Telephone Interview Tips To Land Your Dream Job

Telephone interview tips can help you land your dream job. How?

The amount of telephone job interviews conducted by employers has dramatically risen over the past five years and the trend shows no signs of slowing. This is mainly due to the fact that employers are searching for ideal candidates who live out of town, not just those who live locally. Chances are that you may have to "attend" a telephone interview. When you do, these tips will help you out.

Keep in mind that an interview conducted over the phone is just as important as one conducted in an office. You need to prepare for your interview just as you would any other interview. Review questions and practice your answers in front of a mirror or with a friend. Make a list of questions you want to ask. You might also want to study up on the employer you are interviewing with.

Always keep your resume and the classified job ad in front of you during the interview. This will keep vital information within reach. Avoid preparing a pile of documents. If you have a stack of papers in front of you, you will be tempted to browse through papers which will create a noisy distraction during your interview. It will be very difficult extracting information from a huge pile anyway. The key is to keep it simple.

If at all possible, use a home phone line for the interview. Cell phones can be unreliable. A home phone is both more reliable and free of static. Set aside time for the interview. Make sure you are in a quiet place and that will allow you plenty of time to talk. Your interviewer may request to conduct the interview through a video conferencing system on the computer. This is fine, but there could be technical difficulties if you don't make sure you are up and running ahead of time.

Make sure you set aside plenty of time for your interview. You never want to abruptly halt an interview or disrupt it in any way. One of the best telephone interview tips that you can follow involves getting into an ideal frame of mind before the interview. Schedule time before the interview to relax. Take steps to limit disruptions. Take the call in a private room located away from kids, animals and other potential distractions.

Try to speak up and pronounce your words clearly. Remember; the quality of your voice is your first and only impression. Speak passionately, but avoid becoming too animated or excited. This could make it difficult for the interviewer to understand you.

Another great tip is to dress for a telephone interview just as you would in an in-office interview. While no one will actually see you, you will feel more professional and your voice will convey this.

Telephone interview tips will only help you if you have time to prepare beforehand. If an employer cold calls you and asks to do an interview on the spot, politely ask if you can call back at a better time. Always give a time when you will call back.

CK Tan is the owner of JobAsiaSearch.com, a web site dedicated to assisting job seekers secure a job in Asia. If you need help in your Asia job search or looking for a job opening in Asia, visit http://www.jobasiasearch.com

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How To Ask For A Raise: 9 Powerful Tips

Here we go.. hope these tips will help:

Raise Your Salary Tip 1: Make sure you deserve a salary raise. And learn how to prove it. Write down your skills and your accomplishments. Is there anything really unique about you or the service you offer to your employer? Write it down. Make sure you know everything about your contributions to the company.

Raise Your Salary Tip 2: Do you know what's the normal salary raise for someone like you? Seek that information. Learn everything about the salary range in your area of expertise. Ask co-workers or other people who do the same job. What is their salary?

Raise Your Salary Tip 3: Timing matters especially when you are about to ask for a raise. The idea is to choose the right time and the right place to give it a go. Does your supervisor looks happy today? Is he/she in a bad mood? Is he/she ready to listen to you? Is he/she ready to pay attention to what you have to say?. Your boss is just another human being and you don't want to ask for a raise when he/she is in a bad mood.

Raise Your Salary Tip 4: You know there are days when you feel you really worked hard. This always reflects to everybody in your working environment. There are days when you accomplish a difficult task or you finish a project you where preparing for months. Don't you think that day would be the best to ask for a raise?

Raise Your Salary Tip 5: Your boss will probably start a bargain with you. He/She wants to spend as little as possible and make a deal for less. It would be a good idea to ask for an amount of money that is a little bit higher than what you expect or deserve. If you feel deserving a 10% salary raise, ask for 15%.

Raise Your Salary Tip 6: Don't just think about yourself or what you have to offer. Be realistic. Is your company going through some hard times lately? Prepare yourself for a salary raise that's lower than you expected. Or wait some time until the company is wealthier.

