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Enough with the Quarantinis – Positive Things to Focus on During Quarantine

Posted on April 30, 2020 by Jacob Yothment

Give Your Mind Something to Do

“An unfed mind devours itself” – Gore Vidal

While in quarantine, you probably have a lot of extra time on your hands. While you probably want to use that time to catch up on your favorite shows on Netflix or Prime Video, you should know that binging shows is bad for your mental health and physical health.

Instead, you should consider finding something more productive to fill your time. If you cannot find something more productive, you should at least consider finding something more enriching for your life.

Find a New Hobby

Sure, you probably can rule out rock-climbing or sky-diving during the pandemic, but there are new things you can try. Consider something like painting or playing an instrument as a hobby. For painting, you can watch old Bob Ross tutorials online to help and buy a painting set on Amazon. You can also find a musical instrument you’d like to learn how to play on Amazon, and find lessons on YouTube!

Your new hobby might even turn into a new career for you! Pretty soon you might find yourself selling your paintings on Etsy or playing the bassoon (the instrument that has become your new passion) live at Madison Square Garden.

Okay…. That last bit might be a stretch, but you never know unless you try!

Read, Read, Read and Read Some More

If you’re anything like me, you probably have a lot of books on your shelves that you have yet to read. You probably have some books that you read years ago that you can hardly remember. Now is the time to dust them off, sit in your comfiest chair and get to reading.

If reading a physical book is not your jam, you can listen to books through Audible.

Learn How to Be a Better Cook

During quarantine, you’ve probably found yourself without your typical groceries from time to time. Without your go-to foods at the ready, and without money to order take-out, you are now at the mercy of the things in your pantry you have no idea how to cook. Remember, Julia Childs did not start cooking until age 37. You also might be surprised to know she was previously a spy during WWII and at one time helped to develop shark repellent. Think about that while you cook her recipe for bouillabaisse.

Well… now is the time to learn how to cook those things. If you have a giant bag of flour, learn how to make some fresh bread, pasta or biscuits. If you have a crockpot that you’ve never used, look up some crockpot recipes. Have you always wanted to learn how to make a homemade pizza? Now you have the time!

Spend More Time Bonding With Your Friends and Family

In just about everyone’s home lies about a dozen puzzles/board games that have not been played in a decade. Now is the time to dust those off and start some real family and friend bonding.

Right now you are probably saying, “But Mr. Great and Noble Writer, I am quarantined alone. I have nobody to bond with!”

Oh gentle reader, yes you do.

Through the miracle of modern technology, you can chat and video chat with your friends and family members even if they aren’t at your home.

Get Organized

We already devoted an entire article to this topic. Get off your butt, and get cleaning!

Exercise

Sure, the gyms might be closed. However, that doesn’t mean that you can’t work out. Order yourself a yoga mat and some weights to turn a corner of your home office into your home gym! You can even watch yoga videos on YouTube to help you learn.

You should also go for walks or runs around your neighborhood. Yes, you should stay at home as much as possible, but you should still get some fresh air from time to time. If you have a dog, they will enjoy the extra walks! Just make sure you wear a mask if there’s a chance that you’ll be within six-feet of someone.

Take on Your Yard

You no longer have an excuse for not tearing those weeds out of your yard. White you’re at it, there are probably at least half a dozen other projects you need to tackle in your yard while you are at it.

Sure, you probably want to avoid shopping at the hardware store as much as you can, but that doesn’t mean you can’t order a few things here and there if you take the proper precautions. Now that the weather is getting warmer, you can start planting flowers, mowing your lawn, laying down some sod, fertilizing your lawn, gardening and getting your bird feeder together.

Make a Better Resume

I cannot stress this enough: if you are out of work or if you need to get back on the job hunt once quarantine lifts in your state, you need to use this time to create a better resume.

This journey can and should start by reaching out to a professional resume writer. Consult with a professional resume writer to ensure your resume will be noticed by the companies where you want to work. All services can be rendered remotely!

Posted in shelter at home | Tagged activities at home, covid 19, i am bored, shelter at home, things to do | Leave a comment

10 Motivational Success Quotes To Inspire You

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Jacob Yothment

10 Best Quotes From Successful People

Looking for some motivation to help get you through the workday?

Here are some of our favorite quotes from successful people that will get you up and moving!

