Of course, you understand that you have to make your resumes as appealing as possible for hiring managers to consider you for a job. You highlight every bit of information that is related to the job you’re applying for. Put emphasis on your special skills. Provide a perfect chronological overview of your job experiences. Do the necessary editing and revising of any mistakes you find on your resume. Everything is perfect until you realize that your cover letter is nothing but trash. Job seekers tend to forget the importance of cover letters preparing an application. Cover letters are often too generic or poorly written, like they’re crafted as an afterthought. What’s worse is that it’s your opening gambit, your placeholder bid, your pick up line – you can describe it anyway you want, the fact is: it’s the first thing the hiring manager reads. Here’s the worst part; a hiring manager can spot a terrible cover letter from miles away. So if you don’t want your cover letter all over the place, avoid these common mistakes:

 

• Boring introduction. You can never hope to grab anybody’s attention with a ho-hum cover letter, so come up with a… Read More

 

Teaching is undeniably one of the greatest (and most underrated) professions mankind has ever conceived. Since the beginning of time, teachers have been the most influential people in developing a person’s mind, instilling values, beliefs and principles, as well as shaping up careers and inclinations. The teaching profession is indeed one of the noblest jobs in the world. Although teachers don’t go into teaching careers just for the money, a good paycheck can certainly add to the motivation. Some cities in the U.S. are more generous in showing their appreciation for the enormous responsibility that teachers carry on their shoulders. Below is a list of the cities that pay public school teachers the most.

 

• Atlanta. An estimated 50,000-student population is spread out over nearly 100 schools and some educational facilities in this huge city. The salary range for Atlanta Elementary School teachers is between $35,000 and $55,000; a teacher in Middle School receives an average of $39,558 to $51,715; High School teachers have a wage range of $38,218 to $51,723. About 45% of all Atlanta Public School teachers have advanced degrees. On average,… Read More

 

Do you prefer to be left alone to work in peace? No worries. Some people feel that they can be more productive working alone – and some jobs even require a lot of quiet. Although it may seem difficult in the real world nowadays with all the blaring noise and people incessantly chatting, there are jobs out there for people who’d rather be on their own while working. I managed to list some of those jobs in Part 1 of this article, but somehow missed others that actually fit the bill. Enjoy the list!

 

1. Undertaker. Not exactly a traditional profession, but it does offer a lot of peace and quiet. Sure, you have to communicate with the families, but not for long either. You can have all the serenity you want in this job!

 

2. Computer Programmers. Creative juice is not the only thing that keeps a computer programmer’s main motor running. They also need to be analytical and logical to come up with a great masterpiece (of code). If you’re a computer programmer, chances are you’d be spending endless hours designing and testing codes; following program flows and computer paths; and evaluating outputs. The intricacy… Read More

Many believe that working for the public school system is highly advantageous because it pays generously. That may be true, but unfortunately non-teaching jobs in the public school system don’t fetch that much compensation, especially in the rank and file. Though certain benefits are offered by the state, getting a paycheck with just a few zeros is not enough to raise a family especially in these hard times. Check out 5 of the lowest paying jobs in the public school system listed below.

 

• Custodians/Janitors/Cleaners. Keeping school buildings and grounds clean, orderly and safe is the main duty of school custodians. They perform routine cleaning and minor maintenance tasks, which, although under minimum supervision, often puts them at other employees’ beck and call. They start work before students and teachers and other workers arrive and end when everybody’s gone. Employees who work under this category get a meager salary scale of $7 - $10 per hour.

 

• Food Service (Cafeteria) Workers. Serving lunch and recess may seem fun but for someone who’s been doing it day in and day out and only get paid for a measly amount… Read More

 

Getting a job interview could mean you’re one step closer to your dream job. There’s just one big hitch… you’re not getting any calls or e-mails. It’s baffling; you’re pretty sure you have all the qualifications for that open position with exceptional skills and experience to boot. So why isn’t the phone ringing? Why is there no new e-mail from the company? What could be wrong?

 

1. You’re underqualified/overqualified. You just have to be realistic. No matter how perfect you think you are for the position, it’s possible that you simply don’t fit the job. If you have a doctorate degree and you’re applying for a secretarial position, you’re obviously overqualified. If the employer asks for five years experience in a particular area and you only have four - that’s a year short! Every job has specific criteria that hiring managers use to determine which applicant to call for an interview. Be sure you look closely at the job description before submitting your resume.

