On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Recommendations Play Key Role in Job Search

On the Job by Anita Bruzzese Recommendations Play Key Role in Job Search Human resource people tell me a good reference can make or break a job applicant, but many of those vying for jobs seem to give their references little or no consideration.With that in mind, here are some tips for getting the most out of your references:1. Contact the reference. Make sure you have current addresses, phone numbers and e-mails for each person you give as a reference. Ask them how they would like to be contacted and if it's OK to give his or her name to companies. (You'd be surprised how many people don't do this.) If possible, meet with the reference in person. This also gives you a chance to strengthen the connection.2. Provide the best reference. You dont have to just give the names of people who worked with you. Perhaps you volunteer at an organization that allows you to be creative and you would like a new employer to see this side of you. Or perhaps a client saw your ability to handle difficult customers well while providing top-notch service. Consider the job re quirements and what skills you want highlighted and use a reference that best plays up those aspects.3. Know what will be said. Dont be shy about finding out what each reference will say about you. This should be done diplomatically remind the reference of projects you worked on, your contribution and how that would be important to the new employer. Prospective employers might ask about your ability to work in teams, how dependable you were, if you were liked and respected by co-workers, if you were self-directed and if you completed projects. Ask the reference what they consider your strengths and your weaknesses for these kinds of issues. Then gently try to put a positive spin on any deficits. Avoid taking anything personally.4. Keep references informed. Once you think youve got a good shot at a job, let the reference know a call may be coming. Let them know the position, the company, and what skills are needed. That way, the reference can couch responses to fit the criteria. Its also a good idea to supply the reference with a current copy of your resume. Make sure you stress how their reference is critical to you getting the job.One thing to keep in mind: You're much more likely to get a favorable review from a reference if you've networked effectively with them. That means you've let them know how your career has progressed, and stayed in contact with former employees, bosses and co-workers several times a year through e-mail or phone calls.At the same time, make sure you've offered to serve as a reference for them if you feel comfortable with it. (A good reference is more likely when it is mutually beneficial.) Finally, whether you land the offer or not, be sure and let the reference know the outcome of your job search. And if a sterling recommendation helps you land the job of your dreams, take that person out to celebrate.del.icio.us

10 Ways to Destress Your Employees

10 Ways to Destress Your Employees Bottom line is your employees’ jobs are bound to be stressful at times.Although you shouldn’t be expected to keep your employees relaxed every minute of the work day, there’s no doubt that too much stress can negatively impact them â€" and, ultimately, your business.The majority of Americans say their work is the single-biggest source of stress in their lives. And, there is no question that prolonged stress can cause some serious workplace issues.evalIf they don’t get some much-needed relief, stressed-out employees may become burnt-out employees, causing productivity to plummet.Even worse, excessive stress levels within the workplace can cause retention issues as experienced, tenured employees become dissatisfied, questioning their careers and employers and ultimately leaving.A domino effect can be triggered as other already stressed employees have to pick up the workload of departed employees and employer satisfaction continues to spiral downward along with productivity.Even though stress is a fact of life when it comes to most business environments, employers must consider how that stress is impacting their employees.While employees should be able to handle the normal stresses associated with their daily tasks, they should also know that their employers are willing to help them de-stress when things become too difficult to handle.Some businesses go all-out to help employees de-stress with perks such as massage therapy and unlimited paid time off, but those types of solutions are not practical for every employer.However, there are plenty of effective ideas that employers can easily implement to help employees cope with stress.evalFor example, scheduling a few minutes each day for simple stress-reduction activities, such as mediation or stretching, can provide enough of a break to enable employees to relax and refocus on the tasks at hand.The accompanying presentation includes some simple ideas you can use to help your employees de-stress during the wor kday.Your employees will benefit from a more relaxed and energizing work atmosphere, and you’ll benefit from enhanced engagement and improved productivity and retention rates.Infographic Credit- Jacobsononline.com

