See How Easily You Can Beat Job Search Email Overload

See How Easily You Can Beat Job Search Email Overload 2 Are you overwhelmed by the sheer number of emails that you receive every day? Between the job listings, Yahoo! Groups digests, mailing list dailies and updates from your favorite blogs (cough), do you feel stuck in the inbox quicksand? Help is on the way. Here's a list of tips that should help even if you're an email addict. Get a Fresh Start Merlin Mann recommends first moving your backlog out of the way: Open your email program and create a new folder called “DMZ” Go to your email inbox and Select All You might alternatively choose all email older than n days Drag those emails from your inbox into the DMZ folder Go, and sin no more. Extreme but effective. The reason this works is because you've likely already dealt with the urgent emails about job offers, for example. The remaining email having waited without consequence, you can let it wait some more in a less stressful place. Just seeing your inbox empty will be a relief.eval Unsubscribe, I Dare You Now take a good look at the email in your DMZ folder. For every mailing list, every Yahoo! Group digest, ask yourself- how useful is this email subscription? How long has it been since useful information was sent along? If the answer is ‘too long', get rid of that subscription which is costing you too much time and energy without enough gain. Always try to cut costs. Then, unsubscribe to everything else too, and resubscribe once you're ready to…eval Use a Dedicated Email Account If you haven't done so already, now is the time to create a new email account to be used only for job hunting. It's too easy to get distracted with personal email when you're trying to work and vice-versa. I recommend signing up for Gmail; privacy concerns aside, it's free, easy to use, and has some terrific features. A web-based email account makes sense because you can access it from anywhere, the only down-side being that you can't read your email offline like with the excellent Mozilla Thunderbird. However, due to a recent technology announcement from Google, this obstacle will likely disappear soon. Turn on the RSS Vacuum Cleaner Subscribe to RSS feeds (like JobMob's) instead of mailing lists where possible. Ideally, your inbox would only contain email sent to you directly from other people, the kind of email you most want to receive when job hunting. Use RSS for a kind of second, lower-priority inbox that catches information you care about but that can wait for when you have a spare moment. Unfortunately, RSS won't help with the worst kind of automatically-generated email, spam. If your mailing lists or other automated mailings offer no RSS alternative, create your own by automatically forwarding the received email to a MailBucket email address of your choosing, which will in turn generate a corresponding feed that you can point your RSS reader at. MailBucket is a great service but choose wisely what to forward since the MailBucket feeds are accessible by anyone that can guess their addresses. Also, MailBucket truncates long emails so when you setup the automatic forwarding, you should also configure that a copy should be saved in an email folder. How do you setup the automatic forwarding? By beginning to… Filter and Folder Any decent email application (online or desktop-based) will allow you to setup filters or rules to act on incoming email. In addition to the above forwarding for RSS feeds, you might consider using these filters/rules to sort incoming email into recruiter-oriented folders. Stay on Schedule Get into the habit of only checking your email at defined times in the day like first thing in the morning, after lunch and after dinner. Limit the amount of time you spend on email to 30-60 minutes per session. Take as much time as you need to reply to urgent email but once that's done, only continue if you have time left in your session. Any non-urgent email remaining at the end of the session should be moved to your DMZ folder for later, leaving your inbox pristine until your next session. Note to Self If you use a conventional mail reader such as Microsoft Outlook or Thunderbird, prevent job search interruptions by having the program check email only once every 4 hours instead of every few minutes. In other words, at your scheduled email reading times. Even better- use a lightweight email notifier such as PopTray (free and powerful) or ePrompter (free, easier to setup) and keep Outlook closed until you need it. What Others Are Saying 7 tips of handling your Emails without feeling overwhelmed Tips for Mastering E-mail Overload Top Ten Ways to Handle Email Overload Wrap Up Email is an essential tool, too important to ignore. Like any powerful tool, it can be abused horribly. If you follow the above tips, you can avoid that foreboding feeling of “I have all this email to go through” and spend more time on what really matters, finding your dream job. I actually had more tips to share but I need to catch up on my email first ?? Relief in sight?

