Cover Letter Checklist: 7 Steps to Better Cover Letters

The cover letter should be part of your presentation to a hiring manager whenever you apply for a job. Through cover letters you can "speak" directly to the hiring manager and create a more tailored presentation of your background to better prove why you are well-suited for their open position. Generally cover letters should be three or four paragraphs long and no more than one page.

Here are seven things you should do when you write a cover letter.

1. Create a professional business letter format. Include your name and contact information at the top of the letter and match the style and font used on your resume. Stick to traditional fonts such as Arial, Times New Roman, and Tahoma.
2. Address the letter to a specific person when possible. It is always better to address the letter to a specific person. If no name is listed on the posting, try calling the main number of the company to find out who the contact is or ask someone in the human resources department. You won't always be able to uncover a specific name; but when you do, some hiring authorities will be impressed by the extra effort you took to find out who the appropriate contact is.
3. State the reason why you are sending the letter. If you are applying to the job via a job board or company website, be sure to reference where you saw the job posted and include the job title and job number if there is one. If a friend or colleague referred you for the position be sure to mention that in the first paragraph of the letter. Referred candidates frequently stand a better chance of getting past the initial screening process.
4. Discuss a current important business condition that is relevant to your reader. Let the hiring manager know that you understand their industry, competitors, and business problems. Making this connection helps elevate your candidacy and builds trust with the reader.
5. Explain how your skills match the job requirements. Review the job posting closely and match as many of your job skills to the requirement as possible. You can even create a two-column format that lists the company's job requirements on one side and your skills on the other side to make the match more obvious.
6. Ask for the interview. Be proactive in your letter and let the hiring manager know you plan to follow up to discuss next steps in the interview process.
7. Proofread the letter. Typos on a cover letter are just as bad as typos on a resume. After you write the letter, proofread it a few times, put it down, and then proofread it again later. If possible ask someone else to proofread it as well.

 

By Barbara Safani

Younger Baby Boomers Hurt Most by Recession

The economic climate of the past few years has been tough on everyone, but not everyone is coming out of the recent recession on equal footing. A study done by the market research firm Mintel shows that for those ages 45-54 (younger baby boomers and older Gen Xers) the recovery will definitely take longer.

A full 39 percent, the highest in any age group, say they worry more about retirement now than ever before. Also, 47 percent of that group (vs. 33 percent overall) say they "have only been spending money on necessities" for at least a year. And then there's the 51 percent of this age demographic (compared to 44 percent overall), who say they intend to permanently decrease the amount of unnecessary "stuff" they will buy in the future.

"This last recession has definitely not treated everyone equally," states Susan Menke, vice president and behavioral economist at Mintel. "One reason could be that the younger boomers are the age group that was just getting started when the severe double dip recessions of the 1980s hit, and they have never fully recovered. Another reason may be that this is the 'sandwich' generation, burdened with educational expenses for their kids and, for some, health care costs for aging parents."

People who fall into this age group are too young to take early retirement, and too old to be able to make up for their savings losses by the time they reach normal retirement age. It's a sad fact that some may not ever fully recover.

Menke adds, "We continue to see numbers indicating that the recession was a wake-up call across age groups, just in different ways. Everyone is more concerned about having adequate funds to retire after this recession. Unlike the baby boomers, however, younger age groups are able to do something about it."

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By Lisa Johnson Mandell,

Tips for Job Seekers

Whether you are seeking a job with a staffing firm or a Fortune 500 company, the process is pretty much the same. Start by crafting a compelling résumé. This will help you identify your marketable skills. Then, before you apply for a job, make sure that your skills match what the company is looking for. If so, prepare an effective cover letter and send it to the prospective employer along with your résumé.

If you get an interview, get ready for it well before you go. There may be more than one. For example, your first interview may be with a staffing firm and your second one with its client.

Craft a Compelling Résumé

Unless you have more than 10 years of experience, your résumé should be no longer than one page. Use a simple layout.

1. Know what you want.

Compose a clearly stated job objective. State what you want to do, for whom, where, and at what level of responsibility.

2. Stand out from the crowd.

Instead of just listing your job skills, describe the benefits and results of your performance. For each permanent job or staffing assignment, develop a list of major accomplishments, placing the most emphasis on your recent achievements. What problems or challenges have you faced? What actions did you take to overcome them? How did your actions benefit the company? Keep in mind that most companies value workers who enhance profits and save time and money.

3. Sell yourself.

You only have one shot to make a great impression. Your résumé is a word picture of yourself. Showcase your strengths and one or two outstanding skills or abilities. List your education, training, and any relevant awards.

4. Never list the reasons for termination or leaving a job on the résumé.

The reader can find negative connotations for even the best reason. You're far better off explaining employment lapses in person.

5. Make sure the résumé and the cover letter are error-free.

Proofread, and have others proofread them, too. Make your résumé understandable by avoiding jargon and using plain English.

Prepare an Effective Cover Letter

A cover letter allows you to personalize your résumé. Its main purpose is to emphasize your strengths and assets in a way that will interest employers in interviewing you.