Dont Ask For A Recommendation If You Havent Earned It

Don’t Ask For A Recommendation If You Haven’t Earned It Don’t Ask For A Recommendation If You Haven’t Earned It Today, I got another one. That “one” being a request on LinkedIn to provide a recommendation to someone I am connected to… but have never worked with in a way that allowed me to witness, first-hand, their abilities. Sigh. Why do people put their personal brand in jeopardy with such a thoughtless click? When someone asks for a recommendation from another person who truly doesn’t have any knowledge of their abilities, a terrible thing happens. They look pathetic.   Desperate. A relative pulled the same trick on me about a year ago.   He’s been struggling in a job search and is well into his 70s, having lost his retirement in previously bad investments. So I helped him with his résumé and cover letter.    Then he asked the same thing. “Will you recommend me?” My answer: No. He was angry. Hurt. Feeling betrayed. But I stuck to my moral guns on this one. As a résumé writer, it is not my job to judge or verify the information people tell me. (Thats up to employers) But that also means I have not seen their skills in action, and have no ethical way of providing any kind of feedback in a recommendation on how they actually perform their job. So no, I wasn’t going to recommend the relative. It was a conflict of interest number one, and number two:   I had no basis on which to base a recommendation.   And frankly, his ask, then not accepting my reason for not doing so only served to validate my reluctance… he’s not someone I would do business with based on some of the ethics I saw demonstrated in those conversations. Now back to the LinkedIn invite I just got… I replied back, and hope the person who sent it is receptive to helpful suggestions to enable them to do a better job of selecting the people that they ask for recommendations. Here’s my response: “Thank you for sending this invite to me, but as I have never worked with you directly on a meeting planning project nor booked business with you directly, I am not really qualified to write any sort of review. Please understand that the best recommendations come from colleagues, industry peers with whom youve worked, former bosses, or other people who have first-hand knowledge of your work. These folks can write specifics about your integrity, skills, expertise, knowledge, and abilities. By reaching out to people who have never worked with you, this dilutes your efforts and personal brand by making a generalized plea for a recommendation. This also has the effect of making an ask people to extend their credibility to you, whether you realize it or not, and can be very uncomfortable for the recipient of such requests. I hope you take this career coaching in the spirit in which it is intended: to help guide you into asking for more powerful and compelling (and truthful based on first-hand experience) recommendations.”

Writing a Cover Letter For a Resume For Medical Technician

Writing a Cover Letter For a Resume For Medical TechnicianWriting a cover letter for a resume for medical technician job is not difficult. If you are just new to the field, it is actually quite easy. It is just as if you are writing a resume. You have to get a taste of your professional image and then you can start making your own impression.A medical technician does not need a lot of formal training before you begin your career. He may have attended a short distance learning college or he may have gone through an apprenticeship. This can be a good thing because you don't need to have advanced knowledge to begin your job. Just the basics are enough to get you started.Before writing the letter, you have to put down on paper a simple outline of the information you will put in your letter. For example, you can set the type of employment you want as well as your position. In case of a medical assistant, you can write 'assistant'. Be sure to place your company details in the body of the l etter. The company details may include the title of the head, the size of the company, the address of the office, the contact number, and your personal details such as email id and phone number.After your cover letter is ready, it is time to focus on the professional appearance of your letter. Make sure that your handwriting is neat and organized. Another point to keep in mind is that your letters should be grammatically correct. Do not take too much time in writing your letter because you may become frustrated at the time and give up. Put your best foot forward.To conclude, it is very important to have the appropriate contact information of the employer. It is crucial that your letter has your first and last name, telephone number, and email address. A recent trend is to use social networking sites such as Facebook and Twitter to connect with the employer. It is good practice to send out your resume to several employers in order to get your CV across to them all.When you have finis hed writing your cover letter, you must read it carefully before sending it out. Check the spelling and grammar of the letter. It is even more important when you are using one of the online writing tools. Ensure that you are clear about your title and role. You don't want to get fired because of your lack of attention to detail.Most employers ask for a medical assistant resume, so you can make the most of your cover letter by simply using it. All you have to do is to make sure that you follow the steps above. If you are looking for a suitable cover letter for a resume for medical assistant, here are some samples for you to consider. The samples are:To sum up, a cover letter for a resume for medical assistant is a letter that is written for a job seeker to give a first impression of the candidate. It makes a very quick impression on the employer. This kind of a job is often taken by students who are still seeking their first real job.

A New Job Is Not Enough - How To Create A Good Resume?

