Job hunting etiquette

Under today's economic conditions, job hunting etiquette has never been more important. How you present yourself, what you say, how you say it are just a few things that can set you apart from the competition.

It all starts with your resume. Your resume is likely the first chance you have to make an impression on a potential employer. When it comes to proper job hunting etiquette, here are some of the chief things to keep in mind when preparing your resume:

• Use good quality paper

• List a specific employment objective first

• Include only information that's pertinent to the job you're applying for

• Research various styles until you find the one that best suits your background (some are designed to highlight education, others your work history)

• Use past tense when referring to job duties

• Use active verbs

• Be as specific as possible

• Make sure there are no typos or grammatical errors

You may also want to consider hiring a professional resume writer. This is a great way to have a stellar resume that can make a huge difference in whether you get a foot in the door or not.

Now once you have your foot in the door and have an actual interview set up, you want to carefully choose what you're going to wear. A good job hunting etiquette rule of thumb for this is to find out what sort of dress code a company has, then dress at least one notch above that. And even when interviewing at a business that's extremely casual and laidback, you still want to dress at a higher level than may be required. It shows an employer you care enough about getting the job that you put in some extra effort.

Before the interview, proper job hunting etiquette calls for you to do some homework about the company and business where you're interviewing. You want to show the employer that you know about and understand their industry. Also, be sure to get detailed directions to the company. The last thing you want to do is to be late for your interview!

Some job hunting etiquette tips for the actual interview are:

• Stand when someone of either sex comes into the room

• Stand also when being introduced

• Wear a smile as much as possible

• Give a firm handshake with you right hand

• Make and maintain eye contact

• Have extra copies of your resume and any other pertinent information with you

• Listen carefully

• Ask questions whenever possible

One thing you definitely do not want to do during the interview is talk about salary or benefits unless the interviewer brings these topics up. Discussing the position and its requirements are great, but today's job hunting etiquette says that money talk during a first interview is a huge faux pas. You want to seem eager to get the job and interested in it, not the salary.

Finally, after your interview, you'll want to send a thank you card or note immediately. Job hunting etiquettes

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A freelancer's guide to job hunting

The job of a freelancer is unlike any other. The calculated and scheduled life you may have once had takes a back seat and instead your work hours will be dependent on the jobs you get. Freelancing has its shares of woes - including the relentless hours you put in just to make enough money to get by. But there are many stories of successful freelancers who make a decent income and even earn six figure salaries. With hard work and persistence you too can have a fulfilling career as a freelancer.

Be the Expert You Are (or Want to Be)

Freelancing is all about making a career out of something that you not only love doing but are also good at. Honing your skills and talent is a definite must in the freelance business. It is important to be educated and know as much as you can about your field whatever it may be. Read books, go to conventions, and join organizations tailored to your field. Becoming an expert in your desired field is the first step that will give you that slight advantage over others who may be new to the industry.

You should have a deep understanding of the market or businesses you plan on freelancing or consulting for. Find out what it is they are looking for. What strengths do you have that they can benefit from? And remember, a business will only hire outside workers to do jobs or fix problems they can not do themselves.

You are Your Business

Designating a place in your house or apartment to be your office is essential. In the freelancing business, the job searching never ends. Have sources available to you that can aid you in your job search such as access to the internet, trade books, magazines, and newspapers.

Constantly keep your eyes and ears open to possible projects. Do not be surprised if you end up spending a lot of time on the internet. Search engines and websites are great sources that have the latest job postings. Spend a few bucks on newspapers and industry magazines which usually have specific sections for freelancing and work opportunities. You have to be willing to take the time and do the research needed in finding jobs that are tailored to your line of work. The jobs are there for the taking - you just need to find them.

Network and Sell Yourself

You have to sell yourself, your work and your knowledge. No one else is going to market you. You have to be willing to be very vulnerable in seeking out jobs, writing outlines, proposals or queries, and sending out your resume to as many prospects as possible. The more territory you cover, the more chances you will have in landing a job.

More likely than not people will hire individuals they know over others whose work they are unfamiliar with. Go to conferences and build a network team of colleagues and mentors. Those who have been successful in your freelancing career field will always have advice. Plus, they can be a great asset in referring you to potential employers.

