3 Myths About Older Job Seekers

Reposted from MSN Career

Big Foot roams the woods of North America. The Loch Ness Monster lurks below the water's surface in Scotland. Hiring younger workers makes more sense than hiring mature ones. Which one of these myths is most widely believed?

Big Foot and "Nessie" may be out in the wild somewhere, but mature job seekers are just as attractive job candidates as their younger counterparts. More experienced, more mature, more reliable -- mature job seekers are the total package when it comes to hiring. So why do employers buy into the notion that their age is a drawback? Learn how to bust three common myths about older workers and get hired.

Myth No. 1: You're out of touch
Perhaps the most common myth is that mature job seekers struggle to keep up with technology and industry trends. The truth is that it's every job seeker's responsibility, regardless of age, to ensure he has the experience and skills needed for the job he wants.

While younger job seekers may receive the most current education, mature job seekers can take advantage of this opportunity, too. If your job search isn't yielding much interest, it may be time to consider attending a workshop or seminar in your field. Tailor your résumé to the job posting's requirements. Research the company and mention specifics in your cover letter. Also note your skills and experience, including your technology capabilities. You can beat this myth and market yourself as the total package. You have experience, judgment and dependability on your side.

Myth No. 2: You'll expect a leadership position
The experience, judgment and dependability that make you the total package may also make you appear to be a high-maintenance job seeker or somebody who expects a leadership position.

Combat this assumption in your cover letter by explaining that you're interested in the specific position and that you look forward to joining the team. You may be moved into a leadership position soon after starting, but don't expect a warm reception if you mention a leadership position as a requirement to being hired. Instead, explain your leadership qualities and how they apply to the job for which you're interviewing, as well as how you'll fit into the company culture.

Myth No. 3: You'll retire soon anyway
The classic "Where do you see yourself in five years?" question makes an appearance at most job interviews, though for mature job seekers, this question may sound loaded. Will you still want to work in five years?

While younger job seekers may respond with a positive answer about how they hope to still be working with their team, mature job seekers may need a more specific answer. Hiring managers may worry that more mature job seekers are looking for a pastime before retiring. Make it clear that the age of retirement is rising and you're looking at this position as an important part of your career. Share how you've previously met your professional goals and how this job will contribute to your other goals. Then, transition to the company's goals and how you're a great match.

No matter your age, you can bust these three myths and present yourself as the total package. Prove that you're keeping up with industry trends, make it clear that you want to be a part of the team, and share your career goals to show your commitment.

 

Resume Tips: Writing Accomplishments

You often hear that your resume should list your accomplishments, not your job duties. And it’s true—accomplishment statements are the best way to showcase the amazing things you’ve done at your past jobs, plus show prospective employers what you can do for them. Your list of weekly assignments? Not so much.

So why do the majority of resumes out there still look like job descriptions? Well, because turning job duties into accomplishments is a tough concept to grasp. But once you get it—I promise, you’ll have smooth sailing in your resume-writing future. So grab your resume, and sit down with our step-by-step guide to ditching the duties and making those bullet points sing your praises.

1.       Know the Difference

 

Plain and simple, a duty describes what you did and an accomplishment describes how well you did it. For example, “planned events” would be considered a job duty, whereas “raised $100,000 by selling out tickets to a 200-person charity event” is an accomplishment. 

Why is this so important? You want to tell the person reading your resume something she doesn’t already know. For the most part, hiring managers will understand what duties are associated with your job titles. It’s common knowledge that, for example, an Executive Assistant will answer phones, manage files, and provide customer service. So, putting those statements as bullets on your resume only uses up valuable space. On the other hand, by including accomplishments, you paint a picture of your abilities—one that will sell yourself.    

So now that we understand the difference, how do you make the change?

2.       Make a List

Get started by compiling a list of all the things that set you apart. For each of the positions on your resume, ask yourself the following:

·         What did I do that was above and beyond my normal job duties?

·         How did I stand out among other employees?

·         Was I ever recognized by a supervisor for a job well done? When and why?

·         Did I win any awards or accolades?

·         What new processes did I implement to improve things?

·         What problems did I solve?

·         Did I ever consistently meet or exceed goals or quotas? 

·         Did I save the company money?

·         What made me really great at my job?

 

3.       Paint the Picture with Numbers

 

Then, take your list, and add in as many facts, figures, and numbers as you can. How many people were impacted by your work? By what percentage did you exceed your goals? Instead of saying you effectively managed a budget, list how much money you managed, and how much money you saved.

By quantifying your accomplishments, you not only make them easier to understand, you really allow the hiring manager to picture the level of work or responsibility you needed to achieve this accomplishment.  

4.       Add the Benefit

 

Then, take each statement one step further and add in what the benefit was to your boss or your company. By doing this, you clearly communicate not only what you’re capable of, but also the direct benefit the employer will receive by hiring you. And let’s face it, everyone wants to know what’s is it for them!

