Pongo Resume
User Login
Learn Blog Support Contact Extras!   
Blog Subscription
Enter your E-Mail address
RSS Feed
Get Started
Need to write your resume? Sign up for a FREE trial of Pongo's resume and cover letter tools!

Get Started!
The Pongo Blog

This blog is all about helping job seekers prepare to get hired. We hope our passion for resumes, cover letters, interviews, and job search strategies will resonate with you and help inform your career decisions. Please share your thoughts and reactions by adding your own comments.


Comments Policy

Search This Blog
Job Seeker Tips

Happy (Semi-) Anniversary to Us!

August 15, 2008 (11:45AM) by Team Pongo
We hope you'll forgive a moment of self-indulgence as we mark the six-month anniversary of The Pongo Blog. We launched (lovingly) on Valentine's Day 2008, and here we are today, commemorating this semi-milestone. In a mild form of celebration, we've relisted five of our favorite posts from the past six months.  Read More...

MVP Slugger's Attitude Provides 3 Career Lessons

August 12, 2008 (11:00AM) by Rick Saia, CPRW
I'm a diehard Red Sox fan, a formerly long-suffering devotee of a baseball team that was many times luckless - and sometimes clueless - in its quest for a World Series championship. But, thanks in no small part to slugger Manny Ramirez, the Sox changed their fortunes and won the Series in 2004, and again last year. But last month, the most valuable player in the 2004 Series had worn out his welcome in Boston, and he was traded. The circumstances leading up to and following his trade offer three valuable career lessons.  Read More...

Seven Lessons from a Long-Ago Layoff

July 30, 2008 (10:00AM) by Rick Saia, CPRW
Six years ago this month, I was laid off from a job - a great one with a great company - that I had held for six years. Why remember something bad? Because of the good that came out of it in the months that followed. The lesson here: If you're facing - or if you might face - a layoff, you can turn it into something positive that can rejuvenate you and your career.  Read More...

How to Negotiate Better Work Hours

July 24, 2008 (10:45AM) by Brianna Raymond
High gas prices, family responsibilities, nightmare commute. Whatever the reason, many people are longing for more convenient work hours. And most employers will at least try to be flexible in hopes of retaining good, happy workers. Here are some ways you can try to negotiate a schedule change to benefit yourself and the company.  Read More...

Breaking News! Fat Workers are NOT Lazy or Crazy

July 23, 2008 (10:00AM) by Julie O'Malley, CPRW
What a shocker. A recent study from Michigan State University proves that overweight and obese employees are NOT lazier, more emotionally unstable, and harder to get along with than their normal-weight peers. Really! I just can't help wondering why they needed a flippin' study to figure out that you can't attribute a single set of characteristics to an entire group of people, just because they share a physical attribute.  Read More...

How to Tell an Interviewer You Were Fired? Spin to Win

July 15, 2008 (10:00AM) by Rick Saia, CPRW
The interview is going splendidly. You seem to have exactly the background they're looking for. You've built a good rapport with your interviewers, and you have a good feeling about the corporate culture. Then comes the question you've been dreading: Why did you leave your last job? Your challenge lies in how to spin the answer to avoid coming off as a whiner.  Read More...

How to E-Mail Your Cover Letter the Right Way

July 10, 2008 (1:00PM) by Brianna Raymond
The topic for this post came straight from a former co-worker who recently went through the whole job-search process. She wanted to know what the best subject line for an e-mail in response to a job ad is, and if you should attach the cover letter to the e-mail or copy and paste it into the body. I did the research, and here are the answers.  Read More...

3 Phone Blunders that Can Hang Up Your Job Search

July 09, 2008 (10:00AM) by Julie O'Malley, CPRW
On the heels of Rick's post yesterday about phone interviews, I thought we should look at another phone-related topic for job seekers. I actually got this idea from a comment in my post about resume mistakes last week, where astute reader Marilyn pointed out that job seekers often forget about changing their voicemail messages, coaching the other people who might answer their phones, and using personal (not work) numbers in their job search. Here's how to keep these three phone-related blunders from disconnecting your employment opportunities.  Read More...

Job Search Quiz: Are You Well Informed or Lukewarm?

July 03, 2008 (12:47AM) by Brianna Raymond
After publishing over 75 blog posts in less than five months, we've thrown a LOT of information at you. You're certainly not short on advice about what to do and what not to do during every aspect of your job hunt. So test your knowledge with this quiz and see how job-search savvy you really are.  Read More...

Got a Bad Job Reference? Blame Yourself

June 24, 2008 (2:03PM) by Julie O'Malley, CPRW
In the courtroom, you NEVER ask a witness a question unless you already know the answer. Every lawyer from Atticus Finch to Denny Crane has taught us that. And the same principle holds true for your job references: NEVER list anyone as a reference unless you know they'll speak highly of you. How can you be sure? Here are several suggestions.  Read More...
Success Story
I loved that I could take care of ALL aspects of my search from this ONE online site! I was able to have unlimited versions of my resume and was able to create cover letters from your formats that I could tailor to each job. The TaskMANAGER part was so helpful! Getting e-mails that reminded me to make follow-up calls! WOW, I didn't forget anything. - Steve

About Us | Affiliates | Privacy Policy | Terms of Use | Site Map
© 2004–2008 Pongo Software, LLC. All rights reserved.
Your private information is secured through VeriSign services.
HACKER SAFE certified sites prevent over 99.9% of hacker crime.

PongoResume meets all BBB OnLine participation and Better Business Bureau membership standards and is authorized to display the BBB OnLine's trustmark.