This is a guest post by Danielle on evaluating potential employers. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page.

In the current economic climate, nationwide unemployment levels have reached nearly 10%. As a result, competition for jobs is fiercer than usual, which may result in those desperate for work being taken advantage of by job scams.

Knowing how to identify red flags and bad leads is invaluable to job seekers who can’t afford to waste precious time while looking for work.

Here are some tips for doing just that. Put these to the best use to identify your potential employer.

Evaluating the presence of your potential employer

Make sure the company you’re applying with has actual office space. If a company isn’t established enough to have a real location and/or headquarters, investigate deeper to confirm their legitimacy. You can look up a business’ information via the Better Business Bureau, as well as asking peers in your industry or at the local Chamber of Commerce.

If no one has ever heard of the company or you can’t find any information about them, it’s best to keep moving. Don’t fall for the allure of a fancy website design, as nearly anyone can create this false front.

Checking the Authenticity of the Ads

If an ad sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Some scams are easier than others to decipher, such as those that suggest employees can take home hundreds of dollars each week. While these positions are likely to exist in high-profile industries, approach job ads that make such claims with care.

Many may be commission-only positions that require personnel to provide up-front capital for materials, something that no reputable company should ever do.

Credibility of the mode of advertising

Be careful about applying for ads advertised on Craigslist, especially if a company is located overseas. Some ads can be well written but still be scams. You might submit your resume and cover letter only to find your email address added to a spammer’s database.

As you likely know all too well, getting away from spam emails can be difficult and will certainly add stress when you don’t need any other obstacles to your job search. Sites like Career Builder are far more trustworthy.

Evaluating the position and role advertised for

Avoid job ads that seek individuals to work at home doing tasks like envelope stuffing, email processing, or parts assembly. These tasks are generally handled by companies using an automated process, which essentially means you would be working at a fraction of their pace – and income.

If ever in doubt about a company’s employment process, ask questions. If you can’t get clear and honest answers in a reasonable amount of time, head back to the proverbial drawing board.

Caution about information disclosure

Never submit your Social Security number or bank account information as part of the application process. Submitting your financial information is not necessary for a company to conduct a background check and will only open you up to fraud and deception.

Concluding – Evaluating your potential employer

The longer you are out of work, the easier you likely are to panic about your future and need to get back to work. Living in a state of anxiety, however, isn’t productive to your health or job search process. Keep calm and approach your search with caution and wisdom. You want to devote your precious time to securing employment with a legitimate company, not trying to escape a junk mail whirlpool.

About the Author:

Danielle writes for SuitsAndLadders.co.uk. You can read more about her works at her blog.

This is a guest post by Angelita Williams on the traits of a good job candidate. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page

While a strong resume, showcasing professional experience, strong academic marks, and a balanced skill set is a perfect start to landing a rewarding career, there are several other attributes not on paper that employers are desperately seeking in their employees. All too often, job hunters rely too heavily on their resume and cover letter to land them the job of their dreams, without also considering how they present their “soft” skills to a potential employer. Demonstrating your own positive character traits to a potential employer during an interview and through your correspondence is just as important as your written credentials. These three traits are the most highly sought after characteristics of a strong and desirable employee.

Positive Attitude

Your attitude communicates more about your potential as an employee than anything else. Even the best of resumes can be a seriously unfortunate employee, if their attitude is bad. Positivity says so much about a person and can have so much to offer a company. Individuals who display a level of drive and enthusiasm for their work are always more successful at their job. A positive attitude in a professional setting helps to boost the company’s morale.

With happier employees, people are able to be more successful at their jobs. A positive attitude from just one member of a professional team can help to motivate others significantly. Employees look for job candidates that are energetic and excited about their job and their work. Though it sounds like the oldest cliché in the book, a positive attitude really can get you nearly anything. So, work to demonstrate your positive attitude, energy, and enthusiasm at work or during your job search.

Communication Skills

For the most part, the professional world is all about working with others to accomplish your goals. Of course, there are several careers that are more individually motivated, but we will always have to work with someone in some way or another in the professional setting. For this reason, strong communication skills are one of the most important attributes an employee can have. It is essential for the working order of any company or organization that the employees can successfully communicate their ideas and thoughts as well as easily understand the ideas and concerns of others.