Relevant Resume Writing Tips

Relevant Resume Writing TipsIt is time for resume writing tips. While no two job-seekers are alike, a resume is still necessary to get an interview for your dream job. However, many do not consider the main purpose of a resume and this is where they fall short.Job-seeker only look at the actual content of the resume. They hardly take note of the format and other details. This includes the layout of the resume, the font, color coding, paper size and even the placement of keywords or key phrases in the resume. This might sound like a simple matter, but job-seekers often overlook this.The format and contents of the resume are what should be placed emphasis on. It is very important that job-seekers understand the details of the job-search and ensure that they use only those that are worth their attention. In addition, they should also try to avoid applying for too many jobs. Too many applications can do more harm than good. It will waste the precious time and effort that would have been better spent elsewhere.Job-seeker also need to make sure that the resume looks professional and made by a company that has its own official site. Professionalized resumes will give you a leg up. And these days, the costs associated with creating professional resumes are so low that even the individual has the ability to create such resumes. Thus, the costs incurred are minimal.Resume writing tips can also include embellishing the cover letter and the resume. The form of embellishment is very important. The latter is the part of the resume that is not included in the body of the resume. Here, job-seekers can place photographs of their family, their likes and dislikes, and any other small item that would help the hiring committee see the applicant's talents. Resumes should be organized well.Job-seeker should also ensure that the resume is neat and properly formatted. This is to make sure that it has the right format and reading it out of order will also make it impossible to be read b y an employer. The resume is just one part of the job-search. The CV and the cover letter should be effective at getting a job.Furthermore, job-seeker must also ensure that the resume does not contain any spelling or grammatical errors. If the hiring committee finds one, then they can reject the application or penalize the applicant. This can be avoided by staying on top of the grammar as well as the spelling. Finally, the resume should be written in a proper and professional manner.Indeed, the resume writing tips are still applicable to the job-seeker today. To make sure that it works, the job-seeker must remain consistent and cautious while maintaining the appropriate touch. If the applicant knows how to apply the advice in the best possible way, then there is every chance that the resume will still get the job.

How to Save Money While Shopping Online

How to Save Money While Shopping Online The world of internet has changed our shopping habits; from going to market and examining the product before buying to sitting on our favourite couch and browsing what exciting deal an e-retailer (e-tailer) has to offer. Most of the time we find a good deal, but there are times when we discover that one of our friends has got a better deal. Since I too am a fan of shopping online, here are a few helpful tips that I personally use when I shop online: Have you heard of the term ‘dynamic pricing’? You must have heard that Airline’s price shoot up when you keep on checking for one flight over and over on your browser. This happens because of the dynamic pricing system that these companies follow. They sneak into your browser cookies and see your search and browsing history; then the dynamic pricing system increases the price of the item that you have already looked for. This system has gained popularity among the e-retailers too and consequently, this may affect the price of your favourite shoe too! Well, the good news is we can bypass this by employing simple techniques like: Erasing browser history Logging out of all social media sites (like Facebook, Google+, Twitter) Turn off your location/GPS Go to ‘incognito mode’ Rest assured- you have outwitted them! Wait until its time Tuesdays or Wednesday are generally the least expensive days for online shopping, and Saturdays are the costliest. There are many companies that give out special coupons on Tuesdays. Or, if you can wait, you should look for upcoming festivals that may bring great discounts with them. Don’t buy in one go You may find it easy and comfortable to ‘add to cart’ many items and make payment, but this might not be the best way. Many times, we get some coupon/cash back after buying something that arrives after a couple of days of the purchase and remains in our emails or e-wallets. And after a few days, we see that there’s some cash in our wallet and spend that money carelessly or for just for the sake of spending that money. Hence, we must keep in mind the next purchase and do it when the cashback arrives. Find discount coupons Do not directly go to the e-retail site and enter the search query. Look for some coupons on your emails or leading coupon sites. These can give you a nice deal like Vouchershops.co.uk, just give them a look. You can subscribe to them to get emails about new coupons and offers. Image Source Bargain with the customer care If you have missed a good coupon and the coupon has expired, don’t worry, you can go to their Customer care and ask for it. There are promo departments in e-retail companies, they can extend your coupon deadline or can give you a new coupon code. They may say it’s difficult or not possible but if you bargain well, they’ll agree for it. And it costs nothing! Add items to your cart Add the items you want to purchase and leave them for a couple of days. There are many companies that ‘see’ that and will try to retain you and mail you some coupons, use them and save some more! Bargain for price drops If you have purchased a product and it is on sale now, you can go to their customer care and ask for refunds. There are many e-retailers that understand the frustration that their customers may have in this situation and refund the difference. Go for free shipping There are many of these websites that offer free delivery for a certain minimum purchase amount. See how short you are from that amount and add a few things that are from your daily needs and add them. Or, you can check with other sites that are giving free shipping on the same product with the price that might be the same or a little higher but cumulatively, it is lower. Go for that deal. Check on the return policy This advice might not look coherent here, but believe me it is. No matter what the company is, you must see if they have a clear return policy. You never know when a faulty product will arrive at your place. Most important â€" Compare offline It is possible that a product online is at 50% discount but in the local store it is available even cheaper and that too without delivery charge! Don’t go with the big discounts; know the actual price the product is worth of. In the end, I would say, online shopping is easy and comfortable, but it is up to us to make it a cheaper and smarter option.

