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Results tagged “resumes”

Job Calendar | Career Search Optimization Seminar

Paul Anderson of ProLango presents this free seminar about the hiring process from behind the scenes. Job seekers will learn about recruiting techniques, company blacklists, common job-seeker mistakes and how resumes are scored in a company's applicant tracking system. Register

Career Center | How to return to workforce after lengthy gap

By Marie G. McIntyre / McClatchy-Tribune News Service Q: For 18 years, I stayed at home to care for a child with special needs. My son now has an independent living arrangement, so I am in the process of looking

Job Calendar | Career Search Optimization seminar

Career Center | Is using a recruiter right for you?

By Kristin Kalning / Special to NWjobs When Andrew Edmond left his job last summer, he didn’t immediately look for another one. But when he was ready to get back out there, he went straight to his network of recruiters.

Career Center | Q&A: Stuck in dead-end job, hitting hiring wall

By Liz Reyer / Minneapolis Star Tribune Q: The job market has been picking up, and I've been sending out a lot of resumes, but I'm not getting invited to interviews. My current job has turned into a dead end,

Job Calendar | Career Search Optimization Seminar

Job Calendar | Career Search Optimization seminar

Career Center | What employers want from job seekers

By Dawn Dugan / Salary.com The competition is fierce in today’s job market, and standing out in the crowd is more important -- and challenging -- than ever before. How do you know you’re giving employers exactly what they are

Career Center | Career makeover: Longtime IT manager must draft new career plan

By Lora Shinn / Special to NWjobs For 17 years, Barry Nichols was the IT manager at the U.S. Census Bureau’s Seattle regional office. But in 2012, the bureau office closed, forcing Nichols to look for a job for the

Career Center | How to handle awkward interview questions

By Joyce E.A. Russell / Special to The Washington Post As an executive coach, I receive many questions from people who want to make a good impression in their interviews. But sometimes applicants are unsure how to handle the awkward

Career Center | Get a free NWjobs.com career makeover

Is your job search stuck? Do you need help switching careers or networking effectively? If so, you may be selected to get free job-hunting, networking and interviewing advice from a trio of experts in exchange for having your story and

Career Center | 9 ways to make yourself more marketable in 2013

By Lora Shinn / Special to NWjobs Those pseudo-Mayan predictions didn’t come true, so you’ll need to prep for a new year. Why not make it one of the best so far, at least career-wise? Here are nine tips for

Career Center | 11 reasons you didn't get that job

By Aaron Gouveia / Salary.com You thought you nailed that interview, but weeks have gone by without a peep from the employer. Wondering why? Here's a list of common interview mistakes, one of which may have been your downfall. Arriving

Job Calendar | Job Search Strategies workshop

This free WorkSource class provides tips on the value of labor market information and introduces other strategies like networking, informational interviews and utilizing the Internet to help locate jobs.

Career Center | Career makeover: Construction project manager retools job search

By Cody Ellerd Bay / Special to NWjobs For nearly 20 years, Rita Maese-Noaker had her dream job. A project manager for a construction company, she enjoyed working with tenants and property managers and seeing multimillion-dollar building projects through to

Career Center | Battling to get more vets in the workforce

By Becky Yerak and Cheryl V. Jackson / Chicago Tribune It’s one of the most disheartening statistics in the job market’s slow recovery. As the nation’s unemployment rate dipped below 8 percent in September, joblessness for post-Sept. 11 veterans was

Job Calendar | NSHMBA career and networking event

NSHMBA Seattle, a group dedicated to increasing Hispanic leadership in the Pacific Northwest, is hosting a career and networking event. For registration, instructions and more information, visit Eventbrite.

