NY Resume Writing

The Importance Of Multi-Tasking

admin — Thu, 26 Apr 2012 18:50:14 +0000

We all have to handle multiple tasks simultaneously, whether it is in our personal or professional lives. Multi-tasking can be stressful, but it’s even more stressful if you don’t know how to do it properly. Multi-tasking in your personal life is one thing, but doing this in a professional setting is another because failing at multi-tasking in a professional setting has greater consequences than it does in personal life.
In order to multi-task successfully, you need to prioritize which project is the most important. You also need to manage your time. As part of prioritizing, you need to establish a time frame for each project. This is especially important if you are juggling alone. If you are multi-taking in a group, you need to be able to delegate. You need to separate the workload evenly among the group taking into account each persons strengths and weaknesses. Being a leader of a group means that you must let everyone have a say in what’s going on. Micro managing will cause the structure of your team to fall apart and no tasks will get done.
There are many reasons why we multi-task in the work place. One of the biggest reasons is that it saves the company time and money. To an employer, it’s all about efficiency. They love getting a return investment. In a nutshell, return investment is when an employer hires you with the hopes that you can do your role like an automated, well-oiled machine.
Another reason for work place multi-tasking is if someone is out sick and you need to fill in for them while trying to complete your own projects. Some companies will hire people to do nothing but multi-task because if one person can handle all these jobs, they won’t need to hire another person to do those jobs. The skill of multi-tasking is something that will make anyone a big asset to a company, which also means being able to keep a job.
Successful multi-taskers are those who are able to do many tasks simultaneously, however the key is not to loose attention to detail. Once we loose attention to detail, the whole purpose of multi-tasking is lost.

Job seeking strategies for the seasoned

admin — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 16:09:01 +0000

In this job market, there are a lot of job seekers. Some of these job seekers may be college graduates, career changers and in this case, seasoned workers. As a seasoned worker who is job seeking, you may find it to be more challenging than the other job seekers. The reason for this is because a lot of employers are looking for younger job seekers. Employers want younger job seekers who have just enough experience but not enough that they may leave the company for another opportunity. You may also be over-qualified.
Being a seasoned job seeker who has held down a job for long periods of time may not provide much experience in dealing with the struggles of unemployment. There are many obstacles for seasoned job seekers to find a job but that doesn’t mean it’s impossible.
There is a strategy that seasoned job seekers can use. When it comes to being seasoned, your going to have one long resume. At first you may think that you long resume shows your many experiences and skills. In reality, an employer wouldn’t know what to do with someone so seasoned and often times a long resume would turn them off.
For a seasoned job seeker, you should only put down the last 10 years of employment on your resume. Any more and it may bore the employer. Next, you would want to find what these experiences have in common. An example would be leadership. You can use this as a transferable skill. Your resume should also have a clear objective and it should also support the employer’s requirements. Only make your resume no more than two pages long if you are a seasoned job seeker. It would be even better if everything were on one page.
A skill and/or experience that set you apart from 20 years ago can make you stand out to an employer. This skill/experience may be hard to find today and employers may be looking for it. This is something that you would want to put on your resume to make you stand out.
To conclude, the best way for a seasoned job seeker to find a new position that may be under their previous one is to fine-tune your resume to that position. To make an employer understand why you are moving downward is to tell them that you are looking for a change of pace but just as challenging. Always keep your answers positive. Since you are also seasoned, you can tell them that due to your experience you are actually cost effective. Don’t let the fact that you are seasoned stop you from getting a job. Use what you have to your advantage, even if employers make it a disadvantage.

