source: leftlanenews

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by Deborah Walker

If you’re a job-seeker of the Baby Boom generation, you may be feeling a little left out by the job market You’re certainly not ready to retire, but the young recruiters you send resumes to don’t seem to respond to your skills and experience. If you’re experiencing symptoms of age discrimination, you should know that your resume could be the culprit, categorizing you as out of date and over the hill.

There are three ways your resume can put you in the over the hill category. Your resume is due for an update if it contains:

1. Outdated technology skills
2. Outdated industry or occupational terminology
3. Outdated resume trends

Don’t despair if your resume is out of date. You can perform an extreme resume makeover by using the tips below.

1. Make sure you are up to date on your industry’s technology.Check multiple job descriptions within your industry to see what technologies employers really want. Determine which technologies are missing from your resume. Then decide what you need to learn or do to fill that technology gap. Consider adult-education classes, college classes, or even online learning.

You should be aware that technology terms are often used as keywords to filter the best resumes from electronic databases. If your resume doesn’t have them, it may never be seen. Make sure your technology skills aren’t leaving you behind.

2. Make sure your resume is using current terminology. If you have just been adding to the same old resume over the years, then your early entries may be using outdated terms. One way to bring your resume up to date is through publications from your industry’s professional associations. If you don’t belong to any professional associations, you might be missing out on the latest industry-speak.

Another good resource is job descriptions. Search job descriptions in your field for recurring terms. Learn to use the current terminology for your industry correctly and effectively.

3. Make sure your resume reflects today’s trends in resume format and style. Some of the old resume rules just don’t apply any more. For example:

Old Rule: Limit your resume to one page. New Approach: This is a really old idea that limits your ability to show all of your skills and expertise.

Old Rule: End your resume with References Available Upon Request. New Approach: You don’t need to say that; it’s assumed.

Old Rule: You should show every job you have ever held and give each equal importance. New Approach: Your employment history should only go back as far as it related to your current employment objectives. Think of your resume as a marketing piece that highlights the best parts rather than as a tell-all.

Old Rule: Your resume should go back no more than 10 years. New Approach: Don’t use an arbitrary number to determine how much to include on your resume. Use the rule of relevancy to decide how many of your jobs to include.

Old Rule: One resume should handle everything. New Approach: Not anymore! In addition to tailoring your resume to different fields or industries, you’ll also need to tailor the way that you save it.

You’ll want to have a standard Word format (for printouts and as email attachments), and a plain text version for online forms, which will save you a lot of time in repairing lost formatting, which often occurs when cutting and pasting a Word document into a text-only form.

Let your experience work for you rather than against you. Using these tips to update your resume can make a noticeable difference in interest from employers. And your new resume will be a better reflection of your hard-earned skills, talents, and expertise.

careers: QuintCareers

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source: leftlanenews

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Best Places to Work 2010

“Check out our list of the top businesses that support equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender employees. Based on the 2010 Corporate Equality Index, our annual report that rates corporate America’s treatment of LGBT employees, 305 businesses received top ratings.”

source: HRC.org

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With unemployment nearing double digits, it’s hard to imagine there are jobs, ready for the taking but it’s true. Many companies are hiring, and can’t fill their slots fast enough. Here are seven jobs companies are desperate to fill, and how you can qualify.

1. Accountant

Education: Bachelor’s degree, CPA certification

Average Annual Earnings: $61,480

Accountants are the people that make sure a business runs smoothly, that records are kept, taxes are paid and the books are balanced. If you think accounting is boring, think again: many accountants work as forensic accountants, detecting fraud in criminal cases, or work as independent contractors, able to set their own hours. (Learn more in Uncovering A Career In Forensic Accounting.)

If you’re one of the many (business) degreed professionals displaced by the recession, look at adding an accounting track to your degree; many online and evening colleges offer accounting programs, preparing you for CPA certification. The Department of Labor expects the need for accountants to rise by 22% by 2018. Top CPAs earn over six figures, making accounting a very exciting field indeed.

2. Software Engineer

Education: Certification or higher

Average Annual Earnings: $85,430

What doesn’t run on a computer these days? These computer applications in our daily lives all need software and engineers to develop and program them. Software engineering jobs are expected to grow 21% by 2018, much faster than other sectors. A bachelor’s degree will get you the best opportunities and pay, although certification or an associate’s degree will be enough if you can prove you have the skills to do the job – making software engineering a great field for those changing careers or starting out. (This career is hot, but these careers are not.

3. Machinist

Education: On-the-job training

Average Annual Earnings: $38,940 and up

Few people grow up wanting to be a machinist, but it’s a great field for those looking to enter the job market with little education. Many employers looking for experienced fabricators are having such a hard time finding qualified applicants that on-the-job training and training programs have grown for machinists. Pay is modest for those entering field, but grows with experience, making it a good place to grow a career.

