Job Search

Building a Powerhouse Reference List

Build a Powerhouse Reference List as Part of Building Your Professional Network. It seems that most people think of creating a reference list when a hiring manager requests to see one. Another approach is to mention to people with whom you seem to bond that at some point you, should you need a reference, you …

Identify Your Career Options

Identify Your Career Options

Identify your career options. Develop a refined list of options by examining your interests, skills, and values through self-assessment, researching companies, and talking to experienced professionals. You can further narrow your list when you take part in experiences such as shadowing or working alongside a company employee, volunteering, or internships. Next, list all the things …

Salary Increases: Changing Jobs for More Money

Salary Increases: Changing Jobs for More Money. Sometimes, life is like an apple pie. If you want a larger portion, you just need to get a larger pie. www.jaywren.com

Salary Increases: Some people recommend changing jobs every few years solely for an increase in base pay. The benefits could make a difference of tens of thousands of dollars. Most companies give pay raises of three percent. On the other hand, in changing jobs, you could see salary increases of 10 to 15 percent. Additionally, …

Wrongful Termination: You’re Fired. Now What?

Wrongful termination is a legal issue. I am not a lawyer (IANAL). I read questions on Internet forums every day. Often these questions are about handling termination situations. A Company fires a person. The person goes on the Internet to get advice on suing the company that fired them. The people responding with advice don’t always give …

Education and Your Job Search

In terms of recognition, knowing how to present a skill is often as important as having that skill. www.jaywren.com

Education requirements vary. The requirements vary by the job type. Additionally, education requirements vary from job sector and from one employer to the next. This article shows you how to prepare for presenting your education to get the maximum interviews. Understanding Education Requirements Knowing the education requirements of any job is important. Before going to …

Career Strategy: Creating a Powerful Plan for Your Success

A Strategy is Your Roadmap for Success. www.jaywren.com

Career Strategy: Where do you start in creating a strategic plan that is tailored for you? What do you need to know about adjusting your plan to an ever-changing job market? Check-off List A career plan creates a check-off list. Through this check-off list, you will create focus and direction. Your intuition can emerge to …

Resumes that Get Interviews

Recruiters spend seconds deciding whether to follow up on a resume or delete it. www.jaywren.com

Resumes that get interviews: Working through stacks of resumes, hiring managers and recruiters spend just seconds on deciding whether to save you resume or delete it.  Job seekers must know how to write resumes employers will want to read. I based the following information on feedback I have received from hiring managers, staffing managers, and other …

Thank You Letters When You Get Rejected

Sending a thank you letter after a job rejection offers several benefits. Here are three. You not only reinforce your interest in the job, but also create positive relationships with the people you met in the interviews. Some of the people you met may think of you for future opportunities at the same or other …

Interview Pitfalls: Why Did You Leave Your Last Job?

The first step to avoiding pitfalls, including interview pitfalls, is to be aware that they exist. ~ www.jaywren.com

Interview Pitfalls: If you are unemployed, the reason you left your last job may be important to the hiring company. The interview pitfalls are creating impressions that you have done something wrong. Your answers can help the interviewer learn several important things about you. Therefore, create your answers based on what you believe the interviewer …

How to Handle Hard Interview Questions

Hard interview questions are open-ended. They require you to discuss why you are the best candidate for the job. Preparation can help you stay on point to getting a job offer. ~ www.jaywren.com

Hard interview questions: The most difficult interview questions are open-ended. These questions require a discussion to answer. They give the interviewers more detailed, meaningful answers. Additionally, open-ended questions display your ability to think and to express yourself effectively.  By contrast, the easier questions are closed-ended questions. These questions have yes-no or simple fact answers. Examples: …

Job Interview Agenda: A Powerful Tool for Job Seekers

Gaining control begins with gaining control of the agenda. www.jaywren.com

Job interview agenda: a list of topics to be introduced during an interview. Bringing an agenda to an interview gives you several advantages. First, an agenda provides you with a reference sheet. With your resume and your agenda, you will have the facts in front of you. Furthermore, having an agenda will help you stand …

Interview Attire: Dressing to Get the Job

Dressing up for the job interview is the first step to getting a job offer. ~ www.jaywren.com

