Fight Unemployment - The ResuWe Blog #fightunemployment

How to be contacted via LinkedIn

2010-09-21T10:30:00.000-07:00

I am an Agency Recruiter and use LinkedIn daily. Both Agengy Recruiters and Corporate Recruiters use LinkedIn to find active and passive job seekers. Professionals use LinkedIn to network and to find out about potential job opportunities. The bad news is unless someone is a 1st contact (or shared member of a group) they are not able to send you a message.

If you are looking for a job or if you want to get contacted about job opportunities make sure to add a personal email address to your LinkedIn profile.

Here is how to do it:

1. Profile

2. Edit Profile

3. Contact Settings

Where it reads, "What advice would you give to users considering contacting you?" write in your personal email address.

4. Save Changes

Don’t think you will get a lot of spam or a thousand job emails. You are not that great so stop kidding yourself. Also, you may know of a great referral who would be a good fit for the job. You can forward that email to your colleague, have great Karma and get all the green lights on the way home from work.

Job Board Scorecard - Unbaised Job Board Review

2010-09-08T15:56:00.000-07:00

We set up a new site called Job Board Scorecard. With so many job boards we wanted to share an unbiased resource for staffing agencies and companies as to where they should post their openings. Job Board Scorecard lets employers and recruiters share their experiences and successes working with the major job boards.

What is NOT the goal? Bashing the job boards or saying job boards are dead…how many jobs have you filled through Twitter?

Job Board Scorecard provides accurate data regarding web traffic and tells which board is best for a specific type of job. Job Board Scorecard also breaks down recent trends such as PPC job postings, job board aggregation, and sponsored jobs. The site also touches on the quality of candidates and gives an overview of costs per posting.

Please visit Job Board Scorecard and give your honest opinion.

Which job board is best for you?

2010-08-19T14:40:00.000-07:00

Which job board is best for you?

With so many options when it comes to posting jobs online it’s confusing to select which site best fits your needs. This is an overview of popular job posting websites sorted by the cost per ad. It also includes the monthly estimated traffic (according to quantcast.com). With a lot of emphasis on social media and recruiting, job boards have received negative media attention lately. However, when you have an open job you still need to put the help wanted sign in the window.

1. Dice.com - $459 per ad for 30 days – 400K viewers per month

Dice.com is known as the technology job board. A lot of jobs listed on Dice are from staffing agencies, but with so little traffic and the highest cost per ad Dice is probably not the choice for most employers.

2. Careerbuilder.com - $419 per ad for 30 days – 13.6 Million per month

Careerbuilder is the 2nd most expensive job board of the group. Also, with about half of the traffic of Monster I would recommend Monster over Careerbuilder.

3. Monster.com - $355 per ad for 30 days – 25.2 Million per month

Monster is definitely the 800 pound gorilla in online job board advertising. However, having used Monster for over 10 years it does yield qualified candidates (as well as a lot of unqualified ones). With their recent acquisition of HotJobs and high traffic, Monster.com is a good job board on which to post…but try some cheaper alternatives first.

4. Simplyhired.com - $99 per sponsored ad for 30 days – 10.3 Million per month

Simplyhired (and Indeed) are job board aggregators. They list jobs from the open web to their site to generate traffic. If your jobs are listed on your company website and you have a web developer who can work with their API you can have your company jobs fed to Indeed and Simplyhired for free. ResuWe clients are also able to do this at no additional cost. However, if you don’t have this ability you can post a sponsored job on both sites. The traffic on Simplyhired and Indeed is increasing, so consider posting to these sites via free or sponsored ads as a lower cost alternative to Monster or Careerbuilder.

5. LinkedIn.com - $95 per ad for 30 days and 19.7 Million per month.

I like LinkedIn. They are well known as the professional social media site and should be strongly considered. They also have a feature called Direct Ads where you can list a job (via a unique URL) to a targeted LinkedIn audience via pay per click. ResuWe clients can also inform their contacts about an open position via, “share an update” and include the unique job URL in the box to ensure proper candidate tracking.

5. Indeed.com – Pay Per Click for Sponsored Ads – 7.5 Million per month

It’s nice to see a job site embracing pay per click advertising. You pay for results versus post and pray. Again, use the free feature first if you can, but capping the amount you are willing to spend for a job ad gives the employer a lot more power than before.

6. Craigslist.org – Free/$25/$75 per ad for 30 days (depending on geographic area) – 50 Million per month (national). However, Craigslist jobs are posted regionally or by city.

Craigslist is a killer site for finding local talent. While Craigslist may have some stigmas attached to it, we still see great results. The downside is you do get some unwanted solicitation emails to your inbox. However, if you request job applicants send their resume via a job URL (ResuWe clients are able to do this) you will not receive any unwanted garbage in your Applicant Tracking System (ATS).

And the winner is???

It’s hard to pick a winner when it comes to online job advertising. However, here is a formula to maximize your job exposure and minimize your costs:

Post the job to Indeed and Simplyhired for free (via ResuWe.com) and let the job run for a few days. The open position will also be found when a job seeker searches Google.

After a few days if you have not received enough quality applicants, post the job to Craigslist. Make sure you include the job's unique URL and inform applicants to apply via the web link (not just select reply via Craigslist). This way you can track the source of each applicant and they go to your ResuWe ATS versus your inbox.

If this doesn’t yield enough applicants, post the job on LinkedIn or consider paying for a sponsored job on Indeed or Simplyhired.

The total cost for doing all of this is around $225, which is much less expensive than posting to one of the larger job boards.

(ResuWe $99, Craigslist $25, LinkedIn/Simplyhired/Indeed around $100).

Let’s say you have 6 jobs to fill over the next 6 months. You would save over $1400 by using this formula. Also, you have a great ATS which auto-ranks and scores resumes which saves a LOT of time.

Lastly, ResuWe allows you to track back the source of each applicant to determine where to spend your future online job advertising dollars.

Don't wait until the new year to start your job search

2009-12-09T17:16:00.000-08:00

With the holidays fast approaching it's easy to put off your job search until the first of the year. However, this week has been our busiest of Q4 regarding job interviews. Employers are eager to use up any money they may have left in the budget for 2009 and would prefer to have jobs filled and candidates starting the first of the year. Additionally, there is an influx in job seekers come January 1st. Be one of the candidates who already interviewed for a job versus one of the back up resumes on a hiring manager's desk. Get started today and go to ResuWe.com and search for your next job.

Why are there so many open jobs? Recruiter Job Summit 2009?

2009-12-03T10:15:00.000-08:00

Today the White House is holding it's Job Summit. Rather than wait for the government I want to hold an online Recruiter Job Summit. First, I don't want this post to be a pity party. I want to gain and share true insight and real solutions on how to Fight Unemployment.

I've worked as an agency recruiter for the past 12 years and own a small staffing firm in Orange County, CA. Like a lot of Americans I spend hours online viewing open jobs on company website. While my goal is to try and build new client relationships I feel a lot of people have come to the same conclusion as me. Why are there so many open jobs? According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) Survey on the last business day of September, 2009 in the United States there are 2.5 Million job openings (bls.gov).

This morning I spent an hour on Indeed.com. I plugged in the skill set of a candidate I am representing trying to locate open positions for her which may be a good fit. After reviewing at least 10 open positions in her area I am scratching my head as to why she is still unemployed. She has 10+ years of relevant industry experience, great communication/presentation skills and an advanced degree. What's the problem? Are companies simply NOT HIRING?

Most jobs on company websites have a "when open" date. I've noticed these dates vary from 1 day to 8 months. With 10%+ unemployment how can a job be open for 8 months? I've also spoken with companies who say, "We really need your help, this jobs been open for 6 months and we can't seem to find the right person". What does this really mean?

Are companies simply posting jobs, collecting resumes and interviewing candidates as an illusion? Are they waiting for times to get better and than will contact previously interviewed candidates and see if they are still available? Are they waiting for the "perfect candidate" to magically appear?

What can we do?

First, there is no perfect candidate and they will leave after 3 years just like every other employee.

Companies need to focus on the positive. Find reasons TO hire someone versus reasons NOT to hire someone? After all, a potential employee should be challenged in a new job versus know everything.

Employers need to focus on the value an employee brings versus the costs.

Can the government help? The rhetoric in the whole stimulus package has changed from job creation to job retention. Can the government help companies by giving them tax breaks if they actually hire new employees? After all, there is still profit for the government if an unemployed individual gets a job versus lives on the dole.

Are their resumes not well written and they need to go to ResuWe.com to Rev Up their resume (shameless plug)?

Your thoughts?

Winner of ResuWe Ipod Contest

2009-11-25T10:33:00.001-08:00

After hours of deliberation and numerous re-counts we have decided the winner of our ResuWe Ipod Contest. Congratulations to Michelle Bernstein of Los Angeles, CA! Michelle sent us a photo of herself and a friend wearing their ResuWe T-Shirts at the U2 Concert at the Rose Bowl. Enjoy your Ipod Michelle and thanks for showing over 95,000 U2 fans your support for ResuWe.

Free Expert Job Search Assistance - ResuWe

2009-11-17T14:40:00.000-08:00

ResuWe is dedicated to fighting unemployment. ResuWe was founded by experienced agency recruiters who want to help job seekers secure their next job. For the next week we will be offering a Free Employment Assistance Program providing job seekers with expert help on how to gain momentum in their job search.

Here's how it works:

1. Go to ResuWe.com and set up a profile and upload your resume.

2. Email me directly (Dan@LagunaSource.com) with questions you have about your job search. Please put in the subject line ResuWe user job search question (or something similar).

3. I will personally answer your question or help in any way possible.

Here are a few examples of what we can help on:

1. How to get your resume noticed.
2. Providing direct hiring manager contacts (email) within specific companies.
3. Anything job related.

So go to ResuWe.com and register today. Email me your questions and let's fight unemployment one job at a time.

Here's Who's Hiring in New York City

2009-11-03T09:05:00.000-08:00

In today's Here's Who's Hiring I had to look no further than the shirt I was wearing. So I went to ResuWe.com and used the job search feature typing in What: Marketing, Ralph Lauren and Where: New York, NY. I want to help Ralph Lauren by giving them qualified candidates and fighting unemployment by giving you the direct hiring manager's email.

Their website states, "Polo Ralph Lauren is a leader in the design, marketing and distribution of premium lifestyle products in four categories: apparel, home, accessories and fragrances. For more than thirty years, our reputation and distinctive image have been consistently developed across an expanding number of products, brands and international markets." Sounds like a pretty good place to work.

Here are a few steps to assist you on getting your foot in the door at Ralph Lauren:

1. Revise your resume at ResuWe.com.

2. Send your resume through the Ralph Lauren website for a job which fits your background.

http://about.ralphlauren.com/careers/employment.asp

3. In addition, send your resume directly to the possible hiring manager below.

Write in the subject line your name, the title of the job you are applying and job code. It's also a good idea to write a few sentences about why you are a good fit for the job explaining recent relevant experiences which match the job. Mention in your email that you submitted your resume through the Ralph Lauren career link, but would very much like to be considered for the job.

The email format at Ralph Lauren appears to be firstname.lastname@ralphlauren.com. If you find this information needs improvement please let me know.

1. Associate Product Manager - Polo Ralph Lauren - New York, NY
Paul Choi, Senior Director, Polo Ralph Lauren - paul.choi@ralphlauren.com

2. Account Planner, Lauren - Polo - New York, NY

Lauren McDonnell Haughs, Planning Manager at Polo Ralph Lauren - lauren.hughes@ralphlauren.com

Betsy Thiffault, Director of Planning at Polo Ralph Lauren - betsy.thiffault@ralphlauren.com

3. Product Design Development Manager - Polo Ralph Lauren - New York, NY

Lisa Britz, Senior Design Development Manager at Polo Ralph Lauren - Lisa.britz@ralphlauren.com

Melissa Cohen, Senior Director, Product Development at Polo Ralph Lauren - melissa.cohen@ralphlauren.com

4. ASSOCIATE BUYER - Ralph Lauren - New York, NY

Armando Salcido, Manager of Operations - armando.salcido@ralphlauren.com

5. SENIOR BUSINESS ANALYST - Ralph Lauren Media Llc - New York, NY

Don Valencia, Manager, Business Process Management at Polo Ralph Lauren - don.valencia@ralphlauren.com

6. Director, Sales - Polo - New York, NY

Marco Marin, Vice President Sales at Ralph Lauren - marco.marin@ralphlauren.com

Chip Thompson, VP of Sales and Operations at Polo Ralph Lauren - chip.thompson@ralphlauren.com

7. Director, Interactive Development - Polo Ralph Lauren Corporation - New York, NY

Amy Jaffe, VP, Marketing Development at Polo Ralph Lauren - amy.jaffe@ralphlauren.com

8. Associate Technical Designer - Polo Ralph Lauren - New York, NY

Sohee Kim, Director of product development in Women's at Polo Ralph Lauren - sohee.kim@ralphlauren.com

9. Associate Technical Designer - Polo Ralph Lauren - New York, NY

Loann Davis, Sr. Director of Product Development at Polo Ralph Lauren - loann.davis@ralphlauren.com

10. Planning Manager - Polo - New York, NY

11. Associate Planner - Polo - New York, NY

Colleen VanHise, Director, Planning & Retail Analysis at Polo Ralph Lauren - colleen.vanhise@ralphlauren.com

John Caruso, Vice President of Merchandise Planning and Forecasting at Ralph Lauren - john.caruso@ralphlauren.com

Patty Song, Director of Merchandising at Polo Ralph Lauren - patty.song@ralphlauren.com

All I ask is if this blog post helps you get a job please give me your discount. ResuWe.com. FightUnemployment.com.

Be sure to discuss relocation with your family prior to pursuing out of town positions

2009-11-02T14:34:00.000-08:00

Opening your job search to include out of town and out of state locations is a great way to increase your chances of finding the best positions available - especially in today's tough and uncertain job market. Many companies are open to filling positions with out of town applicants and in many cases will offer comprehensive relocation packages.

It is easy to apply to all suitable jobs nationwide and say yes to recruiters who may present out of state positions. Unfortunately many job seekers do not consider what locations are suitable for themselves or their family until it is too late in an interview process. It is unfair to a potential employer to realize prior to an interview, after receiving an offer, or even worse, after accepting an offer that the location of their position is not suitable for your family. It's even more unfair to your family members to figure this out after engaging interest in a position and not discussing the position's location beforehand.

If you are open to considering out of state opportunities, be sure to have an open discussion with your spouse or family members to determine a list of acceptable and unacceptable geographic locations. Factors to consider include career opportunities for family members, housing prices, recreational activities, weather, schools, and friends & family in the area. Go to sites like Monster.com, Indeed.com, or ResuWe.com to get a feel for what positions are available for family members. Search real estate sites such as Realtor.com, Trulia.com, and Zillow.com to get a feel for actual home prices. This is a much better way to get a feel for the primary factor of the region's cost of living and a more accurate snapshot than a "cost of living" calculator.

If you are beginning or in the middle of a job search and open to relocation, simply make a Yes/No list of desirable and undesirable geographic locations prior to submitting your resume to any positions or companies in these areas. Doing so beforehand will save you a tremendous amount of headache and inconvenience.