4. Healthcare Workers (L7, L8)

Education: High school diploma and higher

Average Annual Earnings: From $19,178

You’ve likely heard it before: healthcare is where the work is. From home care aides, a sector expected to grow 50% by 2018, to nurses and pharmacy technicians, healthcare jobs are on the rise. If you only have a high school diploma, look at starting as a home care aid at an average rate of $9.22 an hour – tough on the wallet, but a place you can get your foot in the door with little or no experience. Many colleges have vocational programs for radiologic technicians and other healthcare specializations that will greatly increase your earning power.

5. Biomedical Engineer

Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher

Average Annual Earnings: $77,400

America’s population is aging, and with it, our need for better healthcare equipment is rising. Biomedical engineers are needed to research, develop and test new devices – this job sector is expected to grow a whopping 72% by 2018. If you don’t mind investing in the education required, biomedical engineering is a career with a very bright future.

6. Industrial Hygienist

Education: On-the-job training and/or certification

Average Annual Earnings: $45,360

Lead, mold and asbestos are all bad for our health, so removal of these toxic substances is vital. Industrial hygienists are the experienced professionals tasked with the dirty job of removing environmental hazards, and employers are on the hunt for qualified applicants.

Most education is gained from on-the-job training, although some colleges offer certification in the field. Jobs for industrial hygienists are expected to increase by 14% by 2018; top-earning professionals average over $73,000 in annual pay, making this a lucrative career path if you’re lacking a college degree.

7. Geoscientist

Education: Bachelor’s degree or higher

Average Annual Earnings: $79,160

Geoscientists study the earth: its composition, including energy sources that can be derived from it – which is where the jobs employers are having a difficult time filling are. Finding qualified geoscientists, preferably those with a master’s degree, isn’t easy. This sector of the job market is expected to rise by 18% by 2018, with energy research spurring the growth. Geoscientists working in oil and gas extraction earn well into the six figures.

The Bottom Line
If you’re unemployed, or looking for a career change, there are employers waiting for you to work in these hard-to-fill positions. The harsh reality is that you may have to go back to school, or work your way up to get the best salary in these fields – which is why employers are having such a hard time finding the right applicants. Patience and persistence are crucial for a future in these seven jobs.

source: Investopedia

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Every U.S. state experienced job losses during the recent downturn, but thanks to the right mix of industries, natural resources, and skilled workers, some states have a far lower unemployment rate than the 9.5% national average.

Want to crack the jobs problem? Let’s start by studying these sources of American strength…

Iowa — Outperforming with a diverse economy plus agriculture
(Unemployment Rate: 6.8%)

Minnesota — A state with manufacturing, raw materials, and high education
(Unemployment Rate: 6.8%)

Wyoming — Riding commodities, tourism, and perhaps its tax policies. Doing well despite low levels of education. (Unemployment Rate: 6.7%)

Kansas — Powered by agriculture, energy, and aerospace
(Unemployment Rate: 6.5%)

Hawaii — A tourism magnet with a large population of affluent Americans
(Unemployment Rate: 6.3%)

Vermont — Driven by agriculture and industries utilizing the state’s highly educated population
(Unemployment Rate: 6.0%)

New Hampshire — Powered by agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, and a highly educated population
(Unemployment Rate: 5.8%)

Nebraska — An agricultural and transport hub, with some diversity as well
(Unemployment Rate: 4.7%)

South Dakota — Gets a big boost from government, but also has services and agriculture
(Unemployment Rate: 4.4%)

North Dakota — Powered by agriculture and commodities
(Unemployment Rate: 3.6%)

source: businessinsider

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Between December 2007 (when the recession officially began) and last month, more than 8 million Americans have lost their jobs, according to the government. Of those job losses, 700,000 stem from layoffs at just 25 companies, according to 24/7 Wall Street’s analysis of data from employment consulting firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas. Here is the list:

1. General Motors

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 107,357

2. Citigroup

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 73,056

3. Hewlett-Packard

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 47,540

4. Circuit City Stores

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 41,495

5. Merrill Lynch

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 40,650

6. Verizon Wireless

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 39,000

7. Pfizer

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 31,771

8. Merck & Co.

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 24,400

9. Lehman Brothers

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 23,340

10. Caterpillar

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 23,024

11. JPMorgan Chase

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 22,852

12. Starbucks

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 21,316

13. AT&T

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 18,401

14. Alcoa

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 17,655

15. Dow Chemical

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 17,530

16. DuPont

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 17,000

17. Berkshire Hathaway

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 16,900

18. Ford Motor

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 15,912

19. KB Toys

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 15,100

20. United States Postal Service

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 15,000

21. DHL Express USA

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 14,900

22. Sprint Nextel

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 14,500

23. Sun Microsystems

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 14,000

24. Boeing

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 13,715

25. Chrysler

Number of jobs cut since recession began: 13,672

source: dailyfinance

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