Remember to always have plenty of resumes and business cards handy with you at all times. You never know who you might bump into that might actually need your expertise.

Have Realistic Expectations

It can be really easy to quit freelancing if your financial means are not met. Find out how much freelancers make in your field and from there create a realistic budget on how much you expect to earn. This insight can lessen your anxiety on trying to make money so you can focus on acquiring more gigs.

When starting out, make sure you either have additional financial assistance or some extra cash in the bank because in the freelancing world, you never know how long it will take for you to get that check. Do not expect to automatically make a lot of money in the beginning of your career. Some companies may offer to pay cash or a check up front while others have an undetermined turnaround time.

If you have extensive experience or a degree in your field, you can consider setting your own rate based on how much you think your work is worth. This is another reason why being an expert in your field is very important. Contractors will hire and pay more to those whom they feel know what they are doing.

Perseverance is a Must

Successful people are not born, they are made. In any aspect of your life, especially your career, the need to continue through setbacks and not give up on your goals is essential. Some think that starting out is the hardest aspect of freelancing, but the truth is that the key to being successful is perseverance.

Rejection and failure are necessary evils in the freelancing business. In this tough solitary business the only person held responsible for your own success is you. Sometimes your success is determined in how you handle your failures.

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Tips for writing a resume after leaving the military

Many people who leave the military enter civilian life with very marketable skills. However, after a little job-hunting, they find themselves being pigeon-holed into law enforcement jobs, or other professions stereotyped as “for the military.”

The reason that recently discharged individuals have a hard time getting a job they want comes down to how they market themselves on paper. As with so many other things, how you present yourself on your resume is crucial to getting the job. Creating a resume with mostly military experience should be crafted in such a way as to let a potential employer know that you were more than just “in the military.”

Organization

One of the first things that should be done to organize the resume is to break down every individual position you held while in the military. For instance, you may have been a computer operate for three years at an overseas base. If so, you should make a list of the duties you performed in that role, as well as the skills that you acquired. You should also have the exact dates that you held the position.

Next, it is important to make an overall list of skills that you acquired from your general military experience. You probably gained invaluable leadership experience. You may have also learned another language from your travels. All of this should be noted so that you will have it ready when you begin to write the resume.

It is important to remember that you may not think that some of these things are that important in the civilian world, but they can be very important. As with our example of learning a foreign language: this is a much sought after skill by many companies because of our multinational economic climate. Letting a potential employer know that you have skills with more than one language may quite possibly send your resume to the top of the pile.

Finally, you should also have a list of awards or other accomplishments that you received while in the military. If you were responsible for overhauling a department or unit, then make a note of that. Those accomplishments that were measured in terms of numbers—such as dollars & cents or people—are something that potential employers look at.

Writing the Resume

When you have all of your information together, then it is time to actually write the resume. Many resumes today begin with a short biographical paragraph followed by a paragraph about the position you are seeking. This section of the resume serves to humanize you to prospective employers. Make sure you do not come off as being arrogant. Simply state where you are coming from and where you would like to go.

Next comes the employment and experience section. If the military is your most recent employment, then list that as a header in the employment section of your resume along with your rank, when you entered the service, and when you left the service.

Then, you should begin with the most recent position you held in the military. List the duties of that position, along with your accomplishments. Also list the beginning and end dates of the job. After that, list the next most recent assignment, along with duties, accomplishments, etc.

In a separate section of your resume, you should list the skills that you have, such as computer skills, language skills, etc. Try to be specific without appearing to exaggerate your abilities or lie about what you know. If you have computer networking skills, list exactly what operating systems and equipment you have worked with. And of course, you should also list your education. List where you went to college—if you did—along with your major, minor, and GPA.

One Last Step

Once you have the resume written, make sure that you read over it several times to check for misspelled words and grammatical errors. In addition, it is a good idea to have someone else read it. That person can tell you how the resume appears and sounds to someone else. They might be able to suggest where slight changes should be made.

Finally, send out the resume knowing that you are ready to show the world that you served your country proudly and that you gained a wealth of knowledge and experience from your service!

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Manners and etiquette: basic business etiquette for recent graduates

After four (or more) years of college, you may think that you are prepared for the business world. After all, you studied a subject in depth and obtained a degree designed to train you in a certain career area, so you should be ready for the job market – right? While a new graduate’s knowledge of his or her subject area may be extensive, there are a few points to consider before sending out those first few tentative resumes.