Interview Attire: Different companies have different dress codes. Nonetheless, each company has attire that is standard in their workplace. Moreover, making a point to understand the hiring company’s dress codes will help you feel more comfortable when you walk in the door for a successful interview. Dress at or Above the Company Dress Standards Sometimes, …

Job Interview Preparation: The 3 Things You Need to Know

Knowing what you need to know is the first step in job interview preparation. ~ www.jaywren.com

Job Interview Preparation: Are you frustrated with rejection when you have the qualifications for the job? Understanding these three elements will help you understand what happens in an interview. Moreover, these steps will help you prepare for a successful meeting with a future employer. There are three distinct elements in preparing for an interview. Everything …

Interview Safety: 4 Steps to Avoiding Risks

Interview Safety: when you feel safe and comfortable, you will have a better interview. Avoid the risks. Plan for your safety. ~ www.jaywren.com

Jay Wren The Moveable Career ~ Interview Safety: when you feel safe and comfortable, you will have a better interview. Avoid the risks. Plan for your safety. Here are 4 steps that many job seekers find effective. Location The safety of the interview location is important. Most interviewers will meet with applicants in public locations …

Career Change Commitment: Steps to Stay Engaged

Career Change Commitment 1

Career Change Commitment: Hunting for jobs take a lot of work. It is easy to let up and let opportunities slip away. Finding a job is a business. Even when business is slow, you can act to increase your success of finding the job you deserve. Here are some things you can do during a …

Job Search Websites: Finding the Job You Deserve

Job Search Websites

Job Search Websites: Job Search Engines, Job Boards, Social Media Sites that List Jobs, and company owned job boards. How they work and where to find them. Even on the Internet, everything is easier to find when you know where to look. ~ www.jaywren.com The Types of Job Search Websites There are four types of …

Finding New Industries for Your Job Skills

Finding New Industries

Finding New Industries: If you find that you have skills that are no longer needed in your current industry, it is natural for you to feel discouraged. Skills Requirements Continue to Change The ever-changing employment landscape often leaves people with industry-based skills and no employment market for those skills.  If you are one of those …

Winning Interviews: 5 Steps to Success

Winning Interviews

Winning Interviews: What can you do to prepare and practice for your job interview? Here are some ideas that will help you. Give yourself an edge over the competition with interview preparation. ~ www.jaywren.com What You Can Anticipate in an Interview No one can know with any certainty what questions to expect in an interview. …

Job Change Success: The Elements and Actions of Making a Job Changee

Job Change Success

Job Change Success:  In this article you will find powerful tools that others have found helpful in making an effective career move. Career Change Success: 5 Essential Elements Resume Resume Cover Letter Interview and Interview Preparation Thank You Letter Extra Tools and Tips You don’t have to do everything for success. But you do have …

Career Change Success: The Elements and Actions of Making a Job Change

Career Change Success

Career Change Success:  In this article you will find powerful tools that others have found helpful in making an effective career move. Career Change Success: 5 Essential Elements Resume Resume Cover Letter Interview and Interview Preparation Thank You Letter Extra Tools and Tips You don’t have to do everything for success. But you do have …

Overqualified? How to Get Interviews that Match Your Skills

Overqualified

Overqualified? Are you frustrated, because hiring companies will not see you for jobs you can do easily?  You are not alone.  Here are the reasons why you are not getting interviews and what you can do about it. The Risks to Employers of Hiring Overqualified People Speaking as a recruiter, I can tell you that …

Job Search Tools that Can Land the Job You Deserve

Interview Tools

Job Search Tools: Are stuck in your job search?  Perhaps the list of tools in the article will help you land the job you deserve. Powerful Resume Powerful Resumes: Are you sending out dozens of resumes and not getting job interviews. You might find the suggestions in my article “Powerful Resumes: The Critical Details for …

Top Trending Jobs by Title

Account Executive Account Manager Accountant Actuary Administrative Assistant Analyst Applications Engineer Art Director Assistant Manager Assistant Store Manager Assistant Vice President Associate Director Attorney Auditor Branch Manager Business Analyst Business Development Manager Cashier Civil Engineer Consultant Customer Service Representative Data Analyst Design Engineer Developer Director Doctor Electrical Engineer Engineer Executive Assistant Finance Manager Financial Manager …

