www.citytowninfo.com Interested in becoming a technical writer? Watch this video to learn what a technical writing career is really like. Provides an overview of the day to day working life of a technical writer.
Posts Tagged ‘writing’
Technical Writing Careers Overview
Thursday, April 29th, 2010Resume Writing Services - Bettering Your Chances Of Getting The Interview Call!
Thursday, April 29th, 2010It is seen that job hunters often get frustrated when they find no end to the constant emailing or mailing of their resumes with no positive response. Even when they get the interview calls they are very few in numbers. This failure leads them to believe that they don’t have the required qualifications or skill or education for the job positions they have applied for. Thus they get discouraged and settle for the job which is well below their expectation or qualification.
It has been found that the lack of interview calls is not related of you being not qualified or having less skill set or having a lower education level, it is very often todo with your resume. So the resume writing service can be helpful to prepare a very powerful resume which will have details and substance so that it gets noticed by the prospective employers. But what is this Resume writing service all about? Actually resume writing service is a professional service that works with an individual to get the resume in shape so that it gets noticed by the employer. It highlights the skill, achievements of the individual and attracts the employer’s attention to your capability as a prospective candidate for that position.
There are two types of resume writing service models available but quite often they are merged into one model having several options. The resume writing service professionals requires your information to be submitted online or they will seek it when they meet you personally. If you working with the resume writing professional personally it allows you to work closely with you but at the same time limits your geographical reach. In that sense online option allows the candidate to choose from a world wide option to finish the resume.
When you opt for the resume writing service there are several things that should be kept in mind. The foremost thing is the professionalism level the service conveys which is important to many people. The resumes writing should fulfill the following criteria: It should have a professional website, it should answer all the queries in a timely manner, and also should have sample resumes on display which ahs been developed by them. The testimonial can also be seen but it is a remote possibility that the web page of the resume e writing service will have negative testimonials. So once should be careful in this regard. Also do look at the amount they are charging for the services and do proper research before agreeing to the service.
Usually the resume service professional will ask for your current resume to start with and will also want additional information when they go through your resume. It is vital that you only chose those resume writing service professional that have experience in resume writing in your field of expertise.
Abhishek is a Career Counselor and he has got some great Career Planning Secrets up his sleeves! Download his FREE 71 Pages Ebook, “Career Planning Made Easy!” from his website http://www.Career-Guru.com/769/index.htm . Only limited Free Copies available.
Freelance Writing Jobs – Helpful Tips to Become a Successful Freelance Writer
Thursday, April 29th, 2010When the Internet was first introduced, its use was commonly focused on spreading information to the rest of the world. But now, the Internet is capable of providing a steady income at the convenience of your own home. It was then that the concept of freelance writing jobs was born.
Considering the number of writers on the Web practicing their trade, not all of them can brag of success and profit. In fact, many of these individuals fail to understand the factors involved in freelance writing jobs; thus, they only get mediocre success that is not enough to achieve the goal of making a sizeable income.
Computer Savvy
The first factor that affects freelance writing jobs is how literate you are when it comes to computers. You need to be familiar with the tools of the trade and how it can affect the success of your venture.
For starters, freelance writing jobs require familiarization with word processing software available today. Word processing can be easily described as an electronic pen and paper that allows you to write content easily and then edit to clean it up without spending much time and effort.
Another way is to look for the information you need on the World Wide Web. If you are not familiar with the topic assigned to you, then you need to look for one on the Internet that will help you create quality content that will please your client.
For starters, you might want to make use of Internet-based tools, such as search engines, plagiarism checking tools, and so on.
Quality Content
It is very important that you always turn up quality work if you want to stay longer in this type of business. In truth, freelance writing jobs are ideal for writers that can provide quality and informative content consistently.
If you are still quite new in the writing business, then you might find it difficult to come up with quality content that your client might like.
If such is the case; it is advisable to scour the Internet for other works with similar topics. Never plagiarize. Don’t copy them word for word; but instead, read through their content and understand how they are constructed so you can have ideas on how to come up with your own.