Expectations change with experience

admin — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 16:09:27 +0000

Most of my expectations for this internship were changed within the first two hours. I thought that in an office such as this, an intern would have a limited experience learning only from what was heard or seen during their stay. When I found out that there were daily “mini meetings” where we learned to become better job applicants, my initial expectations were abandoned and were replenished with fresh plans for the upcoming months. The first day has almost come to a close, and I have already been uniquely challenged. I plan on learning about unfamiliar computer software, as well as gaining an in depth understanding of the hiring process.
During this troubling time in the U.S. with the unemployment rate at such a standstill, it is encouraging to be in a position to learn extensively about the hiring process. I will be learning tools that would make myself a standout amongst other applicants. With this internship my interview skills will be properly tuned to fit the expectations of Millennium Personnel.

How to Ace a Interview

admin — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 18:44:35 +0000

The most important thing about an interview is landing a job. As an intern I’m learning how to interview others, so my own skills can increase. I was just as nervous as the person sitting on the other side of the desk. I have never interviewed anyone, or thought about doing it. I’ve done a couple of interviews this week during my internship. Some people were nervous and some showed no fear at all. There are three things that most employers look for in a resume. The first is experience in the field your applying for. Most jobs require you to have at least two year or more. However if you have none, it would be beneficial for you to take and internship. The second thing the employer is looking for is your education. Some jobs may want you have a Masters Degree, while others will be willing to employ workers with just a high school GED. The last criterion is technical skills, which is very important to the job market. Technical skills involve having working knowledge of computer software. The basic requirement is having basic (or better) Microsoft Site skills with Outlook and QuickBooks being a plus.The best way to do good on a interview is to always stay clam and optimism, once you panic, the situation can go down hill from there. It’s best to speak loud and clear. And to sound like you have a lot of confident, dress business attire, neat and clean. Always come on time to an interview and never fold up your resume and give it to the employer. The whole reason why employers give interview so they can pick the right candidates. For example, a good candidate is someone who comes in on time and completes his or her tasks on time. This is the type of candidate that all employers look for.

Making your resume stand out: Sum it up!

admin — Thu, 19 Jan 2012 17:01:31 +0000

A basic resume shows an employer what experiences and skills we have and interviews are used to show an employer our characteristics that would otherwise be difficult to put on paper. However, there are other ways to catch an employer’s attention through your resume. Everyone is looking for a job, which means that employers will have more resumes and less time to look at each one thoroughly. As it turns out, most resumes only get about a 30 second look from employers. One way of making them review your resume for more than 30 seconds is to have a summary statement.
A summary statement is a 4-6 lines paragraph that summarizes your professional background. Keep in mind that this is only speaking about your professional background. A summary statement should touch upon core strengths and transferable skills that are relevant to the position, past relevant experiences and notable accomplishments that you intend to repeat in the new position that you are applying for. Do not speak about employment gaps, career changes or personal experiences. If these need to be addressed, put it in your cover letter.
The opposite of a summary statement is a resume objective. A resume objective only shows your own interests as a job seeker. This can potentially result in you being turned down before the interview even happens. Your own interests may not be what the employer is looking for and in some cases, your interests and the employers interests may conflict with each other.
The reason why a summary statement is better than a resume objective is that the statement shows what you can do for the company. It shows you are willing to help the company flourish with your skills and experiences instead of looking out for yourself. Your resume will get more attention from employers if it shows that you are interested in the employers’ interests.
Another way to keep an employer’s attention on your resume is to brand yourself. Branding is like giving your professional experience its own personality. A few examples are being a team player, having excellent communication skills both written and orally, or even being a fast and willing learner. Branding yourself makes you stand out from the other resumes. Branding yourself also shows the employer what you are bringing just by being hired, if you impress them enough.
My brand is being The Jack of All Trades. I want to have a good amount of skills in a variety of positions. This shows my employers that I can work from any position that they give me and that I can work with more than just a few positions at the same time. I also believe that this brand will keep me in a job longer. Should a company decide to get rid of one position entirely, I can simply transfer to a different position in that company. This brand benefits both the employer and me.

