SavvySugar

"Pig Wrestling" and Other Things Never to Say on Your Resume

SavvySugar — Thu, 18 Mar 2010 14:15:42 -0700

Standout resumes are one thing, but narcissistic or just bizarre personal revelations have no place on your application for employment. Just ask some of these employers giving their accounts of the wackiest resumes they ever received on CareerBuilder. The crazy claims made on these resumes will make you wonder what these applicants were thinking - because even if your greatest personal accomplishment is "getting back together with my boyfriend upon his release from prison," shouldn't you just keep that to yourself?

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CareerExcuse.com: Brilliant or Baffling?

SavvySugar — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 14:45:26 -0800

It's probably safe to assume that some of us have included a little white lie (or two) on the page in a move to build resumes that impress. That's not to say that we're all liars, but certainly small embellishments make their way onto our resumes and cover letters in an effort to paint our career history in the best light. Still, in light of the economic climate over the past couple of years, more and more applicants are lacking career history altogether, or have lapses of time between positions that must be accounted for on resumes and job applications.

Enter CareerExcuse.com, a site its founder describes as a way to "help our subscribers meet the needs of the modern day job market." What services are offered to subscribers to meet these "needs"? Well, it seems nothing is off limits. In fact, CareerExcuse.com's assistance for job seekers ranges from fake job references to fake employers - complete with the creation of a new company with corresponding contact information, website, logo, even LinkedIn profile. All in all, the site puts together a pretty convincing display of "authenticated" references to help its clients on the search for real employment.

Obviously, there are several ethical issues with the company, but in light of the economic downturn, and millions of jobless Americans, site founder, William Schmidt, argues the enhancements are a huge help to job seekers, who would likely remain unemployed otherwise. What do you think - is this kind of resume booster a smart solution or just totally baffling?

Job Search Tip: Getting Desperate? Don't Let It Show

SavvySugar — Fri, 29 Jan 2010 12:00:21 -0800

Once you’ve been job hunting for a while, desperation starts to kick in. You may find yourself thinking that you don’t care what the job is or what it pays - you just need a steady paycheck coming in. But if you’ve reached that point in your search, focus on not letting your desperation show; otherwise, you could be making the process even harder on yourself.

Although you may think that conveying to a future employer your willingness to do any job, at any salary, will make you a more appealing candidate, it actually has the opposite effect. I’ve had candidates do everything from calculating out loud how much they need to make to cover their bills to leaving dozens of messages about a position in one day. And unfortunately, those weren’t the applicants who got the job.

Acting desperate and needy makes you appear as though you don’t value your own experience and skills - and if you don’t value them, why should your employer? Present yourself as flexible and enthusiastic, but remember that you have a lot to offer and any employer would be lucky to have you.

10 Ways to Improve Your Resume Right Now

SavvySugar — Sun, 24 Jan 2010 09:00:54 -0800

Your resume might be a single piece of paper, but that document is an extension of you. It's one of the first ways employers evaluate your potential to fill an open position, so even if you're confident in your interview abilities, you won't get an invitation to show them off unless your resume is compelling. Think you've done everything you can to create a solid resume? Discover some things you might be missing by reviewing these ways to improve your resume.

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10 Tips For Getting (and Nailing) a Job Interview

SavvySugar — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 02:30:57 -0800

An increasingly large pool of unemployed workers, many of whom are highly qualified and have killer resumes, means that getting an interview and landing a new job is a longer and more challenging process these days. After sorting through piles of resumes, hiring managers are now holding more rounds of interviews than before. Get through the first round of interviews with these tips.

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10 Easy-to-Fix Cover Letter Mistakes

SavvySugar — Thu, 14 Jan 2010 14:45:56 -0800

I have yet to meet a job hunter who doesn't dread writing cover letters. They're time-consuming and tedious, and unfortunately, they're unavoidable. It's easy to break cover letter etiquette if you're not careful. Those errors can cost you the job, so check out some common mistakes to be sure you're playing by the most important rules.

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7 Tricky Tactics Employers Use to Evaluate You

SavvySugar — Tue, 12 Jan 2010 14:45:24 -0800

You've prepared and practiced all of your interview p's and q's, but hiring managers are no longer settling for taking what you present at face value. They're digging deeper and using any information that surfaces to determine your worthiness as a candidate for the job. Find out if your bases are truly covered when you discover the tricky ways some hiring managers evaluate applicants.

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Reassess Your Job Search For the New Year

SavvySugar — Mon, 11 Jan 2010 06:00:59 -0800

This month, many of us are making resolutions and setting goals for our careers in 2010. But if you’re still on the hunt for a new job, don’t think you’re off the hook - the beginning of a new year is the perfect time to reevaluate and fine-tune your job search. Whatever it is that's hindering your search, I've got tips to get you back on track.

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Almost Half of You Interviewed in 2009

SavvySugar — Mon, 14 Dec 2009 06:00:59 -0800

It might have been a tough year job-wise, but nearly half of you scored at least one interview this year - 43 percent of you, to be exact. Good news that most of you were on the job hunt, and landed one to five interviews through the whole of the year, either unemployed and actively job-seeking or maybe just looking for a new position to shake things up.

In any case, it was great to hear that most of you were out there winning over recruiters, and while about 36 percent of you reported no interviews at all, it was also a good year to stick to with the job you know. In this job market, it may not have been the best time to look for something new, and opting for job security is always a good career move.

Still, 13 percent of you were real movers and shakers this year, gearing up for five to ten interviews. We're hoping these meetings led to the job offers you wanted, and if not, we're wishing you all career success in the new year - keep at it. Each interview is a learning experience and a step closer to getting you the job, happy interviewing in 2010.

10 Things Hiring Managers Hate About You

SavvySugar — Wed, 09 Dec 2009 06:00:27 -0800

You might have said some pretty terrible things about particular hiring managers in the past, but in many cases, those in charge of HR duties are frustrated by the annoying antics of applicants in the dark. You might be qualified for the job, but your chances for getting it will be better if you avoid doing these 10 things hiring managers hate about you.
Photos courtesy of NBC

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