Where to find resume help

Even though job searches, like so many things have gone digital, you still need a resume, whether in pdf format or hard copy. If you did a search on resumes you will get millions of Reponses from resume companies to articles on how to write a resume. One of the best places to start is at Career One Stop resume tutorial.

The tutorial is easy to use and walks you through 7 steps.

1. Getting started – Before writing anything down do some hard thinking about what you want and how your skills would fit in perfectly with the job you are seeking. (It is important to note that you need to change your resume to fit in with the particular job you are seeking) 
2. Resume styles – resumes come in 4 distinct styles, chronological, functional, combination and curricula vitae 
3. Design and Presentation – Make sure that your resume looks professional and business like 
4. Essential features – education, objectives, skills and experience 
5. Methods of delivery – Mail, e-mail, fax, online and scannable 
6. Cover letter – A cover letter can be as important as a resume, make sure you make a good first impression. 
7. Follow up letters – Always send a follow up letter if you do get a interview

Five job certification programs

If you feel that you need to go back to school in order to find a better job or even just a job then you might want to consider job certification programs. Why job certification programs over college, probably the best answer is time, if you are unemployed and over fifty you certainly can go back to college but you should also consider the various types of employment that you can find through job certification programs at vocational schools or community colleges.

 

Here are just five of the many programs that you may want to look in to.

1. Medical Transcriptions – When doctors use audio recordings they need someone to type them out. What is great about this job is that it can be done from home.
2. Emergency Medical Technician – Being an EMT is a rewarding job if you can handle the fast pace. The certification varies from state to state.
3. Auto Mechanic – There will always be a need for someone to fix cars. Usually the training takes around two years.
4. Fitness Instructor – As the population gets older more and more people are concerned about their health. In order to stay healthy many join gyms and those gyms need instructors.
5. Auto Insurance Appraisers – Like auto mechanics there will always be a need for appraisers because unfortunately there will always be wrecks. If you have some insurance experience then the training is relatively short.

Do you need an employability checkup?

Staying healthy requires you to do certain things like have regular checkups. Checkups can confirm that you are on the right track to good health, or act as an alarm system to warn of any potential problem. Considering all the layoffs and the economy that doesn’t appear to become stronger, it probably is a good idea to have an employability checkup too.

Like a health checkup, the purpose is basically the same, to see if you are on the right track to find another job if you are laid off or to see where you might need a little work on your employability.

Here are a few items on the Employability checklist

• Do you have a resume and is it up to date. This should be a no-brainer but some folks don’t keep them up to date.  
• Make sure you have an updated list of people that you can use as a reference. 
• Update your skills list. What can you do that would make you more marketable to find a job. 
• Who can you network with to find out about hidden jobs? Make another list. 
• The most important thing is to remember not to panic if you get laid off. Keep it all together. 

Preparation is the key. If you are prepared then you will definitely pass your employability checkup.
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How to conduct a local job search

If you are going to limit your job search to local opportunities you should plan out your strategy using some traditional methods and some not so traditional methods. Looking for a job locally basically constitutes the same strategies that you would if you weren’t concerned about where you would like to work.

 

• Of course the most traditional method of job search is looking at the local newspaper’s classified sections. Over the years less and less employers opt out of using the paper and choose to put their jobs online.  
• this leads us to online job searching. Once again you need to look at the classified section but on the local newspaper’s website.  
• Go to the major job sites like monster or careerbuilder and search for jobs in your area. 
• Most all companies have a website and on that website is usually job listings and descriptions. 
• Another standard job hunting tool is networking. Contact everyone you know about any openings in local companies.  

 

Employment in the education field

The growth in public education fields such as teaching is considered favorable because of teachers retiring and their positions will need to be filled. The growth will be greatest in the South and the West.  

 

Vocational Education - In vocational education the outlook is about average with growth projected at 9 % from 2008 to 2018.

 

Elementary, Middle and Secondary Education - The growth in this segment of education is projected at around 13% between 2008 and 2018.

 

Preschool teachers - The growth in this segment of education is projected around 19% between 2008 and 2018.

   

Training to become a teacher – Vocational Education teachers and elementary, middle and secondary teachers usually need a bachelor’s degree and a teaching license. All states and the District of Columbia require a teaching license.

 

For preschool teachers the education varies from state to state, anywhere from a college degree to a high school diploma.  

