keywords such as: Software recruiter,TQM, Compensation and benefits, HR policies, labour relations, Labour laws, trainer, needs assessment, performance management, performance appraisal, contracts, applicant screening.

So make your resume rich in keywords. Here you have to do a little bit of work. You need to research keywords specific to your career or profession. A good place to start is to collect all the advertisements and job posting online for positions similar to yours. Make a list of all the job descriptions, industry jargon, qualifications, expertise required, product knowledge and related terminology.

You have built up a list of keywords specific to your indusatry. Now all you need to do is pick up the appropriate keywords that goes with your own profile and sprinkle them liberally throughour the Resume.

While keywords are searched throughout the resume, it is still better to have a higher density in your opening Summary or Objectives. It is suggested by experts that about 25 to 30 keywords in a resume is sufficient to get shortlisted for human scanning.

Use this powerful technical secret to get more interviews. As in most things in life it is a numbers game. More the number of interviews, better the chances of landing your dream job.

When The Going Gets Tough -- The Tough Keep Going

If you've been in a job search for more than a few weeks you may be experiencing the feelings of defeat and despair, not to mention the urge to give up. It's been a tough year, and then some, for those who have lost jobs for whatever reason. Interviewing with no second interviews or offers coming in begins to wear thin - very fast.

Here are some tips to keep your spirits up when you're feeling down during this process.

1. Don't give up.

You may have heard some of these stories before but they remain inspirational.

? Thomas Edison patented 1,093 inventions in his lifetime, but it took him 10,000 attempts to make an electric light bulb work.

? Walt Disney's Mickey Mouse series failed to become an instant hit, but he kept trying and in 1928 he added sound and made it an electrifying success.

? Milton Hershey failed several businesses before he became the 'Chocolate King' and built Hershey town. He even went bankrupt in his first business venture.

(Source 'Milana Leshinsky' - http://www.accpow.com)

These are great 'successes-after-failure stories' that couldn't have happened if these people hadn't continued to pursue their dreams. Anyone can give up -- that's easy! The challenge is to pick yourself up after a failure and move forward. That is what will set you apart from 'the pack.'

2. Accept the ups and downs

It's not unusual to have highs and lows during your job search. Some days you may even feel like you're on an emotional roller coaster. Everything looks hopeful one moment with a job prospect ahead, and then it changes to dark and dismal in the next moment when you receive a rejection. Accepting the fact that this is a stressful time you are going through and that a great deal of it is out of your control will help you put things into perspective.

3. Give yourself permission to fail.

It is very disappointing when you feel like you 'aced' the interview and then wait for the promised call that never comes. Be realistic - you aren't going to get a job offer after every interview. Think of it this way, you didn't marry every date you ever dated (at least most of us didn't), and you aren't going to get a job offer after every interview. And maybe that's a good thing, at least some of the time. Remember, you are interviewing 'them' as much as they are interviewing you.

4. Work on controlling stress

Stress becomes a problem when it begins to affect your lifestyle and health. Are you waking up in the middle of the night or skipping meals because you are feeling really down or upset? You may need to talk to someone who is a professional to get some advice about relaxation techniques. Park and Recreation departments in most cities offer relaxation courses of some kind -- yoga, pilates, aerobics, or stress control exercises -- for a nominal fee, that could assist you in getting back on balance.

5. Continue to get 'out there'

Study after study published continues to indicate that 'networking' is still the number one way to land a job. Take advantage of every opportunity to be with groups of people. This encompasses everything from your child's soccer game to a Chamber of Commerce event. Informal networking can happen at any moment and when you least expect it. An example is of a man waiting for a bus. He struck up a conversation with another man also waiting for the bus and ended up getting a job lead and an eventual offer. No one can predict when an opportunity might come your way.

6. Prepare yourself

Preparing ahead of the interview will give you a definite advantage. What this means is getting focused about what you want the interviewer to know about you. You are presenting a picture of you with words. It is important to identify what makes you unique and what added value you can bring to the position. Reading through the job posting you are applying for and getting a sense of what it will take to do this job will help you look at the process from interviewer's point of view. You want to let the interviewer know that you are the 'solution to the problem,' and the best person for the job.