Deadline
Aside from quality work, freelance writing jobs require prompt submission. Avoid angering your bosses by submitting quality articles way past the designated date, or time, of submission. If you miss a deadline, then it is a sign of sloppy, unprofessional work ethic — and that would reflect badly on your reputation.
Freelance writing jobs could be a reliable source of income if you’re doing the proper steps. Good luck in your writing endeavors!
Want to earn a 5-figure monthly income through freelance writing jobs? Go to http://www.20daypersuasion.com/5figurewriter.htm and discover how to earn massive amounts of money by becoming a freelance writer.
Avoiding Cv Writing Disaster - Statistically Proven Curriculum Vitae Slips
Thursday, April 29th, 2010Wouldn’t it be wonderful to get inside the mindset of HR departments and employers and know exactly what they’re looking for in an applicant’s Curriculum Vitae and interview? It’s always difficult to know how a given employer will react to specific elements of your CV - is it a positive thing to be in demand, undertaking interviews at many companies, or does it suggest you’re disloyal to your potential new boss? Is being in a job a long time a sign of loyalty or stagnation, and is looking to move on quickly from company to company a sign of ambition or simply job hopping? Well, of course the response varies from person to person but a few surveys on the subject give some indication of general trends of opinion from surveyed employers on topics from lies on a CV or covering letter to the pedantry of human resources departments.
The first point of interest from these statistics is that 86% of interviewers surveyed are sceptical of Curriculum Vitaes and applications forms, and believe that there are at best exaggerations and at worst downright lies. The same survey indicates that just over a third of CVs are 100% factually accurate. Overlooking the dishonesty inherent in the whole process for a moment here, it seems it’s right for the employers to be sceptical - and as such there is a real advantage in being honest and up front when CV writing and in your interview: Convince your interviewer that you are the honest type and that there are no lies on your CV or covering letter, and you’re in the honest attractive minority - that bit more likely to receive a job offer at the end of the interview process.
On a related note, having reliable and complimentary references is essential. 59% of those surveyed mentioned having to withdraw job offers to successful applicants on the basis of poor references - to be so close, only to fail on a poor reference either means exaggerated Curriculum Vitae, or a poor choice of referee. By being truthful (though bold) with your CV writing, and ensuring your references are prepared to give solid endorsement, you can not only ensure that you avoid the heartbreak of a withdrawn job offer, but also guarantee you’re a superb backup candidate should this fate befall your competitor! According to the survey, 85% of interviewers contact at least one reference to ensure they’ve got the right person for the job - this is one corner that should not be cut!
Here’s a fact likely to perturb the thousands of youngsters graduating the University system each year - only 8% of interviewers believe that academic qualifications give any indication to a candidate’s job suitability. Obviously doctors, scientists and academics will need a good University degree, but it appears the best CV writing strategy is to concentrate on the attitude, skills and knowledge, rather than to rely on your academic qualifications. With such little credence seemingly given to ‘book smarts’ it appears insane for anyone to lie on a CV and forge qualifications - but people do! It’s a foolish risk to take, especially when you consider that two thirds of interviewers check up on professional qualifications, and well over half check up on academic accreditation claimed!
Finally, when it comes to posting your application through, here’s some eyebrow raising stats about the nature of HR departments from the Royal Mail: 83% of them will reject incomplete or inaccurately addressed CVs and covering letters out of hand, 55% of them gave significant favour to those addressed to a named person and over 60% found applicants including a photo resulted in lowering their opinion of the person applying. Apparently a little more care and research in the distributions of applications along with a little less vanity will go a long way to impressing human resource managers with your curriculum vitae and covering letter!
Gail Kenny is the managing director of Puregenie, a recruitment agency specialising in UK travel & tourism jobs. The site caters exclusively to talented individuals with skills and experience to succeed in the online environment.
Writing Careers Overview
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010
www.citytowninfo.com Interested in becoming a writer? Watch this video to learn what a writing career is really like. Provides an overview of the day to day working life of a writer.
