The Healing River – Affordable Health Insurance Options for the Unemployed

If you recently lost your job, you may have also lost your health insurance. You have a choice to go without health insurance or to purchase it on your own. If you go without it, you could still visit local, low-cost clinics for your basic healthcare needs. However, if you develop any serious conditions that clinics don’t have the ability to treat, you could find yourself in a terrible financial situation trying to pay back your medical bills.

In most cases, it’s best to have some kind of health insurance at your disposal in case things with your health go seriously awry. Unfortunately, paying for health insurance when you’re unemployed isn’t always easy, especially when you consider that health insurance is typically more expensive for individuals than it is for employees. If you’ve lost your job and are looking for health insurance that will fit into your tight budget, here are a few options you can consider:

High Deductible Health Plans

High deductible health plans, or catastrophic health plans, generally cost less than regular health insurance plans, and they come with much higher deductibles. For instance, you might be able to pay around $50 a month for a high deductible health plan, and your deductible might be around $10,000. A deductible like this may seem pretty high, but signing up for this sort of plan when your options are limited could be worth it. If you needed your appendix removed, for instance, it could cost you around $150,000 without health insurance. With a high deductible health plan, it might only cost you your $10,000 deductible.

Short-Term Health Insurance

Short-term health insurance offers health coverage for a set number of months in exchange for relatively low monthly premiums. You can sign up for short-term health insurance arrangements that cost you as little as $30 dollars a month and that last for up to a year. These temporary health insurance plans generally come with relatively modest deductibles of around $2,000 to $4,000 and allow for a few doctor visits that are mostly covered by the insurance company. If you think you’ll start a new job with health benefits in the next year, this type of insurance could definitely be a good option.

COBRA Continuation Health Coverage

If you previously worked at a company that employed and insured 20 or more workers, you may be eligible for COBRA Continuation Health Coverage. COBRA health coverage is mandated by the federal government. So, insurance companies must offer most displaced workers who were employed at medium and large businesses access to health plans. These plans are a little more expensive for you than other options, however. They generally cost around $250 a month, but they do provide you with all the health coverage you benefited from as an employee, including low-cost doctor visits and a low deductible. In most cases, you’ll be eligible for COBRA Continuation Health Coverage for up to 18 months after you lose your job. If you lost your job due to disability or you lost your health insurance due to divorce, you may be eligible for a COBRA plan for up to 36 months.

There’s no need to go without health insurance, even if you’re unemployed. Allow the river of low-cost insurance to carry you through your unemployment, and protect your health and your finances!

This guest post was contributed by Susan. Susan is a freelance blogger who enjoys writing about automotive and health news, technology, lifestyle and personal finance. She often researches and writes about automobile, property and health insurance, helping consumers find the best insurance quotes online. Susan welcomes comments.

If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!

Tags: COBRA, guest, health coverage, health insurance, high deductable, Job Search, low cost, short term, unemployment

The Long Trek – Navigating The Concrete Jungle

If you live near a big city, chances are that you have to commute there several days a week alongside thousands of your fellow workforce members. You might make the ride into town for your office job, or maybe you’re commuting to a nearby college campus to take the classes necessary to complete your degree. Either way, you are in the car for the long haul, and there’s not much you can do to get around that simple fact.

Many people have a tidy commute of half an hour or less (extremely tidy in heavy traffic areas), but some poor folks have to drive over an hour and a half to get to their destination. If that’s the case for you, consider these four tips to help you go through your day without stressing about your travel time.

Audiobooks and podcasts

I don’t know about you, but I can’t listen to more than a few minutes of most of the radio stations in my city. When I’m stuck in traffic trying to get to my destination, I much prefer listening to an educational podcast or an audiobook version of the latest novel I’m reading to help me get by. If I have to sit in my car for nearly an hour, I might as well stimulate my brain with some thought provoking material to make the ride more worthwhile.

