Better advice

Recently I was reading an advice column “Ask Amy” and the advice she gave her was sweet but this woman needs to be more direct. The troubled woman writes in to get advice on how to manage a co-worker who is teasing her beyond what is necessary about her having a housekeeper and having money. The trouble woman is single and self proclaimed frugal while the teasing woman is married to an out of work husband and has three children. The trouble woman has mentioned to this woman to stop when the comments started about her housekeeper but now the woman keeps making comments about her money. “Ask Amy” advice “From here on out, you can meet her comments with ... nothing. Just let it lie. Let the crickets pulse. And then say, "Anyway, moving on."

Hummm… not the way I would handle it. I would simple tell this woman  “ my money is not your concern, nor anyone else who happens to be in the room when you make the comment. Maybe when your husband gets a job you can afford a maid too or maybe you’ll need to wait for your kids to go off to college. Either way while I can afford it I’m going to have a one, maybe your out of work husband can be your maid since he probable home all day anyways.” Sounds like a way to finally get this woman to stop her comments.

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Six steps to handling the money questions

1. How to Handle Applications or Ads Requesting a Salary History

Diane Barowsky, who works in executive recruiting, advises job seekers not to include salary requirements. "True, when you leave out the information, you run the risk that the employer won't look at you because you've not put a salary in there," she says. "But you run a greater risk of selling yourself short, because you don't know what the range is."

Instead, write that you expect a salary commensurate with your experience and the job's demands. You could also write, "negotiable," because, frankly, salary is always negotiable.

2. What Are You Currently Making?

Answer carefully. State that the new job, while in line with your skills, can't compare to your current job. As such, your current salary isn't a good judge of what you should earn in this position. "Answer: What I'm making is not important," says Barowsky. "What is important is whether or not my skills are what you need, and I'm confident the range will be fair." This allows you to reveal your self-confidence. Read more »


Resumania: A job interview is no time to joke

April Fools' Day is a time for goofs and gags, but save the jokes for your friends. Even if a hiring manager has a great sense of humor, he or she isn't looking for laughs when reviewing your resume and cover letter. While it's OK to inject a modicum of personality and wit into your application materials, you won't be taken seriously if your interview flows more like a standup routine.

Get a prospective employer's attention by concisely conveying your most relevant skills, experience and qualifications when applying for jobs. The following candidates should have forgone the funny business:

"GOALS: To secure a job. I'll do almost anything. But, no, I'm not cleaning out horse stalls. Ha-ha."

That's one way to muck up a resume.

"ACHIEVEMENTS: I have survived to 26 years of age thus far, a feat unequaled by even King Tut."

A quip only a mummy could love.

"ACHIEVEMENTS: Actually solved a Rubik's Cube once without the aid of the popular 'sticker-peeling technique."

Congratulations, but we're puzzled why you'd include this on your resume.

This graphic designer is open to changing careers:

"OTHER POSITIONS I WOULD CONSIDER: Hot tub tester."

Nice work if you can get it.

Finally, as always, proofread diligently. While some job seekers try to be funny but aren't, others inadvertently make employers chuckle.

"OBJECTIVE: Seeking full-time employment or just a jig."


Using Twitter for Job Searching

One source that people often forget about when looking for a job is Twitter. Most people just think of Twitter as a "waste of time" site that people post what they had for dinner or what they are watching on TV. For some it is, but if you use it right you can track down some pretty decent job leads on Twitter.

If you think about job searching, it's just networking and putting the word out that you are looking. What better place to do this than Twitter?

Where do I Start?

The first thing you need is a Twitter account, obviously. Then you need to find people to follow and you need to get followers. Usually when you follow people, they will follow you back as long as you have some interesting tweets. So spend some time updating your profile, upload a picture, and post some tweets that people might find interesting (news, gossip, tips, jokes, stories, whatever).

The great thing about Twitter, is it's not like Facebook where people want to know who you are. In Twitterland, nobody cares. People just want to build up their following, that's it.

How do I search?

Once you've built up a nice profile, get to know how to use local search, it is going to be your best friend. In the search box if you use location: and then your city, you can find all sorts of stuff. For instance, I did location:minneapolis and it came up with a bunch of stuff for Minneapolis. Now, if I compound this idea and use other local cities in my area, wow things get big quick. Don't forget to do search for location:minnesota as well. I also did searches for abbreviations such as MN, MPLS, etc. Read more »


#1 Job Interviewing Tip: Never go to a job interview without your Job Match Summary

A Job Match Summary totally outperforms a resume in the job interview as a tool to convince the hiring manager that you are an exact fit and most qualified for the position.

Prim and Polished Job Interview Makeup Tutorial

Job Interview look requested by CatLovesMakeup

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