The thing about first professional impressions is that it is not always visual. Preceding your face to face encounter with the human resource representative or anyone in charge of screening applicants is your cover letter. It is quite ironic that few people pay close attention to this piece of paper which pretty much determines whether they will be considered for interview or if their resumes will merit perusal of the busy person who is screening various cover letters like yours.

Cover letters are for mind-setting. You do not…

With the holidays now in full swing, there’s a tendency to want to relax and put your job search activities on the back burner. Many job seekers think that employers have stopped any hiring they might be considering and will ramp up in the New Year. If you buy into that, you’re missing 6-8 valuable weeks of search time. I recently helped a job seeker with interviewing preparation. She beat out 20 other applicants and got her permanent position right before Thanksgiving. She even got paid for the holiday…

By Public Jobs Direct the public sector recruitment specialist

Many officials and economists around the world claim that in spring 2009 the global economy passed the critical test for what lies ahead. Although, nobody can guarantee with certainty that the recession is over many believe that the economy showed glimpses of recovery. The stable  and in some cases increasing prices in the housing market, the latest rally in the stock markets in Europe, Asia and…

According to most experts on resume writing, confidence is of utmost importance while writing a resume. The process of resume writing comprises two steps. Coincidentally, there are also only two tips to write an effective resume–be confident and prepare well.

1. Prepare with Confidence

Job seekers should have ample confidence in themselves and their abilities while writing their resumes. Do not allow any doubts about yourself to creep into your mind as you go about gathering the required information for your resume.

Resume-writing experts say that people working…

Writing a great cover letter is arguably the most important part of your job application process. Of course your resume will clearly outline your specific experience, skills, and qualifications. But your cover letter is your chance to set yourself apart from other applicants that may have similar qualifications.

Unfortunately, many job applicants submit mediocre cover letters and miss an opportunity to get ahead of the pack. In fact, many employers say that cover letters-not resumes-are often the deciding factor in their search for a new employee.

So how do…

Unfortunately, our faltering economy has caused more than a few people to have to reconsider their careers. People who have spent their entire working career doing the same job are seeing those jobs disappearing, or the hours are being chopped considerably. As a result, more people are going back to college or training to become something completely different. If you have recently lost your job, or you have seen your hours dwindling, you should know that there are a lot of resources to help you along the path to…

Managing finances after a job loss or redundancy

Gaining control over your finances is of paramount importance when the future is a little uncertain. There are many ways to combat this challenge and of course there can be unique aspects to each person’s situation. As experts in change management, we have years of experience helping people come to terms with a job loss and the financial strains that can come with this experience. Below we have listed the most important steps to assisting you cushion yourself thus allowing you…

 Is your job search producing lackluster results at best? Don’t settle for a job search that just creeps along! Instead, consider taking a more aggressive approach to take fuller advantage of high performing tactics.

You need to know that an aggressive job search techniques are unconventional, often radical, and always strategic. And they work! They outperform traditional job search strategies in 7 key ways:

(1) Make your aggressive tactics proactive: If you have been in the job market very long this is the way it is typically…

Unemployment is excruciatingly painful to most people. The uncertainty weighs heavily.

Will I have to move?

Will my next job be as good?

How is the job market? How is the job market for someone with my skills?

Am I too old? Too young?

These questions get bigger in your mind, in part because you’re alone. And, once again, you don’t know what is coming around the next bend.

I’m a consultant, which means that I’m periodically unemployed. I’m usually pretty busy, but there are times when I finish…

Having an attention-grabbing resume is one of the most important parts of the job search. Your resume and cover letter are your introduction to a potential employer; and without a strong introduction, you may never get another chance to make a good impression. As a result, the success of your job hunt can hang on how well your resume is written.

Maybe you are entering the work force after graduating from college. Or maybe you just need to find a new job. Regardless of why you are looking for…