With the number of applicants at an all-time high, employers these days are being extremely picky as to whom they hire. If you have tattoos, finding a job can be even more difficult due to the negative stigma associated with them. Here are some tips to help you find a job that will increase your odds of being hired despite having visible tattoos.
Cover it up
Perhaps the best thing you can do during an interview is to cover your tattoo up. You only get one chance to make a good first impression, so it’s better to be safe rather than sorry. If it’s not possible to cover it with clothing, consider wearing makeup to hide it instead. When doing so, be advised that this might be something you would need to continue even after you are hired if the tattoo is especially offensive or overly distracting.
Dress Conservatively
This should be obvious during any job interview, but it’s especially important whenever you have a tattoo that cannot be covered. A clean cut hairstyle, professional clothing and limited number of piercings will help soften your image a bit, and this is important because many employers view tattoos as a sign of rebellion.
Be ready to explain
You may need to give an explanation for your tattoo, so be sure to have an answer ready. What your potential employer does not want to hear is that you got your tattoo while you were intoxicated or as part of a dare. Accept responsibility for your decision, and if it was a bad one, then say so. Even if you don’t regret getting the tattoo, the fact that you have a reasonable explanation for it shows you do put at least some thought into the decisions you make.
Focus on your qualifications
Rather than dwelling on your tattoo, aim to impress your employer with your skills and knowledge instead. He or she could just be so impressed that you’ll be offered the job despite the fact that you sport a little body art.
Most hiring managers advise against mentioning tattoos unless the interviewer brings the subject up first. Should the topic arise, handling the matter in a dignified manner can go a long way toward undoing any negative vibes an employer might have. Contact us for even more helpful job hunting tips.
Friday, March 21, 2014
Friday, March 14, 2014
Discover Work Opportunties at Job Fairs
Career fairs, also called job fairs, are an excellent way to find jobs. Companies come to you to find employment and you go to them in hopes that you're the candidate of choice. You spend one day to attend a place where companies gather together to fill a void in their company. Take advantage of work opportunities provided in one location. You'll never know where it may take you.
Job fairs bring a first impression like no resume can. There's nothing like interacting with company representatives face-to-face and getting a feel for the company. The same is said of companies attending. Seeing the person with the resume or application in hand is better than just reading the resume/application. Some companies will conduct interviews on the spot. Polish your interview skills and dress appropriately. Be sure to ask questions. Employers like answering questions because it shows that you listen, you're proactive and you're thoughtful. However, don't ask questions that are answered on the website or about money/benefits. This hurts your first impression.
You don't want to end up in disappointment, so do your homework prior to attending. Read up on each company attending to see what the company is about, what jobs are open and if the application can be filled out online. Not all businesses are companies; some are non-profits, some are colleges and some are government agencies. Still it's important to research as some companies will have what you're after. Only go to a job fair if the application isn't online; you can fill those out at home. If it's in PDF or Word form fill it out and hand it to them at the fair. Otherwise polish those resumes. Tweak it to match the job. If one job consists of clerical and the other is marketing make two resumes for those industries. Have plenty to hand out. The goal isn't to meet with every company at the fair. The goal is to chat with companies that match your interests.
Job fairs are a great way to gain job opportunities, network and meet new people. As long as you perform due diligence it will be time well spent. Contact us for more information.
Job fairs bring a first impression like no resume can. There's nothing like interacting with company representatives face-to-face and getting a feel for the company. The same is said of companies attending. Seeing the person with the resume or application in hand is better than just reading the resume/application. Some companies will conduct interviews on the spot. Polish your interview skills and dress appropriately. Be sure to ask questions. Employers like answering questions because it shows that you listen, you're proactive and you're thoughtful. However, don't ask questions that are answered on the website or about money/benefits. This hurts your first impression.
You don't want to end up in disappointment, so do your homework prior to attending. Read up on each company attending to see what the company is about, what jobs are open and if the application can be filled out online. Not all businesses are companies; some are non-profits, some are colleges and some are government agencies. Still it's important to research as some companies will have what you're after. Only go to a job fair if the application isn't online; you can fill those out at home. If it's in PDF or Word form fill it out and hand it to them at the fair. Otherwise polish those resumes. Tweak it to match the job. If one job consists of clerical and the other is marketing make two resumes for those industries. Have plenty to hand out. The goal isn't to meet with every company at the fair. The goal is to chat with companies that match your interests.