“Paying attention to simple little things that most men neglect makes a few men rich.” – Henry Ford

“Your time is limited, so don’t waste it living someone else’s life.” – Steve Jobs

“If you can’t feed a team with two pizzas, it’s too large” – Jeff Bezos

“Always look for the fool in the deal. If you don’t find one, it’s you.” — Mark Cuban

“Success is walking from failure to failure with no loss of enthusiasm.” – Winston Churchill

“The value of an idea lies in the using of it.” — Thomas Edison,

“Your most unhappy customers are your greatest source of learning.” — Bill Gates

“Success is liking yourself, liking what you do, and liking how you do it.” – Maya Angelou

“If you just work on stuff that you like and you’re passionate about, you don’t have to have a master plan with how things will play out.” — Mark Zuckerberg,

“What do you need to start a business? Three simple things: know your product better than anyone, know your customer, and have a burning desire to succeed.” — Dave Thomas

“Build a Better Resume” – Peter J. Hunter

Remember to always stay positive! There are jobs out there that would be lucky to have you; you just need to put your best foot forward, and that starts with a great-looking resume. If you need help crafting your resume or cover letter, then we can help! Check out our online schedule, and get a free consultation to meet with a resume writing professional! All services can be fulfilled remotely!

Posted in Motivational Quotes | Tagged bill gates, henry ford, jeff bezos, mark cuban, mark zuckerberg, may angelou, quotes, steve jobs, thomas edison, winston churchill | Leave a comment

How to respond to “Tell me about yourself” in an interview.

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Jacob Yothment

How to Introduce Yourself in an Interview

In the start of almost every job interview you will ever have, you will be asked to introduce yourself, or tell a little bit about yourself.

This is similar to what is known as an elevator pitch. Typically, an elevator pitch is a quick two-minute speech you give to someone where you try and sell a product or service to them; however, in this situation the product or service is you. It is called an elevator pitch because it can be practiced during a typical elevator ride.

1. Be Confident

It sounds simple, but your overall confidence and body language can either help you or hurt you. If you are confident, your words will carry more weight. If you are nervous and shaky, your audience will only remember that you were nervous and shaky.

2. Keep it Casual

Intensity can be off-putting. Make sure that even though you are acting confident, you aren’t trying to ram your words through their face. Instead, make it feel a lot more conversational.

Yes, this is an important pitch, but you need to let your audience know that they are allowed to get a word in if they want. While you are telling them about yourself, they might have something to add or a question about something you said. If this person feels like you are intense and they can’t get a word in with you, they won’t want to work with you.

3. Summarize Your Work

When you talk about your work history, you don’t need to go into full detail about each and every little thing you did at every job you have ever had. First off, you should really only go into jobs related to the one you are applying for, and you should talk most about your most recent positions.

If it sounds like your most relatable experience was from 10 years ago, they would assume that your skills are rusty and you might not be worth training. Remember, your response to every question that you are asked in an interview should be no more than a few minutes long.

If keeping your answers short sounds daunting, consider using this video to help you practice.

4. Finish Strong

Once you are done going over everything, you need to finish strong.

You don’t want to say, “And that’s about it,” or “And that leads us to here.” Those are weak phrases to end on and they contribute nothing to the conversation. Instead, you can now put the ball in their court.

You can end by asking about the professional backgrounds they want for their new hire. Ask what types of experience they want their new hire to have. There is a chance that one of the things they are looking for is something that is in your employment history, but you didn’t mention it.

You can also begin going into the job description and explaining how your past experiences at your previous positions prepared you for THIS job.

Go in With a Solid Resume

If you really want to stand out above the competition, you should look into hiring a professional resume writer. Along with crafting you a professional resume, they will also give you tips on interviewing, and maintaining professionalism. Click here to schedule a free consultation. Remember, all services can be done virtually, so you do not have to come in and risk your safety during the COVID-19 pandemic

Posted in Job Interviews | Tagged Career, Employment, interview tips, job interview, top interview questions, Work | Leave a comment

How to Get Organized During the Pandemic

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Jacob Yothment

Stay Organized During the Pandemic

During the pandemic, you probably have more time to spare than you are used to having. Like most people, you want to use this time productively, and you might be considering finally getting organized.

Although you might have some ideas on how to start getting organized, you should still get some advice and do some research before you start. You don’t want to finish getting organized and then realize your method simply does not work for you.

Your organization doesn’t have to be like everyone else’s

We all have different ways of staying organized. Some of us need things sorted numerically, some of us need things color coordinated and some of us need things in their own individual folders.

If you have a friend that swears by their method of organization, hear them out, but don’t be surprised if their method does not work for you.

