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06
Oct

Five Myths About Job Searching:

By RedStarResume No comments yet

#1: The smartest person always gets the job

Definitely not true – companies these days are more interested in the complete worker. Having brains is always an advantage, but it’s not the only thing that hiring managers are looking for. In today’s economy, an employer wants to know that, if required, you are able to complete a wide range of jobs. Having transferrable skills, a can do attitude and a willingness to learn and be involved in all aspects of the business is key to nailing the job interview.

#2: Direct experience is most important

Transferable skills are key. In certain industries the job specification may require direct experience, but in many circumstances being able to show that you have the skills to succeed is just as important. Do not get discouraged if you feel that you lack the right skills to get a new job. Concentrate on the value added skills that you have and highlight these skills on your resume and in the job interview.

#3: Dating a co-worker will lead to career doom

An urban myth. I have even heard of stories where dating the boss has resulted in career success (not recommended!). Always remember to perform your role to the highest quality and it does not matter who you decide to date! (Note – public displays of affection are a big no no! – this type of behaviour is best saved for non-work hours).

#4: Applying for jobs online is the only way to find a new job

Job searching online is one of many different approaches you should take. Before you even begin to apply for jobs, ensure that you have a professionally written resume. No matter how many jobs you apply for, it doesn’t matter if your resume is not selling your skills. With the growth of social networking online, sites such as LinkedIn can be a fantastic way to approach people who you typically could not just pick up the phone and call.

#5: Writing a cover letter is a waste of time

Every time you apply for a job you should accompany your resume with a targeted cover letter. The only exception is when the job specification clearly states not to send a cover letter. Most times a hiring manager will read your cover letter before opening your resume. If your cover letter does not shine, there is a good chance your resume won’t even be opened. You may have the greatest resume written by a professional resume writer, but it means nothing if your cover letter is letting you down.

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

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17
Aug

Dressing professionally is one step to getting promoted

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Getting ahead in the workplace comes down to many different factors. Your skills and values you bring to the job are of the upmost importance. If you can’t deliver in your job it doesn’t matter how nice you are as the company won’t want to keep you on their payroll. There are, however, other things you can do to help maintain a professional image and make you stand out in your work environment.

Dressing for Success:

How you dress and how you look says a lot about the person you are. If you come to work with a shirt hanging out and dirty shoes, you present an unprofessional image of not caring. No Looking smart will create a positive image about the way you work.

One of my colleagues shed light on this point when he compared two employees under him that were competing for a promotion. One of them dressed every day in a nicely pressed suit with a tie and perfectly polished shoes. The other wore the same worn suit and same tie nearly every day. Furthermore, his shoes were not polished and his hair was in a mess. Both of them had equal skills and their work was first-rate. When my colleague needed to promote one of these men he went with the man who looked the more professional. As he told me, “Who I promoted was a reflection on me. At the end of the day, it was a pretty easy decision.”

First impression in the work environment:

First impressions count and in the work environment it is important that we portray the right impression every single day. Understanding your working environment is the key, and this should drive you in the right direction.

If you work in a professional organisation such as a law firm, for example, and you have large tattoos on your arms, rolling up your sleeves at work is probably not the best idea. Keeping your tattoos covered while at work would probably be advised. The same goes for piercings. The opposite is also true – if you work in a more creative environment, then showing off your tattoos at work would be acceptable and wearing a suit would be deemed inappropriate!

Conclusion:

The key to dressing professionally is understanding your working culture. Dressing for success will make you feel like a winner, but will also send the right image to those around you about your professionalism and attitude

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

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20
Mar

Do you have realistic job expectations?

By RedStarResume No comments yet

 

 

The best advice I give job seekers is to set realistic job expectations. Too many times candidates cause themselves heartache and misery because they have unrealistic expectations when applying for jobs. Yes, it’s true you need to aim high, but aiming too high can just lead to a longer time of being unemployed. I recently met a candidate who told me they had applied to over 100 banking jobs, but had not received a single interview request.

The first thing I did was review his resume as a poorly written resume is usually the reason behind 90% of failed attempts at securing interviews. The resume is the first impression a hiring manager has, so if there’s something fundamentally wrong with it, it doesn’t matter how good your qualifications are if the resume is never going to be read.

This time, however, his resume was very well written. His achievements were highlighted and the resume was structured and well presented, so I was quite confused as to why he was not getting a single interview. As a job seeker with 2 years of relevant work experience there didn’t seem to be a reasonable reason why this candidate should not be getting interviews or job offers.

The next thing we did was sit down together and analyse the jobs he had applied for, and there was the answer.

Within 60 seconds it became obvious why he wasn’t getting any interview requests. With 2 years of experience and on a base salary of $50,000, he was applying for senior roles with base salaries of $80,000-$120,000. With many of the jobs he didn’t even tick the essential requirements on the job description such as minimum years in a manager position.