Career Center | Want to improve your speaking skills? Join the club

By Kyle Nagel / Dayton Daily News Membership in the communication-skills group Toastmasters International has grown, which officials say signals workers’ desire to stand out during in-person interactions. The organization reported an all-time membership high of 273,895 around the world

Career Center | Online hiring systems frustrate applicants

By Lorraine Mirabella / The Baltimore Sun The emailed rejection came as no surprise to Bill Skibinski, though the Abingdon, Md., resident believed he was more than qualified for the entry-level job he’d applied for online. After spending two years

Career Center | Career makeover: Budding social worker gets help

By Lora Shinn / Special to NWjobs Amanda Saab knew in high school that she wanted a career in social work. Since then, she has interned at a hospital, earned a master’s degree, participated in community activities and gained professional

Career Center | How to pursue a job you aren't qualified for -- on paper

By Ken White / Special to The Washington Post Have you ever seen a job posting that looks like a great opportunity -- if only you met the qualifications? It may not be exactly what you “do,” but don’t let

Job Calendar | Resume clinic

Learn how to create a powerful resume at this free WorkSource workshop.

Career Center | Career Q&A: Freelancer wants success to show on resume

By Joyce E.A. Russell / Special to The Washington Post Q: I became a freelancer through someone else's choice when I moved to take a job, then was laid off. After struggling with being legitimately unemployed for about two years,

Career Center | Job sound too good to be true? Watch out for scams

By Susan Salisbury / The Palm Beach Post With millions of Americans out of work and looking for a job, the latest scam, which preys on job seekers, is particularly despicable. A West Palm Beach, Fla., woman contacted The Palm

Career Center | One more resume thing to think about: QR codes

By Diane Stafford / The Kansas City Star Just when you think you have your resume looking pretty good, James Alexander suggests a Botox injection. Actually, he’s just using Botox as a metaphor for an infusion of youth. How so?

Career Center | Pinterest resumes: Should you get on board?

By Benny Evangelista / San Francisco Chronicle Pinterest is known as a popular online pin board for photos of fashion, food recipes, and arts and crafts projects, but it has also become a place to find creative job resumes. Not

Career Center | Baby boomers: It's not too late for a career move

By Carole Feldman / The Associated Press Think changing jobs is difficult? It can be even harder if you're a baby boomer. Although there are federal laws against age discrimination, some employers may be reluctant to hire older workers, concerned

Job Calendar | Workshop: Translating Military Skills to a Resume

The free, one-time WorkSource workshop will show job seekers how to translate military skills into civilian language for a dynamic resume.

Career Center | Career makeover: Marketing consultant seeks stability

By Cody Ellerd Bay / Special to NWjobs Mary Howell has never had a problem getting hired. In fact, she does it all the time. As an independent marketing consultant, the Seattle resident has made her living hopping from contract

Career Center | Avoid these common resume blunders

By Dawn Dugan / Salary.com A great resume can open a door, but an inferior one can just as quickly close it. Because a resume is likely the first glimpse of you that employers will get, make it an impressive

Job Calendar | Career Search Strategies 2.0

This full-day, free event provides job seekers with proven strategies for landing the ultimate career. Registration in advance required at Eventbrite.

Career Center | Standing out: How to shine during job interviews

By Jeffrey Kudisch / The Washington Post It’s incredibly important to outshine your competition in all stages of a job interview. Here is some interview advice compiled from talks with top recruiters. Do your research. Make sure you have a

Career Center | Spring grads: Boost your chances for job-hunt success

By Diane Stafford / McClatchy Newspapers Graduating soon? Congrats! Reality check: Are you in a serious job search yet? It’s past time to compete with your classmates for jobs. The job market has been poor for the last three years

Career Center | How to overcome a criminal record when job hunting

By Rex Huppke / Chicago Tribune Q: My son is 22 years old and will be graduating from college in a year with a degree in accounting and finance. When he was 20, he was arrested at school and convicted

Career Center | Career makeover: Ex-construction worker aims to switch gears

By Cody Ellerd Bay / Special to NWjobs There’s a lot in Jared McGlinchey’s academic life that he’s proud of. He was an editor of his high school and community college papers, competed on a debate team that ranked fourth