Do your research on different organization methods

Did you know that there are actually different organization methods?

According to Washington.edu, there are several different methods each with their own advantages and disadvantages.

Use your space as efficiently as possible

Think about your kitchen. In your kitchen, you have to worry about storing food, utensils, pots and pans, cooking devices, plates, bowls, towels, aprons and a whole host of other things. You might be lucky and have a pantry to help with storage, or you might have a tiny studio apartment that barely has room for you’re a kitchen table.

No matter what your space permits, you need to think about how you can use it as proficiently as possible. Remember that spaces like your counters and drawers are prime real estate, so you should only put things there that you use often.

For example, you need forks, knives and spoons on a daily basis. However, your mortar and pestle, turkey baster and sous vide probably aren’t used more than a few times per year. Those can be placed in cabinets further away, and more out of reach.

This applies for all areas in your house! If you are organizing your home office, you need to make that space as efficient as possible as well. You need your laptop and charger almost every day, but that folder with old receipts and your 2012 tax returns can probably be stored away. Follow a few tips about home working and home schooling can be helpful.

Make sure that everything has its place

When you were a kid, you probably had a catch-all drawer or catch-all area where you put things that you didn’t know where they belonged. Now that you area older and are running your own household, its time to eliminate this bad habit.

Each and every thing you bring into your house needs to have its own predetermined space.

Take batteries for example. You probably have a device in every room in your house that requires batteries. Let’s say that after buying a fresh pack of batteries from the store, you take them into your kitchen to replace the batteries in the smoke alarm. Rather than putting them away in pre-determined spot, you just shove them in a random drawer. The next time you need batteries for your TV remote, you know that you have some somewhere, but you just can’t find them anywhere, so you begrudgingly go out and buy more.

All of that could have been avoided if you just would have put them in their place.

This point goes along with the previous point. You need to make sure that things have a pre-determined place, but you also need to make sure that where they are makes sense. If you have a printer in your office, you should obviously store your computer paper and ink somewhere near the paper.

Make your home office fit your needs

If you are currently still working during the pandemic, there is a good chance that you are working from home, so you need to remain productive.

Because you are working from home, you need to make your home office just as productive and organized as your office at work. This journey starts on your laptop.

No, we don’t mean that you need to buy a bunch of junk on Amazon (although, we are getting there); what we mean is that you need to make sure that your desktop is clean and organized. First, make sure that you regularly clean your computer. This is your main line of communication with your office, so you need to take care of it. Next, go on your desktop and make sure that everything is in the correct folder. Don’t litter your desktop with dozens of different random files; make sure that everything has a place to be so that you can find it without too much grief.

It is also important that your workspace is separate from your home life. If you don’t have the luxury of having a separate room to serve as an office, find a corner of your home that is away from everything that you can make your home workspace. Remember, your work life and home life need to be separated. If your work space is the same spot where you lounge and relax after work, then you aren’t going to be able to differentiate well between work and home.

Make sure that you need everything you need for a typical workday within arm’s reach of your workspace. You don’t want to have to make frequent trips around your home to grab something you need for work.

Put your stuff away once you are done with it

Not to sound like your mother, but you need to remember to put your toys away once you are done.

If you don’t, things will get lost, broken and you’ll be back to where you started before you organized.

Don’t buy organization supplies unless you need them

If you were psyched about starting on some organization, you probably filled your Amazon shopping cart with a bunch of things you think you’ll need.

Before you buy that expensive label maker, 35 small boxes and complete collection of Marie Kondo’s books, figure out what you actually NEED first.

There is a good chance that you already have all of the boxes and shelves that you need to store everything. If you don’t want to drop big money on a label maker, a roll of masking tape and a marker cost a lot less. There is no sense in buying things that will ultimately just become more clutter.

Posted in working from home | Tagged getting organized, remove working, working from home, working independently | Leave a comment

Answers for Ten Common Interview Questions

Posted on April 14, 2020 by Jacob Yothment

How to Answer Common Interview Questions

If you are new to the job market, you are probably nervous about your first job interview.

Don’t worry!

There are several common interview questions that you can anticipate hearing in your interview. Memorize your responses to the common interview questions, and you will be solid!

1 Tell me about yourself.

This is typically going to be the first question you hear in every job interview you ever have. The person who is interviewing you has probably already seen your resume, so you don’t want to reiterate your entire resume to them. When you’re asked for information about yourself, this is your opportunity to share some of your personality as well as a summary of your resume. Tell them a brief history of your career path: what you enjoyed, what you wish would have gone differently, and why you enjoy doing what you do.

