The Big Book of Job-Hunting Hacks: How to Build a Résumé, Conquer the Interview, and Land Your Dream Job

by Editors of the American Library Association, Brenda Bernstein, John Henry Weiss

Overview

A helpful compendium of tips and tricks to land the perfect job!

In The Big Book of Job-Hunting Hacks, experienced job-hunting professionals offer detailed advice on every step of the job-hunting process. From how to navigate the interview process, to how to create the perfect resume, this book will help you stand out from your competitors. With a new introduction by John Henry Weiss, president of a recruitment firm, that contextualizes the current economic state as a result of COVID-19, this book offers hundreds of practical tips for those laid-off, fired, or new to enter the workplace. Some of the information that this book will explain:

• Which questions you should be asking yourself while researching the market
• How to craft an effective cover letter
• The importance of a simple resume format
• How to negotiate a job offer
• How to build your own business
• And so much more!

Whether you're entry-level or nearing the peak of your career, The Big Book of Job-Hunting Hacks is the book for you!

Product Details

ISBN-13:	9781510763494
Publisher:	Skyhorse
Publication date:	08/18/2020
Sold by:	SIMON & SCHUSTER
Format:	eBook
Pages:	408
File size:	20 MB
Note:	This product may take a few minutes to download.

About the Author

Editors of the American Library Association, per their mission, provide leadership for the development, promotion, and improvement of library and information services and the profession of librarianship in order to enhance learning and ensure access to information for all.

Brenda Bernstein is the founder and senior editor at The Essay Expert LLC, and is an in-demand speaker, trainer, and consultant. She holds the titles of Certified Executive Resume master and Certified Master Resume Writer certifications from Career Directors International. Her self-published LinkedIn book has commanded the top ranking in Amazon’ s business writing skills e-book category since July 2012, and she is the author of How to Write a Stellar Executive Resume: 50 Tips to Reaching Your Job Target. She has over 15 years’ of successful written communications experience, from executive resume development to business copy editing to essay consulting. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.

John Henry Weiss is the owner and president of Weiss & Associates, an executive recruiting firm that conducts searches for companies in the education and communication industries. He is the author of three other books dealing with the workplace: Operation Job Search: A Guide for Military Veterans Transitioning to Civilian Careers, Moving Forward in Mid-Career: A Guide to Rebuilding Your Career after Being Fired or Laid Off, and Welcome to the Real World: A Complete Guide to Job Hunting for the Recent College Grad. In addition he has written job hunting articles for the Costco Connection magazine, Ms Career Girl, and FederalJobs.net. Weiss lives in Stockton, New Jersey.
Brenda Bernstein is the founder and senior editor at The Essay Expert LLC, and is an in-demand speaker, trainer, and consultant. She holds the titles of Certified Executive Resume master and Certified Master Resume Writer certifications from Career Directors International. Her self-published LinkedIn book has commanded the top ranking in Amazon’ s business writing skills e-book category since July 2012. This is the first trade edition of her book on executive resumes. She has over 15 years’ of successful written communications experience, from executive resume development to business copy editing to essay consulting. She lives in Madison, Wisconsin.
John Henry Weiss is the owner and president of Weiss&Associates, an executive recruiting firm that conducts searches for companies in the education and communication industries. He is the author of two other books dealing with the workplace: Operation Job Search: A Guide for Military Veterans Transitioning to Civilian Careers and Welcome to the Real World: A Complete Guide to Job Hunting for the Recent College Grad. Weiss lives in Stockton, New Jersey.

