Weddle's, your guide to resources for employment, personal development and career success, has an annual survey that seeks to identify the best job boards this place called the internet has to offer. If you've got a spare moment, hop on over to the Weddle's survey and answer a few questions. The survey will also help job boards and the recruitment industry better understand the needs of our job seekers by determining the things you like, what you dislike, and what you think job boards can do better.

How is The Employment Guide® working for you? Leave us a comment and let us know!

Oh, how employers are making looking for a new job or career so easy for us!!!

Everywhere you look you see advertisements for job fairs telling you to show up at a specific location and at a specific time and date. Oh and do not forget to make sure that you are dress in your best and bring lots of resumes!!

Sure if you have time to take off work to drive to where they tell you to be on that specific time and date you will definitely be there, BUT what if you don’t have the time to appear in person at the specific location and specific time and date? What are your options?

VIRTUAL JOB FAIRS – The latest and greatest way to find your next job or career!

The virtual job fairs (VJFs) are great since the majority of us have jobs currently and don’t have the time to appear in person. These VJFs are great because you can sit back at home (or at your desk at work) and search for jobs that fit your criteria! You can do research on companies that you are interested in before actually apply to them or even just look to see what positions companies are hiring for. How great is that…. I can sit in front of my computer and I can find jobs that apply to me instead of having to drive across town to only find a couple of companies that might be a potential fit for me!

Check out some virtual job fairs that are going on now or in the near future!


Click here to view current and upcoming Virtual Job Fairs

I've been updating The Employment Guide®'s Twitter about this for weeks now, and finally I can unveil our newest feature to the blog: podcasts! If you glance to the left navigation field, you'll notice a brand new Podcast Widget that will now serve up fresh audio guides to hourly, skilled, part-time and full-time jobs. The Employment Guide®'s Job Spot Podcast will feature advice, news in the recruitment industry, audio versions of our blogs and more.

To listen, simply click on the episode you wish to listen to. We appreciate your feedback! E-mail us at egblogger@employmentguide.com.

Are you a fan of social networking? The Employment Guide® now has an official Myspace profile! Our Myspace profile will serve as a direct link between our online friends and The Employment Guide®, offering advice and quick answers to employment questions. Add us to your friends today!

Not only is our national blog undergoing some changes and improvements, some of our local markets also have great blogs and other resources for our job seekers. Check out The Employment Guide® In Orlando's and Charlotte's Job Spot Blogs, then add them to your Myspace, Facebook and Twitter friend lists!

We're excited about these new developments, and can't wait to share even more with our online job seekers!

This week's topic is not just about the awesome alliteration the title afforded me. (There's more alliteration: awesome afforded alliteration.) Although, we could sit around for hours and make up fun little sayings that all begin with "P" or "A." That's neither here nor there, though.

The best advice anyone can ever give you is to be yourself. Tips like what not to wear and how to write your resume can certainly help polish the outward appearance, but you would be better off walking away from a position that won't make you happy, or doesn't fit your personality than muting your skills or ambitions. Doing so will only create turbulence down the line for you, your employer, and your organization.

So how do you make sure that your personality paints an accurate picture of who you are, both inside and outside of the workplace?

Well, first, remember that nobody is perfect. We have all made some missteps and that's ok. Here is a poignant cliché: Live and learn. Be honest about the mistakes you have made, but impart the wisdom you have received as a result of those life lessons on your prospective employer. Discuss how the hiccup has made you stronger in some aspects.

I mentioned how too much personality can really hurt you sometimes. It's football season, and holiday season, so there is a ton of good cheer just kind of bubbling up from everyone's souls these days - which is great for family gatherings where you have to fake enthusiasm over the egg salad your least favorite aunt brought all the way from Topeka, up a hill, 300 miles, in the snow. However, it's not so appropriate in an interview to bubble over. If you have got a great sense of humor, use some discretion and throw in a few laughs here and there. But be mindful of the fact that too many jokes, too many smiles, too many nervous laughs can come across as an act. Likewise, if you aren't naturally outgoing, don't go out of your way to be. Just be you!