1. To attract the reader's attention, the cover letter must look good and be easy to read.

Pay particular attention to spelling, grammar, punctuation, spacing, paragraph length, and margins. Address it to a particular person by name, making sure that the spelling and title of the individual are correct. A good cover letter is not too long, so try to limit yours to a single page.

2. The first paragraph should arouse the reader's interest.

State some particular knowledge you have of the reader's business, or comment on a "timely" issue relating to the company's operation.

3. The body of the cover letter should explain what you can do for the company.

Put yourself in the employer's position as you write. Present facts that will be interesting and that accurately describe your assets and qualifications. Your prospective employer will be interested in your ability to make or save money, conserve time, and effectively assume and delegate responsibility. Do not stress weaknesses, such as lack of experience.

4. The last paragraph should request action.

Ask for an interview, and state specific times and dates when you will call to arrange an interview (allow at least three business days from the day you send the letter). In all circumstances be courteous, but be direct.

5. The letter should end with the formal salutation "Sincerely."

Below the salutation, type your name and then add your signature.

Sending Your Résumé and Cover Letter Via E-Mail

As a 21st-century jobseeker, it's important to have an electronic cover letter and résumé to send at the click of a mouse. Here are some steps for converting your cover letter and résumé from Word or WordPerfect documents into electronic ones.

1. Remove all formatting, including lines, boxes, bold, italics, and underlining.

Change the font to Courier, size 12. Convert your page margins to 1 inch on the left and 3 inches on the right. When you save the cover letter or résumé, choose "Save As" and change the type to "Text only with Line Breaks." A warning box may come up informing you that you might lose some formatting. Click "OK" or "Yes."

2. Launch Notepad (PC) or SimpleText (Mac) to reformat and clean up your résumé.

Move all centered items to the left margin, and make sure all text is flush left. As you scroll through your document, remove all Tabs, replace all bullets with asterisks (*), and change bolded words to all caps. Increase white space by hitting Return twice between sections.

3. Make sure your cover letter and résumé are e-friendly.

Do not send them as attachments, but, rather, pasted in the body of the e-mail. Practice sending them via e-mail to yourself as well as a friend who uses a different Internet service provider—to ensure the documents are clean and professional-looking. Once you've made any required adjustments, your cover letter and résumé are ready for a prospective employer's inspection.

4. Words matter.

Always include keywords in your résumé. Recruiters use keywords to search for résumés. So choose some of the basic, important keywords in your field and pepper them throughout your résumé. For example: Web designer, account manager, communications specialist, to name some.

Deliver a Knock-Out Interview

Your carefully prepared cover letter and résumé paid off. You've landed an interview. Get ready—in advance—to make a good impression.

1. Confirm the interview appointment.

Do this one day before your interview. Know the date, time, and location of the interview. Try to find out how long you'll be there. And make sure you have your contact's phone numbers in case you have to call.

2. Clear your calendar.

If possible, keep your schedule free of any other commitments. The interview might run over or you could be asked to stay longer. Explaining that you have to be somewhere else could create an awkward situation.

3. Say their names correctly.

If you know the names of interviewers in advance, confirm the pronunciation and spelling.

4. Be on time.

Don't arrive more than 10 minutes early and, most important, don't be late. Arriving late not only labels you as rude, it also makes you seem unreliable. If unforeseen circumstances arise and you must be late, do everything you can to call ahead of time.

5. Dress to impress.

How embarrassing to come to an interview and discover you're underdressed. If possible, find out in advance what attire works. If you're still not sure, wear a suit. There's no such thing as overkill when dressing for an interview.

6. Let them know you've arrived.

Walk up to the receptionist, smile, shake hands, introduce yourself, and state that you have an appointment. Offer your résumé or business card and wait.

7. Shut off the cell phone.

Unless there's a bona fide crisis, turn off your cell phone or pager.

8. Use your mouth for talking only.

Unless the interview is scheduled with a meal, nothing should be in your mouth but words. Drinking, eating, smoking, and chewing gum don't work during an interview.

9. Prepare a short information statement.

Be ready to answer the dreaded question, "Tell me about yourself and your background." Your statement should include some information on the types of companies and industries you have worked for, your strengths, your transferable skills, and some of your personal traits. Practice saying this statement until it feels natural.

10. Be prepared to talk about your successes and experiences.

The employer will want to find out about your past experience—successes and failures, your work ethic, and your track record. Be able to amplify every item on your résumé.

11. Be nice.

Everyone you meet during your interview—from the receptionist to the interviewer—should be treated with respect and courtesy. The receptionist might not be conducting the interview, but his or her opinion of you might be solicited.

12. Follow up.

Send a thank you letter within a day of the interview. Provide any documents that might have been requested, such as references, an employment application, or samples of your work. A few days later, call to express your continued interest and to see if you could offer more information.

