Career Resources and Advice for Experienced Workers

Today’s question comes from Patrice:

I have been open to definitely stepping out of my comfort zone and applying for positions that I would not normally pursue.  The online application process seems to be the “black hole” because you have to basically do detective work to see if the position is legitimate.  Getting an address or phone number for the company sometimes seem impossible. My question is, since most employers are using the online application process for prospective employees, what other steps can we do to make sure our application is received, even when they post “NO CALLS PLEASE” or you acquire the number through your detective work?

(more…)

By Anthony Balderrama, PrimeCB.com writer

When great poets see green leaves grow brittle and turn colors before they fall to the ground, they see the passage of time, and the slow march of death that will inevitably conquer us all.

When I see a pile of autumn leaves, I think of “It’s the Great Pumpkin, Charlie Brown” and free candy.

Few people think of the career opportunities or seasonal jobs that come with the fall. During the winter holidays, job seekers know they can count on retail jobs when everyone’s shopping. During the summer, they can mow lawns or work as a lifeguard. In the fall … what exactly do you do?

We’ve put together a list of jobs that you can find in the fall, many of which take advantage of the cooling weather.

1. Retail sales clerk
Where: Halloween superstores

Why: Every September and October you see stores that sell only Halloween costumes and decorations pop up in every city. They’re dormant all year, but once fall rolls around, these stores are ready to serve your every ghoulish desire and they need workers to do so.

2. Sports referees
Where: Recreation centers, sports complexes, local leagues

Why: Everyone associates exercise and sports with the summer, but the fall has its own bevy of athletic opportunities. Recreational leagues, community centers and schools have plenty of football, soccer and basketball games going on year-round that need officiating.

3. Landscape workers
Where: Businesses and homes

Why: Not all homeowners have green thumbs and business owners can’t tend to their gardens themselves, so they enlist landscape workers who know what they’re doing. Some plants die in oncoming winter weather, so they need to be moved. Certain flowers need to be planted well before spring in order to bloom on time. And all those crispy leaves aren’t going to rake themselves. For people who enjoy working outdoors and have botanical skills many of us lack, landscaping is great work.

4. Exterior seasonal decorators
Where: Businesses and homes

Why: As soon as October arrives, business and homes are adorned with seasonal decorations. In October it’s either Halloween skeletons and witches, or rustic autumnal scarecrows and apples. In November, you’ve got bales of hay (and even inflatable turkeys in extremely festive neighborhoods). Plus, as November ends, many places begin to bring out their winter decorations early. Many people prefer to leave the daredevil tasks of hanging lights on the roof to the professionals.

5. Interior seasonal decorator
Where: Businesses and homes

Why: If you think the explosion of decorations you see from the street is impressive, wait to you walk through the front door. Businesses usually add a little seasonal color, but more often than not, they need to keep it tasteful. Homeowners are under no such obligation, and many of them revel in the chance to transform their normally quaint living room into a terrifying haunted mansion or a charming farmhouse. That’s where seasonal decorators come in.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.

By Anthony Balderrama, PrimeCB writer

I don’t know anyone who goes a day without feeling a tinge of stress, but rarely do we all pull our hair out for the same reasons. I’m panicking that my DVR failed to record my favorite TV show; a friend is celebrating her birthday and realizes she hasn’t achieved any of her personal goals; another friend is worrying about his sick child.

Not exactly the same kinds of stress, but our blood pressure rises nonetheless.

At work, the causes and amounts of stress are just as varied. Every job comes with some level of stress, but some people seem to get more than their fair share. That’s not to say it’s a bad thing. Some people thrive on stress — without it, they don’t feel challenged. Others like to keep it to a minimum.

We’ve put together a list of jobs that have quite a bit of stress, and in our opinion, these jobs are worth the gray hairs and momentary bouts of anxiety. There are more stressful jobs than we can possibly list, so these aren’t the only occupations that deserve recognition — they’re just a sample. The next time you’re looking for a job, ask yourself if you have the strength to pick one from this list. (And even if you’re not up to the challenge, say thanks to these workers for doing what you can’t.)

