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Home > Blog: Beginner Basics

Job Search Basics

What the Heck Is "Networking" and How Do I Do It?

You know how everybody always says networking is the best way to get a job? Well, I have a dirty little secret: For the longest time, I had no idea what networking was. People would say, networking just means relationship-building. OK. But what does that mean, exactly? When I finally grasped the concept, I realized I'd been doing it all along. In fact, the essence of networking is so simple I can summarize it in two words: Being. Friendly.  More »

Never Go to a Job Interview Without These 10 Things

In a perfect world, you could act like Goldilocks in your job interviews, trying different options until everything was just right. If your chair was too hard, or your interviewer was a twit, you could switch to a better one. Unfortunately, that's a fairy tale. You're pretty much stuck with the chair or the interviewers you're given. You can't control everything, but you can control how prepared you are and what you take with you. Here are 10 must-have and 7 nice-to-have items that the well-prepared job seeker should carry to the interview...  More »

Dumbass Mistakes New Grads Make in Interviews

In a recent CareerBuilder poll, more than 3,000 hiring managers and HR professionals were asked to identify the biggest mistakes new college graduates make during the application and interview process. Based on the percentage of respondents who gave each answer, these are the top 8 dumbass moves among new grads  More »

Job Search Virgin's Guide to Finding New Jobs Online

Are you a job search virgin, trying to get hired for the very first time? Or maybe you're a born-again virgin; you've been around the job search block plenty of times ... just not in this decade. Even if you fancy yourself to be quite the skillful job searcher, you might find these shortcuts useful when you search for jobs online.  More »

How to Email Your Cover Letter the Right Way

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 email in response to a job ad is, and if you should attach the cover letter to the email or copy and paste it into the body. I did the research, and here are the answers.  More »

7 Phrases You Should Never Have on Your Resume

When I was a teenager, the comedy of George Carlin, who died this week, was a godsend that could brighten the worst of days. To honor his controversial 7 Words You Can Never Say on TV, here's a list of seven words and phrases you shouldn't include on your resume. Chances are this list won't serve as the basis for a Supreme Court case, as George's did.  More »

Top 3 Resume Formats: Which One Is Right for You?

Quick! Name the top three resume formats in use today and who should use which one! OK. Just kidding. If you knew the answer, there'd be no reason for this post. If you're trying to create a resume on your own, or simply want to know the difference between Chronological, Functional, and Hybrid resumes, then this post is for you.  More »

Stay Cool on the Hot Seat: 2 Tough Interview Questions

Certain interview questions are enough to unnerve the most prepared job candidate. Two that come to mind are: What do you think is your greatest weakness? and What do you like least about your current (or most recent) job? They may seem like ridiculous questions, but you have to answer them because being evasive could cost you a chance at landing a great career opportunity.  More »

5 Ways to Cover Your Web Tracks

You've heard the warning before: If you want something to be private, don't post it online. In the age of social networking, ignoring that warning could prove disastrous. It's no secret anymore that recruiters and hiring managers use the Internet to filter candidates before they even make initial contact. If you're on the hunt for a new job, follow these five tips to cover your own web tracks.  More »

The 5 'Must Knows' of Job Interview Preparation

You've impressed an employer with your resume and they called you to schedule an interview. You're ecstatic. Now, it's time to get over the ecstasy and start preparing for the interview. How do you prepare properly? Follow our five must knows of interview preparation.  More »
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