Resume Writing Solutions for your Challenging Career History
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010Do you have a completely unblemished work history? Was writing your resume a breeze because you are perfectly qualified with a model career and educational background?
Or, do you find yourself struggling to prepare your resume…struggling because of some glitch or problem in your background that you don’t know quite how to overcome in your resume?
* Maybe you are too old…or too young…
* Maybe you have an obvious gap in your work history…
* Maybe you have changed employers too many times…
* Maybe you are a new graduate with little-to-no relevant experience…
* Maybe you are an executive who needs to explain what appears to be a demotion…
* Maybe you are returning to the workforce after taking some time off…
* Maybe you are trying to change careers and your past experience doesn’t relate…
Don’t feel alone! It is the extraordinarily rare job searcher who doesn’t struggle with how to deal with some problem on their resume.
As a professional resume writer I have worked with thousands and thousands of clients, and while every single one of those clients is unique, they all have one thing in common: they have a problem that they need me to solve for them. How do I do it? Very honestly, each individual client often requires a solution that is as unique as he or she is. But, prior to starting and new resume writing project for a client, there are six steps that I carefully think through. As you work on developing or refining your own resume — as you try to come up with ways to transform YOUR troubled work history into a job-winning resume — it may be helpful for you to work through the same six steps.
Step #1 - Know your goal
What is your current career goal? What profession? What industry? What professional level? Knowing your objective and your goals for a job search is the foundation of not just your resume, but of your entire job search. Unless you know where you are going, you will have no idea what the focus of your resume must be and you won’t even have a clue how to begin writing it. Don’t expect a busy employer to figure it out for you. Your resume must have a precise focus and it must convey that focus in five seconds or less. If it doesn’t, it will be discarded. It is that simple.
Step #2 - Know your audience
Now that you know your goal, you are in a position to begin thinking about the recipients of your resume. What are the expectations and requirements of a candidate for the job you are targeting? What are the problems that a person in your ideal position is likely to be faced with? Remember (speaking of problems) that the person doing the hiring has problems that they are hoping their new-hire will solve. What are those problems? Do they need to increase sales? Reduce costs? Increase productivity? Improve efficiency? If you clearly identify the problems of your target audience, you can construct an entire resume focused on how you are the ideal candidate to solve them. Do that effectively and whatever issue you are dealing with in your troubled work history will suddenly become a non-issue.
An employee is an investment, and if you can create a resume that proves you will produce a better RETURN on that investment than the next guy (even the one with the squeaky clean work history), doors will swing open to you.
Step #3 - Know your competition
Who is your competition in the job market? What qualifications might they have that you don’t have? Do you have qualifications that your competition doesn’t have? For most situations, I’m not referring to specific individuals. Obviously you wouldn’t want to violate the privacy of any specific person competing for the same type of job. But, there is definite value in trying to define your competition in generalities. What types of qualifications does the typical candidate have for the job you are targeting?
Very clearly defining your competition is a crucial part of step #4…
Step #4 - Clearly identify the problem(s)
Okay. Now that you know where you are going, know what your audience is seeking, and know what your competition brings to the table, you are ready to fully define the problem or problems that your resume must overcome.
Some of those problems might be obvious. Work-history gaps, concerns about age discrimination, and multiple job changes are among the most common. But, having worked your way through the prior three steps, you may have identified others. Are there key qualifications you are lacking? Educational requirements that you don’t quite meet? Ways that your experience doesn’t quite stand up to your competition? Whatever those problems might be, make sure you define them. In the next step, we will begin to solve them.
Step #5 - Be willing to throw the rules out the window and think outside the box
Now, take everything you have ever read or learned about resume writing and forget it. Well, maybe not everything, but at this point you definitely do need to begin thinking creatively and strategically.