Here are 10 jobs that come with equal amounts of stress and satisfaction (in alphabetical order):

1. Assistants
Why it’s stressful: Whether you’re an administrative assistant or a personal assistant, people rely on you … maybe too much. Make this copy, schedule this meeting, distract these clients, get me notes to prepare for a meeting. People bark orders at you and expect snappy results because, after all, you’ve got nothing better to do. Right?
Why it’s worth it: You’re important. Whether or not you get the proper amount of appreciation, other people depend on you and businesses wouldn’t function as smoothly if you didn’t do your job so well.
How much you’ll earn:* Administrative assistant – $36,466; Executive assistant – $47,188

2. EMTs
Why it’s stressful: The only thing more nerve-racking than fighting to save a life is doing it on wheels. Emergency medical technicians respond to critical situations at different locations using mobile resources. First you have to get to the patient as quickly as possible, and then you have to administer emergency care.
Why it’s worth it: Whether you’ve resuscitated a person or treated an injury, you know that you’ve had a positive impact on a life.
How much you’ll earn: $28,628

3. Farmers
Why it’s stressful: Physical labor plus anxiety about Mother Nature equals stress. You start work early and stay late, all while being outside. That is if bad weather doesn’t ruin your crops. Not to mention the variety of economic pressures for small farms who face competition from large businesses and manufacturers.
Why it’s worth it: Farmers are some of the few workers that every person in the country relies on for survival. How’s that for job satisfaction?
How much you’ll earn: Varies

4. Flight attendants
Why it’s stressful: In much the same way paramedics’ jobs are made more difficult by being on wheels, flight attendants’ jobs are complicated by being in an enclosed space, thousands of feet above land. As a flight attendant, you carry out the obvious tasks of bringing food, drinks and blankets to passengers, but people forget that you’re also prepared for emergencies and are trained to keep everyone calm and safe.
Why it’s worth it: Not only do you have the satisfaction of making people’s experiences better, but you also get to travel more than most people do (and for far less money).
How much you’ll earn: $48,501

5. Military personnel
Why it’s stressful: Serving in the Armed Forces involves physical and mental demands regardless of your specific role. You might be in danger on the battlefield or supporting other people from a base. Maybe you have regular contact with your family or maybe you don’t see them for months at a time.
Why it’s worth it: Knowing that what you do makes a difference in your unit and all over the country is something you can’t find in any just occupation.
How much you’ll earn: Varies

6. Police officers
Why it’s stressful: Fighting crime and safeguarding citizens (all while protecting yourself, no less) is not easy. You never know what danger might come with a call.
Why it’s worth it: You’re partially responsible for what makes the city a safe place to be. It’s gratifying to know that your job constantly makes a difference for the better.
How much you’ll earn: $47,205

7. Real estate agents
Why it’s stressful: Many real-estate agents work on commission, so relying on a sale to earn a paycheck is already stressful. Home buyers don’t like to commit to mortgages unless they’re positive it’s the right move; between their timid nature and the fickle economy, you never know what kind of client you’re dealing with.
Why it’s worth it: Aside from having freedom from a regular office job, real-estate agents get to fulfill that quintessential dream of adulthood to own property. People save for years to invest in a home, and you get to be part of that process.
How much you’ll earn: $39,968

8. Social workers
Why it’s stressful: When you work in a shelter for abused women or for an agency with endangered children, you experience heartache and frustration on a daily basis. Plus, these agencies often find themselves strapped for funding and adequate help, so you have other stressors distracting you from your job.
Why it’s worth it: You’re improving lives, and the success stories help balance out the painful ones.
How much you’ll earn: $49,340