Not only was he wasting his own time by applying for these positions, but he was also causing unnecessary stress and anxiety in the meantime. I encourage candidates to strive for bigger and greater jobs and to seek out higher salaries, but just remember to be realistic in your job search.  To be a manager or in a senior role takes experience and it is very unlikely that a company will hire an outside person to fulfil a role without the relevant experience. The more likely scenario is the company will promote within the company.

Go for gold and strive to succeed, but just remember to be realistic with your job expectations.

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

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15
Mar

10 Seconds for your Resume to Shine

By RedStarResume No comments yet

One of my favourite books is the “The E Myth Revisited” written by Michael Gerber. In the book Michael speaks about the marketing strategy. He quotes

“In a television commercial, we’re told; the sale is made or lost in the first three or four seconds.

In a print ads, tests have shown, 75 percent of the buying decisions are made at the headline alone.

In a sales presentation, data have shown us, the sale is made or lost in the first three minutes”

Same is true for your resume – Reports suggest that a hiring manager will spend no more than 10 seconds reading through your resume before deciding to read on or delete.

Less and less time is being spent reading a persons resume. In today’s society, hiring managers are more interested in eliminating candidates before they begin their pursuit of finding the perfect candidate.

When it comes to writing your resume, remember the golden rule of highlighting your achievements and putting them on the front page. No matter how good your achievements, skills, experience and knowledge if the hiring manager has not found them within 10 seconds than your resume will be deleted – and once it is deleted from the inbox it will never be read again.

Your resume is a marketing document – it’s your marketing tool to sell yourself. First impressions count for a lot and if your resume is being deleted than it will be impossible for you to get the job

Do the small things right and your already half way there to your new job!

Good luck

 

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

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11
Jan

Dressing 4 Success – Does the color of your clothing really make a difference when it’s time to Interview?

By RedStarResume No comments yet

The psychology of color:

Preparing for a job interview is tough work. You rehearse answers to common questions, decide on what clothing to wear and ensure you have done an adequate amount of research into the company. But what about the color of your clothing – does this matter? Is wearing a white shirt with a blue tie going to help you get the job over wearing a blue shirt with a black tie?

Studies have shown that the colors you decide to wear in an interview can actually make a difference. In the competitive world we live in you need to ensure that you take every advantage you possibly can.

Different colors evoke different emotions and it is imperative when you’re interviewing that you evoke the right emotions from the interviewer.

Examples:

Blue: Words that describe the color blue include: trust, loyalty, wisdom, peaceful. These are exactly the type of feelings you want to be portraying in your interview. Blue is a calming color (think ocean and sky) and sends out a signal to the interviewer that you are indeed honest and sincere. Studies have shown that wearing the color blue to an interview will increase your chances of getting hired more than any other color.

Red: In contrast to the color blue, the color red stirs emotions more than any other color. Red is a strong color, very emotional, an extreme color that in an interview scenario can work against you. Unlike blue which has a calming effect, the color red is a fiery color (the color of love and passion), and can be an intimidating color for the interviewer.

Orange: Similar to red. A color that stirs emotion and therefore a color I would avoid wearing in a job interview. Although orange is not seen to be as an aggressive as the color red, it is still perceived as a color that can evoke feelings of power and aggression.

Grey: My second favourite color to wear after blue. Grey gives the look of sophistication and authority. In a corporate environment the color grey is professional and portrays an individual as being confident without being intimidating.

Purple: The color of “Royalty”. The color symbolizes power, aristocracy, lavishness, and extravagance.

Black: Be careful when wearing just black to an interview.  The color black is seen as a power color and can be viewed as threatening. Wearing black outfits can portray an individual as being powerful or even arrogant. Black is also associated with negative implications such as death, sin, and fear.

Just remember that first impressions count a lot when you go to interview. Know your audience and dress accordingly.

Good Luck!

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

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07
Jan

How to land a job interview

By RedStarResume No comments yet

The economy is slowly turning around and this year can be your year to make a change

What can you do to be competitive when looking for a new job? Writing a quick resume late at night and applying for random jobs is NOT going to get you the job you are looking for.  Is there an educational or university course being offered which could help you now or in the long term? What skills do you have to shine above and beyond other candidates.  Make a  portfolio of your accomplishments you have achieved in your academic or professional life. In the current economic climate employers want to know what YOU have to offer them. You need to sell yourself! and sell your success. 