Remember that a resume is essentially an advertisement - a marketing piece - a personal sales pitch. Resumes are NOT autobiographies! They are personal marketing documents meant to sell you as the ideal candidate for a particular position. Everything about the content, the structure, and the design of your resume should be strategically and selectively included, excluded, highlighted, or de-emphasized.
Always be absolutely and meticulously honest, but be willing to think outside the box and present your background in a format and structure that will be most flattering to you in relation to the career goal you are targeting.
Do you want to be one of a kind? Or do you want to be one of many? Your resume is meant to make you stand out and shine. You will NOT achieve this by following some rigid template and structure that doesn’t have the flexibility to showcase your unique qualifications.
Step #6 - Reframe, reposition, reformat, and redesign
It is really all about how you frame and position your experience, your achievements, your educational background, and any other qualifications. Once you get to this step, you are ready to put pen to paper (or fingers to the keyboard) and begin writing your resume. Take what you know about the expectations and the desires of your target audience, combine this with your understanding of the competition and the problems you defined in Step #4, and start writing your resume.
Perhaps you are making a career change into a completely new profession. While it is often not immediately obvious to the recipient of your resume, much of your experience is usually transferable. How can you “reframe” your past experience to selectively emphasize the transferable skills and de-emphasize those that will no longer be relevant?
Is there a qualification you are lacking for the position you are targeting? It is very common for a person to have developed a particular qualification in a non-traditional way, from some other seemingly unrelated experience. How can you “reposition” that experience to illustrate the qualification in question?
Maybe you are returning to a career path that you veered away from ten years ago. Your recent experience is not as relevant as your past experience. What opportunities do you have to “reformat” your resume to bring the older skills to the forefront?
Or maybe you have a couple of big gaps in your work history. Can you think of a way to “redesign” your resume to take the visual emphasis off of the chronology/dates of your experience and place it instead on your achievements and results?
So, what problems does your resume need to solve? What challenges are you dealing with that you must face to turn your less-than-perfect work history into an effective resume? As you get started, remember, it is words on a piece of paper. It is easy to edit and move things around. Don’t be afraid to experiment (just do it BEFORE you use it in the job market!).
If you aren’t sure what the best solution is, create several versions and ask your friends and family for feedback before choosing the one you use in your search. And, if you get stuck, that is what professional resume writers are here for! We can often provide solutions that you would never have thought of on your own.
Do you want to use this article in your ezine, website, or other publication? You are welcome to as long as you use the following text with it:
Certified resume writer and personal branding strategist, Michelle Dumas is the director of Distinctive Career Services LLC. Through Distinctive Documents http://www.distinctiveweb.com and her Executive VIP Services http://www.100kcareermarketing.com Michelle has empowered thousands of professionals all across the U.S. and worldwide. Michelle is also the author of 101 Before-and-After Resume Examples http://www.before-and-after-resumes.com
Freelance Writing Jobs – Friendly Tips to be a Successful Freelance Writer
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010These days, anybody can be a writer. With the amount of freelance writing jobs available over the Internet, you don’t even have to set a foot out of your house to earn some extra cash. And if you’re hardworking and skillful enough, you’ll probably earn more than many day job workers.
Freelance writing jobs are not as daunting as they used to be. Offers can range from anything and everything under the sun. In fact, there are plenty of people looking out for writers right this very moment.
And if you hang around long enough, you’ll learn how to avoid basic mistakes and spot golden opportunities. Here are some helpful tips to succeed in freelance writing.
Surf the Net and Be Observant.
You can start making money by typing freelance writing jobs on your favorite search engine. As impossible as it is to believe, that’s how easy it is. Of course, most of the links will then lead you through blogs, forums and Web sites.
As mentioned earlier, topics to write about can range from anything and everything. It could be something as common as travel, or something as technical as manipulating graphics.
Stick to What You Know.
Aside from their obvious popularity, blog articles are also easier to write. They’re less formal and use a more easygoing tone.
For a beginner, it’s the best place to start your career as a freelance writer. If you’re fond of cooking, you can look for a blog that focuses on that subject. If you’re into marketing, there are hundreds of blogs out there which deal with your interest.
