Get A Job Fast -Job Search Strategies

Entry-level job search tips: How to respond to your first offer letter

Posted on 10/03/2012 by sschwe

A job seeker recently received his first offer letter from a large, reputable company. Only four months out of college, it was his dream job – the company he wanted to work for in the position he hoped to start his career. However, there was some questions that needed answering. Some things he wasn’t sure on. How much leverage does one have, especially early in their career, when receiving an offer letter? Can they negotiate more salary or simply take what’s given. What questions should they ask? What wiggle room do they have with anything presented to them?

Steven Rothberg, President and Founder of collegerecruiter.com, web site dedicated to providing jobs, information and advice for college graduates and entry-level job seekers, provided these thoughts:

Rothberg: Congratulations on receiving your job offer letter, especially if you’ve worked hard to receive the offer and want to work for the employer. You are absolutely correct to want to respond appropriately to this written offer of employment. Perhaps you already realize it but how you respond to the letter may be your first, formal, written communication with your employer and could have a significant positive or negative impact on your relationship with that employer.

Before you put pen to paper or, more realistically, fingertips to keyboard, carefully read through the job offer letter. It may provide specific instructions or even a form for you to complete. It may not even request a response but instead be designed simply to communicate to you when you should show up for your first day. I suspect that your letter falls into the third bucket: it was a formal, written offer of employment and therefore requires a formal, written acceptance of that employment.

The offer letter should include the terms of employment such as your job title, responsibilities, compensation, benefits. If not, call or email your hiring manager or a human resources representative to ask for that detail. They can hardly expect you to accept their offer if you don’t know what they’re offering, right?

Once you have all of the employer’s proposed terms, call or email your hiring manager or human resources representative to ask any questions you may have. You may have none but if the compensation or some other term of employment isn’t what you want, this is the time to negotiate. If you’re going to ask for a change to a term, justify your request. For example, let’s say the offer is for a salary of $40,000 per year but your research indicates that similarly qualified people in similar positions with similar organizations in similar locations are paid $50,000 per year. Provide that research to your hiring manager or human resources representative in a phone call or email and ask them to match the going rate. Most organizations want to pay their employees fairly. If they failed to do the necessary research then they’ll probably be grateful to you for doing your homework and will respect you even more than they already do. If they did the research and disagree with your analysis then you have the opportunity to discuss the situation with them and work together to determine whose analysis is correct or if the answer lies somewhere in between

You should now have resolved any disagreements and essentially have a handshake agreement. Now write a memo or letter accepting the offer. If they wrote a formal letter to you and mailed it, then you should write a formal letter to them and mail it. If they emailed an informal note to you, then you should email an informal note to them. Regardless of how you accept their offer, but sure that your acceptance is simple and concisely re-states their offer in the same manner as they presented it to you so if their letter used bullet points, so should yours.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged accepting an offer letter, collegerecruiter.com, Entry-level job search tips, job search tips, Steven Rothberg | Leave a comment

10 Cool Career Resources To Help Every Job Seeker

Posted on 09/04/2012 by sschwe

Searching for jobs is hard. No one should do it alone. There are a number of good resources available that job seekers can benefit by using. These aren’t for everyone, but if you are stuck in your job search, need some help or advice, or just want to try something new or different, try these methods. Some may be right for you, some may not. But if you’re current methods aren’t working, why not try something new?

By now, we hope you have taken advantage of the leading free resource currently available to job seekers. You can do that now by ordering your free copy of Get a Job Fast.

Once you’ve done that and read the book from front to back and applied the methods and strategies by author Scott Schwefel, try adding these resources to your search:

ResumesByMatt.com
Matt Krumrie has over 10+ years experience writing resumes for clients all over the United States, Canada and Europe. Krumrie writes the Ask Matt column for the Star Tribune, Minnesota’s largest newspaper. He has also contributed to Monster.com, writes a blog for Examiner.com and is the former Editor of Twin Cities Employment Weekly. His contacts also include human resource managers, career coaches, hiring managers, recruiters and other career professionals. Contact Krumrie at mattkrum@yahoo.com or 651-238-1290. Ask him about the Get a Job Fast resume discount!