Raise Your Salary Tip 7: Use your negotiating skills. Your supervisor may offer you a more flexible schedule, or a vacation time or some time off, instead of raising your salary. Be prepared for every possible option. Maybe a more flexible schedule is what you wanted after all.

Raise Your Salary Tip 8: Don't be shellfish. Your boss may turn you down for any reason. Do you have a plan B? If not, then create one. Regroup and get ready for action. Don't lose your temper or you'll lose it all. Most importantly, don't lose your sense of humor!

Raise Your Salary Tip 9: Don't quit. If you got turned down don't be disappointed. You need to insist. You need to try again and again. Meanwhile, keep improving your strategy. Try a better or different approach next time. If you want a salary raise you can get it easier if you keep believing.

Take your future in your hands. Stop being manipulated by your employer. Get the salary raise you deserve using powerful psychological and other secret techniques. Make your plan, prepare yourself, start negotiating and beat your boss! Then go out with your closest friend, buy him/her a beer and enjoy.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Mary_Markella

Salary and the Job Interview - How to Answer Questions About Desired Salary

Many people have a pretty good idea of the type of salary they want to make when changing jobs or looking for the first time but when the issue comes up in an interview, many people stumble.

When you are interviewing for a position and the interviewer asks you "Can you tell me what salary you are looking for?", what do you say? Surprisingly most people speak too soon when it comes to money and this often ends up hurting them in the long run.

You will occasionally get the interviewer who will ask this very early in the process, which can really catch you off guard but there are two things you can do to make sure you are ready for it.

1. Put it off by redirecting. If an interviewer asks you this question, one of the best ways to redirect is to say, "It feels premature to talk about salary until I know more about the job and the responsibilities that go with it. Could you share with me the range budgeted for this position." Now you have put the ball in their court and they are asked to come up with a number. It will be the rare interviewer who will not know what is being budgeted for that position and if they choose to deflect that answer, you might be in for some tough negotiations.

2. Prepare and do your research. Before you go into an interview, you should know what the average salary for this position in your market is. You may think that you are worth $40k when you are really worth $50k - important information to have when going into an interview. Make sure you do your research and talk to people in the know. If they press you for a number, at least you will be making an educated request.

If you want resources to help you find out salary scales for certain positions in a demographic area,
you can go to your local professional association. They will usually have the latest reports on salaries in the industry and these can be a great place to start.

Remember, when it comes to negotiating salary, most employees unknowingly leave 20% or more money/benefits on the table. But, we'll discuss that more tomorrow when we touch on negotiating that all important bottom line.

Success coach Melani Ward helps women entrepreneurs create the business of their dreams so they can have more money, time and freedom in their lives. If you're ready to get more clients, have more fun and make a whole lot more money in your small business, get your FREE report NOW at http://www.HotButtonCopy.com

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Salary, Raises, & Perks: Negotiate to Get Paid What You're Worth

Salary negotiation requires preparation and good timing. It’s important to determine your salary needs and research the market value for the job you want. Timing is critical for negotiation. Discussing salary requirements too early in the interview process can jeopardize your chances of getting the salary you deserve. Failure to negotiate could result in losing money.

Market Value

The negotiation process begins by determining what salary you need. Prepare a detailed outline of your expenses. Next determine the market value of the job for which you are applying. Research similar positions with other companies and jobs requiring comparable experience. Information can be gathered from classified ads, competitors, informational interviews, and web sites.

Win-Win

Be polite and professional during negotiation. Try to impress to the employer that your goal is a win-win situation. It is your job to convince the employer that you are worth more than they are offering. Be prepared for objections by talking about how your past accomplishments benefited previous employers.

Wait

Never bring up salary until an offer has been extended. At that point, the employer has decided that you are the best person for the job, giving you bargaining power. If the employer brings up salary before an offer has been made, be prepared with a response. For example, “I need to know more about the job responsibilities before I can talk salary.” If the position is newly created you could say, “Since this is a newly created, position, I’m sure you have a salary in mind.”

Start Higher

When you have determined an acceptable salary, start negotiating higher than you think the employer wants to pay, and then go to a middle ground. If the employer offers you $50,000 and you want $55,000, ask for $58,000 and then work backward toward your target salary.