Life After Your Internship

admin — Thu, 08 Dec 2011 16:24:59 +0000

A lot of interns feel they don’t know what to do once their internship is over. There are many options that one can take. The first action is to have an updated resume that includes the skills you’ve acquired during your internship. You can get an updated resume usually through the help of your supervisor at your internship. In addition, get a cover letter. The cover letter gets overlooked a lot when people apply for jobs but it is very important to have. You should also ask for a recommendation letter from your internship. The recommendation letter looks good for a job seeker because it gives you more credibility. It shows the interviewer that a past employer/supervisor thought highly of you as an intern. This gives you an advantage over other job seekers who don’t have a recommendation letter. To add, get references from your internship. Some hiring managers ask for references during the hiring process so you will at least have references from your internship.

Another option one can take is networking. Try to stay in touch with your supervisor at your former internship. Your past supervisor may have connections to other hiring managers that could benefit one’s job search. In addition to a former supervisor one can go to job networking social websites and network with other people. Make as many connections as possible because the more you have the more your chances of finding someone who can help you land a job increases. If a job seeker is a churchgoer then asking members of their church of any job openings they know of can be helpful. A job seeker can even ask their neighbors for assistance.

I can relate to interns who are looking for a job after their internship ends because I am also an intern looking for a job. With my updated resume and references, I plan on staying in touch with the supervisor of my internship. I have a profile on the job networking website LinkedIn and I am connected to other people on there. Hopefully, all of these steps I’ve taken will land me a job in the near future.

Seasonal jobs, is it worth the challenge?

admin — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 18:10:18 +0000

Job hunting is difficult in this job market and at some point, we all take what we can get. If a permanent job can’t be found, you can do nothing about it. So maybe pick up a seasonal job? Everyone has had a seasonal job at one point, whether it be a summer job or an after school job. However, not everyone is in school. Some of us need a job that has a full schedule but that doesn’t mean that seasonal jobs should be excluded.
There are some good reasons to pick up a seasonal job, such as making money. It may be seasonal, but it pays. You may not like the amount you’re being paid but its still money. Right now minimum wage sounds better than nothing. Another reason to get seasonal employment is that you’re trying to keep busy. You can put this down on your resume to show that you have been doing something. One thing employers like to scrutinize is large time gaps between jobs on your resume. You can use your seasonal jobs to fill in the gaps. A seasonal job can also provide a new set of skills and experience. You’re more likely to gain a transferable skill in a seasonal job than doing nothing. Even if it’s a type of job that you have done before, it’s still keeping your skills sharp if you don’t feel there is anything to gain.
When there’s a pro, there’s a con. Seasonal jobs will take away from your job hunting, and in turn, it will take away possible interviews for jobs. You also won’t have as much time to work on your resume or submit it to employers. Seasonal jobs rarely last, unless you impress the employer enough for them to keep you. You’re also more expendable in a seasonal job. Keep in mind that you may have replaced someone before you and you yourself can be replaced just as easily.
I’ve held seasonal jobs before and I know what it feels like to be replaced. I worked as a tutor during the spring. The summer was around to corner with teens looking for a summer job. The teens were being paid minimum wage by a government funded third party. I was given the option to be part of the third party if I wanted to keep my job through the summer. I was being paid 9.50 an hour and I wasn’t looking to change to minimum wage at the time. I felt it wasn’t worth it, so I was let go only to be replaced by minimum wage labor. I didn’t make much from this seasonal job, but money is money and I didn’t complain.
Seasonal jobs are not for everyone and some people are not for seasonal jobs. It’s really up to you as a job hunter to weigh the pros and cons of a seasonal job. Is a seasonal job worth it to you? It ultimately comes down to a judgment call as to whether to take a seasonal job or not.

