Career Resolutions

Every year at this time, just about everyone makes a New Year’s resolution.  Whether that is to quit smoking, drop 20 pounds or just enjoy life more, these resolutions usually fail within the first two weeks of the new year.  If you feel like you are stuck at a dead end job, or are just unhappy with your current employment situation, consider a career resolution.  Or better yet, since the word “resolution” has such a negative connotation, just set out some career goals for the new year.

Everyone should have career goals, and the new year is a perfect time to do so.  This could involve many things, including taking some extra classes to get that promotion you have had your eyes on, or  starting to look for a new job, or perhaps even just taking credit for the your hard work.

Here are some tips from BCjobs.ca to help you stay on the right track with your 2009 career goals:

• Be realistic. Do your research and know what you are qualified for and what you can do.
• Create a plan. Break down your long term goals into short-term action items.  This will make them seem a lot easier to attain.
• Keep your goals visible. Keep a list of your goals in a place where you will see them, perhaps at your home office.  Look at them regularly to yourself motivated.  Remember…out of sight, out of mind!
• Be flexible. You will hit bumps in the road along the way.  Don’t get discouraged and continue to plug along.  If you are motivated enough, things will work out in the end.
• Develop a support system. Let others know of your goals.  They can give you advice, motivate you  and help keep you on the right track.
• Acknowledge your hard work.  Celebrate your accomplishments and milestones.  This will keep your motivated and ultimately achieve your goal.

Overall, it is important to take charge of your career, and if you are unhappy, do something about it.

Here’s to a fantastic 2009!

What to do if your career is at a standstill

No matter what stage of your career you are at, at some point, you may feel like you are at a standstill.  Maybe your entry-level gig has lasted too long, or you have been at your job for years and have been too comfortable to look for something new.  With help from Canadajobs.ca, here is a list of options you have if you feel like your job is at a standstill.

• Go back to school. It is never too late to go back to school.  There are people in the seventies who are taking university classes, so don’t be afraid ot be the oldest person in the class.  You don’t even need to  go back full time, as you could do part-time, weekend or correspondence courses.  Also, check with your company about furthering your education, as some will pay for your courses if they help with your current job, or another position within the company.
• Ask for opportunities. Begin to ask for extra responsibilities.  Ask to take on projects that will showcase your best skills or help you build new ones.  This is a great opportunity to show management that you are capable of doing more than you are currently doing.
• Be pro-active. Before you begin posting your resume all over the internet, consider other positions within your company.  See if there are any openings, or if there will ever be.  Often, unless you ask, you won’t be considered for another position.  If you discover your job is truely dead-end, it might be good to start looking elsewhere.
• Network. I cannot stress this enough.  The more people that know you are on the job hunt, the more people can help you.  Just be wary of the word spreading back to your current employer.
• Re-evaluate. Re-evaluate your current position.  Why are you not happy?  Is it your salary?  Your coworkers?  The type of work you are performing?  It may be a good idea to figure this out before you start to look for another similar job, which could lead you down the same path.

Seven things to know before writing your resume

Writing a resume is no easy task.  Whether you are a new grad, or just looking for a new job, you need to make sure your resume is perfect to ensure it gets noticed in the pile of hundreds of other applicants. Even if you have already written your resume, here are seven things you should know (or take into consideration) about writing your resume, with help from Careerbuilder.ca.  While a lot of these tips are geared towards students and recent grads, they are really good for anyone who is writing a new resume, or just looking to spruce up their existing resume.

1. Start with the basics. Be sure to start with your name, address, phone number and email address.  If you are a student, and are not sure where you are going to be living come the end of the school year, or are looking for jobs closer to your home town, consider using your parents’ home address, rather than your school address.  Also, PLEASE be mindful of your email address. You can get an email address for free from Hotmail, Gmail or Yahoo, so please do not submit a resume with the email address “sexkitten1001@mail.com” or similar.  Use something simple and professional, like your name.  Or, if you are a student, consider using your school address (just be careful to change it once you have graduated as you may not have access to it any longer.)
2. Include an objective and  summary of skills. The objective on your resume tells the potential employer what you are looking for, your most important skills and your overall career goals. After you have written the objective, write a summary which highlights your qualifications and experiences.  Have the job posting beside you when you are writing this section, in order to try to closely match up your own skills and experience with those required of the job.
3. Chose the right resume style. There are three types of resumes: functional, chronological and combined. Functional resumes concentrate more on skills, chronological resumes focus on work experience, and a combined is a little of both.  Combined resumes usually work great for new grads, as they generally have little to no related work experience, but can showcase some of the skills they have acquired in school or in part time jobs and internships.
4. Brainstorm experience and skills. Make a list of all your skills, experience and qualifications.  Even if you are a recent grad, you are sure to have transferable skills, such as time management, researching and writing skills, customer service experience, leadership, etc.
5. Include academic and volunteer experience. Make note of your computer skills, any major projects you worked on, as well as activities you participated in.  If you volunteered at the local animal shelter or were captain of the swim team, include this!
6. Be mindful of the “resume writing rules.” Be sure to include verbs and avoid using “I.”  Also include specific examples of work you have performed or are proud of.  Above all, PROOF READ!
7. Don’t lie. There is not much to say here, except never, ever lie on your resume.  If you do, you will get caught.