Accept Payments.
Payment transactions are usually done online. You’ll need to set up an account at a credible online money transferring company or payment processor in order to receive your money.
Personally, all I earn from my freelance writing jobs are wired through Paypal. It’s easily one of the most popular and credible companies out there. If your country is not included in Paypal’s list, another good alternative would be 2Checkout.
Freelance writing jobs may seem easy—and they are—but they also require proper working habits. You might think that it’s okay to slack off since you don’t exactly have a superior watching over you like a hawk; however, how you work can determine where your next paycheck comes from.
If your employer decides that he or she likes your writing style as well as your work habits, you’ll be the first person he or she will call up the next time a project pops out.
Want to earn a 5-figure monthly income through freelance writing jobs? Go to http://www.20daypersuasion.com/5figurewriter.htm and discover how to earn massive amounts of money by becoming a freelance writer.
Cv Writing & Resume Writing - 9 Strong Qualities to Boost your Success By a Staggering 50%
Wednesday, April 28th, 2010CV Writing and Resume Writing is a serious part of starting the Job hunting process. In today’s competitive job market, were every candidate wants a recruiter or employer to give their CV or Resume the attention it deserves, if you want your application to be taken seriously and you want your CV / Resume to be separated from the bulk feel free to consider and include the following 9 qualities in your CV or Resume.
Your chances of securing interviews is likely to increase by up to 50% if you skilfully articulate these points However only include these qualities if you genuinely have them.
Industry Targeted/Job Specific Qualifications or Training -Recruiters and employers absolutely love this, candidate that do not require extra training and already has a catalogue of relevant job specific qualifications always stand out.
Evidence of adding to the bottom line of a company or business - If you can prove this and it is clear in your career track record, you will stand out.
Prove that you have always met and exceeded your job targets - If this is clearly show and outlined, you will be a winner in the job hunting market.
Figures, Figures, Figures! - Have you made money for past employers or companies, have you sold products or services, won contract or tenders, state this clearly on your CV particularly if you are in a sales, marketing, retail, real-estate or similar sectors. Stating Figures explicitly can make you stand out above the rest.
Industry Awards and Prizes for work achievement - Listing these (if you have any), always goes a long way in proving you are different, dedicated and special!
Staff Management Abilities - Skills and expertise related to dealing with people, this includes any experience of training, interviewing, company presentations, coaching, work delegation, appraisals etc. If you have these skills, summarise and list them for maximum results.
International, National or Local exposure - If you are going for a local Job in a particular area, a previous track record of working in that same area always appeals to Employers and Recruiters. Similarly if you have international exposure in a specific job market, for example the building and construction industry, this looks good too, Mention such valuable information and stand out.
Consistence Track history with fewer employers - Stable Job Seekers that have worked in a company for a years, always get their CV or Resume noticed - if this can be said of you (you have stayed in one firm for 6-10 years or similar), then bring this to the for front of your application, Recruiters and Employers favour such candidates.
Accuracy and relevancy to job post advertised - This is critical, if you have all or even some of the above criteria’s, don’t forget to reflect your experience and abilities in line with the post you are pursuing, all these qualities can make you an immediate winner.
However l must admit, from experience l know it takes skills and someone with a recruitment HR background to skilfully assess job seekers expertises and help them put together the ultimate industry CV /Resume to secure interviews. If you fall into this category its worth getting your CV / Resume professionally written by an expert who knows how to help you.
Copyright 2006 Upper Class CV Writing & Resume Writing Ltd.
Upper Class CV Writing & Resume Writing Ltd. - Ola Philip King is a professional CV Writing & Resume Writing Consultant and Recruiter she has helped many job seekers secure their dream post across diverse job sectors through her CV /Resume Writing Services and Recruitment activities. Free Personal advice is available.
