a particular project.” Such assignments may be found locally or require temporarily relocating. But according to Mason, project assignments can s
ometimes lead to full-time employment.
The first step to finding these opportunities is changing your attitude, says Laurence Stybel, president of the outplacement firm Stybel Peabody Lincolnshire in Boston. “People think that going from a W2 assignment to a project assignment is a step down. As long as they see it as less desirable or as a lower occupation, they’re going to feel bad about themselves. They need to understand that’s just the way it is. Structure your job search for the flexibility that tough economic times demand.”
RESOURCES FOR YOUR SEARCH
Allen and Associates (www.allenandassociates.com) is a career marketing and outplacement firm that places candidates through a three-step process: creating a personalized action plan, building a career portfolio that speaks specifically to your industry, and targeting employers directly through a network of nonadvertised job channels. The company also offers a free résumé critique and career evaluation.
Research industries and companies, as well as regions on www.hoo vers.com, www.wetfeet.com, and www.vault.com.
Guide to Internet Job Searching 2002 — 03 (VGM Career Books, $14.95), by Margaret Riley Dikel and Frances E. Roehm, focuses on the importance of targeted job searches via the Web. The book demonstrates how to properly prepare your résumé for job applications posted on the Internet and provides a list of state and industry job-lead banks
Games Companies Play: The Job Hunter’s Guide to Playing Smart & Winning Big in the High-Stakes Hiring Game (Ten Speed Press, $17.95), by Pierre Mornell, offers step-by-step strategies for job hunting, including information on checking a company for biases. Among Mornell’s suggestions are looking for companies that have summer internship programs. “They are usually more serious about recruiting a more diverse workforce,” he says.
Encyclopedia of Associations, found at your local library, is a comprehensive database of detailed information on more than 135,000 nonprofit organizations worldwide. It provides addresses and descriptions of a variety of groups, including professional societies, trade associations, and labor unions. It’s updated five times a year.
CREATING A SCANNABLE RESUME
Want your résumé read? If it’s not in a scannable format, it won’t get noticed. Many companies and most government agencies rely on computers to weed out résumés. Applications read by human resources professionals are scrutinized in the same manner. Here’s how to get your résumé in order.
- Use simple and familiar fonts, such as Times Roman and Courier, in point sizes between 10 and 12. Avoid using fonts that touch.
- Eliminate bullets, italics, underlining, and graphics. Some systems identify bold print. You may use capital letters.
- Use industry jargon to describe your work. Your experience and successes should be described by nouns, not verbs. Do not fold or staple your résumé.
Check out the following Websites for more information and examples: The University of Kentucky’s Career Center (www.uky.edu/Career Center/scanhowto.html); MonsterTRAK (www.jobtrak.com); and Proven Résumés (www.provenresumes.com).