Even the Overqualified Have Options to Get Jobs

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This recession and the accompanying job situation have hit experienced workers hard. Millions of job-seekers are now looking to positions they are overqualified for – and are genuinely anxious to fill those roles. Yet it’s sometimes difficult to even apply to them for fear of rejection.

So what do you do? First, you may want to consider rewording your résumé. Rather than highlighting that degree you worked so hard for (ouch!), choose wording that accentuates related experience or related education. After all, a degree doesn’t prove accomplishments and results, but accomplishments and results are what hiring managers are looking for.

Second, you must help the hiring manager understand what overqualified doesn't mean. You've got to let them know you really want to work for their organization, that you're dedicated, and that you've got something you can offer them.It's all about adding value. The job applicant who convinces a potential employer they can make a positive effect on the bottom line often wins. Campaign for your dedication, your work ethic, and the things you can learn in that new role even if you are overqualified for it.

According to Phil Chipouras of The Boomer Group, "You've got to position yourself as the solution to the company's problems. So research, networking, understanding what that company's problems are and positioning yourself accordingly, are all extremely important.”

Unless you're a Type A personality who always needs to climb the corporate ladder, then don't be dishonest with yourself or them. But in fact, a new career at a lower rung on the ladder might mean less stress. Maybe right now title and money is not all that it used to be. Maybe right now having a decent income and a balanced life is more important than it was before. During the interview you can make that point.

From the hiring manager’s point of view, they want to make sure you’ll stay on the job once you’re hired, so it’s important to indicate that you’re serious and that you’re a stable, solid investment.
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How to Best Prepare for a Job Fair

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More often than not, today's job seekers face many disappointments. The most frustrating is not getting an acknowledgement when a resume is mailed to a company or posted on the many job web sites that are out there.

Equally disappointing is attending a job fair and not quite finding the responses you had hoped for. Part of the reason is that the job seeker goes into a job fair somewhat unprepared.

Company hiring managers say that preparing for a job fair requires more than just creating or updating a resume. It's recommended that you:

Target specific companies: Apply to the companies that are the best fit for your skills and qualifications.

Do your homework: Be ready to talk about the company and their products. Do an Internet search before the job fair so you will be well versed on challenges facing the company you're applying to.

Clarify goals: Don't expect an on-the-spot offer unless you are pursuing a job through a temporary agency. Interested companies will be in contact with you for on-site interviews.

Present a realistic resume: Companies typically find out when a resume is padded.

Avoid salary and/or benefit questions: The initial interview should be about selling your skills and how you can help the organization.

Sell yourself: Prepare a short "commercial" about yourself. Provide background and clearly state your career goals.

Ask for contacts: Inquire about specific names and phone numbers. Typically the person at the job fair will not be the one making the hiring decisions.

Dress for success: Though it should go without saying, in this economic climate some people still arrive at a job fair dressed too casually. Wear conservative business attire, provide a firm handshake, establish eye contact, and - above all - smile!
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What is the Start Now! Career Guide?

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Good question!

If you’re one of many who have found yourself looking for a job, you’ll agree…you are faced with perhaps one of the most difficult times of your life.

You’re looking to get from point A (being unemployed) to point B (landing a good job) in the shortest amount of time. You turn to the Internet because that’s where we go for virtually instant information. What the job seeker often finds, however, is frustration.

In part, it’s because finding the best places to post a resume isn’t going to help if the resume itself isn’t on target. If the resume isn’t right, then it isn’t being read. If it isn’t read, it isn’t being considered.

So let me address how StartNowCareers.com can assist today’s job seeker:

1. It Provides Value. In its most basic form, Start Now! Career Guide helps you set the foundation in perfecting your own resume. The guide relieves the burden of weeding through repetitive information which is found on the Internet today. Our web site links to a product - not to a page of links to more web sites (which, in turn, often links to yet more web sites).

“Professional” resume writers are out there by the dozens and charge hefty fees to produce something for people they don’t even know. But the fact is, no one knows the you as well as you do. The Start Now! Career Guide helps you dig deep to rediscover talents and experiences (career and personal) which you may have overlooked.