It's great to have some enthusiasm, though, so use the skills you do have to show that enthusiasm! Ask pertinent and thoughtful questions about the position. If you know about something really great the company has done in the past, mention it in relation to the position you are applying for. Your interview is a conversation. It might be about you, but that?s not such a bad thing, is it?

Often, your prospective employer will give you a skills test as part of the interview. This is sometimes called a "working interview" as well. I've had that moment when someone says, "Prove it," and even though you are so sure of your ability your mind just comes up empty. It's not fun. So to help you get through that, here are some tips to keep in mind.

- Carefully read all instructions twice to make sure you don't miss anything.

- Budget your time and divide it evenly among the various sections of the test.

- Answer the easy questions first to build confidence and ensure easy points.

- Focus only on the task at hand. The process is just as important as the end result.

- Communication is key. If you have a question at any time, do not hesitate to ask! It will help your prospective employer you are interested in doing well.

- Always proof your work, especially if it is text heavy or visual.

By following all of the tips and advice I have given you over the last couple of months, you'll be able to take us right into next week's topic: Following Up. So come back next week for our final installment of our Practical Interviewing Series!

WOW!!!!!!

That is what I can say about the job fair we held with AARP yesterday! We had a fantastic turn-out from all levels of ages. Even though we had a small location the jobseekers kept on coming!

We had people looking for executive level positions, IT positions, Manufacturing, Retail, Customer Service you name it we had the jobseekers!

I walked around to each table and spoke with every company about the types of candidates that they spoke with and they were so pleased at the turn-out we had. Everyone was getting great leads for future employment! Isn’t that what a job fair is all about?

So the next time you get an opportunity to attend one, dress your best and come with lots of resumes because companies are looking for you!

To see a full list of Job Fairs Employmentguide.com is holding
click here.

If you do not see your location get comment me or email me with your location and I will be happy to find out when the nextjob fair is coming to your town!

Over the last few weeks we have detailed the steps one should take when beginning their job search; from where to look for positions, what kind of positions you should look for, to how you can perfect your cover letter and resumes. That, however, is just the tip of the impending iceberg! It gets chilly out there, so for part one of our Practical Interviewing Series, let us talk about how you should best warm those bones when you finally get the interview.

There are two kinds of dress that are appropriate for interviews: standard, and business casual. Neither of which make much allowance for pink hair. Sorry! Ever heard the phrase, "Dress for the job you want, not the job you have"? If you go into an interview, say at Jones and Smith Law Firm for the administrative assistant position, looking as though you are prepared to knock back a few shots - well, you will probably need to start your job search over at your local pub.

So what do "standard" and "business casual" mean? The two definitions vary slightly from employer to employer, but their basic meaning does not really ever change very much. Standard is a more appropriate decision for large office buildings, while business casual might be better for service industry-specific locations.

Just like with your resumes and cover letters, too much personal expression is a detractor from what you are trying to sell: your qualification for the position you are trying to get. Bearing this in mind, stick to muted colors such as khaki, light blues, and dark colors that aren't too bold or distracting. This is especially important for standard dress, which includes suits, ties, pantsuits, skirts and full length dresses. You have a little more wiggle room (so to speak) with business casual. Still, things like jeans, t-shirts, shorts, hats, bold prints and bright colors are not kosher. A nice polo, button-down oxford, conservative blouse or sweater, and well-ironed pants will get you far.

If your prospective employer asks what perfume or cologne you are wearing, that probably means you are wearing too much. There are a ton of reasons why you should not bathe in your cologne, least of which being it gets annoying. You are going to be around a lot of people every day, and not everyone's senses will be as tolerant to a full bottle of Chanel No. 19 every day as yours are. There are allergies, headaches, and watery eyes to consider.