2 Why should I hire you for this job?

You’re going to get asked this question probably towards the end, but it is one of the most important questions you will be asked. The interviewer is going to ask this question not only to you, but each and every person that applies for the job. You need to figure out what you can say that none of the other candidates can say. Keep in mind that all of the other candidates might have a similar background to yours, and will use some of the same common buzzwords to stick out. The thing about you that’s different is what you can offer that the others cannot offer.

Tell them that your experience makes it so there will be a relatively short training period, so that you can jump into the job quicker than the other candidates. Tell them that you have worked in similar offices and that you know how to maintain constant communication to ensure the best levels of productivity. After you have learned more about the company and what they do, tell them what you’ve done in your career that is similar and how you can do it better and more efficiently than the other candidates.

The interviewer wants to know that you won’t take two months to train and get into the flow of things. They want to know that you are familiar with this type of office structure and fit in with the rest of the company. They are looking for the missing gear in their company’s machine, not a loose cog.

3 Why did you leave your previous job?

If you were fired from your last job, or you left because of a personal conflict, don’t throw your previous company under the bus. You can simply say, “it was not a good fit.” You can say that you felt your talents would fit better elsewhere, and it was time for a change. The interviewer does not want to hear you talk bad about your last company for 20 minutes. They want to hear that your previous job is in your past, and that you are ready for a new beginning.

4 Why do you want to work for us?

Do your research on the company before you go in for the interview. Cite specific things about the company that you know for a fact, and tell them why those things entice you. It shows the company that you cared enough to research them, and that you are excited about their company.

5 What are your salary requirements?

If you are unsure of how to answer this question, we have an entire article about it. To give you a summarized version, do your research on what this position typically pays, and what this company can realistically offer. Be honest about what you need, and don’t be afraid to walk away from a potential job because they can’t meet your salary requirements.

6 What are your biggest strengths?

This may sound like a stereotypical question, but you will hear it all the time. You need to tell them something creative that they have not heard from dozens of other interviewees. Thing about what you do best at your job, and expand on it. If you are good at design, tell them that along with being a great designer, you are good at following instructions and meeting deadlines. If you are an expert in logistics, tell them that along with being a logistical expert, you are great at maintaining communication with everyone, and that you know how to do solid research based on what is needed for the project.

7 What are you biggest weaknesses?

You might think that you should give an answer that comes off as a strength, but that isn’t the case. Don’t say, “I sometimes care about my client’s too much,” or “I get so enveloped in my job that I lose track of other things in my life.” This is your opportunity to offer some vulnerability, and also discuss how you are trying to improve yourself. If you have trouble multi-tasking or delegating, you can say that, but also explain what you are doing to try fix this issue. Although the interviewer wants to know what your weaknesses are, they want to see that you are taking steps to fix those problems.

8 What would your previous bosses/supervisors say about you?

Obviously, if your last boss would say that you can go straight to hell, don’t tell that to your potential new employer. Tell them about some of the positive feedback you received from performance reviews. Tell them about the best work you did at your last job, and how it was received by your bosses.

9 Describe a challenging moment in your life. How you handled it?

Don’t get too personal with this question. Tell them about something that happened in your professional life and how you handled it. Choose a moment that ended successfully, but started difficultly. If you showed leadership qualities during the challenging moment, tell them. Most importantly, explain how it was a team success and how you worked as part of the team. The company wants to know that you are a team player and not a glory hog.

10 Do you have any questions?

If they ask this question, it will be the last question that they ask. This is your opportunity to flip the interview on them. Come with a few potential questions in your back pocket. The following are some good ones to throw at them:

When are you looking to hire?
How can I grow at this company?
How many people work for the company?
What are the company’s long term and short term growth plans.
Who would I report to/Can I meet them since I am here now?

Now that you know the answers, try this video exercise.

Posted in Job Interviews | Tagged get a job, interview tips, interviews, job interview | Leave a comment

How to Ask for a Raise

Posted on April 1, 2020 by Peter J. Hunter

The Proper Way to Ask for a Raise

Talking about your pay with your employer doesn’t have to be an awkward conversation. You know that you want to be making more money, but you also know that your employer wants to save as much money as possible. Every time you ask for a raise, it might feel like a losing battle from that start, but it does not have to!

