Well, seems likes even Nicholas Claus aka Santa reads our blog every so often. Not sure what made him think we were a recruiting company or hiring for any position that he decided to send a resume. The layout of the resume itself looks pretty simple for a jolly guy like him, but his accomplishments and qualifications are very impressive. We managed to scan the mail so we could show it to you. If you are interested in hiring him, his contact information is listed on the resume. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s a reason why there are laws against basing hiring decisions on factors like age, religion, race, gender, and sexual orientation: if there were no such laws, many hiring managers would use those factors all the time. Hiring for full-time employment is an exercise in prejudice, some of it inexcusable, and some of it necessary.

Think about it: job applicants submit their resumes, which answer the essential questions about qualifications. Hiring managers then must rely on incredibly short interviews to make long-term decisions. They use certain prejudices (pre-judging criteria) to narrow down the field. They read into an applicant’s body language to tell them if he’s dishonest. They look at her clothes to see if she fits in with the corporate culture. More often than they admit, people do make hiring decisions based on age, gender, or race. That’s an outrage, and it needs to stop because it’s based on faulty stereotypes, not on fact. Read the rest of this entry »

Any conventional resume coach will tell you that there are some things you absolutely never put on your resume. And the best resume services will find a way to turn your top skills and achievements into benefits that will make your resume sparkle.

But let’s face it: not everybody’s career is sparkling. What if your last two jobs were disasters? What if you were written up to HR for bad behavior? What if leaving the negatives off your resume leaves you nothing but your name and white space?

In the job search, desperate times call for creative measures. You could make stuff up or try one of our 7 patented resume lies. But here’s something people rarely consider (outside of politics): spin your biggest screw ups to sound like major achievements. Here are ten colossal blunders you could add to your resume, with a little sales pitch to make it shine. Read the rest of this entry »

Knowledge is power, and education is the secret to success, so if you’re pursuing a degree, you have made a very wise decision. Getting an online education is even smarter, considering the bad economy and your need to keep working while you study. Or it just might be the worst decision of your life. Not every online education venue is a branch on the tree of knowledge. So here are 8 signs that your online college is just another extension of the School of Hard Knocks handing out Masters Degrees in Gullibility. Read the rest of this entry »

As a job seeker, you are networking and making sure you build your contacts and extend your network in order to be seen. However, networking whether online or offline can hurt you if you aren’t cautious about giving your information away. According to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) the damage caused by identity theft in 2008 was $48 billion.

In California, 20% of all identity theft related frauds were employment related, which is higher than credit card fraud in that state. Although the numbers are for California, with increasing layoffs and poor job market we are sure these numbers are true for many other states. This certainly doesn’t mean that you need to put a brake on your job search. What it means is that careful steps must be taken before you fill out forms and give information away. When you are filling out employment forms or handing resumes out in person at a brick and mortar business, your information is much more secure than it is when you are filling out employment forms and submitting resume online.

With employment related identity theft on the rise, it is necessary that you do the due research. Before submitting your resume or any other information online make sure the site you are submitting to is a credible site. If you don’t know enough about them, research before submitting your information. This doesn’t apply to the online world alone, it applies to the offline world as well. If you are throwing away a paper containing your information, make sure you shred it before dumping it in the garbage can. At times these things just get overlooked but one small mistake can cause a huge problem in the long run. And identity theft is the last thing you want when you are out and about looking for a job.

If you want to learn more about identity theft related to employment, be sure to read this article : Identity thieves targeting job seekers.

We all know that social media and job search are now closely related. In today’s fast paced world, it is crucial to have a presence on different social media platforms in order to succeed and have a influential group of network. However, although it is important to be a part of the community, it seems like many candidates don’t realize that social media isn’t all fun and games. One slip of tongue (or finger) on one of these platforms can cost you your job. Below are five tips that are simple but something that needs to be reminded every so often to make sure your career and social media participation are both aligned. Read the rest of this entry »

There’s an old joke about the value of a liberal arts degree. It goes, ’science student asks, ‘Why does that work?’ An engineering student asks, ‘How does that work?’ A business student asks, ‘How much does that cost?’ And a liberal arts student asks, ‘Do you want fries with that?’ As we progress deeper into the digital age, traditional higher education as we know it is becoming more and more of a punchline. As InsideHigherEd.com has noted the number of colleges dedicated primarily to liberal arts has dwindled from 212 in 1999 to just 137. The transition in higher education is clearly shifting toward the practical, vocational end of the spectrum. That trend won’t be reversing anytime soon. Read the rest of this entry »

Here at applicant.com we do our very best to bring you the latest, most creative ways to land a job you love in an economy we hate. We link to great resources, provide helpful resume tips, break stories about the state of the job market, today we’re taking a break from that. Here’s a list of surefire ways to sabotage your efforts in finding a job. Follow these steps and you’re guaranteed to get overlooked, and on the off chance you do get an interview, this list can help you screw that up, too.

So here they are, eleven ways to sabotage your job search (that can also ruin your productivity if you already have a job). Read the rest of this entry »

I often find myself saying – I wish I lived in California. But that’s about to change. As most of us already know California has gone deep, and by deep I mean deeeeeep in debt. They are trying to find ways to keep their head above water and are coming with every possible ways to do so. Recently, they ran a “Great California Garage Sale” which took place on Aug 28 and 28, 2009. Although many were mocking their ideas, it seems to have paid off as they raised $1.6 million in sales. Read the rest of this entry »

Let’s face it – we all want to own a business, choose our own hours and not have to listen to anyone tell us what needs to be done. Before the internet, starting a business was a real pain. The operating costs were too high. For example, if you were to open a store, you had to pay rent, electricity, sewage and everything else that relates to having a physical location for a business. Now you can have a booming business right from your home. Whether you provide consulting, writing service or have a big online store, the operating costs can be cut in half. Besides, it’s always good to have a business structure in place to look professional to your potential customers and clients.

This post will highlight pros and cons of different business structures. Along with pros and cons we will also provide you with forms that you need for each of these business structures and where you can download them. All in all, this post is your one stop guide to choosing a business structure. Don’t believe us? Keep on reading. Ohh and if you are asking why we are covering entrepreneur’s guide on a job search blog, here is a little known fact – some of the most successful entrepreneurs started their business after they got laid off from their day jobs. Take that as an inspiration. Let’s begin. Read the rest of this entry »