Q: My last company downsized and my position was eliminated. I speak English and Spanish fluently and have been looking for a job for a year now. With so many companies wanting to target the Hispanic market, why is it so hard for me to find the right position? Thank you. Sara
A: The length of time for finding the right job varies depending on your specific field, job market, salary range, knowledge, experience and other factors. Your main task is to present yourself to the best of your abilities to the hiring companies, and hope that they like what they see in you. If after looking for a job for three months, you have not found the right company or position yet, take another look at your resume and at your cover letter. How are you presenting yourself to companies? How are you introducing yourself? Are you presenting the benefit that you’re bilingual? Have you pointed out the successes you’ve had in your last positions? If I were you, I would consider adjusting my approach and my overall presentation to companies. Read your resume as if you were a recruiter and see if you like it, and if it appeals to you. Another idea would be to have a friend check it out and see how they like your resume and cover letter. See if they have a different approach than your original presentation. You can also read a few blogs I wrote about resumes and cover letters. Good luck.
January 15, 2010
The entire team at Bilingual Job Fair wishes you a Happy Holiday Season and a Happy New Year. May 2010 be a successful year in your life, and may you exceed each one of your goals!
December 23, 2009
The ultimate goal of online job postings is to attract qualified candidates and increase the pool of applicants for the open position. The level of detail that you include in the job posting is the key to getting the quantity and quality of response you need.
To recap, here are our Top Five Tips for Writing Effective Job Postings:
1) Judge a book by its cover: Use the most descriptive job title possible.
2) Don’t go incognito: Include the name of the hiring company.
3) More is more: When describing the open position, be specific.
4) “Show me the money”: Include a salary range in the job posting.
5) Details, details, details: Be sure to mention company benefits.
December 22, 2009
Today’s Tip:
5) Be sure to incorporate the company benefits into the job posting. Job seekers want to know what unique benefits their prospective employers offer, and including these details helps generate more interest in the position. If your company offers a 401k plan, paid vacation, health plan (medical, dental, and or pharmaceutical), car allowance or company car, or other benefits, listing them in the job posting will help increase response.
December 21, 2009
Today’s tip:
4) Consider including the salary range for the position in the job posting. We have found that employers that include a salary range in their job postings get increased response and a higher caliber of applicants.
December 18, 2009
Today’s tip:
3) When describing a job, be specific. Paint a complete picture of the job opening. Make sure to include the job requirements, the level and type of experience you are seeking, the education and language proficiency preferences, as well a description of the daily responsibilities of the position. Job seekers like to have an idea of what their day at a job might be like and what the job entails.
December 17, 2009
Today’s tip:
2) Include the name of the hiring company in the job post. Many experienced and high caliber applicants prefer not to apply to job postings in which the employer has chosen ‘company confidential’. Besides allowing job seekers to research the company before applying, revealing the employer’s name may generate more interest in the position.
December 16, 2009
Our goal is for companies to get excellent applicants and to get exceptional results from the job postings placed at BilingualJobFair.com. Based on the performance of previous job postings, and on feedback we have received from job seekers, we have come up with five tips for writing better, more effective job postings.
Today’s tip:
1) Think about the title of the position when creating a job post. Be sure you are using the most descriptive title possible, and avoid abbreviations. Remember, people are searching for job openings using common job titles and skills. Consider what someone might search for to find the job you are posting. Ask yourself: “Does the job title describe the position well enough? If I came across this job title in a search, would it interest me?”
December 15, 2009
We’ve all heard the common saying, “Dress for the job you want”. This is an important idea to remember when attending a job fair, and should help you avoid the last common mistake on my list:
Mistake #3: Inappropriate attire
Too many times, I’ve seen job seekers attend job fairs dressed too casually to make a good first impression. When getting dressed for a job fair, where you may meet your next employer, do not make the same clothing choices that you would if you were going to the mall or to a concert. The more professional you look, the better the impression you will make. The opposite is also true.
My advice: when dressing to attend a job fair, select apparel that does not detract from your professional image. Here are some guidelines that you can follow.
For men:
Acceptable options for men (cleaned and ironed, of course):
• A suit, including a jacket & a tie
• A blazer and a nice pair of pants, with no tie
• A nice pair of pants, and a nice shirt, with no tie
With all of these options, clean, polished shoes are your best bet.
Clothing to avoid:
• Jeans
• T-shirts
• Sneakers or other casual shoes
For women:
Acceptable options for women (cleaned and ironed, of course):
• A suit (a jacket with matching pants or skirt)
• A dress
• A blouse and a nice pair of pants
Clothing to avoid:
• Dresses and skirts that are shorter than knee-length
• Transparent or tight-fitting clothing
• Low necklines
• Jeans
• T-shirts
• Sneakers or other casual shoes
Note: If choosing to wear perfume, it should not be strong. Keep the accessories simple, including simple earrings, rather than large dangling ones. The idea is to keep the focus and attention on your credentials, not on your appearance. Your attire should help you create the impression of being a professional and should not be a distraction.
December 11, 2009
In addition to not bringing family members with you to a job fair, you should take extra care to avoid this job fair mistake as well:
Mistake #2: Attending without (or with too few) printed resumes
The resume is essential to a job seeker’s success at a job fair. It is the introduction their credentials, their work experience, attributes and qualifications. (For more on resumes, click here.) A job seeker attending a job fair without copies of a resume to hand to prospective employers is equivalent to a baseball player stepping up to home plate and facing a pitcher to hit a ball without a bat. Don’t hurt your chances at a home run by making this mistake!
My advice: don’t leave home without plenty of copies of your resume! It is better to have more copies than you think you’ll need than not enough. Bring a folder or briefcase with you to the job fair to keep your printed copies organized and looking neat. (More on this here.) You don’t want to miss a single opportunity.
December 10, 2009
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