Easy Articles - Careers

Networking Your Way To A New Job

2009-10-10T10:46:00.000-07:00

It is widely known that many job vacancies are not offered publicly, but are filled through word-of-mouth or through networking. This is known as the ‘hidden job market’.

Networking involves gaining a variety of contacts through people you meet in all sorts of environments, whether work or non work related. Whether it be through family, friends, or colleagues, these people may be able to give you information, job leads, or introduce you on to another person to expand your network even further, and get closer to the goal you are aiming for, the perfect job.

Being a successful networker will really benefit you with moving forward in your career. Meeting people and having some sort of connection with them will often put you ahead of another candidate who they have never met and can only make assumptions on through their CV.

It is essential that you stay in contact with these people with frequent emails and phone calls, so you stick in their mind and when a position comes up they can think of you and recommend you for the role.

You must always remember also that the information must pass both ways. If you come across something you think would be beneficial to someone, then pass it on. Failure to do this can result in you being left out of the links and tips that could benefit you in the future. Another mistake would be to just tell everyone you meet that you need job. You must establish a relationship with them first and then mention it once this has been sufficiently established.

From the employers point of view it makes sense also. Hiring someone is complete luck and so interviewing someone they have previously been recommended will put you in their favour and place you in a much better position of being considered for the role.

To find your ideal bristol jobs, you need to combine what you know with who you know and act upon it. This is an excellent way of moving onwards and upwards in your career.

Author: jon - cardiff jobs

What is a Career Development Loan? And how to get one.

2009-10-10T10:38:00.000-07:00

Recent graduates are in a uniquely tough position when it comes to further study. On the one hand, for many students who have just received a degree it is an entirely good idea to consider a postgraduate course to avoid the competitive recession-hit job market and to use the opportunity to make themselves even more employable. Yet on the other hand, it is unsurprising that many young people are anxious when it comes to the financial implications of further study - especially in a climate that is treating savers more kindly than borrowers.

If you are eager to embark on further study after three years of university, once you have decided on exactly you want to do you should then consider a career development loan. Career development loans (sometime referred to as professional loans) are offered by certain banks such as Barclays, RBS and Co-Operative and are specifically designed to give you the finance to aid your career or professional life.

The loans are often used by individuals who want to do a traditional university masters course, but career development loans can also be used to do another BA in a different subject, distance learning courses, vocational training and specialist courses, and diplomas - it's really up to you, as long as it is clear that such study will be seen to be pushing your career forward. The money should then be used to go towards course fees, living expenses, and other costs including books, tools and transport.

Career development loans differ from regular loans in a number of ways. First off, the amount you can usually borrow ranges from £300 to £10,000. Additionally, while you are studying the interest (average rates hover at around 9.9 percent) incurred is paid by the Learning Skills Council and continues like this for a month after you have finished - giving you a little bit of time to find work before you must start paying it back.

It is also important to remember that you must be over 18 to be granted a CDL, as well as a UK resident - and it is worth applying early because lenders have a certain amount they can offer and they can be fairly selective with who they lend to. It is worth seeking advice from a careers adviser or your bank before deciding on whether a career development loan is the best option for you.

Author: MarkeD

Sarah Maple is writing about adult education and degree courses.

How to Avoid Exaggerating in Your Resume

2009-10-10T08:46:00.001-07:00

When you're drafting a resume, it is tempting to stretch the truth some so that you appear to be more impressive than maybe your skills might indicate. However, while there is such a thing as packaging your resume in a smart way, choosing words that tell the truth, yet sound sensational, for example, you want to avoid flat-out exaggerating.

So, how can you avoid crossing the fine line from smart resume packaging to exaggeration? Here are a few ideas to consider ...

Choose Creative Ways to Describe Your Skills and Accomplishments

It's one thing to choose a creative way to describe what you've accomplished in prior positions; fudging the truth is another matter altogether. If you are able to find creative words for what you've actually done, you're considered a smart cookie. However, if you fudge the truth and tell a story that didn't happen, you're considered a liar.

It's very important that you carefully choose what you write in your resume because everything can be tracked. So if you tell an employer that you were managed 10 employees in packing department, when in actuality you managed handing out daily assignments drawn up by the real manager of the packing department, you could find yourself in deep trouble for fudging the truth. Using action words like managed, oversaw, developed and arranged are good ways to make small tasks look bigger, as long as using them doesn't result in a lie.

Get Used to Telling the Truth

How do you find the happy medium between exaggerating and underselling yourself? The best way is to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth. For instance, if you've managed an average of 50 calls per day, successfully routing them to the appropriate party via the company's complex phone system, yet on your resume, you write that you were "in charge of answering phones", you're only telling a half-truth.

Of course, you don't want to say that you developed the intricate phone system yourself because that would be an outright lie. So what's a happy medium? Tell them that you "managed an average of 50 calls per day, successfully routing them to the appropriate party via the company's complex phone system". Do you see how that works? You were much more specific about what you did and were able to tell the truth, making your accomplishment much more impressive without having to lie.

Use Your Cover Letter to Back You Up

If you feel that you simply do not have enough experience to make a hard sell in your resume without exaggerating, use your cover letter as a way to tell your stories in detail. Since resumes only leave room for one- and two-liners, they can feel restrictive. By using your cover letter to better describe your experience, you can help to make up for what your resume lacks.

You don't want to get into the habit of stretching the truth in your job applications. One little "white lie" can come back to bite you in a big way. Instead, find ways to creatively tell the truth about your accomplishments. No matter how small you think they are, they are yours and you should be proud of them.

Author: Heather Eagar

About the Author:

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Need a resume service? Compare the top ones in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com/.

Careers

2009-10-10T08:12:00.000-07:00

How to Avoid Exaggerating in Your Resume

When you're drafting a resume, it is tempting to stretch the truth some so that you appear to be more impressive than maybe your skills might indicate. .... Author: Heather Eagar

What is a Career Development Loan? And how to get one.
Recent graduates are in a uniquely tough position when it comes to further study. On the one hand, for many students who have just received a degree it is an entirely good idea to consider a postgraduate course to avoid the ..... Author: MarkeD

Networking Your Way To A New Job

It is widely known that many job vacancies are not offered publicly, but are filled through word-of-mouth or through networking. This is known as the ‘hidden job market’. ..... Author: jon - cardiff jobs