OTHER RESOURCES

Guerilla Resumes – Guaranteed to Get You Hired!
Get hired in 90 days or less – guaranteed or your money back!

Amazing Resumes
What else do you need to know? An amazing resume is needed in today’s competitive market. Why would we promote another resume writing service on this site? Because we believe in providing job seekers with as many options as possible.

Amazing Cover Letters
Job seekers work so hard on their resumes they often forget about their cover letters. This resource can help.

One Click Cover Letters
One click to find the cover letter you need to succeed.

Do It Yourself Resume Guide
Don’t want to hire a resume writer? Try it yourself here!

LinkedIn Guide to Getting Hired
How to use LinkedIn to find a job – guaranteed, or your money back!

Job Interview Secrets Revealed
Jimmy Sweeney has created a secret document he says will help you stand out once you land that interview.

Engineering Resumes
Engineering resumes can be complicated. That’s why he recommends this service. Check it out!

Become a Life Coach
Create a job, create a career – find out here!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Best Job Search Tips, Best Resumes, Career Advice, getajobfast.com, resumesbymatt.com, Scott Schwefel | Leave a comment

Salary negotiation tips: What recruiters expect and want to hear

Posted on 07/23/2012 by sschwe

Below are two articles on the topic of salary negotiations and compensation that are sure to help ease your fears and help you understand the strategies behind salary negotiations and what employers really want to hear. These articles were written by Matt Krumrie and published in the Star Tribune Jobs section:

Dear Matt: Why do employers ask “what salary are you looking for?” when they know what they want to pay? How do I present my case and get what is fair?

Matt says: What type of salary are you looking for? Most people dread that question, but it doesn’t have to be something job seekers fear. In fact, it should be a very open and candid conversation.

Read the complete article here
Ask Matt: How do I ask for the salary I want and think I deserve?

Dear Matt: I appreciated last week’s article on compensation. I dread talking salary; can you provide more thoughts on this topic?

Matt says: You are not alone. Employers often dread this conversation too, says Erica Edgar, Recruiter/Project Manager at CorTalent, a Minnetonka-based recruiting and human resources company.

Read the complete article
Ask Matt: It’s so awkward — so how should I talk about money?

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Compensation advice, Matt Krumrie, Salary negotiation tips, Star Tribune Jobs | Leave a comment

Should you include your StrengthsFinder 2.0 Profile on a Resume?

Posted on 07/23/2012 by sschwe

By Matt Krumrie
Resumesbymatt.com

A resume client recently sent materials to update his resume. Included was his StrengthsFinder 2.0 profile, which was completed in his previous corporate role.

StrengthFinder 2.0 is “The #1 Wall Street Journal and #1 BusinessWeek bestseller that introduced the StrengthsFinder 2.0 assessment with features that include a personalized Strengths Insight Report, an Action-Planning Guide, and a web-based Strengths Community.”

I can understand why the client sent me this information. I ask them to send any documentation that highlights their skills, achievements, experience, background and strengths. But it got me thinking, would adding one’s StrengthsFinder results to a resume do more harm than good? The reason is, if I added 5 specific characteristics as identified in StrengthsFinder, it may actually hurt the job seeker. Why? The recruiter may read their traits/skills and stereotype them before they even get to interview them. They may view those results and think, “maybe this person wouldn’t fit into our corporate culture?” Or, “this person seems to be the exact opposite personality type of what we are looking for.”

Missi McKown, a Recruiter at CorTalent, a Minnetonka, MN-based recruiting and human resources company, agrees.

“When I see the StrengthsFinder top 5 traits on a resume, I cringe a little,” says McKown. “While I would hope that a salesperson I am looking to find would have the qualities of “Winning Others Over” or “WOO” I don’t really want to see it spelled out on the resume. Maybe it’s just me, but it somehow feels disingenuous. I know that sounds weird because this trait has been revealed in a test, but I’d rather discover that in my own conversations with a candidate, rather than having it emblazoned on a resume with five bullet points.”