The Lunch (or dinner) Interview

Interviews are nerve-wracking enough, but what do you do if you are invited to a lunch interview?  Not only do you have to worry about the questions you are asked, the questions you ask, what to wear and showing up on time, but now you have to worry about what you order, talking with food in your mouth and spilling on yourself or your interviewer.  With help from BCjobs.ca, here are some great tips for acing lunch interviews.

• Be punctual. These interviews are usually scheduled during lunch hour as this is the only time the interviewer has available.  Be respectful of that time, and be sure to show up when you are supposed to.  If you are going to be late, call the restaurant, or the interviewer’s cell phone to let them know your expected arrival time.
• Watch your manners. Imagine that your grandmother is watching you…keep your elbows off the table, chew with your mouth closed, etc.
• Let your host guide the conversation. Generally you should avoid business talk until the meal has arrived.  However, follow your interviewer’s lead.  Answer the questions that are asked of you, and ask some thoughtful questions as well.
• Think about what you are ordering. Order something that is moderately priced.  If you are paying, you don’t want to appear too cheap by ordering the least expensive thing on the menu, and if they are paying, you don’t want to go overboard and order the most expensive item.  Avoid alcohol and meals that may be messy, such as spaghetti, ribs or soup.
• Be polite to the server. Your interviewer will be watching how you interact with everyone, and the way you treat the server could indicate how you will treat others in the work environment.
• Give your undivided attention. Turn off the cell phone, don’t stare at the sports scores on the TV, or let your eyes wander to other patrons.
• Don’t over-answer. Due to time restrictions or noise level, the types of questions asked of you may be more direct or blunt.  Keep your answers just as direct and honest.  Also, don’t try to fill silences after you are done answering the question.  This is often the point where you begin to ramble and possibly get off topic.
• End on a positive note. NEVER assume that the interviewer or the company will pay, and its a good idea to have cash on hand just in case.  Offer a handshake, and be sure to thank the interviewer if they pay, as well as for the meeting.
• Follow-up. Be sure to send a thank you within 24 hours.  An email is acceptable, however, you should consider sending a hand-written card as well.

Slip-ups may happen, but it is important to not let it get to you.  Your ability to recover gracefully speaks volumes about your personality and work habits.

While a great lunch meeting may not guarantee you the job, if your manners are missing or you are rude to the staff, there is a good chance that you will be passed over.

How to stay happy at work

Everyone gets into a slump at work once and a while.  However, many people are letting the daily grind really get to them, taking the joy out of their work.  If you are feeling less than satisfied with your current situation, but quitting or even looking for another job is out of the question, here are some tips (care of monster.ca) for staying happy while at work.

• Positive Thinking. You would be surprised how much a positive frame of mind will help you.  Think about the things or projects that you enjoy about your job.  Try to encorporate these into your daily routine, or at least a few times a week.
• Challenge Yourself. One of the reasons you may be unhappy is that you are bored.  Take on new challenges, go above and beyond your call of duty, or even offer to volunteer within your organization.
• Flexible Working. Consider working from home one day a week.  Getting out of the office surprisingly does a lot for charging your batteries.  Please note:  this does not mean you can treat this as a day off!  If you get the OK to work from home, then actually work!
• Learn More. Consider furthering your education with night and weekend classes, or even going to a seminar.  This will  help you even more if you apply for a promotion or look for a new job.
• Network. Find ways to incorporate meeting new people into your job.  This may not be possible, which means you should consider joining a club or organization.  You could even join your local Chamber of Commerce on behalf of your organization.
• Have Some Fun! Try to organize some fun activities at your workplace.  Maybe you have a staff Monday morning coffee break or meet up for drinks on Friday after work.
• Improve your Social Life. Many people get into a daily routine; work, home, dinner, TV, bed, repeat.  This dull routine will certainly not help you in any aspect of your life, including work.  Look at ways to interact with others: join an art class, go to the gym, or just catch up with friends.
• Prioritise your Workload. If you are taking on too much at work, let others know, and see if you can get some help.  If this is not possible, see about getting time lines extended.  It is also a good idea to do your most tedious or least favourite tasks first, as then you will have something to look forward to at the end of the day or week.