7. Keep in mind - you are not alone

Remember, it is an extremely tight job market and that for every job opening there are four or five equally qualified candidates standing in line behind you. It is essential that you are prepared, focused, and able to tell the interviewer what makes you unique and why you are the best person for the job.

Keeping upbeat is a part of your job right now. When you begin to give into the dark side you will project that to others. You want to stay as upbeat as possible, particularly while interviewing. Bringing confidence and energy to the interview are the two most important ingredients to connecting with the interviewer.

Genes and Work Ethic

If you have good genes, you are blessed. If they are exceptional, you might be successful on that alone.

Add work ethic and you will be successful and remarkable.

On Thursday, Sept. 9, 2004, Linda Green retired after 23 years as a dancer in "Jubilee!" the longest-running production of its kind in Las Vegas.

At 51, Green was the oldest continually working showgirl.

A local columnist dubbed her the "Cal Ripkin Jr. of showgirls," after baseball's record holder for most consecutive games played.

In certain respects, her achievement is more remarkable.

In her profession, where a 15-year career is unusual, Green has auditioned ever six months to keep her job. She kept that job despite her competition of 18 and 19-year-olds.

Yet, at 5'10", and 130 lbs. for decades, she is still graceful and stunning.

In part, she credits her longevity to "good genes," remarking, "I'm Scandinavian." But that's where genetics ends and Linda Green begins.

The show's associate producer credits Green with being "the utmost professional."

Green is "highly trained technically and she has an absolutely marvelous work ethic," says Fluff Le Coque, the show's associate producer.

"She loves it, and that's what shows. That's what you see across the footlights. She really loves what she's doing."

A dancer half her age would find Green's daily routine of exercise and stretching demanding, but that's why she has defied the calendar for so long.

Most of us were not born with such genetic predisposition for what we do. Regardless, no one is born with work ethic.

And this is where we can follow Green's example.

Love what you do. Train at it everyday. Perfect your technique. Aspire to the highest professional standards and prepare yourself accordingly.

It will make up for any lack of genes.

Internships: Bonkers or Brilliant?

I have something to say that's driving me batty. It's regarding graduates who fuss about not getting a job they like or not getting a job at all for that matter. Blah blah di blah?

Let me ask you something. Imagine a small town like ours with a limited number of companies, looking for limited vacancies to fill. There are thousands of graduates leaving universities each year hunting for a job too. How the heck would a pissed-off HR director filter out from that titanic pool a few lucky folks, including YOU?

Of course, any sane HR director would only choose the BEST and most qualified of the lot, true? Yes. True. Otherwise, he'd be DOOMED to lose his job if he hired a slacker.

Anyhow, back to the issue of unemployment. If you're a student or have graduated, it's never too late to remedy the problem. How? Internships!

An internship is basically a training program designed for students to help them polish their skills and give them a taste of the real-world, without too much pressure. Internships have the following advantages:

• Develop your skills, (related to your major)

• Testing theory learned in university courses in real working environment

• Gaining insight at a real working environment, its demands, and its responsibilities

• Improving your communication skills

• Providing you with pay (some companies)

• Boosting your confidence

• Enhancing your CV

• Networking with professionals (good contacts for the future)

• Time management

• Showing initiative and ambition from your behalf

• Gives you a taste of the working environment, without much pressure

• Early kick-start at your career

• Makes you more mature and responsible

• Personal satisfaction at accomplishing tasks

• Etc.

Sounds exciting! And yes, when employers study your CV, believe me, they will be impressed by your initiative. It's the attitude you're exuding to them that makes you valuable. So, it's never too late to start carving your path from now.

Now if you're interested, I suggest you sit down, and put a list of all the companies that you would like to work for (preferably related to your major). Then, ask the Career Services Manager at your university to contact one of the companies to organize an internship program for you. Similarly, you could contact the HR director and request an internship with the company for a couple of months.

And believe me, when you graduate, it will all come back to you! You will stand out amid the crowd. What goes around comes around. Good luck!

Dissatisfied with Your Job? Take Your Power Back!