 

There are related occupations in the school systems such as

• counselors 
• librarians  
• teacher’s assistants 
• child care workers  
• Educational administrators 
• Coaches in athletic departments

 

 

 

Are you worried what others will think about you being unemployed?

Being unemployed can bring on some of the worst stress that you will ever experience. You’ll worry about paying bills, losing your home, becoming sick and not being able to pay the doctor’s bills, you’ll worry about everything. And your self esteem will be at a all time low. Something else you might worry about is how others will think about you not having a job.


The economy is pretty bad right now. The unemployment levels are at a level that hasn’t been seen since the great depression. The worst part of it all is the amount of pessimisms that exists. Everything that you hear regarding a recovery is usually bad. Sure there might be signs of things getting a little better but the unemployment rate is still high and no one thinks that it is going down anytime soon. So if you are unemployed, you are not alone. So why wouldn’t everyone understand if you are unemployed. Because there are just some people, no matter how bad the economy is who believe that you should be able to find some job, any job no matter what. Well, you have enough problems if you are unemployed to worry about to worry what others think.

Stays focused on your job hunt and stay positive about yourself. Other people’s opinions about you shouldn’t ever be considered especially if they are negative.

Portable careers

Are you looking at going back to school so you will be able to get a job in a different field? Will this new field enable you to stay in your current area or will you have to move? A wise move would be to get into a career that is portable, in other words you can find employment in any area that you move into.

A portable career sounds like something we would all like to have. We could pick and choose any location in the country or the world and find a job. Of course in reality that isn’t the case especially in this economy. Probably the most common industry that would be considered portable is the health industry. Whether it is a Doctor, nurse or a technician you would probably be able to find a job anywhere you go. Of course the price for this mobility is the time it takes to receive training or education, but it would certainly be to your advantage.

Another portable career would be in certain technological fields like networking. The demand wouldn’t be as great as in the health industry but there will definitely be opening in the future.

Besides specific knowledge, general knowledge of computers and software are certainly portable anywhere. So at least having common computer skills will be a plus.
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Unemployment for over 55 soars

In a recent study by AARP unemployment for those over 55 have increased by 331% over the last ten years. That is incredible! But it is believable considering the economy and the obstacles that older workers have to face all the time.



What are the problems that older workers face?

Age discrimination is against the law. Unfortunately that doesn’t mean that it doesn’t happen. Corporations are very savvy on the ways to reduce their workforce without breaking any laws. And why older workers are such a target for being workforce reduced. The easiest answer is their salary. If you are worked for a company for years you probably have had quite a few increases in wages, which is only fair considering you are an experienced and loyal worker. The company may see you as someone who is just hanging on to their job. They could get rid of you and hire someone at a much cheaper salary. Of course they would lose your experience but their bottom line would look better with your replacement’s salary.


Another problem is the benefits of the older worker. The employer will perceive you as someone who as someone, because of your age, who will be sick all the time. Even though there really isn’t any data to back that up. An employer might also be reluctant to hire someone over 55 because they feel that they will only work a few years and then retire. With the way the economy is today, people will be working way into their sixties and beyond. Early retirement is a pipe dream.

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Best jobs during a recession

Here are a few recession proof areas where employment should be safe.

• The federal government is always a strong employer that rarely if ever lays off people. During this recession the government has been steadily getting bigger. 
• Debt collection is a big business now with all the unemployment.  
• Food services – because food is a necessity of life 
• Healthcare – like food services people continue to get sick no matter how bad the economy is. 
• Education – Although there has been layoffs and cutbacks in local school systems there were always be the need for good teachers. 
• Funeral home services – There will always be a market for funeral homes. 
• Energy or natural resources – Trying to find alternatives forms of energy will require people and this employment area will receive funds from the government. 
• Plumbing, heating and air technicians – skilled and specialized labor can’t be outsourced.

 

What is cocooning and how can you make it work for you?

There has been a trend in the last decade or so of people doing less socializing and doing more things at home. It might have started with movie rentals, but the internet and all things social media like facebook, blogging, myspace, and an ever growing number of websites have helped create the world of cocooning.

What is cocooning and what does it have to do with work and being unemployed?

Cocooning is a term that was coined by Faith Popcorn, an author and futurist who wrote the bestseller The Popcorn Report. Her theory is that people are staying home more and doing less socializing. Not only that but they are also spending their money online as opposed to shopping in a store. That seems to be true as more and more folks use the internet to buy gifts and things for themselves. At this point you can buy almost anything online and have it shipped to your front door.