ResuWe at U2

2009-10-28T16:08:00.000-07:00

Competition is heating up for the chance to win the new iPod Nano! Check out this great shot from the U2 concert at the Rose Bowl in Pasadena, CA on October 25th.

It's not too late to enter. Simply email a photo of yourself wearing your ResuWe t-shirt in front of a cool or unique regional location or landmark to Shannon@LagunaSource.com.

Don't have a ResuWe tee shirt? Log on to ResuWe.com, get your resume PUBLISHED ONLINE, tweet your Profile through Twitter, and we will send you a free ResuWe t-shirt! You can also have your Facebook friends make recommendations on your resume.

New Podcast up on iTunes - Preparing for the Interview

2009-10-28T10:19:00.000-07:00

In our 2nd Podcast, we cover Interview preparation tips and techniques. We also cover our 10 interviewing questions in 5 minutes segment and job search tip of the week. Now you can rev up your resume on ResuWe.com with Facebook! All interview questions are provided by the Interview Pro iPhone App.

http://addictiveiphoneapps.blogspot.com/2009/05/interview-pro-iphone-app.html

Be a Passive Job Seeker by utilizing Social Media

2009-10-26T10:14:00.000-07:00

Google announced last week that they struck a deal with Twitter to include real-time tweets in Google’s search results. Facebook is continuing to add more job related content and users can add their job history to their Facebook profile. ResuWe allows it's users to have their Facebook friends comment and make recommendations on their resume. ResuWe also allows it's users the ability to tweet their resume and have a vanity ResuWe URL which will allow user's resumes to be searched and viewed via the Open Web.

Having a resume available online is part of an individual's personal brand. Posting a resume on one of the pay boards limits who can search the resume to only those who pay for a user license. Also, users spend a lot of time posting their resumes to each of the job boards (Monster, Careerbuilder, LinkedIn, etc.). Passive job seekers can now safely have a social media enhanced resume available via the open web using ResuWe.com.

With a 9.8% unemployment rate (US BLS September, 2009) and a slowly improving economy, workers unhappy with their current job may still be hesitant to actively start looking for a new position. This information, coupled with more and more companies spending money on technologies involving open web searches to find passive candidates, are reasons why to be a passive job seeker.

How to Get a Facebook Enhanced Resume using ResuWe.com

2009-10-21T14:09:00.000-07:00

A great new feature on ResuWe.com is the ability to have your Facebook friends make comments and give you a "thumbs up" on your resume. Create a ResuWe.com Resume profile by uploading and optimizing your resume. If you are already a user simply sign into your account.

1. Once your resume is finished select My Profile on the top toolbar.

2. Create a ResuWe vanity URL on the Website / Social Settings on the My Profile page.

3. Select View Public Profile on this page.

4. Select the the Facebook icon / invite co-workers and colleagues to Rev up your Resume!

Please note:

Your Facebook Friends will receive a notice in the upper right hand Requests section of their Facebook home page. It will read 1 ResuWe invitation.

Only your Facebook friends who receive an invitation are able to make a comment on your resume.

The Rev'd up version of your resume is NOT the Word copy of your ResuWe resume. The Rev'd up version is the default resume viewed on the open web (if you choose) via your ResuWe Vanity URL.

The Facebook resume is easy to create, and it will catch the eye of hiring managers!

Stand Out Among Job Applicants by Creating an Enhanced Resume with Recommendations from Facebook Connections on ResuWe.com

2009-10-21T14:06:00.000-07:00

http://www.resuwe.com/billclinton

In today's ultra competitive job market it is essential for job seekers to differentiate themselves. Now they can using ResuWe.com to build a resume and create a Facebook enhanced resume with comments and "thumbs up" recommendations from their peers and supervisors. This revolutionary feature allows hiring managers to immediately see that a candidate is respected, highly recommended, and a team player.

With over 15 million unemployed people and an unemployment rate of 9.8%, Americans are facing an extremely competitive job market. They must do everything they can to stand out amongst the hordes of candidates applying for the same jobs. The new website ResuWe.com offers job seekers just that - a simple yet exceptionally effective way to stand out amongst applicants by creating a Facebook resume with comments and "thumbs up" recommendations from colleagues and supervisors.

The Co-Founders Jeff Schwartzman and Dan Boersma are experienced recruiters with over 25 years of industry experience combined. Boersma explains, "Hiring managers will be more likely to interview a candidate who they know is well liked and recommended by their colleagues versus a candidate about whom they have no additional information. An individual's resume doesn't show what colleagues and supervisors think of their job performance and this feature will validate resumes." Schwartzman adds, "This feature will help job seekers stand out from the pack, which is of vital importance in today's poor economic climate."

Facebook has over 300 million active users and the average user has 130 friends. Many of these connections are work colleagues and ResuWe's new Facebook feature will help job seekers benefit from Facebook's expansive network. While only people who are invited are able to leave comments, anyone who is a work connection will be able to give a "thumbs up" on the Facebook resume with one click. Job seekers can direct hiring managers to their Facebook resume by including the URL link on their Word resumes, within cover letters, or both.

This is just one of the tools that ResuWe offers their users in this extremely competitive job market. ResuWe allows users to upload and optimize their resume for free. Hiring managers will have access to both the Word resume and the Facebook resume. With the addition of the Facebook feature, ResuWe.com is now a comprehensive job search website utilizing both basic job search tools and full social media capabilities. The site allows people to effortlessly integrate Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, blogs, and personal websites through a ResuWe vanity URL that can be included on their Word resumes.

While users have the option of keeping their profile and resume private, those who choose to have a public profile will benefit from allowing all potential employers to find their resume. Many employers specifically seek out passive job candidates through open web searches. Therefore, having a public profile will be a benefit even to those candidates who are not actively seeking a new position. Normally it can be awkward when a current employer discovers an employee's resume on a job board such as Monster because it indicates that they are actively searching for another position. However, a benefit of ResuWe is that because it is primarily a resume optimization and social networking site, it is acceptable to have a public resume on display.

Job seekers who take advantage of everything ResuWe.com has to offer will have significant advantages over the average job candidate. The Facebook resume is easy to create, and it will catch the eye of hiring managers. Standing out amongst the competition with a professional, recommended, and validated resume is the best way to be noticed, interviewed, and hired.

Here's Who's Hiring in Chicago, IL

2009-10-12T14:55:00.000-07:00

Here's Who's Hiring in Chicago, IL

When people get laid off or can't find work, a good choice for many is to go back to school. With the increase in students comes more jobs in education. The hiring company we will focus on today is Kaplan Education in Chicago, IL. The Kaplan website reads, "Since Kaplan’s founding in 1938, we have helped millions of students achieve their educational and career goals. Learn more about how we change lives through education. Kaplan Higher Education (www.khec.com) is a thriving division of Kaplan, Inc., (www.kaplan.com) and The Washington Post Company (NYSE: WPO). Our high professional standards have resulted in tremendous success -we now serve over 80,000 students on more than 70 campus-based and online schools across the United States and Europe." Sounds like a pretty good place to work.

Here is how you should go about getting a job at Kaplan:

1. Revise your resume at www.ResuWe.com.

2. Go to the Kaplan website and search for the open job which best fits your experience:

https://sjobs.brassring.com/1033/ASP/TG/cim_advsearch.asp?SID=^U/f_slp_rhc_k8nlJvmjgKJOJkql2eHZc/C6hbyltqSKWyVQA3S7EOySpwhfhyHUlenbsiPFIfb0_slp_rhc_z8DwCaY_C_R__L_F_UL7IzzM0QyGV5hoQWsFQSdu/mCNO0EI=&ref=10122009134622

3. Submit your resume via the Kaplan website for the position:

https://sjobs.brassring.com/1033/ASP/TG/cim_default.asp?SID=^EPrsw4E0yHg478UWxKTlvnN0GOOZr9/MtJknUz5MaXHb2u5QR7sS1uuA4ZcuTu5HCAo4wUh0lr/h_C_R__L_F_Ivk6gDt29PIifGbPgTsQsUNdZHg4KOk=&RegType=SubmitNow

4. If you don't hear back from anyone within 48 hours and want to get a little more aggressive feel free to forward your resume directly to the possible hiring manager below. Again, make sure you attach your ResuWe.com resume, inform the possible hiring manager of the position you are applying, let them know you already applied through the Kaplan website and educate them with a few highlights on why you are a great candidate for their open job.

Here are most of the open jobs currently on the Kaplan website with the possible hiring manager's name and email address. The Kaplan email format is a bit tricky so I included all of the possible email addresses per individual. Feel free to send your resume directly to all of the addresses. One of them will work.

Executive Director of Operations - Beth Hollenberg, Chief Operating Officer at Kaplan Higher Education Campuses

BHollenberg@kaplan.com

BHollenberg@kaplan.edu

Beth.Hollenberg@kaplan.com

Beth.Hollenberg@kaplan.edu

Director, New Media Product Development - Ranjan Daniels, Executive Director, New Product Development

RDaniels@kaplan.com

RDaniels@kaplan.edu

Ranjan.Daniels@kaplan.com

Ranjan.Daniels@kaplan.edu

Director of New Products - Karen Baldeschwieler, VP New Products & Business Development

KBaldeschwieler@kaplan.com

KBaldeschwieler@kaplan.edu

Karen.Baldeschwieler@kaplan.com

Karen.Baldeschwieler@kaplan.edu

Manager of Recruiting - School of Nursing - Sarah Riddile, Executive Director of Talent Development

SRiddile@kaplan.com
SRiddile@kaplan.edu

Sarah.Riddile@kaplan.com

Sarah.Riddile@kaplan.edu

Director of Academic Advising - Eric Kligman, Executive Director of Academic Advisors

EKligman@kaplan.com

EKligman@kaplan.edu

Eric.Kligman@kaplan.com

Eric.Kligman@kaplan.edu

Instructional Designer - Danielle (Tetzler) Mbadu, Manager, Instructional Design

DMbadu@kaplan.com

DMbadu@kaplan.edu

Danielle.Mbadu@kaplan.com

Danielle.Mbadu@kaplan.edu

Faculty Manager - Sally Beatty, Vice President Faculty Service

SBeatty@kaplan.com

SBeatty@kaplan.edu

Sally.Beatty@kaplan.com

Sally.Beatty@kaplan.edu

Faculty Member - Deborah Dahlen Zelechowski, VP of Faculty Development

DZelechowski@kaplan.com

DZelechowski@kaplan.edu

Deborah.Zelechowski@kaplan.com

Deborah.Zelechowski@kaplan.edu

Medical Program Manager - Cathy Goodman, Executive Director of Program Management

CGoodman@kaplan.com

CGoodman@kaplan.edu

Cathy.Goodman@kaplan.com

Cathy.Goodman@kaplan.edu

MBA - Director Development Program - Kira Brown, Director Development Program (more of a peer than a direct boss)

KBrown@kaplan.com

KBrown@kaplan.edu

Kira.Brown@kaplan.com

Kira.Brown@kaplan.edu

Associate Relationship Manager - Lindsey Wolf-DeKuiper, Relationship Manager

LDeKuiper@kaplan.com

LDeKuiper@kaplan.edu

Lindsey.DeKuiper@kaplan.com

Lindsey.DeKuiper@kaplan.edu

Director of Financial Aid - Elizabeth Mitchell, Associate Director of Financial Aid (not the direct manager buy maybe can get your resume in front of the VP of Financial Aid)

EMitchell@kaplan.com

EMitchell@kaplan.edu

Elizabeth.Mitchell@kaplan.com

Elizabeth.Mitchell@kaplan.edu

Curriculum Manager

Kathleen Prince, VP of Curriculum & Instruction
Jean Kotsiovos, Assistant Dean of Curriculum at Kapan University

KPrince@kaplan.com

KPrince@kaplan.edu

Kathleen.Prince@kaplan.com

Kathleen.Prince@kaplan.edu

JKotsiovos@kaplan.com

JKotsiovos@kaplan.edu

Jean.Kotsiovos@kaplan.com

Jean.Kotsiovos@kaplan.edu

Assistant Director for Regional Accreditation

Michael Machen, Director of Accreditation Responses
Albert Chan, Director of Quality and Accreditation

MMachen@kaplan.com

MMachen@kaplan.edu

Michael.Machen@kaplan.com

Michael.Machen@kaplan.edu

AChan@kaplan.com

AChan@kaplan.edu

Albert.Chan@kaplan.com

Albert.Chan@kaplan.com

Technology Support Analyst - Joel Schaefer, Technology Director

JSchaefer@kaplan.com

JSchaefer@kaplan.edu

Joel.Schaefer@kaplan.com

Joel.Schaefer@kaplan.edu

Associate Director of Admissions
CampusVue Business Analyst, Admissions
Admissions Automation Systems Analyst

Najam Syed, Director of Admissions
Brett Sullivan, Executive Director of Admissions at Kaplan University
Erin Lough - Executive Director of Admissions Operations at Kaplan Higher Education

NSyed@kaplan.com

NSyed@kaplan.edu

Najam.Syed@kaplan.com

Najam.Syed@kaplan.edu

BSullivan@kaplan.com

BSullivan@kaplan.edu

Brett.Sullivan@kaplan.com

Brett.Sullivan@kaplan.edu

ELough@kaplan.com

ELough@kaplan.edu

Erin.Lough@kaplan.com

Erin.Lough@Kaplan.edu

Group Controller - Mike Peyer, CFO

MPeyer@kaplan.com

MPeyer@kaplan.edu

Mike.Peyer@kaplan.com

Mike.Peyer@kaplan.edu

Executive Director of Operations - Beth Hollenberg, Chief Operating Officer

BHollenberg@kaplan.com

BHollenberg@kaplan.edu

Beth.Hollenberg@kaplan.com

Beth.Hollenberg@kaplan.edu

ResuWe.com. FightUnemployment.com.

ResuWe with Willie Mays

2009-10-02T14:48:00.000-07:00

Team goBalto is in the lead to win the new iPod Nano! Check out this great shot in front of AT&T Park, home of the San Francisco Giants.

It's not too late to take the lead. Simply email a photo of yourself wearing your ResuWe t-shirt in front of a cool or unique regional location or landmark to Shannon@LagunaSource.com.

Don't have a ResuWe tee shirt? Log on to ResuWe.com, get your resume PUBLISHED ONLINE, tweet your Profile through Twitter, and we will send you a free ResuWe t-shirt!

Top 10 Highest Starting Salaries for College Graduates

2009-09-29T14:38:00.000-07:00

If you are a college student and you aren't sure what to major in or what industry you're interested in, one thing you should take into consideration is what industries offer the highest starting salaries. According to a recent survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers, the following degrees offered the highest starting salaries to 2009 college graduates:

Highest Paying Degrees

10. Marketing and Marketing Management, average starting salary: $43,334

9. Business Administration and Business Management, average starting salary: $45,887

8. Accounting, average starting salary: $48,334

7. Information Sciences and Systems, average starting salary: $49,167

6. Economics and Finance, average starting salary: $49,794

5. Management Information Systems, average starting salary: $52,817

4. Computer Science, average starting salary: $56,128

3. Electrical Engineering, average starting salary: $57,404

2. Mechanical Engineering, average staring salary: $58,648

1. Computer Engineering, average starting salary: $59,803

ResuWe.com, FightUnemployment.com

Here's who's hiring in Los Angeles, CA

2009-09-28T10:24:00.000-07:00

Here's who's hiring in Los Angeles, CA

The holidays are coming and what better place to work than Mattel. With products like Hot Wheels, American Girl Dolls and Barbie, Mattel has nearly 2,000 employees working in El Segundo, CA. According to the Mattel website it's the employees', "creativity and talent that enables them to design, develop, and market our innovative toys. Much like our brands, our people also need development and growth opportunities. We believe that as our employees grow professionally, so will Mattel. Our comprehensive people development program addresses training, professional development, reward, and promotion." Sounds like a pretty good place to work.