Looking sharp doesn't land you the job, though. Models look great because they are styled well, but they most often don?t have to talk very much and they can get away with that. If you are awkward or unsure during an interview, the hiring manager will notice. Some things you might not notice you do to stay away from: leaning back in your chair, smirking, squinting, slouching, dangling loose fitting shoes, tapping your feet, biting your lips, touching your face and clearing your throat. All of these indicate unease, insecurity and at worst, apathy. So here are some tips to keep you sure as sure can be:

Always maintain a steady gaze, shifting your focus from the eyes to the mouth on occasion. This shows interest.

Open your mouth when smiling. Sincerity goes a long way.

If you are unsure what to do with your hands, or have a habit of touching your hair or face, keep your hands folded in your lap. This will help the hiring manager to know you're comfortable and sure of yourself.

If your throat is dry, take a sip of water instead of clearing your throat. Most hiring managers will be kind enough to offer you a drink at the interview.

Your feet may sometimes have a mind of their own, and often it is distracting. Keep your legs crossed or your feet flat on the floor. This will help you to not appear impatient or defensive.

The key to acing any interview often is in that first impression. Show up, be well-groomed and personable and you are sure to have the opportunity to sell what ya got.

Stay tuned for Part 2 of our Practical Interviewing Series next week: Personality Pays.

Are you being productive in your work environment?

You ask anybody in your office just one question, “were you able to complete all of your tasks for the day?”

What do you think theirs or you’re answer would be, NO! This is very common among offices now days, but we ask ourselves what truly motives us to work? There are many offices that look at specific incentives that they can handout to make the employee work harder to increase their productivity, however, this is a short term solution to a long term issue.

According to hrvillage.com, “Creating a work environment in which employees are productive is essential to increased profits for your organization, corporation or small business. Principles of management that dictate how, exactly, to maximize employee productivity center around two major areas of focus: personal motivation and the infrastructure of the work environment.” To read the full story on hrvillage.com click here.


With that being said can we actual give incentives to push an employee to produce more? Or is it just the environment that an employee is in? There are many other ways we can work with an individual to produce more; however, everyone is different so not one solution is going to make everyone motivated. So what motivated you everyday?

Resumes From Hell has been building upon its initial success since November of 2004 when it was first released. Its authors, Jon Reed and Rachel Meyers, two former commission-based recruiters, compiled their hellacious resumes into this hilarious and poignant memoir after keeping a joke drawer filled with the missteps of unfortunate job seekers. As part of our Preparing for the Job Search Series, Jon and Rachel were kind enough to grant me the following interview to share with our job seeker readers.

Christopher: At what point during your 10 years as commission-based recruiters did you get the inspiration to write Resumes From Hell?

Rachel: Back in 1996, I joined a company as an Administrative Assistant where Jon was a specialty writer and recruiter. Our company's platform for recruiting was a web site where we posted jobs and career newsletters for niche software professionals. We received a couple hundred resumes every day. As Administrative Assistant, my job was to screen all of the incoming resumes and route them to the appropriate specialty recruiters like Jon. I was given very strict instructions: if I came across a cover letter or resume that was funny for any reason, I was to immediately print a copy and turn it over to Jon. Jon was building an impressive collection of these bad resumes; in fact, he had a "wall of shame" to display the funniest ones. Standing around and laughing at bad resumes was our office's version of gossiping at the water cooler.

It wasn't until after the dot-com bubble burst in our faces that we came up with the book idea. We were unemployed, but we knew that the hundreds of funny resumes were a comedic windfall, and we were determined to make something out of them. I began the process of categorizing the bad resumes - categories like "Too Much Information," "Alpha Dogs," and "Questionable References." I remember my apartment was covered in stacks of resumes with yellow sticky notes on each pile. From there, Resumes from Hell was born!

Christopher: What do you think makes a resume memorable?

Rachel: Well, that depends - do you mean good memorable or bad memorable? A resume that is good memorable shows the hiring manager that you did your homework. Even though they've never met you, the hiring manager feels connected to you because you've thoughtfully applied to their position. You do this by customizing a cover letter, connecting the dots between the hiring manager's needs and your skills, and displaying your accomplishments clearly and concisely. A resume that is bad memorable may violate any or all of these principles. A bad resume may be memorable because it irritates the hiring manager (i.e. "I can't believe she sent a 12 page resume!"), or because you've inadvertently made yourself the butt of a joke (i.e. "I can't believe she listed her Mother as a reference!"). Either way, you're bad memorable. That's the thing about a bad resume - it may or may not be funny, but you definitely won't get you the interview.

