Job Scams

Job Scams are erroneous job ads distributed by impostors that look to lure Job Seekers to provide them with with personal data and/or perform a fake job.  You may receive a job offer from someone who claims that they found your resume or CareerBuilder or Monster. 

To avoid being the victim of a Job Scam remember the following steps:

1. Never give out your bank account information.

2. Never give out your credit card information.

3. Never forward, transfer, or wire money to an employer.

4. Do not transfer money and retain a portion for payment.

Most companies do not need personal bank information to pay an employer with the exception being the US government who would need your bank account information to do a direct deposit.

If you want more information on Job Scams go to the following link:  http://www.worldprivacyforum.org/jobscamreportpt1.html

Handling Rejection

Most of us encountered rejection for the first time as a young child or teenager. The experience was an eye opener when someone from one of our social groups informed us that we did not measure up. We probably began to ask ourselves or our parents why. It is never easy to handle rejection but is a necessary skill to learn.

Handling rejection during your Job Search can be difficult. You should view rejection as an opportunity to learn. Ask yourself these questions:

1. Did I give my best effort?
2. Is there anything I could have done differently?
3. Would I have fit within the culture of the organization?
4. Do I try to apply to the organization at a future date?

I believe that a way of handling rejection is turning rejection into a positive. You may not have received the answer that you were hoping for from a potential employer. But if you actually get a response from a company in this job market you are ahead of the game. It shows that your resume and cover letter were good enough that you were considered. That is a victory in today's job market.

Healing After A Job Loss

When an unexpected job loss occurs it creates a scenario that most us aren't ready or equipped to deal with.

Oftentimes after a job loss we seek and are given advice of where to look for a new job. If we are lucky we may receive help from our employer in the form of a company that will provide assistance with resume enhancement or interview practice. There is no support system in place to help us  with the actual job loss.

I firmly believe that we overlook our own personal healing for a few reasons. Men tend to overlook healing after a job loss because we are frequently trained not to deal with our emotions. We may scream or pick up other addictions but we don't deal the actual problem. Both men and women overlook their own healing because they are consumed with finding a job as quickly as possible. This practice is understandable but unhealthy. Furthermore, I think we don't heal properly after a job loss because we blame ourselves for our job loss. We are filled with I should have, if only I had, they never liked me, I knew something was up, or some other conclusion that blocks our healing.

No matter what the reason is for your job loss give yourself  time to heal after the experience. Determine what you can learn from the situation. Seek the assistance of family, friends, or even a counselor so that you prepare yourself to move forward in your career.

Using the PRESTON Formula to Succeed

I have devised an acronym using the letters in my first name to help you succeed on your job.

P = Prepare (Be prepared to work, be prepared to learn, be prepared for change.)

R = Retain ( Retain what you are taught so that time isn't wasted reviewing the same info.)

E =  Embrace (Embrace the culture, ideas, and philosophies of your company.)

S =  Sacrifice (Be committed to coming early or leaving late to get the job done.)

T=  Teamwork (Help your co-worker or share your ideas when requested by a supervisor.)

O =  Ownership (Minimize the issues that your boss will have to handle on your behalf.)

N = Neat (Maintain a neat appearance and an orderly work area.)

Following these steps will help you become a star in any work environment.

The Resume vs. The Job Application

When I give my resume writing workshop I often get questions that apply more to a job application than a resume. I will attempt to examine the best approaches to both.

You want to put factual information on your resume and job application.  To place false information on your job application could be sufficient grounds for termination. A job application may ask an applicant for a social security number whereas I would never recommend anyone placing their social security number on their resume.

A job application may require you to list all the positions you have held in the past 10 years. As you create your resume you have the liberty to include the positions of your choosing.

It may be common to include your references on a job application. However, I would not include references on your resume. Your references should be created on a separate sheet of paper.

Your resume does not automatically take the place of completing a job application. You can expect to be asked to complete a job application prior to an interview.

While your resume and a job application may contain similar information they do have differences. Do your homework so that you handle each appropriately.

Keeping the Recruiters Attention

Your resume should begin with a Summary instead of an Objective. This is what many recruiters are looking for today. As you create your summary remember it should include your greatest selling points. 

To ensure that your resume grabs the attention of recruiters implement these strategies. First of all make sure that your summary is brief, and when I say brief I mean no longer than four sentences. Secondly, you should strategically add industry key words in your summary. You can obtain a job description of the job you want to support you in this effort. Lastly, you must explain the value you can bring to the company. 

Any recruiter who reads your summary should be able to determine the position that you want, why you would be a potential fit, and if they want to continue reading your resume. Don't try to create the summary in one draft. It may take a few drafts to create the perfect Summary for your resume.