Good Prospects in your IT Career

For A Good Career Tips Read On....

A) Forget the Resume

In finding a job, a resume is the last thing you need. You don't need one to get a job in this climate of almost limitless opportunities. Make a phone call and get an appointment. If the company has been running ads looking for people, they will be happy to hear from you and will arrange an interview. If they ask to see a resume first, simply say you will give it to them in person or as soon as possible after the interview.

Quoted by James Challenger, president of outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas Inc., in Industry Week

B) Resume Tips

Resumes are vital to the job hunt. Your resume is one of the most important tools you can use in getting a job. The importance of making a good resume cannot be understated.

The primary objective of a resume is to generate enough employer interest to secure your interviews. The resume is a complete, concise, clearly stated summary of your strengths, as they apply to careers. Strengths are found in experiences, activities, education, personal qualities, skills, background, and objectives. Knowing both yourself and the requirements of the job/career you seek is essential to effective resume writing. This knowledge will enable you to do the best job of highlighting your background for potential employers. You may need more than one resume each with a different emphasis depending on the particular position you are looking to get.

The three key ingedients of a successful resume are

* Readability,
* Overall Presentation &
* Conciseness

Here are some essential tips:

* Think of your resume as an urgent telegram or e-mail message. What crucial information does the reader need to know about you? And don't be afraid to use phrases rather than sentences.
* Common headings used in Resumes are Objective, Experience, Employment, Work History, Positions Held, Appointments, Skills, Summary, Summary of Qualifications, Accomplishments, Strengths, Education, Affiliations, Publications, Papers, Honors, Personal, Additional, References, etc.
* List your strongest points first to catch the eye of someone who is just skimming over resumes.
* Be consistent. Choose a pattern of spacing, an order of information presentation or a format of highlighting and be consistent throughout.
* Never lie: While you do not have to list every job you have ever had, do not fudge on dates, work history, skills and abilities, job descriptions, education or anything else on your resume. Remember: your work history, education and salary can all be verified. If you exaggerate your skills and get hired, most likely your skill gap will be discovered once you start. Keep the process honest.
* If you are sending your resume via email, never assume that you can attach a Word processor document to an email.
* Don't worry about the objective statement. For many, it's the hardest statement to write. It's probably a good idea to do your objective statement last.
* List your qualifications in order of relevance, from most to least. Only list your degree and educational qualifications first if they are truly relevant to the job for which you are applying.
* Put dates of employment on the resume: Resumes without dates of employment look as though you have something to hide.
* Include interests on your resume. Interests can reveal a lot about an individual - whether they are well-rounded, for example. Secondly, many interviewers can ease into the interview by asking applicants about their interests.
* Have a trusted friend review your resume. Be sure to pick someone who is attentive to details, can effectively critique your writing, and will give an honest and objective opinion. Seriously consider their advice. Get a third and fourth opinion if you can.
* Treat your resume as an advertisement for you. Be sure to thoroughly "sell" yourself by highlighting all of your strengths. If you've got a valuable asset which doesn't seem to fit into any existing components of your resume, list it anyway as its own resume segment.

C) Job Hunting While Still Employed

Searching for a new job without getting fired can be risky. But there are ways to minimize the odds of this occurring:

* Respect your employer's time. Looking for another position usually involves having to be away from the office for interviews. Use your vacation days, not sick days, for this purpose.
* Don't give prospective employers your office phone number. Use your home phone, and attach an answering machine to it.
* Be discreet about whom you tell that you're looking for another job.
* If you are offered a new job, inform your superior immediately. And don't use your new job offer to try to negotiate a counter offer from your employer

Source: Robert Half in "Management Accounting".
Increasing Promotion Chances

D) If you seek a promotion, take the following suggestions one step at a time:

* Make sure you want a promotion. Set your own objectives. Goals must be deadlines to provide a sense of urgency.
* Respect the chain of command. If you appear to be more interested in your own success than that of your company, people will be motivated to resist you rather than support you.
* Make a list of people with whom you have a neutral or even a negative relationship. Your basic approach will be to take a genuine interest in each of these people. Offer to help them in an area of your strength, or ask for help in an area of theirs. Keep in mind. Human relations come before productivity.
* Don't let yourself stumble over the dollars. Is the desired increase one where your entire job is redefined at a different and higher level?
* Beware of your company's formal routes for advancement, such as job postings or career-development programs.
* Don't accept any promotion that interferes with your enthusiasm for your work.
* Make a "hit list" of your 10 biggest time gobblers. Review them frequently and try to eliminate as many as you can.

E) Dissatisfied with Your Job?
Before Jumping Ship, Try This.

Consider working on a solution before jumping ship.

Why: There's no guarantee your next job will be any better.

How: Try to negotiate your future with the boss.

Consider these tips:

* Start with a plan. What are you seeking to make your job better? How can you get it?
* Be brutally honest with yourself. Make sure you're capable of handling what you seek. Determine if it's available.
* Meet formally with your boss to go over your plan. Unlike at a performance review, here you drive the discussion.
* During the meeting, ask your boss to analyze your skills and potential. Repeat what he or she said to make sure you understand each other.
* Give the boss your view after hearing hers or his. Don't be argumentative. Try to reach a compromise.
* Once you've agreed upon a solution, do everything to advance it. Example: One woman wanted a transfer to her company's trade sales unit; she prompted invitations to trade sales meetings, developed contacts and learned what was necessary to succeed in that unit.
* Don't expect quick action: changes take a little time.

F) Preparing for Change

Chances are one in three your job will disappear in the next few years. Are you ready for that possibility?

* Get ready now. Create a file of documents you need, particularly appraisals, recommendations, employee handbooks, and, your updated resume. List questions you'll want to ask, such as how long you'll receive benefits after you're fired.
* Tend to your networks. List all the people you know who have good jobs. Stay in touch with them.
* Keep up with your profession. Learn something new.
* Put your finances in order. Determine how long you could pay your bills without an income. Take steps to extend that period.

If the worst happens and you lose your job, try to relax and enjoy the time off. Remember that 40 percent of unemployment is about finding new work and 60 percent is about keeping yourself alert, productive, and positive.
Move Up or Just Move Over?

To find out whether you're ripe for a lateral or a vertical move, ask yourself these questions:

* Do you need a change, but aren't exactly sure what?
* Has your current job become boring?
* Have you done any previous work with a different department where you've garnered some experience?
* Do you feel you're going through a phase, or truly fed up?
* Are your skills suited for your current job, or would you be more effective in a different division?

If you answered "yes" to any of these questions, a lateral move might be a good idea for you.

As for a vertical move, ask yourself these questions:

* Are you suited for your current, or do you feel better qualified for more?
* Do you feel your skills would be more effective after a promotion?
* Are you well respected among your peers and higher-ups?
* Do you plan to stay in your current company for an indefinite period of time?
* Have you taken classes that document new skills valid for promotion?

More "yes" answers mean you may be prepared for a vertical move that involves a new title, more money, and, of course, more responsibility.
Career Options

Do you love your job but have little faith in your employer? Maybe you hate your job but believe your company has potential. Whatever combination describes you, you should evaluate your choices:

* Stay in your job. Prove your value. Learn the business. Get involved.
* Change your job. Partner with your boss to change the nature of your work. Start small. Be patient.
* Change jobs within the company. Expand your networks. If your boss won't help, get someone who will.
* Move on. When you decide, take action. Line up a job before you leave. Don't burn your bridges.