Job Search Timing: The Things You Must Know

Job Search Timing 1

ob search timing. Is this the right time in your career to make a job change? What are the things you must know to answer this question? Success is greatest when timing meets necessity. ~ www.jaywren.com Are You in the Wrong Job? Here are some questions that will help you know that it’s time to …

Job Counter Offers: The Stress of Leaving a Company

Job Counter Offers

Job counter offers are ways companies avoid the annoyances of losing employees at the wrong time. ~ www.jaywren.com Should you stay or should you go? Job counter offers are risky. If you stay, the reasons you resigned seldom go away.  In addition, when you met with your boss to turn in your resignation, you showed …

Interview Preparation: Three Steps That Will Land You the Job

Interview Preparation

Interview Preparation: Are you frustrated with rejection when you have the qualifications for the job? These three steps will help. Fifty percent of the effort for the best interviews is in the preparation. ~ www.jaywren.com There are three distinct steps in preparing for an interview. #1 Interview Preparation: Everything About You In the first step, …

4 Warning Signs You are Interviewing with the Wrong Company

4 Warning Signs of The Wrong Company www.jaywren

Wrong company: What should you look for when you are interviewing for a job? Are you wasting your time when you could be making better progress in your job search? As the owner of a recruiting firm, I coached applicants who dealt with troubling issues during the interview process. Here are things I learned from …

Top 10 Cities & States for Job Growth Rate

Top 10 Cities & States for Job Growth Rate

Some cities and states offer more than a place to work.  They offer high job growth rate and long-term career security. What are the top states and cities? Studies from the Arizona State University W. P. Carey School of Business give interesting information that helps us find answers to those questions. ASU’s Top 10 Cities for Job …

The Consumer-Packaged Goods Industry: Is It for You?

The Consumer Packaged Goods Industry: Is It For You?

The Consumer-Packaged Goods Industry: Is It for You? Are you just beginning your career?  Or perhaps, are you considering switching industries?   The Consumer-Packaged goods industry might offer the career you are seeking. The Consumer-Packaged Goods Industry Defined: What is the Consumer-Packaged goods industry? Consumer-Packaged goods companies sell products essential consumers.  These products they make are ones …

How to Negotiate Salary

Negotiation Salary

How you negotiate salary depends on many things. Here are three of the things that affect how you negotiate salary. The size of the company:  Larger companies have structured compensation plans.  The plans have pay grades.  The pay grades have three levels: entry range, mid-range, upper range.  Smart hiring managers don’t hire people into the …

10 Ways Winners Beat Stress

10 Ways Winners Beat Stress There are countless ways to beat stress.  Here are ten things I see winners doing that help me. Winners own their mistakes. They correct them.  They move forward.  They don’t let the life’s little mistakes lie around and create problems and stress. Winners don’t apologize all the time. People who are apologizing all …

8 Things Successful People Bring to a Business Meeting

Equipment

Business Meeting:  Meeting preparation is important.  Equally important is having the right tools.  What should you bring to a meeting? No One is Competitive Without the Right Equipment. www.jaywren.com Business Meeting What you bring to a business meeting is as important as the things you say or do in a business meeting.  Getting to a business …

10 Winning Steps to a Successful Job Search

uccessful job search comes from taking simple steps.  Here are ten powerful ideas for landing your next job. JOB CHANGE TIMING “The Best Time to Change Jobs” Changing jobs is one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s life.  That statement does not mean that job changes do not bring high rewards.  Getting married, having …

5 Winning Steps to Turn Interview Jitters into Energy and Confidence

Interview jitters are a form of stage fright. If job interviews give you the jitters, you are not alone.  Everyone experiences some feelings of uncertainty from time to time. Applicants know that another person or other people are judging the things they say and the things they do.  They fear rejection. Many job applicants are nervous …

3 Steps to Job Search Success

3 Steps to Job Search Success Make your job search a success with these three simple steps. First, you do the job search basics. Write a terrific resume. Write a template for a great cover letter. Polish your online profile. Second, you rapidly expand your network. Job search is a numbers game. Contacting more people …

4 Questions of a Successful Career Plan

4 Questions of a Successful Career Here are four questions to ask yourself in planning your career and in adjusting your career plan over time. What do you want to do? Write down what you want to do on the job. Write down where you want to live.  Write down whether you want to work from …