9. Stock brokers
Why it’s stressful: Dealing with stocks has always been stressful — it’s basically written in the job description. But recent months have been particularly rough for anyone in the financial sector as banking giants topple and the industry struggles to withstand the aftermath.
Why it’s worth it: Money and trade has an unparalleled effect on the economy. Sure, when the market has a bad day, millions of people do too, but the opposite is also true. You are part of the system that helps the economy move forward.
How much you’ll earn: $58,147

10. Teachers
Why it’s stressful: You can teach kindergarteners to graduate students and you’ll still be dealing with a bunch of pupils who need your attention, guidance and wisdom. Teaching duties are never confined to traditional office hours, either.
Why it’s worth it: It’s a cliché, but it’s true that you’re changing lives every day. Plus, you can see students mature and learn right before your eyes — that’s pretty amazing.
How much you’ll earn: Elementary teacher – $31,814; high school teacher – $45,269; postsecondary teacher – $63,219

*Salary figures based on data from CBsalary.com, powered by SalaryExpert.com

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.

Resources for job seekers

By Anthony Balderrama, PrimeCB.com writer

When microblogging and social networking site Twitter debuted three years ago, plenty of people wrote it off as yet another pointless addition in the overcrowded networking world. Little by little, users proved the site’s worth to nonbelievers. Considering the site only allows people to post, or Tweet, messages of 140 characters or less, you can’t blame early skeptics.

Last year, student James Karl Buck was traveling in Egypt and wound up in jail. He Tweeted “arrested” to notify his friends of what was going open and ultimately get out of jail. During the 2008 presidential election, candidates reached out to voters using the service. When a plane crashed into the Hudson River in January, a Twitter user posted the first photograph from the scene.

Although we’re in the nascent stage of Twitter’s existence and therefore have no idea how long it will be around, we do know it has more growing to do. If you’re not yet certain you want to start posting your own daily activities for everyone to read, you can still use the service as a resource for tips on finding a job and keeping up with industry news. Job seekers can follow people who will make your job search process easier, from the interviewing stage to the salary negotiations.

I follow many people whom I think give great advice, post informative articles and know what they’re talking about. Seeing as the Twitter feed refreshes constantly so that I see new posts instantly, it’s like having a scrolling news ticker about only the subjects I want to read. I suggest you do the same to improve your job search.

Here are the 10 job Tweeters you should be following.

@adriennewaldo
About the author: Adrienne Waldo, a New York-based writer, consultant and blogger, made a name for herself when she began blogging about Generation Y.
Why you should follow her: Waldo, a Generation Y-er herself, offers advice as someone who’s in the same shoes as many of her equally young Twitter followers, but she also uses her experience to let followers know what employers are thinking.

@AlisonDoyle
About the author: Alison Doyle regularly writes articles on job-seeking issues, ranging from interview advice to using social media appropriately.
Why you should follow her: She’s prolific, so you always have something to read, and she knows her stuff.

@AnitaBruzzese
About the author: Anita Bruzzese is the author of “45 Things You Do That Drive Your Boss Crazy” and also writes a workplace blog full of tips and advice for employees.
Why you should follow her: She lets you know when she’s updated her blog, which is full of helpful advice. She also shares quirky, sometimes off-topic links that lighten the day’s mood.

@CAREEREALISM
About the authors: Careerealism.com founder J.T. O’Donnell and a group of job experts let you know when they’ve posted new advice for job seekers. They also respond to job seekers with career questions — in 140 characters or less, of course.
Why you should follow them: As a follower, you get to read advice from several experts who know what they’re talking about and give their own perspectives.

@careerdiva
About the author: Eve Tahmincioglu blogs, publishes articles and Tweets on career issues.
Why you should follow her: Her advice is excellent and she often brings up issues you might not have otherwise considered.

@CBforJobSeekers
About the authors: CareerBuilder’s team of experts writes for the job seeking blog TheWorkBuzz.com and workplace articles, such as the one you’re reading right now.
Why you should follow them: The team’s Tweets are a mix of tips, news stories, helpful articles and blog posts to keep you informed of what’s going on in the world of job seekers.