Common Job Search Mistakes

Whether we like it or not, we are all human, and we all make mistakes.  Some are more drastic than others, and some are more recoverable than others.  It is important that when making a mistake during the job search process that you own up to your mistake and look at ways to correct it immediately.  MSN Careers offers 6 of the most common job search mistakes and remedies for each.

1. Showing up late (or not at all) for an interview. There are numerous reasons why you may be late for an interview, including getting lost, traffic, weather, etc.  Most people should be pretty accommodating to such events, as long as you call ahead of time and make them aware.  If you are going to be extremely late, offer to reschedule.  While being late is never a good sign, hiring managers may be a little more accommodating if you give them a heads up.
2. Acting rude to other employees. You need to be polite and respect everyone you meet at the place of your interview.  You never know who the decision makers will talk to.  You may have a flawless interview, but if you were rude to the receptionist upon arrival, you may be overlooked for the position.  However, if you act in a way which you later regret, send a letter of apology.  Explain that this is not normally how you act, and hope that they will accept the apology and still consider you for the position.
3. Calling someone by the wrong name. Often times during the interview process, you come across a number of different people.  If you do call someone by the wrong name, be sure to apologize and correct yourself.  You could even say something like, “I can’t believe I did that, especially since I have been practicing saying your name to ensure I had the pronunciation correct.”  This shows the person that they were important enough for you to prepare for.
4. Having an error on your resume or cover letter. Although you have checked over your resume many, many times, a small typo still makes its way onto your resume.  Many companies now use software to search resumes for potential candidates, so your resume may have been passed over and you can easily re-apply.  However, if you think that this may have not been the case, fix the mistake and re-apply.  However, on your cover letter, explain you were aware of the mistake and you got a little trigger happy when sending the email.  This will show that you meticulous enough to see the mistake and that you took ownership for it.
5. Referencing the company’s competitor. Things are going great, you are impressing the interviewers with your skills and experience, then you notice that they are all looking at you strangely.  It is at this point you realize that you have mistakenly called the company by their competitor’s name.  Simply apologize and say that during the research process you came across the competitor’s name many times.  Depending on the type of job you are interviewing for (marketing, PR, etc), you could even go one step further by saying that they may need to increase their brand awareness in order to differentiate themselves from the competition.
6. Spitting or spilling on the interviewer. As a general rule of thumb, I always politely decline beverages offered by interviewers, in order to avoid such catastrophes.  If you do spill or spit, it may not be the end of the world.  Apologize, and if you have spilled something like coffee or tea, include a gift certificate for a dry cleaners with your thank you letter.

Often, mistakes seem a lot worse to you than they really are.  Use the opportunity to show your wit and humour, and it could even work out to your advantage.

What says “Hire Me!”

Let’s face it…competition for jobs is fierce right now.  It is becoming harder and harder to find a good job, or any job for that matter.  Record numbers of people are being laid off, meaning that you are going to have to take extra steps to ensure that you stand out from the rest of the crowd in the job search process.  Careerbuilder.ca offers some ways to stand out in every step of the job search.

During the initial job search

• Apply to companies that don’t have posted jobs. Seek out companies you want to work for, and send in your resume.  Some companies have un-posted jobs available, and if they don’t they usually keep your resume on file for up to six months if something does come available.
• Pick up the phone. In this day and age, everyone relies on the internet to search and apply for jobs.  However, if you know the person you are to speak with, give them a call.  This is a great way to introduce yourself as an applicant after sending in your resume, as well as to see what kinds of positions are available.

On your resume

• Customize for the position. If your resume is tailored to the specific job you are applying for, it is more likely to get noticed.  Add key words, phrases, skills and experience that directly relates to the position you are applying for (as long as you actually possess them).
• Make it visually pleasing. Be sure that your resume is easy to read and follow.  Avoid more than 2 pages, too much text, or a small font.  Using bullet points makes it easier to read and allows for some white space around the outside.
• Include success stories. Don’t just put “Responsible for sales”, elaborate to something like “Increased sales by 45% during the second quarter.”  This shows the hiring manager that you are an asset to the company.
• Analyze keywords. Add a heading “Key competencies” or similar and include a number of keywords from the job posting.  This will allow the recruiter (or software) to quickly scan to see if you are a match to the position.

On your cover letter

• Avoid “To Whom it May Concern.” Do your research and find out who your resume is going to.  If you don’t know, or can’t find it, simply use “Hello” or “Greetings.”
• Show, don’t tell. Don’t just tell the employer that you are the right candidate for the job, show them.  Provide examples, share stories and accomplishments.

At the interview

• Identify why you are a good fit. Tell the interviewer why you want the job, and why you should be hired over someone else.  Outline your skills, accomplishments and why you want to work for that particular company.
• Keep your responses job related. Unless the question is totally off topic, like “If you could be an animal, what would you be and why?”, keep your answer job related.  This is especially important when you are asked the dreaded “Tell me about yourself.”  Outline your education, previous jobs, and again tailor your answer to the specific job you are interviewing for.