Here are a few steps to assist you on getting an interview at Mattel:

1. Revise your resume at ResuWe.com.

2. Send your resume through the Mattel website for a job which fits your background.

Link to Mattel Corporate Employment website:

http://corporate.mattel.com/careers/work/elsegundo.aspx

In addition, forward your resume directly to the Corporate Staffing department: corporate.staffing@mattel.com

You can also forward your resume directly to the following staffing personnel:

Mita Crawford , Corporate Staffing
Mita.Crawford@Mattel.com

Trina Miyahara, Manager, Staffing Resources

Trina.Miyahara@Mattel.com

Phil Hodges, Director, Corporate Staffing

Phil.Hodges@Mattel.com

Include your resume, position you are applying, and a brief paragraph on why you are a good fit.

3. If you don't hear back from anyone within 48 hours and want to get a little more aggressive feel free to forward your resume directly to the possible hiring manager below. Again, make sure you attach your ResuWe resume, inform the possible hiring manager of the position you are applying, let them know you already applied through the Mattel website and educate them with a few highlights on why you are a great candidate for their open job.

Here are most of the open jobs currently on the Mattel website in El Segundo, CA with the possible hiring manager's name and email address:

Live Entertainment Production Coordinator
American Girl/Mattel - El Segundo, CA

Maximina Juson, Producer at Mattel

Maximina.Juson@Mattel.com

Tiffany Shuttleworth, Producer

Tiffany.Shuttleworth@Mattel.com

Manager / Sr Associate, Brands Strategic Planning
American Girl/Mattel - El Segundo, CA

Grant Beggs, Director Strategic Planning

Grant.Beggs @Mattel.com

Cathy Cheng Carberry, Manager, Corporate Strategic Planning at Mattel

Cathy.Cheng @Mattel.com

Cathy.ChengCarberry @Mattel.com

Cathy.Carberry@Mattel.com

Senior Patent Counsel

Bob Normile, SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT, GENERAL COUNSEL AND SECRETARY

Bob.Normile @Mattel.com

Landon Moreland, Senior Counsel, Legal & Business Affairs

Landon.Moreland@Mattel.com

Manager, Marketing - Softlines Licensing
Mattel - El Segundo, CA

Laura Takaragawa, Sr. Manager, Softlines Licensing

Laura.Takaragawa @Mattel.com

Brad Armistead, Senior Marketing Director at Mattel, Inc.

Brad.Armistead @Mattel.com

Project Manager, IT
American Girl/Mattel - El Segundo, CA

Manager IT
Mattel - El Segundo, CA

Director IT, Managed Services
Mattel - El Segundo, CA

Theresa Dawsey, Sr. Manager IT

Theresa.Dawsey @Mattel.com

Pete Nagel, Sr. Manager, IT Managed Services

Pete.Nagel @Mattel.com

Philip Moore, Senior Director IT

Philip.Moore @Mattel.com

Michel Bernard, Vice President, International IT

Michel.Bernard @Mattel.com

Sr. Auditor
American Girl/Mattel - El Segundo, CA

Michael Palumbo, Director - Internal Audit

Michael.Palumbo @Mattel.com

Stephen Blasich, Finance Manager

Stephen.Blasich@Mattel.com

Industrial Engineer
Mattel, Inc. - El Segundo, CA

Sarah Hurzeler, Manager

Sarah.Hurzeler @Mattel.com

Matt Miller, Director

Matt.Miller @Mattel.com

Risk Management Manager/Specialist
American Girl/Mattel - El Segundo, CA

Rodney Davis, Senior Manager, Global Sustainability

Rodney.Davis @Mattel.com

David Ringe, IT Audit Manager

David.Ringe @Mattel.com

Manager Public Relations
Public Relations Assistant

Chris Volk, Director of Public Relations

Chris.Volk @Mattel.com

ResuWe.com, Fight Unemployment.

ResuWe in the Orange County Register

2009-09-24T09:13:00.000-07:00

Jeff Schwartzman and Dan Boersma started ResuWe.com in May.

RESUWE.COM

Wednesday, September 23, 2009

Laguna Beach company offers job seekers resume/search help

By CLAUDIA KOERNER
The Orange County Register

Owners: Jeff Schwartzman and Dan Boersma

Business address: 1100 S. Coast Highway, Suite 212, Laguna Beach, CA 92651

Geographic area served: National

Telephone: 949.682.5627

Web site: www.ResuWe.com

Type of business: Free Resume, Job Search and Employment website

When opened: May 2009

Describe your business: ResuWe.com is a free resume optimization and job search website. ResuWe also gives job seekers expert tips and tools on how to secure their next job. ResuWe will provide the job seeker with innovative tools such as a job search tracker and allow them to have more control over their job search. We are also working on an Employer / Staffing firm version of ResuWe.

Why did you start the business? We wanted to empower job seekers with the tools Recruiters have and help fight unemployment.

Your background: 25+ years of combined staffing industry experience.

How long did it take you to get from idea to open doors? 4 months from idea to Phase 1 launch.

Did you write a business plan? Yes. But the greatest thing about being a small business is we can change gears quickly when needed.

What is your advice for other business owners? Be patient and work harder than everyone else.

What was the biggest challenge you face in running your business? There are so many new features we want to release on ResuWe but can only work on one project at a time.

What is the most rewarding aspect? Hearing from the job seekers who used ResuWe that our site helped them secure their job.

Here's who's hiring in Orange County, CA

2009-09-23T14:18:00.000-07:00

If you live in Orange County and have ever looked for a job online you have probably run across Edwards LifeSciences. The Edwards website reads, "Edwards Lifesciences is the global leader in the science of heart valves and hemodynamic monitoring. Headquartered in Irvine, California, Edwards has more than 6,200 employees worldwide, selling medical technologies in nearly 100 countries with 2008 sales of $1.24 billion." Sure looks like a pretty good place to work.

WHAT TO DO?

1. First go to www.ResuWe.com and update your resume for free.

2. Send your resume through the Edwards Career page - http://www.edwards.com/careers/finder.htm

3. Wait 24 hours.

4. Send your resume directly to the possible hiring manager below.

Write in the subject line your name, the title of the job you are applying and 4 number job code. It's also a good idea to write a few sentences about why you are a good fit for the job explaining recent relevant experiences which match the job. Mention in your email that you submitted your resume through the Edwards career link, but would very much like to be considered for the job.

Edwards Lifesciences is located at One Edwards Way in Irvine, CA 92614. The main phone number is: Phone: 949-250-2500.

Don't be scared you are doing something wrong by sending your resume directly to the hiring manager. You are not breaking any rules and after all, the hiring manager wants to fill his/her jobs and you want to find a new job. It's a win - win.

Here is the Edwards Lifesciences Policy Regarding Agencies and Recruiters:

Edwards Lifesciences does not accept referrals from agencies or recruiters
Resumes received by Edwards Lifesciences from search firms and/or individual recruiters are considered unsolicited
Agencies and recruiters should not contact managers directly to solicit job orders

Nowhere does it read that a job seeker isn't allowed to forward their resume directly to the hiring manager.

There are 37 open positions listed on the Edwards website. Below are the possible hiring managers for each open position. I categorized the open jobs into their possible departments, and listed several possible hiring managers and their subsequent email addresses below:

Operations:

3581 Technical Supervisor Operations Irvine California
3603 Contract Specialist Administration Irvine California

Emil Ponso Contracts Manager Edwards Lifesciences Corporation emil_ponso@edwards.com

Research and Development:

3225 Sr. Director, Research & Development Research & Development Irvine California
3588 Sr. Director, Heart Valve R&D Research & Development Irvine California
3650 Sr. Technician Research & Development Irvine California
3667 EW Distinguished Engineer Research & Development Irvine California

Don Bobo Corporate Vice President Heart Valve Edwards Lifesciences don_bobo@edwards.com
Laksen Sirimanne Vice President R&D Laksen_Sirimanne@edwards.com
David Taylor Director R&D Transcatheter Heart Valves david_taylor@edwards.com

Sales

3416 Clinical Sales Specialist Sales Irvine California
3738 Sr. Sales Analyst Operations Irvine California

John Fitzgerald director of sales - Heart valve therapy Edwards Lifesciences john_fitzgerald@edwards.com
Steve Babyak VP Sales & Marketing, Vascular Therapies at Edwards Lifesciences steve_babyak@edwards.com
Philip Hill Territory Sales Manager at Edwards Lifesciences philip_hill@edwards.com
Steve Fried Region Director of Sales, Western Area steve_fried@edwards.com

Marketing:

3602 Product Manager Marketing Irvine California
3652 Sr. Product Manager Marketing Irvine California
3689 Sr Manager, Marketing Marketing Irvine California
3640 Associate Analyst, Business Systems Marketing Irvine California
3642 Sr. Global Product Manager Marketing Irvine California
3676 Director, Marketing Operations Marketing Irvine California
3424 Product Specialist (Nurse/CVT) Operations Irvine California
3546 Manager, Meetings and Conventions Marketing Irvine California

Kimberly Denney Director Clinical Marketing Edwards Lifesciences Corporation kimberly_denney@edwards.com
Mark Konno Vice President, Strategic Marketing and Edwards Lifesciences Corporation mark_konno@edwards.com
Morgan McKeown Global Product Manager Edwards Morgan_McKeown@edwards.com
Dwight Rucker Marketing Manager Edwards Lifesciences Corporation dwight_rucker@edwards.com
Patricia Todd Senior Director, US Marketing Edwards Patricia_Todd@edwards.com
Bruce Van Sr. Manager, Global Marketing, Heart Val Edwards Lifesciences bruce_van@edwards.com
John Zehren VP Sales and Marketing Edwards Lifesciences john_zehren@edwards.com
Tricia Todd Vice President of Marketing, Transcatheter Heart Valves tricia_todd@edwards.com
Mark De Cecco Global Marketing Manager Mark_dececco@edwards.com

Engineering:

3492 Principal Engineer Critical Care R&D Research & Development Irvine California
3606 Senior Quality Engineer Quality Irvine California
3503 Manufacturing Engineer - New Product Development Engineering - Manufacturing Irvine California
3532 Staff Manufacturing Engineer Engineering - Manufacturing Irvine California
3558 Senior Engineer Research & Development Irvine California
3653 Staff Engineer Engineering - Manufacturing Irvine California
3743 EW Manufacturing Engineer II Engineering - Manufacturing Irvine California

Jose Aguirre Senior Director, Manufacturing Edwards Lifesciences jose_aguirre@edwards.com 949-250-2500
Lina Derderian Director of Engineering, R&D Critical Care Edwards Lifesciences lina_derderian@edwards.com
Robert Friedman Director of Engineering Edwards Lifesciences LLC robert_friedman@edwards.com
Orlando Guillory QE Manager - New Product Development Edwards Lifesciences orlando_guillory@edwards.com
Jason Hart Manufacturing Manager Edwards Lifesciences jason_hart@edwards.com
Ronn Hosmer Senior Manager, Engineering Edwards Lifesciences ronn_hosmer@edwards.com
Gregory Liburd Senior Manager, Engineering Edwards Lifesciences gregory_liburd@edwards.com

Information Technology:

3511 Systems Administrator II Information Technology Irvine California
3557 Software Engineer Research & Development Irvine California
3226 Software Staff Engineer Research & Development Irvine California

Tony Aldemir Director Information Technology Edwards Lifesciences tony_aldemir@edwards.com
Justin Stebbins Senior Director, Enterprise Applications Edwards Lifesciences justin_stebbins@edwards.com
Carl Swindle Corporate Vice President, Technology and Edwards Lifesciences Corporation carl_swindle@edwards.com
Brad Reece IT Manager at Edwards Lifesciences brad_reece@edwards.com

Finance:

3525 Tax Accountant Finance and Accounting Irvine California
3648 Sr. Financial Analyst, Corporate Accounting Finance and Accounting Irvine California

Hal Barnabas Director of Finance-GFM Group Edwards Lifesciences Corporation hal_barnabas@edwards.com
Keith Boothroyd Director of Finance Edwards Lifesciences keith_boothroyd@edwards.com
Juan Gonzalez VP Finance Edwards Lifesciences juan_gonzalez@edwards.com
Tim Heffron Manager of Cost Accounting Finance Edwards Lifesciences Corporation tim_heffron@edwards.com
Veronica Martin Director of Financial Planning and Analy Edwards Lifesciences Corporation veronica_martin@edwards.com

Regulatory Affairs:

3647 VP, Clinical and Regulatory Affairs Clinical Affairs Irvine California
3654 Executive Assistant Regulatory Affairs Irvine California

Scott Beggins Vice President - Regulatory Affairs Edwards Lifesciences Corporation scott_beggins@edwards.com
Nancy Cohen Manager, Regulatory Affairs Edwards Lifesciences Corporation nancy_cohen@edwards.com
Kevin Drisko Director Regulatory Affairs Edwards Lifesciences Corporation kevin_drisko@edwards.com

Clinical:

3544 Sr. Assoc, Clinical Compliance Clinical Affairs Irvine California

Jodi Akin Vice President of Clinical Affairs Edwards Lifesciences Corporation jodi_akin@edwards.com
Anne hurley Manager, Clinical Affairs Edwards anne_hurley@edwards.com
Hayim Zadaca Manager, Clinical Affairs Edwards Lifesciences Corporation hayim_zadaca@edwards.com

Quality Assurance:

3678 Risk Management Clinician Quality Irvine California
3683 Department Specialist Quality Irvine California

Tom Altobelli Quality Manager Edwards Lifesciences tom_altobelli@edwards.com
Vincent Cheung Manager Quality Operations Edwards Lifesciences Corporation vincent_cheung@edwards.com
Joanne Farley Senior Director Quality Assurance HVT Edwards Lifesciences Corporation joanne_farley@edwards.com
Dennett Kouri Quality Director Edwards Lifesciences dennett_kouri@edwards.com

HR/Recruiting:

3684 Corporate Recruiter Human Resources Irvine California
3685 Junior Recruiter / Sourcer Human Resources Irvine California
Mike Adamo Senior Manager, Recruiting Mike_Adamo@edwards.com

For Manufacturing Assembly Applicants:

To make an appointment call: (949) 250-3511 or eMail your resume to: irvine@ultimatestaffing.com

ResuWe.com, Fight Unemployment.

ResuWe Interviewing & Job Search Podcast

2009-09-21T13:03:00.000-07:00

The ResuWe Interviewing & Job Search Podcast is the first of a series of podcasts. This week's podcast features phone interviewing tips, followed by our 10 interviewing questions in 5 minutes segment, and concludes with our job search tip of the week.

