Category Archives: job hunting tips

Getting Past Age Discrimination

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One major concern amongst individuals who are seeking out employment is the question of age discrimination. Older individuals who are looking to get back into the workforce are more acutely aware that age discrimination does exist in this current day and age. With that in mind, more and more people are looking for innovative ways of getting past age discrimination so that they can be gainfully employed despite being considered “old”. The good news is that getting past age discrimination is not as difficult as it may seem. 

First and foremost, you should be aware that age discrimination is illegal.  Therefore, a company cannot simply decide against hiring you just on basis of your age. If you are physically and mentally capable of completing the job, then you cannot be turned down just because of your age. Moreover, if you have the skills and training necessary to complete any job, age is a non-issue.

The first step that you can take in getting past age discrimination is by being careful in the way in which you compose and craft your professional resume.  Start by seeking out current resume formats. The format of resumes that you once used when you first got started in the work world would most probably be considered outdated when compared to the resume formats that are considered standard today. Therefore, you will need to be sure that you are planning out and laying out your resume in a professional and effective manner that is current with the times.

How To Avoid Age Discrimination From The Get-Go!

Many older individuals will make major notice of their age in their resume and will craft detailed cover letters that clearly point out their age in the manner in which they reveal information about themselves. This will generally put up a “red flag” that you are an older individual. The idea to avoid age discrimination from the beginning is to be sure that your resume never truly lays out your age in an obvious manner.

What you want to do with your resume is show a potential employer that you have the skills and education needed in order to seriously be considered for a position at their company. You want to show them that you are the best person for their job. If you can do this without revealing your age, you will be triumphant in defeating the bug-bear of age discrimination. 

Once you have proven to a potential employer that you are qualified for their position through the use of your resume, you will succeed in getting your foot in the door. These potential employers will not be aware of your age until they meet you in person for your interview. However, you will already be one step ahead of your competition by the mere fact that you have already enticed them to invite you in for an interview based on your previous work experience and skills.

The best way to avoid age discrimination is to not let your age affect you!  If your age does not affect you, then chances are it also will not affect your chances of obtaining the desired employment.

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How to Become a Solution For Your Target Employer

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When seeking out employment you must have an effective and proven strategy in place.  You need to realize that when it comes to filling a vacant position at a specific company, you are most likely not the only individual who is seeking out that position. Therefore, you will need to formulate a strategy that will make you stick out and that will put you ahead of your competition. Once such strategy presents you to try to be a solution for your target employer.

Here is the truth: all employers are hiring employees to fit and meet a specific need at their place of business. They need to find a person who will act as a solution in filling this position and carrying out its responsibilities in a professional and effective manner. Regardless of your skill set and previous experience, all you need to do is prove to any potential employer that you are the solution to their problems. If you can prove yourself to be a solution then you will be able to acquire the position that you desire over your competition with very little effort.

How can I Make Myself Appear to be the Solution?

The first thing you should consider is “first contact.” Your first contact will most likely be in the form of your personal resume. The first thing you should do is learn everything you can about the position you are applying for. You should consider the responsibilities that are involved in this position. Then, look back at your work history and determine which are the other positions you have held that match up with or feature the same type of responsibilities as this new position you are applying for.

From there you should compose a very strategic cover letter that states that you have read the responsibilities of the position for which you are applying and that you already have the skills necessary in order to fill this position and to carry it out without concern. You should shortly cover these past experiences in order to truly show a potential employer in your resume that you have the training and skills necessary to fill this position and that you are eager to get involved.

Never hesitate to add in this personal aspect. Feel free to tell a potential employer that you hope to excel at their company and in their position. You need to immediately show them that you are the solution to their vacancy and that you are more than trained and eager to get started in the position.  You don’t need to be robotic in your resume. Add a degree of personality to show them how you truly feel about the position you are applying for.

Try to be a solution for your target employer to show them why they should choose you. Try to be a solution for your target employer so that you can show them why you should be considered above your competition. The quicker that you become a solution and prove to a potential employer that you are the solution to their needs, the quicker you will able to acquire the position you desire.

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Avoid Slamming Your Old Employer

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When seeking out employment in an industry that you are passionate about, you may often be tempted to speak negatively about a past employer in order to gain favorable attention from a potential new employer. Many people feel that if they are staying within the same industry and they speak poorly about another company in the same industry that will help them curry favor with their new employers and earn them huge brownie points. While theoretically this may sound like a good idea, you should avoid slamming your old employer at all costs! In fact, the moment you say anything negative about an old employer you could actually jeopardize any chance you may have of clinching the job.