 

So, say you have “created 20 client reports each month” on your list. Instead, write something like “created and prepared 20 weekly and monthly status reports to ensure clients consistently received timely and complete information.” Reading that, a hiring manager will automatically see that, if she hires you, you’ll be able to develop ways to provide great service to their clients. When you include the benefit, you more effectively sell the tangible things you can bring to the company. 

A resume full of accomplishments is the best way to show off what you can do and set you up for your next success: landing a great new job.

Amy Michalenko, Fresh Start Women's Resource Center Director and Career Guru

 

Jamie's Career Tip of the Day

Jamie's Career Tip #3:

Dress for the position you want, not the job you have. Management notices the persons who go above and beyond.

Jamie's Career Tip of the Day

Jamie's Career Tip #2:

 

Looking for a job is a job in itself. Determine a time to start and a plan of action for  5 days a week.  Tell others including family and friends that you are not available to avoid interruptions.

Jamie's Career Tip of The Day

During the month of February we are going to be giving you expert tips and resources to help you in your Job Search!

Every day we will have a blog article written by an expert filled with useful information, resources, and inspiration just for you!

And there will be a daily career tip authored by our very own Career Guru Jamie Starner, Fresh Start Career & Programs Manager, M.Ed, VCED, GCDF

Career Tip #1:

When networking, contact two levels above the position you desire.

Job Search Etiquette

Next month on wehelpwomen.com we are focusing on Job Searching!

So lets start things off with an excellent interview all about job search etiquette posted on www.dailymuse.com today:

Job Search Etiquette: A Q&A With Anna Post

by Briana Fasone

“Etiquette, remember, is merely a collection of forms by which all personal contacts in life are made smooth.” So wrote Emily Post, the goddess of manners, in the first edition of her eponymous etiquette tome, published in 1922.

Much has changed since Ms. Post penned those words, which appeared in a chapter titled “Etiquette in Business and Politics” (written for gentlemen, mind you). So where can today’s job seeking Gen Y professional learn to mind their P’s and Q’s?

Enter Anna Post, the great-great-granddaughter of Emily Post and the co-author of Emily Post’s Etiquette, 18th Edition, in addition to a handful of contemporary etiquette guides. Since joining the Emily Post Institute in 2006, Anna has conducted business etiquette seminars around the country and can tell you a thing or two about gracefully landing your dream job (or, well, any job).

Must you cover your colorful tattoos during interviews? How fast should you send out those thank-you notes? When should you start talking salary? We asked Anna Post our most pressing job search etiquette questions and got her answers—so the rest of your professional life can be made, well, smooth.

You have a job, but you’re looking to leave. Should you be upfront with your current boss about your plans to move on?

Not necessarily— not until you have something really concrete to tell them. This is to protect the position that you do have. People can get interested in a job and it comes to nothing.

But you absolutely must once you’ve accepted an offer. Some people choose to tell when they have received an offer, some even choose to inform that they are looking for other positions—often this has to do with the relationship with your boss and your reason for leaving. This one is going to depend on that relationship, but when you can tell someone, it’s generally appreciated so that they can prepare and plan.

What’s an acceptable reason for why you need to leave the office for an interview? What about the “doctor’s appointment” excuse?

To not split too many hairs, I would say a “personal appointment.” Rather than saying you’re at the doctor when you’re really not—which is a tiny white lie—I think it’s better to say that you have a personal appointment.

You’ve already accepted one job offer when you receive another (even better) offer from another company. Can you politely back out of the first job without burning that bridge?

Not necessarily, without burning a bridge. You can be graceful about it, but no matter how graceful you are, they may be disappointed and frustrated with you. At the end of the day, you need to do for yourself what you need to do. If a better job comes along and that’s what you need to take, then that’s what you need to do. But you need to be upfront and apologize for the inconvenience as soon as you’ve made your decision.

The more calm and upfront and understanding of the inconvenience you are, the better chance you won’t burn a bridge. But there is no way not to inconvenience the company that made the first job offer at this point.

Let’s talk dress code. Is there really harm in showing your tattoos or piercings? My friend has a tattoo on her wrist and her mother insists she has to keep it covered on interviews.

It’s really going to depend on the office and the industry. It’s worth asking HR in advance if you’re really worried about it, especially if it’s a tattoo that, while hidden for an interview, might be visible on the job. That’s the kind of thing that I think is important to check out and to find out what’s acceptable in that culture and what’s not.

A lot of people say, “Well, I’m not going to cover my tattoos, that’s me and if they don’t like me, fine.” The result is if you really want that job, you might not get it. The applicant needs to think about what they really want and be aware of what they’re willing to compromise on. The office environment is what it is and you’re the one entering into it, so you need to be respectful of that environment and know what those expectations are.

Should you take notes during an interview or is that rude?

It’s not a note-taking situation unless there is something you’re promising to follow up on and you want to write it down for later. The assumption is you’ve prepared and know what the company is about. Generally speaking, I would say no. That said, I’m sure there is an extenuating circumstance where that would make sense, but I wouldn’t pull out a pen and paper as a matter of course.

Which is preferred: a follow-up email or a handwritten note? And at what point should these be sent out?