By: American staffing

National Call Center Hiring Telecommute Workers

lary: $12-$28/hour / Hourly                                     

Location: Sparks, TX

Type: Part-Time                                                      

TeleReach Corporate is a business development, appointment setting, teleprospecting, lead generation, data acquisition, and information gathering company. Since 1996 TeleReach has helped clients in both technology related and traditional businesses with their marketing programs. We make cold calls (M-F, 8-5) from a list of qualified prospects to set sales appointments with high level decision makers associated with companies within our clients target market. This requires the ability to feel comfortable communicating in a professional and effective manner with C level executives, presidents, directors and midlevel management.

TeleReach is seeking long term part time and full time Marketing Representatives. We are not a match for individuals seeking summer work, evening work, temporary work or supplemental income for an applicant’s other business ventures. We promote from within whenever possible. Although all of our employees work from their home offices, we encourage team interaction and provide a variety of incentives, including bonuses and contests. We offer group medical insurance and vacation pay for full time employees. All callers work on more than one program to avoid burnout. TeleReach offers performance based (quota) hourly pay. Earnings range from $12 - $28/hr. and our top FT callers earn 60K+ a year. We are a member of the Better Business Bureau and endorsed by ABC News Good Morning America and Woman's Day magazine as a recommended legitimate work from home company. 

Visit Telereachjobs.com for the links to these reports and to see our home office requirements.
All applicants must have a minimum of 1 year successful business to business (B2B) telephone cold calling experience, utilize professional verbal communication skills, have a sound understanding of general business, be self-motivated, have a dedicated follow-through attitude and demonstrate good computer skills. 

Preferred but not required: full time, college degree in a business related field, 3 years or more full time experience with a successful track record as a teleprospector, appointment setter or lead generator cold calling from home, formal sales/gatekeeper skills training, and online CRM experience (Gold Mine, Act, etc).

We receive a large number of applications each week and unfortunately can not respond to every applicant. 

We are not hiring in the following states: AK, CA, CT, FL, HI, IL, MA, MD, MI, MT, ND, NH, NV, PA, or WA.

To apply for a job, go to TeleReachjobs.com and select: Apply For A Job. 
Under Referred By, please click on the web site where you found our ad. 

You can also apply by calling 713-866-6226 and leaving a recorded verbal resume. Simply tell us about your education, experience, skills and other qualifications. The best candidates will be contacted for a telephone interview ASAP.

10 Cutting Edge Jobs

As the world continues to go forward and change technologically, we are living longer, retiring later and get higher education at a higher rate than generations before us, and the employment market is changing right next to us.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, technology is just one of the few factors in determining what's going to be the next great gig out there. Demographic shifts, legislative changes, business trends and consumer behavior also factor into what's going to be the next big thing and what's going to be history.

Here are some of today's jobs that are on the cutting edge:

1. Radiation Therapist
What they do: Work with radiation oncologists to administer treatment as prescribed and supervised by the doctor. They also maintain records and check the operations of the radiology equipment.

What you need: An associate or bachelor's degree in radiology and certification under the American Registry of Radiologic Technologists. Licensing may also be required.

2. Nurse Paralegal
What they do: Similar to LNCs, they are hired to assist law firms, government agencies and insurance companies with expertise on medical-related cases. Unlike LNCs, nurse paralegals have a stronger focus on the legal relations to medicine.

What you need: A bachelor's or advanced degree in nursing or another health-related field and certification.

3. Genetic Counselor
What they do: Assist families who have members with birth defects and other genetic disorders, and also aid in educational and administrative roles related to genetic counseling and inherited health issues.

What you need: A bachelor's degree concentrating on biology/biosciences, psychology, genetics or nursing and a master's degree in genetic counseling. The American Board of Genetic Counseling and the American Board of Medical Genetics offer certification.

4. Legal Nurse Consultant
What they do: Perform an analysis of medical information as related to law. They conduct legal research, interview expert witnesses and assist with legal paperwork and processes.

What you need: An RN license. Formal training as a legal nurse consultant (LNC) is not required, but helpful.

5. Art Therapist
What they do: Treat physical, mental and emotional disabilities through art expression.

What you need: A master's degree in art therapy with completed curriculum under the American Art Therapy Association's educational standards. To be a registered art therapist, 1,000 hours of direct client contact must be reached after graduation.

6. Computer Forensic Expert
What they do: Use computer investigation and analysis to determine legal evidence. They uncover deleted information and can help the legal system track down people attempting to cover their illegal actions, such as hackers and inside traders.

What you need: A wide range of computer hardware and software experience, as well as an associate or bachelor's degree in computer forensics, computer science or another related field.

7. Medical Illustrator
What they do: Create images that visually communicate bioscientific and medical discoveries. They also act as consultants, advisers, administrators and educators in biological science communications.

What you need: A bachelor's degree with a major in art and a minor in biological sciences or vice versa; a portfolio of artwork demonstrating competence. A majority of medical illustrators have master's degrees in medical illustration.

8. Veterinary Physical Therapist
What they do: Focus on animal treatment and rehabilitation methods, including hydrotherapy, swimming, exercise and massage.

What you need: Certification training is offered to licensed veterinarians, veterinary technicians and physical therapists. Some certification programs require written exams, and follow-up case reports, independent studies and take-home exams are also available.

