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 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.

The topic title will have surely got your attention. If it has, then I am sure you are a little too desperate to change.

But does desperate times calls for desperate measures?

There was this friend of mine who was desperate for a change. The world was reeling under recession. Pay-hikes were stopped. There were no promotions, no incentives and no bonuses. Even jobs were few. Options were limited.

But he wanted to change. He did not receive a pay-hike for the 2nd consecutive year and his promotion was delayed because the organization decided to put a hold on promotions.

His job search went on for months -  5 months to be precise. But finally he got a break. The organization was very small. The hike was not too much. Facilities were minimal. But he got a better designation. His desperation finally ended.

Fast forward to 7 months.

His old organization declared a handsome bonus. The appraisals across the organization was extremely good. Promotion eligibility changed and a lot of people who were less tenured than my old friend got promoted.

Today he wants to come back to the organization because he is fed up on the lack of work culture and ethics. He regrets his decision to join a not-so-known brand name.

This is not just a one-off example. This is something that we see across organizations with a lot of youngsters for whom career is just about jumping organizations or, getting a pay hike in about 6 months.

It is never advisable to be desperate. You should be desperate for a good career but the desperation should not be to change jobs frequently or, for a short term salary hike.

Without being desperate for a job you can still manage to find an employer who can manage your skills.

Some important points that you should bear in mind in a desperate situation are -

• Spend time in job search and also spend time in networking. It is highly likely that between two equally qualified employee, the one who has a referral will get selected.
• Don’t show y0ur desperation, stay calm and display patience.
• Prepare well for the interview – learn about the company as much as possible. It shows that you studied the company and it will differentiate you.
• Don’t hide that you are in the market and looking for a job. The more you are open the higher the chances that someone will be able to help you.

The key to building a long term career is “PATIENCE”. You should not be looking at your achievements in a short term time-frame. Instead look at how your career is shaping up across about 5 -6 years.

Remember – You are worth more than what a “Desperate Career Move” will give you.

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

In this tough employment climate, education offers a significant advantage for a job applicant. An individual can even obtain an administration degree in their spare time if they are currently employed. Once someone has completed their degree program, they can use professional groups to find employment and update their skills. With online education and professional organizations, the sky is the limit for a person who is willing to put in a little effort.

Online degree programs have evolved over the years and have lost their former stigma. With more people trying to earn degrees while still trying to work and take care of their family, online education has become a popular choice for many students. With their classroom interaction, student support and chat rooms, online education combines the best of traditional college programs and independent learning. Students can interact with classmates and their instructors in a real time setting to ask questions and work on assignments, but still work on their own if they prefer. This method of obtaining an Administration degree is shorter than traditional schooling, but the work load is just as challenging and the skills learned are in demand.

Once an individual has earned their degree they can turn to professional organizations in their field. Professional organizations are groups where all the members belong to a particular profession. They keep one another informed on the latest information in their field; have workshops that help update skills, and network with one another about job opportunities.

Organizations such as the International Association of Administrative Professionals (IAAP) and the Association of Administrative Assistants (AAA) offer meetings, workshops, certifications and networking opportunities for its members. They are a great way to learn more about the profession and the skills needed to succeed as well as job opportunities.

One option for those in the Administration field is to work from home. With the high unemployment rate, many people are turning to self-employment and the flexibility working from home provides. Many organizations hire telecommuters and sub-contractors who work from home because they are less expensive than traditional employees. While employers are looking for those with experience, they will often hire someone who has a degree in the Administration field, and if the applicant has both a degree and experience then they are in demand.

There are organizations for those who are looking to work from home. The International Virtual Assistants Association and the Virtual Assistant Association for Administrative Consultants are two highly recommended organizations that can help people succeed in the virtual world

Obtaining an Administration degree is an important first step in career advancement. Joining professional organizations, however, help a person keep up to date with the trends in their field and hone viable skills. Networking with members of the organization helps people find jobs and opportunities that are available to enhance career success.

Resources:

International Association of Administrative Assistants (IAAP) http://www.ivaa.org

Association of Administrative Assistants (AAA) http://www.aaa.ca/

International Virtual Assistants Association (IVAA) http://www.ivaa.org

Virtual Assistant Association for Administrative Consultants (VACOC) http://www.virtualassistantnetworking.com

Do you really have to rely on your networking skills in order to grow in your organization?