Apparently, there are all sorts of reasons to be dissatisfied with your job...

Statistically, studies have shown that:

-Lack of career advancement
-Lack of training
-Lack of direction from supervisors
-A challenging economy
-Lack of support from employers
(CareerBuilder.com)

Some of mine included:

-Feeling under valued
-Feeling like a cog in the wheel
-Feeling like I had my hands tied when trying to manage
-Feeling out of balance
-Feeling out of integrity with my company's philosophies

I'm sure you could add a few of your own as well.

Years of working with clients to permanently put an end to their job dissatisfaction has led me to the following important conclusion:

-The only cause of job dissatisfaction that we can control is the fact that we are not doing work that satisfies us equally, both personally and financially.

There are those of us who make great money but, we never see our family. There are also those of us who are doing incredibly important work but, are making no money and are feeling under valued. Neither is completely satisfied.

All of the statistical and individual reasons I mentioned above are really mute to all of those people out there who love their jobs and their lives. These people know that external circumstances can't control them, unless they let them and knowing this is where your power lies!

What external circumstances are controlling you? Isn't it empowering to know that you are in complete control over your career if you put your attention on pursuing only that which satisfies you personally and financially?

When you adopt this philosophy all of the external obstacles fade into the background and you are left with the ideas, thoughts, circumstances and opportunities that focus on work you do want! You are no longer a victim of corporate or economic circumstances.

Where do you start?

1. Stop complaining about all the things outside of you that you can't control. Wasting your time and energy on this takes away from clearly defining and pursuing what you want. The only control you have is how you perceive things. Start noticing how you let these things take your energy and change it today!

2. Define what you want. What does personal and financial freedom look like to you? What does it REALLY look like to you? It's very important to not think about how you are going to do it, just think about what you want. Remember, if you only desire what is, you can't create beyond that.

3. Stop being a job seeker, become a "Career Creator". Define the job you want and go out and create it. I had a client who wrote his ideal job description and actually brought it on an interview. He walked away with the exact job he described. Another client wrote hers and found the exact description posted 2 weeks later.

Start using your power for your own good!

We live in a culture that is more secure in complaining then in taking action. Break the mold, take these steps one at a time and see how liberating it is to stop holding yourself back and start heading towards a career that will really satisfy you personally and financially!

Get That Job: Mastering Job Interviews

I've heard it said?in fact, it might well have been me that said it - there are few things more excruciating in professional life than the job interview. Job interviews are awful! Throughout my career I have attended many and conducted many more, and the truth is whether you are the candidate or the interviewer, job interviews are challenging and confronting and difficult - but you can not only survive but learn to be a masterful interviewee by developing an understanding of what it is the interviewer needs to see and learning to conduct yourself with clarity and confidence.

Be prepared. Sounds obvious, right? You'd be surprised how many people don't get this part right. Make a detailed list of all the information you need about your interview, including the:

• Address
• Time
• Name of the person you are meeting
• Correct pronunciation of the interviewer's name
• Approximate length of time the interview is expected to take
• Directions to get to the meeting venue

Know the style of interview. When you make the appointment, ask what form the interview will take; is it a one-on-one interview? A panel interview? Or a group assessment activity? Ask if there will be any testing involved also. Knowing the style will help you to be better prepared and will prevent you from being surprised by an interview format different to what you were anticipating.

Know how to get there. If you plan to travel by public transport allow extra time in case of delays. If you are driving, allow extra time in case of delays. If you are walking, allow extra time in case of delays?you get the picture - no matter how you plan to get there, allow extra time in case of delays, there's not many worse ways to start an interview than to arrive late and flustered.

Dress appropriately. Different workplaces and different professions have different codes of dress. Understand what is appropriate for the type of position and organisation you are interviewing for and err on the side of more conservative. Don't wear too much make up, jewellery, perfume or aftershave.

Do your homework. Research the company before the interview - look at their website, pick up a copy of their annual report and ask others what they know about the organisation. It is inexcusable to front up for a job interview not knowing anything about the company and you'll never convince anyone that they should employ you if you don't even have a general understanding of the organisation you'd be working for. Use the information you find to develop some questions to ask at the interview.