9. Animal Defense Lawyer
What they do: Handle cases dealing with animals in cases ranging from custody in divorce cases to veterinary malpractice. While laws suggest that animals are regarded as "property," owners who are battling for the custody often regard their pets at a higher standard.

What you need: The educational degrees and requirements for a major in law, a Juris Doctorate, and a concentration and clinical work in animal law.

10. Animal Assisted Therapist
What they do: Study and identify behavioral patterns in animals and apply techniques to improve mental, social and physical issues within humans through animal/human companionship.

What you need: A bachelor's of science degree in psychology, social work, physical therapy, nursing or education. Additional training and certification in Animal Assisted Therapy (AAT) is a big plus. AAT program concentrations can include elderly care, social work, education and other specialties.

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By CareerBuilder

6 Career Shifts for Older Workers

In today's e'er dynamical job industry, not exclusive bonk the types of jobs offered changed, but so change the individuals who make up the incumbent hands. More older workers are opting to preserve employed instead of retreating. If you're one of these experienced professionals, how do you rest your progress and continue invigorated and spirited in today's straightaway paced line ambiance?

1. Be fashionable

Imitate job mart trends. Sr. workers moldiness livelihood their digit on the pulsation of the have hostility by asking themselves, 'What jobs are in obligation today?' and by safekeeping up with today's bailiwick, peculiarly computer engineering says Deborah Vocalist, supervisor of the issues agendum for system section for AARP, a non-profit organization for fill age 50 and over.

2. Get wired 
Cognise your computer. Filmmaker stresses that updating systemic role skills, especially computer skills, is determinant, "particularly since numerous employers feign that develop workers demand skills in this expanse. Having the elementary machine skills that portion you to suffice in the workplace is virtual." That effectuation existence homely with:

"  Navigating the Net

"  E-mail and its applications

"  Statement processing

"  PowerPoint

"  Surpass spreadsheets

3. Go back to school 
Stuff in the gaps with training. If you demand in any extent of claim, especially machine skills, recall it's never too posthumous for statesman activity. Numerous instructional courses are offered at your topical district college, depository or neighborhood connection. "Long acquisition is an serious panorama of professional growth. Assessing your skills and determining whether there are any gaps will provide distinguish voltage areas for further activity," Vocalizer says.

4. Opportunity knocks 
Stand vantage of chances to see all around you. Also attending classes, a healthy way to get new skills is to be on the lookout for acquisition opportunities hand at process. Is someone accomplishment on vacation whose job is outdoors your average domain of responsibilities? Perhaps you can worker to raiment for them and instruct a immature roughly what they do. Or move for temporary assignments that you wouldn't usually interact.

5. Update your résumé 
If you are hunting to kind a vary to a new view, you require to get flowing on the latest-résumé trends. Suchlike anything else, résumé styles move over second. The résumé is a alive means in helping any miss speaking the qualifications and experience they can modify to a possible state. Vocaliser says oftentimes "employers are writer fascinated in the skills you get to a job versus how more years you worked for a specific employer. It gives them a shot of your capabilities and if you in fact possess the skills they're hunt for." So play your résumé skill-driven and results-oriented, showcasing your direction skills and income accomplishments, instead of only providing a litany of dates, titles and responsibilities from preceding positions.

6. Bond 
Speech to others in your corresponding state. Don't despair; there are organizations that offering keep groups for sr. workers to deal the challenges they've featured and study new strategies to surmount them. The Knowledge Competent Mesh-work is composed of agencies crosswise the Incorporate States that center on converging the needs of mid-career workers and job seekers. Insure your anesthetic sound play-script for the Procedure Healthy chapter in your expanse.

Tech industry searching for girls gone geek

Societal values, not aptitude, may be turning them away from sciences

Mattel recently conducted an online poll asking girls everywhere to choose Barbie's next occupation from the following choices -- surgeon, architect, news anchor, environmentalist and computer engineer.

The overwhelming choice among the girls was news anchor. But adults in the blogosphere, on Twitter and Facebook launched their own campaign for computer engineer Barbie.

Mattel relented and decided to go with both, news anchor and computer engineer Barbie. "We couldn't ignore the outcry," said Michelle Chidoni, a spokeswoman for the company.

The Barbie brouhaha points to a key conundrum today when it comes to women and professions in science and technology. Many people see a need for more females in so-called STEM professions (science, technology, engineering and math). But fewer and fewer young women seem to be gravitating to such jobs, thanks in part to the geek factor.

Sandra Guo, 22, always loved video games when she was in high school, but she never thought of pursuing a career in computer science because she felt it wasn't for girls. Even her mother discouraged her. "When I first enrolled in college she was opposed for me taking computer science as a major," she recalled. "She said I'd never find a boyfriend."

This mentality is not unusual.

Scientists of all sorts get a bum rap in society, especially on TV, said Alicia Abella, executive director of the innovative services research department at AT&T Labs. She also heads the company's fellowship program, which provides mentoring and full tuition for women and underrepresented minorities who want to pursue a Ph.D. in STEM fields.

"It's either a man in a white lab coat with funky hair like Einstein or a cartoonish character," she noted. "What girl wants to look like that?"

