A resume is the most important part of a job search. Since this is how candidates make their first impression on potential employers, it should be perfect.

The simplest way to start is to use one you already have. If it has been a while since it was written, it is time to renovate your resume.

The resume should be typed onto a computer to allow for easy manipulation of information through a word processing program. You may want to retype it if the only thing available is a hard copy.

Software which creates ASCII text files or Microsoft Word documents will be the most user-friendly to the recipient if the resume is to be uploaded to a website or e-mailed, so choose accordingly.

When the resume file is ready for renovation, use the following steps to improve the presentation.

-Start at the top. Check that the name and address are current and spelled correctly.

-Verify employment dates to previous entries. Be as accurate as possible with beginning and ending month and year.

-Add jobs to the resume. The most recent should be listed first, with the rest following in chronological order. Use the word “present” to denote the ending date if currently employed.

-Read each entry carefully. Is it accurate? Does it make sense? Change words that don’t fit, being careful not to repeat the same ones frequently.

-Look for grammatical errors and ways to improve readability. Except for present employment, revise all verbs in job descriptions to past tense.

Take out any unnecessary words. Those that do not create a picture of what the work truly involved do not need to be there. Duties unrelated to the core job performed and the one being applied for can be removed.

-Consider whether you need an objective. If so, put it beneath the name and address. If one already exists, decide whether it still applies and adjust wording as needed.

-Check the length. Resumes more than one page in length may be discarded by potential employers. Anything half a page or less should be longer. Double space between entries and consistently double or triple space between topics.

-Compare formatting for each entry and make it consistent. Adjust font size to 10 or 12 point, standard size of most business letter print. The body text should be single spaced. Choose a simple font style, such as Arial, Courier or Times New Roman. More elaborate typeface may be difficult to read and may not translate properly on someone else’s computer software.

-Print the resume on paper to see how it looks. Adjust spacing or font issues.

-Proofread from beginning to end. Use a dictionary to double check any unfamiliar words. Correct any punctuation or spelling mistakes.

-Give it to a friend or family member to read. A fresh set of eyes may pick up errors that you missed.

Once renovated, your resume should create a positive first impression and promote a candidate employers will want to hire.

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Starting over in your career can be a daunting task. Looking for a new job after having left your previous one is like hiking up a bare mountain in snow shoes. However, there is hope for the new job or new career seeker if you keep your focus in the right place.

Starting over means going back to the beginning. But the beginning is a different place today than it was the last time you were there for several reasons. First, you are different. You have experiences that have changed you. New skills permeate your work abilities while wisdom gained through hardships has made you battle tested. Second, you are better, stronger, and better equipped to be a productive employee. Your working past has paved the way for a fruitful future. Finding a new beginning can be a blessing in disguise. Though you may fear the unknown, the known has plenty of reason to encourage you.

Consider the person you have grown to be. What are your abilities? How can you contribute to a team? What do you find challenging? What have you overcome that has made you the person you are today? Starting over means asking yourself these types of questions and pondering the answers wisely. Take time to process the past.

Make sure you don’t go it alone. Pick a few friends or colleagues who know you well and whose opinion you trust. Ask them what your best contributions are to a working environment, team, or company. Have them list your greatest strengths as well as the areas you need to grow in.

Put yourself in a position of warranted availability by re-tooling your job skills. Take a few classes; attend a workshop, seminar or conference; research what you need to take your career to the next level. Education can benefit not only your skills but your outlook. Training puts you on the road ahead of other job seekers.

After you discover what your strengths and contributions are and upgrade your skills through training or education, think through what else you might need to reach the pinnacle of your chosen career field. Or perhaps you’ve discovered that a new career is in order. That might sound scary, but if you’ve done your homework don’t shy away from the consequences.

After all, your goal is not merely getting a job. Yes, paying the bills is important, but paying the bills while seeking fulfillment is so much more gratifying.

The ultimate goal in starting over is attaining convergence. Convergence is the place on earth you were made for, the job opportunity that you uniquely deserve, the working context that only you and no other can fulfill. Convergence brings together your work history, your unique abilities, and your emotional capacity, combines it with all the hard work and perseverance you have uniquely endured, and enables you to be the real you.

