One thing to keep in mind during this time is that many successful people have had serious career failures, but they turned it around by remaining optimistic and being true to their values and goals.

Try to combat stress during your job search by implementing some lifestyle changes that will not only help with job search stress, but allow you to lead a better life in general.

Maintain a positive outlook. Losing your job can be a difficult thing to face because there are other losses associated with the experience. Losing your job may mean a loss of income, self-confidence, meaningful activity, friends, daily routine, and a sense of security. And while it is normal to grieve, one must find ways to remain positive and move forward. Here are a few tips on how to stay positive while searching for a job:

• Help others to succeed. While you were working, maybe you always wanted to be able to volunteer at the local shelter, food bank, or your child’s school, but never had the time. Now you do, so volunteer and remain positive by helping others. There is nothing more uplifting than helping others in need.
• Head back to the classroom. Many local community colleges, libraries, and work centers offer personal enrichment classes. While you are searching, be proactive in your own development by taking a class in office software or social media. You may also be thinking about starting a new career, try taking a few classes and see if it is really something you want to pursue.
• Create a “bucket list” of things you want to accomplish. This is a great opportunity to rediscover a hobby or identify one. If you liked to write music, blogs, or poetry, but never had the time, pick up where you left off and begin anew. If you have wanted to learn how to knit, tile your bathroom floor, or garden, look to the Internet for information to get you started. Additionally, if there are places like museums, restaurants, or art galleries that you never had time for, start seeking them out and scheduling a visit. Write out a list of at least five things you want to do, but didn’t have time for, and start from there.

Exercise on a regular basis. Exercise can decrease the bad emotions associated with stress. By decreasing the cortisol and increasing endorphins, which are hormones in the body, you can start feeling better. Exercise can serve as an extremely effective way of avoiding stress while searching for a job for several reasons:

• It’s an outlet to release frustrations. There are many aspects to the job search that can be annoying and frustrating. These little annoyances can start off as small and inconsequential, but snowball if gone unchecked. Participating in high-energy forms of exercise such as kickboxing, running, and weight training can provide you with an effective way to release all that negativity.
• It provides a distraction. Any type of physical activity can take your mind off of your problems. Exercise requires your brain to focus on the activity at hand. When you are feeling especially stressed, try taking a walk, going for a bike ride or hitting the trail for a hike. You may find that the physical activity you are engaged in may carry you to that pleasant, almost “zen-like” state your body is craving.
• It improves your appearance. You will not only feel better and have more energy, but you will look good too. Exercise tones muscles, assists in weight-loss, and keeps your body fit. It will also help you to maintain a healthy and glowing complexion. Above all, the changes to your body as a result of exercise, will give your self- confidence a boost  – which is very important when interviewing for new positions.

Reach out to family and friends. Don’t make your job search your whole life. Reconnect with friends and family members. Family and friends can be very important in the job search process for many reasons:

• They can help you in finding another job. Reconnecting with family and friends can lead to job opportunities you never knew existed. These people can tell you about jobs within their companies or unadvertised jobs their networking connections have. Whenever you are searching for new opportunities, you want to expand your network out as far as possible. Updating friends and family regularly of your employment situation may help uncover many more opportunities than going at it alone.
• These connections provide an outlet to vent. As long as you don’t go too far, willing family and friends can be good sounding boards. Whether you are just seeking someone to listen or someone to give advice, friends and family can be excellent choices to provide honest feedback. In addition, online outlets like MyCrappyResume.com are excellent resources to share your job search stories to vent anonymously.
• They offer a great support system. Dealing with job loss and unemployment can be hard financially. Friends and family may be able to give you a loan to get you through lean financial times. Even if you don’t need money to pay bills, they can treat you to dinner, a movie, or a couple of martinis to boost your spirits.

Let’s face it: job loss and unemployment stinks and no one wants to experience it — yet unemployment and underemployment is happening all around us. So, we better figure out how to cope if it happens to us. Even though it can be a difficult and stressful time, it can also be a wonderful opportunity to turn lemons into lemonade. Take the time to reexamine career goals and rediscover what truly makes you happy.

What tips would you provide readers to help alleviate stress during the job search process?

