Resumark Blog

Tips for Providing Samples of Past Work

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 20:13:57 +0000

For certain positions, such as web design, graphic art, writing, and other artistic endeavors, you may be requested to submit samples of your past work before you are hired. Whatever the format, it’s important to put your best foot forward. Look at it from the employer’sperspective; what do they want to see from you?

Choose samples that are most applicable to the position. The idea is to give them the sense that you can do the job, because you’ve already done it before! For example, if you are applying for a position designing product labels, be sure to include many product label designs in your submission. But what if you don’t have any product labels? Consider what other connections you have to the products. It’s a dog food company? Great, you have drawings of animals to submit.

Show your range. This is especially important if you are applying for a position where you will have a wide array of responsibilities, but it’s a good idea even if the position calls primarily for one specific task. For example, if you are a writer applying for a position where you will be writing press releases, the vast majority of your samples should be press releases, but you can also showcase your ability to write articles, commercial scripts, and product copy. The company may recognize the value of your many talents – you can help out the rest of the marketing team! – and it can put you ahead of the pack.

Include different clients. Showing samples from multiple companies allows them to visualize how much experience you have. You will come across as a more seasoned professional. If you don’t have multiple clients, consider including work done on a volunteer basis.

Submit at least some paid work. Even if you’ve done your best work on your own, it’s important to show that you are a professional with paid experience. But if you don’t have paid experience, remember that sometimes your employer won’t be able to tell the difference between your volunteer work and your paid work, so this can work to your advantage.

Don’t include too much or too little. If the company requests a particular amount of work, follow their guidelines. Not sure? You can always ask. A good rule of thumb is to provide enough material for someone to look over in about 10 to 15 minutes.

Don’t submit anything racy or political. That is, unless you are applying for a position at a company that is racy or political. Otherwise, submitting something controversial may draw attention to you… but more often than not, it will send your application to the waste bin.

Make sure it is professionally displayed. This is not the time to skimp on supplies. Follow the standards of your field. If you are uncertain of the proper format, inquire with the company, research on the internet, or talk to someone already working in that area.

Don’t assume you will get it back. If you can, submit a copy, not the original. It is standard for some companies to simply toss past samples after they are done with them. If you’re putting together a particularly expensive display, check with the company before you turn it in to make sure you will have it returned to you.

Be confident! If you receive a compliment, accept it graciously. Don’t downplay the quality of your work. Take pride in what you do. And if you receive comments or suggestions, be polite and accepting. Don’t assume it’s a bad thing. They may be testing how you will take constructive criticism while on the job.

Be Aware Of Sexism and React Properly When You See It

Thu, 29 Jul 2010 00:28:42 +0000

You’d think we’d have grown past it by now, but sexual discrimination and sexual harassment still rear their ugly heads in the workplace. You can and should avoid it, much as you avoid the flu, making sure not to be on the receiving end and never, ever being a donor.

Here’s how to immunize yourself:

1) Know It When You See It

a) Sexual Discrimination

Sexual discrimination exists when a person is treated differently simply because of his or her gender, and when that different treatment also affects the “terms or conditions of employment” in a negative way. Sexual discrimination is illegal.

Those “terms or conditions of employment” include being hired or fired from a job, being transferred to a different job, pay, title, and even the advancement and training opportunities your employer does or does not provide.

In other words, it’s illegal for you to treat someone on the job differently, or for you to be treated differently, simply because of gender. The same basic standards apply to interns and to students in school situations, too.

b) Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment exists when anyone in a workplace does either one of two things:

- Creates a “quid pro quo” situation where one person is asked to take steps toward a personal relationship with another, such as going on a date or anything more, in return for getting or keeping any aspect of their employment, such as special rights or privileges, advancement, salary increases, and so forth. - Creates a “hostile environment” where any person feels uncomfortable or threatened as a result of the behavior, language, attitude, or even posting of ‘pinup’ pictures.

2) Know What To Do

a) Don’t be an offender. Be very careful in workplace (and/or school) situations not to be the person who breaks the laws against Sexual Discrimination or Sexual Harassment.

For example:

- Test your remarks and behavior before you make them or do them. Would you make the same remark or exhibit the same behavior to a person of a different gender? If you’re not completely sure, then rethink what you intend to say or do. - Consider how people respond to you. Are they sending signals that your words or deeds make them uncomfortable? Have you heard rumors from some people that other people are uncomfortable around you? If so, then rethink what you normally say and do.

b) Report any offenses your personally see or hear. Most people are understandably reluctant to “mix in” when they see or hear “out of bounds” behavior in the workplace. But this is a mistake. The penalties for Sexual Discrimination and Sexual Harassment are so severe — not just the legal penalties, but the emotional penalties paid by its victims — that you’re doing the right thing for your employer when you report any such offenses.