Good first impressions. When you meet the person or people who will be interviewing you, look them in the eye, smile and greet them with a firm (not too hard) hand shake. If you aren't used to shaking hands or don't know how to shake hands properly? learn.

Smile. Concentrate on projecting a pleasant, relaxed, confident image. Smile and be personable throughout the interview - you may feel nervous or even scared?but don't let it show.

Be conscious of your body language. Don't fidget, don't fold your arms, don't wave your arms about, don't lean back on your chair?it's just like your mother always told you!

Name drop. Address your interviewer by name frequently during the interview. People love the sound of their own name.

Listen intently. Give the interviewer your full attention when he or she is speaking. This will help you answer their questions appropriately and show that you are interested in the role and have a good grasp of common courtesy and professional behaviour.

Be a STAR. Formulate your responses using the STAR technique when responding to questions. Most interviewers use a competency-based interview technique. Many believe your past behaviour will predict your future behaviour so they ask questions to help them to understand what your past behaviours have been. STAR means:

• S - Situation
• T - Task
• A - Action
• R - Result

Always try to respond the following way: "The situation or task was ?, the action I took was ? and the result was..". Don't answer questions with words such as, "I would do this ? in that situation". Interviewers want specific examples of situations you have been involved in not hypothetical answers.

Be positive. Use positive, lively language. Act as though you already have the role - use phrases such as, "When I am in the role", "When I start the job" and "When I begin working with you".

Take notes. Let the interviewer know that you will be writing down points as you discuss the role. This will help you to remember details after you leave and it gives you something to do that stops your hands from fidgeting and it can help to settle the nerves a little too. But, make sure you use a good pen, don't use a cheap pen for your job interviews. If you can't afford a nice one, borrow one. It is important to give a good impression and these small details can make an impact.

Know the content of your resume well. The interviewer is likely to refer to something you've written in your resume - make sure you know it intimately and can answer questions about all your past roles, responsibilities and achievements. Also, know the timeline of your employment history well; it'll sound like you're trying to cover something up if you stumble over your own career chronology. Take additional copies of your resume with you - one for yourself and another for your interviewer should they need it. White paper, black ink, staples in the left-hand corner is an ideal format for most roles - leave the plastic folders and fussy presentation out.

Ask questions. Ideally an interview is an exchange - you are getting to know the people and the organisation you might be working with as much as they are getting to know you. Make the interview interactive by asking your own questions in response to theirs and at the end of the interview ask any questions that have not yet been addressed. Always have questions ready to ask, you won't convince anyone that you rally want to work for their organisation if you don't want to know all about it. These are good questions to have on hand:

• When will I be notified I am successful for the job?
• When will I start this new job?
• How many people would I be working with?
• What floor would I be located on?
• What is the dress standard here?

Send a note. Take a few minutes to write a hand written thank you note to your interviewer and send it the same day. This will probably arrive quite unexpectedly and help to seal your interviewer's good impression of you and help you to stand out from the other candidates.

Federal Job Search Strategies: 7 Tips to Help You Succeed

Despite constant calls by politicians and policy makers to reign in government spending, the federal government remains the largest employer in the United States. According to the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, there are currently more than 2,700,000 employees working for the federal government in civil service positions. For nearly every federal job vacancy, the number of applicants exceeds the number of available positions by at least tenfold.

Why do so many Americans aspire to a federal job? The answers are diverse. Some consider it a patriotic duty, while for others it's an act of enlightened self-interest. Whatever your motivation, however, the benefits are significant. Simply put, Uncle Sam is an excellent boss.

Working for the federal government offers employment stability that cannot be replicated in the private sector. Once a new employee completes a predetermined probationary period (usually 1 year), lifetime employment is nearly guaranteed. Laws and regulations governing federal personnel practices make it extremely difficult to fire, lay-off, or forcibly transfer most employees. On the rare occasions when lay-offs do occur, displaced employees are given very preferential hiring treatment for similar positions that becomes available. The result is that very few federal employees have ever missed a day of work due to a lay-off.