Writing a Job Application Letter
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010There are a number of scenarios where you certainly may require writing a job application letter for your CV. The main reason is that this approach certainly looks very much professional. You have to keep in that in case your employer or a recruitment agency receives your CV without any attached supporting letter then it always may have a less impact on them. You certainly can be sure that job application letter is always considered as a reference to all your contacts and information that you provide to your employer or a recruitment agency.
There are also a number of people who may consider this as an opportunity where any individual can in fact market himself in front of the employer or recruitment agencies. You certainly can also put all your skills and ambitions when writing a job application letter as they may always be considered as more personal as compared to your CV. The fact is that you certainly may not mail your CV without actually writing anything concerning in the email. So when writing your job application letter, you certainly may have to include the type of job your are looking for and also what you are capable of.
You have to enquire about the latest job openings with them and also what type of job they can provide you with. You have to keep in mind that you have to tailor each Cover Letter Templates you send separately so that it does not appear a fixed format that you follow every time. Whenever sending your resume to any recruitment agency, your should always try to include a Job Application Letter” Supporting Letter along with it so that you can provide them with more details about yourself and at the same time you may also enquire about the type of vacancy they can provide you with.
You always have to be sure that you are in fact helping them out so you can always hope that they will help you out with anything that you are looking for. Providing a supporting letter along with your CV you can always save them lots of time, so whenever you meet them they may always be sure that they have the right type of job for you. In case they are having any openings then they certainly can provide you with all the details or else they may ask you to wait for some time.
In case they don’t have the type of job you mentioned in your supporting letter then you can always ask them the type of job they are having so you are sure of the type of job they can offer you with. You can also mention other type of jobs that you are capable of doing in your job application letter so that if they have any other opening then they can always let you know of it in advance.
Scott Loyd is owner of job seeking website and has a number of job application letters to his credit. You can read more of him at = Cover Letters
How To Find Freelance Writing Jobs
Thursday, April 22nd, 2010If you aspire to be a writer but are not sure how to get into it or if you are someone who has been writing for a while and is now looking at going into freelance writing then you are probably asking how to find freelance writing jobs. The internet has really opened up the world of writing and made it so much easier for those who are interested and skilled in writing to find freelance opportunities.
The first place that all aspiring freelance writers should check for freelance writing opportunities is on freelance jobs boards such as are available at websites such as freelanceworkexchange.com, elance.com and guru.com. The process is simple and all you will need to do is register with the website and then browse the opportunities that they have available and then tender for the different freelance writing opportunities that are available. Just by using these boards alone you will probably find that you get more than enough work but should you still want more there are other places you can look as well.
Many websites for writers also offer jobs boards which present freelance opportunities. Freelancewriting.com for example has its “Jobs Bank”; “Freelance Writing Jobs” is a blog that alternates posts of interests for writers with writing jobs that are available, writersweekly.com is an ezine that also has useful information for freelance writers as well as advertising various paid markets for freelance writers.
If you are still looking try using email groups such as Yahoo groups that offer writing groups, posting to forums and joining virtual communities. If you are brave enough you may even want to try contacting some websites directly and ask them if they accept work from freelance writers and if they can send you their editorial calendars and writing guidelines. There really are plenty of places for you to seek freelance opportunities on the internet and soon you may find yourself with so many freelance writing jobs that you will find yourself focusing more and more on just one or two of these methods of finding writing work.
If you enjoy writing, have a knack for using words and would like to start freelance writing then start by looking at the big freelance jobs boards such as freelanceworkexchange.com, elance.com and guru.com, these often provide more than enough work. If you still feel you would like more then look for freelance writing websites, email groups and forums. Getting into freelance writing has never been so easy and there are plenty of freelance opportunities available out there so take a look and you will soon enjoy the advantages of freelance writing work.
Rob Palmer is the Editor of Freelance Work Exchange, the leading jobs site for contract professionals worldwide. Looking for a legitimate home business opportunity? Join Freelance Work Exchange for just $2.95 and get access to thousands of
freelance jobs and
work-at-home jobs for writers, designers, programmers and freelancers.
http://www.freelanceworkexchange.com