Do You Know Your Gift [Infographic]

Do You Know Your Gift [Infographic] This holiday, the greatest gift you can give is yourself. In the context of your career, the only work worth doing comes from a place of enjoyment and expertise. Only 13% of people worldwide actually like going to work, but you can only be great at that one thing youll sacrifice everything to achieve. On the road to becoming your best professional self, the most important question youll ever ask and answer is this: What is your gift?

What Should Be Included in a Truck Driver Resume?

What Should Be Included in a Truck Driver Resume?A truck driver resume is the one that should be included to any of the recruiters. The purpose of this resume is to help the recruiter in getting a clear picture of your career, job history and experience. You can have so many versions of the resume but only few will be able to impress a potential employer. The idea is to prepare a resume for each and every position you have applied for.So, what is the requirement of your particular position? Well, if you are a driver with more than 12 months experience then you need to include this in your resume. Any further experience would not be mandatory, as this type of applicant usually gets top of the list. But, if you are the first candidate with less than 12 months of experience then it is advisable to mention the required years of experience.For the position as assistant driver with less than the average requirements then you need to mention your experience. It is the way you detail the exp erience that matters. That is the reason why it is advisable to keep some of the experiences brief.However, if you want to highlight the extra years you have gained over the years, then you need to highlight the extra years. As a result, some of the experiences can be left out completely. But if you have worked in different positions, then you should mention each of them. These points are very important in order to get hired.Some of the experiences can be entered in all, while some can be left out. The choice of the category is up to you. But, the most common categories include professional, medical, customer service, security, or mechanics.In case of jobs like trucking, they usually have many other qualifications as well and you need to cover all these areas if you want to get hired. This is one of the biggest factors in getting hired. If you do not highlight the skills you have gained in your work history then they will be hard to find.A complete truck driver resume is very import ant. You need to include all the details and information about yourself. Be sure to write down all the details about your education, experience, previous work and details about your company. But, it is important to be creative when filling in the details.It is always recommended to put your achievements in the truck driver resume. With this information, you can be sure to get a call back from a specific recruitment agency. So, have your resume ready for them.

5 reasons why you should stay in your uni town after graduation - Debut

5 reasons why you should stay in your uni town after graduation - Debut This post was written by an external contributor. Sarah Wilson states why grads should consider looking outside of London and opt to live in their uni town after finishing their studies.   So, you put on the mortar board and gown, snapped pics with your super proud parents and got enough likes on that perfectly-curated Instagram to leave you feeling validated for at least a week. You’ve graduated congratulations! Now, of course, comes the big, dreaded question What next? If you’ve been a student in London, the answer seems pretty obvious: where better to start your career then the capital? However, for non-London students, the answer is less obvious. It’s estimated that around a third of UK graduates head to London every year in search of work, which you may feel is the right thing to do as a recent grad. There are actually a tonne of personal and professional benefits you could reap from staying in your university home. So non-London uni students, read on You’ll be less out of pocket This is surely the most obvious and persuasive reason to avoid London after graduating. Your first job out of university is almost certain to be the lowest-paid position you’ll have during your career so why start in the most expensive city in the UK? If you’re desperate to make the move to London eventually, you’d be making a sensible choice by gaining experience in a cheaper city. That way, when you’re applying to jobs in London you’ll be able to go for more senior positions that offer higher rates of pay. Plus, living outside of London means cheaper transport, housing and living costs altogether. Finding a home will be much easier Speaking of housing, one of the great things about staying in a town you already know well is that you’re clued up on the best areas to scope out for flats or houses. That means less chance of ending up somewhere dodgy/unsuitable/miles away from your workplace. What’s more, you’ll already have contacts in the city who may know of rooms or flats available for you to live in avoiding the inevitable trawl of adverts and cringing at all the descriptions looking for a flatmate with “great chat”. No thank you. Networks This same network that you’ve built in your uni town could also work to your advantage when it comes to the job hunt. Your tutors, for one, live in the city. Use these contacts to ask around for any opportunities you may be surprised at what comes up. You’d also have an advantage applying for any jobs in fields that require knowledge of the city like local media, for instance. And if you do land some interviews, don’t forget to do some good preparation.  Of course, having a pre-established network is also great on a personal level, avoiding the dread of having to build everything from scratch in a new city. Navigation Personally, I’m rubbish when it comes to finding my way around in a new city, but that could just be me. One of the great things about living outside of London is being in a place that’s easy and quick to get around. Your friends might live in “London” but it can still take an hour and a half on a smelly tube to get to them think of all the time and money you’ll save living in a smaller city. And you wont ever have to worry about getting on the wrong branch of the Northern line. Result! Cities and towns have many different faces Some people are reluctant to stay in their uni towns because they fancy a bit of a change and feel like they’ve done everything there is to do in the place they’ve lived for the last few years. But living as a student in a city is entirely different from living there as a working adult. You’ll have different friends, a different schedule, and will end up doing all sorts of things that you didn’t while you were studying (like, being up in time for breakfast) which show a whole different side to a place you thought you knew. So before glumly googling “cheap areas to live in London” after your graduation ceremony, why not give some thought to staying put? You might save yourself money, stress, and sweaty commutes. Connect with Debut on  Facebook,  Twitter,  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights.