 

2. You didn't follow instructions. Companies have certain hiring policies and procedures. Make sure you adhere to what the… Read More

Could you imagine a school without a principal to take care of overall administration and management of the facilities? I don’t think anybody could. We always have this image of the principal as the school administrator responsible for managing the day to day activities of the school.

 

Love 'em or dislike 'em, the school principal is much more than the terror we perceive him/her to be. Today’s school system dictates that principals wear many hats. They are in a unique position that sometimes requires them to be diplomatic and deal with government agencies, interact with parents and the community in general; they have to be a very efficient and effective crisis manager, a disciplinarian, hiring manager (to identify qualified teachers), the overall team leader for setting and planning long term educational and economic goals; as well as a performer of all other little tasks. Nobody does multitasking better than a school principal.

 

Given this colossal mountain of responsibilities, one couldn’t help but wonder: What makes them successful at their jobs? Is it the pay? Hardly; but yes, pay does matter. With all the gargantuan tasks school principals are expected… Read More

Do you feel that what you’re doing at work is so routine you’re debilitated by sheer boredom? Perhaps you’ve been staring blankly at your computer screen wondering what kind of life you might have had if you were doing something else. Everyone goes through that phase of boredom with the job every so often, but some naturally and quite easily fall back to the routine after a period. However, there are those who can’t stand the idea of jobs that are just too repetitive. If you’re this sounds like you, then you may want to look into some alternatives that are guaranteed to give you something new to look forward to every time.

 

1. Events Planner. Whether it is a simple birthday party or an intricate wedding ceremony, being an events planner can test your resourcefulness and creativity. Great job for people who love working on details, excellent negotiators and decision makers, able to find appropriate venues and can generally persuade others to cooperate and make the occasion perfect. Each event will have its own unique characteristics and personalities. With all the running around you’re expected to do and people you have to talk to, who has time… Read More

 

College education is not restricted to just what you learn in the classroom. As part of paving your career path and preparing for a successful future, you also need to take advantage of every opportunity to learn new things that go beyond textbooks and the classroom. Look around for any prospects that provide outstanding resources, involvement and hands-on experience, which can contribute to your personal growth. Opportunities abound, not just for learning but also earning. Now that you're back in school, here are some opportunities you can look into:

 

• Get involved in the student government. This is a great way to hone your leadership skills and a lot more soft skills that you can definitely use when you start work out there in the competitive job market after graduation. You can also connect with people of diverse backgrounds and interests.

 

• Gain experience as an intern. In today’s tough job market, employers look for more than just good grades from a potential candidate. Internship is the perfect opportunity to make you much more marketable to employers in the near future. During internship, your… Read More

 

Industrialization has made engineering an ever-booming industry with the highest demand for jobs, and one of the most competitive ones, as a result. Hundreds of engineers apply for various engineering positions and in such competitive situation, you need to create your resume in such a way that it stands out from the rest. If you want to get your dream job, here are some areas you have to focus on when writing your engineering resume.

 

• Your best projects. An engineering job is basically project-oriented, so your resume has to be structured with that in mind. You may have worked on numerous projects while working for a single company; in which case, a resume with reverse chronological format is much simpler to comprehend. Mention and highlight your position or role in each project, description and project dates, and more importantly, if you helped save the company time and money! You have a better chance at getting the job if you turned over projects well under time and budget.

 

• Technical knowledge and skills. The prospective employer would be particularly interested in specific technical knowledge skills… Read More

Does your job hunt feel like a dead end? I know it can get really frustrating especially when you’re counting down days or weeks without getting a reply. But giving up is just not an option. If you keep doing the same things that seem to get you nowhere, then it may be time to try out something different.

 

Here are 3 ideas you can chew on to give your job search a shot in the arm:

 

Go out and meet people. After you’re done setting up your online profile on social networks and announcing that you’re on the lookout for a job, get personal. Gathering leads from personal contacts can be very effective and speedy too. Ask your friends to hook you up with their friends who are in the same industry you’re looking to get into and then ask those people to introduce you to their other friends who can possibly get you a job lead. Meet as many people as you can. Attend open conventions, seminars and exhibits. Doing this can help you penetrate the hidden market. (You do know that only 20% of jobs are advertised online, right?) More connections means more opportunities.

 

Volunteer your time. If you can’t get a job… Read More