Top 15 Most Popular Blog Posts of 2011

Top 15 Most Popular Blog Posts of 2011 In case you missed any of thse most popular posts on Undercover Recruiter, here they are for your reading enjoyment. Just like last year, the most popular topics are by far social networking, personal branding and interviewing. Our readers also like infographics which you will see featured in the list a few times. A huge thank you goes out to all our guest bloggers from around the globe, if you feel like contributing a post to The Undercover Recruiter in 2012, check out our guest post guidelines. Here goes the top 15 list of 2011: 1. Social Media in Recruitment How Far is Too Far? Where do you draw the line between candidate research and infringing on someones privacy? 2.  INFOGRAPHIC: How Employers Use Social Media to Screen Candidates Its no secret employers and recruiters check up on applicants online, see more right here. 3.  Top 10 Android Apps for Personal Branding and Job Searching As the use of Droid phones is one the rise, so are apps for managing your career and brand. 4.  How To Back Up Your LinkedIn Connections A quick practical tip to ensure you keep a backup of your LinkedIn network. 5. Why Should You Care About Personal Branding? A question that gets bandied around a lot, see what this article has to say about it. 6.  Five Reasons Your CV Doesnt Get You Noticed Ever wondered why you dont get an interview request? Could have something to do with your CV or resume. 7. And the Interview Was Going So Well Until Ever heard of the post interview walk? Its where an interview can make or break! 8.  INFOGRAPHIC: Before LinkedIn, How Did Our Ancestors Find Jobs? Yes its the question youve been pondering on and this graphic will tell you exactly how they did it. 9.  How To Act When Headhunters Call You Are you terrified of headhunter calls? Dont be! Here are some useful tips for anyone speaking to headhunters. 10. INFOGRAPHIC: How Londoners Use Social Media to Find Jobs Interesting stats about the behavior of Londoners and jobs searching on social media. 11. Why Do Recruitment Consultants Ask Such Crazy Questions? A recruiter writes about why her questions might sound silly at times, be assured there is method to the madness. 12. Do You Know How To Sell Yourself In a Job Interview? People tend to sell everything but themselves in interviews, heres how to focus on you. 13. How a Videogame Designers Blunder Led Him to Conquer the World An un-orthodox job search for an un-orthodox job in Silicon Valley! 14. Four LinkedIn Mistakes that Could Hurt Your Career Make sure youre not making any of these four mistakes. 15. Ten Secrets to Managing Your Expat Career Know any expats? Here are the best ways for them to stay successful abroad. Would you like to add any other posts to this list? Please do so in the comments below!

How to Create a Resume Using Resumes That Include References

How to Create a Resume Using Resumes That Include ReferencesOne of the best ways to ensure that you get a good job is to have a resume writing references page. This way you can get a short list of employers that you may want to send your resume to. This can save you a lot of time when applying for jobs and help you land the one you want.When you are an employer it is important to see those who have such credentials that match yours. You need to ensure that they are interested in hiring you. This can be done by creating a simple resume and adding information about your previous positions.The next step in creating a resume is to fill in all of the information on the resume. To do this, you will need to use your computer or your own piece of paper. Write down everything that is required. The areas that need to be filled in are:One thing that is required on a resume is a references page. A resume is not considered effective if it does not contain a references page. Resumes that do not co ntain a reference's page will not be read and therefore they will not be looked at.In order to make sure that your resume is going to be effective, make sure that you keep this information updated. With this, you will be able to create a reference page for your future employer. The way that you can create this resume is by placing each of the following information in a separate line.In order to include the name of the employee or former employee, you need to place the first name of the person in the upper left hand corner. The person's position or the job title will be listed on the right side of the resume. By putting these together, it can give your potential employer a short list of names of those who may want to contact you. On the other hand, if you do not have a references page, then you need to include the name of the person or people you want to contact. These names can be placed in the same format as the names for the position. This can also be found on the right side of th e resume as well.The next thing to consider is the format of the resumes that contain the references page. If you are creating this for someone else, it may be necessary to write down a bit more information about the position you are offering. If you are creating a resume for yourself, you should only include what you know about the job you are applying for.

