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. 

Who's Really in Charge?

So often when we face job loss or the prospect of job loss we focus on the financial impact of the job loss. We make statements like we live from check to check or if we miss one check we are going to be in trouble. This is common because we oftentimes believe that our job is what holds the key to our existence.

However, I contend that God is the key to our existence. God gave us the job that we have or had. God also gave us the skills and talents to perform that job. God will give us our next job. You have probably heard the famous statement that when one door closes God will open another door. I truly believe that statement.

I believe that job loss can be a scenario that God is trying to get our attention. Maybe God has been trying to get our attention and we have ignored God. Furthermore, job loss can be a faith test from God to us. It is easy to believe in God when things seem to be going your way but the true test of faith is how you react to struggles such as job loss.

We must remember that God will not give us more than what we can handle. I am not saying that you won't get discouraged from time to time. You are a human being even when you have great faith and belief in the power of God. But as a child of God your condition of being discouraged should be temporary. So ask yourself now who's really in charge in my life?

Don't Give Up

With the holidays and the year end approaching this is not the time to give up. I realize that you may have been searching for employment for months. You might not be able to find a job that is a good fit for you. Your skills may not be sufficient to get the job you want. You may have been downsized or recently laid off. Take the last two months of 2009 and prepare for 2010. 

Find someone that you trust to review your current resume. Your resume is your calling card and it has to be tight. Your resume will generate calls for interviews which lead you to getting the job. When you finish with your resume, create a cover letter and a list of your references.

After you are done with those steps it is time to develop a Job Search Plan. Your Job Search Plan will be a detailed report that will list activities that you will engage in to find employment.  You can plan to utilize online job boards one day, and network with contacts on another day. Set goals for yourself that are attainable.

Determine what you want to do! Take a skills assessment if you are unsure of what your next career move should be. Investigate the possibility of going to school or getting specialized training. If you can' t afford school seek financial assistance or develop skills that you can do at a limited cost. You can improve your typing skills with little cost to you. You can also improve your knowledge of Microsoft Office applications like Word, Excel, and PowerPoint. Improving your basic computer skills can help make you more employable.

 

How to Use Social Media in Your Job Search

In this blog I will briefly examine how to use social media in your Job Search. I will start with a website that many of you may be familiar with Linkedin. Linkedin can be found at www.linkedin.com. Linkedin allows you to network within a community of professionals.

Linkedin allows you to post a picture, your resume, and it allows you to obtain professional recommendations. Linkedin provides you a platform to showcase your accomplishments and skills. In doing this you are allowing yourself to be discovered by employers. Job seekers oftentimes focus their energy on finding job leads and potential employers.  Social Media provides job seekers a way they can be researched and discovered. For this reason you should proofread and update your profile on a regular basis so you can protect your image.

Linkedin also has a Job Search engine that you can use to search for jobs. You don't have to pay to use this service either. Linkedin is also helpful when you are trying to address a cover letter. It gives you information pertaining to who posted the job, when the job was posted, and the position of the person who posted the job. This information will allow you to personalize your cover letter.

Linkedin is well respected by many professionals and I feel that it should be used in your Job Search. In order to make Linkedin work, you have to invest time in it. When it is hot continue to use it and if isn't working try something else and come back to it at a later time.

Strategies for Dealing With Unemployment Part IV

In this fourth and final installment of "Strategies for Dealing with Unemployment" we will look at how unemployment can impact your mind.

Dealing with unemployment can have a tremendous effect on your mind. You go from being employed and having a definite purpose everyday to being unemployed and wondering what you should do to find your next job. For some it can be easier to deal with unemployment at its onset, but as time passes uneasiness and panic can settle in if you allow it.

Unemployment can have a great effect on their mind of men and women. Men are the expected leaders and bread winners of their households. Many women are the leaders in single parent homes or the leader in their own household. Without the security of knowing where the next dollar will come from it can cause anyone to question their worth.

To help you cope with the mental aspects of unemployment try these tips:

1. Seek to develop your relationship with God. (He will be there with you!)

2. Keep your friends and family around for you for support.

3. Take advantage of counseling if it is available.

4. Journal or keep a diary so you will have an outlet to express your feelings.

5.  Never lose faith in yourself!