2. We’re Not Reinventing the Wheel. Rather than a job search engine or resume service, Start Now! Career Guide is just that…a comprehensive guide which covers a wealth of information, from how to deal with the emotional side of unemployment, to networking, to resume construction, to letter writing, to interview strategies, and so much more.

3. We Don't Remix. Since there is so much information out on the Internet, we can’t claim that our guide is spectacularly unique. What we can claim, however, is that the Start Now! Career Guide provides essential information all job seekers need. Plus, since you’ll have the reference information always at your fingertips, it saves valuable time you’d be using going from one web site to another.

We’re really hoping you’ll evaluate StartNowCareers.com. Our goal is to deliver a product of value which provides vital information and essential tools to assist you in your job search.
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The US Government Agrees with Advice in Start Now! Career Guide

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According to the Office of Personnel Management, more than 200,000 new jobs have been posted since October. As of this writing there are over 42,000 currently posted, but keep in mind…competition for them are fierce.

To boost your chances, experts advise tailoring your resume to include keywords which match your skills to the job you’re applying for. Start Now! Career Guide shows you precisely how to do that - and much more.

For information on how Start Now! Career Guide can help in your job search, visit Start Now! Career Guide.

For more information on government jobs listed as well as how to apply, visit http://www.usajobs.gov/
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What Lies Ahead for Today’s College Grads?

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Depending on the spin some media have put in their news reports, college graduates may feel the job outlook is pretty grim. But many experts say it’s not all gloom and doom…if the candidate is well prepared.

Though some industries will have a notable decline in hiring during 2009, other fields such as health care, government, distribution and utilities are anticipating growth. In addition, over the next decade more and more Baby Boomers will retire, creating opportunities many grads could be able to grab.

In today’s market, the graduate should be more flexible than other job seekers in a couple of areas:

First is salary expectations. It’s a tight market right now, so you may have to settle for less than you feel you deserve. But remember that it is your first job. Opportunities for advancement or better positions will open up to you along the way.

Second is location. A better paying, more rewarding position may not be in your home town. You may want to consider the many opportunities across the country.

The job search may take a little longer, so be patient. With the right tools in place, the candidate should be successful, but it may mean part-time or temporary work in the interim.

Network effectively. You can post your resume on-line and hope for the best, but networking is a must. Let everyone you know what your goals are and ask them to spread the word. Follow-up with them to be sure they’ve kept you in mind.

When creating a resume, make sure you highlight the skills which coincide with those requested by the employer. With the volume of resumes sent to a company, generic or broadly written resumes are obvious and tossed aside quickly.

When you do get the call, make sure to do your due diligence before your interview to show you’ve learned all you can about the company you’ve applied to.

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Posting Your Resume? Wait!!

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You’ve heard it said, “You only have one chance to make a first impression.” For the job seeker, that impression is your resume.

At the end of a job fair held in Greensboro, NC on February 25, 2009, an HR Director was interviewed on one of the local news stations. “The biggest problem applicants have,” he said, “is their resume.”

He went on to indicate how vitally important it is to make sure your resume is:

- worded properly,
- kept concise,
- typed in proper font size and style, and most important,
- matches your objective to the position you’re applying for.

This may mean a few resumes that are tailor made for the specific role you’re going for.

Start Now! Career Guide helps you create the strongest, most effective document that will shoot your resume to the top of the pile.

We’ll help you discover experiences and qualifications you may have overlooked… talents that will have hiring managers take notice. And we’ll show you how to make it look picture perfect.

The guide also contains every letter imaginable that’s needed for an effective search, from networking letters to the thank-you and acceptance letters.

Plus, there’s a full section devoted to sharpening your interviewing strategies and skills.

Visit our website: http://www.startnowcareers.com/

View the samples on the site, and if you don't feel this guide provides what you need in your search, e-mail us at our web link or here on our blog and tell us why. Our goal is to help you get the job you’re seeking!

Start Now!

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