Christopher: You talk a lot about personal expression in Resumes From Hell. When does personal expression in a resume become too much?

Jon: Resumes have very little tolerance for personal expression. They are a formal document with formal rules. You could think of a resume as a piece of classical music. Everything is structured within a conservative musical context. A cover letter might be more akin to a pop song. A pop song still has structure but there is room for a bit more creative expression there - it's a slightly more flexible format. I have a saying about personal expression and job searches: "roll out your idiosyncrasies gradually - after you get the job." A good resume is focused on detailing your qualifications in a structured way. I don't really see how personal expression comes into play at all. Resumes are not meant to be creatively satisfying. As a rule, the more fun you had making your resume "expressive," the less chance it will actually land you a job. So, to get back to your question, the idea is to avoid personal expression on a resume and wait for the interview to reveal more of your personality, keeping the most outlandish parts under wraps until the paychecks start flowing.

Christopher: How can the job seeker personalize their resumes without making them too informal or becoming a parody of themselves?

Rachel: The only type of personal information a hiring manager wants to see on your resume is information that demonstrates how your skills will impact their bottom line.

Different hiring managers have different bottom lines - they may be interested in making money, saving time, or implementing a new strategy. As the job seeker, it's up to you to convey how you will do that. Your personal professional accomplishments are relevant; your personal hobbies are not.

Jon: I agree. Like I said, I think people need to let go of the resume as an opportunity to "express themselves." Every resume is personalized because every person is different. But beyond that, the focus on a resume is presenting your experience in the best possible light. There is a level of creativity in that, but a resume is not meant to be as much fun as writing a poem or playing a guitar solo. The best resumes are written by people who accept that there are rules of the job search that are to be adhered to. The worst resumes are written by people who want to reinvent the rules of the job search because they feel they are especially creative or special in some way. Those kinds of resumes wind up in our book. When I see a resume that tries too hard to stand out, for example by using multi-color fonts, or by super-imposing a photo of that person in front of their car (both real life examples), my first assumption is that they are too insecure about their experience to use a standard format. The goal is to get the job. What you do in your free time is up to you.

Christopher: One of my personal favorite chapters was "Actually, I'm Not As Qualified As You Think I Am." What really stood out to me was, "Also, I have one or two ideas for screenplays, but you are not advertising for that." This comes back to personal expression in a way - when is it appropriate to discuss admirable traits or skills that don't necessarily add to the job being applied for, but may shed light on creativity and achievements outside of your field?

Rachel: "Actually, I'm Not As Qualified As You Think I Am" is one of my favorite chapters, too! I love people who point out tests that they failed or projects they didn't complete. I mean, why even bring it up? My favorite entry in that chapter is the self-questionnaire guy. Basically, he quizzed himself via essay questions and grids that reflected his training and experience with various software modules. The kicker is that he didn't have any relevant training or experience, so the grids were all blank and the answers to the essays questions were "Unfortunately, no" and "Unfortunately, I don't have any experience in this area." For whatever reason, he felt compelled to reveal in painstaking detail how utterly disqualified he was for the job he was applying for. Brilliant!

As for introducing skills or traits that are not relevant to the job you're applying for... If you feel you must include a personal interest or hobby, be sure to put it in a context relevant to the hiring company. Perhaps you have a leadership role in a charity organization, or you teach at the community college, or you are a Toastmaster. These could all be relevant skills to the position you're applying for.

But be careful: the hiring manager may view your hobbies as too weird (building steam-powered bicycles), too time consuming (having a "Second Life"), too dangerous (skydiving), or downright offensive (volunteering at a Planned Parenthood Clinic). Remember, the hiring manager is thinking about their bottom line, and doesn't want to imagine you missing work because of a broken arm, or annoying your colleagues by proselytizing at the water cooler.