There’s a wealth of podcasts and audiobooks out there that cater to every interest and niche. The industrious college student can listen to scholarly podcasts on their favorite subject, while the office employee can choose innumerable “Did you know?” style podcasts on topics ranging from history to pop science.

Carpooling

Some people enjoy their solitude during a long commute, but you’d be surprised at the number of people who wish for company in the car. Have you ever considered how many people you’ve seen on the road driving alone but with their ear glued to their cellphone? They’re probably just trying to kill time the best way they know how.

Carpooling is the economic and environmental way to socialize during your commute. If you have a classmate or coworker who shares the same route, why not pick them up or alternate driving schedules so you have some company? If anything, it’ll help you and your friend save on gas money by splitting the difference.

Plan alternate routes

How often have you seen a car peel off from the congested highway to take a side street you wish you had thought to take? It happened to me all the time until I had the sense to plan out my commute the night before. I used all the navigation tools at my disposal (Google Maps) to plot out a route that shaved nearly fifteen minutes from my average commute. It was a process that took all of ten minutes, and it was totally worth it. You may have thought (like I did) that the major highway is always the best way to go, but there may be lesser-known routes that are speedier due to the enormous amount of jams that rush hours bring to the main road arteries.

Get comfortable

If there’s no way to significantly reduce the time of your commute, the best thing you can do is simply get as comfortable as you can during the ride. People turn their cars into a comfortable space in different ways.

You can make your sitting arrangement more bearable with ergonomic attachments meant to support your back and your neck. You can delay wearing your normal everyday shoes and put on comfortable slippers during your ride. Or you can simply bring a blanket and crank up the AC. Do whatever it takes to be more comfortable in your car, because the fact of the matter is that you’ll be in it for a while. Don’t get so comfortable that you risk dozing off, but you might as well enjoy the time!

What do you do to make your commute better in the concrete jungle?

The guest post was contributed by Katheryn Rivas. Katheryn is a freelance education writer and blogger. She loves to dabble in a variety of education topics, although her main interests include online learning and trends. She welcomes your comments at katherynrivas [email protected].

If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!

Tags: average, carpooling, city, guest, long commute, podcasts, stimulation, stress, traffic

The Landscape – Surveying The Job

“The Bare Necessities of any Job Hunt”

Whether you’re fresh out of college or a veteran of the workforce, establishing expectations is one of the biggest favors you can do for yourself when you’re searching for a job.

Many people are so consumed with obtaining a job they may have to forgo considering whether it’s a good job. Settling for a good enough for right now job is likely to be a poor investment, but unfortunately it is sometimes unavoidable. With so many dangers and pitfalls in the job search jungle, a survey of the landscape in any position will give you enough information about what kind of employment is right for you.

If you find yourself in a less than favorable position, turn it into a learning experience. Write down what you dislike about your work life, and consider what circumstances would make it better. This can give you a better sense of what you will want in your next position, and it could possibly inspire you to suggest changes in your current job.

For those young, bright-eyed college graduates who are not expecting the pitfalls such as office politics and income taxes, it’s easy to get blindsided by a job that seems appealing in the interview stages. The challenge is, without work experience, you may not know what you want.

In the jungle, you will need food, water, and shelter to survive. In the work world, salary, coworkers, and work environment are among the bare necessities. Here are some questions to help you whittle down your expectations to the bare necessities.

But first, let me explain that the bare necessities are different for everyone. Some people crave order and instruction, while others crave creativity and independence. Some people prefer benefits over salary, and some prefer great personnel dynamics.

How much money will I take home?

The least romantic (but most practical) question is often the first and only question that eager potential employees will ask. The answer to this question is more complicated than it seems. In addition to the salary, you will need to factor in the state’s income tax, cost of benefits and other costs such as commuting and purchasing new clothes. All jobs come with a price.

Employers are rarely upfront with starting salaries in the preliminary interview, which means you can be excited about a position only to be disappointed with the amount of money offered. Also, the opposite is possible. The job could sound iffy, but the money may be appealing.