Career Center | Picture it: Drawing can help job search

By Michelle Goodman Special to NWjobs Want to stand out in your job interviews? Use pictures. That’s the advice of Dan Roam, best-selling author of “The Back of the Napkin: Solving Problems and Selling Ideas with Pictures.” Roam’s latest book,

Career Center | How to handle short-term jobs on your resume

By Marie G. McIntyre McClatchy-Tribune News Service Q: I would like to know how very brief jobs should be handled on a resume. My most recent position was eliminated after I had been there only eight weeks. If I include

Career Center | Tips for project-management techies

Q: I just moved from Beijing to Seattle with my husband. I am currently seeking project-management or vendor-management positions in the Internet/travel industries. Any suggestions for networking opportunities or job-seeking strategies? — T.V., Seattle Kristen says: Seattle is one of

Hire Ground | Part-time is still better than 'no-time'

When an employment search drags on for enough months, many job seekers turn to part-time work to help pay the bills and fill in gaps in their resumes. This may be a financial necessity for those with mortgages to pay

Hire Ground | Resume 'updates' should last all year long

So here we are on the edge of the big first weekend in September. Do you have any major plans? Reassessing career goals? Adding new skill sets? Emphasizing major job-specific accomplishments? Wait, did you say you were barbecuing instead? No,

Hire Ground | Why applying online first is a waste of time

I recently gave a presentation called Career Search Optimization to professionals in transition, emphasizing the need to become more strategic if they want to find their ideal job. Many, if not all, job seekers are so focused on advertised openings

Career Center | Where to get a resume review

Q: I am employed at a Seattle-area technology firm. I have a solid résumé and have worked for the last nine years as a procurement professional. I am thinking about looking for other opportunities in the area, and I would

Hire Ground | Video resumes: Handle with extreme care

For job seekers looking to stand out from the crowd of other applicants, it's sometimes helpful to show off your creativity by trying a new technology or displaying your skills in an unusual format. This has led to a rise

Hire Ground | Where to get insider information for submitting your resume

In my last column, "Where you come from matters," I talked about the importance of identifying employers' preferred sources for submitting your résumé. How and where you apply to the company makes a difference; many employers deal with hundreds of

Hire Ground | Where you come from matters

Let's talk about where you come from. I don't mean your hometown, your country of origin or your last job; I'm talking about the source of your résumé in a company's applicant tracking system (ATS). It could mean the difference

Career Center | Demystifying the concept of resume keywords

Q: Can you clue me in to the magic world of keywords? Where does one find the secret list of these powerful, masterful and (potentially) door-opening slayers of those who would otherwise say “no”? My assumption is that they are

Career Center | NWjobs Career Makeover: Targeted approach restores job seeker’s confidence

By Cody Ellerd Bay Special to NWjobs Since she went through a NWjobs career makeover, Kelli Derum has made a major change in her job-hunting strategy: She stopped applying for jobs. Having worked as a project manager, technical writer and

Career Center | I’m sending lots of résumés, but getting no interviews

Q: I have been looking for a new job in human resources/employee benefits for the past five months. I’ve been with the same company in the same position for almost four years, working exclusively with pension and health and welfare

Career Center | NWjobs Career Makeover: Mother of two re-enters job market after years away

By Cody Ellerd Bay Special to NWjobs Julianne Hake was amazed by all that has changed in the job market in six years. The Seattle mother of two, 41, gave up her job as an account executive with Satori Software

Hire Ground | Let employers know how innovative you are

For much of the last couple of years, the economy has slowly climbed out of the deep hole of the Great Recession and returned many corporate balance sheets into the black. However, most of the multitudes who were laid off

Career Center | Build your brand before launching your job-search campaign

By Dawn Dugan Salary.com One of the best ways to articulate your skills, experience, knowledge and overall worth in today’s competitive job market is to create a personal brand that helps you stand out from the crowd. According to management