The employer may offer you some reasons for not wanting to give you the requested salary. Again, be prepared with a response. If the employer tells you their budget won’t allow an increase, negotiate some perks such as flex-time or an early salary review. If the employer tells you that you would be earning more than others at that level, point out that you should earn more, because you’re worth more. Another option is to ask for a different job title so that you’ll fall into a higher salary range. Be sure to mention that you will take on some additional responsibilities to compensate for the higher salary.

Perks

If the employer can’t increase the salary, be creative and look at other ways to boost your compensation package. You could ask for extra vacation days. Another option is to ask for an early salary review. Request that you be given a three-month review. If your performance is satisfactory, ask that you receive your annual raise at that time. Other options to consider include: a one time sign-on bonus, flex-time, or a shorter work week.

Get Paid What You’re Worth

Why should you negotiate your salary? You have a right to be paid what you’re worth and what the market supports. Records indicate that 60 percent of all negotiators get more than the initial offer. If you don’t negotiate, you’ll lose money, since each annual raise is based on the amount of your starting salary. For example, suppose you were hired at $30,000 per year, without negotiating. Had you negotiated you may have started at $32,000. Based on a five percent salary increase each year, you would lose more than $26,000 over ten years.

Finally, salary negotiation isn’t reserved for the corporate world. People in all types of industries can successfully negotiate their salary. Remember, you are negotiating for your future!

Joan Runnheim, M.S., is owner of Pathways Career Success Strategies (http://www.pathwayscareer.com). She has over 10 years of experience helping people take charge of their career. Joan specializes in helping professionals navigate a mid-career transition, whether its a career change, job change, or career advancement.

Before establishing her private practice, Joan worked in both the for-profiit and not-for-profit arenas. Her first-hand experience with lay-offs, career change, and job search allows her to 'put herself in her clients' shoes.' She serves clients from a variety of fields, including IT, healthcare, and sales and marketing.

Joan is a Certified Five O'Clock Club Career Coach and a Certified Career Management Coach. For the past five years she has served as a career advisor for Monster.com.

Start to take charge of your career with a complimentary 15-minute career coaching session (http://www.pathwayscareer.com) and our monthly career newsletter

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Joan_Runnheim_Olson

Six Essential Salary Negotiation Tips

Salary is the most awkard issue in the hiring process. Discussing the compensation often causes anxiety on both employee and employer. Here are six ways to make the process of salary negotiating efficient.

1) Research: Before the interview process begins, contact the professional organization that represents your field of career. As soon as they provide you with your salary information, you can now examine your monthly cash requirements. Remember that once your taxes are added to your paycheck, approximately 30% of your gross monthly salary is deducted.

2) Determine your skills: You should understand that different segments of the economy require a variety of skills depending on the industry setting. Once you have established what your skills are and what they are worth to the current employment market, you would know the limitations of your negotiation.

Salary range information is available at American Almanac of Jobs and Salaries, National Association of College and Employers, Career Center, and professionals in your related field.

In stating your salary range, avoid basing your desired salary on your current salary. Always tell the truth when it comes to your past salary. It is acceptable to extend a range to approximately $6,000 to show that you are within the company’s price range but interested in more compensation.

3) Weigh the company’s compensation package: To determine your fair market value for a specific job, you should consider the economic, geographic, and industry factors of the job offer. Weigh the benefits of compensation and promotions, insurance, allowed time off and retirement settlements of the offer to ensure a fair proposed salary.

4) Sell yourself: If you know what you could offer the company requires a larger income, never say it directly. Once you sell yourself discreetly, the interviewer would understand that the proposed salary is not appropriate for your background.

5) Have a positive attitude: In negotiating, never compete. Negotiation is basically a process which could benefit both parties. Understand your needs and those of the company.

6) The final offer: Be aware when the negotiation is done. Pushing further when a deal has been set could give a negative first impression on your part.