Indeed, only about 17 percent of girls take advanced placement tests in computer science while in high school, the lowest level of females among all such exams, according to the National Center for Women & Information Technology. And in 2008, women earned only 18 percent of computer science degrees, compared to 37 percent in 1985.

To counter the dismal statistics, there's "a movement to reclaim the notion of 'geek,'" said Amanda Stent, a computational linguistics researcher at AT&T Labs and co author of "The Princess at the Keyboard: Why Girls Should Become Computer Scientists."

Both Abella and Stent are part of a group of women at AT&T Labs who have made it their mission to encourage more young women to fall in love with science and technology.

Stent, who was associate professor in the computer science department at Stony Brook University in New York, met Guo during her junior year at the school and convinced Guo to stick with computer science when she was considering switching her major to art.

"I didn't like the environment," Guo said about her computer classes. "Everybody was a boy and the people weren't very social. I was considering dropping computer science completely."

But Stent took Guo under her wing, introducing her to other faculty members and connecting her with events at the department where she could socialize. She also told her about all the interesting work that was being done in the field, including Stent's own work analyzing human dialogue with computers.

It worked. Guo is set to graduate with a computer science degree in May.

"Some young women may turn away from science and technology careers because of a perception that people in those careers spend long hours working alone on esoteric ideas in a laboratory or computer room and no, or not enough, time collaborating with others or making positive changes in the world," Stent maintained. "But in fact, engineers, scientists and technologists most frequently work in groups and often create products that benefit society and build community."

Last week, a host of companies across the country participated in "Introduce a Girl to Engineering Day."

Educators are also reaching out. Earlier this month, Steve Patchin, director of youth programs, outreach, and engagement at Michigan Technological University, hosted "Get WISE" (Women in Science and Engineering), which brings middle school girls to campus for a hands-on day of learning.

"The main goal of events like Get WISE is to show girls that a field like engineering can be whatever they make of it, and they have the talent needed to excel," he said. "They get to create and experiment for themselves and see that technology and engineering are great areas not just for those who want to build things, but for those who want to make a difference in the world."

It's about exposing girls to science and technology, mentoring them, and not allowing naysayers to derail their love of the sciences, said Sally Ride, the first American woman in space, and a strong advocate of girls in STEM professions.

Ride hosted a "Introduce a Girl to Engineering" day at ExxonMobil last week and has worked with the energy firm through her company Sally Ride Science, to introduce youth to the sciences and train teachers on the importance of countering stereotypes in the professions.

"What we know, is a lot of girls in third and fourth grade are interested in science, about the same number as boys at that age," she explained. "Then about fifth and sixth grade, those wonderful middle school years, we start to lose girls, but not for reasons of aptitude. The reasons are often more societal."

Fear of failure and the lack of role models could also be driving the disinterest among girls.

Kristen Lamoreaux, founder of SIM Women, part of the Society for Information Management, an association of nearly 4,000 CIOs, offered a personal anecdote: "According to my 13 year old niece, she is not going into a STEM focused role because, 'I don't like to be wrong and I want to stand out.' She said that when everyone in her Math class does the same problem, they all get the same answer. In Literature, everyone can write on the same topic, but variety is expected and it's possible to stand out based upon your talents."

While Lamoreaux's niece acknowledged the designers who did things like design apps for her iPhone were creative, she didn't see any female role models. Her niece was able to name five favorite female authors but couldn't name five female CIOs.

"I believe there is a lack of visible examples of successful women in technology," Lamoreaux continued, "and that it is imperative for every woman in IT to reach out to young women. Women of all ages benefit from mentorship, but even if there were simply a heroine that young girls could aspire to emulate, I think young women would better understand the options available to them and we'd see more of a change across the industry."

At a time when the economy is leaving many recent grads without jobs, opportunities are still plentiful in a host of STEM careers.

Guo already has a job, as a programmer for Google, and she hasn't even graduated.

As for her mom's perceptions of her career choice now: "My mother is very proud of me. A lot of her friend's children who graduated are still looking for jobs. She now says, 'my girl got an offer from Google. She's so smart.'"

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By Eve Tahmincioglu

Huge Incentives Offered to Women With Big Ideas -- Could You Be One of Them?

Remember a time when geeks were the uncool minority? For women in science and engineering fields, they're still trying to be more Bill Gates and less Mary Katherine Gallegher (the nerdy Catholic school girl played by Molly Shannon on 'Saturday Night Live').

Many women in the sciences often remain underrepresented and unrecognized. Men graduated with 585 percent more engineering degrees than women in 2002 (according to Science and Engineering Indicators). Now theKauffman Labs for Enterprise Creation is offering a huge incentive for women to put on their thinking caps.

The organization launched its first Women in Science and Engineering Business Idea Competition. The grand prize may not be a patent certificate, but it just might get the winners a step closer to getting one. Those selected will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to TED 2011 in Long Beach, Calif.

TED, which stands for technology, entertainment, and design, is an annual conference where great thinkers get a chance to spread great ideas. It's the kind of place to rub elbows with people like Peter Gabriel, Doris Kearns Goodwin, Jane Goodall, and Mae Jemison. (If those names are unfamiliar, you definitely know their work.)