With these tips and tricks, you can how the right tools at your disposal to ask your employer for a raise and have the best chances of getting it!

1. Do Research on What People in Your Position Typically Make

The best place to start is to find out what people in your position are paid. Go to a website like Glassdoor and you can search for your position to see the typical salary range. If there are other people at the company with your position or a position similar to yours, you also might be able to see what people make at your company.

When asking for a raise, if you can show and tell your employer that you are paid less than what people typically make in that position, you will have a better chance of getting your raise.

2. Compare Your Job Description to What You Actually Do

Take a look at the initial job posting for your position to see the job description. You can also ask your direct supervisor for a copy of your job description. Read through everything that is expected of you in that description. After that, write down the things you do at your job that are not on the job description.

What you are paid is based off what is in the job description. If you go beyond the call of duty, then your pay should as well. For example: if you are a low-level employee, but you have some of the responsibilities of a supervisor or even a manager, then you can show your employer that you deserve to be promoted to that position and should be compensated as such.

3. Find Out What Else You Can Do for the Company

Take stock in some of the needs of the company. Are there departments that could use your help? Are there things you can do that won’t take away from your typical day-to-day? Your employer will not only appreciate the initiative, but they will also be more inclined to compensate you for the work.

4. Don’t Be Afraid to Ask or to Hear ‘No’

There is an irrational fear that you can be fired or reprimanded for asking for a raise. It simply does not happen. If your boss were to fire you just for asking for more fair compensation, then you should be glad to be rid of the company. Your employer knows that everyone who works under them wants to be making more money. When they hear people ask for a raise, it doesn’t come as a shock.

However, even if you give your employer all of this information about why you should be making more money, you still might not get the yes you wanted. If you don’t get it, that’s okay. Instead, ask what can be done in the meantime. Maybe some of the extra work you are doing that isn’t part of your job description can be taken off of your shoulders. Maybe your boss can adjust your hours to fit a better schedule for you as an act of good faith. The general rule is that you will never get what you don’t ask for from your boss, so don’t be afraid to ask.

If you do get the yes you were hoping for, we can tell you how to negotiate as well.

If the company can’t afford to give you a raise now, find out when would be a better time to ask again. If it doesn’t seem like there will ever be a time when you will get the raise you want, don’t be afraid to start looking for your next opportunity.

5. Re-build Your Resume, Cover Letter and Portfolio

If you are back on the job hunt, it’s time to polish your resume, cover letter and portfolio. You can build a strong online portfolio for next to nothing with a decent blogging site. As for your resume and cover letter, we can help with that.

Our job is to help make your resume and cover letter stand out above your competition. It will be professional and well-structured to reflect you and your journey.

Schedule a free consultation online by clicking here. All inquiries can be done in person or online!

Posted in on the job | Tagged asking for a raise, getting paid better, how to make more money | Leave a comment

I Just Lost my Job… What Now?

Posted on March 16, 2020 by Jacob Yothment

The Right Steps to Take to Get You Back On Your Feet.

On a day like any other, I walked into work only to find out it was my last day. A flurry of questions bombarded my mind:

How will I support my family now without my job?
What did I do wrong?
What does this mean for my career?
What do I do now?

Five months before my wedding, I found out that my entire office was being shut down. I was getting a severance package, but it was not going to last more than a month or two. I had no other jobs lined up, and my fiance’s job could not financially support our current lifestyles. Given that we were planning on paying for half of our wedding, this made matters worse. All of these questions and more pummeled me into submission.

In this article, I am going to go over all of these questions, the harsh realities, and the light at the end of the tunnel.

How will I support my family now without my job?

To put it bluntly, you won’t be able to support them. At least, not for the time being.

If you have no other worked lined up, it is unreasonable to assume that you will be working at a new job for the next week or so. If you do, more power to you, but it simply isn’t probable that you will have a new job for at least 30 days.

Do not force yourself into a job that does not fit your needs just for the sake of working. If you need to find work, there are plenty of other things you can do for money in the meantime.

For example, you can publish your services on a website like Craigslist so that you can make money here and there for doing the work that you already know. This can help keep your skills from growing dull as well.

File for unemployment as soon as you can. Speaking from experience, it can take a long time before you get your first unemployment check, and there tend to be a few hurdles you need to leap beforehand, so start soon.

Also, change your home budget. For the time being, unnecessary expenditures like eating out, going to movies, going to bars and seeing concerts will have to take a hiatus until you find work. If you simply cannot afford to pay essential bills like rent, you might want to temporarily move back home with your parents until you find a new job.