You are on this planet to do something that no one else can do. Go find yourself. The journey continues.

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Many people are beginning to find that it is time for a new career. Nationwide, the unemployment rate has risen to 8.5%, but many states are hitting marks much higher. Some of the hardest hit states, like California, Florida, Texas, and North Carolina, have tens of thousands of people losing their jobs each month. With so many people losing their jobs, many are turning to find new career opportunities. Jobs are being created, and new careers are being built. People have to gain a new insight within the job market.

Even Now It May Be Time for a New Career

Many companies are hiring, but there are many more applicants than positions available. Just a few years ago, the economy seemed to be booming. Jobs were abundant, and workers could take their pick from a massive listing of jobs. Times have changed indeed. Now many workers are undergoing the painstaking task of applying for positions that they do not want in the hopes of possibly getting an interview. Many people are scouring the classifieds and finding jobs that pay much less than they feel they are worth. There are services available, though, that are providing a light in these times of financial darkness.

For those who find that it is time for a new career, whether it is because they were laid off or they just need a change of pace, can find the ideal career if they are persistent and research all methods of employment. Many new companies have emerged even in this time of recession. In order to advertise the jobs available, they are often posting them in online databases and through online classifieds. The cost of advertising through the Internet is much cheaper than traditional advertising. Advertising available jobs online is also beneficial to companies because more people have access to the information than printing ads in the help wanted section of the local newspaper.

Even though the unemployment rate has continued to rise, economists are seeing the numbers slow down from month to month. This trend is a glimmer of hope for those who are at risk of losing their jobs due to the economic crisis. This slowing of the unemployment rate also shows that economic change may be right around the corner. Those who are considering making a career change should keep their eyes open and continue to research the availability of jobs. This will allow those who feel it is time for a new career the advantage of having knowledge about the job market.

Many people have been forced to make a career change in the last few months, but many others are waiting for the right moment and career to come along. Only diligence and patience will reward those who truly want to make the choice of finding the right career. Times are tough for many people, but those who keep their eyes open and do their research are finding it easier to make that change. Playing it smart does not mean fearing change. It just means that all avenues should be explored.

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It is no secret that in today’s economy finding a job or keeping the job that you have is becoming increasingly more difficult. Employers are cutting back on jobs making it tough for someone out of work to find another decent paying job. How can workers protect their jobs in this economic climate?

Typically, when jobs are being cut, the first jobs that are eliminated are the unskilled, uneducated positions. Why is it this way? Employers are more concerned with the highly skilled employee because, quite honestly, they are the most valuable. Unskilled workers are the easiest ones to replace and, if the employer does need to fill open positions, the unskilled/untrained jobs are the quickest, fastest, and easiest to fill.

How does an employee protect themselves from job cuts? How does an unemployed worker prove to a potential employer that they are the applicant that the company could not do without? The answer to these two questions is the same; a worker needs to prove to the company that they are so valuable so, so indispensable that there is no way that the company could survive without them.

So how does a worker make themselves so valuable that employers can’t live without them? They acquire training, education, and skills that employers are looking for. In order to do that, employees are going to need to further their education. Many employees aren’t willing to take the time or effort to do that but, for those who are, it will, without a doubt, pay dividends many times over.

Virtually every study shows that employees furthering their education will make much more money over the course of their careers than those who don’t. However, any further education plans must be carefully calculated and mapped out in order to receive the most benefit. Check the occupational field that interests you, review the qualifications, and then go out and become the best qualified person for that position.

In order to illustrate this point, here are a couple of examples.
An apprentice electrician is looking to further their education, so they have decided to train to become a journeyman electrician. This will require passing a test, going to school and obtaining a license, but, in the long run, this will greatly improve their status with the company. Since apprentices can start work without any skills or experience, they can easily be replaced. On the other hand, since most jobs require that a journeyman oversee each site, they are much more valuable to a company and are less likely to be laid off.

An accountant is working for a firm where there are many other accountants and is concerned that there will be a lay off. Noticing that the company is in dire need of CPAs, the accountant embarks on a program to further their education and earn a CPA. This is a very smart move because a need was realized at the company and the qualifications were earned.
Furthering your education will improve your career.