For more job tips visit: job-seeking-tips.com Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Trudy_Lynn

Negotiating Salary - Five Strategies For Success

Research on negotiating salary shows that up to 80 percent of job offers are negotiable but that only a small number of job candidates actually enter into negotiations of the job offer and salary with prospective employers. The main reason given is that candidates feel ill-equipped to negotiate and as a result are intimidated by the negotiation process. You don't have to be an expert negotiator to successfully negotiate a job offer. Knowing these basic negotiation strategies helps you to properly plan your salary negotiation and feel confident in the negotiation process.

Delay the salary discussion for as long as possible in the hiring process

The best time for negotiating salary is after a firm job offer has been made. Your negotiating power is at its peak when the company has been convinced of your potential value to them and has decided that you are the best candidate for the job. If the salary question comes up early in the interview process it is best to remain as non committal as possible and suggest that your salary requirements are "open" or "negotiable" until you have learned more about the job. If pressed to give an amount state a wide range within which your salary requirements fall. Avoid giving a specific salary figure on the application form and rather put "competitive" or "open to discussion".

Find out the value of your skills in the marketplace

Information is your greatest tool in negotiating salary. Research your competitive market value. What are other organizations in your field and geographical area paying for your skills and experience? It is much easier to persuade the company to agree with your salary request if your negotiation proposal is firmly based in hard fact such as what people with similar skills and in similar jobs are currently earning. You can research salary data in a number of ways including visiting various free salary websites, asking people in similar positions, calling professional and trade associations, asking recruiters and employment agents and looking at similar job postings.

Know what you are worth to this specific company

Understanding your company-value helps you determine your real bargaining power. What is your value to this company? Consider factors such as the supply and demand ratio of your skills and experience in this industry and area, the number of candidates the company interviewed, the urgency of filling the job and the direct and indirect contribution to company profitability of this job.

Evaluate the entire compensation package

Benefits can contribute up to 30 percent of the whole compensation package. Include the benefits in your salary calculations to get a more accurate picture of the dollar value of the whole compensation package. Put a direct dollar value on benefits such as medical and other insurance, bonuses, profit sharing, direct expense coverage, company services and overtime. Decide which aspects are important to you and what you can negotiate to balance the base salary.

Calculate a realistic salary range to negotiate within

Work out how much you need to earn to cover your expenses. For each expense work out the amount of money you need and the amount of money you would like. The total of each amount provides you with an acceptable salary range within which you can negotiate. You will use this data for your salary decisions. However during the negotiations it is important to base your salary request on your value to the company and your skills and experience and not on what money you need to earn every month. The employer is unlikely to be interested in your expenses. Begin negotiating at the top of your salary range to give yourself sufficient room for negotiation.

Always start your salary negotiations by thanking the employer for the job offer and highlighting your enthusiasm for the position and the company. Keep a positive attitude throughout the process of negotiating salary and make requests rather than demands. Know your true value and be confident of your ability to get the best job offer you can.

Go to Negotiating Your Salary for a complete guide to negotiating the job offer including free practical salary negotiation resources and tools.

Julia Penny is a Human Resources Consultant with many years experience interviewing and placing job candidates. Her free website The Job Interview Guide helps job seekers prepare for and succeed in job interviews and to get the job offer they want.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Julia_Penny

Prepare Well For Job Employment Interview Questions and Answers

You may well be intimidated by the question and answer section of any job employment interviews that you attend. This need not be so. Just like political leaders like Barak Obama and Sarah Palin come off well in interviews you can as well. It comes down to preparation, anticipation and even practice.

It is no secret in the H.R. human resources trade as well with experienced managers and interviewees that in the end there are only so many questions that can be asked. The same questions get asked and answered again and again in job interviews - so why not prepare for the eventuality of these probing questions so that you come off looking assured , confident and ahead of the rest of the pack. You will become a real find, a real gem for most employers to hire.

It is true that the core of an interview comes down to a question and answer period. Generally this includes questions and answers from both the interviewer and you as well. Not that you want to be in "control" of the interview. Such tactics early on often indicate trouble already for the employer with their candidate even before being hired - and often lead to an early ending for the specific interview. Just answer the questions - easier if you are prepared and be prepared to ask a few or several thoughtful and relevant questions. Generally it's expected if the interview is serious about the job in question they will have a few questions to ask.