New Year Goal Start A Side Business Doing What Youve Always Wanted To Do

New Year Goal Start A Side Business Doing What Youve Always Wanted To Do You’ve got an idea, which you think is a pretty good one. However, it’s always been a pipe dream, and you’ve always had all the excuses as to why it should be priority.. It’s a new year, which means it’s the perfect time to try something new. Why not take your idea off the shelf, dust it off and turn it into the perfect little side business to supplement your main income? Let’s take a look at how to do so. Don’t Dive into Investors  It’s not that you don’t ever want to bring an investor onboard â€" it’s that you don’t want to quite yet. This is because most people who want investors early on in the game do so in order to quit their day job and work on their sideline business full-time. However, most investors who are worth affiliating with aren’t going to buy this. They don’t want to be the leverage that enables you to work on your startup from scratch. They want to see hard evidence that you’ve fanned the flame yourself for some time. If you’re looking for an extra bit of capital, there are a number of ways to get it. If you have a great idea and funding is all thats holding you back, you can even get a personal loan or a  title loan on your car to use as equity. Don’t invite the first investor you come across â€" nurture it yourself for a bit first. Make Sure to keep it Legal  When you’re venturing out to place your eggs in more than one basket, you’ve got to be wary of the legal stuff. One of the most important things is to make sure you’re on concrete legal ground with your current employer. This way they can’t come after you when your side business has taken off. The best way to be sure about this is to work on an idea thats utterly unrelated to your current job and your employers business. Its also important to remember to work on your sideline on your own time and with your own equipment. Seek Out a Trustworthy Co-Founder  Just because your startup is initially a sideline business doesn’t mean that it’s going to be easy. In fact, it’ll most likely end up taking up much more of your time than you anticipated. This means that you’re going to be taking on a pretty hefty workload. For this reason, we recommend seeking out a co-founder. Your chances of success will increase substantially if you’re synergizing with someone who’s equally passionate about your idea. Put Your Idea to the Test  You can have what appears to be the greatest idea in the world, but if it doesn’t appeal publicly, you’ll need to just do your 9 to 5. From surveys, prototypes and customer interviews, there’s a lot that can be done in the name of testing your idea. The more information you can gather about your target demographic and their response to your product, the better you can grow it into the business you’ve dreamt of. Final Thoughts  Who says you have to quit your day job to focus on your startup? While you might have this goal in mind for one day, there’s no rush. By simply getting the ball rolling and testing out the waters with your idea, you can get a good feel for how life would be like with your idea turned into a dream business. Start the New Year off right by putting some business plans into action.

4 Non-traditional Careers in Need of Women in 2018

4 Non-traditional Careers in Need of Women in 2018 Women looking to break into a new career will find ample opportunities across many industries. Women are underrepresented in several industries, including science, technology, engineering, math and construction to name a few. Non-traditional occupations are a great choice thanks to higher entry-level wages and overall pay. The careers that are in the highest demand for women going into 2018, that the Department of Labor deems non-traditional for women, include: 1. Truck Drivers Truck driving is an interesting field. The retail industry relies on trucking, yet the industry is also in the middle of a transition. Automation and self-driving vehicles are becoming a hot topic in the industry. Sooner or later, truckers are likely to be replaced through self-driving vehicles. But theres also a chance that companies wont adopt the technology. Truckers earn a great salary of $64,000, according to Indeed.com. The problem is that fewer and fewer women are entering the field. In 2015, the number of women in this career shrank to 177,000, down 10%. And if this doesnt sound too bad, keep in mind that women account for just 5.1% of the trucking industry, which had 3.5 million truckers in 2015. 2. Carpenter US News reports that carpenters earned $42,090 in 2015 on average. Women make great carpenters, and it is a field that women can break into with training. But there is a problem: women are scarce in the industry. Less than 2% of the industrys workers are women. Its a dilemma. The industry is in need of more women, and the Department of Labor suggests that the industry will grow at a rate of 20% between 2010 and 2020 â€" faster than the average. Women have remained at less than 2% of the industry for over 35 years. Women that want to enter a new field will find ample opportunities as a carpenter. 3. Plumber Plumbers are in high demand thanks to an aging infrastructure around the country. These professionals earn $50,620 annually, on average. The industry is also changing, with new advances leading the way for younger, tech-savvy professionals to enter the field. Trenchless sewer repair, sewer camera inspection and new leak detection methods provide a variety of work options for these professionals. Training is needed to enter the field, yet studies show that just 1.5% of 553,000 plumbers are women. Women make up less than 3% of the workforce. 4. Computer Programmer Computer programmers are in very high demand, with the average programmer earning $79,530 per year. A bachelors degree can help a programmer land a job, but a person that has experience with open source projects and other projects can enter the field. Freelancing is also a great option. When you choose the title of software developer, youll find that the salary rises to over $100,000 per year. Certifications, tech schools and college can all be used to break into this field. Statistics show that the number of women that were majoring in computer science fell from 37% in 1984 to 18% in 2014. Women are expected to make up just 20% of the industrys professionals by 2025.