A great place to start, if you don’t already know your personality type,  is to take a personality assessment like the world famous Myers-Briggs Type Indicator^® (MBTI). The MBTI^® has been used for more than 50 years and the test is regularly updated to coincide with ongoing research, so it can give the most accurate insight into your personality and how it relates to others.

How can taking the MBTI^® make you happier?
When you find out what your personality type is, and you learn to put that together with the things that you are passionate about, it is like you are fitting your own personal puzzle together. Often, we are happiest when we are acting on our strengths. So, how could you not become happier if you know your strengths and make sure to align them with your job and work environment? It will also help you to identify the natural preferences of others, so you have a more compassionate approach in dealing with co-workers (and understanding where they are coming from), which makes for happier working relationships.

Here at Resunate, we appreciate the value of knowing your MBTI^®. In fact, we have added it as a feature so job seekers can now identify their four letter type, and be given job-specific tips on how to position yourself in the job market.

Before taking the test, you will learn how to understand what your four-letter type will mean to you. You’ll also learn what the different preferences are and how all of it works together to form your personality type. In the end, it will help you to understand yourself better and learn why you may work better with certain types of people over others. It will even answer questions you have as to why certain relationships or work situations were unfavorable for you in the past.

Do you know your four-letter personality type? Has it helped you discover a career that makes you happy?

When hiring new employees, typically hiring managers look to hire folks with knowledge, skills, and abilities in a particular field. Startups are no different. They are looking for these same things and more in their new hires.

In addition to employees having knowledge, skills, and abilities, successful startups need employees that share their same vision, have an entrepreneurial spirit, “salesmanesque” attitudes, and who are technology savvy.

1. Why should startups look for employees with the same vision?
No startup is easy. Building a thriving company will take time, so finding employees that share in your vision is very important. When the going gets tough, it may mean that these folks are willing to stick it out longer than most because they believe in the importance of the business and share your visions for its need to succeed. It may also mean that they won’t just give into complacency and the frustrations of starting something new; that they will work through adversity and may find challenge in doing so.

2. Why should startups look for employees who have an entrepreneurial spirit?
Research shows that people who have entrepreneurial tendencies share three characteristics: perseverance, confidence, and integrity. All three of these traits are important to successfully starting a business. Employees with perseverance are very important because perseverance equates to drive and commitment. Drive and commitment are key components in someone being able to stick with the plan of success you have created. They also come in handy when the hours become long and the work becomes tedious and boring.

Secondly, the actions from being confident in oneself and abilities are extremely important in startups. Confidence relates to independence, self-reliance, and assurance. In startups, employees that are able to wear many hats are considered assets.

Finally, in today’s business climate where everyone is on guard to avoid being scammed, it is crucial to ensure employees are honest when dealing with clients, contractors, and suppliers on your behalf.

3. What are “salesmanesque attitudes” and why are they important?
In layman’s terms, “salesmanesque attitudes” deal with the ability to communicate effectively and gain useful knowledge and resources through face-to-face networking to help the business succeed. You need to find someone with extroverted personality traits who likes being around others and can talk up the business to anyone and everyone that will listen. This type of employee will love the early morning coffee meetings and the after hour wine bar soirees just so they can continue talking up the business.

4. Why should startups look for employees that are technology savvy?
We no longer live in a world that is limited by communicating through direct contact, telephone, email, and print media. We now have so many social media outlets that it is impossible to name them all, but a few of the most popular are Facebook, LinkedIn, Google+, and Twitter. Startups wanting to get on board quickly need to find as many cost-effective marketing outlets as possible. Hiring employees that have a profile and a working knowledge in marketing, social media, blogging, and web-based advertising can be a saving grace.

Additionally, having someone around with knowledge in multiple office software programs that understands and knows how to navigate a spreadsheet is not a bad idea. Other important technologies to know are the newer devices such as smartphones and iPads/tablets.

Startups require an investment in time, energy, and resources. While hiring a world-class team that embodies that hard work philosophy will not guarantee its success, it will help its forward progress.

Are you interested in working for a startup? What skills do you think you bring to the table?

Missed #MyCR last night? Here’s a wrap-up:

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Q1: Do employers even look at resumes anymore?