Workplace Stress

Any job can be stressful.  It doesn’t matter if you are a student working a part-time job while in school, a new grad at your first job, or a seasoned veteran at the career you have always dreamed about.  The key is to not let it get the best of you, and take proactive steps in order to combat it. Stress affects every aspect of your life, at the office and at home.  If you are currently feeling over stressed, Canadajobs.ca offers some steps to take to help with the situation.

• Acknowledge it. The first step is admitting you have a problem.  Admit you are stressed and that you ant to do something about it.  Take a good look at your daily routine and tasks.  Are there any particular tasks that you can’t handle?  Is there any projects or parts of projects that you can delegate to others?  You would be surprised how effective this can be.
• Talk about it. If you are feeling overwhelmed at work, talk to your supervisor.  Let him or her know how you are feeling.  Be sure to come off professional and not like a whiny child.  They may be able to re-evaluate the amount of work you are given, or maybe even extend time lines.
• Look for solutions. Be proactive and do something about your stress.  Ask your supervisor or coworkers for help.  You may be surprised who will come to your aid when you need it.  Remember you are not a super human, and can’t always do everything yourself.
• Stay positive. Remember that things will get better.  By staying positive and proactive and not just complaining, you will earn the respect of your management and coworkers, who in turn will be more likely to help you out.

Stress can lead to many problems in your life, including serious health issues.  If you catch the reason for your stress early enough and make proactive steps to combat it, you will end up much happier and healthier (as will your coworkers).

Adjusting to your new job

If you are one of the lucky ones who is working at a new job, this post is for you.  Whether this is your first job out of school, or you are just starting a new position, there is certainly an adjustment period.  You not only need to get used to your new position and duties, but also your new office, coworkers and management.  With the help of monster.ca, here are some tips to help you adjust to your new job.

• Ask questions. If you are unsure about ANYTHING, be sure to ask.  Although you may think that you are bugging people, it is better to get the right answers, than guess and make a mistake.
• Watch your timing. If you are stuck on something, but your boss or supervisor seems busy, or in the middle of another project, see about asking someone else.  If no one else is available, or can answer your question, put that task at the back burner until someone is free to help.
• Take notes. You should have a pen and paper with you at all times during your first few days.  Anytime you are given instructions or pertinent information, be sure to write it down.  Also be sure that your notes are portable and you are able to take them with you wherever you go.
• Ask for examples. If you are filling out forms, or writing documents, ask for an example you can use as a template.  Make sure it is something you are able to keep, so you can reference it in the future.
• Breathe! Remember that everyone goes through this!  No one expects you to do everything perfect on the first day, or even in the first week.  The more relaxed you are, the more you will learn and in turn remember.

Resumé Editing

You would be surprised how many people don’t carefully edit their resumé (if they do it at all).  A few moments of time will save you from automatically being dumped into the “No” pile.  I would suggest that after you have looked it over (more than once!) pass it along to someone else who will be able to point out anything you may have missed.  Take a short break, and then have one last look at it with fresh eyes.  This may seem a bit excessive, but you would be surprised how many little typos and grammatical errors you may have not noticed.  With the help of careerbuilder.ca, here are 8 things you should keep an eye out for.

1. Grammar and spelling. Make sure to print off your resumé and do a thorough spell and grammar check.  Spell and grammar check on your word processor is not enough.  Read your resumé out loud, to help with your grammar.  If it doesn’t sound right when you are speaking, it’s probably not.
2. Capitalization. In a resumé, the most confusing issue with capitalization is probably job titles.  The only time it is capitalized is when it comes before a name (ex – President George).  If you are unsure if a word needs a capital, look it up, either in a grammar guide, or online.
3. Punctuation. Again, reading your resumé out loud will help with this. If you need to pause, then a comma belongs.  Again, grammar guides are great resources.
4. Run-on sentences. A run-on sentence is basically two (or more)  separate sentences that are placed together without a conjunction or punctuation.  When you are reading your resumé out loud you will be able to catch these as well.
5. Consistency. Make sure that everything is consistent.  If you are using a certain font, spacing, date format, etc, make sure it is followed throughout the entire resumé.
6. Education. List only the year in which you obtained your degree or diploma.  It is suggested that if put the years you attended, one might assume that you did not finish.
7. Ampersands. For those of you who don’t know, an ampersand is a  &. These should be avoided in a resumé, unless it is part of a company name (ie – AT & T).
8. Hyperlinks. Certain word processors automatically hyperlink email and web addresses.  Be sure to deactivate these.  Not only does it look messy, but some resume filters will automatically assume it is junk and your resumé will be missed.