Money is the bare necessity of any job, but it can’t realistically be your only gauge for whether a job will be a good fit. Before you step foot in an interview, know the absolute lowest amount you can afford to accept and be willing to negotiate based on the above factors.

Who is on my team?

This question isn’t just about who is on your team; it’s also about how your team operates. Office dynamics can ruin or strengthen a good work experience.

If you haven’t had enough experience to know what type of office environment suits you, consider what types of organizations or circumstances have allowed you to excel.

Think back to your strongest relationships among peers, employers, mentors, coaches, parents, teachers and professionals. Did you feel that the motivation was coming from a superior, your team or yourself? Chances are, you’ve found motivation in all three; but pick the one that made you feel the most successful and brand it as a bare necessity.

1. I respect strong leadership from my superiors.
2. I need a strong support system and open communication from my teammates on all levels.
3. I prefer minimal supervision for maximum creativity and success.

Depending on which type of communication you prefer, you can use an above statement to open up a dialogue with your interviewer about team dynamics.  The right communication is vital to feeling motivated, inspired and fulfilled at your job.

What are the working conditions?

Considering the job, you could be on the road, at a desk or under the sun. Asking this question in advance can help clue you in to overtime expectations. It can also prepare you for the challenges of the office environment. (No office environment is perfect.)

In this instance, your health is the absolute bare necessity. Make sure your work environment offers plenty of breaks and that it won’t strain existing medical conditions. If you feel it’s appropriate, inquire about social activities (sports teams, happy hours or charity events) that allow for a sense of community beyond the office.

Whatever landscape you prefer, keep your salary, coworkers, and working conditions on your mind for your next position.

This blog post was contributed by Mariana Ashley. Mariana is a freelance blogger who primarily writes about how online education and technology are transforming academia as we know it. Having spent a good portion of her professional career trying to reform high schools in East St. Louis, Mariana is particularly interested in how online colleges in Missouri make higher education a possibility for students of all backgrounds. Please contact her at mariana.ashley031 @gmail.com if you’d like to discuss this article or education in general.

If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!

Tags: advice, challenges, communication, communinty, coworkers, environment, experience, guest, Job Search, leadership, motivation, negotiaing, office space, research, salary, work, work-life balance

The Chimpanzee – Social Tips For Internship Survival

“5 Tips for Impressing Your Boss at an Internship”

In the African jungle, chimpanzees groom each other daily to solidify bonds with other community members. In the corporate jungle, helping out your co-workers during an internship can also help you develop relationships and improve your chances of survival.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, as the economy improves paid internships are on the rise. However, whether you are interning for a salary or for the learning experience, the relationships you develop at an internship will lead to valuable references and recommendations for the next steps in your career. Of all of these relationships, the one that you have with your boss is probably the most important. So how do you make the most of that opportunity? Here are five tips for impressing your boss at an internship.

1. Act like an employee.

One of the biggest mistakes interns make is acting as though an internship is just something that they are required to do. To make the most of your internship, whether it is paid or not, pick out the most positive cues that full-time employees are giving and follow them. For example, dress like others in the office even if the dress code for interns is more relaxed; offer to take a turn and bring in a treat if the office you’re working in has a snack day; or re-fill the coffee machine or copier as often as you can if it’s a shared responsibility. Make yourself part of the team and show that you have the savvy to fit into the environment of the workplace.

2. Keep busy – even when there is no work to do.

Since even a paid intern isn’t likely to be making as much as a full-time employee, managers often assign tasks to full-time employees first. By the end of the week, this might mean that there is no work for you to do. You should always ask your manager first if there is something to be done, but if there isn’t any work or your manager isn’t available, see what you can do besides surfing the internet. If the office plants need dusting or the shared copy room needs tidying, lend a hand. Offering to do filing for employees who seem to be drowning at their desks or just an extra hand to put together marketing packets will get you noticed as someone who is proactive and motivated. Even if your offers are not needed at the moment, advertising that you are available and enthusiastic will leave a great impression.