With all of these lifestyle changes, there is no shame involved. These are simply things that everyone has to do at some point in their life.

Definitely implement some effective time management skills into your routine.

What did I do wrong?

First off, there is a big difference between being fired and being laid-off. If you were fired for your work output or for your personal behavior, this should be a time of self-reflection and growth. Just because you were not a good employee for this company does not mean that you won’t be a good employee in the future. There are plenty of videos on YouTube that can teach you about workplace sensitivity and tips on how to be a better employee.

If you are asked by an interviewer why you left the company, there is nothing wrong with saying that you were let go and that it simply wasn’t a good fit for you at the time. Getting fired is far from uncommon, and try to keep in good relations with your direct supervisor so that they can still be used as a reference. Even if you didn’t succeed in all facets of your job, your reference can acknowledge your best attributes from your time with their company.

If you were laid off by a company, remember that even though the company failed, that failure does not necessarily reflect on you. This can still be a period of personal growth for you, but remember that it was not your actions that led you to this point. Do not speak ill of your former company. Like you, many of the other employees are now out of work and are also looking for a new job. Keep in contact with everyone on the job search; if someone finds a job that still has openings, they can introduce you and give you a recommendation. If you can do the same for them, do so. Along with being the right thing to do, they might be able to help you down the line.

What does this mean for my career?

Let me give you a snapshot of what my resume looked like for awhile:

Job A-One year
Job B-Six Months
Job C-Eight Months
Job D-Six Months

I was beyond self-conscious about my resume. I thought that the fact that I did not stay at the same job for more than a year did not speak well of myself or my professional abilities.

Here’s the thing, there are a lot of resumes like this.

Employers are used to seeing resumes that look like this, or even worse. Although they might ask why you were there for a short amount of time, you have the answers, and they will help justify your resume. For me, Job B and Job D were both company-wide lay offs. Jobs A and C were both companies I left for better albeit riskier opportunities. For my career path, this was par for the course.

If it still worries you, there is nothing wrong with changing your resume to just include the years rather than the actual amount of time you were there. For example, my resume could also look like this:

Job A- 2014-2015
Job B- 2015-2016
Job C- 2016-2017
Job D- 2017

Doesn’t that look better?

Losing your job will only hurt your career if you let it. As long as you jump back into the job search, you’ll find work again and pick up where you left off.

What do I do now?

Depending on your financial situation, you have a few options. Not all of these options may be right for you, but it is important to make a plan on what you are going to do next.

Take a break

There is nothing wrong with taking some time from work to focus on yourself. If you are able to move back home for awhile or live off the income of your spouse or partner, you can leave the workforce for awhile to reflect and plan your next move. During this time you can get to some projects around your home, take up a hobby, grow your own business, travel or even just spend time with friends and family.

Go back to school

Have you just not been having luck in your career path? It could be that this line of work simply is not for you, and there is nothing wrong with that. It is not unheard of for a person to be in their 60s and change careers to something they would rather be doing.

If this is the case for you, consider going to school or back to school. Find a new passion that better fits what you want to be doing. Take into consideration what school will cost before going on this endeavor, and ask for the advice of your friends and family before making any decisions.

Get back on the horse

Losing your job is more than likely just a bump on the road in an otherwise wonderful journey. There are plenty of resources out in the world to help you find your next job, so go out and start looking.

Remember that finding a new job can take time. I was unemployed for four months until I finally found a job after being laid off. Quite often, companies wait to hire until the new year once September-October roll around. If you’re hired towards the end of the year, don’t panic if the jobs don’t start rolling in right away, but keep your resume out there while you’re looking.

Re-build your resume, cover letter and portfolio

Now that you are back on the job hunt, it’s time to polish your resume, cover letter and portfolio. You can build a strong online portfolio for next to nothing with a decent blogging site. As for your resume and cover letter, we can help with that.

Our job is to help make your resume and cover letter stand out above your competition. It will be professional and well-structured to reflect you and your journey.

Schedule a free consultation online by clicking here. All inquiries can be done in person or online!

Posted in Job Search | Tagged cover letter, Job, job junt, Job Search, job search tips, lost my job, lost your job, resume | Leave a comment

How to Get Job Experience When You Have None

Posted on March 11, 2020 by Jacob Yothment

“I applied for a job to get experience, but I didn’t get it because I have no experience”

A few years ago I was hanging out with a friend of mine who was complaining about not getting a call back on her job application for a management position.