McKown says that if a candidate has a solid understanding of the job they are applying for and knows that your skills/traits align, and that the company you are applying for values the Strengths Finder 2.0, listing these traits on your resume could backfire in ruling you out as a candidate if the person reading your resume doesn’t fully understand Strengths Finder 2.0 or if they misinterpret your traits/skills, ultimately doing more harm than good.

Bottom line: Include your strengths, but not your StrengthsFinder results on your resume.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Matt Krumrie, Resume Tips, resumesbymatt.com, StrengthsFinder 2.0 | Leave a comment

Report: Older Job Seekers in Demand

Posted on 06/27/2012 by sschwe

Recent reports reveal the challenge older job seekers face in the current hiring environment, with more than one-third of those 55 and older experiencing prolonged joblessness lasting longer than a year. However, the situation for older workers is not entirely grim. In fact, a new analysis of employment trends reveals that this segment of the population is enjoying the strongest job gains of any age group.

The analysis of government labor data by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc. found that job seekers age 55 and older account for nearly 70 percent of the employment gains since January 1, 2010.

Overall, the number of employed Americans has increased by 4,319,000 between January 2010 and May 2012, according to household survey data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Older job seekers – those 55 and up – accounted for 2,998,000 or 69 percent of the total employment growth.

Age Group	Net Employment Change January 2010-May 2012	Unemployment Rate May 2012
All Ages 16+	4,319,000	8.2%
16 – 19	-54,000	24.6%
20 – 24	980,000	12.9%
25 – 34	882,000	8.2%
35 – 44	-232,000	6.8%
44 – 54	-276,000	6.4%
55 and older	2,998,000	6.5%

The remainder of the employment gains occurred among 20- to 24-year-olds and 25- to 34-year-olds, who were able to increase the number with jobs by 980,000 and 882,000, respectively, since January 1, 2010. Meanwhile, teenagers, 35- to 44-year-olds, and 45- to 54-year-olds each saw employment decline over the last 28 months.

It is true that a growing portion of older job seekers are enduring long-term unemployment. According to data from the Government Accountability Office, 55 percent of workers 55 and older have been unemployed for 27 weeks, with 36 percent out of work for more than a year. In contrast, just 23 percent of older workers were jobless for 27 weeks or longer in 2007.

While a larger portion of older workers are experiencing prolonged unemployment, the overall unemployment rate for this group has seen improvement over the last two years, falling from 7.1 percent in May 2010 to a current level of 6.5 percent.

“The unemployment rate among older workers still has a ways to go before reaching pre-recession levels of about 3.0 percent, but the pace at which these job seekers are finding employment compared to younger ones suggests they could reach pre-recession jobless rates before anyone else,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

“Older workers may be benefitting from a desire among employers to keep hiring to a minimum. The economy is still only slowly recovering, so employers have repeatedly indicated that they are only adding workers when absolutely necessary. In this environment, a seasoned candidate who brings a wide variety of skills and experience to the table is going to have an advantage over younger candidates. For employers, one experienced candidate is worth two or three younger, greener candidates, in terms of the ability to make immediate and meaningful contributions to output and the bottom line,” said Challenger.

Belying the myth that older workers are finding only low-paying jobs in retail or other service-oriented industries, the latest employment statistics reveal that some of the biggest employment gains for those 55 and older have occurred among managers and professionals. As of May 2012, there were 6,274,000 Americans 55 and older employed in management, business and financial operations. That is up 12 percent from 5,581,000 in May 2010. The number working in professional and related occupations has increased 10 percent from 6,813,000 in May 2010 to 7,494,000 in May 2012.

Helping to drive the employment gains among experienced job seekers is the fact that a majority of companies recognize the value of having these workers on their payrolls. In a 2011 survey of company executives and benefit administrators by Bank of America about 94 percent said it is important to keep older workers due to their skills. In order to attract and retain these workers, the survey found that companies are offering customized schedules, education on retirement and health care, and the ability to work from home.

“However, even companies offering such benefits could find it increasingly difficult to convince older workers to stay on board. Would-be retirees have more options than ever before. They can go to competitors, they can switch industries and some are even changing careers. Others may start their own consulting firms or spend their time volunteering for non-profit groups. Companies that want their older workers to stay will have to ask and ask early.”