@heatherhuhman
About the author: Heather Huhman is an expert on helping Generation Y job seekers and recent graduates navigate the professional world.
Why you should follow her: Huhman Tweets when she writes a new article, directs followers to other helpful experts and offers her own tips from time to time.

@InterviewCoach
About the author: Lewis Lin is a Seattle-based interview coach who prepares clients for the difficult questions that will come their way during a job search.
Why you should follow him: Lin Tweets his own interview tips, as well as other experts’ advice and news articles.

@Keppie_Careers
About the author: Atlanta-based Miriam Salpeter is a career coach and résumé writer for Keppie Careers. She helps job seekers spice up their résumés, prepare for interviews and achieve their career goals.
Why you should follow her: In addition to posting links to the day’s job seeker headlines and news, she also offers career advice and lets you know where she’ll be giving presentations.

@Writerbabe
About the author: Chicago-based Raven Moore authors The Writerbabe Series, a blog that explores professional, pop-culture and newsworthy topics.
Why you should follow her: Moore directs you both to her own writings and to other writers’ works, as well as interesting news items she comes across. Plus, some of her personal Tweets are entertaining enough to make you forget about the current economy.

Anthony Balderrama is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. He researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow him on Twitter at twitter.com/abalderrama.

Today’s economy has compelled job seekers to do some crazy things: standing on street corners wearing billboards advertising their unemployment, sending gifts to hiring managers, applying down for entry-level positions, or even switching careers entirely.

But you know what’s really crazy? None of things are that crazy at all. In fact, each of those things is a pretty smart move — especially the latter.

Although people switch careers for many reasons and at different times, the economy is a strong factor in why millions of people are currently opting to do so. We asked our readers to share their career-changing success stories and got hundreds of responses.

Here are a just few we thought you’d enjoy:

Rabbi to comedian
“I served two congregations. Having earned a doctorate and really wanting a) to get out of the fishbowl and b) spend more time in our beloved Vermont, I resigned mid-contract, and planned to open a counseling practice. That summer, the local Jewish paper ran a “Jewish Comic of the Year Contest” which I entered. [I] came in 3rd [and] started doing free shows. Soon I was earning a decent living at comedy, so I never pursued the counseling practice. Twenty-three years later, I live in Vermont and perform internationally.” — Bob Alper, comedian

Corporate to geese herding
“Five years ago I could see a layoff coming. I stumbled over a story about a homeowners association in Maryland who rounded up and killed 100 geese. It was legal, but ugly. In the story, I saw a sentence about people hiring dog services to herd geese away humanly. I talked about it until my wife told me to go ahead and start a goose herding business. Gone in a Zip is now five years old. I’m not getting rich, but it sure beats sitting in an office and I have been profitable for a few years now.” – Dan Laxton, owner, Gone in a Zip

Magazine editor to fashion designer
“I was laid off in March from my magazine editor job and it felt like Christmas in springtime. I started my fashion label last year and it’s going great. We’re due in boutiques this August and being laid off allowed me to focus all my energy on growing and expanding label.” – Fresia Rodriguez, owner, Kingley & Posh

Catering to wedding pastor
“I owned a catering and event planning business for almost 20 years with my [ex] husband. Last year, after completing seminary in New York City and training in New Jersey, I started a practice writing and performing ceremonies. It is now a full-time, self-supporting business and I love it. It has blended all my years of being the caterer/planner, my writing and performing skills, and my marketing abilities in one place.” – Celia Milton, wedding ceremony officiant and minister

Speaker/author to charity promoter
“For the past 18 years I have been a professional speaker and the author of 12 books. My husband was working from home doing marketing for a charity called Soles4Souls. When our daughter left for college, my husband and I decided to change careers. We sent a scrapbook-style business proposal to the CEO of Soles4Souls. We suggested he buy an RV and have my husband and I travel the United States for a year, promoting Soles4Souls. He went for it! Two months later, we are on the road, living in a different place every day.” – Silvana Clark, sole ambassador, Soles4Souls Inc.