Most employers – private businesses, state and local governments, labor unions, temp agencies, employment agencies, and in many cases even apprenticeship programs - are covered by both Federal and State versions of these laws, and have specific procedures in place for reporting suspected violations. Check with your employer’s HR people to see how you can blow the whistle on any Discrimination or Harassment activities you may have experienced or witnessed.

And you needn’t worry. Retaliation for reporting Sexual Discrimination or Sexual Harassment is also against the law. You cannot be fired or demoted, take a cut in pay, be forced to take unpaid leave, or even be reassigned against your will, if it’s done as a way of getting back at you for reporting any Sexual Discrimination or Sexual Harassment you saw or heard.

Shrinking Middle Class in America

Wed, 28 Jul 2010 05:30:41 +0000

The United States used to have the largest and most prosperous middle class in the world, but now that is changing and the rich are getting richer and the poor are getting poorer at a blinding speed.

The main reason for such fundamental changes is the side effects of the globalism and “free trade” that our leaders insisted would be so good for us. It turned out that they forgot to tell us that in “global economy” American workers would eventually have to directly compete for jobs with people in other countries with no minimum wage and few other regulations. Over the last several decades the big global corporations have greatly benefited by exploiting third world labor, but more and more middle class Americans have found things to be very tough.

Most people have nothing to offer in the marketplace other than their labor and absolutely dependent on someone else giving them a job. U.S. workers are much less attractive today compared to the rest of the world. They are extremely expensive, and the government keeps passing regulations that makes it even more difficult to conduct business in the United States. Therefore large corporations are moving operations out of the U.S. and, since the U.S. government does not penalize them for doing so, there is no incentive for them to stay.

No matter how smart and educated or how hard working you are, you just cannot compete with people who are willing to work 12 hours a day for less than a dollar an hour. No corporation in their right mind is going to pay you 10 times more (plus benefits) to do the same job. Wealth and power are rapidly concentrating at the top and the big global corporations are making a lot of money while the American middle class is being wiped out of existence as U.S. workers are slowly being merged into the new global labor pool.

There are about six unemployed Americans for every new job opening in the United States and the average time needed to find a job has risen to a record 35.2 weeks. There simply are not enough jobs for everyone. While people at the top are doing quite well, most Americans are finding it difficult to make it. Even those who are able to get jobs are finding that they are making less money than they used to. More than 40 percent of employed Americans are now working in service jobs, which are often have very low wages.

The top 1% of U.S. households own nearly twice as much of America’s corporate wealth as they did just 15 years ago. Despite the financial crisis, the number of millionaires in the United States went up 16% last year. The top 10% of Americans now earn around 50% of the national income. The middle class in America is dying and once it is gone it will be incredibly difficult to rebuild.

Common Interview Questions & Answers - Part 3

Tue, 27 Jul 2010 04:12:25 +0000

Continued from Common Interview Questions and Answers - Part 1 and Common Interview Questions and Answers - Part 2

Q: Why do you want this job?

A: “I am looking for a position in this industry that will allow me to grow. I was very intrigued when I saw the posting for this job and even more interested once I looked into this company. I am well qualified for the position but there is still room for a challenge. I know I could make a great contribution here.”

Rationale: Many employers are now seeing people reach far afield from what their usual occupation or industry is. They really do want to know if you are just using the shotgun approach or if you want this job. Tip: Use the actual industry and the company name whenever possible (don’t say ‘this industry’).

Q: How long would you expect to work for us if hired?

A: “I’m not just looking for a job, I’m looking for a place where I can feel comfortable and stay a long time. I would be happy to stay as long as we both feel I’m doing a good job.”

Rationale: Hiring takes a lot of time and energy. Employers don’t want to do it more than necessary. Of course, things happen, but be as honest as you can be here. If you are all the way to the interviewing process, you should have decided by now that this is a position and company you can stay with. But you can’t really be specific, can you?

Q: Have you ever had to fire anyone? How does that make you feel?

A: “I did have to fire a production designer once. He just couldn’t keep up and he was slowing down the whole production department. I gave him lots of warnings, and at the end, I made it very clear why he was being let go. The outcome was great, because it was much less stressful on the whole department when the work got done on time, and the designer who replaced him was amazing.”

