Like many people before me, I went to college, graduated and found myself looking for a much needed career. I submitted literally hundreds of resumes to various companies. To my own astonishment you could imagine how I felt when I either did not get called for an interview or received the company standard “don't call us we'll call you” form letter.

So I did some research and changed my approach by customizing my resumes and cover letters for the companies that I was applying to. This seemed to work for me as I started getting some interviews. However, what I learned quickly is that my interview skills flat out sucked.

I was very soft in my speaking, my handshake was terrible, and I paused and stuttered too much as if I were looking for the answers somewhere in the room. That was just interview number one. Interviews were a lot more different than the fast food job I had in high school. I needed to fine tune my skills so that the interviewer did not think I was a bumbling idiot.

In the town where I lived the local government had free workshops of which one was for interviewing. I immediately signed up. It was a one on one session with a volunteer who worked full time as an HR person for a local company. They treated it as if it were a real interview. I made it about 30 seconds before she stopped me and in not so many words said, “My God you are terrible at this.” Continuing she said, “Have you ever interacted with people before?”

At first I was offended, but she was right I was bad. She gave me some pointers on how to be better at the interview and believe it or not they weren't life changing alterations. For example, sit up straight. Sitting up straight gives the look of confidence. Slouching is sloppy looking and looks lazy. Look the interviewer in the eye. The person doing the interview does not have laser beams shooting out of their eyes so don't be afraid to look at the person. They aren't Medusa and you won't turn to stone. Give a firm handshake but not too firm. A good handshake also gives off confidence.

I worked on each and every one of those skills with this person. Over and over we went through each step until it was nearly perfect. By the time I left that session which was about an hour and a half to two hours long (if I remember correctly), I believe I had perfected the interview process.

I wasn't done yet. I signed up for the interview session again this time getting someone different. I wanted to see what a new pair of eyes and ears on my interviewing skills, that I had now learned, looked like to someone who never met me.

This time it was a person who did interviews for the City Government. I sat down and he proceeded to interview me as if I were applying for a job. He commented at how well I did, that I made good eye contact; my answers were good but could be more thorough. He made some minor adjustments on some things, mostly in how I answered questions, but other than that, he said I was ready.

It took me five interviews before I landed a position. What I found during this entire job interviewing process was that with each interview I went on I became better and better at it until I finally landed the job.

A few years ago I found myself being the one doing the interviewing. Talk about coming full circle. I saw in a lot of candidates the mistakes that I myself had made. So being able to see both sides of the interview process has been very rewarding to me on a personal and professional level.

If you are looking for your first job or tense up when it comes to interviewing for a new position check into some local training sessions. Most local colleges offer them free or very low cost. These trainings sessions could do for you, what they did for me.

I want to touch on today your resume and for many that I have seen in my own experience, I really should say the lack thereof in regards to your resume. Potential candidates have sent me resumes (regardless of how or what format) that are just really bad. They lack a certain characteristic that I am going to talk about in moment. Without this I was really unable to determine anything about them.

Chances are you may be missing this as well. One thing I noticed about the internet in doing my research is that thousands if not hundreds of thousands of websites crave this item. This item allows these sites to stay fresh, new and up to date. Do you know what that item is? Simply, it is content.

Content is key in the online world as it is on your resume. I have read numerous resumes that lack good quality content. Without it I derive that either one, they do not have the experience that I require, or two, they are not thorough enough in the work that they do.

Content in regards to your resume is nothing more than elaborating on your expertise, experience and education. Give the person reading your resume a reason to get excited. For example if you are applying to be the new widget sales person, don't just put down as your prior experience, “sold XYZ product from start year to end year”. Do you see how vague that is?

Instead elaborate on that. Tell the person what you accomplished and how it relates to helping their company. For example, “From start year to end year I was responsible for the sales of our XYZ products. During this time I sold X number of units that accounted for 19% of the total sales for our company. Due to my success of selling the XYZ product line I created a new training aid for our company that was taught to other sales team members and in turn helped increase company revenue to about 33%.” You get the point.

Elaborate on each job experience that you put down. First explain what you did in complete detail. Then talk about how your experience their helped the company you worked for and finally finish off by stating how you were able to contribute to the team members around you to make the company a better place.