From a work standpoint this is really great for people who make money selling things on the internet. Although the number of internet marketers is growing by leaps and bounds so is the market. So if you think you might want to have a go at it, this is the perfect time.

Looking at this from another job angle people at home, especially people who want to stay at home, would probably entertain the notion of having someone run errands for them, like shopping and other chores, this would certainly be a business opportunity.

Reality not perception concerning older workers

In the past year I have written about how many employers and employees have a view of older workers that isn’t fair or accurate. If you take a lot of those perceived issues and understand that they aren’t backed up with any proof that seems to say that there are benefits to hiring older workers. Apparently it doesn’t seem that everyone is buying into the fact that older workers are no less productive than younger workers.

Maybe we shouldn’t try to pump up the value of older workers as if they are special and need to be treated as special. How about treating them like any other group of workers? It seems that part of the problem is that the segmentation of the older workers versus the younger workers. A good deal has been written on the internet and the print media about baby boomers. When you try to place people in groups according to age as opposed to ability then you are somehow making a distinction between the older and younger workers. Unfortunately the older workers usually come out of the grouping as being unable to learn new technology, becomes sick more often and not as easy to work with. It sounds like age discrimination.

I read a report on the government website GAO concerning older workers “Some best practices and strategies for engaging and retaining older workers.” It starts out by listing some of the usual erroneous complaints about older workers. But then it suggests that employers use flexible work situations to adapt the physical constraints of older people. In other works let’s make it easier for the old people on the job. Another suggestion is to ensure that the older workers are trained with financial literacy skills to help with their retirement. Frankly those skills should be taught to everyone if the company feels that it is their responsibility to guide their employees to retirement.

The last bullet point was to treat all employees in a fair and consistent manner. Is it consistent to make adjustments to schedules for older workers or is it consistent to teach financial literacy skills to just older workers. It doesn’t sound consistent.

Hopefully in the near future when the number of older workers becomes much greater than it is today there wouldn’t be such divisive talk about how age changes employees.

Informational interview

If you are unemployed, obtaining information is one of the best tools that you can have. There are many ways to find out about companies, employment, job skills and education among other things. The internet is a great place to learn just about anything and the library is also a good source. Networking is also an important way to learn about hidden jobs and opportunities. But one way to find out about a company is through an informational interview.

What is an informational interview?

First of all what an informational interview is not, is a job interview. An informational interview is you interviewing a worker in a career field that you would like to be in. This is a great opportunity to find out what someone does in a job that you would like to have.

How do you set it up?

One way would be to use your networking skills to find a person who would be willing to participate. You never know, someone in your family or one of your friends might know of someone in a business that might be agreeable to interview. Another way would be to contact a company directly and speak to someone in personnel. Make sure to prepare what you are going to say before calling.

What to ask?

1. What education do you need for the job?
2. What skills do you need?
3. What experience do you need?
4. How did they get the position that they are in right now?
5. What are the downsides to the job?
6. Is the high turnover in this particular career?
7. What advice could they give to you?


After the interview always thank them for their time and send a thank you note.

Unemployed and believing in yourself

When ever you are in a tight situation do you wonder if your decision making skills are less effective? I know I do, when backed in the corner and time seems to be against me, I sometimes panic and do the wrong thing. It happens to everybody because we are human. The trick is how to keep your head clear and stay calm so decisions aren't' made hastily. If you are unemployed and worried about how to pay the bills just to live your decision making skills will surely be put to the test.

What am I going to do?

That is always the question when you are unemployed. The next thing you know you begin to wonder if you will always be unemployed. You know that you will find a job and you need to tell yourself that you will become employed again. There isn’t any reason to doubt yourself, it may sound trite but you have to believe in yourself no matter what. Even if family and friends support you through the toughest times, belief in yourself and your abilities will be the one thing that keeps you together in the tough times.

Do you have the skills to look for a job? Do you feel prepared?

Remember when you were in school and you had a test coming up. If you didn’t study you probably had queasy feeling in your stomach that you might not do well on the test. Why? Because you weren’t prepared, you didn’t study. The same is true about looking for a job. Your confidence level will be high if you feel that you did all you could to search for a job. And you probably will be successful, maybe not right away but you will be because you have researched job opportunities and studied everything that you could get your hands on about job hunting. Decision making is always easier if you are armed with knowledge.

It all comes down to knowledge and believing in yourself. If you don’t have the knowledge or you don’t believe in yourself you are sure to fail.