Rationale: Again, be honest here. They are not asking for details about whether or not the firing was justified. This question will generally be asked to determine if you can be the bad guy when the need arises. Also, your answer should reflect that you are aiming for the good of the company rather than the individual. Don’t give the impression that you did this with glee, either.

Q: How would you compensate for your lack of experience?

A: “I have done similar work in volunteering for my local community center, where I worked the front desk. While this experience was not paid, and is not on my resume, it required me to deal with many residents and the details of many different programs and offerings. I often worked by myself so I had to know the answers. I truly enjoy helping people and I am sure my skills will transfer well into this position.”

Rationale: If you have any experience that is not on your resume, state that. Make sure to indicate that you are a quick study and resourceful and that those skills are valuable. If you do not have any outside experience, then just focus on your willingness to learn.

Q: What has been your biggest professional disappointment?

A: “I was in the middle of the big annual directory, and my job description called for me to also handle the annual banquet. But the timeline for the directory had gotten shifted due to some outside vendors, and I wasn’t going to be able to finish that in time to get the banquet up and running when that needed to be done. I had been looking forward to doing the banquet, but found that it was really better when it was shifted to a co-worker, so that I could concentrate on finishing the annual project I was doing in addition to my other work. Both the directory and the banquet were better for it.”

Rationale: You don’t want to whine here – XYZ project/account was given to my co-worker but I really wanted it. State the reason why the disappointment might have happened, but it helps if it was out of your control. Don’t go into a lot of detail about any of it. They are not asking about your feelings, just a clue to how seriously you take your job.

Common Interview Questions and Answers - Part 2

Sat, 24 Jul 2010 00:15:58 +0000

Continued from Common Interview Questions and Answers - Part 1

Q: Why do you want to work for this company?

A: “I have been following the business news in this area for a while now, and I always seem to see this company represented in a good light. I noticed the company made the Best to Work For list and it seems to be on the cutting edge of its field. I would love to work for a leader that could really use my skills.” Rationale: You are a leader in your field, too. See how you can end on a high note for yourself?

Q: What would a co-worker say about you?

A: “I once worked with an art director who said I was “genuine.” My previous director said I was an asset to the company. He actually told our assembled production staff that I was a natural and had gathered unprecedented publicity coverage for the company.” Rationale: Don’t sugar coat it here, but try to brainstorm ahead of time things that people have said about you or to you. If your director says, “Handling that many projects is a testament to your project management skills,” then it’s a compliment. Stick to professional qualities – “fun to be around’ is not what we’re after here.

Q: Describe your management style.

A: “I am a very approachable manager. I try to get information from more than one side. I work within the parameters set by upper management, but I have enough experience that I can make most daily decisions on my own, depending on the situation.” Rationale: Try to avoid labels. If you have been a manager, you would be expected to be up on the current trends in management style. Maybe do a little prep reading ahead of time if you need to. If you have not been a manager, describe leadership situations you have held (volunteer, team leads, etc).

Q: Tell me about a time when you resolved a dispute between others.

A: “I was involved in a team project where the product manger and the designer were not working well together. They could not seem to communicate. The designer was giving us designs that were not in line with our strategy. I finally figured out he couldn’t understand what the product manager was asking for. I explained to him what the strategy was and pointed out a few ways that we could promote that. He came up with two very good drafts for us shortly after that.” Rationale: Tell more about what you did working with the people than what the dispute was. Don’t go into detail about whatever it was that caused the dispute. Very few people are interested in the inner workings of a company that they do not work for.

Q: What motivates you to do a good job?

A: “I love it when a long-term project comes together. I enjoy reaching each new step on the way. I keep a Gantt chart so I know when to start each new phase, and love it when I can cross off a phase as completed.” Rationale: Even if money is your prime target, try to focus on something that is a bit more intangible. Recognition, a challenge or achieving a goal. A job well done. These are all great intangibles for motivating a worker. Focus on something that would be a motivator while at the same time helping the company.

The Power of Relocation To Help You Restart Your Career

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 19:31:19 +0000

The stats are daunting: millions of Americans have been out of work for 99 weeks or longer. Millions more are about to join them. For every job opening, according to the Department of Labor, there are at least five applicants.

So what’s a body to do?

There are many ways to increase your chances of finding a suitable job. One of them you may not have considered is relocating. The biggest advantage of relocating is that you can pick a geographical area that offers more opportunities in the field, profession, or career you’re pursuing. A secondary advantage is that, since you’re moving in from out of town, you may be perceived as a more interesting and desirable candidate than the crowd who have been interviewed before for previous openings.