3. Be yourself.

When you leave your internship, you want others to remember you as a person, not as the temporary summer intern. The best way to make an impression is to be yourself, and not try to be someone else for the sake of impressing others. Be friendly, discuss common interests, and don’t be afraid to strike up a conversation with someone you haven’t met yet. They could be a valuable reference.

4. Keep a positive attitude.

Interns have a unique place in the office hierarchy, and occasionally this can engender bad feelings. For instance, a manager might assign a project to an intern that a full-time employee wanted to work on. This isn’t any fault of the intern’s, but it isn’t as though the intern can re-assign the project to the employee who wanted it, either. When office conflicts like these come up, it’s best to keep a positive attitude and not get caught up in recriminations. The worst thing you can do is be remembered as the intern who couldn’t rise above office politics.

5. End with a thank you.

Whether or not you learned anything impressive during your internship, if you want to encourage your boss to remember you in a positive light you should make an effort to thank him or her before your departure. Save the thank you letter for your next job interview; schedule a face to face meeting with your manager and let him or her know what you learned because of their leadership and direction. At this stage, it’s okay to exaggerate a little – for instance, if your manager tried to teach you something but you ended up having to ask someone else for further clarification, go ahead and give your manager the credit. On the same note, you can also let your manager know who else really helped you. Giving out such kudos will definitely help your manager remember you later, as the intern who made the most of the opportunity and wasn’t afraid to give credit where credit was due. You might even get called back for the next open full-time position.

This guest post was contributed by Laura McPherson. Laura writes for Masters in Accounting, a career resource for learning about getting started in the accounting career field.

If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!

Tags: advice, Career Path, dress to impress, economy, employee behavior, ethusiasm, expectations, first impressions, full time opportunity, guest, internships, new job, opportunities, positive attitude, positive thinking, proactive, proper behavior, relationships, skills, tips, volunteer

The Predator – Watch out for Exploitative Internships

For those who are still in college or just now graduating, the saying, “It’s a jungle out there,” is truer now more than ever. One of the many options that students or recent graduates flock to in lieu of full- or even part-time employment is the unpaid internship. Don’t get me wrong—internships, especially in certain hard-to-break-into industries like journalism, are often the only way to get your foot in the door. But in hard economic times, it’s not uncommon for companies and businesses to offer internships that are either exploitative, technically illegal, or some combination of both. Here’s what you should watch out for to avoid becoming the prey of shady internship programs:

1.      Ask former interns about their experiences; don’t join an internship program blind.

Thanks to the Internet, there’s plenty of information out there about both good and bad internships. Sometimes a simple Google search will suffice. You can also look into websites that rank and review internships, like Vault.com. Whatever you do, try to get in personal touch with a former intern—either through email, on the phone, or in-person—so that you understand from the horse’s mouth, so to speak, what the internship is really like.

2.      You should not be asked to do the same work in amount and kind as a full-time worker.

What makes an internship illegal is getting paid nothing to conduct “essential work.” Essential work is basically a full set of tasks that a full-time employee who gets paid does on a daily basis. Internships are essentially a networking opportunity combined with a few diverse tasks to give you a better idea of what the company or organization does as a whole. If you’re being asked to do essential work, then you’re working for a company that’s breaking the law. For more information about the legality of unpaid internships, check out this article.

3.      Always first seek out paid internships. They do exist.

Of course, the vast majority of internships are unpaid. But you’d be surprised by how many internships are out there that do pay, even if it’s not very much. Paid internships tend to be more serious in the nature of the work you’ll be doing, and they’re more affordable.

4.      There are definite alternatives to unpaid internships. You just have to know where to look.

Although many of my friends and relatives have had internships, and I’ve counseled younger people who’ve participated in good internships, I’ve never done unpaid work in my life beyond extracurricular volunteer work. When I graduated from college and couldn’t find work, I instead took on freelance projects as a writer and consultant. These (paid) projects can be just as rewarding as internships. You’ll establish connections that can lead to full-time work, you’ll learn the basics of various industries, and you’ll be getting paid to boot. So while internships can be wonderful experiences, you don’t absolutely need them to get your foot in the door.