Writing Your Resume By The End Of The Week

Writing Your Resume By The End Of The WeekIf you are going to be looking for writing your resume, you must know how to start and what kind of goal you will be working on. If you want to find out about these two things, you should first learn how to make one from scratch.Goal: Write your resume by the end of the week. This should be your starting point and the time when you will try to do something. You have to realize that the end of the week is when many people can see your resume. So you should not try to start until you have a resume that can be used.Do you want to write a resume? Do you want to be a writing expert? Well, this article may help you a lot and show you how to do this. First of all, it is important that you realize that you do not need to be the best person in the world to be able to write a resume. You will be amazed to know that there are many people who are just as good as you.This is because they have done the same thing so many times before and know the type of m aterial that will be suitable for the job search. They usually take advantage of this kind of situation because they can just find what they need through the internet and get it delivered right away. The only difference is that they are able to get it for free and they get it delivered right away.So what do you need to do in order to be able to write a resume? Basically, you just need to realize that there are some people who have already done it. Therefore, you have to start from where they have started and make your own resume based on their style.Goal: When writing your resume you need to write it well and fast. You cannot afford to take longer than 30 minutes in order to produce a good resume. In order to avoid this problem, make sure that you write the information clearly so that the recruiter or the employer will be able to recognize what is required of you.You also need to make sure that you know how to market yourself during the job search. You do not have to spend so much m oney but you need to know how to communicate what you know so that you can be recognized. Remember that a lot of money is spent on the resume so you need to make it count by giving what is necessary to make it good.Basically, if you want to write your resume by the end of the week, you will have to be very determined to produce a great resume. If you are able to do this, you will be able to get the best salary possible in the position that you are applying for. That is, of course, if you know how to write a resume.

Top Tips That (Almost) Guarantee Self-Employed Success - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