Since I had known her, she had never had a job, so I asked her to tell me what she put down under her experience.

You guessed it; she didn’t have anything down.

The reality of applying for a job is that more often than naught you need to prove that you have experience in order to even get a call back. Many people think this is a never-ending cycle as you apply for a job to get experience, but you don’t get the job because you don’t have any experience.

Fear not! There are plenty of simple ways to get experience to put on your resume that won’t result in you pulling your hair out of your head.

School and extra-curricular activities

Obviously, any and all higher education should be featured on your resume; however, there might be experiences from your time in school that can help fill your resume.

For example, clubs like the student newspaper, yearbook, speech and debate team, robotics team, or any education related clubs are all valuable experience. Think about it: if you are applying for a writer’s position, your four years of serving as the news editor for your high school newspaper are still four years of writing experience!

If you are still in high school or college, talk to someone from your school’s career services department or student activities department about what you want to do for a living. More often than naught, there is an extra-curricular activity on campus that can give you some real-world experience!

College student employment

Believe it or not, if you’re in college, your school probably has a ton of open positions. Colleges are typically in constant need of new student orientation leaders, campus tour guides, clerical staff, and more! You can expect a more lax interview process as most of the time the school is trying to fill the positions as quickly as possible.

Talk to someone from career services or check on your school’s website for postings!

Not only are these jobs valuable experience, but more often than naught you’ll get paid while you’re at it!

Volunteering

Although volunteering means you aren’t going to get paid, it does mean you will get valuable experience while also getting some self-fulfillment.

If you don’t know where to start, local churches and homeless shelters are a great place to start. If you are looking for something a bit more industry specific, here are some examples:

If you’re looking for a job in writing or editing, offer to copy edit some of your friend’s or classmate’s essays.
If you are looking to one day work in construction, check out Habitat for Humanity and see if you can help them build a house!
Hospitals are always looking for volunteers if you want to work in medicine.
Animal shelters also need help if you want to be a vet.

Internships

We are going to preface this by saying that internships are not for everyone. If you don’t have the time or resources to work a job that probably isn’t going to pay you anything, then they are not for you. However, if you are still living at home and have the time, they can be a godsend.

Internships not only provide real-world experience, but they give you experience working for a company that may one day hire you. From time to time, an internship ends with the company offering the former intern a job! You shouldn’t rely on this because a job is not guaranteed, but it is a possibility to keep in mind!

Internships are often posted on the same websites where you go looking for jobs. If you’re still in school, you can ask the career services department, your school’s job postings, and even professors about internships in your area.

You very well might already have job experience!

There are plenty of things you could have done that can qualify as job experience. Here are some common examples:

Helping to host a public event
Assisting with a live performance
Volunteering at your school or church
Helping at your parent’s or sibling’s job
Fundraising

Any of these activities can look great on a resume, and help you land a job!

Crafting the best resume with your experience

Remember to stay positive, and keep at the hunt to find a job! Also, remember that all of experience opportunities we mentioned in this list are also great opportunities to network and to meet industry leaders who can write you a referral! There are jobs out there that would be lucky to have you; you just need to put your best foot forward, and that starts with a great-looking resume. If you need help crafting your resume or cover letter, than we can help! Check out our online schedule, and get a free consultation to meet with a resume writing professional!

Posted in Job Search | Tagged cover letter, job experience, job hunt, Job Search, resume, resume building | Leave a comment

Resume Quiz – How Good Are Your Interview Skills?

Posted on March 11, 2020 by Peter J. Hunter

Take this quiz and receive our free Job Interview Guide ($24.95 value) packed with all the tips, tricks, and secrets you need to know to get the job you deserve.

Will Your Interview Strategies Win the Job?

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Take the job search success interview quiz. Do you have what it takes to land your dream job? It only takes a few minutes and you score will be displayed at the end of the quiz. Sharpen your pencil and good luck!

Always keep your resume up to date to ready for unexpected opportunities.

Posted in Job Search | Tagged free interview guide, how to interview, interview guide, interview questions, interview quiz, interview training | Leave a comment

Top Ten Job Search Websites

Posted on March 9, 2020 by Jacob Yothment

Best Job Search Websites

When you’re looking for a job, picking the right website can make or break you. If you pick the right one right away, you might land a job soon. If you pick he wrong one, you might be in unemployment limbo for months.

If you’re on the job hunt, make sure you consult this list to learn which job search website is the right one for you!

