First impressions are priceless.  You’ve heard it before.  Make sure you’ve got an attention grabbing professional cover letter that is concise and to-the-point.  Explain, in the letter, why you hope to be considered for the position, and give a brief rundown of your most interesting accomplishments.  Close the letter by thanking the reader for their time. (more…)

The first thing you should never do is quote your salary in your résumé.  Many times employers will ask you what type of salary you expect. This can be very difficult if you have never given any thought to the question.  Also if you have no idea what the salaries are, anything you say is going to be guesswork.

Prepare yourself well, and know what salary you were expecting or salaries that are being offered for such positions. If you do have some idea what you are expecting, give a range of what is reasonable. Do not be demanding and ask for something extravagant. You may even be asked how much you were paid in the previous job and you should not be specific. Just a ball park figure.

With today’s economic recession, you will have to be flexible in what you want and what you get. You can always ask if there are any bonuses, what other things are offered besides the salary. The point is to be tactful and not be greedy. The economics today have made available a glut of good quality people all looking for the same job you are.

Now that you have started your job search you may be asking yourself if you need a headhunter.

A headhunter is a lot like a recruiter. They are professionals that help you get a job. Usually these jobs are in corporate fields but there are also headhunters that specialize in just about any field you can imagine.

They usually have contacts in many companies and corporations. Typically they have a list of clients who let them know what positions are available and what the requirements are. If you fit these requirements they will set up the interview and make the post interview call. They can also help you get your resume in order and give you an idea of what a certain company is looking for.

Headhunters can be a big help to anyone looking for a job; however their service is not free.  Some companies will pay their fee but most of the time it is your responsibility. Depending on the headhunter, many times you are not required to pay them unless they find you the job.  This leaves a window for you continue your search on your own as well.

If you are looking for a specialty job or have very specific skills, a headhunter can be a big help in your job search.  However, if you are looking for more of a general position, the fee may not be worth it.

Many people are desperate for a job and have run out of ideas. Many have sent 100s of resumes all over the country and have never even received a reply. One other avenue for a job search is to go to a job fair. Even though the economy is down all over the nation, there are two industries which are still doing reasonably well; this is the health care sector and science industry. And these two giants frequently have job fairs, many times a year all over the country.

At a job fair, you can get to meet the CEO, president or a manager right away. If lucky a face to face meeting can be conducted right away. It is the easiest place to meet people who have the power to hire.

Job fairs always have recruiters in designated booths willing to answer all your questions. While you size them up, they are definitely also on the look out for potential employee(s).

Dress well at a fair because you never who you will come across. And if you are job hunting, carry a miniature CV with you to hand out. Have a business card ready just in case they want to contact you. Do not scrawl your name on a piece of paper- that usually gets thrown in the garbage.

If you do your homework well, a job fair is the best bet of getting attention for a new job.

Driving around town dropping off your resume can not only be time consuming but also expensive with today’s gas prices. Your time is valuable so you want to guard it even when job hunting. One of the ways to do this is to search for work online. Online job hunting can feel like a daunting task if you’ve never done it before. But it’s actually one of the easiest ways to seek work

Job boards are an excellent source of work. Make sure you narrow your field or you could spend all day searching. Find your niche. Do an online search for your particular niche then search the job boards accordingly.

Don’t be afraid of jobs that accept bids from your competitors. It’s not always the lowest bid that gets the job. Be prepared to write a witty comment, without being immature, that grabs the attention of the one placing the job post. Like-ability, even in print, plays a huge factor in getting your foot in the door.

Have a stellar resume. Searching for jobs online often require that you send in your resume. Make sure it pops. Online job hunting is no easy task with international competition at its peak. But a catchy resume can clinch it for you.

Research the blogs. Often blog sites can provide valuable input, not just from employers touting the beauty of their companies, but also from former and present employees. Blogs are a great way to gain insight into various industries as well. Don’t be afraid to comment on these forums. Ask questions. The person you’re asking could very well be your ticket into a great job field at a great company.