Top Tips That (Almost) Guarantee Self-Employed Success More and more people are going into self-employment, and you might want to consider the switch, too. With the job market as it is, the competition for places is making life very hard for those that want to go into traditional employment. There are just so many people applying for the same job that it is almost impossible to get a foothold in the race. Self-employment, however, is booming and jobs are nowhere near as hard to find. Plus, lots of jobs pay well and offer a job security. There is no doubt that the industry is on the up and that a self-employed role should feature in your thoughts. Before you pull the trigger, it is essential to understand that self-employment isn’t easy. As far as full employment goes, that is a cakewalk compared to what you might have to go through. But, the hard work is well worth it in the end, especially if you like the flexibility and power of being the boss. It is also worth it if you know how to sidestep the landmines on the road to success. Here is a handful of tips that should help. Good luck! Be Prepared To Work Hard Yep, working in the industry does have its advantages, like working from home. Just think â€" you get to roll out of bed and work in your PJs! Although it is a nice thought, it is something everyone should try to avoid. The fact that you get to work at home is a benefit, but it shouldn’t get in the way of your productivity. Far too many workers that have a home office don’t get through the amount of daily work they should because of the distractions. The main distraction is that, because you’re at home, you think you can procrastinate. Sorry, there isn’t time for procrastinating if you want to be successful. Treat the experience as if you would any other job as it’s the only way it will work out in your favour. Set Deadlines Saying you will treat it as a regular job and doing it are two different things. Walking the walk is never easy because it takes a lot of time to get into the swing of self-employed. Anyone that has never worked from home or been the boss might struggle initially. A good way to get past this stumbling block is to set strict deadlines that you intend to keep. The deadlines will centralise your focus so that the work comes first, as well as keep you productive. For example, if you want to finish by 4 p.m, you can’t take 2 hours for your lunch. Break the work down into bite size chunks and use the pieces to tackle the day. Don’t Take Holidays Let me rephrase that because everyone deserves a vacation. What the title should say is that you shouldn’t take unnecessary holidays because time is money. As you aren’t in full employment, you don’t get the same benefits as other employees. That means you don’t get holiday or sick pay, so you lose money when you don’t work. For anyone that wants to make a killing, this isn’t a big deal as long as you treat your vacation time as a gift. Sure, save a couple of weeks throughout the year, and use them whenever possible, but don’t go overboard. The more time you spend on a beach, the less money you will make. Although money isn’t everything, it is important when you need to pay the bills. Sort Out The Tax As a self-employed worker, you are responsible for taking care of your tax contributions. Lots of people won’t know what to do, which is why its imperative you do your research. For starters, begin with what you will have to pay over the course of a year. To do that, take a look at your wage and project your yearly income. Then, subtract the income tax threshold and divide the rest by 20%. Also, don’t forget to include national insurance contributions which work out at around 9%. The trick, once you know the amount, is to put away the money each week so that there isn’t a gaping hole in your taxes. The good news is you don’t have to focus on paying taxes â€" you can concentrate on cutting them, too. The self-employed enjoy a lot of tax loopholes which everyone should use to save them money. After all, your tax contributions come to almost 30% of your wage, and it’s legal. The main thing to look out for is tax expenses. Non-permanent employees can claim everything from a uni form tax rebate to a business lunch. As long as it is relevant to your job and you keep the receipts, you’ll be okay. A word of warning â€" make sure you keep detailed receipts. Should the taxman knock at your door, he will need solid proof. Otherwise, you can get a fine or a jail sentence. Treat Yourself Well Because you have to pay for everything, you will try to cut corners. It is only human nature because you want to save money. The thing is that cutting corners isn’t the right tactic even if it seems like a good idea. The problem lies with the fact that you don’t give yourself everything you need to succeed. Instead, the self-employed try to get by with the bare minimum, and it affects the final product. So, if you have to pay for something, fork out the money. In the long run, it will work out to your advantage as it will reflect in your products and services. Plus, they are all business expenses that you can use when you file a tax return. A good boss never cuts corners, and you need to realise that now you’re in charge. Find Permanent Work Although it sounds like a contradiction, it is possible to be self-employed and have a full-time job. Let’s break it down so that it’s easier to understand. As a freelancer, you need lots of work to pay the bills. And, it isn’t always easy to find sufficient work to make ends meat. The alternative is to find a client that offers full-time employment for you on a daily basis. In this sense, ‘full time’ means that the day revolves around one client. That way, your pay won’t be in jeopardy because the wage will be a constant, and you’ll have more security. Some freelancers don’t like this idea because it means they have all of their eggs in one basket. However, it is possible to keep an eye out for more work just in case the agreement breaks down. Also, clients tend to give a notice period which will give you time to find another regular. Pay Attention, Literally Doing the work is the easy part as well as the fun part; getting the money is the hardest. Now, no one wants to lay the blame at the feet of the employers, but they will take their time to settle their debts. Some are forgetful, some do business that way, and others are the take. As long as you get the money, though, it isn’t a problem, so with this in mind you need to get annoying. Set a payment date with your clients and make sure they honour it by hounding them relentlessly. If they don’t want to pay, they will in the end because of sheer frustration as people hate constant phone calls and emails. It is worth noting that lots of clients will pay on time, which means you will be the problem. Those of you that have plenty of work won’t always remember which client owes you money, and you can lose said money as a result. The secret is to make a list of every person that owes you money so that you don’t forget. Also, do it every week for consistency. Look Professional Want to know what the biggest mistake self-employed people make? It’s coming across as small and unprofessional. Lots of firms do it, and they do it because they have esteem issues. You know how big you are and feel as if you have to be open with the clients for some reason, but its nonsense. Speaking them like a small company will only make them view you in the same way, and it will affect your client retention. What you need to do is sound like a huge company even if you are only a startup. For example, say you’re in a meeting when you have to pick the up kids, or youre out of the office when running an errand. The clients are none the wiser, but they like the terminology all the same. Should you have to meet them in person, dress to impress like a proper entrepreneur and bring along a friend. They might have nothing to do with the business, yet they give off the right impression. Follow this advice and your career in self-employment will go from strength to strength.