A New Job Is Not Enough - How To Create A Good Resume?Boston University graduates and recent graduates are going to need a resume writing guide to help them with the process of writing their resumes. A Boston University degree is one of the most sought after in the workforce and getting a job out of school means that you are in good standing.Boston University has been ranked as one of the best universities in the country, and it will be obvious that the students who graduate from this school will be receiving top paying jobs as well. If you are going to be applying for these kinds of jobs, a resume is going to be very important for you to have. Just as hiring a lawyer is not enough, you are going to need a resume writer to help you create an eye-catching piece of paper.You can easily get a Boston University resume writing guide, but there are going to be some factors that you are going to want to think about before you commit to using one. One of the most important things to consider when choosing a resume writing guide is the experience level of the person who created the guide. You are only going to get a person that knows how to create good resumes if they have very little experience with creating resumes.One thing that is going to separate a good resume writer from a great one is the ability to write a variety of resumes. It is going to take more than one resume to land a job, so you are going to need to get a resume writing guide that will help you with creating different types of resumes.Because Boston University is such a great school, there are going to be many different companies who will be looking for the perfect candidate. A resume that is creative, innovative, and able to attract the right type of employer is going to be needed. You may not be the best person to hire, so you will need a resume writing guide to help you out.A resume that is created by a person that is knowledgeable with the same topic as what you have is going to be much better. You are going to need to use a Boston University resume writing guide if you are going to be creating a resume.When it comes down to it, getting a resume written by a certified resume writer is going to be much easier than the average person with very little experience. Having the right resume writing guide is going to help you make your resume stand out from the rest. The writer is going to take all of the little pieces of information from your resume and put them into one cohesive piece of paper.

The Unexplained Puzzle Into Writing a Cover Letter Resume Example Uncovered

The Unexplained Puzzle Into Writing a Cover Letter Resume Example Uncovered Remember you wish to make it simple for them to get in touch with you. Clearly, you wouldn't want your application to display this kind of appearance. If you are not sure how to compose a cover letter, you will see several totally free templates online. If your cover letter isn't well organized, employer will surely consider that you aren't very good at keeping the financial records. Where to Find Writing a Cover Letter Resume Example Writing your cover letter won't ever be that disheartening if you're just going to take it in with a step-by-step approach. In other words, a cover letter is an official message accompanying your resume when you fill out an application for employment. It should be limited to two pages so the second paragraph must be concise. The PQQ letter matters a good deal. On the flip side, if you know the job that you'll be more impressive during the interview and is going to have a better chance of being employed. It's important that you know how to compose a cover letter that communicates who you are as an individual. When you're looking at how to compose a cover letter, don't forget that you ought not get too elaborate. It is possible to employ your cover letter to provide the reader a concept of who you are and why you're great for the job. The 30-Second Trick for Writing a Cover Letter Resume Example It is very important to keep in mind that a cover letter is a business letter and should be formatted so. The most suitable way about how to compose a cover letter is to explain the primary reason behind your interest about a sure position and you ought to understand your most relevant skill that would help you acquire the job. Your cover letter shouldn't be your opinion page, it should pay attention to your qualifications and why you must be considered for the job. It will be more effective if you can include something directly related to the e mployer's business. What You Need to Know About Writing a Cover Letter Resume Example A far better strategy is to focus your cover on the things which you can do to help the organization you are apply at. In order to pull the employer you have to know the suitable cover letter. Target A cover letter ought to be tailored to a particular firm. A well written cover letter show a high degree of professionalism and will certainly keep you in addition to the stack.

Facebook Career Fairy Long-Term Unemployed Wish - Work It Daily

Facebook Career Fairy Long-Term Unemployed Wish - Work It Daily When you've been unemployed for a long time, it can be difficult to keep up your motivation. We received the following career wish from one of our Facebook fans: My career wish is to locate a full time, good paying job. I've been searching for almost 5 years with not too much luck. I did land a temporary, part time job, but that has been reduced to work as needed hours only. So, the search continues. I have a great background in Human Resources and can learn and adapt to just about anything. So, career fairy, can you land me a job? - Susan Congratulations, Susan! The Facebook Career Fairy chose your wish and answered it with a personalized video! Not only that, but you will also receive one FREE month inside CareerHMO, the virtual membership site that gives the everyday professional access to elite-level career coaching! Check out the Career Fairy's personalized response below, and post your own career wishes on our Facebook page! Have you joined our career growth club?Join Us Today!