9 Steps to Greater Success by Working Less

Here are 9 steps to greater success by working less.    Value your time. People who value their time more than money are happier, according to an article from the Society for Personality and Social Psychology. Interrupt people who are wasting your time. Learn how tactfully to say, “This isn’t working.” In interviewing, for example, most …

8 Simple Steps for Successful Presentations

8 Simple Steps for Successful Presentations Here are 8 simple steps for successful presentations.  Whether you are in an interview, business meeting, or sales call, these steps will make your meetings more successful. Before you go to a meeting, do your homework on the person and the organization of the people in your meeting. Use this …

9 Great Ideas to Help You Find a Job in the Holiday Season

Jobs are always in season.  I have had applicants accept offers on nearly every day of the year. There are holidays year round.  If hiring managers have a need to hire a person, they continue the recruiting process until they make that hire.  If you going through a lag in activity, you can do things …

12 Powerful Ideas for Landing Your Next Job

12 Powerful Ideas for Landing Your Next Job 1. COUNTER OFFERS “Counter Offers: The Reason That You Resigned Seldom Goes Away If You Stay.” Companies give counter offers when the timing works against them to lose a person. However, unless the reason you resigned have gone away, taking a counter offer means that you are returning …

Top Ten List of Why People Get Fired

Top Ten List of Why People Get Fired Companies take risks when they hire people.  Employees have access to company property, information, and in some cases, company money.  In addition, employees interact with other employees and often have access to personal and professional information about other people in the company.  What companies expect from employees …

The Real Jobs are on Google Page 2

Are you finding that searching for jobs with Google search is fruitless?  There is a reason for that.  The real jobs are on Google page 2.  Perhaps, it is better to say that the real jobs are on page 2 or greater. Google ranks websites based on how many other sites link to those website …

Things Not to Do In An Exit Interview

Don’t burn bridges. There are things not to do in an exit interview to ensure that you leave on good terms.  Somewhere down the road, you may find that the company you are leaving will help you with a strong reference in seeking another job. Don’t discuss counter offers. One of the purposes of an …

Employment References

Employment references are an important part of the job-seeking process. Generally, companies will ask for professional references.  These are people with whom and for whom you have worked.  They often include former employers, co-workers, vendors, buyers, and people you know through business associations.  In addition, companies may ask for personal references.  These people are your neighbors, …

What are Your Salary Expectations?

What are your salary expectations?  At some point in the interview process, you may have to answer this question. Some companies will ask you to give the information at the beginning of the interview process.  If the question comes up on a job application, you can try to leave the answer blank.  With some online …

How to Calm Your Nerves Before A Job Interview

How To Calm Your Nerves before a Job Interview is an important skill for many applicants. Many job applicants are nervous before a job interview.  A bad case of the interview jitters works against you.  Instead of having a clear mind, you think less clearly and effectively.  At a time when want to feel poised and confident, you feel …

Resume Objective Examples

Resume objective examples:  Using a resume objective can help a hiring manager or a recruiter decide to whether to continue reading your resume.  Likewise, using a resume objective can help a hiring manager or recruiter decide not to read your resume.  Write your resume objective with the resume reader in mind. Your resume objective must be brief, to …

How to Introduce Yourself at a Job Interview

How to introduce yourself at a job interview is a series of fundamentals. The way you introduce yourself can set the tone for the entire interview.  You create that all-important first impression.  Start with a positive tone and maintain it.  It is much easier to maintain a positive impression than it is to reverse a …

What to Say in a Job Interview

Knowing what to say in a job interview is critical to your interview success. “I want this job.” You may not know that you want the job until after you leave the job interview.  Keep selling and moving forward through the interview to do the best job you can of getting a second interview or a …

Resume Titles

The purpose of resume titles is to target jobs that you are seeking.   The wording of a resume title is different from stating an objective for your resume, but serves a similar purpose.  By carefully selecting resume titles, you will add words to your resume that will come up in database searches and will …

Top 10 Cities and States for Job Growth

Top 10 Cities and States for Job Growth: Riverside, CA and San Francisco, CA led the list on the W.P. Carey School of Business top ten cities for job growth.  See the other cities and the top 10 states for non-agricultural job growth at Top 10 Cities & States for Job Growth | W. P. Carey School …