Even companies that ask nicely may be rebuffed by older workers looking forward to taking a new career direction in their non-retirement years. A 2008 Economic Policy Institute study found that 43 percent of workers switch jobs after age 50 and 27 percent change occupations.

More and more older workers are starting their own businesses. The number of self-employed workers age 55 and older has grown 13 percent from 2,873,000 in May 2010 to 3,258,000 as of May 2012. Most of the growth occurred among those 65 and older, whose ranks of self-employed increased from 820,000 two years ago to a record high of 1,030,000 as of May, according to data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics dating back to 1976.

Other older workers are embarking on second careers that they consider meaningful in terms of their impact on the community and society at large. According to a 2012 MetLife Foundation and Civic Ventures report, 9.0 million people between the ages of 44 and 70 are already in “encore careers,” which is defined as a new phase of work that offers not only continued income but the promise of greater meaning and the chance to do work that means something beyond themselves.

However, launching an encore career is not easy. The majority of those embarking on this path began to think about their second career at the age of 50, according the study, and took 18 months to make the transition. More than two-thirds of those in encore careers experienced gaps in personal income during the transition, with a quarter earning no money.

“Employers need to capitalize on this period in the economic recovery when it is significantly more difficult for older workers to embark on a new career path. In addition to increased telecommuting, for example, employers may need to explore a host of innovative scheduling options, including part-time schedules and the ability to work from different parts of the country at different times of the year. They may also want to examine options for contract work and redefining older workers’ roles and responsibilities,” said Challenger.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a comment

8 Tips To Help Older Job Seekers Succeed In The Job Search

Posted on 06/08/2012 by sschwe

By Matt Krumrie

At a recent job search seminar, job seekers ages 45 to 60 had a number of questions about their resumes, searching for jobs, interviewing and much more. Many job seekers, young and old, are frustrated by the results they are getting.

The bottom line is no matter what your age you have to be creative, bold and determined in the job search. And you have to do the things others aren’t to stand out. Go above and beyond to get results.

But there are also many little tricks to incorporate into your job search that are sure to help improve your results. Kent Johnson, area manager of the professional and technical staffing sectors for the Minneapolis branch of Kelly Services offers these tips to help any job seeker, especially those older job seekers looking for an advantage:

Leverage your experience in the form of consulting to get your foot in the door of a company. All size companies use consulting and it’s also a way to earn some income while you job hunt.
Limit your resume to 10-15 years back.
Don’t use dates for education.
Don’t mention or reference your age in any way in your resume or cover letter.
Review sample resumes in your discipline to infuse fresh and up-to-date terms.
If you’re applying to a specific job, review the job description and use you cover letter to describe how you’d fit the qualifications. Nothing turns a recruiter off more than candidates who apply to jobs that they don’t even remotely qualify for. The normal response is ‘What the heck was this person thinking when they applied to this job?!’ Being desperate doesn’t help your chances of getting an interview.
For in-person interviews, don’t try to be someone you’re not. If you’re 55, don’t try to act 25. Do what everyone should do for an interview, be punctual, well groomed (don’t bath in perfume or cologne), be engaged with good energy and smile. You can’t change your age, but you can change a person’s perception of an age group.
Regardless of a person’s age, ALWAYS send a hand-written thank you note after each interview. It really sets people apart from those who rely only on electronic thank you’s.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Kelly Services, Kent Johnson, Resumes, Tips For Older Job Seekers | Leave a comment

Accountemps Survey: One in Three Employers Lacks Orientation Program for New Hires

Posted on 04/10/2012 by sschwe

New-job jitters are common, but some employers aren’t helping ease their workers’ anxiety, a recent survey from Accountemps suggests. More than one-third (34 percent) of human resources (HR) managers interviewed said their companies do not offer a formal orientation program to help prepare new staff.

Overlooking the orientation process could be a missed opportunity for employers to help new hires feel like part of the team — and make a more immediate impact. When asked to name the greatest benefit of their orientation program, 35 percent of respondents said it helps employees better understand the company’s values, guidelines and expectations.

