HAVE YOU "GIFT WRAPPED" YOUR RESUME?

A good cover letter is personalized and perhaps even more important than a resume.

The seven most important points to remember for a cover letter:

1.   One page on white or ivory letter size paper and error free.
2.   Addressed to a specific person.
3.   Maximum four paragraphs.
4.   Connection between you and the company.
5.   Try not to repeat the bullets from your resume.
6.   Ask for an interview and end on a positive note.
7.   Mail cover letter and resume in a flat 9" x 12" envelope.

[ See Chapter 9: Your "Gift Wrapping" for a Resume: A Punchy Cover letter, in the book, Career and Life Counseling from the Heart, by Don Sutaria.]     

SURVIVAL KIT FOR JOB HUNTERS

Job hunting is a lonely pursuit most of the time. It is a rare person who would not be discouraged at times. When you go into this 'Jungle', what can you carry with you to survive? Here it is:

A tea bag to remind you to relax daily and count your blessings!
A candy Kiss to remind you that everyone needs a hug everyday.
A Band Aid to remind you to heal hurt feelings.
A rubber band to remind you to be flexible.
A toothpick to remind you to pick out the best qualities in others.
An eraser to remind you that everyone makes some mistakes.
A chewing gum to remind you to stick with your goals.
A mint to remind you that you are worth a mint.

Try it! It works!  

IS YOUR RESUME EFFECTIVE?

Let's get real!
A resume alone will not get you a job!
A resume is only a calling card, a door knocker, a door opened, a tool, an advertisement to buy your services.
Your resume may get only a 5-10 second scan by the reviewer before landing in the WPB (waste paper basket!). What can you do to prevent that from happening to you!
A few sensible tips:
-- Use standard letter size paper, white or ivory, and standard type faces.
-- One-page if you have less than five years experience and up to two pages if more than five
years.
-- Bulleted format of your accomplishments, each consisting of Problem-Action-Result
(P-A-R) concept. Use dollar savings, percentage improvements, sales increases, and
numbers.
-- Chronological resumes are preferred in 90% of the cases instead of Functional resumes.

[ There are at least fifteen tips I can give. For more details, please see Chapter 8: Is Your Resume Effective? in Don Sutaria's book, Career and Life Counseling from the Heart.]

"ON-CAMERA FEEDBACK FOR INTERVIEWING TECHNIQUES!" WHAT IS THAT?

Many companies are conducting preliminary video interviews of potential candidates because of the high cost of face-to-face onterviewing. If you have learned some techniques through on-camera feedback, your chances for success improve dramatically.

Consider a camera as a neutral observer. It is non-judgmental and non-critical, unlike us human beings. What you see in the video playback is how people see you. What you see is what you get!

A good career counselor or career coach can do this drill with you.

[This topic is covered in Don Sutaria's book, CAREER AND LIFE COUNSELING FROM THE HEART, Chapter 7.]

DO I NEED AN "IMAGE CONSULTANT?"

You judge a book by its cover. (True or False)
First impression is the only impression. (True or False)
Well reader, what do you think?
Regardless of the maxims we have been taught, I would venture to say that we do try to judge a book by its cover and, unfortunately, the first impression is the only impression that is very long lasting. And you get only one chance to make the first impression!
Image consulting and subsequent enhancement should not be looked upon as a frivolous expense, but as a long-term investment in yourself, akin to any self-improvement program.

[For a more in-depth discussion of Image Consulting, consider buying the book, Career and Life Counseling from the Heart, by Don Sutaria.]

HOW TO MAKE THE INTERNET YOUR SERVANT, NOT YOUR MASTER, IN YOUR JOB SEARCH

You would not believe me if I told you that several of my educated clients spent 80% of their job search time trying to find jobs only on the Internet. The overall results were dismal! None of them had ever landed a job with a salary exceeding $50,000 per year.
Of course the Internet is a valuable tool during the job hunting process. But that's exactly what it is, a tool! A servant! Not your master which envelopes you and consumes all your time.
I would give the Internet a 1%-2% chance of getting you a job lead in the well-paid professional categories.
I am not saying do not use the Internet.....what I am saying is guard your time during job search, and use the Internet judiciously!

NETWORKING (PROFESSIONAL FRIENDSHIP DEVELOPMENT - PFD) IS EASIER THAN YOU THINK!

The cardinal rule to observe here is that every human being we come into contact with daily in our lives is capable of helping us and we are capable of helping them.

It is a fallacy to think that PFD is only for extroverted people. It is a skill, which can be learned with practice, like swimming!

The quickest way of showing appreciation to your networking contacts who have helped you is to write prompt and meaningful thank-you notes, including a statement of how of how you plan to follow through on their suggestions. This is the sincerest form of flattery.

PFD is not all peaches & cream. Be prepared for a few rejections. Don't internalize rejection. Like a salesperson, move on to the next step.

(Read this full chapter in Don Sutaria's book, Career And Life Counseling From The Heart.)

UNHEARD OF JOBS IN THE NEW MILLENNIUM

Are you surprised to be told that ten years from now, half the population will be in jobs that have not yet been invented?

Did you hear of any of these jobs ten years ago?

Bioinformationalists who work with genetic information.

Innovation Officers who interact with all employees to improve business practices.

Cybrarians who will monitor and enforce policies on the Internet.

Global Work Process Coordinators to coordinate activities of employees worldwide.

Geomicrobiologists to study microorganisms to clean up the environment.

Telemedicine Technicians to provide medical treatments in remote areas.

Whisperers who are skilled at calming irate customers.

So, be prepared!