Finding Hiring Companies

A great way to get a job is through a friend.  This approach gives you an inside track on a job.  You start with a personal connection. Another excellent source of finding jobs is through former supervisors and coworkers.  These people know your skills and your work history.  They can recommend you base on their knowledge …

Six Tips to Keep Your Job Search Fresh

Keep your job search fresh through these simple but effective steps. 1. Constantly review your goals. As you go through your job search, you will learn more about the opportunities you have set as goals for your career search.  You will learn which companies offer opportunity and which companies are a waste of time.  You …

5 Elements of A Career Change

5 Elements of a Career Change: Below are common tools and suggestions others have found helpful in making an effective career move. Suggestions on writing a resume Here is what you put into a resume and the order in which you put this information.  If you replace this information with your information, you will have …

There is more than One Way to Get a Job.

There is more than One Way to Get a Job. I read a great deal about getting a job through direct referrals. However, some career coaches recommend that you limit yourself to a dozen companies where you really want to work and use a direct referral to get into those companies.  Companies still use several …

Job Search is a Numbers Game

Job search is a numbers game. Contacting more people will increase the likelihood that you get a job. In terms of numbers of prospects or shoppers, getting a job is similar to running a retail store. If the store has no shoppers, the store will have no sales. If shoppers line up out the door, the store …

Department of Labor Unemployment Rates for Large Metropolitan Areas

Find jobs in each metropolitan area at JayWren.com/jobs. Monthly Rankings Source Bureau of Labor Statistics Department of Labor Apr. 2013 preliminary Last Modified Date: May 29, 2013 Rank Metropolitan Area Rate 1 Oklahoma City, OK Metropolitan Statistical Area 4.1 2 Minneapolis-St. Paul-Bloomington, MN-WI Metropolitan Statistical Area 4.9 3 Washington-Arlington-Alexandria, DC-VA-MD-WV Metropolitan Statistical Area 5.0 4 …

Are You in the Wrong Job?

If you feel unappreciated, are you in the wrong job?  By unappreciated, I mean that you experience these things. Your turn has come up for promotion, but the promotion goes to your peers or perhaps people who have come into your company and moved past you. Your company brings in management from the outside for …

What to Do When You Hate Your Job And Feel Stuck

“Oh, you hate your job? Oh my god, well why didn’t you say so? You know there’s a support group for that. It’s called EVERYBODY. They meet at the bar.”  Drew Carey Do you hate your job and feel stuck?  You are not alone.  According to a Gallup report, 87% do not connect with the …

The Best Way to Get the Job You Want

The best way to get the job you want is to go to the places that have that type of job. This statement sounds obvious. But many people never understand this fact. They check the job boards. They register with a recruiter. They hear about jobs from their friends.  Don’t these people get the job …

Should I Call the Recruiter?

“Should I call the recruiter?” This question is a common among applicants. Occasionally I read career advice columns in which career coaches write, “Do not to call recruiters.  They will call you.” Well, no, recruiters may never call you.  Here is how recruiters conduct searches.  First recruiters contact the qualified applicants they already have in …

10 Reasons People Change Jobs

10 Reasons People Change Jobs Just because you are unhappy with your current job does not mean that you should get a new one.  There are reasons to stay where you are even though you might be happier somewhere else. Companies increase vacation time and other benefits with time. Marketability increases with a stable employment …

12 Tips to Help You In Your Job Search

12 Tips to Help You In Your Job Search 1. COUNTER OFFERS “Counter Offers: The Reason That You Resigned Seldom Goes Away If You Stay.” Companies give counter offers when the timing works against them to lose a person. However, unless the reason you resigned have gone away, taking a counter offer means that you are …

Finding Jobs That Match Your Skills

Finding Jobs That Match Your Skills This lists compares skills to jobs to help you find jobs that you will enjoy and do successfully. Enter any of these jobs into Find Jobs Search engine to find career opportunities. Environmental, Geographic, Geological Skills Archeologist Cartographer Conservationist Ecologist Environmentalist Geographic Information Systems Oil and Gas Explorers Surveyor …

Picking A Career

In picking a career, start with an understanding of what you want to do and what you need to do to have that type of career. First, answer these questions. How well do you relate to other people.  If you enjoy helping people, jobs in service industries, health care, hospitality, and other jobs requiring people skills …

