Yesterday, I delved into the sometimes scary subject of employment background checks and credit reports. You know, the ones that potential employers will likely run on you before making you a job offer. Gone are the days when an employer would half-heartedly check your references. Today, employers are going gangbusters to make sure that they have the best fit for their company… and part of being the best fit means being low-risk. You may be worried that past indiscretions or poor judgment could cost you dearly. What can you do to protect yourself? Here’s a look at some advice from t...

Let’s say you just got back from a stellar interview. You made the perfect impression. Knocked the interview questions out of the park. In short: You killed it, you’re sure of it. The only thing standing between you and the job of your dreams, now, is the dreaded background check. According to some estimates, as many as 40% of job applicants lie or exaggerate about their background on job applications or resumes. That sobering statistic, combined with a rise in on-the-job violence and security concerns in the post 9-11 era, have convinced 9 out of 10 employers that they need to ...

Notes from a Career Counselor by Amy Lindgren Here are a couple of things that crossed my desk recently. Maybe something will provide inspiration or innovation as you go about your job search. Jargonizing the Resume. It’s an age-old battle between a resume writer (me) and a job candidate (my client). The writer wants to create a clear, crisp document and the candidate wants to include all those industry terms that fly around a conference room like gnats in the outfield. Gnats? Well, maybe I’m harsh here, but my instinct is always to spit these terms out when I encounter them. An...

Notes from a Career Counselor by Amy Lindgren It’s been a quiet couple of weeks in career-land, but here’s a topic I’ve been concerned about for quite some time. Meaningless Metrics. In my last blog, I mentioned a disagreement with a client over using jargon in her resume. Well, not to pick on the same client, but here goes. Now we’re scuffling over the use of metrics – probably in part because my head still throbs from the jargon issue. Actually, I think I just resist the term “metrics” because I’m still a little attached to “measuremen...

We talk a lot here on the JobMonkey blog about the importance of networking. And really, I don’t think the impact of effective networking can be underestimated: Career experts tell us that 60-80% of all new jobs are landed through networking connections. But what if you are already talking to everyone you know (and everyone they know), regularly updating your profile on LinkedIn, attending networking parties, and participating in industry events … and yet you still haven’t found a job? How about this non-conventional networking idea: Volunteering? The personal and professional...

Here’s a helpful little tidbit for you. With the nation’s unemployment numbers on the rise, Fed Ex is offering to print up 25 copies of your resume for free. To take advantage of this one-day offer, go to the Fed Ex Office Print and Ship Center nearest you (apparently there are 1,600 nationwide). Copies will be printed in black and white on resume quality paper. What better way to get your resume into as many hands as possible?! Before you head out to Fed Ex to print your free copies, make sure your resume is in tip-top shape. Brush on the elements of a great resume and review JobM...

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today that the United States has reached its highest unemployment rate in 25 years: 8.1%. More than 4.4 million jobs have been lost since December 2007, including the 651,000 lay-offs in February. Even worse news, say some economists, is the fact that so many of these jobs are in the manufacturing industry — a sector that is likely going to have be permanently altered as a result of this recession. These jobs aren’t coming back anytime soon, if ever, say the experts. Which means that if you are dealing with a job loss in one of those sectors,...

How bad is the job market where you live? If you have not seen this cool interactive map from the New York Times, you should definitely check it out. Now, if you listen to news at all, you know that unemployment is at a decades-high level, just over 8%. Economists will tell you that if you add in all the underemployed people forced to work in part-time jobs, that number is more likely around 12%. But those numbers are not consistent across the country. Michigan has even higher rates, as do pockets of California. But the Midwest is well below the national unemployment average. So finding a job ...

Are you a high school or college student looking for a summer job? You might be feeling overwhelmed right about now with all the news that summer jobs are hard to come by in ‘09. It’s true that tough economies equal fewer jobs and more competition for them. But that doesn’t mean you are doomed to a summer of pathetically watching soap operas. You can still land a great summer gig if you follow these seven golden rules of job searching: 1. Work on your resume. Even if you lack on-the-job experience, you can demonstrate leadership and community activism through school activi...

Newsweek online has a great piece this week about ten recession-proof careers.  Here’s a look at four of the job fields that are still hiring (Halleluyah!) and links to corresponding sections about these career options from JobMonkey. 1) Security Jobs with the Defense Department and America’s Homeland Security are on the rise. According to a 2007 report, there will be more 80,000 new jobs in these fields in the next two years. If you include local crime fighting in these figures, I’m guessing the numbers will be even higher — much higher — since the recently pa...