This is very true when it comes to both, in person interviews as well as information that you present in your resume. Many resume writers will use their cover letter to point out their negative experiences while working for the company’s main competitor. When you do this, not only do you create a bad image of your old employer but you also create a poor representation of yourself. A poor representation that could actually endanger your chances of gaining the employment that you desire.

Why You Should Avoid Slamming Your Old Employer

One of the main reasons you should avoid slamming your old employer is because it immediately creates a poor image of yourself. A potential employer could see your slamming of an old employer as a poor quality trait. They may assume that you are a whiney person who is simply looking for any reason to complain. Therefore, they may pass up on hiring you, fearful that you will constantly complain while working for them or that when you leave their company that you may turn around and slam them as well.

No one wants to hire an individual who seems to be bitter. The moment you show a potential employer that you are bitter person who holds grudges, they may assume that you will bring that same attitude to their company. Most employers are also aware that this type of attitude can quickly spread from one person to another and if they were to hire you, they would be fearful that your attitude would affect everyone else around you that you work with. This could result in a collectively poor work ethic and could result in future problems for the company.

How To Avoid Slamming An Old Employer

The best way to avoid slamming an old employer is not to talk about them unless asked. Even when asked about a past employer, avoid speaking negatively about them. Just explain why you are no longer employed with them in as professional and respectable a manner as you can muster. There is no need to recount every reason why you hate your old employer and why you are now looking for new employment.  

As the old adage goes- “if you have nothing nice to say; don’t say anything at all.” It’s far better to just keep your opinions to yourself rather than to say something or to place something in your resume that will reflect poorly on you in the long run.

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Job Interview Questions and Answers from CareerRush

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Question:  What are three qualities that you feel you would bring to the table if hired?

Answer: The three qualities that I would bring to this position are honesty, respect and responsibility. I am an honest person who is willing to ask for help and who will always remain transparent with my work dealings. I am also a very respectful person who works well with others. I’m the type of person who is very respectful and supportive of my superiors and who is also respectful and kind to those I work with. I am also a very responsible person who is always willing to take on more work and who is willing to go the extra mile to get the job done right.

Question: Why do you want to work for our company?

Answer: Your company has a strong reputation and is the type of company that is fair and honest. I feel that working for your company would be a great benefit to me and my future and I equally feel like I would be a great benefit to your company in return.

Question: What is one negative quality about yourself that we should be aware of?

Answer: Some people say that I am too obsessive when it comes to work. I tend to overdo things while working because I put everything I have into the job. I tend to think about work all the time and am always spending time focusing on how I can do a better job. This may seem like a positive trait but some times I think I need to step back and relax a bit.

Question: Why should we hire you over all our other applicants?

Answer:  Because I am a committed individual who isn’t just looking for a “job.” I am looking to invest all my time, dedication and hard work into the task at hand. I want to do my best to ensure that I am constantly being a benefit for your company, and in return I know that I will receive the benefits of working for such a wonderful company. Others may be more qualified in work experience but I am a dedicated and responsible person who isn’t simply looking for a job, but am instead looking to make this job my career.

Question: What if your long term goal with the position that you are applying for?

Answer:  I want to acquire a position with your company so that I can excel at all things and become a huge asset for your company. I am not just another warm body but am the type of person who goes into a job with the intent to turn it into a career. In the long term I would dedicate myself to every task and duty that you assign me and will strive to obtain perfection when completing these tasks. I want to prove to your company that I am a valuable asset in hopes of slowly working my way to the top. I wish to invest my time and effort with your company, and would like to eventually stay with you long term.

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Job Interview Questions to Ask

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When attending a job interview, you will most likely be given the opportunity to ask any questions that you may have pertaining to the job for which you are applying or about the company that you are interviewing for.  You should always be prepared to ask a couple of short and brief questions. 

Most people will simply say that they have no questions and will walk out the door. However, when you ask a potential employer questions, you may be showing them that you really value the opportunity that you have been given and that you are very interested in the position that they have to offer.

Most people will simply ask questions like, “how long before I know if I got the job or not,” or “I have a wedding to go to in 2 months. Will that be hard for me to get off?” Asking these types of questions is out of place during an interview. You are best suited to gain your answer to question number one by calling back in a few days after your interview and asking. As for question number two, it is best to put it on hold until you have gotten the job and know who your supervisor is so that you can speak to them directly.

Examples Of Questions To Ask During A Job Interview

One question to consider asking is “what is the dress code?” This allows a potential employer to know that you are thinking about the way in which you must present themselves while working for them. 

Another good question to ask is “How many hours can I expect to work a week?” Once again this shows that you are curious and excited about the possibility of working for their company and that you are concerning yourself with scheduling.