You can easily download the podcast here or from the iTunes Store. Our podcasts are quick, to the point, and a must listen for anyone going through an interview process.

All Interview Questions have been provided by the Interview Pro iPhone App - You can download Interview Pro here or from the iPhone App Store.

Enjoy!

Top 4 Tips to Help College Students Find a Great Job

2009-09-16T17:29:00.000-07:00

There are several things you can do as a college student to increase the chances of finding a job with a good company once you graduate. A complaint that many new graduates have is that they apply for entry level positions but often do not even receive interviews because they don’t have any work experience. Here are 4 Top Tips on what to do to increase your chances of landing a job after you graduate.

(1) Work or intern for a company in an industry related to your area of interest / college major

You can gain work experience in college either through jobs or internships. Internships are great because they allow you to try out different work environments and types of work so you have a good idea of the type of job you want to obtain once you graduate. The relevant work experience you gain through internships will give you something to put on your resume and will make you more of an asset to a company compared to other graduates who may have great GPAs but lack work experience. Ideally, the company you intern for will offer you a job once you graduate, if not your supervisor will at least serve as a good reference. While it may be tempting to make more money bar-tending or in a retail job, participating in unpaid or low paid jobs/internships gives you relevant work experience which is the key to finding a job once you graduate. It is much better to be an intern when you are a college student instead of interning once you graduate because you can’t find a decent job due to lack of relevant work experience.

(2) Get involved in leadership roles in college clubs/organizations

You should also get involved in leadership roles in clubs and organizations on campus. Companies like to see that you have developed leadership skills in college so these experiences will definitely be something you can include on your resume.

(3) Utilize your college career center to find jobs/internships and to practice interviews

Your college career center has many resources to offer. Not only do they assist you in finding jobs and internships both while you are in school and once you graduate, but they also will conduct practice job interviews . This will help you feel more comfortable and know what to expect when you go in for an actual job interview.

(4) Attend college career fairs

You should definitely attend career fairs when your school hosts them, because you will have the opportunity to speak with companies who are hiring. This is a great start to getting your resume out there for your job search.

ResuWe.com, Fightunemployment.com

Win a ResuWe Tee, Win a New iPod Nano!

2009-09-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

Win a ResuWe Tee

Log on to ResuWe.com, get your resume PUBLISHED ONLINE, tweet your Profile through Twitter, and we will send you a free ResuWe t-shirt!

To tweet your resume, set up your vanity URL and Post a status message to your Twitter from the MY PROFILE page. We will search twitter and send you your tee.

Win a new 16GB iPod nano - with video!

Email us a creative photo of yourself wearing your ResuWe t-shirt in front of a cool or unique regional location or landmark. The winner will be announced the Tuesday before Thanksgiving (11/24). We'll also post all the top photos on our blog, fightunemployment.com

Can you top us surfing Laguna Beach in our ResuWe tees?

Please email photos to Shannon@LagunaSource.com

Enjoy your t-shirts!

Team ResuWe

ResuWe is in the Orange County Register - 5 WORST resume mistakes and how to avoid them.

2009-09-05T13:12:00.000-07:00

5 WORST resume mistakes and how to avoid them.
Orange County Register, September 5th, 2009, 10:00 am · Post a Comment · posted by Mary Ann Milbourn

When looking for a job, the first step is your resume. Having a well written professional looking resume will improve your chances of getting a new job. The job seeker needs to understand how a company views your resume. Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to track and evaluate received resumes. The ATS digitizes your resume and ranks it based on the job description.

Here are the 5 WORST mistakes job seekers make on a resume and how to avoid them:

Improper Resume Template - Use MS Word doc only. MS Word doc files are the standard and easiest for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) to upload and parse. If you use a PDF or web link the company will not be able to upload your resume into their ATS system and will simply delete your information.

No Keywords - You need to optimize your resume content and include as many keywords relating to your skills, experiences and technologies. When your resume is sent to a company, their ATS uses Boolean search strings and keyword matching technologies to score how your resume matches specific search criteria set for a position. If you don't include the relevant keywords your resume will be ranked lower and may not even be read.

Personal Information - If you feel compelled to list your hobbies, please don't mention Star Trek enthusiast, Spam throwing, or Hacky Sack record holder. Golf, running, and chess are safe. Also, provide links to your professional blog or Twitter page to promote your personal brand ONLY if you are 100% sure the content is professional.

Spelling Mistakes - Proofread. Since the company digitizes your resume into their ATS, spelling mistakes are even more obvious. Every text editor, MS Word, and Google Docs all have built in spell checkers. There are no excuses for typos!

Photos or Videos - Many companies have policies not to accept resume photos/videos for U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) compliance reasons.
Companies are challenged with the task of weeding through hundreds of resumes per day. They look at any distracting elements with scrutiny and interpret any nuances as a reason you are detracting from the content of your resume.

A resume screener is looking for any reason to reject your candidacy. Your resume has about 5-10 seconds of the person's time to show how you best fit their open job. Don't get deleted.

Dan Boersma is a recruiter who co-founded Laguna Source, a full time biotechnology and pharmaceutical staffing company and just launched ResuWe.com, a free resume optimization and job search website. He also has a blog, fightunemployment.com.

Link to OC Register Article: http://economy.freedomblogging.com/2009/09/05/5-worst-resume-mistakes-make-and-how-to-avoid-them/

Free Hiring Manager's Contact Information - ResuWe.com - LABOR DAY SPECIAL

2009-09-04T09:55:00.000-07:00

Free Hiring Manager's Contact Information - ResuWe.com - LABOR DAY SPECIAL

ResuWe.com is free to use and dedicated to fighting unemployment. In honor of Labor Day we are giving away FREE hiring manager's email addresses to the first 100 new ResuWe.com users. This is a VERY limited offer and the free hiring manager email address is only for the next 100 people who complete a ResuWe.com profile...so SIGN UP TODAY!

Here is how it works:

1. Go to ResuWe.com and upload your resume for Free.

2. Follow the ResuWe instructions on how to best optimize your resume.

3. Complete the full ResuWe profile including a personal ResuWe vanity URL.

4. Look for an open job on ResuWe.com.

5. Email us the open job directly. Send to: questions@resuwe.com

6. We reply with the possible hiring manager's email address.

ResuWe.com, fight unemployment.

Limit 1 free email address per user. Users must complete a full unique ResuWe profile to be eligible. ResuWe.com uses advanced technologies to determine possible company hiring managers email addresses. If we are unable to verify and/or determine a possible hiring manager email address you are eligible to receive a free ResuWe t-shirt. Offer expires Wednesday, September 9th. Happy Labor Day!

ResuWe is Online!!!

2009-09-02T11:37:00.000-07:00

We've launched!!! Please check out ResuWe.com!

ResuWe in Laguna Beach Coastline Pilot!

2009-08-28T14:49:00.000-07:00

Fighting unemployment

A new résumé-building company will, fittingly, open for business in Laguna Beach just in time for Labor Day.

ResuWe.com, a free online résumé building company, will hold its launch party at 4 p.m. Wednesday at its offices, 1100 S. Coast Hwy, Suite 212.

According to Jeff Schwartzman, co-founder of ResuWe.com, the company is not your average résumé service.

“We’re doing this from a recruiter’s perspective and bring a combined 25 years of experience in the industry,” said Schwartzman. “We’re fighting unemployment by showing people how to position themselves properly in a job search. We know how employers and other recruiters think.”

The business, which will run solely online, allows job seekers the chance to upload their current résumé and have it reformatted and restructured in a way the company feels will yield the best results.

Founded by Schwartzman and Dan Boersma, the company plans to use new technology to pinpoint key elements of a résumé and rebuild it with minimal data entry.

“[Our service] uses advanced parsing software which allow the user to easily optimize their résumé. The ResuWe résumé will also be formatted based on the standards preferred by industry hiring managers and HR professionals,” said Boersma.

The service will initially include insider tips, articles and blogs meant to ease the job search, with plans to evolve the site into one in which anyone can search for jobs, receive tips on preparing a cover letter, and download podcasts to listen on the way to a job interview.

ResuWe.com, which is under the same ownership as Laguna Source, a national search firm specializing in full time permanent placement, also aims to show its clients how to transfer their résumé online in an effective way.

“Many résumés that look great in Word do not display well in HTML,” said Boersma. “ResuWe allows you to download your résumé as a Word document that displays well in Applicant Tracking Systems that companies use to filter résumés.”

Users of the site will also be able to incorporate social media into their online profile — something that is becoming less of a novelty and more of a necessity in today’s active online networking world. Twitter and blogs can be displayed as RSS feeds on users’ profiles with users given the ability to control their privacy settings from displaying a full résumé to a minimal profile.

The launch party feature discussions on how to fight unemployment and a demonstration by Boersma and Schwartzman on how to use the site. The event is free, and food and cocktails will be served. Parking is also provided.

For more information visit www.resuwe.com or to RSVP to the event contact Shannon MacKenzie at (949) 715-9191 or shannon@lagunasource.com.

ResuWe.com Launch Party on 9/2 at 4:00 pm

2009-08-20T15:20:00.000-07:00

Click on the image for details. Please RSVP for the ResuWe.com launch party!

Part 2 - How to search and apply for a job online

2009-08-19T11:43:00.000-07:00

You already sent your resume through the company website. You may have received an auto-reply but have no idea if your resume was viewed or by whom. It's time to get more aggressive. We are still using the company Zynga as an example.

Go to the Zynga website and look for names of possible hiring managers for the Accountant position. Go to the "About Us" or "Management" toolbar on the website (http://www.zynga.com/about/) and determine who may be the hiring manager. Since you are an Accountant and you know the hierarchy of the accounting department you eventually would report on up to the CFO. Listed in the "About Zynga" page is the bio of the CFO, Mark Vranseh. Mark is a possible hiring manager for the Accountant position.

Now go to the "Contact Us" page of the website. Determine how their email addresses are formatted. Sometimes there are contacts in the site which allow you to deduct the email addresses of the employees. On Zynga there is no such luck. However, go to Google and type in @zynga.com. Navigate through the pages and determine if there are any email addresses to employees of Zynga. After investigating Google it appears their email address format is: firstname@zynga.com.

Now go to LinkedIn and select Advanced Search. In the company section select Zynga (current company only) and keywords accounting or finance. You pull up several people who work in accounting at Zynga (Alyson Miller, Brian Noriega, Todd Freedman). You determine the email addresses for these individuals should be Mark@zynga.com, Alyson@zynga.com, Brian@zynga.com and Todd@zynga.com. These individuals may not be the hiring manager but by sending your cover letter (how to write a cover letter: http://www.fightunemployment.com/2009/06/importance-of-cover-letter.html) and optimized keyword rich resume you can greatly increase your chances of having your resume sent and read by the hiring manager for the position.

Just don't over do it...as a rule of thumb it's NOT a good idea to send your resume to more than 5 contacts at the company nor to send it to employees who are in no way connected to the job.

ResuWe.com, FightUnemployment.com

Part 1 - How to search and apply for a job online

2009-08-18T15:15:00.000-07:00

Let's say you are an Accountant living in San Francisco. You have 2 years of experience and a Bachelor's Degree. You want to stay within the city and enjoy working in the start up atmosphere.

First, go online to Indeed.com or SimplyHired.com (the sites aggregate all the job boards to one site). Select the Advanced Search feature. In the title section write Accountant. Change the search parameters to match your geographic boundaries, select whether you want to see staffing company jobs and click Find Jobs. Scroll through the listed positions and select the ones that you feel are a good fit.

You search the web site and feel you are best suited for an Accountant position at a start up company in San Francisco called Zynga. The positions listed on the Job Aggregator Sites are sometimes republished and aren't as heavily monitored, so to double check make sure you go to the company's website and see if the position is listed (http://www.zynga.com/). Go to the careers / jobs section of the site (http://www.zynga.com/jobs/) and view the open positions. The Accounting job is still active on the website.

Now it's time to optimize your resume based on the the job description (below). Adding keywords gives your resume higher ranking on company's Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). Companies use an ATS to keep track of submitted resumes and rank each applicant. Most ATSs have a ranking based on keywords. Before you submit a resume to an online job post you need to cater your resume to the specific job. Some ATSs use a weighted keyword system. For example, the job title of an applicant may carry more weight on the ranking than the other information or a specific requirement may be a "must have" for the job and the ATS only ranks those who have that specific skill and dumps the rest.

Read the job description below: In the responsibilities and skills a few key words stand out. First, make sure you have in your previous position the job title of Accountant. Also if there is an objective part of your resume make sure you add that you are seeking an Accountant position in a start-up environment. The job you are applying to says you will be responsible for monthly reconciliations of bank accounts, accruals, and prepaid items. If you have performed these duties in the past make sure you write in the body of your resume that you have performed monthly reconciliations of bank accounts, accruals, and prepaid items. Also add as many of the key terms in the job description which you have performed on to your resume. Sounds like a no-brainer but add as many keywords to your resume in order to optimize your resume and have it rank higher on the company ATS. Do this for every job you apply to online.

Now that your resume is optimized for this job you can apply directly to the job via the Zynga website. It's also a good idea to keep track of the job to which you applied and the day/time you sent your resume.

Job Description from the Zynga website:

Accountant

Are you someone who dreams in numbers and would love to join a fast paced, high energy accounting team?

We are looking for an Accountant who isn't afraid to roll up their sleeves. This person will be a valuable member of the accounting team, assist facilitating projects for the Finance team as well as perform data entry tasks.

Responsibilities:

Perform general ledger and month-end closing activities including journal entries, adjustments, accruals and account reconciliations Organize and maintain accounting records Monthly reconciliations of bank accounts, accruals, and prepaid items Assist in fixed asset tracking projects Provide support for financial statement audits and tax return preparation Assist in other accounting and finance special projects as needed Ensure compliance with all applicable finance policies, rules, regulation and laws Participate in technology changes and upgrades Gain experience in a wide breadth of accounting and finance areas

Required Skills:

Bachelors in Accounting required 1-2 years of professional working experience On track for a CPA Must be a fast learner, reliable, with a professional attitude Exceptional organization and time management skills Strong research and technical skills, experience working with systems and data Ability to initiate communication, effectively follow through and provide status updates Proven track record of work efficiency Intermediate+ level experience with Microsoft Excel and Word Ability to work productively in a dynamic environment and be a solutions-oriented team player

How to find a job today!

2009-08-17T16:40:00.000-07:00

Don't take the rest of the summer off! Companies are finally hiring and the last thing you want to do is wait another day. Hiring managers are fed up with having unfilled requisitions and their employees being stretched thin due to the increased workload from the lack of staff. Stop making excuses and find a job now!

Here's how:

Resume:

The first thing you need to do is write or optimize your current resume. Most companies use Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) and they input your resume into their internal system. The ATS deconstructs your resume and ranks your background based on how many keywords your resume contains. You can impact the number of keywords the ATS reads simply by writing the keywords into the resume body before you submit it to the company. ResuWe.com will allow you to optimize your resume and add/subtract keywords with ease.