Hire Ground | Want a job? Stop sending your resume (until you learn a few tips)

For the last three years, the biggest complaint I hear is, "I'm frustrated. I'm still putting out resumes daily with no response." Albert Einstein defined insanity as doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results. Are

Hire Ground | Networking events shift into high gear for 2011

At the halfway point in February, the networking events around the Puget Sound region are now back in full swing again. Many organizations are holding their first meetups of the year as hiring managers begin looking to fill positions for

Nine to Thrive | The top 10 words to banish from your LinkedIn profile

On NWjobs, we give a lot of advice on how to get the most from LinkedIn (examples here, here, here, here, and here). But I don't think we've addressed in how to improve the written content on your LinkedIn

Hire Ground | How to write a great bio, from the author of 'Bye-Bye Boring Bio'

I recently interviewed Nancy Juetten, author of "Bye-Bye Boring Bio," on what it takes to write a great bio. Professionals in transition can benefit from a well-written bio in their social media profiles (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter), the summary section of

Hire Ground | How to write a stellar resume, without paying for it

Not all job seekers have the money to invest in a professionally written, high-quality resume. What's worse is that with today's sophisticated applicant tracking systems, a well-written resume won't get you that far, anyway. Each resume must be customized to

Nine to Thrive | Forget shopping -- 5 things you can do to advance your career today

Want to make sure you have a place to land should your current position unexpectedly evaporate? Or do you just hate your job, plain and simple? Then don't spend Black Friday waiting on checkout lines, scouring the web for bargains,

Career Center | How to make the most of LinkedIn, the business social network

By Miguel Helft New York Times News Service Joanna Wiseberg began Red Scarf Equestrian, which makes handbags and other luxury goods for horse lovers, two years ago -- just as the economy plunged into recession. Nevertheless, Wiseberg was soon meeting

Hire Ground | Controlling job-seeker mood swings via networking

Welcome to the holidays: The season of the Uncontrollable Mood Swing. It's known as a time filled with joy, family and peace, but it's also the time of darkness at 3 p.m., miserable weather and shopping stress. No to mention

Hire Ground | How to find a job in the federal government

According to Where the Jobs Are, federal agencies will be hiring more than 270,000 workers for mission-critical jobs by the end of September, 2012. Most federal hiring will be concentrated in five professional fields: Medical and Public Health, Security and

Hire Ground | How to sell yourself on your resume

When teaching my resume writing workshop, I ask participants to review each bullet on their resumes and put a "T" or "R" next to each one. "T," short for Tasks, is for a statement where you merely describe an experience,

Career Center | Should I send my resume as a PDF or Word document?

By Kristen Fife NWjobs Q: How do employers/recruiters feel about PDF resumes versus Word? -EH, Spokane Kristen says: In the last two or three years, the databases that recruiters use to store and search resumes have improved greatly. In the

Hire Ground | Advanced resume screening techniques you should know about

In my resume search optimization seminar, I discuss four common algorithms that applicant tracking systems (ATS) use to sort through resumes. Knowing what the ATS is looking for and optimizing your resume with this in mind is crucial if you

Hire Ground | How to volunteer your way to a job

If you're a job seeker, volunteering is a great avenue to donate your time to a worthy cause while being able to fill in gaps on your resume and network with people who may help you eventually find paid employment.

Hire Ground | These October networking events are a 'fall classic'

Hey job seekers! I'm away this weekend celebrating my wedding anniversary down on the Oregon Coast. But I'm not one to leave my readers hanging as the fall networking seasons gets into full swing. The first half of October is

Hire Ground | How to job search if you're a super introvert

Introverts are usually comfortable with one or two people at a time, and are most comfortable with people they already know and trust. The greatest challenge for introverts when searching for a new job is meeting new people, especially at

Career Center | Brand yourself: How to create a successful professional website with your resume