In virtually every industry, there are predators out there. Don’t be their victim. Do your research and choose internships wisely. Good luck!

This guest post was contributed by Barbara Jolie. Barbara is a full time freelance writer and blogger in the Houston area. She enjoys writing about education and the advantages of online classes for all students. If you have any questions email Barbara at barbara.jolie876 @gmail.com.

If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!

Tags: advice, consulting, economy, experience, foot in the door, freelance, guest, hiring, intern, internship, internship programs, Job Search, networking, new grads, preparation, research, volunteer, writing

The Hunters – 5 Resume Killers to Avoid

Resumes are your first impression when applying for a job and first impressions mean everything. In order to land that interview, be careful with what you produce for your resume. Here are 5 common resume killers that are stalking you even now.

Generic wording: Your resume is your chance to speak and tell your possible future employer about your background and your capabilities before actually having the opportunity to meet with them. Therefore, it is very important that your words are clear and precise. Job descriptions and duties, objectives and hobbies should stand out, do not use generic wording, and use memorable words. Example of a bad objective: ‘My objective is to find a career and a company that I can grow with and excel in.’ the reason why this is bad because it says nothing about yourself and what you actually want. This objective statement is generic and boring. Think outside of the box and off the beaten path to evade this predator.

Job History: There are three things that can turn away an employer faster than you think: Lack of job experience, gaps between employment, and too much short term employment. If you have any of these things be prepared to explain, that is if the employer even considers your resume. These three no no’s are warning flags for employers. They will worry about your commitment to their company if they see lots of short term jobs. Avoid these three things before they spring their trap.

Misspellings, Grammar and Punctuation: It is very important that you review your resume several times. Once you have completed your resume, look it over and then pass it on to others to help you. Having an extra pair of eyes review your resume can help catch any errors. There are also very inexpensive resume services online where professionals can look over your resume and help you. (Editor’s note: There are also free resume workshops available through libraries, churches, community centers, and even some recruiting companies may do them from time to time. Attend as many as possible to receive feedback.) Clever tricks this jungle hunter uses can include words that are spelled correctly but are misused, typos in names, and inconsistencies in your style.

Contact Information: Believe it or not this is a very big problem in resume writing. Many people do two things, have inappropriate email addresses or forget to update their contact information with the correct phone number. To dodge this killer, first things first, we are in an age now where it is not necessary to put your address on your resume, (Editor’s note: an address may help you advertise that you are local to a certain area and tells recruiters to consider you for local positions.) a phone number and email address will work just fine. Secondly, make sure your email address is professional, [email protected] is not okay. If you have a common name and have trouble finding a handle that has not been used, try different variations of your name. Last, call the number you have printed on your resume, just to double check. You will kick yourself later if you found out you switched a number and missed a call from an employer.

Visually Unpleasing: You have the right idea when you want to stand out, but there is such a thing as doing too much and this hunter likes the super flashy. Avoid graphics, designs and colors. Keep it simple and professional. Also be careful with your line spacing and margins. Use bold and underline with dividing the sections of your resume up. You want it to be easy to read and not a burden to dive into. (Editor’s note: Also make sure your resume is not a pdf. These will show up as blank when parsed by several kinds of software that help companies gather resumes from popular job search sites.)

Now you know the things you should avoid during your resume writing. Don’t forget to have an extra pair of eyes review before you start sending it out and you should be safe. Resume write in groups to catch those hunters! Good luck in your job hunt!

This guest post is contributed by Kate Croston. Kate is a freelance writer and holds a bachelors degree in Journalism and Mass Communication. She writes guest posts for different sites and loves contributing  internet service related topics. Questions or comments can be sent to:  katecroston.croston09 @ gmail.com.

If you need help with your resume, grab a copy of TEN EASY STEPS TO A PERFECT RESUME from Amazon. It will really make the process a lot easier for you.

If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!

