09 May 09 Dark Secret to Getting Knock-out Recommendations Finally Revealed

All of us know one or two people who aren’t particularly good at what they do, and yet they always seem to be the ones who get ahead in life. They advance, while everyone else has to sit and watch.

It wouldn’t be so infuriating if they were the most deserving - the most intelligent, the most skilled, or the most hard-working. But it never seems to work out that way.

The simple fact of the matter is that it takes two types of skills to get ahead in the world today: the ability to do a good job and - what is becoming increasingly important - the ability to land a good opportunity in the first place. Unfortunately for most of us, our teachers only taught us how to perform well; they didn’t spend a whole lot of time showing us how to stake our claims - how to make sure we get the credit, rewards, and opportunities we deserve. That was supposed to be automatic.

Well, it’s not!

It’s a jungle everywhere! Throughout your life, you can expect that you will be out there too - over and over again - fighting for your place in the world. It’s not enough to be another good also-ran; successful candidates know they must stand out in a crowded field. They must get noticed before they can ever hope to get offers.

That’s why letters of recommendation are more important now in the job search process than ever before - often more important than your resume. If you’ve ever been involved in hiring, then you know it doesn’t take long before all those resumes start sounding alike. Resume after resume - the whole pile starts to become a blur.

Letters of recommendation are different. Hard-hitting, objective opinions from real-life professionals that have actually worked with you can communicate more about what you offer than you could ever get across in a resume… that is, if you can get the right letter.

PROBLEM: Getting good recommendation letters isn’t easy - even when you deserve them!

People are often reluctant to write letters of recommendation - even when you are more than deserving. Why? Well, a typical excuse is that they are too busy. After all, doing a letter of recommendation can take some time - especially if you don’t do them often.

Even so, often lack of time is just an excuse; it isn’t the real reason why most people don’t like writing recommendation letters. A more common - and more embarrassing - reason managers are reluctant to write reference letters is that they don’t think they can do a good job. In fact, they fear that a letter they write will be so bad that it will make them look unprofessional, and you and the person receiving your letter will lose respect for them and the organizations they represent.

Of course, they won’t tell you that; you just won’t ever get your letter.

Clearly, though, some people have figured this out. They are able to secure the kinds of letters that opportunities the rest can only dream of.

How do they do it?
- Are they just better than everyone else?
- Do they work harder?
- Are they smarter or better educated?

In the vast majority of cases, the answers to these questions are no, no, and no!

They’re not better or smarter; they just know the secret.

Their approach is as simple as it is effective: They write their letters of recommendation themselves!

You’ve probably seen glowing letters of recommendation that…
- get people to stand up and take notice
- impress recruiters and colleagues
- provide the most effective competitive edge available in the war for fast-track opportunities!

Am I saying that these letters are essentially just advertising - as biased as anything else - written by the candidates themselves?

Yes! That’s exactly what I am saying, and for a very good reason… it’s absolutely true! It’s the dirty little secret that all the most successful candidates already know.

Now think about this: How can you possibly compete without doing the same thing yourself?

The answer is: you can’t!

If you are serious about landing the kind of opportunities you really deserve in today’s competitive environment, then you have no option… you must take the initiative. It takes real nerve to write your own letter of recommendation for someone else to sign, but it’s the way the real movers and shakers make things happen.

Tags: Ahead, Blur, Fact Of The Matter, Good Job, Job Search, Jungle, Knock Out, Letter Recommendation, Letters Of Recommendation, Recommendation Letters, Resume, Resumes, Rewards, Search Process, Simple Fact, Whole Lot, World Today, Write Letters

05 Feb 09 Wanted: Job Skills on the Loose

In todays competitive life, employers are more inclined to find people who can contribute to the growth of the company and not just boost its productivity.

Hence, most employers tend to look for people who are endowed with the most desirable job skills in order to match the expectations and necessities of the company.

Therefore, for people who wish to make it to the jobs that they have long been dreaming of, it is important to know the most sought after job skills of most employers.

Heres a list of the important job skills a job seeker must have in order to land a good job and keep it.

1. The ability to research

Job seekers should possess the ability to research not because they wanted to land a job in a research company but in order to do simple searches on the data needed by a particular activity.

2. Logical thinking

Most employers need people who are able to produce effective solutions and to make sensible solutions regarding a proposal or a probable activity.

3. Technologically literate

With the advent of information technology, most job openings require people who are computer literate or know how to operate different machines and office equipments.

Most employers do not necessarily need people who are technological graduates. The simple fact that job seekers know the basic principles of technology is already enough.

4. Communication skills

People who are able to land a good job are mostly those who are adept in speaking and writing. Employers hire people who are able to express their thoughts efficiently through verbal and written communications.

5. Organizational skills

No employer would like to hire somebody who is disorganized. Organization is extremely important to maintain a harmonious working relationship in the company. Hence, most employers find people who know how to arrange scheme and methods that would maintain the orderliness in the area.

6. Interpersonal skills

Because the working environment consists of various kinds of personalities, it is necessary, therefore, to acquire the skill to communicate to people form different walks of life.

7. Professional Growth

Employers hire people who are able to create a plan that will generate personal career growth. This means that the person is willing to improve him or herself professionally by learning new things he or she still does not know.

These are just some of the most wanted job skills by most employers. Hence, it is important for the job seekers to take note of these assets in order to be successful in every endeavor they make.

Tags: Area 6, Communication Skills, Desirable Job, Effective Solutions, Good Job, Interpersonal Skills, Job Openings, Job Seeker, Job Seekers, Kinds Of Personalities, Logical Thinking, Necessities, Orderliness, Organizational Skills, Principles Of Technology, Research Job, Sensible Solutions, Simple Fact, Working Environment, Written Communications