If you follow this simple plan to fully detail your resume you will be sure to wow anyone in any company with what you bring to the table. Remember you are judged for a job long before anyone even talks to you.

I'm going to list ten attitude problems that employees can bring to work, and offer some suggestions as to what you can do about them.

1. Those with an antagonistic attitude. This one affects not only employers, but other staff, and even more importantly, the customers. One woman I worked with delighted in biting everyone's head off, answering the phone in an abrupt manner as though she was being interrupted at her "real" work, and playing favourites, so that only those who were really part of her clique got good treatment.
2. The person who'll never take any blame for any mistakes. Everyone makes mistakes in a work situation, but the person who always has an excuse and never offers an apology is bad news.
3. The person who complains whenever they're asked to do anything different. As a whining child gets on his or her parents' nerves, these workers get on the nerves of the responsible workers around them.
4. The one who's never motivated to pick up work when they've finished what they're doing. They either lack initiative, or don't care to use it. I remember one man I worked with who would get to the end of his particular tasks around 1 pm, and then would sit there for the rest of the day literally doing nothing.
5. The person who challenges you, not just to your face, but in front of everyone else. The sort of person who's forever trying to get other people on his or her side, who rolls their eyes at anything the boss says, or who drags other workers in for a gossip session about the boss or the management.
6. Those who are never there when the clock hits 8.30. Or who just don't turn up, and require someone to waste time calling them to see where they are. They're particularly irritating when they're not there on a day when they're specifically required. In the end these ones can never be relied on, and consequently they can duck any responsibilities, such as opening up the shop, or coming in early to get special tasks done.
7. Their opposite number is the person who's there on time, but who always insists on leaving on the dot, both at lunchtime or in the evening. They never have time for any last minute jobs, and can never be persuaded to give a minute or two more of their time.
8. The one who has to be supervised at all times - just in case they do something wrong. You know they probably won't but they're "afraid" that they might, and they need you virtually to hold their hand. These are the sort of people whom you sometimes have to teach a task to over and over.
9. The people who are so looking forward to their retirement that they start acting as though they've already retired - while they're still being paid to work. They'll just slip out to do a personal errand, or they'll sit reading the newspaper, or take extra coffee breaks, or make long phone calls - usually about things related to what they're going to do when they're finished in your employ.
10. The ones who bring all their worries to work. Sometimes personal issues do take over, but when it's basic matters that don't affect the job in any way, or things that need to be kept out of the work scene, then these people can be a real time-waster. I worked with someone who was studying at University part-time. She would come to work in tears, because she wasn't sure whether she'd done well in her latest assignment or test. It would take a half an hour or more to calm her down.

What do you do with any of these kinds of employees?

Once it was possible to sack people on the spot in the hope that you'd get someone better to replace them. This is no longer an option for most employers, and dismissing someone can be a time-consuming and stressful task. Badly handled, it can also be expensive.

So what to do?