Tags: advice, first impressions, guest, Job Search, resume, resume workshop, resume writing, ten easy steps to a perfect resume, tips

The Octopus – Hiding Facebook For Future Employers

One of the most well-known defense abilities of Octopi, besides mimicry, is the expulsion of ink. The preferable defense, of course, is to simply not be seen. This can be achieved by squeezing into tight places and camouflaging to avoid detection. If they are spotted by a predator, the Octopus can eject ink in a large cloud to cover their escape.

For years experts have warned job seekers that their Facebook profiles and other social media accounts may very well hinder their chances of employment—anything like controversial statuses and/or unflattering drunken photos are enough to get your resume thrown in the trash can. After all, employers want someone who will be able to represent their business in a good light.

While in the past job applicants were able to safe guard and restrict their personal information from prying eyes simply by changing their privacy settings, much like the Octopus prefers to hide, some interviewees may no longer have that added sense of security. Employers are getting a lot smarter. Rather than hiring an expensive IT specialist to hack into your account or trying to “friend” candidates on the social media site, some employers are doing something rather blunt: directly asking for an applicant’s Facebook username and password during the interview.

Headlines report that this trend is slowly sweeping the nation. Employers ask job applicants for log-in information so that he or she can evaluate the applicant’s Facebook page later on; or an employer will ask the applicant to log-on Facebook in front of him or her before the interview is over. It’s a technique that can definitely be seen as a violation of privacy. But for those desperate for a job, they have no other choice but to oblige to the interviewer’s request.

Other big-name companies like Sears may not go as far as asking for log-in information directly, but they do manage to get ahold of your Facebook profile information in a more subtle way: via Facebook apps. Some companies make job applications available on Facebook. In order to access and submit the application however, users must first agree to the app’s terms and conditions which specifically say third parties can access profile information such as photos and your friends list. Hiding may no longer be enough.

So what to do and how can you prevent your Facebook from hindering your employment opportunities? For starters you can do some major spring cleaning. Obviously setting certain photos albums to private isn’t enough, so back the photos up on your hard drive and delete sketchy photo albums entirely on your profile. It’s also a good idea to change what you post and the frequency —don’t complain too much or sound whiny (no dissing your ex or post about the turmoil’s of not being employed); be informative—links to news articles are ok because it shows that you know what’s happening in the world; refrain from posting too many YouTube music videos; and most importantly keep every status update G –rated.  Go ahead and delete a few statuses that you think might make you look bad. Facebook’s new Timeline makes this process a little easier.

If you think your Facebook is just too much of a mess, remember that you could always delete it—temporarily or permanently. After all, interviewers can’t punish you for having something inappropriate on your Facebook if you don’t have one.  Deactivating it during the period of applying and a few weeks after you’re hired is a great idea. But if you want to delete your Facebook entirely, remember you must e-mail the Facebook administration so that they can take it down for you. “Inking” the elements of your online presence that are less desirable to employers so that they cannot find them may save you, just like the Octopus.

Update! Facebook speaks out against employers asking for passwords.

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 @gmail.com.

If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!

Tags: application, Facebook, friends, future employer, guest, interviewing, online presence, online profile, pictures

The Map – A Guide Through The Jungle

Finding a job in the current climate is a full-time job in itself, but there are ways to make things easier on yourself. Use these points to draw a map to navigate through the job search jungle.

What’s your skill-set?

Firstly, be honest with yourself about the skills you have. Sit down and make a list of the jobs you’ve held in the past, the dates they covered, and the skills required. If you’re an experienced professional, limit your outlines to the most recent ten years. If you’ve been out of the workplace for a while, then list any relevant voluntary posts. If you’re new to the world of work, think about any mentoring or extra-curricular activities you’ve been involved in, including sports or drama. This information forms the basis for the professional experience section of your resume, which in effect is your calling card for jobs and can also be used to help fill in application forms. Other sections typically include some personal details, including how employers may get in touch with you, and relevant educational qualifications. Have a basic prototype curriculum vitae (CV) that you can use as the basis for different types of jobs and industries.