There is another question that you may wish to ask once you have gauged the personality of the person interviewing you. One question that actually turns the tables on the interviewer is to ask them this: “Why should I work for your company?” If asked in the right tone, this question can be a great conversation starter. This allows the interviewer to see that you believe in yourself enough to actually question what their company can do for you.   This question has been used to the success of numerous people who have attended job interviews of all types in all industries.

Finally, one other great question to ask is “what do you personally value in your employees and what qualities do you look for in your employees?”  This once again shows an interviewer that you are curious about exactly what they are looking for and that you are also willing to learn these things and take notice of them so that you can make yourself a better employee.  Questions like this are questions that your interviews may ask such as, “what are your 3 best qualities?” However, now you are turning the question around on them in order to get their opinion on the situation.

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Job Hunting Tips: Matching the Needs of An Employer

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When most people sit down and create their resume, they only have their personal needs in mind. They use their resume in order to obtain a job or career that matches up with their personal needs and goals. Though this is the purpose of obtaining employment, it is not always the best way to go about obtaining a job. You have to realize that all companies great and small are looking to match their own needs, and the majority of them don’t care about your personal needs. All they want is to ensure that you as an employee will meet their expectations and their needs.

This is where you must decide how you will present your resume. If you want your resume to more effective and want it to have the ability to secure you a job that will meet your needs, then you will need to be sure that your resume is not “self-directed.” Instead, you will want your resume to be what is known as “employer directed.” This also means that you will have to watch the way in which you word and list things throughout your resume in order to make sure it is directed at your potential employers needs.

For example, most people who put their resume together will create a dynamic objective that details why they personally want the job they are applying for and what their goals are with the job. Many applicants will go as far as saying that they are using a job as a “stepping stone” to bigger things. What you truly need to do with your objective is tell the potential employer what you will do for their company, rather than what you hope their open position will do for you.

You need to immediately show these potential employers that you are hoping to fill a need that they have for a strong-working and dedicated employee who is willing to do whatever is asked and is willing to excel at everything they do. Your objective is your sales pitch to these potential employers. You need to use these short few sentences to show them how you will not only match their needs but you will excel at filling them.

How Can I Ensure That My Objective And Cover Letter Are Geared Towards Company Needs?

You can easily determine if your resume is self focused or company focused by simply reading over it. You should read over your resume as if you were preparing to interview yourself and consider each sentence and section of your resume and determine if that section convinces you that you would fill a need at the company, or if that section instead is self-focused. You may also wish to ask an outside third party such as a friend or a family member to assist you with this. That way you can have a second set of eyes and a fresh mind break down your resume for you.

Remember, you are attempting to get a job to fill your own needs, but at the same time you need to truly convince a potential employer that you are going to fill their needs above all else. If you can do this with your resume then you will quickly acquire the job you want and can begin to fulfill your personal needs.

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Job Hunting Tips: The Benefits of Having Worked for a Competitor

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Are you currently hunting for a job in the same line of work that you are previously in? Or have you worked in the same line of work for years and are currently seeking out employment? If so, you will be happy to know that there are numerous benefits involved in applying for a position at a company that is a direct competitor of another company which you have previously worked in.

Many companies are more than happy to hire employees who have worked at their competitor’s place of business. One reason for this is experience.  Competitor “A” knows that you worked for competitor “B”, which means that they will instantly believe that you have knowledge and experience at the type of job that you are applying for at their place of business. This can easily convince a potential employer that you would be a great asset to their company and that you would be very easy to train due to your previous work experience.

It is a known fact that the majority of employers are more likely to hire an individual who have worked for their competitor over another individual who has the same experience and education. This is because they are aware that the first applicant has already proven themselves successful in this line of work. In fact, many employers will browse the work history sections of resumes simply looking for applicants who have worked for their direct competitors.

Another reason why some companies are more apt to hire an individual who has worked for a competitor over a person who hasn’t, is to simply attempt to acquire information about the other company. This may sound like a shady business practice but many companies will hire their competitor’s employees in order to learn how the other company “does it.” Or they will hire them to simply gain more information and knowledge about their competitor.

How Do I Tell A Potential Employer That I Worked For Their Competitor?

There are two simple and direct ways that you can tell a potential employer that you have worked for their competitor. First and foremost, you will need to list this past position in the work history section of your resume. You should list everything about your position. This includes the company name, years of employment, your position, and your specific job responsibilities. You may even wish to update your resume in order to add additional information in this section.

Secondly, you should make mention of this in your cover letter. You can immediately tell a potential employer that you are confident that you can carry out the job for which they are hiring because you worked for their competitor. This is very direct and a very effective way in which to blatantly tell an employer that you can use the skills and knowledge that you gained from their competitor to succeed at their company.

Never hesitate to tell a company that you have worked for their competitor.  Some applicants are fearful that this information will prevent them from getting the job. However, that is rarely the case.

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