Education to music
“I have no experience in the music industry; I have a bachelor of arts and a bachelor of education degree. While I was on maternity leave [with] Hannah, I started singing songs to her, and including her name in the songs to make it fun. Tunes like “If You’re Happy And You Know It” became “If You’re Hannah And You Know It,” and so forth. My husband works in the music industry, and we sat around the table talking about this, and he thought it would make for a great personalized CD. We started with 9 songs and 800 names recorded — we actually had to invent the technology in order to create Name Your Tune. Since our launch, [the CD] has become the leading personalized CD in the world. Children will hear their name more than 80 times throughout 14 much-loved songs, and we now have over 4,500 names to choose from. We’ve come a long way since those days discussing the idea around the table.” — Candace Alper, Name Your Tune

IT to culinary
“After graduating from college I spent seven years in the IT industry. Although it was a good job, it wasn’t my real passion in life. Life is too short to have a career that I don’t love, so I decided to start my own business making gourmet culinary sauces. In October of 2007, I started Simply Boulder Culinary Sauces and the business has taken off and is growing at a fast rate. Even thought my new career is a complete 180 from my previous [one], I’ve found that several skills from my old industry have helped me tremendously.” – Seth Mendelsohn, president, Simply Boulder Foods

English instructor to multiplication guru
“I was a [university] English composition instructor. With endless office hours and a deluge of e-mails from students every night, I felt it was time to pursue my dream. I had a big idea — a better way of teaching the times tables. As any parent knows or remembers, learning the multiplication tables represents a dread rite of passage for many children. When my son struggled with rote memorization, I invented a method based on easy number patterns. I published “Teach Your Child the Multiplication Tables, Fast, Fun & Easy!” to help other families and launched my company, TeaChildMath. This journey has been fantastic!” – Eugenia Francis, founder, TeaChildMath

Carpenter to LEGO model designer
“I was a carpenter for many years throughout the housing boom. When the housing market started to go south, I knew I needed to get out. I tried out for a local ‘LEGO’ competition. The position was for the master model builder at the brand new Legoland Discovery Center in Chicago. I fought in an American-Idol type contest, with experts and children judging me to make the final call. I won everyone over with my LEGO happy meal and am now the designer of models for the Chicago-based attraction.” – Dan Morey, model designer, Legoland Discovery Center

Sales to bridal boutique
“My mother and I recently opened an eco-friendly bridal and special occasion boutique [in Watertown, Mass]. My mother had been in the travel industry; I, as a pharmaceutical rep at the ripe age of 26, was already burned out and did not feel right promoting pharmaceutical products any longer. We opened an eco-chic bridal and special occasion boutique Viva Amore on July 7, 2009. Our motto is to ‘shop green while saving green.’ It has been received extremely well thus far.” – Mena and Anita, owners, Viva Amore

Graphic designer to soap maker
“I went from working in the corporate world as a magazine graphic designer and photographer, to selling my house, quitting my job and teaching myself to make soap. I now live in my grand dad’s old dairy barn, which I renovated into a soap studio, and have a booming natural body care business. I also recently just started my own charity, Soap for Hope, where I plan on teaching at risk girls and women to start their own business and thrive (not just survive).” – Jennifer Jack, owner, Good Fortune LLC

Wall Street to cupcakes
After years on Wall Street, I was laid off last summer. Rather than getting back into finance I decided to pursue my hobby of cooking with kids as a full-time venture. Today, I’m the proud owner of Cupcake Kids!, a company in New York City that specializes in hands-on cooking events for kids. We offer cooking birthday parties, classes, school and camp visits, and more. Needless to say, my life has done a total 180 but I couldn’t be happier.” – Jessi Walter, owner, Cupcake Kids!