Work with the Right Person:

When dealing with anything in life it's always best to work with the decision maker. How many times have you been frustrated working with a non-decision maker only to ask for a supervisor and the problem is resolved? The same goes for your job search. Why would you keep performing the same actions and expect different results? When looking for a job you need to work with the RIGHT PERSON. The right person is the HIRING MANAGER.

Online Job Boards:

Job Boards are a great resource for finding your next job. While optimizing your resume will help it's ATS ranking, you need to make sure your resume gets to the Hiring Manager. By all means, send your resume through the job advertisement. That way your resume is at least in the company's system. It also gives you an excuse to follow up with the hiring manager. When you determine the possible hiring manager you can inform them that you already sent your resume to the company, but felt you were a good fit for the job. Include the reasoning and attach a Word copy of your resume with the correspondence.

Who WANTS TO HIRE ME?

Determine the competitors or firms that performed similar duties to your current/previous company. Make a list of these companies and go to their websites. Find any open jobs which may be a good fit and submit your resume through the website. Also, determine who the hiring managers are at these organizations and forward your resume directly to them. Inform them of your relevant experience by making sure to include your current / last company's name and your role in the cover letter. If the competitor companies don't have any jobs available you STILL want to find out who the possible hiring managers are and send them your resume. Just because there isn't a job posted doesn't mean a hiring manager won't create a job if they receive a qualified resume directly from someone who can significantly improve their team.

Networking:

Search for relevant professional groups in your area or online. Join these groups. If they have monthly meetings go to the meetings. Before you go, try to find out the companies of the group members who may be in attendance. Go to these company websites and look for jobs which match your background. Write down these jobs and bring a list with you to the meeting. Also, bring a few copies of your resume along with possible hiring manager names for the openings. Talk to the group members and ask them who is the hiring manager for the job and ask if they can get your resume in front of that person. If they tell you to apply online they are brushing you off. Move onto the next person.

Working with Recruiters / Staffing Agencies:

It's fine to work with Recruiters. The good thing about using a Recruiter is the company is willing to pay a recruiter fee to hire employees. Also, Recruiters work and know the hiring manager for the position. However, you have to remember Recruiters are client specific and fill jobs for their clients versus having multiple jobs for you individually. Don't get your feelings hurt if a Recruiter doesn't call you back because you aren't a good fit for the job. Move on.

Job Fairs:

Rather than spend your time and money at job fairs, why not just find the companies who are attending a job fair in your area and submit your resume via their website? The only people in the booth are Human Resources or Internal Company Recruiters. These are the same people who review the resumes sent to the company website. You want to get your resume in front of the Hiring Manager. Hiring Managers are NOT at job fairs. Save your money and time wasted standing in line.

The time for you to take your job search into your own hands is NOW!

ResuWe.com, FightUnemployment.com

Orange County, CA - Who's Hiring?

2009-08-13T13:59:00.000-07:00

ResuWe is dedicated to fighting unemployment. ResuWe is not just another resume website. We want to teach the job seeker aggressive ways to find a new job. ResuWe was founded by leading agency recruiters who feel the need to empower the job seeker with proven tactics used by successful recruiters. One of these tactics is working directly with the hiring manager of the company. How many times have you sent a resume to a job listed online for which you felt you were a great fit and never received a reply? By sending your resume directly to the hiring manager it eliminates the middle man and streamlines the hiring process. Company policies regarding receiving unsolicited resumes ONLY restrict resumes received from recruiting firms. NO WHERE does it read that companies are not allowed to accept resumes directly from individuals. Companies should be grateful that we are giving you this information. After all, it saves the company money by not having to pay recruiter's fees as well as filling their open jobs.

The company we are highlighting today is Masimo Corporation headquartered in Irvine, CA. Masimo (NASDAQ: MASI) is a global medical technology company that develops and manufactures innovative noninvasive patient monitoring technologies, including medical devices and a wide array of sensors (from the Masimo website). Masimo currently has 39 open jobs on their website (listed below). We've selected a few of these jobs and given you the name and email of the potential hiring manager. If you feel you are a good fit for one of the selected jobs send a cover letter and Word copy of your resume with your name, job applied to and why you feel you are a good fit for the job to the potential hiring manager listed below. Here is a link to a previous blog post about how to write a cover letter http://www.fightunemployment.com/search/label/Cover%20Letter. You may want to tweak your resume a bit to highlight specific experiences related to each position you apply. Here is a link to a recent blog post on how to make your resume as key word rich as possible and increase your chances of getting your resume noticed http://www.fightunemployment.com/2009/07/score-your-next-job-with-keywords.html.

Link to website:

http://www.masimo.com/

Company Location and Phone Number:
Masimo Corporation (HeadQuarters)
40 Parker
Irvine, CA 92618
(949) 297-7000

Website jobs link:

http://tbe.taleo.net/NA11/ats/careers/searchResults.jsp;jsessionid=D05F3B6682E7AB1EBAF0D49011DB999D.NA11_primary_jvm?org=MASIMO&cws=1

Current Open Jobs in Irvine, CA from The Masimo website:

*Accounts Payable Clerk - Greg McSwain, Assistant Controller, Email: gmcswain@masimo.com

*Accounts Receivable Specialist - Raz Itzhaki, Finance Manager, Email: ritzhaki@masimo.com

*Algorithm Engineer - Ryan McHale, Advanced Algorithm Engineer, Email: rmchale@masimo.com

*Associate Electronics Engineer - Andy Gameline, Director, Engineering, Email: agamelin@masimo.com

*Associate General Counsel - Steve Moran, EVP General Counsel, Email: smoran@masimo.com

*Buyer/Planner - Karen Vaillancourt, Sr. Buyer/Planner, Email: kvaillancourt@masimo.com

*Chief Operations Officer (COO) -
*Chief Technical Officer (CTO) - Medical Device Engineering

*Director, Clinical Research - Mike Petterson, Vice President of Clinical Research, Email: mpetterson@masimo.com

*Director, Software Engineering - Bobby Lee, Information Technology Director, Email: blee@masimo.com

*Electronics Hardware Engineer

*Embedded Software Engineer - Paul Lewandowski, Manager, Software Validation, Email: plewandowski@masimo.com

*Equipment Technician - Herb Chatterton, Manager, Facilities, Email: hchatterton@masimo.com

*Executive Vice President, Operations - Failure Analysis Engineer

*Hardware Engineer

*Industrial Design Product Marketing Intern - Lisa Belodoff, Director of Marketing, Email: lbelodoff@masimo.com

*Inside Sales Representative - Scott Baldwin, Manager, Inside Sales, Email: sbaldwin@masimo.com

*Inside Sales Representative - Scott Baldwin, Manager, Inside Sales, Email: sbaldwin@masimo.com

*Interactive Designer - Tom McCall, VP Corporate Communications and Global Brand Strategy, Email: tmccall@masimo.com

*Machinist - Herb Chatterton, Manager, Facilities, Email: hchatterton@masimo.com

*Manager, Document Control - Sudha Gupta, Compliance Manager, Email: sgupta@masimo.com

*Manufacturing Associate

*Manufacturing Test Engineer - Joel Peshkin, Manager, Integration Testing, Email: jpeshkin@masimo.com

*Medical Assistant

*Monitor Solutions Specialist / Network Engineer - Bobby Lee, Information Technology Director, Email: blee@masimo.com

*OEM Technology Product Manager - Ron Coverston, VP, OEM Technology and Deployment, Email: rcoverston@masimo.com

*Public Relations Specialist - Dana Banks, Manager, Public Relations, Email: dbanks@masimo.com

*Regulatory Specialist (Medical Devices) - Gordon Richman Vice President, Regulatory Affairs, Email: grichman@masimo.com

*Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer - Jim Welch VP, Engineering, Email: Masimojwelch@masimo.com

*Senior Manufacturing Process Engineer - Valery Telfort Director of Engineering, Email: VTelfort@masimo.com

*Senior Supplier Quality Engineer - Jim Coffin, Director, Supplier Quality Engineering, Email: jcoffin@masimo.com

*Test Engineer - Tho Tran, Quality Engineer Manager, Email: ttran@masimo.com

*Traffic & Production Coordinator - Corey Sinclair, Director of Global Logistics, Email: csinclair@masimo.com

*Vice President, Clinical Research - Michael OReilly, Executive Vice President Medical Affairs, Email: moreilly@masimo.com

*Vice President, Engineering - Anand Sampath, Executive Vice President, Engineering, Email: asampath@masimo.com

*Vice President, Technology Research -
*Vice-President, Regulatory Affairs -
*VP, OEM Business -

Feel free to add any contacts to this blog post if you wish.

We want ResuWe to assist you in finding your next job. If we didn't list a potential hiring manager for a position you are interested in and you want assistance on finding out where to send your resume click on this link to help http://www.fightunemployment.com/2009/07/fight-unemployment-aggressive-tips-for.html.

ResuWe.com. FightUnemployment.com.

Telecommuting - When is a good time to ask during the interview process?

2009-08-12T16:29:00.000-07:00

With continued advances in technology and lower travel costs more companies are allowing employees to telecommute. The benefits of telecommuting include lower employer overhead for office space, environmental benefits, workers in different time zones, reduced absenteeism, increased employee satisfaction, and the ability to attract/keep employees who would otherwise need to take time off from work (new parents, individuals caring for a sick relative, etc.). Historically, managers are accustomed to supervising employees by observation versus results. While some jobs are well suited for telecommuting (sales, IT, customer service) more job seekers are requesting telecommuting as an option for conventional office positions. The trick in asking if telecommuting is an option is timing. You want the employer to listen to your request without losing interest in you as a potential employee.

When do you ask if telecommuting is an option during the interview process?

Make sure the employer has expressed interest in your candidacy. This usually happens after the first interview and the potential employer wants to perform a follow up interview or phone call. Don't start the first interview with your desire to telecommute. You need to find out more information about the job and SELL the idea afterwards based on factual information. During the interview make sure you tell the potential employer of your dedication and after-hour efforts from your current/previous positions. Also, mention your full home office during the interview process. This way when you request working from home the employer already knows you have the capability.

Make it about the company NOT YOU!

Employers don't care if your commute to office is over an hour. Employers DO care about how you can save them money and/or make them more money. After all, productivity is time and time is money. If you eliminate 2 hours of your current commute time and add that time to your traditional work schedule you can increase your work productivity (as well as subtract personal transportation costs). This translates well to a results orientated corporate environment where you can prove both cost savings as well as increased company revenues.

Negotiate the number of days you telecommute.

Telecommute doesn't always mean you work from home every day. If there are mandatory Monday and Wednesday staff meetings, request telecommuting on the other days of the week. If travel is a large part of the job you can request telecommuting on travel days. You can inform the employer of cost savings based on direct flights if you live closer to a major airport.

Ask the employer if they could offer telecommuting after a certain time frame?

There is usually a learning curve in a new job. Employers may be hesitant to allow new employees to work from home from day one. During the interview ask the interviewer how long it usually takes a new employee to get up to speed. Pitch the telecommuting idea after the normal new employee proving time.

Why do you want to work from home?

The potential employer may ask this question. If the job is more of an individual contributor role tell them that you really enjoy working independently and thrive in that environment. You can also inform the potential employer of a distraction free home office environment.

Eliminate the potential drawbacks.

Some current employees may resent telecommuters. Inform the potential employer of your company loyalty and willingness to come for company events and functions. This way the current employees know who you are.

ResuWe.com, FightUnemployment.com

Owen Clement - a top Facilities Manager who should not be out of work

2009-08-07T08:35:00.001-07:00

I had the pleasure of working with Owen 2 years ago while helping him secure his most recent position as Manager, Facilities and EH&S with XTENT. Unfortunately XTENT is another casualty of tough times and is currently going through a liquidation process.

Owen was highly regarded while interviewing and working for XTENT. He has outstanding Facilities Management experiences from within the Medical Device industry at XTENT and Medtronic. Owen has an MBA, Bachelor of Architecture, and is a Certified Facility Manager. He also has military experience in Project Management, Maintenance Engineering, and Operations from the US Air Force as a Second Lieutenant, First Lieutenant, and Captain.

Owen has been actively interviewing over the past 6 months and though has come close to a few offers, he has mentioned a few frustrations. I know times are tough but after working with Owen firsthand and knowing his background in detail, I'm shocked he has not been able to find a great position.

Owen lives in the San Francisco Bay Area. He is primarily seeking positions within the Bay Area but also open to positions throughout California, The Southeast (Texas, GA, Carolinas, & Florida), and the Washington DC Metro area.

Owen is seeking a position as a Manager or Director of Facilities or EH&S within a Medical Device, Pharmaceutical, or Healthcare related company but is certainly qualified and open to related Facilities Management positions within other industries.

Owen's full resume and profile can be viewed at http://www.resuwe.com/owenclement. Please feel free to connect with Owen directly or forward his profile to a colleague if you know of an applicable position.

#fightunemployment

Counter Offers - What to Do?

2009-08-05T14:54:00.000-07:00

So you gave your notice to your current employer and it went surprisingly well. You kept things professional and have been a valuable asset to the organization. Your boss wants to have an additional meeting...maybe have dinner and just talk about things for a while. What's the harm? After all, your boss has also been your friend and confidant for the past few years and you owe it to him to just say thank you. But wait, what is really going on here? In the back of your mind you are feeling like something is up...Your boss never invited you for dinner before. Your boss is going to make you a counter offer.

Before giving notice or even starting your job search you should determine what your main reasons are for looking for a new job. Is it money, professional growth, job location, or a combination of things? Do you feel like you have learned everything there is to learn at your current job? Do you feel unappreciated? Or is it just time to move on? Whatever the reasons, before you start your job search you should speak with your boss about what you think is missing from your job. Searching for a new job is very time consuming. Why waste your time looking for a job if you are just going to stay put even if you get a new offer? Before taking time off and interviewing talk to your current boss about your future with the company. Ask questions like where do you see me 1 year from now? Talk openly about a career path and future earning potential. If you are not able to have this type of conversation with you boss it's probably one of the reasons you are looking for a job in the first place.

While a counter offer may be flattering, it's too little too late. Companies present counter offers to keep you from walking out the door. It's cheaper and less time consuming for them to attempt to keep a current employee than to train a new one. Also your boss is partially evaluated by retention of employees. Additionally, current projects will be delayed and morale will suffer if you leave. They want a low turnover rate and especially don't want you to go work for a competitor. A counter offer is NOT about you...it's about your company.

Here are a few reasons why you should not take a counter offer:

1. You should be paid what you are worth in the first place.

Why does your employer now feel that you are worth more money simply because you gave notice? Shouldn't you have already been paid the amount? It's a back handed compliment to be offered more money. The additional money most likely will be taken from your next raise so don't think you are going to get a pay raise if you are still around next time there is a salary review.

2. If you must threaten to quit in order to get what you want, the company is probably not worth working for anyway.

I recently spoke with a Speech Pathologist working at a local hospital who felt she was underpaid. The Speech Pathologist met with the boss, asked for a raise and was declined. Her boss said in order to earn a raise she needed a written offer letter with a higher salary from another hospital. She had to spend time away from her current job interviewing (using vacation and sick days) and than present that offer to her current boss and HR. She interviewed, received a higher offer, went back to her current employer and they matched the higher offer. In 3 months she left anyway because money wasn't the only reason she wanted a new job. However, she needed to go through the whole outside interview process again.

