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Building a Resume for a New Career

The first thing a job seeker must know before looking for a job is that one format of resume isn’t fit to send to all types of company. Each business requires different set of skills that must be featured in different resumes. To put it plainly, a resume must be custom made for the position you’re applying for. So what happens if you’re changing careers? Same thing, you have to let your resume advertise you.

When in between jobs, don’t just shower your resume over a number of vacant positions and hope for the best. Rather, look for a specific position, something that you are confident you can fill and exercise your wiles. Study your “target” job carefully and determine the skills and knowledge needed to fill the position. You can list these down as you go along to better have a summarized idea of what you are aiming for. When done, start itemizing your skills that could fill those much needed gaps. It is up you if you want to take the time to develop the skills that you don’t possess, however, don’t take too long as the position could be filled up by the time you finish. When done, your newly acquired skills will now be a focal point of your resume. Work them into the summary of your career history; highlight the experiences and strengths relating to your “target”. Don’t just insert the skills; instead re-write the whole resume so you could rearrange the whole content to emphasize your focal points.

As with any other resume, proofread your work and make sure that there are no grammatical and spelling errors. It could also be helpful to ask someone to proofread it for you  as new eyes will be more susceptible in spotting errors.

Getting Promoted in the Job

Some people are under the misconception that if you work in a particular job long enough, sooner or later you’re going to get promoted. Nothing can be further from the truth. Although duration of service is also a consideration, job promotion is a result of various factors that must be considered. What are these?

Well, first you have to get noticed. And by that I mean get promoted for doing good things, like always being on time, being responsible and doing excellent work. Note that I said excellent, not good but excellent work. Make sure that the people doing the promoting know of your accomplishments. However, if you do manage to make excellent contributions to the business, chances are you won’t have to advertise yourself too much. It just doesn’t look it, by employers are always looking for people to trust in the business. When they start that roving eye, make sure that you’re well in the spotlight and backed by a number of accomplishments. Remember, getting noticed is one thing; getting noticed for the right reasons is another.

Second, you have to learn new skills. One reason for getting advanced to the next rank is because you have shown and acquired better skills than the others from your office. Learning doesn’t stop when you graduate and the process of life is a continuous accumulation of knowledge. Nowadays, it could be very handy to learn more about the workings of the computer since it appears that most transactions involve technology. Also try having a mentor relationship with some of the older employees. Don’t act like you know everything and let the older hands lend you their knowledge regarding the business.

Lastly, don’t disregard company rules. Doing excellent work doesn’t mean you’re exempted from the policies. Always be on time and wear appropriate clothing.

Avoiding Injuries at Work

So you think job injuries only happen at the field? You’d be surprised how your average work environment can be a disaster zone especially if you mix it up with good old fashioned carelessness. It could be something as simple as a sprained ankle or as major as a dislocated bone, the fact is these injuries can mess up your work environment. Whether you find yourself having these problems often or not, read on to avoid or minimize injuries during working hours.

Bend, don’t break

When lifting or moving heavy objects, avoid too much twisting of body faculties. The knees are there to support you, so make sure to bend them to gain leverage when doing a particularly heavy task. Twisting, especially along the spine can cause damage.

Walk, don’t run

No matter how important those papers are, it just isn’t worth a hazardous sprint in the office hallway, especially if you’re wearing those new high-heeled shoes.

Clean Up and Report

A messy desk could sometimes lead to problems. I know of someone who was busily looking for particular papers on a messy desk, accidentally bumped a paperweight that landed on her toe. She hobbled for the better part of the week. If you see problems in the workplace that could probably lead into problems, report them. For example, a wet floor could just be lying in wait for the next person who would rush through the hallway.

Stretch your Legs

And by that, I don’t mean just the legs. Keeping your neck, legs, arm, feet or back in limited positions could result into backbreaking aches after office hours. Take a few minutes to stretch your muscles when you start feeling a strain.

Follow Safety Policies

Your safety is also a concern of the company. Follow them.

Misleading Career Concepts

People say a lot about jobs, however not all of them are true. Especially now with the dawn of technology, internet, programs…even those time honored instructions aren’t applicable anymore! Learn to sift through work related fallacies that could detract you from having the career of your life!

The concept of “One Career”

This is very important. Back then, specializing on one particular subject brings in the cash. Nowadays, it’s better to be a “Jack of all Trades”. Specialization is ok, but with the economy taking in the movements of a roller coaster ride (up, down), you’ll never know if what you have now would still be in demand tomorrow. So it’s always better to know something more. Tip: Get to know the world of computers, nowadays; it’s a very important addition to modern life.

The concept of a “Dream Job”

This follows the paragraph above. If you’re a jack of all trades, then basically you can take up different types of work. And yes, maybe in your mind you have this “I want this job, this is the job for me”, but as you go on, you’ll find that other jobs are also “for you”. It just takes a little “getting to know period” before liking or even loving a new job.

The concept of “Balance”

Basically, it’s like school. You study hard, but you also party a little. Having a career doesn’t mean you have to abandon your social life. Internet, magazines, television programs and other types of media are littered with tips on how to balance working life with your social life. It’s just takes a little time management. Don’t be fooled by people saying you have to give up one in favor of another. It’s completely possible and acceptable to have life outside the office.