@dorothynext: Big time but skim first looking for a stand out, something to grab them #MyCR

@monafro: “Look” – not too much. But resumes still matter. Over 80% of employers scan resumes and only ~18% get viewed by human eyes. #MyCR

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Q2: In today’s environment, what makes your resume stand out against the rest?

@dorothynext: If you can put down your results in numbers, it has instant credibility #MyCR

@monafro: I often hear that having every bullet point in the SAR (Situation – Action – Results) format really helps you win over others. #MyCR

@TheSportsResume: I have also read that Employers frown upon images, at least those not using an ATS to screen submissions. #MyCR

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Q3: What’s the age or experience cutoff for a 1-page resume?

@monafro: In terms of age cut off. Most career counselors have told me it’s 5-yrs. If you have more, you still gotta keep it to only 2-pages max #MyCR

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Q4: You’ve got length, you’ve got bullets and you’ve got an ATS in mind. How do you lead? Objective, pro. headline, creative slogan?

@delanianicole: I have a profile at the top of my resume. Tells employers I’m not looking for any job w/ just anyone, I want a job like their open one #MyCR

@classycareer: When I review resumes, I love seeing a highlight/summary section at the top that summarizes everything in the resume #MyCR

@monafro: A4: Sources tell me the Objective is out and the Brand Statement is in. From what I know, this is the summary first line. #MyCR

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Q5: What formats do you keep your resume in? And does one have an advantage over another?

@monafro: If you have a funky font or add images to your resume, you may be at risk of never getting through the ATS. #MyCR

@monafro: Chronological format is easiest for humans (and machines) to quickly scan. Functional resumes usually send red flags of gaps #MyCR

@kbmciver: i put edu first (as a student) then experience in reverse chronological order (starting with now) then activities & proficiencies #MyCR

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Q6: Favorite tool used to create resumes – Word, Adobe, Paint? Does anyone just use a LinkedIn export?

@kbmciver: A5: i always send my resume as a .pdf because it preserves formatting but i also uploaded it to Scribd for my personal website. #MyCR

@mycrappyresume: I did my resume with Adobe and some places only wanted word files. PDFs don’t translate well to Word files, so optimize one in both. #MyCR

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Q7: What is one thing that’s an auto-turnoff on a resume?

@monafro: Paragraphs instead of bulleted info. I don’t want to feel like I’m reading an essay. A resume is supposed to be a teaser. #MyCR

Two little girls growing up in Toronto, Katherine Kallinis and Sophie LaMontage, loved to bake cupcakes. When they grew up, they left successful careers at Gucci and a venture capital firm to turn that fun hobby into a little cupcake shop. The cupcake shop, which opened in a small house on Potomac Street, quickly outgrew its location. It is now the very well-known, Georgetown Cupcake, offering eighteen flavors daily and the subject of a reality series on TLC. The show shadows the sisters, telling their story, and shows different aspects of running a small business.

Derek Leebaert, adjunct professor of government at Georgetown University and co-author of The MIT Press trilogy on the information technology revolution, believes:

Small businesses contribute much more to the U.S. economy and society as a whole than can be calculated just from the spending and profit that they generate. These businesses tend to be more economically innovative than larger companies; more able to respond to changing consumer demand; and more receptive to creating opportunities for women and minorities; and activities in distressed areas.

“Building; running; and growing small business is a part of a virtuous cycle of creativity and increasing prosperity that can be applied by dedicated and thoughtful people anywhere,” said Leebaert. “There are no secrets; and frequently money is less important than a considered combination of imagination and effort.”

A small business is not defined only by revenue or number of employees, but by its function in the economy. According to www.america.gov, a “small” manufacturing company is one with fewer than 500 employees; whereas a “small” wholesale trading company may have no more than 100 employees. Because of the different costs to the owner of his or her materials; a carpet cleaning business, for instance, is considered “small” if its annual revenue is less than $4 million; while a “small” construction company can have revenue as sizable as $30 million. Such precision is required by statisticians in order to align these businesses with government programs designed to provide loans; training; and tax relief to these sources of growth.