3 Education Career Choices with High Demand Futures - CareerAlley

3 Education Career Choices with High Demand Futures - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. If youve been thinking about pursuing a career in education, now is the time. The Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) reports the demand for kindergarten and elementary school teachers will grow 17 percent between 2010 and 2020, and the demand for specialty careers in education such as instructional coordinators will grow as much as 20 percent. There are a variety of education career choices with high demand futures. The following are just a few of the many choices available to a Masters of Education (M.Ed.) degree holder. ESOL An ESOL educator specializes in teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages. Also referred to as TSOL (Teaching English to Speakers of Other Languages), this specialization addresses the increasing diversification of the U.S. population and the needs of the nearly three million students who speak English with difficulty. In addition to teaching English to students who speak different languages at home, ESOL educators also teach bilingual classes and familiarize students with American culture. ESOL educators must be able to utilize pictures and non-verbal symbols in order to convey language concepts. Educators in this field can earn over $83,000. STEM An educator specializing in STEM teaches science, technology, engineering and math, preparing high school students for careers in those fields. A U.S. workforce proficient in STEM subjects is critical for maintaining national defense, international competitiveness and for participating in technological innovation. However, there is a shortage of qualified STEM educators and as a consequence there are over 3.5 million STEM-related job openings left unfilled. STEM educators must have a strong academic foundation and have been asked by the Obama Administration to make a commitment to championing STEM education in their local communities. (The BLS currently has no reported data on STEM salaries.) Instructional Coordinator Instructional coordinators work outside the classroom with administrators and teachers to improve the quality of education. This is done by implementing new teaching techniques and overseeing school districts teaching standards and curriculums. Because more and more focus is being placed on teacher effectiveness, the demand for this career is expected to increase quite rapidly. Instructional coordinators work at every educational level, with both public and private schools. Salary can reach over $93,000. Where the Jobs Are According to a recent article posted at DegreeCouncil.org, there are five specific areas in the U.S. where teaching jobs are especially in demand. Working in these areas presents a variety of benefits including higher pay, job security and providing professional challenge. Mississippi Delta Region According to Channel 12 News of Jackson, MS, the state has a shortage of 2,400 teachers. The poverty stricken rural area especially needs math and science teachers. Rural South Carolina Science, math, English, language arts and special education are all highly in demand across the state. Tulsa, Oklahoma Schools in the Green Country region where Tulsa is located are experiencing severe teacher shortages. Austin and Dallas, Texas These two cities are especially attractive because they have better than average pay and are great districts. However, the cities rapid growth is resulting in a need for more teachers. California Shortages of special education teachers and ESOL educators are expected in this state, as student enrollment in education programs has plummeted over the last few years. Online Master of Education Degree Programs An online degree program is an ideal way for a teacher to transition into one of these high-demand careers. Concordias Online Master of Education Degree Programs allow you to complete your degree on your schedule while still maintaining your current job. There are several programs available including specialization in the areas of Education Leadership, Curriculum and Instruction, Career and Technical Education, and Special Education. Among the many skills acquired in this program, a graduate will be able to develop, implement and assess instructional and curricular plans that apply current educational research findings, integrate disciplines, encourage parental involvement and exhibit sensitivity to students individual needs and cultural background. For more information on Masters in Education programs please visit Concordia University at http://education.cu-portland.edu/college-of-education/masters/program-objectives/ and http://education.cu-portland.edu/college-of-education/masters/. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Joey Trebif