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.

Does it really exist? How can I avoid it?

By Rachel Zupek, PrimeCB.com writer

Many job seekers today will tell you that the most frustrating part of the job search is after they hit “send” and their résumés are sent out into application oblivion — never to be seen again.

It’s the common perception of the résumé black hole — a place where, instead of stars and planets, résumés and cover letters are just floating around, waiting to get sucked back to Earth and into a hiring manager’s hands.

Matthew McMahon, partner at McMahon Partners LLC, an executive search firm, says the ease of online job boards is a double-edged sword for candidates. While they can see what’s available and apply to what interests them, the little time and monetary cost also causes them to apply to anything and everything.

“The resulting volume ensures that some candidates might be lost in the shuffle. If a recruiter posts an attractive job, she might get a few hundred responses. There’s a chance that the recruiter won’t get through every response,” McMahon says.

So what happens to your application materials when you apply for a job online? Who sees your résumé? Better yet, who doesn’t? Why can’t someone acknowledge your application? And, most importantly, what can you do to ensure that your résumé doesn’t fall into cyberspace?

McMahon and Caitrin O’Sullivan, public relations coordinator at iCIMS, a leading software-as-a-service provider, answer all of your burning résumé black-hole questions.

Does a black hole really exist?
McMahon: It depends entirely on the company. The main culprits, in my opinion, are volume and the abilities of the people who read your résumé. Usually the résumé goes to a gatekeeper of some sort, typically someone within HR. If the gatekeeper is experienced with the field for which she is recruiting, she’ll have an idea what she is looking for. The danger in this process, however, exists when one person has to screen résumés for too many departments. There just isn’t a way for that person to speak every language they need to. That person will usually rely solely on keywords and will miss things.

For example, we had a client that had a fully-automated applicant tracking system. Candidates would submit a résumé to a posting and the ATS would import it automatically to the database. Internal recruiters would then mine the database against current openings using keyword searches. What that meant, ultimately, was that there was no guarantee that submitted résumés would be viewed by a human at any point.

Where do résumés go after I hit send?
O’Sullivan: Large, enterprise-sized organizations may be receiving hundreds of applications per day, which virtually no one could manually acknowledge one by one with individualized e-mails. There is a plethora of applicant tracking systems available today. The majority of these ATS come equipped with comprehensive candidate relationship management tools. These CRM tools enable automated messages to be sent to all candidates alerting them of their status within the review process and also acknowledging receipt of the application or résumé. This eliminates the “black-hole effect” of the job seeking process. Assuming an organization is leveraging an ATS, a candidate’s résumé and job application should automatically be stored in a central database with an individual candidate profile.

Please describe an ATS system
O’Sullivan: An applicant tracking system is a software application designed to help organizations recruit employees more efficiently. Its primary function is to automate and streamline the recruitment process. It can also be leveraged for such tasks as posting job openings to corporate Web sites and job boards, screening and ranking résumés, or generating mass communication, such as rejection notices or interview requests to candidates. ATS also provides the ability to track applicant statuses per job and enables users to streamline and automate application tracking with online employment applications, electronic candidate and recruiting forms, and configurable applicant flow reports and metrics.

Résumés that are “accepted” through an ATS go into the same place as résumés that are rejected; it’s just that different actions are taken on them. Résumés that do not meet requirements are denoted as part of the group that will receive rejection letters; applicants that are deemed an appropriate fit will be designated to a group that will receive an automated message alerting them of their status and scheduling a forward looking appointment, whether it is phone, first or second round interviews. Many organizations even go directly to these résumés that were at one point rejected to fill other positions at the organization that might be a better match.

