Internships are important for many things, the first being experience. Hands-on experience with a job that is relative to your future career is a definite step in the right direction. Even if the internship isn’t exactly what you want to do, it will be able to open doors and will also have some type of job skill that you are able to put on your resume. Employers love to see that you have work experience even though sometimes they don’t ask for it.

“Online business networking profiles are still just a piece of the puzzle, though. A successful blend of the old and the new networking techniques will counteract the deficiencies inherent in both approaches. A human touch in the new digital landscape goes a long way towards maintaining awareness and crafting image, while drawing in more localized business”

Another reason internships are important is that they help you network. Often times, hiring managers ask employees to refer qualified workers for interviews. The key is to network with all the opportunities your internship has to offer. Networking takes time and won’t happen over night but social networking websites can make it easier.

“I often see new salespeople attend one or two networking events and say ‘networking doesn’t work.’ Of course it doesn’t work after one or two handshakes – you need to give something to the group first before you can expect anything back. Networking is a marathon, not a sprint.”

Don’t kick yourself when you’re down! Internships are down as well. Employers know that it is hard to get experience so don’t be so gloomy in your interview. You don’t need to be young but you need to bring something to the table and be willing to learn. So go ahead and get your hands dirty and remember that every internship could open doors you never thought existed.

-Spencer

Searching for a new job is a competitive field. You are in a contest with potentially hundreds of other qualified applicants so take that extra step to set yourself apart from the crowd and get noticed by that employer. So you have your resume–that’s a great start but now it’s time to create your personal brand.

The Internet is the best tool you have as a job seeker to create an amazing network of contacts. Social networking has taken off expoentially these past few years with websites emerging for specific niche demographics which include business networking. You will want to do a bit more in-depth research but a quick google search can give you list of business oriented social networks; it’s a good bet to start off with Linkedin and Twitter.

While social networks have gotten many people jobs, there is still a much more you can do for yourself. Consider carving yourself a personal space on the Internet. For example an excellent resource would be to create a website than expands on your resume. While your resume is a short and concise summary of your qualifications, a website can give those potential employers a lot more information should they choose to seek it out.

Remember anything you do online with under your name can potentially be googled so be sure to keep everything professional. This includes your Facebook and Myspace pages because employers often seek those out to get a feel for an individuals personality. This is a direct reflection of yourself to a potential employer so keep that in mind the entire time you are crafting your personal brand. You don’t want this happening during an interview! Websites should be easy to read and navigate so leave out busy artwork and confusing fonts. Before anything gets published you’ll want to proof read and correct all typos, consider having a friend go over it also to catch some mistakes you may forget. Remember, even one tiny typo could leave a nasty impression with an employer.

This is our nations first major recession in which job seekers have these types of tools at their disposal to assist them in their hunt. Be creative and consider ways to promote yourself that may be unconventional but effectively set you apart from the others in the market for your dream career.

Your resume is a condensed list of your qualifications, skills, and experience. In your absence it’s a direct pitch to your future employer. Everything about your resume needs to be perfect so that the viewer is immediately captivated and interested in reading the entire page (tip: keep it to a single page!). The inevitable question that all job prospects ask themselves becomes, “what is the essential structure of content that I need to include in my resume to create an opportunity for myself.”

First you should check out these ten rules that no longer apply when creating a resume, and edit your own accordingly. You then need to make sure your resume looks like an attractive document; for instance if it was sitting on your desk would you glance over it or would you pick it up? If you have trouble laying out your resume in an attractive fashion consider hiring a professional to draft it.

Every resume should have all your contact information at the top making it easy for an employer to get in contact with you through e-mail or a phone call. A common mistake that people make is putting a phone number, such as a home number, that is not exclusively your own. An employer does not want to leave a message with your significant other, or hear little children running around in the background. The same concept applies to your e-mail address. Create a professional one with your first and last name included.

Get to the point on your resume and don’t bore the reader with mundane facts about your personal life. Following this structure outline is a great start to creating a flawless resume. When formatting the final draft of your resume make sure you pay attention to detail; typos such as incorrect punctuation and misspelled words give a nasty first impression to the reader.

“A great resume doesn’t just tell a prospective employer what you have done but makes the same assertion that all good ads do: If you buy this product, you will get these specific, direct benefits. It convinces the employer that you have what it takes to be successful in this new position.”

A resume is your gateway into the any company, you need it to be an immaculate representation of yourself. The process of creating a flawless resume can seem overwhelming but with a little extra effort you can make your resume stand above the rest.

We hope this post this post finds you well on your way to a job you love, if you have any questions or comments feel free to post them and we will gladly respond.

A successful cover letter needs to be targeted to a specific employer showing them at that you have researched and understood what their company is about. While your resume is a comprehensive list of your qualifications a cover letter is a personal pitch to the employer explaining two things. Number one, why their company would benefit from your employment; and number two, why you want to work for them.

Each cover letter should be tailored to go with a specific company. Do not make the mistake of creating a generic cover letter and attaching it to your resume, doing so shows lack of interest and plain laziness. You need to be willing to invest time and energy to formulate a directly targeted cover letter showing the hiring manager you are a legitimate prospect and not a desperate job seeker spamming out their resume to anyone who will take it.

The four main things that you should keep in mind when creating a cover letter are:

1. Research
2. Professionalism
3. Why me?
4. Format

Doing background research shows the employer that you have a genuine interest in their company! An easy start would be to research their website and do a quick google search. While doing that it’s a good idea to retain any excess information such as company history which could be useful during an interview, should you get one.