The plan is to encourage women in science and engineering to think of themselves (and their fantastic ideas) as entrepreneurial. The idea is that as more women in these fields embrace entrepreneurship, they will grow more accustomed to selling their ideas, and that this evolution will allow even more women to continue to change the world.

"We know that more women than ever are leading U.S. businesses and hold a nearly three-to-one majority in undergraduate and graduate education, but too few pursue the path of huge-growth entrepreneurship," said Lesa Mitchell, vice president, Kauffman Foundation.

Entrants are invited to complete an application, which includes a video. But you better hurry: entries are due by Jan. 15, 2011.

By Carol Berman, Posted Jan 5th 2011

Want Prestigious Work?

What to Seek and What to Avoid

Let's admit it: We all need to feel special sometimes. Well, if you're a firefighter, scientist or teacher, you should.  After all, a new Harris poll indicates that plenty of Americans already think you are. 

U.S. adults, according to a recent survey by Harris Interactive, see firefighters, scientists and teachers as the most prestigious occupations while bankers, actors and real estate agents are the least prestigious occupations. The 2007 "Most Prestigious Occupations" poll measured the public perceptions of 23 professions.

Participants were asked to rank these professions as having "very great prestige," "considerable prestige," "some prestige," or "hardly any prestige at all."  They could also opt not to rank them or say they weren't sure. 

Sixty-one percent of adults consider firefighters to have "very great prestige," making this occupation the most prestigious on the list. Five other occupations were ranked as having "very great prestige" by over 50 percent of the adults surveyed: Scientists and teachers are considered very prestigious by 54 percent of adults, followed by doctors and military officers, who earn the prestige of 52 percent of Americans, and nurses, whom half of all adults consider very prestigious.

Among the least prestigious occupations are real estate brokers, actors and bankers.  Only 5 percent of survey participants ranked real estate brokers as very prestigious; 9 percent gave actors this label, followed by 10 percent for bankers.  Accountants, entertainers, stockbrokers,union leaders, journalists, business executives and athletes all also ranked low on the list: Less than 20 percent of adults consider any of the aforementioned occupations to have "very great prestige."

Consequently, five occupations are perceived to have "hardly any prestige at all" by at least a quarter of adults: stockbrokers (25 percent), union leaders (30 percent), entertainers (31 percent), real estate brokers (34 percent) and actors (38 percent).

Harris Interactive started conducting its "Most Prestigious Careers" survey in 1977 and included only 11 professions. The most significant change since the survey's inception is that, with the exception of teachers and clergy, the perceived prestige of every one of the original 11 occupations has actually decreased over the years. The most drastic drop occurred among scientists, lawyers and athletes, whose prestige dropped by 12 points, 14 points and 10 points, respectively.  Clergy members are considered prestigious by one percentage point more of the population than they were 30 years ago, while teachers' perceived prestige increased by 25 percent. 

Understandably, the year-to-year changes are less drastic.  Scientists' perceived prestige hasn't changed in the last year, and despite a significant jump from 1977, teachers' perceived prestige has increased by only two percentage points.  Bankers and athletes showed the most drastic drop in prestige: Both are down seven points from last year.  The profession that saw the biggest increase in prestige from 2006 was that of farmers, who rose five points.

While the survey measures the degree to which certain occupations are considered prestigious, it offers no indication as to why people consider certain occupations more prestigious than others.   For more information and to see the complete results of the survey, visitwww.harrisinteractive.com.

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By MaryLorenz,

Too Good to Be True? 6 Common Job Scams

Lured by convenience and seemingly easy money, more and more people are falling prey to job scams. Particularly vulnerable are people who want or need to work from home and those who are looking supplement their income. Those who fall victim can suffer serious consequences including debt collection and criminal charges. Work-at-home scams are varied and can be more difficult to detect. They come in many different forms and change regularly. To protect yourself, it's important to be aware of the various scams lurking and what to do if you suspect you discover one. 

Here are six of today's most common job scams:

1. Nigerian Check Cashing Scam
The Nigerian check cashing scam usually involves transferring funds internationally. The scam artist attempts to reassure the victim by offering apparently legal contracts, forged or false documents bearing company letterhead, false letters of credit, payment schedules and bank drafts. Once the scammer has obtained the victim's trust, checks, money orders or wire deposits are sent to the victim for "processing." The victim is asked to cash the check or money order (wire deposits will send the money directly to the victim's account) and send a percentage of the funds back to its origination. The need for the "middle man" is often explained as being a way around international fees or taxes. Once the funds are sent back to the scammers (usually the victim is told to keep a percentage for themselves, as payment for their services), the victim's bank or financial institution learns that the check/money order/wire transfer was fraudulent. The funds are then subtracted from the victim's account and he or she is made liable for the lost money.

2. Reshipping
Reshipping scams often begin with an employment offer, usually via e-mail. As with the Nigerian scam, these "employers" offer bogus contracts and other documentation to make them appear legitimate. Once the victim's trust has been obtained, packages are shipped to the victim's residence with instructions to reship the packages to another address. Once the package has been reshipped, the victim is "guilty" of receiving and shipping stolen property. This often leads to a visit from police, as the return address or shipping receipts lead back to the victim.

