6 Tips for an Effective Job Search

6 Tips for an Effective Job Search6 Tips for an Effective Job SearchLike vowing to lose weight or spend less money, landing a new job may sound like a great resolution for the new year. But reaching goals, and having an effective job search, involves more than just wishful thinking.Turn your words into action with these six tips on how to really get into job search mode and have an effective job search in 20171. Write out your goals.Vague ideas wont do. You need to create a no-nonsense, easy-to-follow document stating what you want and how you intend to go about getting it.Without specific steps, you will be floating without direction, and this is what causes people to get off track, notes career and life coach Deborah Brown-Volkman, president of Surpass Your Dreams, Inc. In addition, steps are an excellent way to measure how close you are to achieving your resolutions.2. Block out time.Serious job seekers devote serious time to the endeavor.Get out your calendar and schedule regular , uninterrupted periods during which to work on perfecting your resume, researching companies, talking to contacts, and sending off applications.3. Get networking.You know you want a new job, but does anyone else? Get the word out to people in your network. Cast a wide net- anyone could be a potential lead.Prioritize meeting new people by attending professional events, alumni gatherings, and the like. Connections still rank as a top way to land a job, and socializing sure beats spending all of your job search time behind a computer.4. Construct an awesome elevator pitch.Be ready to flip into go-getter mode at any second by having an elevator pitch down pat.An elevator pitch serves as an introduction and first impression, says Ryan Brechbill, director of the Center for Career Professional Development at Otterbein University in Ohio. It immediately signals to the listener the candidates level of self-awareness, confidence, and purpose.Aim for brevity, a natural delivery, and a welcom ing approach. And definitely consider what listeners will find interesting or helpful.5. Update LinkedIn.Give all those great new people you meet a way to learn more about you by creating an attention-getting, thorough profile.Be sure to include a quality headshot to help them remember you and to provide an air of professionalism.6. Evaluate your motivation level.If putting these tasks into action provokes more dread than desire, you may not be ready to fulfill the resolution to find a new job.Perhaps you need to do some soul-searching first to discover the type of job that truly gets you excited. Or maybe youre actually pretty happy in your current location but could use some tweaks such as a flexible schedule to raise overall satisfaction.Pinpoint what factors are keeping you from conducting a passionate job hunt. When you find your answer, youll likely also find your ambition.Find a Flexible JobReaders, how do you get into job search mode and have an effective job search? Share s ome inspiration and tips below

10 mistakes youre making on your resume

10 mistakes youre making on your resume 10 mistakes youre making on your resume Chances are good that youre making a few of these common mistakes on your resume. How many are you guilty of?1. Relying on outdated sources of advice. Resume conventions have changed dramatically in the last 20 years. If youre reading a book that insists you use an objectiveon your resume or that you cant exceed one page, chances are good that youre reading something outdated (or listening to someone who hasnt hired recently).2. Including every job youve ever had, no matter how irrelevant or long ago. A resume isnt meant to be an exhaustive accounting of every job youve ever held. Its a marketing document designed to present you in the strongest, fruchtwein compelling light. That means you dont need to include every job youve ever had, or the part-time work you did on top of your regular job last year, or even your degree in an irrelevant field if you dont want to. You get to decide what you do and dont i nclude. The only rule is that you cant make things up.3. Listing only job duties, rather than accomplishments. Resumes that really stand out go beyond what your job description welches and instead answer this question What did you accomplish in this job that someone else might not have?4. Including subjective descriptions. Your resume is for experience and accomplishments only. Its not the place for subjective traits, like great leadership skills or creative innovator. Hiring managers generally ignore anything subjective that an applicant writes about herself, because so many peoples self-assessments are wildly inaccurate theyre looking for facts.5. Leaving out volunteer work. Sometimes during the course of an interview, I discover someone has highly relevant experience they didnt include on their resume because it was volunteer work and they thought it didnt count. It counts Your accomplishments are your accomplishments, even if you did the work pro bono rather than for pay.6. Incl uding inappropriate information. Information about your spouse or children, your height or weight, or your salary history doesnt belong on your resume. (And yes, people really do include these things.)7. Getting creative at the expense of clarity. If youre thinking of trying something creative with your resume, like unusual colors or a non-traditional design, make sure your desire to stand out isnt getting in the way of the whole point of resume design. Heres what fruchtwein hiring managers want from a resume a concise, easy-to-scan list of what youve accomplished, organized chronologically by position, plus any particularly notable skills, all presented in a format that they can quickly scan and get the highlights. Thats it. Creativity, while a nice trait, doesnt trump those requirements, so make sure whatever format you use works in those ways.8. Having tiny inconsistencies. If you want to come across as someone who takes care in your work and is attentive to detail, pay attention to the small things Do you have periods after some bullet points but not after others? Do you use consistent verb tenses throughout? Do you randomly start using a different font or type size? These things seem nitpicky, but even small inconsistencies can jump out to an attentive reader.9. Sending your resume without a cover letter. If youre applying for jobs without including a compelling cover letter- customized to the specific opportunity- youre missing out on one of the most effective ways to grab an employers attention. A cover letter is your opportunity to make a compelling case for yourself as a candidate, totally aside from whats in your resume.10. Believing every piece of resume advice anyone gives you. Yes, it may sound funny coming from me, but the reality is that you can give your resume to 10 different people who are all qualified to give resume advice, and youll get 10 different sets of recommendations Use this font, use that font, dont go over one page, two pages are fine, objectives are required, objectives are silly- it can be enough to drive you crazy.The reality is, there are few hard and fast universal rules aside from the obvious (no typos, no illegible fonts, no 10-page rambles, no inappropriate sharing of your personal life). But there are trends- conventions that are gaining majority support. For instance, most hiring managers agree that functional resumes are frustrating and possibly hiding something. And two-page resumes have become completely acceptable these days. But even these trends arent flat-out rules. The best you can do is to get a feel for the types of things people care about and why and make choices that make sense for you and the job you want.