This era is of networking. Business have taken to networking in order to connect with their customers because they know that it is the network that they create with their customers that will get them more and more customers. Stats have proven that networking has indeed helped businesses multiply their sales and their profits.

So when businesses have taken to networking, why shouldn’t networking play a role in your growth in an organization. And it is true that networking indeed plays a big role in your career growth in your organization.

If that is the last thing you wanted to hear then, career development is not for you.

When I as a manager, sees a vacant position in my department or, line of business as they call it these days, my worries are about the process that I will have to follow to pick the best person. Interviews, written tests etc. are the normal parts of the process and even after exercising restraints and judicious decision making, I still happen to get the wrong guy into my department. This only marks the beginning of a long and tiring journey in motivating, counseling, reprimanding etc. etc.

Interviews and discussions have more or, less become staged role-plays. The interviewee knows what will be asked and also knows what is the expected response to the question. Impressing an interviewer is not difficult if you are even slightly focused. Though there are extremely talented interviewers who are able to count the pulse of a person just by looking at the way he is responding to a question, most interviewers are not that talented and have to depend on the 1-2-3s of recruitment and interviewing techniques that they have learnt in trainings. A lot of negative aspects of the candidates, hence go un-identified and you end up picking the wrong person. The end-result – CHAOS and TROUBLE.

Why would I want to take that risk, when I have an alternate way of picking the best of the lot?

I would prefer talking to my colleagues and peers in various departments and organizations and ask them to refer candidates they think are the best fit for the role that I have in mind. Professionals, if they are and friends that they are, they would refer people they know and who have a proven track record. Though I am ruling out the possibility of a mis-fit being referred, still I would prefer this channel to the other.

This is where networking comes into the picture. If you have a strong network with your co-workers and superiors and with people in the department that you wish to get into as per your career plan, the likely hood of a referral for you by one of these is much higher and the chances of you getting the role is also much higher.

So wouldn’t you like to network better now?

In a later post we can discuss about what all are the things to bear in mind if you are to successfully network.

CAPM stands for Certified Associate in Project Management and the certification is generally for people pursuing a career in project management or, wanting to assist and improve the general success of a project as a team member in their area of expertise. The CAPM certification is an entry level certification that aspiring project managers are encouraged to begin with.

With this credential, employers and interviewers can be confident that you can efficiently carry out the jobs entrusted to you.

It also states that you are serious and dedicated about your work because obtaining a credential requires dedication and discipline.

When applying for a job, many employers will give preference to candidates with PMI certifications over a candidate who does not have any such certification. They have an idea of what to expect from a credential holder as opposed to someone else with the same amount of experience with no credential. A credential will present your resume with an edge and allow more possibilities to hone your skills and foster enough experience to eventually become a PMP.

To be eligible for the CAPM, you must fulfill certain requirements. You must have a bare minimum of a high school diploma or, global equivalent and acquired 1,500 documented hours of work on a project team, or enroll in 23 hours of project management courses. These requirements have to be completed at the time of application. You must then pass the three hours, 150 questions exam that’s based on the PMBOK (Project Management Body of Knowledge) guide.

It is highly recommended that you prepare yourself for the exam by taking a training course. If possible, you should take courses that add to college credits or, PDUs (These are Professional Development Units that you will need to maintain your PMP credential). Courses can be very intensive and lasts about 16 to 40 hours. For best results, the exam should be taken right after the course so that information is still retained in the memory.

One should not underestimate the value of a CAPM certification. The benefits of education, experience, and opportunity it imparts to a person serious about professional advancement, commands respect and can not be overlooked. Aspiring project managers are encouraged to obtain this entry level certificate to launch their journey of becoming a project management professional.

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Project management professionals from across the world, all have a goal of climbing the ladder to success while doing great things along the way and challenging themselves to see what their strengths are. They want to be acknowledged for all the hard work they put into the company. PMI certifications can fullfill this ambition that many professionals have..

PMI credentials have gained recognition throughout the world so much that regardless of where you go, you will be looked upon with admiration because you were able to obtain what many in your professional community were not.

Businesses all over the world will place you at a higher level than other workers because they trust that you are dedicated and serious to whatever projects you are given.