Fringe benefits, including an excellent retirement package, are also a major motivating factor. Health benefits for federal employees are generally better than those offered in the private sector, and the government currently picks up more of the premium costs than most private employers. For an employee enrolled in Blue Cross/Blue Shield's family coverage, for instance, the government currently pays $578 of the $771 monthly premium. Retirement benefits are based on a complicated formula that incorporates the employee's salary, years of service and retirement age, but independent studies consistently determine that the plan is more generous than nearly all private sector employers.

Federal salaries are competitive as well. In 2005, the average salary for all federal workers worldwide is $60,203. Due to the salary structure and political realities, raises are virtually guaranteed every year. In January 2005, the raise was set at 3.5%. In addition, salary adjustments are made for employees in major metropolitan areas.

Federal service also provides far more opportunity for advancement than most other employers. At the senior management level (known as the Senior Executive Service, or SES), salaries range from $107,550 to $162,100. There are currently approximately 7,000 SES employees in federal service.

With all of these benefits, it's no wonder that many job seekers are trying to land a position with the federal government. While the competition is fierce, here are some key strategies that can help you in your search:

1. Check the government's official employment web site (http://www.usajobs.opm.gov) often. Virtually every federal job vacancy is listed there, and it's updated every day. Most vacancy announcement are only open for a period of approximately 3 to 4 weeks, and the application process can be detailed, so it's best to check frequently so you can start working on your application as early as possible.

2. Avoid services that claim to help you land a federal job. Companies that guarantee you a federal job are scams, and these services can't do anything that you can't do yourself.

3. Be willing to accept a pay cut. While federal salaries are competitive, the compensation structure is such that salaries typically start low but increase quickly. Every federal job has a starting grade and a "full performance" grade. Typically, professional positions start at grade 7 in the federal pay scale (referred to as General Schedule-7, or GS-7), and increase to GS-9, GS-11 and GS-12 at 1-year intervals. For an employee in Washington, D.C., that would mean starting with an annual salary of $35,452 but earning $62,886 after three years of service (not counting the annual government-wide salary increases of approximately 3% per year).

4. Consider "trainee" positions. The term has a negative connotation, but starting in a designated trainee position can be a great way to get your foot in Uncle Sam's door. These positions, which generally require no specific work experience, are typically filled at the GS-5 level ($25,000 - $30,000 per year). Because many federal jobs are only available to current or former federal employees, working as a trainee for a year or two often opens a lot of doors.

5. Read the vacancy announcement carefully. Procedures for applying for a federal job have been streamlined in recent years, but it's vitally important that your follow the instructions provided to the letter. Unlike their private sector counterparts, federal hiring managers have to abide by standardized procedures without exception. For instance, they are legally prohibited from considering applications that arrive after the closing date on the vacancy announcement-even one day late. Likewise, if you don't submit the requested documentation on time (transcripts, etc), they can't collect it from you later.

6. Bulk up your resume. This may be good advice for any job hunter, but it's particularly important when applying for a federal position because of the way initial GS grades (i.e., starting salaries) are determined. Many vacancy announcement can be filled at any of a few different GS grades, and the level at which a new hire is brought on board is determined by his or her years of pertinent employment history. It is a little-known secret that federal hiring managers want to start new hires at the highest grade they can justify, because by doing so they can minimize the risk of turnover. Most federal employees who leave government service before retirement do so during the first five years of their career, because starting salaries in the private sector are higher.

So, how can you help your new agency pay you more? If you're in a position that makes it difficult to gain work experience in your desired field, remember that self-employment, if legitimate, counts as employment experience for federal hiring purposes. For instance, if you're a stay-at-home mother with the goal of re-entering the workforce as a writer, working from your home as a freelance writer for three years would count as work experience when you apply for that federal job. Incidentally, on the date of this article there are currently 27 writing and editing vacancies listed on the USA Jobs web site!

7. Above all, don't give up. Although the competition for federal jobs can be tough, the benefits are well worth the effort. Like any job search, most applicants can realistically expect to be turned down many times before they are offered a position. Tenacity and a positive attitude are your most vital assets.

Sean Dunagan is the president of Pinnacle Associates, a web-based resource for freelance professionals and home-based business owners.