Army Raises Maximum Enlistment Age

Army Raises Maximum Enlistment AgeArmy Raises Maximum Enlistment AgeUpdated 2019. This is a historical article that demonstrates that age limits are not written in stone and given the circumstances of the military, they have the discretion to raise or lower the maximum age limit eitherbei allowing or not allowing older recruits to join the active duty, reserves, or National Guard. It really depends upon the needs of the military, but there are waivers for age that are handled on a case by case basis when outside the age range of the current recruit requirements. Currently, the age limits for all entrances into the Army are the following AGE REQUIREMENTS ACTIVE DUTY 17-35 RESERVES 17-35 NATIONAL GUARD 17-35 UNITED STATES MILITARY ACADEMY 17-23 Post 9-11 Changes However, in 2005, during the initial phases of the Global War On Terror (GWOT), the Army raised its maximum age requirements to fill the needs of a highly deployed operational force. However, after six years, the need for m ore troops welches decreased and in 2011the age limit welches dropped back to GWOT levels. Also the unemployment rate welches higher after the Great Recession that led to a massive recruiting influx that further decreased the need to open the enlistment ranks for civilians in their forties. From Army News Service (2005) The Army has raised the enlistment age to 42 (for Active Duty, Reserves, and Army National Guard), made possible under provisions of the Fiscal Year 2006 National Defense Authorization Act. The Army raised the active-duty age limit to 40 in January as an interim step while it worked out the additional medical screening requirements for recruits ages 40 to 42. Before January, an applicant could not have reached his or her 35th birthday. The Army Reserve age limit was raised from 35 to 40 in March 2005. Raising the maximum age for Army enlistment expands the recruiting pool, provides motivated individuals an opportunity to serve and strengthens the readiness of Ar my units. More than 1,000 men and women over age 35 have already enlisted since the Army and Army Reserve raised their age limits to age 40. Experience has shown that older recruits who can meet the physical demands of Army service generally make excellent Soldiers. They are mature, motivated, loyal and patriotic, and bring with them a wealth of skills and experience to our Army, said Col. Donald Bartholomew, U.S. Army Recruiting Command Assistant Chief of Staff, G5. We certainly do not expect for this change to result in a large increase of recruits, however it will allow for those individuals who have the passion for service, but for whatever reason could not serve earlier in their lives, the opportunity to serve the nation now, when the time is right for them, he added. All applicants must meet eligibility standards, to include passing the physical standards and medical examinations however those 40 to 42 will be given additional medical screening. For Shannon D. Morris, 36, of S hreveport, La., enlisting in the U.S. Army was a dream-come-true. She said she had wanted to join since she was a teenager but she didnt get the chance. My brother was in the Army and it was always something that I wanted to do, she said. My father encouraged me to do it, but I became a mother at a young age and that took the priority. Morris thought she had lost her chance, but learned that the Army had raised its age limit when her son, Robert McLain, began talking with an Army recruiter. She said the more her son talked about his decision, the more interested she became in doing something for herself. When Robert told me I might still be young enough, the wheels started turning and I thought this might just be my last opportunity to get the benefits for my education and see the world. Morris said her family was surprised she wanted to enlist and serve, but they are supportive of her plans. Her mother thought it was a great idea and her husband Rick, a district fire chief who will retire this summer, encouraged her as well. My brother thought I was crazy, she joked. But he also thought it was great that I was doing it, and I couldnt believe how supportive everyone was of me. It made me proud to know that they were all behind me. Morris, who will be a petroleum lab specialist, left for basic combat training May 25 and McLain followed May 30 to Fort Benning, Ga., where he began training to become a Ranger. Recruits of all ages are eligible for the same enlistment bonuses and other incentives based on their individual qualifications. *This article is for historical purposes as the regulations for age limits have been raised and lowered back to previous standards during the 2005-2011 time period. However, history will always repeat itself and when in need, the military will need to reach out to older, qualified candidates to fill its ranks.