With the ability to clearly articulate what it is you are thinking and what it is you need to succeed, you can produce a working environment that is efficient and successful. Communication is an aspect of every part of our lives and is often overlooked during one’s job search. If you are seeking a position, you must display your strong ability to communicate clearly and effectively. Moreover, you must also demonstrate your ability to listen carefully and effectively. Employers desire job candidates that can easily enter a new situation and communicate their thoughts and concerns, while also taking in others thoughts and advice.

Strong Work Ethic

While your work ethic is certainly an aspect of your attitude, it cannot simply be combined with the trait of having a positive attitude about your work. Your work ethic demonstrates your dedication to your work. Employers seek job candidates who love what they do and want produce the best work that they possibly can. Tenacity and dedication go a long way in the professional world. Obviously, if you are passionate about your work and passionate about doing a good job with your work, you are going to be a valuable employee.

One of the most difficult situations employers have to deal with is when an employee is capable of completing a job successfully, but does not have the work ethic to do so properly. An employer would far prefer an employee who has a strong work ethic, but is lacking some of the technical skill sets required to do a job. In this case, the employ will have the tenacity to learn that new skill set and complete their work to the very best of their ability.

Photograph courtesy jonny2love

About the Author:

This guest post is contributed by Angelita Williams, who writes on the topics of online courses.  She welcomes your comments at her email Id: angelita.williams7 (at) gmail.com.

This is a guest post by Erik on resume tips. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page

With unemployment on the rise, managers and employers are inundated with a mass of resume for each job opening they have. To secure the position of your choice, it is imperative to create a resume that catches the eye of your potential employer. By following a few simple resume tips, you can create an easy to read resume that boasts of your education, skills, and experience.

Resume Tips

It is often seen that people stuff a lot of unnecessary information into their resume which makes it look too boring. If your resume is not able to catch the attention of the person screening these, it is unlikely that you will be called for an interview.

These simple resume tips will help you create an attention grabbing resume.

Objective

This is one of the most important resume tips. Always start your resume with an objective – by doing so, you are telling the employer you have direction and are clear about your goals. This simple but clear objective can land you an interview; however, if your objective is ambiguous, it can hurt your chances for an interview. Carefully craft your objective to match the opening you are applying for as well as your goal for the job.

Presenting Work Experiences

As you organize your work experiences, internships, and skill sets, be sure to only include those that are pertinent to the job for which you are applying. Including additional items will only distract the employer. Keep your resume clear and concise. All resumes, with a few exceptions, should be kept to one page in length.

Accomplishments

As you list your accomplishment at your previous jobs, do so using strong verbs. Strong verbs give power to your statements. Be sure to tell the employer how you saved or, made money at your last job, if applicable. Action verbs as well as your ability to manage funds efficiently will sound impressive to a prospective employer.

Preparing to send your Resume

If you are applying for multiple jobs, e-mail is an efficient way to get your resume into the hands of many prospective employers. You will want to keep a few things in mind as you prepare your resume for e-mail. Print out a hard copy of your resume. What may look great on the computer screen may not print as well. Make sure spacing and headings print appropriately. You should follow up every e-mail with a snail-mail version of your resume.

Should you include a cover letter?

Another way to grab the attention of a future employer is to include a cover letter with your resume. The purpose of a cover letter is to offer a glimpse of your writing ability, your ability to communicate and possibly a more detailed account of an accomplishment. Take your time with your cover letter, as this will be the preview to your equally important resume.

As you begin the resume writing process, take some time to look at sample resumes online. A sample resume from your field can help you narrow your skills and accomplishments into an easy to read resume that will catch the eye of a future employer. It could also help you generate new ideas to better describe yourself on your resume.

Let us know your comments on how these resume tips helped you improve the resume.

Get your job search underway today by visiting the Total-Jobs website.

This is a guest post by Austin on the power of internship. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page.

Laying the foundation for a promising career begins with a good education and a healthy amount of motivation, but it doesn’t end there. An internship with a reputable company or, firm can give you the boost you need to earn job experience, build a professional network, and learn skills that you can’t acquire in college.