The survey was developed by Accountemps, the world’s first and largest specialized staffing service for temporary accounting, finance and bookkeeping professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from more than 500 HR managers at companies with 20 or more employees.

HR executives were asked, “Does your company conduct a formal orientation for new employees?” Their responses:

Yes	_________________	66%
No	_________________	34%
		100%

Interestingly, the smaller the organization, the more likely it is to have a formal orientation program: 67 percent of small firms (20 to 49 workers) have them, compared with 52 percent of large companies (1,000 or more employees).

HR executives whose firms offer an orientation program also were asked, “What is the greatest benefit of your orientation program?” Their responses:

New employees better understand
company’s values, guidelines and expectations	…………………	35%
New employees make positive contributions
more quickly	…………………	20%
New employees feel a connection
with company more quickly	…………………	19%
New employees are better prepared for
the long-term success with the company	…………………	17%
Company better understands the needs of new employees		9%
	…………………	100%

“Employee orientation programs lay the groundwork for a smoother start to the job,” said Max Messmer, chairman of Accountemps and author of Human Resources Kit For Dummies®, 2nd Edition (John Wiley & Sons, Inc.). “Without some type of onboarding process, new recruits may not become productive as fast or connect with the company’s culture and values.”

Accountemps offers five tips for managers on helping new hires acclimate:

Roll out the red carpet. The employee wants to make a great impression right out of the gate, and it’s important for you to do the same. Try to personally greet the new hire on the first day to make him or her feel welcome. Go out of your way to reiterate how happy you are that the individual has joined the team.
Aim to ease anxieties. Starting a new job is nerve-racking. Encourage questions and offer introductions. Schedule a departmental lunch to give the newcomer a chance to get to know coworkers in a less-formal setting and help establish rapport.
Arrange day-in the-life tours. During the initial weeks on the job, ask the new employee to meet with and observe key colleagues he or she will be working with across the company. These training sessions will enable the person to learn who does what, while gaining a broader understanding of various departments, job functions and the inner workings of the organization.
Provide a roadmap. Paint a detailed picture of what the employee can expect in the first few months. Address topics the new hire needs to learn, review core job responsibilities, explain top priorities and highlight performance goals. Maintain an open-door policy and schedule regular touch-base meetings to ensure you both remain on the same page.
Make use of mentors. Consider assigning a mentor who can provide guidance and share institutional knowledge. A mentor can shorten the learning curve, allowing the new employee to make more substantive contributions early on. And from a purely emotional standpoint, being linked with a supportive adviser gives the new hire a stronger sense of belonging and accountability.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Accountemps, Max Messmer, Robert Half | Leave a comment

March Job Cuts Report: Telecommunications, Government Dealing With Layoffs

Posted on 04/05/2012 by sschwe

CHICAGO, April 5, 2012 – Planned job cuts declined in March to the lowest level since May 2011, as U.S.-based employers announced layoffs totaling 37,880 during the month, according to the latest job-cut report released Thursday by global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

The March total was 27 percent lower than the 51,728 job cuts announced in February and nine percent lower than March 2011, when 41,528 planned layoffs were recorded. It was the lowest monthly layoff tally since 37,135 job cuts were announced last May.

Through the first quarter of 2012, employers have announced 143,094 job cuts, up 9.4 percent from 2011 when first-quarter cuts totaled 130,749. Last year’s first quarter saw the fewest planned layoffs since 97,716 were announced in the first three months of 1995.

Telecommunications firms saw the highest number of planned job cuts announced in March with 4,089. Nearly half of that total (1,900) came from a single announcement by cellular service provider T-Mobile, which is consolidating call centers in an effort to reduce costs. Call center workers were hit hard by March layoffs. Verizon Wireless also announced the closing of a call center resulting in 750 job cuts. Additionally, Wells Fargo and television/online retailer QVC each announced call center job cuts, impacting a combined 685 workers.

Year-to-date, consumer products is the leading job-cutting sector, having announced a total of 18,438 layoffs in 2012, including 2,118 in March. That represents a fourfold increase from 2011, when these firms announced just 4,571 job cuts through the first three months.