The small-business sector catalyzes economic expansion by:

• Making up 99.7 percent of all U.S. employers, meaning that only 17,000 companies, or 0.3 percent of all employers, have 500 or more employees.
• Generating half the nonfarm output of the U.S. economy, and employing about half of all Americans not working for government, while adding 60 to 80 percent of net new (nongovernmental) jobs annually.
• Comprising 97 percent of exporters and producing 29 percent of all export value—key points when we consider that exports have accounted for about 25 percent of U.S. economic growth over the past decade and support an estimated 12 million jobs.
• Winning nearly 24 percent of all government contracts, ranging from ship construction to printing brochures.

Even more exciting: The Bureau of the Census has reported that women-owned small businesses (WOSBs) are increasing in number, range, diversity and earning power. As women business owners expand their companies, they contribute to the growth of our national economy.

Another example of a successful woman-owned small business is Argent Associates Inc., a New Jersey supply chain company that provides warehousing, logistics, and product life cycle management services. The 12-year old company saw gross revenues grow more than twelve-fold in two years, from more than $9 million in 2007 to $115 million in 2009.

Argent Associates was named the winner of the 50 Fastest Growing Women-Owned/Led Companies in North America in April 2010 by the Women Presidents Organization and American Express OPEN.

A poll of the winners asked their reasons for success and found these factors in common:

• Commitment to growth — 71 percent agreed or more strongly agreed that their goal from the very beginning of their leadership of the company was to build a large company.
• Inspiring leaders — 64 percent believe their “ability to motivate employees” is the most important characteristic for being a successful woman entrepreneur.
• Surrounding yourself with a skilled team – 78 percent say “Hiring the right people” was the most important action that contributed to their company’s growth.
• Adapting to a changing environment – The strategy most frequently chosen (64 percent) to meet the challenge of the current economy is to “enter new markets”. Sixty-one percent admitted current economic conditions caused them to change their business strategies.

So, it seems what’s really driving the economy these days is small business. If you have an idea or a product…go for it! It may be as sweet as a Georgetown cupcake.

Do you own or work at a small company? What are your thoughts on this article?

Wondering what we’ll discuss? Here’s a list of the questions we’ll be asking:

• Do employers look at a cover letter, or just the resume, or neither?
• What are the different resume formats, and is one preferred by employers?
• What is SAR? And why is it important?
• What’s the age or experience cutoff for a 1-page resume?
• What makes your resume stand out against the rest?
• Should your resume include references?
• How should you handle employment gaps on your resume?
• If you are a career changer, how should you build your resume?

If you’ve never participated in a Twitter chat before, here are a few best practices from Social Fresh:

• It’s okay to just watch. There is plenty to learn by observing the conversation and reading the answers others offer. It’s okay to not feel comfortable chiming in right away, but when you’re ready, speak up so others can talk with you.
• If you’re new to the chat, announce that with a brief introduction to who you are. This gives regulars a chance to welcome you, introduce you to others you may have something in common with and the moderator may be able to offer some helpful resources or suggestions for first-timers.
• Answer the moderator’s questions, contribute relevant opinions, engage with others and retweet answers or links you find helpful.
• Remember, even your followers who aren’t participating in the chat can still see your tweets. Don’t forget about everyone else and be sure what you’re saying or retweeting is something you’d want to share with the rest of your followers.

Can’t wait to “see” you there! ]]> http://blog.resunate.com/2012/01/join-us-tonight-for-mycr/feed/ 0 http://blog.resunate.com/2012/01/10-overused-phrases-keywords-to-avoid-putting-on-your-resume/ http://blog.resunate.com/2012/01/10-overused-phrases-keywords-to-avoid-putting-on-your-resume/#comments Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:30:38 +0000 Resunate Team http://blog.resunate.com/?p=611 Chances are pretty good that if you’ve ever looked for a job, you’ve used a go-to phrase like “team player” or “detail oriented” to describe yourself on your resume or in an interview.

From college days, we’re taught from a boilerplate resume template full of those buzzwords…and we get comfortable with them.

If it’s not broken, why fix it, right? Wrong! Especially in today’s ever competitive job market, using non-descript or boring words in your resume sends the wrong message to your potential employer. In fact, they could even ruin your chance at an interview. It’s more important than ever to break out of the box and show your individuality and creativity with a new selection of words that paint a clear picture of the real you.