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With millions already unemployed or underemployed and a half a million or more joining their ranks monthly, job seekers need to take advantage of every opportunity to improve their employ-ability odds. If your search for a job, or a better job is seems to be stalled, it could be a good time to launch an aggressive program to upgrade your knowledge and skills in your current field.
Or you could decide to get some training in another employment specialty with better prospects for job openings.

Even if your current financial situation position won’t allow you to enroll in standard degree courses from a college, university or technical school, there’s a wide range of free, online educational opportunities available via your connection to the Internet. Perhaps you owe it to yourself to check these programs out. It’s likely you’ll find one that suits your needs and interests and will make your educational background more attractive to the employment market.

As early as 2002, MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) began to make the teaching materials of many on their courses available to anyone over the Internet. Instructor lesson plans, notes, class exercises, reading references and even tests became available to anyone with access to the Internet. MIT’s approach was, at first, somewhat bare bones. But as the courses gained popularity the delivery became more complete and sophisticated, when such technologies as streaming videos and/or audio files came into use as a way to present the material to the online students.

The technical levels of online course construction still varies widely. Some courses are relatively low-tech with austere student/instructor interfaces. They may rely on a series of simple web pages or downloadable pdf files to deliver course materials, exercises and tests. Others are highly developed and employ streaming audio and video and multi-media as instructional delivery vehicles. This allows students to view lectures and get closer to the classroom environment.

The University of California at Berkley has a large, highly developed catalog of free online study. Biology, chemistry, computer programming, engineering, psychology and legal legal studies courses are some of the area of instruction available online. Most use podcasts and webcasts as a teaching tool. Other schools, like Standford, offer courses that can be downloaded to IPods, PCs and Macs and played back using ITunes.

What are the limitations? A major one is the courses offer no college credits. Even if you successfully navigate your way through a course, the time spent won’t contribute to an advanced degree. Also, many of the free courses aren’t custom designed to be presented online without personal interaction between the student and instructor. A student will need to be patient, and self-disciplined to get the most out of these offerings.

Though the courses don’t award college credits hours or lead to a degree, their value in a person’s job search shouldn’t be underestimated. Your self-motivated improvement efforts will have a good chance of favorably impressing potential employers.

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In today’s economy, unemployment levels are increasing each day. After a person has lost their job, it can be hard to figure out what to do. However, all is not lost. Losing one’s job can give a person the reason they need to return to school. This just might give a person the support and resources they need to find a job in the future. The following are just some of the reasons a person should consider going back to school if they are unemployed.

One of the best reasons to consider returning to school is that it could help a person’s career in the long run. This is a chance to improve one’s resume and to learn new skills. This way, when a person returns to the job market, they will be that much better a candidate. For example, if someone is in the web design world, it can only help him or her to learn the most up to date and advanced programs, technology, and theories related to the Internet, web design, and software. Once they acquire such skills and earn an advanced or new degree, potential employers will see them as more qualified than they were before. Thus, returning to school can help a person learn the skills they need to find a job.

Another reason to go back to school is that it gives folks to figure out what they want from life and from a potential job. Being unemployed is not just a hit to one’s pocketbook but also to their self esteem. Thus, retuning to school can give a person the time to figure out if a career is really for them and if they might want to try something different. At the very least, this can give a person the time they need to create a plan of attack so that they can find a job again. A lot of times, a person just needs the time and space to consider their options. Going back to school just might give a person the inspiration or push they need to turn their life around.

Lastly, returning to school gives people the resources may not normally have to network and find jobs in today’s economy. Many schools have career development centers to help students reach out to alumnae and to meet with advisers who can give them valuable advice about where to look for jobs in their specialization and tips for getting hired. This could really be edge a person needs when they are ready to reenter the job market.

Going back to school is a chance to turn a bad situation into a good one. After all, a person can spend their days in bed eating ice cream, or they can do something productive with their time. Returning to school is a great way to learn new skills that are sure to make a person that much more marketable when it comes time to look for a new job. If you want to further your career and weather these hard economic times, then going back to school is definitely something to seriously consider.