Not anyone who applies for a credential will become certified. PMI certification requires candidates to satisfy a set amount of extensive education and actual experience prior to taking the exam. They have to prove that they’re able to work with various project management situations.

Acquiring a PMI certification will not only allow you to be recognized all over the world for your project management skills, but you will get to benefit from other indirect effects that a credential will have.

Your knowledge of project management will increase along with your skills. Your hard work will prove beneficial as you learn more about the art of project management. Your salary may increase because you are now more knowledgeable and experienced than ever before. Your self confidence will reach new heights while your peers look upon your with high regard.

Types of PMI certifications -

There are five PMI credentials that you can apply for based on your level of education and experience.

Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) – The CAPM contributes as team members in their area of expertise.

PMI Scheduling Professional (PMI-SP) – Holders of this credential are experts in project scheduling management.

PMI Risk Management Professional (PMI-RMP) – These credential holders are experienced in project risk management.

Project Management Professional (PMP) – The PMP leads the project.

Program Management Professional (PgMP) – The PgMP oversees, defines, and initiates multiple projects.

Each PMI certification requires a set amount of education and experience before you can take the exam. For example, PMP certification requirements include a high school diploma and 5 years of experience with a minimum of 7,500 hours of leading and directing project tasks and 35 hours of formal project management education. Applicants with a four year degree need 3 years of project management experience with a minimum of 4,500 hours of leading and directing project tasks along with the 35 hours of project management education

As you can see, meeting the requirements will need a lot of time, effort and dedication on your part. You will also have to prepare for the lengthy exams by studying hard and taking exam simulations and joining training courses.

Getting a PMI certification is not easy, but becoming a credential holder tells a lot about who you are, what you’ve done and what you’re capable of. It shows that while you were climbing the ladder of success, even though there was a higher level of step that seemed unreachable, you persevered and attained your goal because you knew how important that next step would be for yourself and for the projects that companies will entrust you with. PMI certifications can not be achieved by just anyone, but only by those who have the work ethics and determination to take on tough projects and situations.

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Was there really a recession? Were you able to see it? Did you experience it?

I still remember a post that I had written about an year back on the job change confusion. The US economy was hit by one of the worst recessions and the Indian economy felt the ripples. Almost all the industries felt it and took some very harsh decisions including laying off a lot of employees and putting a freeze on hiring. There were not too many organizations that were interested in appraising salaries or, paying bonuses even. They wanted to remain conservative in spending and hence decided against doing any of these.

The Million Dollar Question

But the million dollar question was – Was it actually due to the ailing economy or, was it a deliberate attempt on the part of the organizations to save on the funds disguising recession?

Whatever the situation was, there was no or, very less job options available in the market and there was all-round firing happening. So the advice from any job counselor would be to stick to your current job and not look for a change.

For those of you who opted to stay with your current employer, even though pay-hikes were negligible, there is good news finally. The economy is opening up and organizations have started hiring.

The Situation Now!

The recession is finally over. Almost all economies have started recovering, including the US economy. Organizations that were in a strict cost-efficiency mode have finally decided to shed their inhibitions and re-open. Although the fact remains that recession is over and the economies are opening up, the recovery is yet not complete.

An ambiguous explanation to the entire situation. Right?

I would not want to question your thoughts because it is true. The explanation is indeed ambiguous. As a matter of fact, nobody can say it with conviction that the recession is finally over. Just as it went into a spiraling downward movement about an year back taking everybody by surprise, it could come up or, even go further down.

If that be the case how will you take a call, right now. What should be your plan of action?

The Plan of Action

Don’t take any hasty decision. Take a planned and calculated course of action. It is true that organizations like Infosys, TCS etc. have announced their ambitious hiring plans. Other organizations like American Express and Barclays are also hiring. So there is no doubt that there are a lot of opportunities. But it is advisable that your choose your career options very carefully.

If you think that your current organization is not doing too well or, that your appraisal is not satisfactory, you should look for a change. If you current status is not too good, then you can pick the next best opportunity that is coming your way. But if your current organization is stable and your role is kind of satisfying, then you should wait for a comparatively better opportunity. Till then you should stick to your current role and stay tight.

Economic situations like the one that is prevailing calls for a well-thought about career move. The volatility in the economy still remains. Think and decide.