Get the most out of your Internship

But landing an internship isn’t easy: you’ll have to make yourself stand out among the competition. You’ll also have to make sure that you showcase your education and skills in ways that are easily accessible to potential employers. With a few tips, you can make your internship into a valuable and powerful experience.

It is important that you do not just do it for the heck of doing. These simple tips can help you get the most out of your internship.

Apply early for your internship

The early bird gets the worm—and the early applicant can often land the internship he wants most. Like full-time jobs, internships are often very competitive, and depending on the field you’re going into, the number of open slots may be small. Work with your school’s career center and your school program’s chair or department head to learn about internship opportunities as soon as they’re announced.

Starting a network of professional contacts can give you an edge as well: making connections at school functions and job fairs, and checking in with companies or firms you’re interested in working for can make you stand out in a crowd of resumes and online portfolios.

Keep your options open

Of course, there may be an internship that will help open doors for you and could lead to a fulfilling future. But you’re not the only person who’s coveting that job, so make sure you apply to a wide range of internships.

Applying to different types of internships can also help you diversify your interests and career plans: if you are, for instance, a graphic design student with a love for public service, you might consider applying for an internship at a non-profit organization that needs help with web or brochure design.

Harness the power of the Internet

Not every college or university has a career center, and some students might have to conduct an internship search on their own. If you’re at a school without internship help or you’re enrolled in an online degree program, the Internet can be one of your most valuable resources.

Internship websites—like job search engines—offer listings, tips and message boards for students searching for internship opportunities. InternWeb lists paid and unpaid internships for college students and new graduates. And Experience.com has listings for both internships and entry-level jobs, which can be used as a stepping stone to a better career for college students. Experience.com is also connected with LinkedIn, which can help you build relationships and create opportunities with your existing professional and educational networks.

Internship – your course of action

Securing an internship can be one of the most important things you do in your college career—so you owe it to yourself to get it right. Start early, apply to a number of different internship opportunities, and make sure you build and maintain your social and professional networks. The right internship can be your first step toward the right career path for you.

This is a guest post by Austin. You can read the guidelines to guest posting at our write for us page.

Working from home is a long lost dream of the American office worker, online university student, or stay at home parent. We have all said, at one point or another that the work we do could easily be done from the comfort of my own couch. While this may be true, doing work at home is much harder than most may think.

Consider the coffee shops around the world that are packed to the brim with “independent authors”, “social media gurus” and freelance writers. Take a moment to consider their limitations on workspace…they have none. They could easily be living our dream! Why don’t they? It makes little to no sense what-so-ever. This raises the question…how to establish a home work space that separates “home” from “work”.

It’s a must for the home worker, but can be difficult to pull off.

In order to solve this, most serious of problems, we must first completely understand the problem at hand. Let’s analyze the common reasons behind the lack of sanctity on working at home:

• Distractions
• Too comfortable
• Alone
• Lack of other working people

In order to successfully separate your work and home, we have to do just that. SEPARATE. First thing’s first – find your space, your work space, the space that will become your working sanctuary. Now, the obvious comes to mind in that you can make an entire room your workspace, but if that’s the case – you’re probably not worried about reading this article in the first place! So let’s consider some separation techniques such as; a sheet, a corner, a desk, a small nook or corner. Whatever you decide to use, just make sure it’s your designated place. When you’re there, you’re working – nothing else!

A popular option when workers are considering a workspace is creating one in the garage. This is an excellent option and often utilizes space that would otherwise go un-used to become riddled with clutter. This also brings up obvious concerns, such as climate – aka heating/cooling problems. We want our home workspace to be a year round sanctuary, not a seasonal spot.

The space you create is by far the most important and influential aspect of the office to home separation, but to go along with that you will need a few “office-esque” items. Search online for some fun organizational tools such as a whiteboard, or a chalkboard. Look for filling cabinets that will help fill in your space accordingly. Research shows that when a worker feels comfortable, or “tucked in” at their workspace, they are more efficient. So eliminate useless space, fill in the rest with organizational tool and items.

When considering, creating, and finalizing your workspace, remember one key aspect: the off switch. Your workspace needs an off switch. You have to be able to get up from your desk and be done working once you leave. A common problem with at home workers is their need and desire to never stop working, or the opposite. In either case, creating the proper workspace will be the biggest tool in solving this problem.