Table of Contents

Introduction John Henry Weiss xi

Part 1 How to Get a Great Job 1

Introduction: "Beyond the Books" in Today's Public Libraries 3

Chapter 1 Before You Begin 6

Chapter 2 Researching the Job Market 14

Chapter 3 Getting Down to Brass Tacks: The Ongoing Job Search 21

Chapter 4 Writing Résumés Right 34

Chapter 5 Crafting Effective Cover Letters 47

Chapter 6 Mastering Twenty-First-Century Networking 53

Chapter 7 Examining Potential Employers 68

Chapter 8 Honing Your Interview Skills 76

Chapter 9 Negotiating the Best Pay and Benefits for Your New Job 87

Bibliography/Webliography 98

Part 2 How to Write a Stellar Executive Résumé 103

Preface 105

Introduction 106

1 Context 108

Tip #1 Write for the FUTURE 108

Tip #2 Know Your Target 108

Tip #3 Know What Makes You Stand Out 109

Tip #4 Gather Information First 110

2 Getting Started 112

Tip #5 How Long Should My Résumé Be? 112

Tip #6 Résumé Tetris-What Order Should My Résumé' Be In? 113

Tip #7 Crafting Your Résumé Header-Don't Use an Objective! 115

Tip #8 Customize Your LinkedIn URL 118

Tip #9 Use a Professional E-mail Address 120

3 Content 122

Tip #10 The Danger of "Functional Résumés"-and the Benefits of a "Hybrid" 122

Tip #11 Create a Compelling Branding Statement and Summary Statement! 123

Tip #12 Delete These Words and Phrases from Your Résumé 126

Tip #13 Make Your Boring Résumé Bullets Sparkle! 128

Tip #14 Focus on Accomplishments 129

Tip #15 Tailor Your Résumé Bullets 132

Tip #16 Should I Have a Skills & Interests Section? 133

Tip #17 Should I Have a Separate Languages Section? 134

Tip #18 Consider Including a Chart, Graph, or Testimonial 135

Tip #19 "I" versus "We" 136

Tip #20 Special Issue-Filling a "Gap" 137

Tip #21 Special Issue-For "Older" Job Seekers 140

Tip #22 Special Issue-More than One Position at the Same Company 142

4 Formatting Your Résumé 146

Tip #23 Why Care about the Format Anyway? 146

Tip #24 Don't Use Templates! 146

Tip #25 Don't Use a Column Format 147

Tip #26 Keep It Simple 149

Tip #27 Use the Borders Function to Create Lines 151

Tip #28 How to List Dates of Employment 152

Tip #29 Don't Format with the Space Bar! 155

Tip #30 How to Create Distinctive, Professional Bullets 156

Tip #31 Guidelines for Margins 158

Tip #32 How to Use Page Borders 159

Tip #33 Spacing (or How to Make Your Three-Page Résumé Fit on Two Pages) 163

Tip #34 Hyperlinks Are Welcome-and So Are Word Documents! 165

5 Cover Letter Tips 166

Tip #35 Yes, You Need a Cover Letter! 166

Tip #36 Three Components of an Effective Cover Letter 167

Tip #37 Delete These Words from Your Cover Letter! 168

Tip #38 "To Whom It May Concern" Doesn't Cut It 169

Tip #39 Writing a Value Proposition Letter 169

6 Technology & Social Media 172

Tip #40 Google Results Are the New "Résumé" 172

Tip #41 PowerPoint and Video Résumeé 173

Tip #42 Beat the Scanners Part 1-Eleven Essential Résumé Keyword Tips 174

Tip #43 Beat the Scanners Part 2-Formatting Tips 177

Tip #44 LinkedIn-Savvy 178

Tip #45 QR Codes on Résumés? 180

Tip #46 Send a Hard Copy! 181

7 The #1 Most Important Tip Set! 182

Tip #47 How to Avoid Embarrassing Editing Marks on Your Documents 182

Tip #48 Proofread, and Proofread Again! 186

Tip #49 Get Your Résumé Out There! 188

Tip #50 It Doesn't End Here. On to the Interview! 189

Appendices 191

Appendix A Power Verbs for Résumés 191

Appendix B 397 Favorite Résumé Verbs 193

Appendix C Words to Avoid in Your Résumé! 198

Appendix D Résumé & Cover Letter Checklists: Don't Skip These! 199

Appendix E Services & Special Offers 202

Appendix F Recommended Resources 203

Appendix G Important Opportunities to Give & Receive 204

Acknowledgments 205

About the Author 206

Part 3 Moving Forward in Mid-Career 209

Introduction 211

Part I Coping with the Ramifications of Job Loss 215

Chapter 1 How and Why Workers Are Fired or Laid Off 216

Chapter 2 Working through the Grieving Process 223

Chapter 3 Protecting and Maintaining Your Savings, Investments, and IRA 229

Chapter 4 Replacing Income 235

Chapter 5 Insurance Matters: Medical and COBRA, Denial, Homeowners, Auto, Life, Disability 239

Chapter 6 Safeguarding Your Reputation 244

Chapter 7 Family Challenges and Solutions 248

Part II The Process of Moving Forward in Your Career 253

Chapter 8 Reshaping Your Persona and Improving Your Character 254

Chapter 9 Defining Objectives for the Remainder of Your Career 257

Chapter 10 Crafting a Resume and Digital Profile to Reflect the New You 262

Chapter 11 How to Find Decision Makers and Hiring Managers 270

Chapter 12 Where to Find Employers 278

Chapter 13 Interview Rubrics for Midcareer Workers 286

Chapter 14 Overcoming Objections to Your Candidacy 301

Chapter 15 Negotiating a Job Offer 307

Part III Finding Your Spot in the Workplace 317

Chapter 16 Working for a Large Company or a Small Business 318

Chapter 17 Starting Your Own Business or Buying a Franchise 333

Chapter 18 Local, State, and Federal Government Jobs 345

Part IV Reaching Out to Career Care Providers 351

Chapter 19 Consulting with Career Coaches, Career Counselors, and Outplacement Services 352

Chapter 20 Tapping into Faith-Based Resources 359

Chapter 21 Moving beyond the Temporal 363

Appendices 368

Appendix A Major Convention Centers 368

Appendix B Convention Center and Trade Show Spotlight 378

Acknowledgments 388