3. Envelope Stuffing Scams
These scams usually incorporate a "registration fee" which must be paid before work begins. Once this fee has been paid, the "employee" is asked to post an ad -- often the exact same ad that the "employee" responded to -- using his or her own contact info. Once the "employee" receives a response to their ad, he or she will stuff an envelope with information/instructions on how to get started and mail it to the new applicant. The victim is "paid" based on the number of responses received from the ad.

4. Medical Billing
Advertisements for these prepackaged businesses always contain an initial financial investment. The ad or solicitation explains that only a small percentage of medical claims are transmitted electronically and that the market for medical billing is wide open. In reality, the medical billing industry is fierce and revolves around several large and well-established firms. Because competition is so prevalent, few consumers who purchase medical billing business opportunities are able to locate clients to generate enough revenue to profit, and they usually can't even earn enough to recover their initial financial investment.

5. Work-at-Home Job Lists
These scams claim to sell lists of companies that are hiring for work-at-home positions. These lists are rarely updated and often yield a list of worthless leads.

6. Phishing
Phishing scams are cleverly hidden attempts to get your account information. These e-mails appear legitimate -- with professional-looking company logos and information -- and often claim that there is an urgent need for you to log into your account and verify personal information. If you receive one of these e-mails, check the destination URL on the provided link before attempting to login or submit any information; the links could actually lead the recipient to a false Web site. The victim may be asked to update their banking information or other sensitive information, which the site owner (aka scammer) will use for any number of illegal purposes.

Protect yourself
Before you send any money responding to job ads or completing job placement contracts, the Better Business Bureau offers the following tips to help job seekers avoid these types of scams:

·  Avoid job listings that use these descriptions: "package forwarding," "reshipping," "money transfers," "wiring funds" and "foreign agent agreements." These and similar phrases should raise a red flag.

·  Do not be fooled by official-sounding corporate names. Some scam artists operate under names that sound like those of long-standing, reputable firms.

·  Never forward or transfer money from any of your personal accounts on behalf of your employer. Also, be suspicious if you are asked to "wire" money to an employer. If a legitimate job requires you to make money transfers, the money should be withdrawn from the employer's business account, not yours.

·  Do not give out your personal financial information. A potential legitimate employer will not request your bank account, credit card or Paypal account number. Only provide your banking information if you are hired by a legitimate company and you choose to have your paycheck direct deposited.

·  Do not fax copies of your ID or Social Security number to someone you have never met. Credit checks and fake IDs can be obtained with this information. Only give these documents to your employer when you are physically at the place of employment.

·  If you have questions about the legitimacy of a job listing, contact your Better Business Bureau, your state or local consumer agency or the Federal Trade Commission.

By Michael Hargis

Tips for temp clerical workers

As of this winter before 2011, the news that the recession is over is shakey.  More companies are enjoying higher profits, but the news is still bleak on the street-level. Specifically, 80% of all new hires are temporaries.  But being a Temp is not a bad way to break into a company. 

Especially if you do a good job, and are asked to come back, or are offered a long upcoming Temp assignment.  This gives you time to decide if you really want to work for that company in a possible Perm job, as well as give that company time to decide if you'd be an asset to their team.  

Once companies feel more secure coming out of the recession, it's expected that they will start hiring more Perm workers, that can offer those companies more stability and depth of knowledge long-term.  As a good Temp, you could be their first choice to fill a Perm position.  This is a win-win situation, since you get to go Perm in a company you've already worked in, and the company doesn't have to waste time soliciting resumes and conducting interviews.

I worked numerous clerical Temp or Temp-to-Perm jobs in Los Angeles in the last century.  And all of my best jobs I got went Perm after I was repeatedly asked back for various Temp positions in those companies.  So let me offer you some Tips, of how to offer the best possible impression, and maximize your chances of being offered a Perm clerical position in a company you really like:

- First of all, sign up with as many Temp clerical agencies as you can.  You will probably have to apply in person.  Be upbeat and professional, and make a good impression.  Be sure you leave with a few assignment-slips, and the name and phone number of the person who will be receiving and sending out the assignments.

- Sign up with a variety of clerical Temp agencies, from just-clerical to special agencies (like for Legal or Medical, if you qualify).  And even mixed agencies, like Manpower, which offers clerical thru light industry jobs.  Some agencies will be non-producers for you, and you can stop calling them if they never give you an assignment in six months.  But doing a good job with other agencies' assignments, will boost both your reliability in the eyes of those agencies, and might get you slight but steady income raises.

- Don't just wait for an assignment!  Get up early and call each Temp agency right when they open, and ask if they have an assignment you can fill.  This persistance will pay off.  And, if you don't have a job for the next day, be sure and call all the agencies a half hour before they close, to see if they have any assignments for the next day.