But unless you have a reason to move to a specific town, it’s important that you search for good job-hunting grounds before you pick a new place. Looking before you leap also allows you to look for work in several different locations before you commit the time and resources needed to physically move your happy home.

Begin by reading up on locations that seem to offer opportunities that may suit you. Contact local Chambers of Commerce for detailed information on their areas. Check on the cost of living, the climate, and other matters that may be important to you, such as the quality of the schools, the cultural offerings, and the transportation picture (distances from residential areas to work areas, traffic flow, train routes and schedules, bus routes and schedules, the potential to walk or bicycle to work, and so forth). Most important, what type and size of employers are located there, and what job opportunities seem to be available?

Once you find a location that seems promising, check out the area’s major employers. You can get help on this from your local reference librarian, or use the Internet. Chamber of Commerce membership directories will offer you a starting list of potential employers. Many large employers — like banks, insurance companies and telephone companies – have offices in a number of different locations. Other companies are more limited geographically. You can also start looking for jobs in specific locales by using a site like this one: http://www.quintcareers.com/Global_job_resources.html

As you narrow down your list of potential employers, begin researching their employment needs. Try to identify key people you’ll want to contact. But don’t give up on a company just because you can’t find a good contact person; you can always just call their HR departments and start asking questions.

Another worthwhile approach is to locate successful recruiters in your target zone and ask if they can help you find work. (Most recruiters start with a job opening and look for suitable candidates, rather than starting with a candidate and looking for a suitable job. But you may find that you fit the requirements for a job they’re trying to fill.)

Don’t forget to go through local want-ads in your target locations. Keep in mind, though, that a disappointingly small percentage of new hires find their new jobs through classified advertisements. You’ll probably obtain just as many good leads to possible jobs by reading the business news about your target locations. News of businesses that are growing, hiring, moving into the area, and expanding to new locations within the region provide strong clues about which employers might be looking for additional employees.

If you can narrow down to just one or two locations, consider joining relevant organizations there — even before you move in. Lodges, professional associations, and straight-ahead “networking organizations” may offer you unmatched opportunities to communicate with well-connected people in your soon-to-be-new home town, and to tap into their knowledge and contacts to help you land a good job.

Office Romance Gone Bad? Sharing an Office with Your Ex

Thu, 22 Jul 2010 01:20:46 +0000

We’ve all heard that dating coworkers is a bad idea. Nonetheless, while spending most of our time at work, coworkers often become friends and opposite sexes may even become romantically involved. According to a recent survey conducted by Careerbuilder.com, 37% of workers said that they had dated a co-worker at some time in their careers. 32%t of those people said they had gone on to marry that person.

Unfortunately, not every office romance works out. Most of us prefer not to be around an ex after a romantic breakup and the last thing we want is to have to interact with them on a daily basis. Sadly, this is something that may be unavoidable in an office environment. Working with your ex may be very painful, and when a relationship turns sour, the office can become a battlefield of anxiety and distraction.

It takes a lot of maturity and common sense to successfully share an office with your ex. It is not easy but it can be done. Despite of how hurt you may feel, you have to use your best judgment and keep your emotions away from work. Whatever is going on in your personal life has no place in your professional life. The following advice may help you not to make a mess out of an unpleasant situation:

1. Be professional. Don’t let your personal life ruin your professional career! Control your emotions and try to focus on doing your job the best you can. Remember that a one-minute burst out of emotions can cost you years of hard work it took to build your career.

2. Avoid talking about your ex or your breakup with your colleagues. If asked, remain calm and neutral and maintain a positive mood. Come up with a humorous and a polite way to respond and to change the subject, indicating that you are not interested in engaging in any discussions concerning this matter.

3. Don’t ever badmouth your ex. No one at work needs to know the details of your break up or what you think of your ex. It will only add to hostility between you two and will ignite additional rumors. Also, keep in mind that everything you say about your ex also reflects on you personally. After all, you’ve dated that person.

4. Don’t post personal information or information about your breakup on any social websites. Many of your colleagues may be on the same sites and rumors will spread faster than fire. Don’t ever use company e-mail or company computer to exchange messages with your ex unless you want to take a risk of them becoming a common knowledge.

5. If you are being harassed by your ex, talk to them and ask them to “keep it professional”. Explain that it is in both of your interests if you want to keep your jobs. If that doesn’t help, consider talking to your superiors and asking for their help. Do this only as a last resort and make sure you are not exaggerating when it comes to the issues with your ex (again, don’t let emotions cloud your judgment!)