Where are all the jobs?

Secondly, think about the type of job you want, and where those jobs are advertised. Local newspapers and job boards are a great start, but many openings are now advertised only on the Internet. Many appear on professional job boards, but several are advertised only on the website of an organization. Many more openings are not advertised at all, and this is where you need to think laterally about your contacts. Do any of your friends or relatives work in organizations that are hiring? Which school did you attend? Are you aware of any alumni who have gone into businesses that are expanding? What agencies can you think of who deal with your industry, and have you registered with them? What technical and specialist trade magazines are there in your area? Even if they don’t carry situations vacant, the news items offer an insight into companies that are expanding. Many local libraries carry copies of trade magazines, so you can browse at your leisure.

Target your application

Thirdly, once you’ve found a vacancy that looks promising, go through the job description carefully. Make a grid of how your skills and experience are the best possible match for the vacancy, and mentally prepare for your interview by thinking of at least two, preferably three, concrete examples of how you displayed those skills in previous posts. Take your base cv and target it for the post.

Expand your skill-set

If you’re finding that many promising job advertisements you spy ask for skills outside your area, think about how you can upskill yourself. Is there a local college course in your area? Could you work on a voluntary basis for an organization to refresh your skills, and do some good at the same time?

Be realistic

You may also find, especially if changing industries or just starting out, that you need to revise your salary expectations or the type of role you’re willing to take. At the moment, it’s an employer’s market, and although history tells us that everything moves in cycles, flexibility is the key at present. You may also need to be extremely creative in the job titles and keywords you use to carry out your search. Once upon a time, a secretary was a secretary. Now, he or she may go by the title of executive assistant, virtual assistant, or clerical executive. And who’d have thought a librarian’s post would be advertised under the title of information alchemist?

Be patient

However you choose to carry out your job search, be patient. The right job is out there somewhere.

This guest post is contributed by Sally Derby. Sally is an experienced office manager with over twenty years of successful personal job-hunting experience in the administrative field. She writes for Degree Jungle on the topics of interviewing and helping candidates to sell their skills and expertise, on paper and in person.

If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!

Tags: advertise, advice, agencies, alumni, application, changing industries, cv, expectations, experience, guest, job openings, Job Search, keywords, networking, patience, preparation, resume, skill-set, unemployment, volunteer

The Jaguar – Online Tests and Survival of the Fittest

Online tests are the jaguar of the jobs world, as they prey on the weak and devour the unprepared. But unfortunately they are the future of recruitment. With such a huge number of people competing for very little work, having the right skills to fit your ideal role is more important than ever. We’re in a drought and the competition is tough, but to survive online tests you just need to follow these simple rules:

Stay Focused

This is the first thing to remember when taking online tests as any lack of concentration will cause you to make mistakes. It’s understandable to be nervous, but don’t put too much pressure on yourself to get through to the next stage as this will only distract you. In a stressful situation you may react differently and answer questions in a different way than you would if you were in a calm environment. To optimize your chances of surviving online tests choose a quiet place where you feel comfortable and eat beforehand to make sure you have plenty of energy. This will help you maintain control and stay calm. Deep breathing will also help if you’re feeling especially anxious, and don’t think about your competition!

Pace Yourself

One of the biggest mistakes you can make during online tests is to rush. Jobseekers tend to think they’ll run out of time and get caught out but take your time and read the questions slowly and thoroughly. This will help you digest the information and understand the questions being asked. One thing you can do to ensure you pace yourself is to read the questions out loud, or if you prefer to stay quiet write down the questions on a notepad to make sure you really think about what is being said.

Don’t Be Careless

This is linked to you pacing yourself, as spending time to thoroughly check your answers will ensure you don’t make any careless mistakes. Don’t rely on the online tests to warn you of incorrect spellings. Check a dictionary. If you do make mistakes, an employer may think you don’t pay close attention to details, and if the competition is fierce this could be your downfall. Make sure you read through your answers carefully, paying close attention to each word. Rereading sentences as you type them can also help with spellings.