3. Once you have shown your disloyalty to the company by giving notice your employer may consider you a flight risk.

Next time you have a doctors appointment your boss will probably think you are interviewing. Sick day = interview, vacation = interview, and so on...

4. A counter offer is nothing more than a stall tactic to give the company time to find your replacement.

Employers want to be in control of who is employed within the organization. Companies conduct confidential searches to replace employees all the time. What makes you any different?

5. The reasons that made you want to leave don't just go away.

Promises made at counter offer time rarely stay in place. The time to leave your current job is now...when you have a better offer from another employer and on your terms.

Most employees who accept counter offers are gone within one year. Also, top companies do not make counter offers because their policies are fair and based on market conditions. When you receive a counter offer it's best to thank the employer but politely decline.

ResuWe.com, FightUnemployment.com

How and When to Give Notice

2009-08-03T15:30:00.000-07:00

First off, don't be nervous. Giving notice is part of the natural progression of your career. Sometimes you need to change jobs to move up the ladder. While the butterflies may be flapping a bit in your stomach stay focused on the reason you are giving notice...to better your career.

When to give notice?

Give notice only when you have the written or electronic offer letter in hand and all of your questions are adequately answered about your future position. The last thing you want to do is leave your current job prematurely.

What day is best to give notice?

Friday. This way you can give the full two weeks notice (if needed) and start your new position on a Monday. Also, most employers are more relaxed on Friday and will have the weekend to cool off after you give notice.

How to give notice?

It's best to give notice both in writing and in person. Make sure you schedule an appointment with your boss and make it a high priority. If you want privacy ask to have the meeting in a conference room. When you speak with your boss get to the point. Tell your boss something like: I wanted to thank you for everything I've learned here but I accepted a new job and need to give you my notice. Stop Talking! There may be a few moments of unpleasant silence, but wait until your manager reacts to determine the continuation of the conversation. You don't need to say any more. If your boss asks what are your reasons for leaving you can reply that you enjoyed your time at the current company but feel it's time to move on. Keep things positive and don't let your boss get you to list specifics. If your manager insists on an answer, ask for an additional meeting at a later date. Lastly, make sure you ask your boss how he/she wants to handle informing other employees.

What to do before you leave?

Make sure you have two good references. Hopefully your boss has calmed down by now and you are able to request a good reference. Make sure you have your boss's work and mobile phone numbers as well as email address for easy future communication. It's a good idea to also have a back up management or peer reference from the company you are leaving.

Here is a written template:

DATE

COMPANY NAME
ADDRESS

Dear BOSS(ES) NAME(S):

It is with deep regret that I must at this time tender my resignation and give 2 weeks notice.

I greatly appreciate the opportunity I have been given to learn and develop. The time I have spent at COMPANY NAME has been most rewarding and helpful in my career, and I hope that my contributions to the company have been constructive.

Thank you for your time and consideration and I wish you all the best in the future.

Regards,

SIGNATURE

YOUR NAME

ResuWe.com, FightUnemployment.com

Find a job in a different location by localizing your resume

2009-08-03T14:35:00.000-07:00

Finding a position within a different geographic location can be a tricky task. It's also a classic Catch 22 since you need to live in the area to get a job and you need a job to live in the area. Below are a few tips to help you find an ideal job in a desired location.

Your Resume Address - Use the address of a close friend or relative on your resume. Make sure the address includes a zip code since most Applicant Tracking Systems use a radius search for searching local positions (usually within 50-100 miles). A good indicator if it is OK to use this person's address is to ask yourself "are you able to stay with this person for the first 2-3 weeks you are working while you find your own place to live?"

Your Resume Phone Number - Definitely use a local phone number with the area code of the location your desired job is in. If you're seeking Manhattan, use 212; St. Louis, use 314; and Orange County, CA, use 949. You can now do this easily by setting up a free Google Voice number. Please check out Google Voice for Job Seekers for more advanced Google Voice features.

Your Cover Letter - Mention the reason why you are seeking to relocate to this desired location. Reasons could include to be with a specific family member, you have friends in the area, or that you like to ski and you can't in Dallas. Make this personal to convey you are serious and not just applying for any job on a national level.

Also mention that you are staying with friends/family and that you require minimal relocation assistance. List specific dates you are in town and available to interview.

Companies are always interested in finding talent outside of their local marketplace. They're just not always prepared to handle the costs and logistics of arranging interview flights and relocation assistance. Taking the first steps by placing yourself within the local market will make the process easier on the company and quickly open up job opportunities.

Garlic Pizza winner of "Worst Food to Eat Before an Interview"

2009-07-31T15:58:00.000-07:00

Congrats to Bean Burrito & Kimchi for a close 2nd & 3rd place finish! Happy Weekend!

Team ResuWe

What is the worst food to eat right before an interview?

2009-07-30T12:47:00.000-07:00

Great references can secure your next job

2009-07-28T16:13:00.000-07:00

Excellent references can put you ahead of the competition when it comes time for companies to make a hiring decision. If an employer has to choose between two equal candidates, great references can be the determining factor that land you your next job. With increased competition for every job you need to make sure that your references are up to date and that they know you are looking for a job. Here are a few tips on how to get the most out of your references:

What to do first?

Before you get started on your job search you should contact your most recent references to inform them you are looking for a new position. Have a detailed discussion on the types of jobs you are looking for and make sure they are both willing and available to give you a good reference and to discuss your job performance with a potential future employer. If the information you discuss with your references is anything but glowing do not use that reference. Contacting your references ahead of time also informs them that you are on the job market and you can ask them to keep an eye out for you as well.

When do companies ask for references?

On the job application there is a space for references. If the job application is online you may need to complete this section if it is a required field. If you are comfortable, list your references on the application. Make sure you have your references' work and mobile phone numbers with best time to call as well as their email addresses. This allows the potential employer to have multiple ways to contact your references. If you don't feel it's appropriate listing your references at this point you can simply write that references will be provided upon request. This allows you to supply the references once the company establishes you are in contention for the job.

How many references should I list?

Generally companies like to speak with 3 references. One peer or client reference and two past supervisors. If they request a current employer reference you can contact a trusted peer / colleague and confidentially disclose that you are looking for a new job. For the supervisor / manager references a direct line reporting supervisor / manager is best.

What type of questions do companies ask?

Depending on who is checking your reference (Human Resources (HR), Recruiter or Hiring Manager) the questions will vary. If HR / Recruiting is checking references the questions will be usually more personality and general job performance versus the hiring manager who will ask more job specific questions.

What if my references are unwilling/unable to give detailed information?

Due to legal reasons a lot of companies are not able to provide detailed references. Make sure you ask your references if they are able to give detailed information ahead of time. If they are not able to give detailed information but you still want to list them as a reference inform the future employer on the application or when references are requested.

What is a company wants to verify employment with HR?

If you complete a background check release form for a future employer it allows them the ability to verify your past / current employers. Companies check for your position title, dates of employment and eligibility for re-hire. This information is confidential and is not shared within the organizations.

What if I left a previous employer on bad terms?

If you had a negative experience with a previous employer you may need to do some damage control. If your reason for leaving was your direct supervisor or other manager, try to find a trusted peer who can give you a good reference. Talk to the peer reference before you start your job search and inform them to keep things positive.

What if the company is checking my previous employers and I didn't list a past job on my resume?

It's best for you to list all previous jobs on your application. If you left after a short period of time make sure you disclose this job as well as the reason you left the position on your application.

What about my profiles on social networking sites?

Professional social media sites such as LinkedIn allow the user to have online professional recommendations. These sites allow a potential employer to view your profile and see who has recommended you in the past. However, the future employer is not able to contact these individuals directly. It's best to use these sites as an additional reference tool but not to eliminate the traditional reference check.

What about letters of recommendation?

If you have letters of recommendation make sure the contact information is listed on the letter and the future employer is able to contact this reference directly.

Don't make the reference check hinder you from earning your next job. It's always best to take the honest and upfront approach with your references so your future employer knows you are professional and ethical.

ResuWe.com, FightUnemployment.com.

What is the best day to follow up on a resume?

2009-07-28T12:54:00.000-07:00

Tuesday is absolutely the best day to follow up on a resume submission! I find that I am slammed on Friday by job seekers calling me to follow up on resumes I have submitted on their behalf to my clients. On that same note, I am tempted to make Friday my "Follow-up Friday". Here is why Tuesday works best (and why Friday does not):

- Employers and recruiters usually reserve Monday to check emails, return calls, and transition back from weekend mode to work mode.
- By Tuesday, a recruiter's desk is usually clear and organized. It is the beginning of the the workweek and employers, recruiters, and hiring managers are fresh, focused, attentive, and responsive.
- When a job seeker follows up with a recruiter, the recruiter may need to check the status with a hiring manager. It's much easier for a recruiter to connect with a hiring manager on a Tuesday than on a Friday.
- I you are a job seeker and a recruiter can't give you an answer on a Tuesday, offer to check back in 48 hours. Now you can check back 2 days later on Thursday. You cannot use this technique on a "Follow-up Friday".
- Similarly, a Recruiter can easily get results or feedback from a hiring manager at the beginning of the workweek on Tuesday.
- Very few people will take a Tuesday off compared to a Monday or Friday. Many people don't work Friday, take half-day Friday, or are simply burnt out from a hectic workweek.

#fightunemployment
ResuWe.com coming soon!

Fight Unemployment - Aggressive Tips for Online Job Seekers

2009-07-27T17:20:00.000-07:00

For many job seekers, using job boards can be frustrating. The ease of applying to a job is sometimes overshadowed by the lack of correspondence. You send your resume out to numerous jobs and have no idea if your resume was ever read. Traditional job boards don't give you any resume tracking ability or knowledge if your resume was viewed. You may receive an auto-reply from the company but the email address will be a do not reply to this email. What is the job seeker to do in order to have more power when it comes to your job search? Here are a few Do's and DONT's related to your online job search.

First, when you apply to a job your resume goes to a Recruiter or Human Resources (HR) person within the company. That person uploads your resume into an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) which parses your resume into the company database. They will determine if your resume is a good fit based on the job description. Your resume will than be forwarded to the hiring manager for review.

DON'T send your resume multiple times to a job. The HR / Recruiter is the gatekeeper and they don't want to do extra work by attempting to upload your resume and it's already in their database attached to a job. If you haven't received feedback or the job has been open for an extended period of time you need to take another approach.

DO follow up with the company directly. Go to the company website and view the jobs / career page. Depending on the size of the company there may be a human resources email address. If there is a page that links you to an ATS (such as Taleo) you can still follow up with HR/Recruiting directly. The most common email formats for HR/Recruiting are:

HR@Companydomain.com
jobs@companydomain.com
Recruiting@companydomain.com

You can determine the domain by the website address. For example, if the company's website is ResuWe.com the emails will be HR@ResuWe.com or Jobs@ResuWe.com or Recruiting@ResuWe.com. When you follow up with HR / Recruiting don't just say I sent my resume and I wanted to know if there was any interest. Make sure you include the day you sent your resume, the job you applied to (including job number), a copy of your resume and write out a few specifics on why you feel you are a good candidate for the job (cover letter). Include your phone number and email address and include availability for an interview (phone or in-person) with your email. Since this is going to the gatekeeper you still need to sell them on why you are a great fit.

DON'T call HR / Recruiting at the company. First off if you call the company main line and ask for HR you will get transferred to a voice mail which will instruct you to contact HR via email. If you happen to reach someone at the company they will have no idea who you are and ask you to communicate via email.

DO join a professional social networking website such as LinkedIn or Plaxo. Type in the company name in the search and determine if you know anyone at the company. Make your former colleagues do a little leg work for you. Contact your former colleagues and let them know you applied to a job within the organization and ask if they can get your resume in front of the right people. Make sure you include the job you applied to, date you applied, job number, resume and cover letter with your correspondence.

DO get aggressive. If you still haven't heard any feedback and the job is still posted online you can use the same professional social networking sites to determine possible hiring managers for the position. Most companies have employee email formats such as first initial last name @companydomain.com or similar. When you send an email to the possible hiring manager make sure you let them know you already applied to the position online and include the same information (date sent, job applied to, resume, cover letter, contact information, etc.) that you sent to HR / Recruiting. HR / Recruiting policies at companies do not prohibit unsolicited resumes directly from job seekers.

DON'T call the hiring manager or send countless emails. If you call the manager most likely he/she will be working and not have time to talk to you. Also, phones have caller ID and if you call them constantly they will think you are a stalker. Take your job search into your own hands and get aggressive.

ResuWe.com FightUnemployment.com

What to Wear to a Job Interview?

2009-07-24T14:54:00.001-07:00

Another important part of the job search process is dressing appropriately for your interview. This is the first time your potential employer will meet you, and the way you dress will influence how they perceive you as a potential employee. It is always better to err on the side of dressing more conservatively for an interview. This typically means a solid color conservative suit (skirts knee-length or longer), moderate shoes (no stilettos or strange colors, I would stick with black or brown depending on the suit color), limited jewelry (especially for men), a conservative tie for men, and a coordinated shirt (white shirts are always good). It’s also important to be well groomed (short clean nails, and a professional hairstyle are important).

Of course this will differ based on the industry in which you work. If you are working with someone in the HR department to set up your interview with the hiring manager and you’re not sure if a full suit would be appropriate for that particular company, it is perfectly acceptable for you to ask them if they think it would be appropriate. When I was setting up the interview for my current job in a beach town in Southern California, the hiring manager told me that he wears shorts and flip flops to work. Up until that point I had been wearing suits and button-down blouses to my interviews. However, he made a point of telling me what a casual atmosphere the office was and I didn’t want to show up dressed in a way that may suggest I wouldn’t fit in with the company. Yet, I didn’t show up in shorts and flip flops either. I wore pants with a ¾ length sleeve shirt (no cleavage ladies), and 2.5 inch black heels.

Also, I was at a job fair yesterday and the number one advice I can give all job seekers is to buy a new suit . Yes, it is expensive but you only need one suit to wear to all of your interviews. Many of the job seekers at the job fair were wearing old, ill-fitting suits, and this does not impress hiring managers. The suit should be black, dark gray, or dark blue (especially for men), without stripes, and it should fit you well. You can check out Men’s Warehouse, outlet stores, or sales racks at department stores to find a good deal. It is definitely worth the expense.

Ultimately, dressing well for an interview will not guarantee you the job, but dressing inappropriately will guarantee you won’t get the job. It is always better to be too conservative versus too casual or flashy. You don’t want a bad outfit or unkempt hair to keep you away from your dream job.

Resuwe.com FightUnemployment.com

How to negotiate a higher salary for your next job

2009-07-21T16:54:00.000-07:00

Whether you are currently employed or unemployed below are several tips on how to get the most money from your next job. Companies use several criteria to determine employee salaries. These salary ranges are determined by the department head, hiring manager and human resources (HR). Be aware that the company is thinking the low number and you are thinking the high number or more. Before you even interview it's a good idea to answer for yourself what is an acceptable offer versus how much money you want.

How companies determine salaries:

1. Job title and responsibilities.

2. Education and years of experience.

3. Internal equity or salaries of other people in the department with the same or similar jobs. Employers manage internal equity by paying people within a salary range.