Job fairs are a great way to gain job opportunities, network and meet new people. As long as you perform due diligence it will be time well spent. Contact us for more information.
Friday, March 7, 2014
Search for Work-at-Home Job Listings
Getting up in the morning, searching for job listings online, and applying in person to businesses is only half the battle. Job seekers must continue to find ways to seek employment. Volunteer work, internships, apprenticeships, part-time work, full-time work, networking and temp work staffing agencies are some of those ways. Another trick to add to your sleeve is work-at-home jobs. Work-at-home jobs are jobs that are completed at home using a computer and/or some equipment like a phone and a headset. The pay is decent and it will bring some income to the household.
Looking for work-at-home jobs is work. It's not going to come at your front door. In fact it's harder to find a legit work-at-home opportunity than a job because there are so many scammers. Type in a career and the words "work-at-home" for results. Companies will also hire people directly just for work at home jobs. Another option is to go to job websites and look for your career followed by one of these three words "work-at-home," "freelance" and "telecommute." Tons will pop up; you'll have to weed out the scammers from the legit jobs. It won't be easy. Some will be obvious (upfront payment, the runaround to collect payment, etc) while others are hard to pinpoint. In that case you will have to work for them (trial and error) until cashing in your first payment to see if they are scammers. What job seekers must do is research. Research the company, read online reviews and trust your instincts. Payment methods should be clear as glass; commission based, hourly, lump sum, part-time or salary.
When you're ready to apply, go for it. Follow their instructions. Some companies will want samples of your work; others want a resume and cover letter. Keep track of where you applied. Depending on the company and industry you will either get a response saying you got the job or be selected for an interview. Interviewees need to be prepared. Some interviews are in person or on the phone while others are online using Skype, instant messaging, email or an online interview system.
Be prepared to be flexible and patient in the work-at-home business. Unless you work for a company that hires work-at-home employees, you are better off working for more than one company to make a decent living. Combine a few part-time work jobs or work freelance for a better chance of finding legit work. Patience is required because the majority of the time is spent weeding through scams. Here are the main jobs that have work-at-home opportunities.
Looking for work-at-home jobs is work. It's not going to come at your front door. In fact it's harder to find a legit work-at-home opportunity than a job because there are so many scammers. Type in a career and the words "work-at-home" for results. Companies will also hire people directly just for work at home jobs. Another option is to go to job websites and look for your career followed by one of these three words "work-at-home," "freelance" and "telecommute." Tons will pop up; you'll have to weed out the scammers from the legit jobs. It won't be easy. Some will be obvious (upfront payment, the runaround to collect payment, etc) while others are hard to pinpoint. In that case you will have to work for them (trial and error) until cashing in your first payment to see if they are scammers. What job seekers must do is research. Research the company, read online reviews and trust your instincts. Payment methods should be clear as glass; commission based, hourly, lump sum, part-time or salary.
When you're ready to apply, go for it. Follow their instructions. Some companies will want samples of your work; others want a resume and cover letter. Keep track of where you applied. Depending on the company and industry you will either get a response saying you got the job or be selected for an interview. Interviewees need to be prepared. Some interviews are in person or on the phone while others are online using Skype, instant messaging, email or an online interview system.
Be prepared to be flexible and patient in the work-at-home business. Unless you work for a company that hires work-at-home employees, you are better off working for more than one company to make a decent living. Combine a few part-time work jobs or work freelance for a better chance of finding legit work. Patience is required because the majority of the time is spent weeding through scams. Here are the main jobs that have work-at-home opportunities.
- virtual assistant
- call center rep
- tech support
- medical transcriptionist
- online tutor
- writer
- editor
- translator
- web designer
- computer programmer
- teacher
- travel agent
Friday, February 28, 2014
Work Opportunities in Rural Areas
Many college graduates head for big cities like New York or Chicago after they graduate, although there may be some good reasons to consider less heavily populated regions as employment locations. For years rural areas have been losing its citizens to big cities, causing many smaller towns to decrease in population and having a severe negative impact on their economies. As a result, many rural areas are taking steps to prevent their citizens from leaving, and perhaps even attracting new inhabitants.
Kansas has recently implemented the Rural Opportunity Zones program, in which new full-time residents of the state are offered Kansas income tax waivers for a period of up to five years, providing that they live in of the 73 counties who are participating in the program. The majority of these counties are also offering student loan repayments up to $15,000.