So what are the buzzwords that you should avoid to make sure you get noticed? Check them out in this article on BusinessInsider.com.

If you’ve decided that you want to utilize an online resume builder, there are several traits that you should look for before deciding which tool is best for you.

Check out the five things you should look for in an online resume builder on BusinessInsider.com.

If you’ve ever tried to hide gaps in work history, a limited amount of professional work experience, or too many different job titles, chances are you may have used a functional resume to get the job done. But ask any hiring manager if it worked — chances are, you increased your likelihood of landing in the rejection pile.

Recruiters and hiring managers alike have been around the block more than a few times. They know all the tricks in the book. Many times, submitting a functional resume in lieu of a chronological resume sends off red flags for the employer. In fact, when given a choice, three out of four hiring managers would prefer to see your resume in chronological format.

What is a chronological resume?

A chronological resume typically includes your work experience in reverse chronological order, followed by your education, skills, certifications, honors, awards, or achievements. If you are more than just your last job title, why do employers want to see the information chronologically? Selfishly, most will tell you because it is easier for them to read.

However, there are other benefits to the chronological resume as well:

• Clear and concise: As mentioned, chronological resumes are easier for recruiters to read. The reason? Information is presented in an orderly fashion that typically has headers, brief bullet points, and dates for their reference. At a glance, the job titles you’ve held and the companies you’ve worked for are clearly shown.

• Shows your career trajectory: Chronological resumes also give recruiters perspective on your career path. It’s a great way for them to see the flexibility you may offer to the company through the breadth and depth of your experiences. Most candidates hold a variety of titles and roles throughout their careers, and this type of flexibility is often highly desirable in today’s job market.

• Great for multipurpose use: Another great feature of chronological resumes is their applicability to almost every type of position. Simplistic in nature, when written and organized the chronological resume is a tried and true format that serves as a win-win for everyone.

• Ideal for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS): When a parsing system gets a functional resume and finds no keywords directly associated with dated work experience, a hiring manager will not be able to see for how long and how recently the related skills have been used. Since hiring authorities can often compare candidates directly from results given from parsing, this will often result in functional resumes never getting a look.

Downfalls of chronological resumes

While preferred by employers, chronological resumes can present some sticky situations for job candidates. They tend to highlight gaps in employment, limited work experience, and are challenging in career change situations. Use the following tips to give the employer what they want (a chronological resume) while still putting your best foot forward:

Fill gaps with other experience: While chronological resumes may highlight gaps in professional employment, volunteer activities and other unpaid positions can be listed in your work experience. While unemployed, most professionals will continue to be involved in other activities. If substantial, these can provide good examples of what you did during any employment gaps.

Another great way to address gaps in employment is to face the gap head-on in a cover letter. Be sure to maintain your professionalism and provide a clear and simple sentence or two on the gap. There is no need to apologize or make excuses for any time out of the workforce.

Highlight achievements and skills: Chronological resumes are experience based by nature with limited emphasis on skills. They highlight tenure, job title, and employment history. If you are a new grad, the thought of presenting a chronological resume may be daunting, but don’t let it be. Many people in this situation will tend to present their education first highlighting academic achievements like Dean’s List or impressive GPAs. They will also list work experience at the internship or volunteer level to supplement any limitations they might have. Highlight your skills within your experiences to demonstrate potential as well as your academic aptitude.

Emphasize loyalty and flexibility: Submitting a chronological resume in a career change situation can be a sticky proposition, but not impossible. Providing your work experience, especially when it demonstrates loyalty (through remaining with the same employer over time) or flexibility (through having multiple responsibilities over time) allows an employer to see if you are a fit for their organization. Highlighting the skills within the work experience will allow you to demonstrate your potential. Be sure to highlight any accomplishments or skills you used in your prior career for the employer so they can easily see your transferability.

What tips or tricks do you have for making the chronological resume a one-size-fits-all?

While you may want to figure out your type for personal reasons, your future career will benefit if you determine your natural preferences and apply those results to your professional life. If you know your preferences, you will have an idea of how easy and comfortable it will be for you to flourish in a particular work environment.

Continue reading on CareerRocketeer.com.