One important fact to know is that, for most employers, a degree from a good college is just the beginning. Job experience is heavily weighted in the decision of which candidate to hire, and that is something that most recent graduates unfortunately lack. Making an excellent first impression is even more important for a first-time applicant, and showing a knowledge of good business etiquette can help bridge the gap between yourself and a candidate with a few more years of experience.

When writing the cover letter for your resume, think of what you have actually done that relates to the job for which you are applying. Internships can be very helpful in this regard. Also, make sure that you are applying for a position that is appropriate for someone seeking their first post-college job.

If you are really interested in working for a certain company, but are informed that the position for which you applied isn’t a good fit with your background and experience (or lack thereof), don’t be afraid to inquire politely about other positions in the company that they may not have advertised yet. Develop a good relationship with the hiring director, and even if a position is not available when you first apply, you can check back periodically to find out if the situation has changed (or they may even contact you!).

Once you have been called for an interview, plan your strategy carefully, from the outfit you wear to anticipating the questions that the interviewer will ask. Regardless of how casual the company’s employees may dress, an interviewee should always dress more conservatively. Men should wear a suit with a classy tie (no novelty ties, at least until you get the job), and women should wear either a suit or a nice blouse and skirt or slacks.

Women should also take care not to wear skirts that are too short, pants that are too tight, overly high heels, or blouses that are too tight or have plunging necklines. Also avoid long or brightly-painted fingernails, strong perfume (you never know if someone in the office might be offended by it or, worse, allergic), and garish makeup.

While you may feel that following these guidelines stifles your individuality or makes you less interesting, to an employer, attention-grabbing clothes or makeup sends the message that you are not willing to be a “team player” or, worse, that you are immature and self-conscious. Your appearance should tell the interviewer that you are a professional, comfortable in your own skin, and would be at home in an office environment.

Once you know what to wear to an interview, know what questions the employer is likely to ask – and have questions of your own to ask the interviewer. Your interviewer will probably ask about any time that you took off during your college years or between high school and college, or between jobs, if applicable. These questions are designed to gauge your ability to commit to a job – after all, hiring and training a new employee is a commitment for the employer that requires time and money.

Also, you may be asked what your best and worst qualities are. Be honest, but know how to turn your bad qualities into pluses: for instance, being overly self-critical means you want to do the best job you can. (But provide examples of how you were able to overcome your bad qualities in order to work with others or finish a project on time.)

You may also be asked where you see yourself in five years. This is an especially difficult question for a new graduate, or any applicant for that matter, and is more of a psychological test of your dedication to your career (and of how well you have formulated your career goals). For strategies for answering this or other common interview questions, it may be helpful to look at online resources or books on successful interview strategies. In this way, you’ll learn both the questions you’ll be expected to ask and the best way to answer them.

Once the interview is over, be sure to send a thank-you note! Thank the interviewer for his or her time, mention (briefly) your qualifications that you think would be a good fit with the position, or reiterate points from your interview that the interviewer seemed to have been impressed by. The contents of this note depend largely on your own experience, but you should be sincere in thanking the interviewer for taking the time to speak with you and consider you for employment.

Even if you don’t get the job you really want, be sure to maintain a good relationship with the company and ask them to keep your resume on file. Very often, employers with a position to fill would rather begin with resumes they already have than start fresh with new ones.

Once you have been hired, you will gradually gain experience in dealing with your coworkers. Avoid office gossip and politics, because apart from making you look unprofessional, you never know who might provide a reference for your next job!

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Job hunting questions: when are recruiters good, and when are they wasting your time?

Looking for employment is not an easy task. At times landing a job may take weeks. And sometimes it may take months. Multiple methods of landing a job are employed, such as, answering ads, using online job sites and using the services of a professional recruiter.

Professional job recruiters match job seekers with prospective employers. The recruiter, upon placement of a candidate, receives a commission from the employer. Rarely, does a job seeker pay for the services of a recruiter. This was more common decades ago, when a job seeker would agree to pay a certain amount of weeks salary when they landed a position.