By Kristen Fife NWjobs Q: My professional history has been turbulent over the last two years. I started working as a contractor in 2009. Thankfully employed, but grossly overqualified for the work I do, I don't have much job security,

Career Center | The do’s and don'ts of resumes for tech positions

By Kristen Fife NWjobs Q: I'm interested in the do's and dont's when sending a resume for tech positions. What puts a resume on the bottom of the stack or in the recycle bin? Kristen says: Resumes are a job

Hire Ground | Networking events to help you ride out the storm

While assembling a list of job search events this past week, I've kept one eye on the breathless coverage of Hurricane Earl as it freaked out half of the Eastern Seaboard and thought about how the media so dearly loves

Hire Ground | Your step-by-step guide to getting your next job

In my recent post about how to get a job in today's market, I promised I would teach you how to create a one-page marketing plan to help you stay focused, goal oriented and organized in your job search. With

Hire Ground | UW, Virginia Mason are hiring, but competition is fierce

While the health care industry is definitely hiring, competition is fierce and out of hundreds of applicants, only a handful are getting interviews. Understanding how companies function and communicating your value in accordance with their needs can greatly increase your

Hire Ground | Does anybody read cover letters anymore?

A question I've been getting a lot lately at my resume seminars is: "Are people reading cover letters anymore? I haven't had much response from them. Should I include one with my resume or not?" In the past year, I

Nine to Thrive | Thinking of a career in health care? Tips from a resume expert

As you've no doubt heard a few thousand times, health care is one of the few U.S. industries still on the rise. In fact, of the 20 vocations the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects to grow the fastest this

Hire Ground | Avoiding the 'job-hopper' label on your resume

It's a fact of modern life that the typical American worker will change jobs often over the course of their careers. In a Bureau of Labor Statistics study of the careers of baby-boomers over the last 25 years, the average

Hire Ground | Top mistakes job seekers make that cost them the job

I recently spoke with Dan Schawbel, an expert on personal branding and the best-selling author of "Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success." Dan and I discussed many mistakes novice job seekers make that keep them unemployed:

Career Center | How to get an executive job when you’ve got the experience, but not the title

By Kristen Fife NWjobs Q: I’m stuck at the director level in a privately held, owner-managed company with a president and two VPs. I’m doing executive-level work in my organization, but it’s clear I’ll never get the title. Any

Hire Ground | How to capture a recruiter's attention in seven seconds

I see candidate frustration daily. The biggest complaint I hear is, "I just paid a professional resume writer to craft the perfect resume and have sent it to countless employers. Why am I still not hearing back?" One thing candidates

Career Center | Insider edge: Network your way into a company that values employee referrals

By Marty Orgel The Associated Press (Andy Zapata illustration) With job openings few and far between, it’s more important than ever that job seekers’ strategy is on target — and networking, particularly within your company of choice, should be

Hire Ground | Buzz on lie detectors is all a lie, but looking for lies on your resume is still true

In an article posted on the Washington Post, Jeff Stein points out that polygraph tests used by employers to screen candidates aren't reliable, however the appearance of the test itself can motivate subjects to confess. While I have yet to

Career Center | E-mail vs. phone: How should I follow up after sending my resume?

Editor’s Note: Today we introduce local employment expert Kristen Fife, who will answer your career and job-hunt questions in our new column, Recruiter's Inbox. Ask her a question at recruiters_inbox@nwjobs.com. By Kristen Fife NWjobs Q: Most of the information I've

Hire Ground | Don't let the 'unemployed' stigma hold you back

In an ongoing crisis, such as this country's appalling unemployment rate, some job seekers begin to see bad news around every corner. When a weeks-long job search starts to be measured in months and years, it's easy to let fear

Hire Ground | Support your local library, find job-search tips

It's a holiday weekend, time to relax, recharge and prepare for another week of job hunting. You'll need the rest because, even with this short work week, the summer season of job-search seminars and networking events is kicking into high