Why don’t hiring managers and recruiters let applicants know their application was received?
O’Sullivan: If an organization, especially a medium or large one, were not leveraging an applicant tracking system, it’s difficult for job seekers to understand the magnitude of applications flooding recruiters/HR managers’ desks, especially during a period of high unemployment. Just visually scanning through all of these résumés can take hours upon hours of manpower. To have to communicate with every one of those applicants on top of that would be a truly formidable task.

What are five ways a job seeker can avoid the “black hole”?
1. Don’t apply to jobs for which you are not qualified and don’t send résumés to the same recruiter over and over again. “Recruiters are doing this for their livelihood. If they have your résumé and think that there is a chance that you’ll get hired for one of their jobs, they’ll respond — usually right away,” McMahon says.

2. Customize your résumé. “Read the description and take your best guess at what the employer is seeking. Move relevant experience to the top of each section of your résumé. Use clear language that mirrors the language in the ‘qualifications’ section of the posting,” McMahon says.

3. Use your cover e-mail to address obvious disqualifiers. “Make it hard for the screener to disregard you. If you’re in Florida and the job is in Alaska, mention that you went to school in Alaska and yearn to return,” McMahon says. “Better yet, put the address of your aunt in Juneau on the résumé and mention that you are moving there in three weeks.”

4. Keywords, keywords, keywords. “We can’t say this enough. You have to tailor your résumé to each job description. Using the same keywords and phrases used in a job description, and repeating them as frequently as possible in your résumé — while remaining logical — will make the ATS rank you as a higher and better match for this job,” O’Sullivan says. “Many ATS weigh more heavily when those keywords appear at the top of your résumé, because it indicates you’re currently or very recently enacting those key terms.”

5. Keep it simple. “Don’t include graphics, logos or pictures. Also, don’t try to get fancy with text boxes, headers or footers. While résumé-parsing tools are a great resource and save hours upon hours of manual data entry, they can’t always parse text boxes, headers or footers with 100 percent accuracy,” O’Sullivan says. “It’s best to avoid the risk and leave out these features altogether. Furthermore, almost all ATS will strip down résumés into their most basic format, text only. So don’t stress over font or color — it ultimately doesn’t matter.”

Rachel Zupek is a writer and blogger for CareerBuilder.com and its job blog, The Work Buzz. She researches and writes about job search strategy, career management, hiring trends and workplace issues. Follow her on Twitter: https://twitter.com/CBwriterRZ.

A few weeks ago, we announced “Ask PrimeCB,” a new feature where we answer all of your burning questions.

This week’s question comes from B Nelson:

“When asked why I left my previous employer, I explained that I was terminated because of expiration of medical leave. I did not get hired. I have been given advice to say that ‘I was laid off due to reduction of work force.’Any suggestions to my situation would be greatly appreciated.”

Great question, B, and a difficult one to answer. (more…)

By Rachel Zupek, PrimeCB.com writer

In today’s economy, personal and professional failures are abundant. Personally, we’re tired of hearing bad news. Instead, we wanted to know how people have stayed relevant and successful.

Here’s what we found out:

Ann M. Clemmer, Stampin’ Up!
Ten years ago, I became a Stampin’ Up! demonstrator to bring in a little extra money. Five years ago, I got the opportunity to leave my job in the television industry. I felt that if I was ever to try this stamping job full time, this was it. (more…)

Although “going green” may seem like it’s the cool thing to do these days, environmentalism has been around for … well, ever. Only now, everyone else is starting to catch on — thank goodness.

CareerBuilder now makes it easier for employers with green jobs to connect with environmentally conscious job seekers. The site, www.goinggreenjobs.com, will allow employers the ability to post their green, otherwise known as environmentally-focused positions, full-time and part-time jobs by skill sets, enhanced green job titles and categories, and geographic location. (more…)

I come bearing good news: A new CareerBuilder survey shows that 48 percent of workers who were laid off from full-time jobs in the last three months have found new full-time positions, an increase from 41 percent in March. An additional 3 percent found part-time positions; down from 8 percent in the previous survey. (more…)