Generally it can be said that the standard questions that you will be asked in a job employment interview fall into three general categories. General information questions, behavioral questions and lastly character or character values questions.

Firstly in terms of general information and general information questions to test the waters initially and start initial conversation you may well be asked standard questions to be expected for example - Why do you want the job ? , What type of work do you most enjoy or excel at? , What are your strongest skills? And the classic "You look like a person who knows what they want and where they want to go. Where do you see yourself in 2 or 5 years? These questions may well go along hand in hand with questions of your long term goals. Lastly in terms of general information the current trend is teams rather than "lone wolves". You invariably may be asked "Are you a team player".

Next in line you can expect a slew of "behavioral questions". The basic premise of these questions is that you're past behavior and actions are the best indicator and guess of your future behavior. Expect questions on how you reacted to past situations you found difficult and moist difficult. What did you learn from these situations? Have you improved as a result? In addition you may well be asked your actions and reactions to hypothetical situations and perhaps even "role playing".

Lastly you may well be gauged by "character questions". Some firms even employ tests and exams whose score is judged to be highly accurate in gauging the character and integrity of candidates. It is a well known , but seldom mentioned fact , that the biggest source of loss and theft in most commercial businesses and enterprises are not from outside agencies or customers in say a retail store , but rather the most major source of loss and pilferage in businesses is internal by employees themselves. Thus companies try to weed out and reduce the chances of this occurring from the onset by hiring employees who have great personal honor and integrity. You may well ask hypothetical questions on paper or directly on your views of customer and staff theft. A customer does not pay for a chocolate bar, you catch an employee paying back the firm for a "loan" etc etc.

You may even get hypothetical questions of whether to declare a small item at the border to the nice customs people when you have only been gone a day and it's a small item.

Along with these character questions you expect of how well you work under "stress".

All in all it can be said that there are only so many questions in life and in a job interview. Further these questions can only be asked so many different ways. If you want to do well and excel in job employment interviews in the end it all comes down to preparation, anticipation and practice.

Shaun Stevens - Alberta Job Shop Bank - Ace Training Education Worth It

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Interview Tips For Landing A Teen Job

Let's face it that first interview for our first "real job" can be a nerve racking experience. We have heard horror stories from friends about scary job interviews. A job interview can be a cinch with just a few tips. These tips are designed to help you land the job you want.

The interview is the most critical part of getting a job. If you are unable to make the scheduled appointment for the interview make sure to call the manager in advance. This is important as you do not want to "burn bridges".

The most valuable advice for going on a job interview is to be prepared. This might sound easy enough but there are several things to keep in mind. When going on a job interview it is important to be aware of your dress code, tone of voice and your body language.

When on a job interview you want everything about you to seem professional and pleasant. Prepare smart answers to the general questions that interviewers ask. Figure out what you want to say when the interviewer asks how you would be a positive asset to the company or what your major strengths and weaknesses are.

In order to become familiar with the general questions that will be asked surf the Internet for helpful and informative interview articles. Another way to prepare is to question a friend about their past interview experiences.

When showing up for that first job interview people are always a little nervous, this is normal, to shake off the jitters rehearse the interview session with friends or family members. If you want to impress the interviewer gather information about the company you are applying with.

Arrive at the interview early as your eagerness will help you get the job. Pay attention to the things that count during the interview like a firm handshake, good communication, eye contact, professional attitude, answering questions in a clear voice and being relaxed. Each of these qualities will leave a lasting impression with the interviewer. Put a positive foot forward and score a fun and interesting summer job by following these simple tips.

Looking for a teen summer job? Check out Online Summer Jobs for summer internships, summer camp jobs and more. We've post fresh jobs every day - several times a day. And best of all, it's absolutely free! Visit there now: http://www.onlinesummerjobs.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=R._Sharp

Five Things You Should Never Put in Your Resume

So much has been written about what you should include in your resume that it's easy to overlook the things you should not put in your resume. These can send your resume to the trash can just as fast as the things you omit.

Here are five things to never put in your resume.

One

Any statement about a "job objective" or "career objective".