The second-ranked transportation sector has seen an equally large jump in job cuts. Through March these employers have announced 17,051 cuts, up 569 percent from the 2,547 job cuts announced by this point a year ago.

“Both consumer products and transportation saw fewer job cuts in March after experiencing heavy cuts in February. These are key indicators of the economy’s health, so they will be closely monitored in the coming months for more signs of distress. The hope is that the February surge in these sectors was not indicative of a trend,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas.

Notably absent from the list of top job cutters is the government sector, which has seen just 5,750 job cuts this year. That is down 86 percent from a 2011 first-quarter total of 41,929.

“This may simply be the eye of the storm for government workers; a lull in activity in an election year and a time when many state budgets are still being negotiated. The potential for a surge in government cuts is significant. Massive cuts in the U.S. Post Office are still being considered. Last month, the U.S. Department of the Interior was asked to develop a plan that would eliminate 5,000 workers by the end of fiscal year 2013. In Illinois, the governor has proposed a budget that would result in 2,700 job cuts. So, we definitely have not seen the end of large-scale government layoffs,” noted Challenger.

Neither the Department of Interior cuts nor the proposed cuts for State of Illinois workers has been included in Challenger’s monthly job-cut figures, as both remain unofficial and subject to negotiations and other factors.

“One sign that local governments are still struggling from budget shortfalls is the fact that job cuts in education jumped 192 percent from 1,275 job cuts in February to 3,733 last month. School districts continued to be adversely impacted by weakened state and local budgets. These cuts are a strong indicator that more government cuts are on the horizon,” said Challenger.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged consumer sector, government job cuts, State of Illinois, telecommunications job cuts, transportation sector U.S. Post Office Job Cuts, Verizon Wireless layoffs, Wells Fargo layoffs | Leave a comment

The employer asked for my Facebook password in an interview – now what?

Posted on 03/22/2012 by sschwe

As employers become increasingly selective about whom they hire, it appears that some are taking the bold step of asking applicants for full access to their Facebook profiles, which means handing over one’s username and password. It is unclear how widespread this trend is, but one thing is clear: while social media has been a boon to job seekers’ ability to expand and utilize their network, there are many pitfalls associated with these sites that can derail a successful job search.

Job search authority John A. Challenger, CEO of global outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc., says employers should not have the right to ask for usernames and passwords and that candidates should refused to do so, but admits that not complying is likely to result in being eliminated from consideration. That is, unless states enact laws to protect job applicants’ right to privacy.

“That being said, there are plenty of people out there who leave their social media profiles open for all to see,” says Challenger. “It is important to understand that more and more employers are looking at whatever they can to inform the hiring decision. Whether it is a photo from a college party posted on Facebook or incendiary comment on Twitter, employers are looking for anything that reveals more than candidates typically share in interviews. Even a seemingly innocent remark on some social or political issue could put your candidacy at risk, if the hiring manager doesn’t happen to agree with your point of view.”

Currently there are no laws to prevent potential employers from asking for personal login information on a candidates social networking sites. This being said, some employers are beginning to ask the question, and as a job candidate should be prepared for this possibility, says hiring expert and job search guru Scott Schwefel, author of the book Get a Job Fast.

“If asked, you can always say no, but that response may be harmful to your chances,” says Schwefel. “A much better way to shine in an interview might be to edit your social networking sites in such a way that they would reflect positively on you if in fact a potential employer did have your password, and did login and review your social networking history.”

So what can job seekers do to maximize the use of social media for the job search while minimizing the risk?

“As a candidate, you have the choice of sharing or not sharing your social networking sites, but as long as you know there is a possibility of being asked, or having a potential look up what information you are already sharing publicly, the best option is to make sure all your social sites reflect well on you as a candidate, or delete your social sites until you have landed the job,” says Schwefel. “The good news is that it is always your choice, but remember there are consequences with every option you choose.”

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Facebook, Get a Job Fast, John A. Challenger, Scott Schwefel, Social Media | Leave a comment

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