Sunday, January 29, 2012
The Milton Job Doctor answers frequently asked questions about resumes and offers tips on avoiding the biggest mistakes job seekers make when writing their resumes.
Is the resume dead? In my opinion, definitely not! Although an increasing number of both job seekers and employers also utilize social media sites such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn, the traditional resume is still alive and well. In fact, during my walk-in hours as the Milton Job Doctor at the Milton Public Library, almost everyone I see wants help with their resume. Here are some of the most frequently asked questions I encounter: WHAT ABOUT THE ONE-PAGE RULE FOR RESUMES? Some employers are sticklers for one-page resumes. However, if your relevant experience warrants more than one page, it’s fine to go on to a second page. I’d rather see two pages than a resume that is squeezed onto one page, with a font smaller than 10 or 11 …
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Milton resident and Curry Senior Lecturer in the English Department Dorothy Fleming advises job seekers to identify what's important to them in a job, and to make sure that these values are met.
Like her namesake from The Wizard of Oz Dorothy Fleming has discovered that “there’s no place like home." “Home” for Fleming is Milton – it’s where she lives and where she works. After trial and error in a variety of jobs that felt anything but comfortable, Fleming finally found the right fit as Senior Lecturer in the English department at Curry College. “I enjoy teaching the students at Curry. They are fun and open-minded, and my colleagues are terrific. My goal is to create a nurturing setting where students learn to perfect the essay form of writing and the basics of the dreaded research paper. I also try to eliminate the fear of writing,” says Fleming. When reflecting on her career, Fleming stresses the importance of identifying – …
Sunday, January 1, 2012
The New Year is a good time to take stock of what worked and didn't work in your job search in 2011, and to resolve to take action to make 2012 more productive.
Milton Residents, it’s the New Year, and I encourage you to make your New Year’s resolutions in the form of a call to action! Although the experts hint that the Massachusetts economy is recovering, I know that many of you are still struggling to find work or are staying too long in a job that you have outgrown. Resolve to take some steps that can help lead to successful re-employment: 1. FIND A JOB SEARCH PARTNER If you are unemployed, it can help to buddy up with a neighbor or friend who is also unemployed and commit to being accountable to each other. Schedule a regular weekly check-in time/place, and agree to stick to it. You and your job search partner can encourage each other to take risks, and engage in some new behaviors and …
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Career expert, Roni F. Noland, offers her tips and advice for the unemployed on how to stay positive and proactive during the winter holidays.
When the calendar reads mid-December, the days are getting shorter, and the weather’s getting colder and your stress level rises in anticipation of the holidays, especially if you’re unemployed. Do you find yourself d saying “bah humbug” more often than “ho-ho-ho”? If that sounds familiar, here are some possible ways for you to remain positive and proactive in your job search during the Holidays. Although it may seem counter-intuitive, the lull between Christmas and New Year’s may actually be a good time to step up your job search activities. While the malls might still be crowded, many non-retail businesses are actually slower this time of year. You may find that people have the luxury of spending more time with you now than they could…
Sunday, December 4, 2011
After 30 years in the workforce, Milton resident Diane Rodriguez has finally found her ideal job, as the Head Librarian/Library Teacher at prestigious Boston Latin School.
Finally, as a mid-career changer, Milton resident Diane Rodriguez found her ideal job, as the Head Librarian/Library Teacher at the Boston Latin School. “I was hired at Boston Latin in August 2011, and this is without a doubt the best job of my life. Gorgeous, spacious library at a prestigious exam school, generously funded by alums; new books and technology every year. The students are motivated to learn, and the other teachers treat me with respect,” says Rodriguez. As a high school librarian, Rodriguez is charged with offering support to the students and teachers on reading and research projects; and providing assistance in the use of all print, online and digital resources in the library. Rodriguez made a career change into the …
Sunday, November 20, 2011
A good reference can make the difference between being hired and staying unemployed.
During my walk-in hours at the Milton Public Library on Monday mornings, job seekers frequently ask questions about references. In today’s column, I will answer their questions – and, hopefully, yours. It’s useful to think about building a reference package as a part of the total self portrait that you present to a prospective employer. Think in terms of choosing people who will be able to corroborate the accomplishments and skills that you include on your resume, and the stories that you tell about your work in the interview. Sometimes an enthusiastic reference can mean the difference between getting a job offer or not, especially if you have been reluctant to tout your own accomplishments. It’s your responsibility to keep the people in …
Sunday, October 23, 2011
Job-seekers find cover letters more difficult to craft than resumes. Milton Job Doctor Roni F. Noland offers tips and advice for writing the perfect cover letter, as well as where to go for additional help in the Milton area.
While job-seekers may obsess over every word in their resume, and revise and revise them, it’s cover letters that cause absolute panic. Yes, you do need a cover letter to accompany every resume that you send, even via e-mail, but you don’t have to be paralyzed by writer’s block when it comes to cover letters. Here is some advice and cover letter do’s and don’ts that I hope will help. How Cover Letters Are Used Employers will quickly scan – by hand or via computer –resumes into three piles. The first pile includes resumes that seem to match the job requirements well; the second pile is those that lack any important qualification matches; the third pile is the “maybe” pile. If your resume ends up in the maybe pile, a prospective employer …
Sunday, July 3, 2011
What's going on in the recruiter's mind when he or she thinks those dreaded words, "You're overqualified." A Milton resident asks for advice, The Milton Job Doctor answers with some tips and strategies to help overcome this common objection.
Have you ever been told that you are “overqualified” for a job? Recently a Milton resident was told just that. Here is her question and my suggestions to help her overcome this roadblock to employment. Please share your questions and experiences concerning anything career-related with me at miltonjobdoctor@gmail.com and/or stop in during my walk-in hours at the Milton Public Library throughout the summer to visit the Milton Job Doctor in person. A recruiter has gotten feedback about me that employers think that I am “overqualified” for the positions that I’m applying for. I am looking for any full-time job at a State agency, as I am currently working only two part-time jobs, each with limited hours. I am willing to start at the bottom …
Suzette Standring
10:38 am on Thursday, January 19, 2012
Great profile, and you share something that job seekers often overlook, and that is, to identify the source of their job happiness in a chosen career field! more ›