Below are some further ideas and suggestions to find yourself a new job

Learn new skills: It’s never too late to try to learn a foreign language, or a new piece of computer software. (Best example was a senior archaeologist of 10 years who came to me wanting to change life direction. After 6 months learning spanish then travelling through Spain for another 6 months, The senior archaeologist is now a junior English/spanish translator)

Research: Find out where the demand is. While many industries are having trouble in this recession and laying of employees other areas are increasing employment

Sell yourself: Take time writing your resume, and tailor your resume specifically to each job you are applying. Do not send out the same resume to every job advert you see. Remember if you’re sending out generic resumes then you will get the same generic responses

Use your social network. Don’t be embarrassed about looking for work. Tell your friends and family. You never know who may be looking at hiring staff with your set of skills

Use free networking sites to advertise yourself and your skills. Promote yourself via sites like LinkedIn: http://www.linkedin.com/ 

Use a recruitment agency that specialises in your particular area. Get to know the recruitment consultant, and follow them up weekly. The more you appear visible, the more they will remember you

Share with friends: Brainstorm ideas and share experiences with friends that are also looking for jobs. Exchange advice, strategies, and plans

Act straight away: When you get a lead or hear about a job opening apply immediately. There is no need to wait. Prepare your resume and send it immediately. The longer you wait the more likely another candidate will apply ahead of you

Don’t let a lack of experience discourage you from applying for jobs: When tailoring your resume towards the job you are applying for, concentrate on the skills and abilities you have to match that certain job

Most importantly: Don’t give up – Never stop looking.  While you’re searching for your new job is there something else in the meantime you could be doing. Do you have skills to freelance?  Maybe you can sell goods online. Keeping yourself occupied helps you to stay positive and upbeat rather than moping around the house feeling sorry for yourself

© RedStarResume Publications – http://www.bestresponseresume.com/

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21
Dec

Dont Dress for the job you have, dress for the job you want to have

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Does what you wear to an interview really make a difference in the hiring process?

The answer is yes – the way you dress always matters

Don’t allow your appearance to damage your chances of being hired for a job. As the old phrase goes, “dress for success!” When you walk into an interview room the very first thing an interviewer does is look at you. No matter how many skills you have and how relevant your experience is, do not allow this first impression to ruin your chances.

Make no mistake – dressing properly will not guarantee you the job, but dressing inappropriately can definitely lose you the job.

Gaining employment is subject to numerous variables beyond your control and factors significantly unknown to you. You have no control over employer perceptions, personal preferences or the competitors for the job. You do, however, have control of your image and how you present yourself. How you look can send a powerful message to the interviewer and can portray a signal that you are a winner or a loser.

You have made it this far in the interview process– don’t let your appearance sabotage your opportunity to get the job.

So make sure you exude confidence and look successful.

Good luck!

© RedStarResume Publications – http://www.bestresponseresume.com/  

The Job search market can be a tricky place to navigate. Whether you are just starting out, moving up the ladder or changing your current situation, RedStarResume have all the resources to help improve your chances of success.

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18
Nov

Job Advertisment!

By RedStarResume No comments yet

Whether you’re looking to find a job or change your career path be prepared!

No matter what role you are looking for, do your research and make sure you’re ready to nail your job interview

 

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07
Nov

Do you want to add more money to your salary? What you need to do!

By RedStarResume No comments yet

A friend recently told me that he was expecting a raise soon simply because “I haven’t gotten one in the last 2 years.” There was no direct reason – no one had told him about this supposed upcoming raise, and he hadn’t done anything major in the last few months to expect one. He simply expected that one would come, particularly because he hadn’t received one in his entire 2 years there.

I always wonder about this kind of thinking because, from the way I see it, employers are never lining up to give people more money. If you’re waiting around for your boss to give you a raise for no specific reason, you’re going to be waiting for a long time. A raise doesn’t come simply because you’ve worked somewhere for a specific amount of time or because you haven’t received one – you have to earn a raise and, even when you do, you probably still have to ask for it.

It’s no secret that an employer is going to try to pay you as little as possible. I don’t mean this in a mean way – I’m just saying that they aren’t going to go out of their way to pay you more than they have to, simple as that. This especially applies to those of you waiting on that raise you haven’t received yet. Think about it – why would your boss give you more money to do the same exact job? What would be in it for them? Whether you’re deserving of a raise or not, it’s not going to come at the drop of a hat.

Employers are not looking to give away money that they don’t have to, so if you continue to wait for them to offer you one, you may be waiting a while. If you think you deserve a raise, let your boss know and give your specific reasons. This can include examples where you have increased productivity, saved them money or even how you trained new employees.

Providing specific reasons is the key to getting your pay increase. Remember everyone wants more pay and greater benefits. A pay rise is just like a negotiation. You have to provide something in return to receiving something. If you can prove to your employer that you are worthy of a pay increase your employee is more likely to give you one. One last thing. If you feel you deserve a pay rise and have evidence to support your argument, don’t be afraid to ask for it.

A lot of people sit quietly and say nothing to avoid “rocking the boat,” and they have the mindset that a pay rise will eventually happen on its own. Don’t let this happen to you. You deserve to get paid as much as you can.

© RedStarResume Publications – www.redstarresume.com

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