What is the Best Job Search Website?

1. Indeed

Indeed is a one-stop shop if you’re looking for your next opportunity. Indeed is free to use, and hosts one of the largest platforms online for job posting.

You can build and save multiple resumes so that you can make sure you’re sending the right one to the right job. If you need help building that stellar resume, we can help you with that!

Applying for a job can be less than a 30-second process. You also will get plenty of information about the company you are applying with, so you can rest assured that you are applying to work with a legitimate business and not a scam!

2. LinkedIn

Like Indeed, LinkedIn posts jobs from verified companies, so you shouldn’t see too many scams on the site. What you will see is lots of information about the company, and about the actual account that posted the job.

LinkedIn will also give you updates on when the company looked at your application, so you can rest assured that your application did not go unnoticed. To make things even better, when you apply for a job on LinkedIn, your LinkedIn profile is shared with the company, so they will be able to see all of your recommendations and endorsements from your connections! If you’re looking to land a job quick, LinkedIn might just be your saving grace!

3. SnagAJob

SnagAJob is a great resource for job seekers and for companies that are looking to fill open positions. In case you are looking for something more part time or to just pick up a quick shift, SnagAJob can help find you temporary work.

The site also offers tips for job seekers to help them find and land their dream job!

4. Jooble

Although Jooble isn’t as well-known as Indeed or LinkedIn, they still belong on the top half of this list. Jooble posts everything. If someone posts a job on Indeed, Jooble will post that same posting on their website, and will forward you to Indeed to fill it out. Basically, if there is a job posting on the internet, it is somewhere on Jooble.

Rather than having to jump from site to site, Jooble puts them all in one convenient place; taking that hassle off of your shoulders!

5. Glassdoor

To be frank, Glassdoor does not have nearly as good of job-search tools as other entries on this list; however, they are great when it comes to learning about a company. Within minutes of being on Glassdoor, you can learn whether or not a company is legitimate, what you can expect for a salary-range and read past experiences and testimonials from employees.

6. Google Careers

That’s right! Google even has their toe dipped into the job search market! If you’re looking for a job, simply Googling what you’re looking for can bring up some results.

For example, if you Google “journalism jobs” Google will show you listings for jobs in that field in your area! Although Google isn’t built for just job searching, it is great that you can use Google’s intuitive search engine to find your next job!

Also, if you have a company that is looking to post new open positions on a job search site, then Google Jobs might be your best bet!

7. VelvetJobs

VelvetJobs is a premiere site for not only finding jobs, but for also learning more about how to find jobs.

The site offers tools on how to craft a resume. It also shows examples of well-crafted resumes from people in your field.

Remember, if you REALLY want a well-crafted resume, you should hire a professional.

8. Upwork

If you have a highly-specialized skill set, it can be harder for you to find a job than others. That’s where Upwork comes in handy.

Let’s say you’re a journalist looking for your next writing job. Sure, there’s plenty of jobs in writing that you can find on Indeed or LinkedIn, but actual journalism jobs can be few and far between. Upwork will take your resume and skills and show it to companies looking for someone with your skills! Work can range from freelance to full-time!

9. SimplyHired

SimplyHired is basically Indeed’s baby brother. It uses much of the same interface and basically the same job-search engine. In fact, you’ll be forwarded to Indeed quite a few times while using this.

So why use SimplyHired when you can use Indeed?

SimplyHired has a few helpful tools for people who need to brush up on writing a resume or cover letter. If you’re new to the job market, SimplyHired is a great place to start your journey!

10. Craigslist

Wait, isn’t Craigslist that place where your dad bought his lawnmower?

Well… yeah.

Although Craigslist is largely known for buying and selling things locally, it is also a place where you can offer and seek services.

You’re probably not going to find a six-figure job that is going to kickstart the rest of your life, but you will find odd jobs here and there that can help pay the bills.

If you’re looking for a side hustle, than look no further than the jobs on Craigslist!

Don’t give up on your job search!

Remember to stay positive, and keep at the hunt! If you need help crafting your resume or cover letter, than we can help! Check out our online schedule, and get a free consultation to meet with a resume writing professional!

Posted in Job Search | Tagged cover letters, job hunt, Job Search, job search websites, resumes | Leave a comment

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Need to update or write a new resume? Receive a free resume consultation and critique from an experienced resume writer. Learn about our job search and professional resume writing services by emailing your resume to resumes@razoredgeresumes.com or give us a call at 1-800-730-3244.
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