Being a Manager is a Balancing Act

admin — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 16:51:21 +0000

So you want to be a Manager? Being a manager is part handling clients, part managing staff and part satisfying the company needs. Quite a balancing act! To be an effective manager, you need to have organization. The efficiency of the staff that a manager supervises will often reflect on the managers skills. Managers will also have to juggle with the stresses that come with the position. Problems and complaints will come up often and the manager will have to handle and resolve these in the most effective way.
Managers will also have to be personable. The manager must have good relations with both the customers and the staff they supervise. If there is any kind of tension between the staff and manager, productivity will be hindered. The manger him/herself will have their own manger to answer to and if the higher manager is displeased, this will cause a domino effect down the chain of command. The manager will become stricter. This brings back the balancing act. Managers should be strict but also fair. If there is no fairness, then there is no balance.
Managers have a big responsibility. Whatever the staff does, the manager will be held responsible. Depending on what the problem may be, the manager will have to staff deal with it or if the situation get out of hand, the manager will have to step in. Having to handle a work problem is never a good thing regardless of whether or not you are a manager or staff member.
How do I know? I speak from experience, and I’ve been in that position before. I was a tutor for over a dozen students from grades 1-5. In a way, I was a manger of these students. One day my manager came to me and told me that she had received some phone calls about some of my students not doing their homework. I didn’t want to look bad or lose my job. I found out later that some of the students had been lying to me about their homework being completed. In response to that, I had to be stricter towards them. Instead of just asking if they had homework, I had the students take out their notebook and I would check if they had any homework listed. I would do this for the rest of my time there and my manager didn’t get calls again!

How To Calculate Your Job Search ROI…

admin — Tue, 18 Oct 2011 15:01:50 +0000

A Return On Investment (ROI) is a performance measure used to evaluate the efficiency of an investment. A ROI is viewed as a profitability ratio. However, a Return On Investment is not always based on money, it can be based on time. A ROI can also be applied to your job search. Are you using your job search time wisely? For example, if you are sending out your resume to numerous job agencies and are not getting any calls for an interview, one should review their resume. There can be various errors on your resume you weren’t previously aware of. It’s a good idea to have someone else to review your resume. Investing in a resume specialist can be useful for job seekers. A resume specialist can format your resume to make show all your best qualifications and skills. As a result of getting your resume done by a professional, this may lead to companies calling for interviews and possible job offers.

Another option a job seeker who has trouble getting interviews can do is investing their time going back to school. If one’s job search keeps leading to a dead end, going back to school to learn a different career can be beneficial. The career a person is studying in college can be a career where the job market is big for those who graduate. Another benefit of going back to school is it gives a job seeker an advantage over other job searchers in the job market. With a college degree a job seeker’s potential starting salary can be higher.

The time it takes for a job seeker’s ROI to payoff varies. For some the time is short while others take a little longer. In addition, one needs to understand that the key is to be persistent and determined. Job seekers should look at the long-term benefits in order to get a better understanding of what their current investment can lead to.

Being Constructive With Criticism

admin — Tue, 20 Sep 2011 13:54:10 +0000

Constructive criticism in the workplace happens all the time. Constructive criticism, although a form of criticism, is not meant to be negative. However, there are many times when a manager approaches an employee the wrong way about something they feel the employee did not do right or can improve on. As a result, the employee may feel hurt and the employee’s morale will be shaken. Then there are times the employee might turn hostile towards their boss leading to an unstable working environment.

There are steps a manager can take to give constructive criticism without coming off negative. The first step a manager should take when giving constructive criticism is to say something positive first about the employee. The compliment can be about anything. After saying something positive, the employer should say in a nice way what the employee should improve on or do in the future. This can help an employee grow and become an even more effective worker.

Employees can also give constructive criticism to their managers. If an employee feels that their manager or boss said something to them they didn’t like, the employee should not speak with the boss in front of everybody. The best course of action is to ask to speak to the manager or boss privately. Once in private, the employee should never say things like “you did this wrong” or “this is a complaint about”. The employee should instead phrase it in a polite way and talk about if their performance is to the manager’s satisfaction.

Constructive criticism can lead to a positive working environment. To conclude, as an employee or manager grows from taking constructive criticism, this can lead to the company growing as a result.