4. Online salary resources. These tools give employers an idea of salary ranges based on job titles, years experience, degree, skills, etc.

5. Applicant's current salary / what does the job seeker currently make. While this may not dictate the company salary range it will give the employer an idea if they are in the ball park.

Stick with the facts:

It's a good idea not to pad your salary when looking for a new job. A future employer may want proof of your salary in the form of a recent paycheck stub or verification of salary by your current company's HR department. If your future employer finds out you padded your salary they may not want to move forward with the offer. Since your previous salary is only one factor for future employers to determine your salary it is not recommended to pad your current salary.

Adhere to your number:

If you fill out the employment application and write down $65K as your desired salary the employer now thinks you want $65K. Instead, you should write "open" in the desired salary box. If it's an online application and you need to put in a number make sure you stick to that number during the interview process. Nonetheless things change during the interview process. If the interview process uncovers additional job responsibilities such as travel, long hours, weekends, etc. you can always use that additional information to change your desired salary.

When is the right time to discuss salary?

A good time to discuss salary is after the company has expressed interest in you and you have passed the second round of interviews. Nevertheless, it may come up as early as the first interview or before. Be careful who you discuss your salary with during the interview process. If it's the hiring manager or human resources it's okay to talk numbers. However, if it's a future peer interview you may want to side step any salary related questions. You can answer this by telling the future peer that you need to more information about the job before you conclude any desired salary amount.

How to answer the salary question:

When salary comes up during the interview the best way to answer is let the employer know of your current base salary and all additional compensation. Then add that you are looking for both an increase in base salary and total compensation. If they ask for a number be confident and tell them what you want for your next job.

How to ask for more:

Your total compensation is a formula of Base Salary + Bonus + Benefits (medical, dental, retirement, pension, vacation, stock, etc.) If a company is not able to offer you a higher base you can ask for additional money in the form of stock, sign on bonus, performance bonus or stock. These variable pay systems allow the employer to individualize employee total compensation based on a blend of personal and company performance goals. You may also be able to negotiate a quick salary review (6 months versus 1 year of start date). This would allow you to prove yourself to your future employer and give you the ability to earn more quicker. Paid Time Off (PTO) or Vacation days may also be worth negotiating if you feel the presented amount is less than you currently receive or less than you desire.

Don't make it all about the money:

In addition to compensation make sure you add that you are looking for career advancement, career challenge or job security.

Negotiate before you accept:

Once you accept the job don't go back and try to renegotiate the salary. Employers will think you are all about the money and not interested in their opportunity or company.

ResuWe.com. Fight Unemployment.

Google Voice Features for Job Seekers

2009-07-20T16:12:00.000-07:00

Google just sent out invites for the highly anticipated Google Voice service. Google Voice allows you to create one universal phone number for all your calls. It also has an easy to use web-based interface similar to Gmail which manages numerous telecommunications features.

Below is a breakdown of the best Google Voice features a job seeker can utilize to improve their search efforts:

Universal Number - A job seeker can simply list their one Google Voice number on top of their resume instead of their home, cell, and office numbers. This universal number can be set to ring multiple numbers simultaneously so an employer is sure to get a hold of you if it is set to ring your cell, office, and home lines. You can answer a call on any of your phones and you can even...

Switch Phones During a Call - This is a very cool feature if an employer or recruiter calls on your office line but need to speak privately. You can easily switch your phone from your office line to cell and step outside.

Voicemail Transcripts - By far the coolest feature! Voicemail transcripts will list your voicemails from within your online inbox, essentially converting a voicemail to an email. Voicemail notifications with transcripts are also sent to your email and as an SMS text message on your cell. This is a key feature for an employed job seeker helping ensure privacy and while on a confidential job search.

Universal Number Area Code - You are able to create your own phone number from scratch (based on availability) when setting up your account. You can choose to integrate a text string for a vanity number or choose by any US area code. If you are targeting relocation to Orange County, CA, you should set up your number with a 949 area code.

Ring Schedule - Each phone number has its own advanced settings so phones can be designated to ring at different times. You can ring your office line from 8-5, your cell during your drive times, and home line at night.

Call Widgets - A job seeker with an online resume can embed a Call Widget featuring a "Call Me" graphic with Name and Number form fields. An employer can simply auto dial the job seeker from their own phone. ResuWe.com will have this covered!

Overall Google Voice offers an easy way for job seekers to create, use, and manage their telecommunications using one number. Google voice offers almost any advanced feature imaginable from managing groups, multiple rings, and personalized greetings. iPhone users can download the app GV Mobile which manages Google Voice from the iPhone.

I hear Phone Number Porting is in the works since it would be great if you could use your existing cell number.

To get started you need to receive an invite which may not be instant - Google Voice invitation request. Good luck!

How to prepare for a job interview?

2009-07-14T12:42:00.000-07:00

So your job search is starting to pay off. You've sent your resume to multiple jobs and have had several email correspondences. Now it's time for the actual interviews. Whether it's a phone interview or an in-person interview it's a good idea to do some homework prior to any interview communication. In any job market the last thing you want to do is not have a clue about who you are speaking to or what the company does. Here are a few pre-interview tips:

1. What does the company do?

*Review the company website. Don't just look at the home page. Dig into the website. Find out relevant company information, and review management biographies.

*Google search the company. Use the company name and key words (such as hiring, news, lay-off or downsizing) in a Google search to find out any recent news about the company.

*Stock Information. If the company is publicly traded check out their stock. Look at the company's 3 month and 12 month stock charts. Review any headlines or press releases.

2. What does the job require?

*Review the job description. Go over the job responsibilities and requirements. Write out a few key points on how your experiences match the job description. If you lack some of the job requirements or don't know a specific requirement Google search these items. This will give you insight as to what you may be missing and shows the employer that you investigated their job.

3. Who will I be speaking to / meeting?

*Use websites like LinkedIn, Spoke, Bebo, and Xing to search for the hiring managers and other interviewers' online profiles. Look for the interviewers' titles and determine what their role may be in the hiring process. You can also search these websites for people who currently or used to work in this job to look at their background and compare your experiences to theirs.

4. What questions do I want to ask?

*After performing your research it's a good idea to come up with some company and job related questions. You don't want the interviewer to ask if you have any questions and you reply, "no." Remember, you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you.

Everyone's time is valuable. Don't waste time by interviewing with bad companies or for jobs that are not of interest. Take control of your job search and be prepared. ResuWe.com, fight unemployment.

Don't Get Fired before you get Hired

2009-07-12T07:27:00.000-07:00

Currently employed but looking for a new job? These tips can make sure you don't set off any online alarms with your boss.

With so much electronic information around us, it's difficult to know who can see your information and who can't. When looking for a job the last thing you want is to have your current employer find out you are unhappy. I speak with many job seekers as well as view hundreds of resumes every day. I notice quite a few errors on job seekers behalf when they try to keep their search confidential. Here are a few helpful tips that can make sure you don't jeopardize your current job before finding a new one.

Phone Number - Use your mobile phone as your job search phone number. This way you can easily track any incoming and outgoing calls as well as have better control over receiving messages. You can also have access to your email via your phone while at work without using the company computer. Additionally, using your mobile phone number is an easy way for you to walk out of your work area if you need to field a call. You can always use a land line if you are speaking with a potential employer for a phone interview.

Email Address - Remove any email address from your resume which has multiple users or a silly name. Set up a designated job search related email account (Gmail is best). Don't include your full name in this email address. Make sure you put this email address on your resume and remove the old one. This will allow you to both have better tracking of the jobs you applied to, and not have personal email traffic on this address. You can keep this email address open even after you find a new job.

Online Resumes - It's tough sometimes to remember which job boards have your old resume. If you set up a new job search account using one of the job boards make sure you don't upload your Word resume with your name and contact information. You may not be able to see your contact information but an employer or recruiter who has a job search account with the job board can see your person information if you do this. Also, you may want to take out your current company's name on your updated resume. Just put "confidential" in the company name box. You can disclose this information when someone contacts you directly. Make sure your current company name is not in the text of your resume as well.

References - Rather than listing your references as an additional page on your resume simply put, "will provide upon request" if you feel the need to have this on your resume. The last thing you want to do is list your current bosses name and number on your reference page of your resume.

Twitter - Set your privacy settings so you have to approve anyone who follows you. Also, block anyone who currently follows you and is a work related connection from receiving your tweets.

Facebook - Change your privacy settings to allow only your friends to view your communications. If you are Facebook Friends with your boss or work colleagues they will be able to view your communications even though you changed your privacy settings. It is better to simply remove any work related connections from your Facebook Friends.

MySpace - Not sure if anyone uses this site anymore, but set your privacy settings so only your friends can see you. Again, if you are friends with any colleagues / bosses make sure you remove them from your friend list.

With the current job market there are a lot of potential candidates out there for every open position. Don't make a silly mistake and become an unemployment statistic. ResuWe.com...fight unemployment.

Score Your Next Job With Keywords

2009-07-10T14:30:00.000-07:00

Companies, search firms, and HR departments use Applicant Tracking Systems as part of the resume screening process. ATS's use boolean search strings and keyword matching technologies to score how your resume matches specific search criteria set for a position. The following is a recruiter's perspective of how to beat out ATS's using a high scoring resume for each position you apply for. Let's use the following example job:
-------------
Unix Systems Administrator

You will be responsible for performing Linux Systems Administration activities for an enterprise. Your responsibilities will include:

- Providing installation, support, and maintenance of Unix servers and other computer systems.
- Performing system utilization, availability analysis, and capacity planning.
- Programming and scripting using PHP, Perl, Python, or Shell scripting

Requirements:

- 5+ years of Unix System Administration experience in a large-scale Unix (Linux/Solaris/BSD) environment.
- Experience managing LAMP web-farms serving 10+ million page views daily.
- Apache configuration and operation expertise.
---------------------

The first thing I do as a recruiter is break down keywords within the position and create a boolean search string. This boolean string will be used to search my own internal database, external databases (Monster, Careerbuilder, Dice, etc.), and to score candidates who apply from external job postings.

Boolean search string:
(unix OR linux OR solaris) AND ("systems administration" OR "systems administrator" OR "Unix SA") AND (installation OR support OR maintenance OR utilization OR availability OR capacity OR capacities) AND (programming OR programmer OR PHP OR perl OR python OR scripting OR shell OR LAMP OR apache OR mysql)

I have taken the most applicable keywords from the job description for my boolean string. I've counted 23 unique keywords or keyterms within this string.

What should a qualified job seeker do?

A qualified job seeker should scan the position description, identify the most applicable keywords, and ensure all variations of these words are placed within the context of their resume. Let's use the following mini-resume examples:

Resume1
Smallcorp IT Admin
- Responsible for managing Unix computer systems
- Working with IT staff to ensure systems are available
- Performing Systems administration and data reporting tasks as needed

Resume2
Goodcorp Lead Unix Systems Administrator
- Responsible for managing Unix Systems within a Linux, Solaris, BSD, LAMP environment
- Ensuring 24X7 availability of servers, systems, and web-farms while monitoring system availability, capacities, load balancing, and utilization
- Project management of reporting tools development efforts utilizing PHP, Python, and Shell scripting on Apache web servers and mysql databases.

Both resumes describe the same responsibilities. Resume2 is far more descriptive and keyword rich resulting in more matching keywords to the boolean string highlighted in yellow (as it will look within most ATS's). Resume1 receives a score of 2 matching keywords while Resume2 wins with 16 matching keywords. ATS's and job boards rank resumes by a score or percentage match based on matching keywords. Recruiters and hiring managers call the highest ranking candidates first for interviews!

It's that easy to beat an ATS with keywords!

1) Break down the keywords within a job description you qualify for.
2) Integrate all matching keywords, synonyms, and variations of the keywords from the job description within the context of your resume.
- Do not just provide a laundry list of keywords as this looks obvious and cheesy!
3) Keep re-working your resume for new positions you are interested in pursuing. The more unique keywords within your resume the better!

How Will Google Chrome OS Effect Recruiting?

2009-07-08T16:21:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Google introduced the Google Chrome OS - http://googleblog.blogspot.com/. This announcement is a logical progression in the course of Google's product developments over the past few years including Google Desktop, Docs, Chrome Browser, and Wave.

The open source Linux based Google Chrome OS will be a cost effective alternative to Windows and Mac based Operating Systems running the MS Office Suite. It will also offer additional freedoms for working remotely from multiple desktops, Netbooks, and Tablet PCs. A few game changing questions come to mind for recruiting?

Will MS Word continue to be the standard format for submitting and receiving resumes?
- Google Docs could now be a standalone application and more widely accepted for generating and receiving resumes.

Will Google Calendar take users away from MS Outlook?
- MS Outlook is heavily used by recruiters and hiring managers to determine availability and schedule interviews.

Will the Google Chrome OS open the doors for mass acceptance of Tablet PCs and Netbooks?
- Tablet PCs and eReaders running a light fast OS would be an ideal tool for recruiters to quickly review and screen resumes.

Will Google Wave become an integral communication tool for recruiting applications?
- Possible Google Wave recruiting applications involve facilitating virtual group interviewing & pre-screening, online career fairs, and international recruiting - http://resuweblog.blogspot.com/search/label/Google%20Wave

Will the Chrome Browser force Applicant Tracking Systems to become web based and Chrome browser compliant?
- A web based ATS running within the Chrome browser on PCs, Netbooks, and Tablet PCs integrating with Google Docs & Google Calendar could be a killer and easy to use sourcing tool!

Google expects to release the Google Chrome OS the second half of 2010. For now, we have a year to ponder the possibilities.

Who's Hiring?

2009-06-24T13:38:00.000-07:00

Being in the recruiting industry for the past 11 years I've been asked a lot of job related questions. The most common question I receive is, "how's the job market"? With the unemployment rate at 9.4% (Bureau of Labor Statistics, May, 2009) it's easy to paint a grim picture. However, there are jobs out there. It's just knowing where to look and how to get started. Three top sectors hiring right now are Health Care, Education and Government.

Health Care

Health care is the top industry. According the the Bureau of Labor Statistics, this industry has added 369,000 jobs in 2008 and more than 250,000 jobs already this year. There are so many jobs categorized under health care and choosing a career path is sometimes confusing. I focused on two solid long term career opportunities.

*Medical Assistant: Median Salary $28,429 (Salary.com)

Medical Assistants work as part of a diverse health care team in medical offices and health care practices. They perform administrative and certain clinical duties under the direction of physician. Being a Medical Assistant isn't going to get you rich, but the relatively low amount of time it takes to become a Medical Assistant makes it a good choice if you are looking to change careers. While the training and education required to work as a Medical Assistant vary by state, below are a couple of links to get you started.

American Association of Medical Assistants

http://www.aama-ntl.org/becomeCMA/how.aspx

Link to find Medical Assistant Schools:

http://www.medical-assistant-training-schools.org/medical-assistant-schools.htm

*Registered Nurse: Median Salary: $62,089 (Salary.com)

Nursing is projected to add more jobs than any other career over the next decade. Nurses provide medical care and treat patients in a variety of settings. To become a Registered Nurse there are two degree options, including the Associate Degree in Nursing (ADN), and Bachelor of Science in Nursing (BSN). Both degrees offer the broad training necessary to enter into a solid long term career.