Nebraska, which is located directly above Kansas, has also taken steps to attract more residents. The University of Nebraska has started an initiative it refers to as the Rural Sourcing Project. This undertaking outsources jobs to smaller towns throughout the state, instead of to major metropolitan areas. The Rural Sourcing Project was inspired by an Atlanta-based software development company called Xpanxion. Over the past six years Xpanxion has created about 100 jobs in Nebraska in an effort to attract skilled workers to small towns throughout the state. This has saved Xpanxion a great deal of money on labor expenses, since workers in Nebraska do not need to be paid as much as in Atlanta or the Silicon Valley. Likewise, workers benefit from the much lower cost of living, so it is a win-win situation. Xpanxion has since established a program with the Center for Rural Research and Development at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and with the university’s al umni association in an effort to recruit graduates. Today these programs are collectively known as the Rural Sourcing Project.
In addition to offering a lower cost of living, rural areas are also attractive because they have lower crime rates and less pollution than big cities. Many people also enjoy the charm of small towns. Large urban areas still offer many work opportunities, but job searches need not be restricted to big cities. If you need help finding a job, contact us today.
Kansas has recently implemented the Rural Opportunity Zones program, in which new full-time residents of the state are offered Kansas income tax waivers for a period of up to five years, providing that they live in of the 73 counties who are participating in the program. The majority of these counties are also offering student loan repayments up to $15,000.
Nebraska, which is located directly above Kansas, has also taken steps to attract more residents. The University of Nebraska has started an initiative it refers to as the Rural Sourcing Project. This undertaking outsources jobs to smaller towns throughout the state, instead of to major metropolitan areas. The Rural Sourcing Project was inspired by an Atlanta-based software development company called Xpanxion. Over the past six years Xpanxion has created about 100 jobs in Nebraska in an effort to attract skilled workers to small towns throughout the state. This has saved Xpanxion a great deal of money on labor expenses, since workers in Nebraska do not need to be paid as much as in Atlanta or the Silicon Valley. Likewise, workers benefit from the much lower cost of living, so it is a win-win situation. Xpanxion has since established a program with the Center for Rural Research and Development at the University of Nebraska at Kearney, and with the university’s al umni association in an effort to recruit graduates. Today these programs are collectively known as the Rural Sourcing Project.
In addition to offering a lower cost of living, rural areas are also attractive because they have lower crime rates and less pollution than big cities. Many people also enjoy the charm of small towns. Large urban areas still offer many work opportunities, but job searches need not be restricted to big cities. If you need help finding a job, contact us today.
Friday, February 21, 2014
Bragging Skills Could Improve Work Opportunities for Women
Two recent studies suggest that a reluctance to brag could be holding women back when it comes to work opportunities. If you’re searching for a new job online, it may be time to improve your bragging skills.
Researchers at Montana State University confirmed the conventional wisdom that women are less comfortable than men when it comes to talking about their accomplishments. They put female students to the test by asking them to write an essay about why they deserved a merit scholarship. The group that did best was the one that was tricked into thinking there was a box in the room emitting sound waves that caused anxiety even though they couldn’t be heard. It appeared that the students blamed their discomfort on the box which freed them up to brag about themselves more effectively.
An earlier study at the University of Massachusetts reached similar conclusions. They found that women working with men were less likely to take credit for their work than women with female colleagues.
Being able to talk about your achievements is essential to landing a new job and advancing in your career. If you’re struggling with excess modesty, consider these tips:
Focus on the bottom line. Downplaying your qualifications is expensive. The typical woman still earns less over her lifetime than her male counterpart.
Build your confidence. Think of it as telling the truth rather than boasting. Assess your strengths and get feedback from people you trust.
Distract yourself. You don’t have to have an imaginary box like the experiment above. Focus on your work rather than your fears.
Talk about results. Sticking to the facts will impress an employer and reduce your stress. Take credit for cutting costs or improving quality.
Team up. You may find it easier to promote others. Network with colleagues you can say nice things about.
You’ll find more than 250,000 jobs you can search for free at Jobvertise. Contact us to learn how to energize your job search.
Researchers at Montana State University confirmed the conventional wisdom that women are less comfortable than men when it comes to talking about their accomplishments. They put female students to the test by asking them to write an essay about why they deserved a merit scholarship. The group that did best was the one that was tricked into thinking there was a box in the room emitting sound waves that caused anxiety even though they couldn’t be heard. It appeared that the students blamed their discomfort on the box which freed them up to brag about themselves more effectively.