Hire Ground | Beating the resume-tracking numbers game

One of the most common mantras that is drilled into every job seeker's head is "personalize." Personalize you cover letter, your networking, your interviewing techniques to make a connection with hiring managers and convince them that you are the exact

Hire Ground | How your resume can help you change careers

One of the trickier aspects of our current Great Recession economy is that it has forced many people to consider changing careers to find better job prospects. For some, this can be exhilarating, for others, it's terrifying; most experience a

Hire Ground | Advice to help you break away from the job-hunt pack

For this week's roundup of networking and job-search events, I'm pleased to announce a new entry into the regular stable of weekly and monthly offerings. Joe Perez, a professional resume consultant and CEO of Writing Wolf, is holding a new

Career Center | Skip the middleman: Letters to the boss could get better results than résumés

By Jean Parietti Special to NWjobs Jean Parietti Mark Hovind, CEO of JobBait.com, discusses value-proposition letters with job seekers at his weekly workshop in Auburn. To increase your chances of getting the job you want, don’t send a résumé,

Career Center | Hired help for job seekers: What you need to know before you call in a pro

By Candice Choi Associated Press MARCIO JOSE SANCHEZ / ASSOCIATED PRESSAaron Cain, center, gives resume-building advice to job seekers at a recent job fair in San Francisco. Fred Alm wants a full-time job. So much so that he paid

Career Center | Should you send a cover letter? Definitely maybe, say hiring professionals

By Diane Stafford McClatchy Newspapers Don't you wish there was The Rule for job applications? Unfortunately, there isn't. Take cover letters. Should you write one? What should it say? How should you send it? I asked several human-resources professionals

Career Center | Prying eyes: Play it safe with your online profile

Candice Choi The Associated Press Social-networking sites | Personal information, photos can turn into accidental résumé if seen by recruiters, employers NEW YORK — Someone is trying to sabotage your career. It's your online persona. With smaller budgets and

Career Center | Include interests on résumé

By Mary Ellen Slayter The Washington Post Recent law-school graduate Brandon Fuller is looking for a job with a nonprofit environmental group. Fuller presents himself well, said Cathy Wasserman, a career coach and author of Idealist.org's Ask Cathy column.

Career Center | Tailor résumés to catch the eye

By EILEEN AJ CONNELLY The Associated Press NEW YORK — Larry O'Toole worked as a legal assistant before switching to sales a few years ago. But he'd really like to work in a corporate training department. The New Rochelle,

Career Center | As economy grows stale, time to refresh résumé

By Eileen Alt Powell The Associated Press TK caption to come --> NEW YORK – If you're worried about losing your job as the economy weakens, it's time to update your résumé in case you need to hunt for

Career Center | Focus on skills and training, not troubled past on résumé

By Joann S. Lublin The Wall Street Journal Joanne Jester has an impressive résumé. It describes her many duties as office manager for cdm eCycling, a small Baltimore company. She also lists prior employers, including State Use Industries, from

Career Center | Resume writing

By Leslie Tebbe Salary.com contributor The purpose of your resume is to make the reader want to interview you. Resumes should be informative, concise, consistent, and should highlight intriguing skills and experience. They should grab attention early and provide

Career Center | References

By Leslie Tebbe Salary.com contributor References can have a significant impact on the final hiring decision. Be ready at a moment's notice to provide potential employers with at least three solid ones. Approach only your natural contacts, the people

Career Center | "There's no excuse for that."

By Scott McCredie Special to The Seattle Times KEVIN P. CASEY / SPECIAL TO THE SEATTLE TIMES Jack Goldberg knows the job market from the inside out. His Kirkland-based firm, Personnel Management Systems, not only helps other companies recruit,

Career Center | Take a tip from the boss

By Shirleen Holt Seattle Times business reporter ELLEN M. BANNER / THE SEATTLE TIMES With a slow economic recovery, Seattle's job market is full of smart, talented, skilled professionals still looking for work, right? Sonny Shrivastava figured as much