I wouldn’t send out an email while the door is still closing behind you. I would wait a half hour—at minimum, 15 or 20 minutes. I’d probably send it a half hour or an hour later, and I also probably wouldn’t send one from my iPhone. I’d wait until I got back to my computer.

That’s not to say it’s wrong, I just wouldn’t want it to seem like it’s just something on the fly. I’d want it to seem like something that I’m serious about and committing to and focused on, instead of something sent while I’m walking down the street, which is what “Sent from my iPhone” implies.

As for the handwritten, I would put it in the mail within 24 hours. You can always do both and send an email and say, “I just dropped a note in the mail to you, but I wanted to thank you anyway for the opportunity… ”—and that kind of covers your duplication issue.

Do you have any tips for handling an interview over lunch? Is there anything you should avoid ordering? Should you reach for the check at the end?

Typically the interviewer pays for the lunch. As for what to order, I wouldn’t order anything outside the general price range and I wouldn’t order any courses that the interviewer didn’t order. And I would not order alcohol unless the interviewer did—but even then, I don’t think I would.

Salary is always a tricky subject. When is it appropriate to bring it up?

This isn’t the first thing you talk about. It doesn’t mean that it might not come up. Were you to feel that the interview was ending and you hadn’t spoken about it, I might ask a question instead and say, “Would this be an appropriate time to discuss compensation?” if you really felt it needed to come up or you were surprised it hadn’t. And they may say, “We’ll talk about this at the next interview.” Rather than asking, “What is the salary?” when they aren’t moving to that topic, I would ask about the subject rather than the salary.

Beginners Guide to Couponing

Reposted from www.learnvest.com

Love them or hate them. Take them or leave them. The truth still stands—using coupons can save you a lot of money … if you know how to use them correctly.

Let’s face it: No one wants to spend hours clipping coupons just to save a couple of bucks.

But if it’s done right, couponing shouldn’t take more than an hour a week of your time–and it could save you hundreds, even thousands, of dollars a year.

At least that’s what couponing looks like for Andrea Deckard, author of SavingsLifestyle.com. She saved $6,500 in her first year of couponing—and she’s willing to share her secrets with you.

What’s the Best Way to Start?

Deckard points out that printable coupon sites, like CouponNetwork, are particularly convenient for grocery coupons, along with newspapers. “I encourage people to subscribe to the newspaper,” she says, “because if you purchase one in-store, you may not receive the same coupons, and a weekly subscription tends to be cheaper than subscribing to just the Sunday edition.” For online shopping, she likes Savings.com, which constantly updates coupon offers for hundreds of retailers.

Andrea also advises looking at your spending over the past three months. Set a small goal to reduce your expenses by 10 to 20% in three months, and aim to spend no more than one hour searching for coupons each week. “In the beginning, it could take a little longer to scope out where the good deals are for your favorite stores,” she says, “but setting a goal for one hour, once you figure that out, is realistic.”

After three months, challenge yourself to spend 10% less, and continue to set small challenges for yourself in this way until you reach your desired savings. According to Deckard, focused efforts could realistically save 50 to 75% on your grocery bill. “Whatever you do, don’t compare yourself to others,” she adds. “Your family’s situation is unique, and your goals will likely be different. Make only small changes that you can stick with for the long haul.”

5 Fool-Proof Tips for Successful Couponing

Before acting on the below five steps, start with Andrea’s rule for beginners: If a store doesn’t have a minimum of five sale items that you need, don’t bother going. You’ll waste both time and gas money if you’re driving around to different stores for just one or two items.

1. Get Organized

Whether you clip and sort coupons in a binder or file them all by store into separate folders, experiment with different methods that will help you save time both when searching at home (“Hey, I already have a coupon for mustard!”) and when you’re in the store.

2. Focus on One Store–to Start

If you purchase most of your cleaning supplies at Target, for example, begin your coupon search there. You’ll be less overwhelmed this way, and you’ll gain confidence as you start to see how much you’re saving on the things that your family needs. When you feel you’ve conquered one store, you can branch out to other places that you frequent.

3. Clip Based on Need

Figure out what exactly you’ll be shopping for and base your coupon search on those items only. So if you’re heading to Shop Rite for three dinners that you plan to make, focus your coupon search for items on your “to buy” list, and ignore everything else.

4. Stockpile to Save Even More

Once you’ve gotten the hang of general couponing for a purpose, you can start stockpiling purchases for your favorite non-perishable items, like rice, pasta and coffee. To do this, keep a running list of the items that are in constant rotation in your house, and update the inventory each week so you’ll always know what’s running low. This way, when you come across that 15% coupon savings on pasta sauce, you’ll know if you need to use it or not. Not only will you be stocked up on things that you’ll actually use, but you’ll also have gotten it all for a great price.

5. Learn the Drugstore Rules

Shopping at stores like CVS, Walgreens and Rite Aid can take more time to master, since they each have their own reward system. So read all the fine print on their coupons, and when you do find a store that you believe offers the best rewards, do the majority of your shopping there to get the most savings. (And check out our comparison of online drugstores for even more saving advice.)