Professional Outlook, Inc. Recruiting Specialists

Once the preparation is done, the interviewing process is complete and your follow-up is finished, what comes next?  Hopefully a job offer!  You have put a lot of hard work into your job search.  You now are receiving job offers.  It seems like this would be the easy part of the process.  However, if you are making a career move, you know how much is at stake.  Your decision will literally change your life.  Often, your job change will also effect spouse, children and friends.You cannot take the offer stage lightly.  Many areas need to be evaluated. Read on to see criteria design to help your decision process: (more…)

One of the most common mistakes job seekers make when initially going into their job search is underestimating the true importance of their resume as well as the role of it in the job search process.
Let it be known in no uncertain terms: Your resume is by far the most important piece of the puzzle to landing your next job. Why? Because without a resume that gets you recognized and shows your prospective employer why they need to consider you immediately, you won’t even end up being contacted and interviewed. Instead, your resume will join the countless resumes that are filtered into the trash.

So, with that said… read on to see the seven deadly mistakes that job seekers commit when writing their resume: (more…)

How do you explain being unemployed for an extended period of time? The way you address this issue during an interview can make the difference of you receiving a job offer or being screened out. On your resume show “what” you have been accomplishing since your last job. Have you worked part-time, in a temporary assignment or on a contract? Have you volunteered your time while searching for a job? Did you enroll in courses to enhance your skills? Have you done some consulting? (more…)

Over the years, we have covered numerous high-tech medical advances in that allow us to better understand brain function, treat disease, and capitalize on human ability. For years now, we have known about a low-tech method of increasing human ability called Brain Gym®, but only recently has one of its most effective spokespersons, Jerry Teplitz, JD, PhD, released a book detailing business applications that increase sales and generate happier and more productive employees. (more…)

By Bill Radin
www.billradin.com

Would you dump your life savings—every single dollar—into a single NASDAQ stock? Probably not. It’s far too risky to put all your eggs in one investment basket.

And yet, you’d be surprised how many people manage their careers with a single-stock mindset. They toil away, year after year, investing their talents in a narrow field of interest. Until recently, this approach made a lot of sense. Conventional wisdom dictates that if you do one thing really well, you’ll never be out of a job.

A New and Versatile Breed

But times have changed, and so have strategies. While it’s still true that a solid career is built on a foundation of position-specific expertise, it’s become increasingly important to maintain a balanced portfolio. (more…)

The results of your reference checks can determine if you obtain a job offer or if you are screened out. Reference checks are often conducted by third party companies who specialize in obtaining thorough reference checks. Whether your prospective employer or a third party vendor is utilized, it is very important who you choose to list as your references.

Here are some steps to follow:
1. Include both work and cell phone numbers for all of your references.
2. Inform your references that you are listing them as a reference and describe the type of opportunity you are targeting. This helps your references know which talents to stress during their conversation with your potential employer
3. Make sure you have the correct spelling of their name and title. Titles are easy to verify and you could be eliminated from consideration for listing an inaccurate title.
4. Only list supervisors if possible

If you know your reference has left the company, take time to track them down and list their new work or home telephone numbers. You want to make it as easy as possible for your prospective employer to contact your references.

Interviews are often designed to be the second part of the interviewing process.

The first step is typically looking at and screening your resume. They usually choose anywhere from five to ten and then narrow down to two or three resumes to actively pursue. The interviewing process is different for every corporation. Some companies have one or two interviews; others may have as many as five. Typically larger companies may require interviews with several different individuals. For example, HR may be the initial interview, followed by interviews with various department heads or senior executive officers. In all situations, the goal of any interview is the same. An interview is designed to determine whether or not an individual will be a good fit for the company. (more…)

When applying for a position, it is important to note the transferable skills you may possess. The following are five of those skills valued by employers:

Coping with deadline pressures – Prove to your prospective employer that you can function effectively and meet deadlines even when the timeframe is notably hurried.

Negotiating – Discuss where you have been able to resolve differences between individuals or groups.

Speaking - You will be perceived as a leader if you can talk publicly, prepare remarks, and effectively present ideas. If this is not a comfort zone for you think about joining Toastmasters.

Writing – Writing effectively is a skill most employers desire. Write letters to the editor of every publication you read. Write a newsletter and have samples you could share during an interview.

Organizing/Coordinating – If you have organized an event or managed projects it is assumed you know how to delegate tasks and achieve goals. Begin with organizing your own life, files, records and important documents. Prosperity is never attracted to disorganization and neither are job opportunities.

It is a whole new world in resume writing. Gone are the days where you could grab a template, plug in your employment information and write a quick summary. Granted you can still use a good template but the summary is now critical and can either get you that all important interview or have your resume lining the trashcan in the hiring managers office.

With many qualified applicants vying for the same job having a resume that stands out is paramount. One of the first steps in achieving a stand out resume is to remove the old cliché phrases that EVERYONE puts in their resume. One hiring manager of a Fortune 500 company recently explained what criteria they use as a first run through of any resume they receive. If a resume contains any boiler plate, cliché, or “business speak” phrases it is discarded. This was done regardless of the qualifications of the applicant. Surprised? (more…)

Many of you have asked us about the hottest careers for the future. We found a study that was included in the Labor Department “Occupational Outlook Handbook” that actually studied which jobs would have the greatest increase from now until 2018. The following are some of the occupations in our areas of specialization with the largest percentage growth expected through 2018

OCCUPATION PERCENTAGE OF GROWTH

• Biomedical Engineers 72%
• Medical Scientists 40%
• Biochemists and Biophysicists 37%