Does Anyone Care About Your Resume Font

Does Anyone Care About Your Resume Font Last week AOL Jobs interviewed me for an article about fonts and asked me which fonts were preferable for resumes. While many fonts including Arial, Arial Narrow, Times New Roman, and Calibri are fine, others really have no place on a resume. You can click the link to read about my opinions on resume fonts.But what struck me as interesting were some of the comments from frustrated job seekers saying the font shouldnt matter. And maybe it shouldnt. But it does.Recruiters and hiring managers are sifting through dozens, maybe even hundreds of resumes every day. If the font is too small, too bold, or too fancy they may just skip your resume in favor of something easier to read. And if your font is too whimsical or childish, or all caps they may just question your judgement.Put yourself in the readers shoes. Have you ever gone to multiple websites searching for a product or service? Do the aesthetics of the site influence the amount of time you stay on the site? If key information is diff icult to find do you spend a lot of time looking for it or do you move on to the next site? If the site has annoying pop ups or distracting music do you click away quickly? If the site doesnt look very professional do you question the quality of the service they are offering? Yes, you do.Its no different with resumes. The way they look is an important part of your professional brand. Select a font and resume style that is easy to read so the decision maker stays engaged and hopefully contacts you for an interview.

Remain Positive and Focused During Your Career Transition -

Remain Positive and Focused During Your Career Transition - Today, Im happy to share a guest post from my business partner, Hallie Crawford. Do you know you need a career change, but you arent sure what path to take? Hallie specializes in helping recent college grads and boomerangs identify their ideal career paths and make it happen. Visit her site to learn more about Hallie! by Hallie Crawford, MA, CPCC Does it sometimes seem like as soon as you decide to break the mold in your career and make a positive change, the whole world turns against you and tells you why you cant do it, its not possible or something else thats not very encouraging? One of the biggest challenges that people in career transition face is trying to convince their families, friends, coworkers and the people who know them best that change is a good thing. At a time when everything is in flux, its tough for us to reassure people we are headed on the path to success despite any obstacles which may surface along the way. We may even be uncertain ourselves! And because we frequently experience the most resistance to our ideas from the people who mean the most to us, it can FEEL like our core support system is caving in. As a certified career coach who has helped many people overcome obstacles and someone who has paved the way for my own career, I make sure my clients know where to find the best type of career support, at the time when they need it most. Here are five sources where you can seek out guidance, education even commiseration during your career transition period. 1. Career networking both online and in person. There are tons of career-focused networks and resources on the internet and in your local area. Do a Google search; Check out your home town paper to find out where the best career focused communities are hiding; Go out and mingle with like-minded professionals who are seeking a change in their own careers or who work in the field you would like to pursue; Participate in workshops; Contact your college alumni office; Attend a networking event. 2. Individual career coaching. A good career coach will never just hand you instructions, but is there instead to offer expert advice, an objective viewpoint, positive encouragement and suggestions to help manage your goals effectively, in a manner that works for you. 3. A career seeking buddy. Sometimes it isnt easy being that horse of a different color in your group of friends. If everyone you know is consumed with their corporate job but you have a strong urge to strike out on your own, you may get some resistance from those who cant relate or are concerned you are making a mistake. The solution is not to try and persuade the naysayers, but instead seek like-minded people or a supportive friend to commiserate with, share experiences with, and bounce ideas off of. Its so important to feel like you have someone who understands what youre going through during the sometimes unpredictable yet exhilarating career transition time. 4. A mentor or someone who has been there. Is there someone in your life who you admire because they didnt follow the status quo, made their own way or just seem to be living out an amazingly full and satisfying life and career? Maybe you have a friend, relative, or acquaintance who started their own business or managed to interweave creativity and flexibility into their professional life in a way that stands out from the crowd. Now is a perfect time to ask for advice and guidance from that person, listen to their story, learn from their mistakes, and apply this knowledge to the changes that youre going through in your own career. Most people are more than happy to share what they have learned. 5. Career education courses. Newspapers, career publications, public libraries, online career resources and even my career website, are all great places to discover reasonably-priced career education and transition courses. Become armed with the knowledge needed to begin your journey on the path to a more fulfilling career. When youre striving for a positive change in your life, the goal is to seek out experiences that help further along that goal, enhance your knowledge, and offer positive feedback. Its understandable that our human support group wont always exist in the places where were used to having it but help is out there. I have confidence that you will receive the guidance and understanding you need to move forward with your dream of the ultimate career for you. Good luck! photo by thomashawk