I know this is completely counterintuitive and contradicts much of what you've read about how to write a good resume, but hear me out. I've been a hiring manager for over 25 years at several Fortune 500 corporations and have interviewed and hired hundreds of people in my career.

My advice to you is don't bother putting an objective on your resume - it's meaningless to the hiring manager who will be reading your resume and simply takes up space without contributing anything. Instead, focus your efforts on customizing your resume for the specific job to which you're applying.

Read the job description in the job posting. Pay attention to the experience and qualifications they are seeking and highlight those things in your resume. What the hiring manager wants to read is how good a fit you will be for their job opening, not what your general "objective" is for a job. Including a job objective will not help and may very well hurt your resume. Your time is better spent tailoring your resume for each job.

Two

The date you graduated from college.

By all means, include the fact that you did graduate, the school you attended, and any honors you received. But leave your graduation date off. If it's too far in the past, you may be stereotyped as being too old. If it's too recent, you may be stereotyped as being too young. Yes, questions about age can't be asked in an interview and age discrimination is illegal, but let's face it: if you give a big clue about your age in your resume you run the risk of being typecast.

It's better to sell your experience and accomplishments and take age out of the equation.

Three

Personal information such as hobbies, how you like to spend you time, etc.

The hiring manager only wants to know about your education, experience and accomplishments as they relate to the job for which you're interviewing. Personal information adds nothing to your resume and you run the risk of stating something that the hiring manager doesn't like. For example, if you state that you're an avid hunter and the hiring manager is into animal rights, you are sunk before you even leave the dock.

Four

Experience that isn't backed up with accomplishments.

Yes, the hiring manager wants to know you have the specific experience the job requires. But simply listing your experience without also giving example of accomplishments that show that the experience was successful puts you into the same league as all the other mediocre applicants.

It's one thing to say that you have five years of marketing experience. It's quite another thing to say you have five years experience at XYZ company and increased sales in your territory by thirty percent. Which statement do you think will lead to an interview?

Five

Page three and any page after that.

Your resume should never be more than two pages. And it should only be two pages if you have more than ten years of experience at more than three employers. Then, it's okay to have a second page, but never more.

Actually, the hiring manager will almost always make a decision as to if your resume warrants an interview after the first page, usually after the first half of the first page. If you can't convince me you are the right person for the job in two pages or less, I won't be convinced by the third or fourth page and in fact will probably not read that far. I'll usually have dozens of resumes to read and long resumes are absolute deal killers.

Force yourself to make your resume no longer than two pages, preferably one. Your resume will be much more focused and powerful.

Tom McBroom has been a Hiring Manager for over 25 years and manages the website http://www.job-search-steps.com, which is dedicated to helping you find a job quickly. Visit his site for complete information about conducting a job search, writing resumes and cover letters, and interviewing.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Tom_McBroom

How to Write a Winning CV Or Resume Objective

By Catherine Z Jones

When preparing your resume or CV for potential employers you may find that the hardest part to write is the "Objective".

Although it is difficult to write, the objective is a very important to your resume. It is also considered to be important because it is what the employer will see first and you know what they say about first impressions!

In this article you will find some tips for creating a successful resume objective. Take your time with this section so you do not ruin your chances of getting that interview.

What is the Resume Objective?

This is the small, three to five sentence paragraph that is traditionally at the top of the resume directly under the header. The resume objective needs to include:

• the job you are applying for
• why you would be great in this position. and
• what assets will you be able to bring to the company if you should get hired.

You will always want to make sure that your objective is tailored to fit the job that you are applying for. It should never be too general or vague - employers do not like to see this. They need to know that you are interested in and qualified for the position you are applying for.

Here are three examples of what a successful resume objective should look like.

"I am interested in the Service Manager position you recently advertised. I am confident that while in this position I will be able to make the most of my management and leadership skills along with my abilities to create work schedules for employees and deal with any complaints that customers may have."

"I am a retired elementary school teacher and am interested in the day care staff position that has recently become available. I held a kindergarten teaching position for more than 25 years and early childhood education is my passion. I would be a great asset to your center because I love being around young children and helping them discover and develop."