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One of the best things about the Internet is that it opens up the world. Folks can talk to people from other countries, can read the news, and can even shop online. Thus, it is only normal that you should consider online sales jobs if you are currently unemployed. The Internet opens up the job market as much as the world. If you do your research, you could end up with an online sales job that pays as much if not more than local retail positions. This can really make all the difference when it comes to paying your bills and putting food on the table. Not only this, but working from home means that you can set your own hours. Who doesn’t want to work in their pajamas and in the comfort of their own home? If you are looking for a flexible job, then you should definitely consider such a position. In today’s economy, you really can’t be choosey about employment. The following are some of the most common online sales jobs you can find today.

In today’s day and age, online shopping is fast becoming as popular if not more popular than in-store shopping. People enjoy surfing websites for the best deals. When it comes time for an order to be placed, customer representatives are sometimes needed to complete transactions, answer questions, and work out problems. Thus, this is fast becoming a popular and reliable online sales job. If you take such a position, you will most likely not only need a computer and Internet connection but a headset so that you can talk to customers who need extra support. Some companies may ask for folks in this online sales job to have a webcam. These jobs are a great way to earn some extra income and a great way to help people complete their orders. You could work directly for a namebrand company or you may be hired to work for companies that are outsourced this work.

The word telemarketer does not have to be a dirty one. One of the easiest online sales jobs to try is a sales associate’s job, sometimes called telemarketing. In this role, you would contact people to explain a company’s goods, services, and prices. This way, folks know their options and can ensure they have everything from the best auto insurance to the best Internet provider. This job may involve contacting people to take online surveys to find out what people want or desire. This way, a company can tailor their goods, services, and messages to the needs of the world’s customers.

If you are looking for a job that will give you flexibility, then you should definitely consider online sales jobs. This way, you can work from home and stay focused on paying your bills and making ends meet. The Internet is a place that offers people a variety of jobs and options. If you’re unemployed, you should definitely take a look at such jobs.

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The average commute for American’s is 25 minutes each way or 50 minutes a day. Multiply that by the amount of weekdays in a year, and that turns out to roughly 217 hours or little over week. With time being one of the most precious commodities, imagine what you could be doing with an extra week a year. In a recent survey commuting was the majority complaint when it came to what people least looked forward to during the work week. Not only does it waste time, it costs money, depreciates the value of your car, pollutes the environment and wreaks havoc on our emotions.

The stress of missing a meeting due to traffic or getting cut off by a rude driver is almost unbearable; then add in a traffic ticket here and there and its enough to make people scream. So why do we put ourselves through this nightmare on a daily basis, because we have to go to work, but what if you lived where you worked? For a growing percentage of people in New York and surrounding areas, they have sworn off of commuting entirely. This growing segment of the work force is happier, more productive and more cost effective, all because they now work from home.

Almost a decade ago, working from home was limited to a very few fields. However, with today’s technology, the number of careers that allow you to work from home has exploded; in fact there are so many job opportunities it really depends on what field you want to work in. Telemarketing is one of the largest employers of people who work from home. Telemarketing and telesales are rather easy and can be quite lucrative. The only requirements are a telephone and a computer with internet access. Telesales can be difficult at times, but anyone who is persistent and motivated can earn annual six figure salary.

A few other common occupations of people who work from home are computer engineering and technical support. In today’s era, the need for onsite technical support and an in house engineering team has become almost obsolete. These jobs can now be executed from the comfort of their home. For those of us who are less technically inclined, there are still plenty of other work from home opportunities.

With the world shrinking, different cultures with different languages are interacting everyday. If you are skilled in a second language, many people are looking for bilingual individuals to translate conversations and documents. This can be very lucrative due to the high need for certain languages such as Chinese, Arabic and Japanese.

Another rarely touched on reason for why working at home is becoming more attractive is due to the wider array of job opportunities. In New York and surrounding areas, the job market has a maximum number of available openings. However, by working online, you will have the world at your fingertips. You will be able to work on a project for someone in London while simultaneously working on a job for someone in Egypt. It may not seem like it at first, but working at home will broaden your employment abilities far beyond your dreams.

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