An earlier study at the University of Massachusetts reached similar conclusions. They found that women working with men were less likely to take credit for their work than women with female colleagues.
Being able to talk about your achievements is essential to landing a new job and advancing in your career. If you’re struggling with excess modesty, consider these tips:
Focus on the bottom line. Downplaying your qualifications is expensive. The typical woman still earns less over her lifetime than her male counterpart.
Build your confidence. Think of it as telling the truth rather than boasting. Assess your strengths and get feedback from people you trust.
Distract yourself. You don’t have to have an imaginary box like the experiment above. Focus on your work rather than your fears.
Talk about results. Sticking to the facts will impress an employer and reduce your stress. Take credit for cutting costs or improving quality.
Team up. You may find it easier to promote others. Network with colleagues you can say nice things about.
You’ll find more than 250,000 jobs you can search for free at Jobvertise. Contact us to learn how to energize your job search.
Sunday, February 16, 2014
Remove these Posts from Social Media when Finding Jobs
Our previous post already discussed how you had to clean up your digital life before finding a job. Many potential employers now routinely look at your social media to determine if you'd make a good fir for the company. It's not enough, however, to remove questionable pictures. You must also delete the following types of posts.
- Complaints may paint you as a troublemaker and hothead if you use social media to vent your anger against businesses, coworkers, bosses, industries or the government. If you want to warn your followers against unsavory business practices, balance the complaint with a suggestion for improvement. Potential employers will then see you as someone who likes to solve problems.
- Political commentary. It's a free country and you're entitled to your opinion. But what happens if your employer does not share your views, or consider your opinions extreme or radical? Many bosses don't really care what you think but they may be concerned about how customers may view your commentaries, especially if you work in jobs with public contact, such as sales or customer service. Play it safe by removing any posts with a hint of politics.
- Confidential information. If you've signed a confidentiality clause with your current or past employers, then you are legally bound not to repeat anything on social media that could violate that clause. And even if you didn't, you must not post anything that your potential employer might see as confidential, including unreleased technology, vendor contracts and discount, or profit and loss figures. Even innocent praise for a successful project can be seen as inappropriate if it discusses something that is not public knowledge. Only post information about your company that already exists online or in printed media.
Friday, February 7, 2014
Post Resumes: Get Your Name And Experience Out There
Being a job seeker is not a position most people want to be in. They would rather be a job holder. As such, it is important to get out there and nab the job. The best way to do this is to start to post resumes and see what is available out there.
It Is A Wide World Of Jobs
Even when the economy is at its worst there are still jobs available somewhere. Many are deterred simply because they believe that the economy is tough out there. The economy may indeed be tough, but doing nothing at all will not solve the problem for yourself. Instead, it is necessary for you to get your name out there.
Crafting A Strong Resume
There are many people who are going to be posting their resumes at any given time. They are in direct competition with you for the jobs you may want.
Prospective employers not only look at your resume, but how your resume is presented. You need to make sure your resume is pleasing to the eye as well as contains good content.
You want your resume to stand out from the rest that are available to any given employer. This means proofreading it and making sure that it looks better than the standard resume.
Never Stop Trying
Just submitting a resume to the one job that you would really like to have is not effective enough. You should apply for that job, but you should also apply for others as well. You never know which one might decide to give you a call. If you stop at the first one, then you may be waiting around for a very long time.
Contact us for more tips on how to get your resume in order and how to land a job.
It Is A Wide World Of Jobs
Even when the economy is at its worst there are still jobs available somewhere. Many are deterred simply because they believe that the economy is tough out there. The economy may indeed be tough, but doing nothing at all will not solve the problem for yourself. Instead, it is necessary for you to get your name out there.
Crafting A Strong Resume
There are many people who are going to be posting their resumes at any given time. They are in direct competition with you for the jobs you may want.
Prospective employers not only look at your resume, but how your resume is presented. You need to make sure your resume is pleasing to the eye as well as contains good content.
You want your resume to stand out from the rest that are available to any given employer. This means proofreading it and making sure that it looks better than the standard resume.
Never Stop Trying
Just submitting a resume to the one job that you would really like to have is not effective enough. You should apply for that job, but you should also apply for others as well. You never know which one might decide to give you a call. If you stop at the first one, then you may be waiting around for a very long time.
Contact us for more tips on how to get your resume in order and how to land a job.
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