Most recruiters are full time employees of temporary and/or permanent employment agencies. The agencies have contracts with employers, to fill their staffing needs. Agencies are usually categorized by industry and only fill positions for companies in that industry. But the positions being filled can be as various as entry-level clerks and CEO’s.

When an applicant registers with an agency, they are assigned a recruiter who will assist them with finding employment that is suitable to their education, background and current career goals. A good recruiter will intimately understand your qualifications and career goals. They will also thoroughly understand the philosophy and hiring process of the employers that they contract with. This knowledge will enable them to coach the applicant, as to how to present themselves during the interview process. Knowing what a company’s philosophy is before the interview will aid the candidate in landing the position.

A good recruiter will also highlight the applicant’s strength’s before sending the applicant to meet the employer. An efficient recruiter is able to sway both employer and potential employee towards each other. But the recruiter must be careful not to exaggerate an employee’s capabilities. If so, the candidate may be hired for a position that they are not eligible for. Another thing that an unethical recruiter may do may be to try to convince an applicant that they are suitable for a position that is out of their range or goals.

Because recruiters work on a commission and/or quota fulfillment basis, they are sometimes over zealous in sending applicants out for interviews. This is hazardous for both recruiter and applicant. An applicant, who is unqualified for a position, may eventually fail and become terminated. This is a waste of time for the applicant, who could have pursued other employment opportunities. Also if an applicant is pressed into taking a position out of their career goals, they may grow resentful in that position, and quit. Once again, this is a waste of an applicant’s time.

Be cautious of recruiters who are eager to send you on interviews for positions, which you have no background in. Some recruiters are ruthless enough to lead you to an unwanted career change. Also be cautious of recruiter who tries to place you in temporary positions, instead of permanent positions. Make sure that your recruiter explains the terms of a temp to perm job thoroughly. Some positions are automatically permanent after a temporary trial period, and some are not. An unethical recruiter will lead you to believe the position will be yours, unconditionally. So, ask a lot of questions, and preferably get a written contract before taking a temporary to permanent position. Recruiters sometimes offer more than job connections.

The larger agencies may offer training in certain software applications. By enhancing and expanding one’s skill base, the more jobs an applicant becomes eligible for. Other selling points are interview skills and proper presentation. A skilled recruiter, if necessary, will briefly overview a proper career wardrobe and accessories. The recruiter should also be able to coach the applicant on interviewing skills.

Recruiters are a valuable resource for obtaining employment. But it is a relationship that must be established on trust and honesty. If one does not feel that their recruiter is honest or trustworthy, it is best to seek an alternative recruiter. Find one who understands one’s goals and qualifications. The recruiter should not only understand, but should respect one’s goals. This will lead to a harmonious job placement for both recruiter and applicant.

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Nursing Careers and Future Prospects in the Profession

What is the future of nursing careers? Predictions are that in 10 or 20 years, it will look nothing like it does today! With new technologies and drugs, changes in insurance and health care policies, and the shortage in nurses, the profession will have to reinvest itself.

Many nursing functions will be automated. For example, documentation and updating patient records, smart beds to monitor vital signs, bar codes, and automatic medicine carts could reduce the time and errors in dispensing medications, and voice-activated technology would eliminate the need to constantly write things down. Other nursing task such as serving meals will be taken over by aides. This would give nurses more time to provide a human touch to their patients.

As a result of nursing shortages, healthcare facilities will be forced to use their nurses judiciously. Nurses will spend more time at the bedside as educators and care coordinators to refocus on the patient. With the lengths of patient stays shortening, nurses will have to make the best use of a shrinking amount of time hospital stays. Nurses will also spend more time in administration and supervision positions. They will need to know how to access knowledge and transfer it to the patient and their loved ones.

The changes in technology will possibly attract more men and minorities into the profession. Greater emphasis must be placed on supporting teaching careers and recruiting educators from diverse cultural backgrounds to relieve the serious shortage of nursing school faculty. Therefore, more loans and scholarships for master's and PhDs would also have to be in place, and the colleges would have to pay the instructors more money.

If the nursing shortage continues, hospitals may have to be reserved only for the very sickest. That means that the number of outpatient care will increase, as will the need for home health care nurses. They will also serve more prominent roles in clinics, consulting firms, insurance companies, and software and technology companies.