Christopher: Another great chapter was "Yes, But How Do You Really Feel?". How do you recommend dealing with "friction" or "creative differences" between the job seeker and management (or coworkers) on paper?

Rachel: Again, this is a case of "Why bring it up?" If you feel the need to explain why you're changing jobs in your cover letter or interview, there are certainly better ways to frame it than saying you're current boss is a megalomaniac or your co-workers are incompetent. It's much wiser to stay positive: your current position doesn't afford you the opportunity to meet your next career goals, whether that's manage a team, work with a specific technology, or gain experience in a particular industry. The message this sends the hiring manager is that you're positive, career-driven, and thoughtful. Insulting current colleagues just makes you look like you don't get along well with others. Not to mention that the hiring manager may know the people you're insulting!

Christopher: What is the biggest mistake you find with resumes? My guess is simple spelling and grammar issues, like the ones you covered in Chapter 13, "Language Gaffes".

Jon: The biggest mistakes tend to be the kinds we referred to previously, in terms of over-personalizing a resume or cover letter. For example, if someone inserts some trash talk about their former employer into their cover letter, they have ruined their chances with me, even if the rest of their letter is fine and their resume is perfect. If they misspelled a word in their cover letter or made a spelling mistake, I might not rule them out if everything else looks good. But repeated grammatical and spelling mistakes are likely to be a deal breaker for most positions. So yes, I would agree that those types of mistakes are high on the list as to how people rule themselves out through obvious mistakes.

Christopher: How do you think the job seeker can best sell themselves on paper?

Jon: We have touched on this before a little bit, but the key is to take the experience you have and figure out a way to present it in the most positive light. Work experience looks very different based on how you describe it. Were you flipping burgers, or were you part of the best customer service team in your industry? Another crucial aspect of selling yourself is to customize the resume and cover letter for a particular employer and job opening. As a rule, doing homework on the employers you are going after and integrating information from that legwork into your application is a huge positive step. It's not as much fun as playing around with your resume fonts, but it reaps a much bigger reward.

Christopher: We here at The Employment Guide® really enjoyed Resumes From Hell. Do you have any plans for a follow up book?

As a matter of fact, we do! We received quite a bit of press when Resumes from Hell came out. Of course, everyone wanted to talk about the funny resumes from the book. But after the laughter stopped, the inevitable question was, "Well, what makes a good resume?" So now we're writing the "how to write a resume" book we never intended to write: Resumes from Heaven. Resumes from Heaven is going to include 12 Do's and 12 Don'ts for resume writing. Resumes from Hell is a humorous look at bad resumes. Resumes from Heaven takes the lessons learned and puts them to work for job seekers.

Of course, if the bad resumes keep coming, Resumes from Hell II may be inevitable.

Christopher: Finally, do you have any other advice for our job seeker readers?

Jon: One thing that is very important is taking into account how the "Internet Age" affects the job search. It's neat to be able to send out a bunch of resumes and cover letters quickly, which you can certainly do via email or even automatic resume submittal services, but be careful. If I had to choose between the option of sending out ten resumes with carefully customized cover letters, versus one hundred generic resumes with no cover letter, I'd go with the first option every time.

The other thing to keep in mind is that in the Internet Age, your total correspondence defines you, not just your resume itself. For example, if we were to receive a resume that looked terrific, but was sent from the email address ilovecalzones@freemail.com (similar to a real example), we'd perceive that person differently. I've also had cases where a resume and cover letter looked good, but a follow up email to that cover letter was rude, the way emails can be when we are in a hurry. So, in the Internet Age, we are judged by the totality of our correspondence. And we can also be "Googled," so keep those MySpace pages rated G or PG at worst.

Resumes From Hell is available in most major retail book establishments, as well as online at Amazon.com and www.ResumesFromHell.com. On behalf of The Employment Guide® I'd like to thank Jon and Rachel for taking time out of their schedules, and stepping away from their next project, Resumes From Heaven, to give us this insight into their fantastic book. Be sure to pick up a copy of both books for your job search!