6. If all fails, consider requesting a transfer or reassignment to another office or department (if working for a large company) or even taking another job, if at all possible.

Do you have any other advice? Have you ever been in this situation? Please share your experience in the comments below!

A Job Seeker’s Guide to Craigslist

Wed, 21 Jul 2010 03:04:15 +0000

It’s not just for used furniture anymore. Craigslist hosts hundreds of job opportunities in a wide variety of fields. Here are a few tips for making the best use of the site:

Know the difference between jobs and gigs.

Jobs are full-time or part-time positions that are usually long-term, and gigs are freelance opportunities that are usually short-term. Depending on your career goals, both sections can be useful. At least for your first few visits to the site, check both jobs and gigs in your field, just to see what’s out there. Getting a decent short-term gig can tide you over until a full-time position comes along and can also boost your resume.

Narrow your location.

If you’ve used Craigslist before, you have likely already selected your city, but did you know you can hone in on a specific neighborhood in many major cities? At the very top of the website, your city will be listed. It will be followed by abbreviations for various neighborhoods in the area. If you select one of these, you will be able to search only opportunities close to home.

Select two or three fields.

To get the most out of Craigslist, you should check it on a daily basis. You can make this task less daunting by selecting a few specific fields that best fit your skills and interests. If there is any particular search terms you would like to use or options you would like selected (such as telecommute or non-profit,) fill in this information, and then bookmark the page. Now, instead of taking the time to enter the terms or locate the correct page, you can simply click on your handy link and see the latest relevant updates.

Consider the resumes section.

Even in this lackluster economy, recruiters are on the internet looking for people to hire, and Craigslist is one site they can search. This can be useful to you if you want a job in a specific location. However, if you’re looking for jobs throughout the United States or the world, it may be less valuable because your resume will be tied to a single location on the site. Remember, NEVER include any sensitive information on Craigslist. For your safety, you may even want to remove your name, phone number, and address. Instead, you can use their anonymous email address to get in touch with potential employers, and make sure they are legit before you get in contact. Be sure to include a descriptive and professional headline to entice headhunters to click.

Use the site to network!

Make use of the Community section to connect with others in your field. You can find information about events taking place or groups you can join. If you have hobbies, you can also locate people who share similar interests and broaden your network that way.

Beware of scams.

Because posting jobs to Craigslist is inexpensive (or in some cities even free) many smaller companies with unique opportunities can be found on the site, but it also means that the website is host to many scams, so be careful! Never give out bank account numbers, credit card information, or your social security number for a job opportunity. And be wary of any interviews that take place in a private residence. Instead, ask to meet in a public place like a coffee shop. If something doesn’t feel right, consider bringing a friend along or walk away entirely. Craigslist offers some advice on avoiding scams in the left column, and you can also read more tips for spotting fraud in How to Avoid Job Scams.

Recognizing Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Video

Tue, 20 Jul 2010 03:41:50 +0000

10 Ways to Pretend You’re Working

Mon, 19 Jul 2010 05:48:15 +0000

For many of us - work is a necessity but not really something that we find immensely satisfying to do. However, we have fixed hours of the day in which we are expected to turn up into the office and ‘work’. For some people this is hard to do! It’s difficult to maintain focus and it’s difficult to keep progressing on something that isn’t fun or interesting. In some cases there simply isn’t enough to keep us busy! - So here are some ‘fun’ ways to pretend that you’re working (now don’t quote me on these or ‘take them seriously’ as words of proper careers advice-it’s just some food for thought to get you through the day!):

1. Type loudly on your keyboard with a steady rhythm

2. Hunch over your keyboard like you’re really concentrating

3. Automate email sending (especially late at night)

4. Make conference calls to the Time of Day service

5. Get in early - but to check your Facebook!

6. Put on expressions of worry, anxiety and stress

7. Look up to the ceiling like you’re thinking and scratch your head at regular intervals

8. Walk around with pads of paper (like you’re really busy and important!)

9. Scribble down your shopping list and other notes regularly (because you’re clearly writing down important key notes from your meetings!)

10. Tap your fingers impatiently on your desk like you’re waiting for a web page to load on your screen.

About the Author: Nisa Chitakasem is the founder of Position Ignition – a careers company dedicated to taking you to the next step in your career. Nisa is passionate about helping individuals find the right career path for them whether it involves finding a more rewarding career, making a career change, figuring out the right career plan or being creative about career directions. For more information visit: www.positionignition.com or email:enquiries@positionignition.com to contact Nisa.