"I am a certified RN who has used my skills for the last five years as head of nurses at a local assisted living facility for the elderly and disabled. I am interested in the nursing position you have available in your hospital and would love to become a part of your staff. I am very confident in my nursing abilities because it is my life and my passion. I believe that with all that I have achieved and learned throughout the decade I spend at the assisted living facility that I will be a great addition to your nursing staff."

Here's more resume objective help including 5 more resume objective examples.

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Catherine_Z_Jones

Three Common Resume Questions Answered

By Heather Eagar

How many times have you found yourself in the midst of writing your resume when you realized that there were some questions you simply had to have answered before you could move forward? Everyone has probably been in this predicament at least once during a resume-writing experience.

Of course, there are some questions that are more frequently asked than others. So before you put your fingers back on the keyboard, let's take a moment to explore some of the more commonly asked questions regarding resumes.

How Do I Write a Great Objective?

For many, the objective is the most abstract and challenging portion of the resume to write. You may find yourself asking questions like "what does the employer want to know?" and "how can I describe myself in just one sentence?" during the process. But don't let these issues deter you from continuing on, because in actuality, it is not hard to create a succinct objective that will entice the employer to read on.

First, take note that objectives can be more than one sentence long. Depending on your level of experience, you may want to include up to three sentences describing who you are and what career plans you have that fall neatly in line with the employer's goals. Within the 1-3 sentences, you want to express your strengths, abilities and qualifications in your field, and how they match the specific employer's goals. However, try to avoid using the word "I" in this section as it creates a self-centered image, something that can quickly result in your resume hitting the bottom of the stack.

What if I Haven't Worked in a While?

If you haven't worked for several years, or even several months, you may feel a little bit nervous about explaining your employment gap. But don't worry; if you truly feel you're qualified for the job, you can express this in a number of ways.

One is by using a functional resume style (as opposed to chronological) that focuses less on timelines and more on skills. Also, you can roll up all of your non-work experience, including volunteering, community involvement, consulting, or even your continuing education, to highlight the skills you've acquired over the years. If your gaps are a little smaller, you can make them less obvious by not noting months on your resume. In the end, you want to showcase your knowledge of industry trends, so be creative in explaining how this knowledge can enhance the position you're applying for.

Should I Include References?

Typically, the rule for references is this: if they don't ask for them, don't provide them. However, if they do it's a good idea to create a separate sheet just for them. On that sheet, you can include the references' names, phone numbers, and their locations, as well as your personal/professional relationships. But before you add references be sure to contact them so they are prepared to offer information about you.

Writing a resume can be an exciting process if you remember that your hard work can result in a great job. So take the time to ask more questions about the writing process. You'll find that the more you ask, the more likely you are to create a standout resume that may just secure the job you want.

Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. Compare the top resume writing services in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com

Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Heather_Eagar

How To Get More Quality Job Interviews

By Michael Moyssidis

The best way to land more job interviews is to ask for them. What is the secret method to increasing your chances of landing the job interview you really want? One of the most effective job search strategies is your cover letter!

The main focus of a cover letter and its sole purpose should always be to land you the job interview you are after. To get more job interviews, clearly and directly ask for a job interview within your cover letter. If you don't land the job interview, then it will be very difficult to land the job. By doing this one simple change to your cover letter you will be able to get your foot in the door for more quality job interviews. Use this one little strategy and watch the job interview offers increase.

Just to be clear, this is one very powerful cover letter writing tip once you grasp its meaning. Remember, in every cover letter you write always ask for a job interview. Here is a nice way to do this.

Ask for a job interview in the beginning of your cover letter and then again towards the end. This is a good combination. Make it friendly and conversational while being clear and direct. Keep in mind that you are asking the reader, which could be the human resources director, hiring manager, to take a specific action. That being, to pick up the telephone and call you for the job interview. It looks like a very basic strategy, if you stop and think for a moment you will see how powerfully deceptive this is.

This is one powerful simple job search strategy that you can start to implement immediately when you next want to apply for a different job.

If you found this method interesting you can find out 9 more powerful Cover Letter Secrets here.

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