Don’t Stray From the Rules

Often jobseekers get so caught up in the content of their answers that they forget about the correct rules of grammar. This could end your dreams of securing your ideal job, as employers are looking for reasons to narrow down applicants. Employers are looking for good, reliable writers who they can trust to send out written information on their behalf. To stick to the grammar rules and avoid mistakes, write straightforward sentences. Don’t overcomplicate your writing and reread each sentence to check for mistakes. Be specifically aware of any capitalization errors, missing punctuation, sentence fragments and sentence run-ons.

Follow Your Instincts

Another common mistake jobseekers make is to make assumptions about what the employer wants to hear. To survive online tests you must concentrate on what you think is the right answer, not what you think they want. Don’t be afraid to follow your gut instinct. Some jobseekers start to doubt their own ability and try to think from the employer’s perspective. But this leads to answering the question dishonestly, and above all else you need to stay true to yourself. After all, if you don’t get the job then perhaps the company wasn’t right for you. Nobody wants to get a job for the wrong reasons!

So those are the rules. If you follow these you’ll have more chance of surviving online tests and getting that perfect job.

This guest post is contributed by Sarah Leeds.

If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!

Tags: competition, detail, employers, focus, guest, Job Search, online tests, prepared, pressure, rules, screening, skills, stress, survival, testing

The Path – When there’s no “Path” to your Career Path

Those of us who reach a certain age with a resume full of professional disconnects are going to be in for a hard sell.  If you’ve cut a path through the jungle over the years, it’s OK if that path has a lot of twists and turns as long as it gets you from A to Z without encountering flooded rivers or giant waterfalls.  But if your path starts under this tree and then stops one hundred yards away, only to continue from a fresh starting point over on the other side of yonder savannah, it’s going to be tough to get a recruiter to talk to you.

There are several posts on this site that talk about assembling relevant experience to address this sort of issue; my suggestion is that you turn your resume into a theme park with clusters of job experience wrapped around a single skill set, such as marketing or advertising or regulatory affairs or whatever fields you’ve delved into more than once.  I’m assuming that you’re a serial career changer like me, with the resume of a dilettante.

To me the resume and cover letter is all about getting in the door.  What I have gotten results with on a couple of occasions is a resume that stakes my profession firmly in the ground where the recruiter is searching, and then leading with all of the experience I had with the various employers I’ve worked for.  I generally flat list prior employment companies and titles, going back as far as I think is necessary to establish my credentials.  Then I’ll list my accomplishments by function: twelve years of marketing experience in this role for Company A, five years as marketing director for Company B, providing marketing analysis for Company C.

The next mini-paragraph might list my accomplishments in advertising: managing the annual media buy for Company A, closing X deals with product distributors for Company B, launching the online sales and marketing effort  for Company C fifteen years ago.  And the following cluster might talk about another skill that I’ve developed as the result of employment requirements: working with governmental agencies on policy and rules as they relate to my employer.

All of that adds up to what I discuss in the cover letter, which is management in multiple environments for various functions involving public and commercial outreach.  Given the hand I’ve dealt myself – working with media companies, for mayors in two major American cities, for a professional baseball team, for a multimedia development startup – that’s the closest I can come to a thematic approach that (hopefully) shows a path through the jungle with one stretch connected to another.  And what I’ve found is that the more programmatic HR professionals will hit the delete button, but the recruiter who is intrigued by such a mix of experience might just give me a call.

This guest post is contributed by Bob Hartzell. Bob has been writing for five years about education and other life essentials on a variety of websites.  He writes about continuing education, career oriented degrees, both the baccalaureate and the graduate degree online, in recognition of the fact that the job market has undergone tremendous changes in the last twenty years.

If you have a great idea for a jungle-themed post, let us know! Guest writers or requests are always welcome!

Tags: accomplishment, career change, Career Path, employment, experience, guest, industry change, Job Search, multiple careers, relevance, resume, skill sets