Adapt your resume. Tailor your resume to specific companies, specific job listings. Learn how
to develop different resumes in our Resume and CV Resources
for Job-Seekers.
Send your resume via email. Submit your resume online, but follow-up with an emailed version as well.
Use multiple job search sites. Find the top job-sites here:
The Top 10 Job Web Sites for Job-Seekers.
But don't ignore niche job sites -- by industry or location.
Follow-up with a hard copy. Whenever possible, also send a cover letter and resume to a named
individual (ideally hiring manager) by postal mail. Use your network to identify the hiring manager --
or call the company and get the name.
What are you willing to do to find a job? That's the question asked in April by
Drake Beam Morin (DBM) of more than 1,000 respondents who had spent 12 months
or less seeking employment.
The results?
82% are willing to change industry
66% are willing to take a lower salary/job function
65% are willing to accept a less job title
34% are willing to relocate
DBM is a leading provider of outplacement services.
The U.S Labor Department reported today that applications for unemployment
benefits rose again last week to a seasonally adjusted 345,000 --
higher than what economists expected.
Still, the news appears to be encouraging as claims below 400,000 suggest the job market is improving.
Also, the more stable, four-week moving average of jobless benefit applications, which smooths
out weekly fluctuations, dropped last week to 333,500, the lowest level since Nov. 18, 2000.
May 18, 2004
Even though outsourcing of service-related jobs has been just one piece of the ongoing
employment problems for job-seekers, new figures suggest that American companies are actually
sending even more white-collar jobs to low-wage countries, such as India, Pakistan,
China, and Russia.
About 830,000 U.S. service-sector jobs -- ranging from telemarketing positions to accountants
to software engineers -- are expected to now move abroad by the end of 2005, according to a new
report released Monday by Forrester Research, Inc., a 41 percent increase from their original
estimate of 588,000 lost jobs that they made in 2002.
Forrester also increased its long-term job loss prediction, now estimating that at least
3.4 million jobs will leave the U.S. by 2015.
May 11, 2004
Teens looking for summer jobs are going to have another tough year of finding them as older
job-seekers continue a trend from years past of taking the best of the jobs. Teens will have
to spend more time and work harder to find a good summer job.
And according to a survey by SnagAJob.com, younger job-seekers (14-24) who seek employment
this summer are mostly (42 percent) seeking jobs in retail... so you may want to look at
other options, such as hospitality (theme parks), camps, or office work.
There appears to be momentum in job growth as the U.S. Labor Department released
data today showing another 288,000 jobs were created in nearly every sector in April.
The agency also revised its estimates for job creation in both February and March, reporting that 83,000 jobs were
added in February and 337,000 in March -- instead of 46,000 and 308,000 respectively it had previously reported.
The back-to-back monthly gains in March and April were the strongest in four years, the department said.
In addition to the surprisingly strong job growth, the unemployment rate dipped to 5.6 percent.
Economists had forecast 173,000 new jobs would be created in April and the unemployment rate would be unchanged at 5.7 percent.
More evidence of a growing trend in the U.S. toward entrepreneurialism
with the release of a recent study from AARP showing that 40
percent of all small business people are over age 50.
Millions of baby boomers, whether they left long-held jobs by choice or were unexpectedly laid off,
have discovered a sense of unexpected freedom as entrepreneurs. "Boomers are leading the way in this
entrepreneurial wave," said Tony Lee, editor in chief of StartupJournal.com. "They have the resources and the
built-in talents, and there are ways for them to work for themselves without starting from scratch."
Boomers are finding two avenues for self-employment that don't require starting at the beginning franchising and
consulting. Franchising provides a support system for new entrepreneurs in the form of the franchiser's guidance and
a network of other franchise owners, while consulting allows the newly self-employed to make use of their
existing skills.
Resources for Baby Boomers and other older workers:
Job Stuff, A Blog for Your Career, from Stephen Harris.
Stephen's blog is a great resource for those job-seekers who find yourselves in transition, searching for guidance
and reassurance.
The Occupational Adventure Blog, from
Curt Rosengren, a Passion Catalyst. Curt's blog is great for finding encouraging ideas (and resources) for moving forward with your career... a career
that lights your fire.
TrueCareers Career Blog, from the career and job site
dedicated to professional and college-educated job-seekers... where they say you get the real scoop on how to get the job you want faster --
with insider tips and more.