- Dress to fit the company.  Even if the temp assignment says "Casual Dress", arriving in a nice dress or skirt outfit with suitable "day makeup" on the first day will make a nice impression.  Just make sure you wear professional but comfortable (not new) shoes, and not so much jewelry, scarves or hair clips that you can't perform your job tasks.  After that first day, and you've seen how others dress, you adjust your wardrobe accordingly.

- Plan to arrive 10-15 minutes early to a new Temp assignment, since you'll probably have to wait in Reception for someone to take you back to your Temp desk and give you instructions.  And be pleasant and positive with the Receptionist.  Let her initiate any conversation after "Hello", and don't be negative. Some companies will ask that Receptionist how you behaved, since they aren't looking for unhappy, grumbly, gossipy, preoccupied with personal problems, stuck-up or know-it-all employees, even temporarily.

- Smile at everyone and be pleasant, but don't come on too strong or overly-friendly, with a forced toothy smile as you lunge at every new employee to shake their hand.  Some employees may think that you are there only to try and steal their jobs, and others may get the impression that you might be a "run-everything" Control Freak type.

- Take a small briefcase or cloth bag to every temp job.  In it, keep pens and pencils, Post It notes, a small notepad, and lunch or snacks.  Noisily opening desk drawers, or bugging others for a pen or paper, makes you look unprepared and unprofessional.  Sit down at your Temp desk and take out your own pen and notebook to write down your initial instructions, if there isn't an Instruction sheet left by the temporarily-gone employee, or handed to you by the person setting you up.  You can go hunting for pen and paper and familiarize yourself with the desk, after you have received your instructions.

- If your Temp clerical position involves answering the phone, ask exactly how they want that phone answered.  Then write that exact Greeting on a Post It Note and attach it to the phone.  Your professionalism and polish by correctly answering that phone from the get-go will be noted.

- Attend to your tasks quickly and efficiently, but don't hesitate to ask for help if you get stuck.  Sometimes the employee closest to you may be the best first resource for help.  They may know the quirks of the machinery you are working on, or where the regular employee stores what in which computer or paper files.

- When you finish your tasks, ask your temporary supervisor what they have for you to do next.  If they seemed stressed trying to think of something for you to do, assure them you would be happy to help someone else, and return to your area.  If there are other clerical people nearby, casually ask if they have any tedious but simple tasks they've been putting off, that you could do.  This will make a very good impression on the other employees, and it will get back to Personnel.

- If you are totally stumped for something else to do, do NOT read a book or magazine, unless you've been told that it is OK to do so.  And don't gossip or be too nosey.   Instead, explore the computer, but avoid playing video games or accessing sensitive files.  Look around at any office equipment you are unfamiliar with, and ask someone who isn't busy to show you how to use it.  This way, the more office equipment you know how to use, you can add to your Temp applications and your resume.  As a last resort, when you have nothing to do, ask if you can take a Break or an early Lunch Period.

- Observe your surroundings.  Are people happy and challenged?  Or is everyone surly and unhappy?  Do the supervisors and managers appear capable, positive and willing to work with new employees?  Or are they just working their way up the corporate ladder, and are clearly careless or uninterested in their current job?  These are all things you need to consider if you are asked to go Perm at that company.

- On a Break or during a slow period, take out your small notebook and make some notes.  Put down the date, company, your temp "job", and the names of the supervisors/managers or other employees you interacted with.  Write down primarily all verbal instructions that you don't want to forget, if you get asked back.  "The CEO is Rick - never call him Richard." or "If the copier doesn't work, go find Joe Smith to fix it."  These are not-so-insignificant things you can review in your notebook if you get called back to that company.  And remembering these types of comments will make you look polished and professional, and truly interested in doing the best job you can.

- Do your best to stay out of office gossip.  Especially since the gossipers' motivations may be murky.  Plus, you may end up working for that "terrible" person, and end up liking him/her.  If you have to work with a grumbly-gossiper, listen politely but say little, neither agreeing nor disagreeing, since you do NOT want it getting around "Even the Temp agreed with me!".  Their rant about "the boss" may just mean they were bypassed for a promotion, got a smaller raise than they expected, or are having health or home problems that color their work environment too negatively.  You can offer helpful suggestions, but don't buy into their negativity.

- Leave as you arrived, on-time and smiling.  If you had a written Instruction sheet, ask the superviser/trainer if you can take it with you.  This will be a great refreasher-course if you get asked back, but you don't want to just walk out with something that contains "sensitive information".  (Make sure you fill out your temp slip, and get the correct person's signature.)  Be sure to quickly thank the people who helped you, including the Receptionist, on the way out.

- If it is dark, and/or you parked in an isolated location, don't hesitate to ask for a guy to walk you to your car.  Sometimes you can start asking around casually about 4PM, what males are also getting off at the same time as you, and if one of them is parked near your car.  You can call or locate that man, and quietly ask him if he wouldn't mind walking you to your car.  You don't want to come off "making demands" when you leave at 5-6PM, but your safety should be of concern to that company, as well as to you.

These Tips worked great for me, and I got some wonderful Perm jobs from companies that asked me back again and again as a Temp.  I truly hope they work as well for you and other clerical Temp workers!

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by Marilyn Martin