Nurses in the future would probably do much more population-based or community health care. They will identify risks and establish priorities for specific populations and groups. They will provide community education and work with employers and insurance payers to develop programs that save money as well as promote health.

Nurse practitioners have a bright future especially in geriatrics and gerontology. With the baby boomer generation reaching retirement, those nurses who are themselves baby boomers but are not yet ready to retire may find themselves in the role of consultants. They would be the geriatric providers of choice because they would have a better understanding of aging.

As technology and research progresses, in linking chronic illnesses to behaviors, nurses would focus more on preventing the illnesses rather than treatment. Also, drugs designed for healthcare that targets diseases before they start, and identifying risks for those diseases will enhance preventive care. This means that people are going to have to learn to take care of themselves more. The nursing shortage and rising health care costs will also put pressure on the health care system to change from an illness model to a wellness and prevention model.

Therefore, no matter what the future holds, nurses will have be prepared to keep learning, growing, and expanding and changing alongside he transformative role of the healthcare profession. That obviously comes easier when one is passionate about the career.

Nursing Degrees Online

Nusing options for flexibility

By Sophia Peters

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Careers in Human Resources

There are several different positions available in the Human Resource Management (HRM) field. Each position requires different skills and educational qualifications. HRM is an important section in the business sector, and is responsible for managing and overseeing employees, their working and efficacy. It is also known as the heart of a company. Its presence is mandatory, and there is no company or organization who does not have an HR or the human resource management department.

There are various duties and responsibilities that the executives working in the human resources department have to follow. Their responsibilities mostly depend on the role they play in the department. They have to regularly be in contact with the employees as well as the management for efficient functioning of all processes. Below are some positions mentioned which will give you a clear idea of what the human resource department is all about.

Some Positions in the HR Department

Recruiters

Recruiters play a very significant role in hiring candidates who are capable of proving profitable for a company. They are the first points of contact for employees who want to join a particular company. The responsibilities of an HR recruiter include keeping a record of current and prospective employees' information in the database, calling candidates and convincing them to join a company, getting information from project managers of different processes regarding any openings in the company processes, etc. Generally, there are two types of recruiters; one who is employed in proper companies, and others who work in private recruitment agencies. The former ones are responsible for hiring efficient workforce for their employer, whereas the latter ones hire candidates for the clients of their employer. HR recruiters also receive remunerations depending on how many skilled candidates they have hired.

Resource Managers

These managers are responsible for receiving information from the project heads regarding how many and which positions are empty in the company projects. They perform a kind of in-house recruiting. They keep a record of all company employees in their database, and recommend eligible candidates for projects. They are responsible for coordinating work between the clients and skillful candidates. They arrange meetings and interviews between the client and the candidates for finalization of the candidate working on the client's project. For recommending talented and skillful employees from their company, they have to keep a skills list of all employees and determine suitable employees required by the client.

Administrative HRs

Executives working as administrative HRs are primarily responsible for taking proper care of the in-house employees in a company. They are the first ones to be informed in case of any problems regarding work. Their obligations include helping new joinees in familiarizing with the company work procedures and environment, conducting induction sessions for new joinees, and carrying out general corporate training and development sessions for all lower, mid, and high-level executives in the company. They have to make the employees feel comfortable in functioning in the work setting. They try to solve work-related problems which generally include conflicts between the boss and subordinates.

HR Managers

They are the most important people in the HR department, as they are responsible for overseeing the whole of the department. They ensure the efficacious functioning of the practice which includes the recruiters, resource managers, administrative human resource executives, etc. They are in direct contact with the top-management for smooth functioning of all processes and formulating corporate policies. If administrative HRs are unable to solve some serious matters which may rise in top-level executives, HR managers may get involved in such cases and try to achieve an acceptable resolution.

The pay scale in human resources jobs largely depends on factors such as educational qualifications, level of expertise and years of experience in the same field. All positions in careers in human resources compulsorily require strong verbal and written communication skills. The annual salary of an HR professional may range anywhere between $50,000 - $60,000. However, professionals with higher posts may get even more.

Careers in human resources are not only limited to the above mentioned positions. As every organization requires the human resource department, there are various careers options available in the HR field.

By Stephen Rampur

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