Keep the cover letter professional! Don’t use any crazy fonts or clipart. Keep it direct and to the point. Making it an eyesore to the reader will leave a nasty impression if they choose to read the entire thing. Format ties in here also. Research sample cover letters to give you an idea of how professional format looks.

After doing research go back and make an outline for yourself as to why you would be the ideal canidate for the avalible possition. This is a chance for you to expand on certain sections of your resume, but don’t get to wordy and try to expand on all of them–just the ones that are more so directly related to the specific job.

A cover letter gives your resume a boost, shows interest to the employer, and gives you a personality in your absense. Make sure all your effort that you put into your resume doesn’t go to waste by letting the cover letter fall by the wayside. For some examples of cover letters specific to your industry, be sure to check out our free sample cover letters on ResumeBucket.  Do everything in your power to get that job!

So you finally got that job offer for this small startup business, but the lingering question still remains: ’should I take it?’ Before taking any offer you should know what role you will have in the company because some roles can be combined while other ones can be tossed out.

“Employees of startups tend to have more varied duties, which can mean a chance to develop a host of valuable new skills. One day you may be designing a product, the next day closing a sales deal. It’s up to you to seize the many challenges and opportunities that come your way in such a fluid environment.”

The good thing about working for a startup is that they can offer you more as far as creativity and having input on where the business is headed.  It is also more likely that upper management will see the quality of work you do and that will open more opportunities to get promoted. They also sometimes pay better than other larger corporations. The biggest perceived risk is that smaller businesses have a higher rate of failure, so make sure you’re in the right industry in these tough times.  Also, startups normally don’t have the job security like giant corporations do.

“No matter what the industry is, business startups usually have one advantage in common – a more informal and relaxed atmosphere. Very often business startups don’t have thick guides of formal rules one must strictly follow and this leaves room for improvisation and creativity, which is highly valued by many employees.”

Working for a startup is a lifestyle. Some people love the relaxed atmosphere while other would like to work in a huge corporation and climb the ranks. Having your startup grow into a corporation is a double-edged sword. On one hand, you helped turn a startup into something big and now you’re making that salary you always wanted. On the other hand, that small business atmosphere is gone and will never return.  What a lot of people do is move on to other startups because that’s how they work. In the end, it’s your discretion on whether working for a startup is right for you.

Getting the opportunity to interview for a job can be a tense and anxiety ridden experience. Put in the effort to prep yourself before the interview to gain that extra boost of confidence that your employer will notice. Keep in mind that if you got called in for an interview, you are qualified for the position, and all you need to do now is expand on the details of your resume and show off your personality to impress your employer.

The best thing you can do for yourself before heading to an interview is to prepare yourself by going over common questions and organizing predetermined answers. These are questions that the majority of employers will probably ask at some point during the interview. Prepare yourself before hand and you can enter the interview with less anxiety and more confidence. Consider the following list and determine the most effective way to answer in a concise and powerful persona that will leave a fantastic impression when your interview concludes.

Ten Common Interview Questions:

1. Why do you want to work for us?

2. Give us an example of a situation where you faced conflict or difficult communication problems.

3. Where do you see yourself in 3 / 5/ 10 years time?

4. What would your current manager say are your strengths/weaknesses

5. Do you prefer working in a team or on your own?

6. What is the first thing you would change, if you were to start work here?

7. What was the most frustrating experience in your current (or last) job? The most satisfying?.

8. What do you know about this organization?

9. What did you think of your previous supervisor?

10. Why are you looking to leave your current company?

When formulating your replies to the above questions make sure to keep it all positive. Don’t bad mouth your previous employer, or comment on how unhappy you may have been there–remember this is a potential current employer and you don’t want them to conjure up any connotations about how you’ll act if they employ you.

Your sucess relies on how you prepare and approch the task. Take those extra steps and you’ll nail your next interview!

With 2008 being the worst year for jobs since 1945, it’s safe to say that we are in a deep recession with no end in sight. More people are turning to online job boards and job searching websites than ever before. When using these websites there are a few things you should know, the first being able to manage your time wisely. Since there are hundreds of websites out there, it is good to be able to search for a job effectively and cut out the unnecessary information. Know who is hiring and find out how many positions are available. Try and network with friends and family to get your resume in a hiring manager’s hand because a personal approach may yield a better result. Narrow down the industry you want to work for. Now is the best time to get into industries like health care, energy, and education because they are some of the top careers to pursue in a recession.

“Although today’s job market may be bleak, there are some bright spots if you know where to look. While   recessions hit some sectors hard, others go on like clockwork — or even experience growth.”

Be creative on how you approach looking for a new career. Apparently twitter is the new way to find jobs now. Stay ahead of the curve and get on networking websites because not all jobs are posted in the public sector. Your friend might not know of a job but your friend’s friend might know of an opening.

“Finding a job still requires networking skills – whether you are glad-handling potential bosses at a job fair in the city or following employees of the companies you want to work for on Twitter. It’s not about creating an “online brand” of yourself, but about using social networks to showcase or develop what you are already are doing in your life.”

Have you tried everything and still haven’t found that job? Rome wasn’t built in a day and your career won’t be either. It takes time and effort so work on it everyday and you will find a job. In the mean time, stay positive and focus on why the recession is good for you.