The Best Time to Change Jobs

The Best Time to Change Jobs The Best Time to Change Jobs Changing jobs is one of the most stressful experiences in a person’s life. That statement does not mean that job changes do not bring high rewards. Getting married, having children, and buying a house are also among the most stressful experiences in a …

Finding and Verifying Email Addresses

Finding Email Addresses A simple way to find an email address, put the name of the person and the domain name of the company in a search engine.  “email * * companyname.com”  *.edu, *.gov, *.net, *.com, *.org Example: “Betty Smith ** examplecompany.com” Another way to find email addresses is use the free service on EmailFormats.com. …

The Power of Social Media for Employment Vetting

The Power of Social Media for Employment Vetting: Vetting means to investigate a person’s background thoroughly to decide if the person is a right fit for a job. Yes, vetting goes two ways.  Employers can research applicants on social media.  Applicants can research employers and their companies on social media. Some of the places to …

6 Ways to Test Drive a New Job Before You Commit

These are six ideas to help you test drive a new job. See how jobs are working for other people.  During a terrific vacation in Kona, Hawaii, my wife and I spent a day on the beach at the King Kamehameha Hotel.  During the day, I bought lunch at a beachside sandwich stand.  Later that year, …

The Biggest Job Hunting Mistake You Can Make Is Not Trying.

Hunting for jobs take a lot of work. It is easy to let up and take your search lightly. Finding a job is like building a business. Even when business is slow you can make preparations for when business will return. Here are some things you can do during a lull in activity. 1. Send …

Turn Job Shopping into Job Hunting

Turn Job Shopping into Job Hunting “I must create a System, or be enslav’d by another Man’s.”  -William Blake Shoppers buy products that are easy to find and are popular with other shoppers.  When I go to the supermarket, I shop.  I buy the things that the store has on hand. The people who buy …

Tis the Season to Get a Job!

Jobs are always in season.  I have had applicants accept offers on nearly every day of the year. There are holidays year round.  If hiring managers have a need to hire a person, they continue the recruiting process until they make that hire.  If you going through a lag in activity, you can do things …

Is it Time for You to Start Your Own Business?

Is it Time for You to Start Your Own Business? Prior to entering recruiting, I worked for two terrific companies: Procter & Gamble and Polaroid Corporation. I did a lot of things that I loved to do.  I took pride in my companies’ brands.  I loved giving presentations.  I enjoyed the travel.  I took fascination …

How to Receive Job-Winning Reference Checks

Hiring companies will very likely check references as part of your employment process.   You can help your references with information that will make them more comfortable, more positive, and be better prepared to take the call. Provide them with the following information. The name of the person who will be calling The responsibility of the …

Build a Powerhouse Reference List As Part of Building Your Professional Network

It seems that most people think of creating a reference list when a hiring manager requests to see one. Another approach is simply to mention to people with whom you seem to bond that at some point you, should you need a reference, you would appreciate the person helping you.  At the same time, let …

Top Trending Jobs by Category

Account Executive Account Manager Accountant Actuary Administrative Assistant Analyst Applications Engineer Art Director Assistant Manager Assistant Store Manager Assistant Vice President Associate Director Attorney Auditor Branch Manager Business Analyst Cashier Civil Engineer Consultant Customer Service Representative Data Analyst Design Engineer Developer Director Doctor Electrical Engineer Engineer Executive Assistant Finance Manager Financial Manager Financial Analyst Flight …

Top Trending Jobs by Industry

Job Search Engine Advertising/PR Jobs Arts/Entertainment/Publishing Jobs Banking Jobs Biotech Jobs Computer Jobs Construction Jobs Education Jobs Engineering Jobs Finance Jobs Government Jobs Hospitality/Travel Jobs Insurance Jobs Internet Jobs Law Enforcement/Security Jobs Legal Jobs Manufacturing Jobs Medical Jobs Nonprofit Jobs Retail Jobs Pharmaceutical Jobs Real Estate Jobs Restaurant/Food Service Jobs Retail Jobs Telecommunications Jobs Transportation …

Lists: Putting the Focus on Success

Some people are great lists makers.  Whether shopping, going to a business meeting, planning an event, tracking their expenses, setting priorities for the day, these people are intuitively organized about the way they live their lives through lists making. Other people, myself included, are less likely to structure their lives around lists, but go along …