I think nursing is such a wonderful choice because of the countless ways your nursing career can grow. You can work as an RN in a hospital, physician's office or other direct patient care environment. You can earn an Advanced Practice Degree or earn a specialty certification. You can also grow into Nurse Management, Case Management, and various non-direct patient care nursing roles. One of the coolest nursing paths is to work in clinical research. You can work as a Clinical Research Coordinator for a University or Hospital, and progress into the pharmaceutical industry to work as a Clinical Research Associate. From there you can move up and become a Director of Clinical Operations for a Pharmaceutical company. Literally thousands of jobs can come from earning a nursing degree and becoming a Registered Nurse.

For information on nursing schools and where to get started go to:

http://www.allnursingschools.com/

Education

Another industry that has had recent job growth is Education. The education industry added over 125,000 jobs last year (Bureau of Labor Statistics). Within education jobs there has been a rising demand for qualified teaching professionals.

*Teacher: Median Salary: $42,120 (Payscale.com)

Teachers assist the learning process through classroom activities and interactive discussions. With state budget cuts there may be some regional concerns about the short term stability of teaching jobs. However, overall teaching careers have shown proven long term sustainability. What you need to get started is a Bachelor's Degree and a state-accredited teacher training program. The link below can get you started on the right track in your state.

How to become a teacher:

http://www.teacher-world.com/teacher-education/become-teacher.html

Government

The Federal Government has already added over 45,000 jobs this year. President Obama's stimulus plan hopes to create more than 3.5 million jobs by the end of 2010.

For 2010, the Census Bureau is hiring hundreds of thousands of temporary workers to fill a variety of census positions across the country.

Census Bureau Job Link: http://www.census.gov/hrd/www/index.html

The U.S. Customs and Border Protection is seeking to hire more than 11,000 people this year.

*Border Patrol Agent: Median Salary: $38,196 (Payscale.com)

To apply for a Border Patrol Agent you must be a US Citizen, physically fit and under the age of 37.

Here is the link to Border Patrol Jobs:

http://www.cbp.gov/xp/cgov/careers/customs_careers/border_careers/

Official US Government Job site: http://www.usajobs.com/

These are just a few examples of current available jobs. Bottom line is there are jobs available across all categories. You just need to figure out what you want to do and get out there. Resuwe.com, fight unemployment.

Why a boring resume yields best results

2009-06-17T13:42:00.000-07:00

A boring resume? These are tough times and job seekers need to stand out in the crowd within this competitive marketplace. Yes, but they must also get through the crowd with a well written resume. The following emphasizes how a boring yet content rich resume will yield best results leading to more interviews and offers.

Your resume must be easy to read and will be judged by a combination of humans and Applicant Tracking Systems.
Your resume content is most important and must be displayed in the correct places.
It is easy for a resume screener to hit the delete button based upon distractions and nuances.
A well written resume gives the impression you are a top candidate, knowledgeable, and easy to work with

How will I stand out from the crowd with a boring resume? Companies, search firms, and HR departments use Applicant Tracking Systems as part of the resume screening process. ATS's use boolean search strings and keyword matching technologies to score how well your resume matches specific search criteria set for a position. So your resume is screened by a combination of computer and human judgment. A human recruiter will quickly scan your resume in 5-10 seconds to find out the following info:

Career history containing your last 2-3 jobs, dates of employment, job titles, and responsibilities
Your education background including your degrees and schools attended
A quick snapshot of your skills, experiences, certifications, and awards

Your resume content is the meat which drives the decision determining if your resume fits the criteria of a job listing. Your career history must contain accurate and easy to read descriptions of your positions integrating as many relevant keywords within the context of well written sentences.

How can I build a boring/content rich resume?

MS Word doc only! MS Word doc files are the standard and easiest for Applicant Tracking Systems to upload and parse.
List your resume reverse chronologically - Most recent positions on top
One font throughout your resume - Arial, Times New Roman, Georgia, and Garamond are best
Black font color only
10pt, 11pt, or 12pt font size only. Stick with one font size throughout your entire resume.
Let your resume flow to 2-3 pages if you have the experience (usually 10+ years or more)
List all start and end dates for your positions in the Month, Year format (ex. January, 2006 to June, 2009)
Optimize your resume content by including as many keywords relating to your skills, experiences, technologies, or activities you have worked with.
Proofread. Every text editor, MS Word, and Google Docs all have built in Spell Checkers. There are no excuses for typos!
Links to your professional blog or Twitter page to promote your personal brand. Only if you are 100% sure the content is professional.
Optimize your resume (coming soon) with ResuWe at http://www.resuwe.com

Job seekers today need an edge to grab the attention of hiring managers, recruiters, and HR professionals. Adding extraneous info, flashy borders, tables, or photos is not the best way to gain positive attention. Hiring managers, recruiters, and HR professionals are challenged with the task of weeding through hundreds of resumes per multiple jobs a day. They look at any distracting elements with scrutiny and interpret any nuances as a reason you are detracting from the content of your resume. A resume screener is looking for any reason to reject your candidacy and a video, text box, or blue font is an easy reason to hit the reject button.

What will get my resume deleted?

Multiple fonts and font colors
Headers and footers - This messes with HTML which Word resumes are often converted to within an ATS
Tables, text boxes, and divider bars
Multiple columns
Page borders
Backgrounds
Photos, videos, or images - Many companies have policies not to accept resume photos for EEOC compliance reasons.
Hobbies, interests, or activities
Page breaks mentioning "continued" or "resume continued next page".
Providing just a web-link instead of a Word document. Most Applicant Tracking Systems require resumes be uploaded from a Word doc.

A well written resume gives the impression you are a top candidate, knowledgeable, and easy to work with. Your content should drive excitement from an employer and turn your resume submission into an interview. Good luck!

Importance of a Cover Letter

2009-06-12T13:30:00.000-07:00

In this day and age of click and apply HR folks, Recruiters and Hiring Managers really like to see that you actually read the job description before applying to a job. This can best be demonstrated in a brief cover letter sent to the job advertisement along with your resume. A cover letter doesn't have to be literature...In fact, your cover letter should only be 1-2 paragraphs at most. The basic cover letter should let the company know which job you are applying to as well as a few sentences letting the company know why you are a good fit. The cover letter should also be keyword rich. In the job requirements section of the job ad there is usually a descending order of wants and needs by the employer. If you have expertise in these requirements you should also include this in the cover letter. Remember, the individual reviewing the resume usually only spends a few seconds scrolling through your cover letter to determine if you are a viable candidate. You need to be both brief and specific. You can also include in the cover letter that you have met or exceeded the educational requirements for the job. If you don't match the job specifically, you need to include your relevant experiences and how it ties to the job. Lastly, you may want to emphasize why you are looking for a job (downsizing/lay-off) so that you can let the potential employer know of your immediate interview and job start availability.

Here is an example:

Let's say you are a Quality Engineer with a Masters Degree in Engineering and over 7 years of experience working in the Medical Device field. You are applying to a Sr. Quality Engineering job for a pharmaceutical company. The job requires a Bachelor's Degree and strong knowledge of FDA regulatory guidelines and working in a GMP environment. While you have not specifically worked in the pharmaceutical industry you have worked in a similar industry.

Your cover letter can read:

Dear Name,

I am applying for the Senior Quality Engineer position with ResuWe Pharmaceuticals. I hold a Master's Degree in Engineering and I have over 7 years of medical device industry experience as a Quality Engineer. I have a strong understanding of FDA regulatory guidelines as well as expertise in a GMP environment. Due to a recent lay off at my company I am searching for a new full time opportunity and would like the opportunity to work at ResuWe Pharmaceuticals. Attached is a Word copy of my resume. Please give me a call / email with any questions.

Thank you,

First and Last Name
Phone Number
Email Address

Job Search - How to Guide – Start to Finish - ResuWe

2009-06-08T14:14:00.000-07:00

One of the key advantages to job seekers using ResuWe.com will be the Expert Tips section of the website. Prior to the upcoming release of ResuWe we will be posting job search tips on our Blog. We will provide full start-to-finish job seeking scenarios and give you the ability to ask us questions directly through our blog. We will also inform you of the advantages and disadvantages of current job seeker's tools and websites. We welcome your questions and feedback and look forward to assisting you on your job search.

Google Apps Cloud Challenge - Anyone up for the Challenge?

2009-06-05T09:59:00.000-07:00

Google Apps Cloud Challenge - Anyone up for the Challenge?

I just signed up for the Google Apps “Day in the Cloud” Challenge. If you are like me you never thought you would be spending hours exploring Google but are drawn to the almost endless tools and applications. You also have to check out the Lab. Some of the new apps include the ability to view a YouTube video inline (Bada Bing), message translator, undo send (Oops). Let the games begin!

From the Google Blog:
You're invited to take the Day in the Cloud Challenge, the first-ever online scavenger hunt to be played simultaneously in the air and on the ground. We've teamed up with Virgin America to sponsor this challenge on June 24, 2009, the "Day in the Cloud." At Google, we've gathered a small group of gamers extraordinaire to come up with unique puzzles, trivia, and brain teasers, many of which use Google Apps. So if you're game, get ready for the Day in the Cloud Challenge.

More and more people are storing their data (such as documents, calendars, email, and photos) online "in the cloud" with services like Google Apps. All that you need is an Internet connection to access and share that information with friends, family, and co-workers. With airlines like Virgin America offering in-flight Wi-Fi, it's now even easier to stay connected while you travel, even when you're flying through the sky.

Those of you paying close attention might remember that we've held a puzzle extravaganza in the past. The Day in the Cloud Challenge will be different in that each contestant will have just one hour to play the game. Everyone is encouraged to take on the challenge between 12:00am and 11:59pm PDT on Wed, June 24, 2009. And if you happen to be flying on Virgin America, in-flight Wi-Fi service will be complimentary on June 24th so that you can play during your flight.

The top five scorers in the challenge will receive a "Year in the Cloud" prize package, which includes a year of free flights and free in-flight Wi-Fi from Virgin America, an HP netbook computer, and 1 terabyte of Google account storage for all of your photos and email. Not a puzzle fanatic? Don't worry. The questions come in various difficulty levels so there will be some easy puzzles and others that might drive even the most experienced competitors crazy. A final note on eligibility: You must be a legal resident of the U.S. and at least 18 years of age to be eligible for a prize.

Check out www.dayinthecloud.com for more information. While you're there, sign up for an email reminder to receive practice clues and tips.

Google Wave for Recruiting? What are the Possibilities?

2009-06-03T15:53:00.000-07:00

There is a new swell coming in...no, not the 4-6' waves hitting the south facing beaches. Google just announced Google Wave, a new model for communication and collaboration on the web. Google Wave is a real-time communication platform comprising of Waves, Wavelets, Blips, Documents, Extensions, Robots, and Gadgets.

http://code.google.com/apis/wave/guide.html
http://code.google.com/apis/wave/extensions/

What does all this do? The Google Wave will run within a standard web browser, be easy to use like email (or Gmail), allow for easy document collaboration, allow the use of 3rd party applications (extensions), and integrate with social media...all in real time!

We've been brainstorming multiple ways Google Wave can be applied to recruiting processes. Here are a few:

1 on 1 phone interview/prescreening - A phone interview is often the first step of the recruiting process where a recruiter or hiring manager gathers preliminary info from an applicant and adds notes written directly on a printed resume or typed into an ATS/Applicant Tracking System. The interviewer also shares the job description with an applicant and will discuss additional info on the position and company.

Using drag and drop file sharing within Google Wave, the interviewer and the applicant can easily conduct this phone or Wave interview within a Wave. Interview questions can be discussed and embedded onto the applicant's resume document in real time. The Interviewer can also share the job description, company information (benefits info, photos from the holiday party, equipment specs., etc.) with the applicant within this Wave.

Group interview - Similar to a phone interview, multiple interviewers from a company can participate in a Wave real-time via a conference call or through the use of an online voice support gadget (Skype, Google Talk, etc.). The applicant can give an online presentation and multiple interviewer participants can ask a series of questions about various subjects while easily referring to the applicant's resume, product portfolio, technical specs, job description, etc.

Interviewer participants can also take notes in the form of private replies and easily schedule an applicant review meeting to discuss applicant feedback. The ability to schedule online group interviews with immediate applicant review meetings will surely speed up recruiting processes.

Connecting with candidates - Everyone has their preferred communication method including email, IM, twitter, Facebook, and other social media. Google Wave extensions will allow the ability to boolean search candidates from multiple online sources and make contact with candidates quick and easy. A recruiter can search for candidates utilizing Twitter and invite the candidate to a Wave interview via a Twave.

Applicants with online resumes or blogs can embed a link, "Interview me via Wave". The interviewer will have the applicant's resume ready to go and share the job description from the company. Both the applicant and the interviewer will instantaneously work within a Wave which will contain the applicant's resume plus the company job description.

Wave career fair - A company can create an online career fair booth with company info, job descriptions, video presentations, and company representatives. Hiring managers and Human Resource professionals can be available to answer questions and receive drag and drop resumes.

International recruiting - Google Wave integrates real-time character by character foreign language translation.

The Google Wave gives us a lot to digest over the next few months. Google Wave will also work on iPhones and Android phones. Now I just need a waterproof case so I can review applicants from my surfboard between sets.

Why ResuWe?

2009-06-01T09:47:00.000-07:00

Why ResuWe? Why another new career site?

We are experienced agency recruiters continuously reviewing resumes needing improvement. We see firsthand what formats, styles, content, and layouts produce the best results through our workings directly with HR professionals and hiring managers. Too often we see top applicants with exceptional experience fall short in the job search process due to a poorly written or formatted resume. In many cases it is an applicant with a stable work history who is not experienced as a job seeker.

We feel the need to leverage our knowledge directly to applicants. At the same time, we will help other recruiters, HR professionals, and hiring managers search and receive higher quality, fact rich resumes without compromising content, integrity, or privacy.

We also see firsthand the frustration job seekers go through, whether being out of work or employed. ResuWe's features will span beyond Resume building and fine tuning. It will also help job seekers manage their search utilizing the best information and technologies available. ResuWe is open and 100% free.

We look forward to launching ResuWe and helping applicants, companies, and recruiters see better results.

Riding the Google Wave

2009-05-31T13:51:00.000-07:00

I just finished watching the Google Wave demo from the I/O convention on Youtube and boy am I excited. The features are just amazing. Some of the hot points include: drag and drop, playback, awesome real time spell check, language capabilities and more. I signed up on for updates and hopefully I can try it out ASAP!

Watch the video:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_UyVmITiYQ

Google Wave Updates:

http://wave.google.com/

Hi :)

2009-05-29T13:58:00.000-07:00

Hi, my name is Shannon and I will be blogging here periodically. I am excited about everything resuwe.com will offer job candidates!

2009-05-28T13:52:00.000-07:00

We are excited about the upcoming release of ResuWe.com. ResuWe is a ground breaking innovative employment related website which enables the user to take control of their job search. ResuWe is absolutely free to use and gives you insider tips from top industry executives.

Welcome!

2009-05-28T13:13:00.000-07:00

Welcome to The Resuwe Blog! The official blog for http://www.resuwe.com/