• Firstly, keep your eyes and ears open. Some employers overlook warning signs until too late, and by then other good staff are handing in their notice.
• Don't get so involved in your own work that you don't keep an eye on what your staff are up to. I worked for a man last year who was filling in until a new supervisor was hired. He chose to ignore the rudeness of one staff member when she contradicted anything he would say, and even though he was aware of the tensions in the office, he failed to act.
• If staff members are expressing concern about any particular person on a regular basis, be proactive. You have to be deaf and blind to miss bad attitudes; most often the fault becomes that of the boss if nothing changes. In the situation mentioned above, it was only when the new supervisor arrived that anything was done, and because the bad situation had been left so long, it took another six months before changes could be made. In the meantime at least two good staff had left, and the office was an extremely unpleasant place to work in.
• Don't react in negative situations. But do act. Don't let staff bully you, or cajole you, or seduce you into their poor attitudes. You're the boss. Act like it.
• In some situations, constructive feedback is required. Start off with the positives, and then bring in the matter that's causing concern. Even staff with poor attitudes often work well in certain areas. Don't forget these when giving feedback.
• Sometimes counselling is appropriate. Sometimes people with bad attitudes need someone to express themselves to, such as a workplace chaplain. Sometimes their behaviour is a way of saying something they can't otherwise say.
• But don't think that's the only approach. In some cases formal disciplinary measures will need to take place. Always, always do this in the presence of an objective witness. When I was first a manager, I chose to try and discuss an employee's work attitudes in private. She turned on me and accused me of all manner of poor behaviours. A few of these were justified; most were not, but neither of us had a witness to the conversation.
• Sometimes an employee needs coaching in a different way of behaving. As the boss you may be the best person to do this, but not necessarily. It may be appropriate to bring in an outsider to do some attitude coaching, or to send the employee off to a related course. Often a person outside the situation can get the message across more clearly.
• Set measurable performance standards amongst your staff. Do this in discussion with them, but don't let them reduce your requirements to their level. Insist, however gently, on improvements.
• Sometimes the only option is to move an employee sideways. This isn't easy, and will require a good deal of negotiation in order not to make it look as though you're getting rid of them, and dumping them on someone else. But the advantage is that in new surroundings they may find their attitude isn't tolerated, they may enjoy the new job more than what they'd been doing (and will get on with it more readily), and the mere fact of being in new surroundings, where they're no longer required to hold the attitudinal position they formally had, may work wonders.
• The worst case scenario is to look at dismissal. This is too complex a matter to go into here, but unless there is no other option, it's something to avoided. Training new staff is always costly, the dismissal process is time-consuming, and it can often leave bruises and scars that will take considerable time to heal. Try alternatives first.

1. Include your first and last name at the top of your resume.
2. Right below that, you want to include your contact information.
3. Next put the word objective and list your goals that you are trying to achieve.
4. Next you want list your work experiences including the start and end date, your job title, and your job duties for each job you had, starting with your most current work experience.
5. Next list your education, including any degrees that you have earn your school/college names, and High school name, and you want to list your start and end years and it's also a very good idea that you courses that you may have taken that relates to jobs that you are searching for.
6. List your hobbies and interests that way employers can know who you are as a person.
7. Last you want to list some references, or if you want you may put “Available upon request.”

Now see that was not hard, make plenty copies of your resume, and it's very important that you keep it updated at all times.

Career change

If you're thinking of changing careers, you may need to meet with a career counselor at your previous college or one in your area. Career counseling can give you an idea of the opportunities available, the income potential and the courses you will need to qualify for entry level jobs.

Update your education

Making a career change may require that you return to college for another degree or attending graduate school of an advanced degree and specialization. Visit with campus financial aid and scholarship representatives to get an idea of costs and how you can qualify for any school aid or federal loans to pay for your education. If you are working full-time, you may want to consider the many online graduate degree programs or online undergraduate offerings. These online universities will also help you determine fees and see if you qualify for aid, scholarships or low cost loans.

Look at trade schools

Many fields today don't require a university degree but are taught at the trade school level. Careers that require medical billing training are popular trade school subjects as are computer repair training, bartending school and cosmetology school. Some of these trade school offerings may be located in your area and have classes that you can attending during evenings and weekends. Check out the possibilities available so that you do not have to quit your day job.

Real Estate agent or broker

If you have always wanted to sell real estate, this is an area you can study for an possibly even get started with while you're working your regular job. Find out where you can take classes in your area such as attending a local community college. You can contact the school to learn about testing and licensing requirements for your area and state.

Starting a business. Do you dream of owning your own business? With the affordability and easy access of online, Web-based businesses, you can be a small business owner while working your regular job. This is a great way to get started, build up your business and profits before you quit your day job. Consider the pros and cons of starting an online business versus as "bricks and mortar" business with a fixed location. Do plenty of research on the type of business you want to start, talk to others in the same industry and then give it a try. If you need to learn business basics, check into the community college in your area for available classes.

If you are motivated and wanting a change, you can get the training you need to jumpstart your career or change careers and begin something new. Whatever you do, have a solid plan and learn the skills you'll need before taking the plunge. Then you'll know you are setting yourself up for success.

There are some important points for your reference. I think that you should put your detailed contact information; you should not make it too complicated, for briefness is the best policy; also, make it valuable for the companies that you apply to. You should seize the chance to use it to emphasis your strengths. You need to address your cover letter to the head of the human resources department. It is wise to make more specific references to the particular position that you are interested in.

Here are some sample cover letters for your reference

I.

Miss * *

Human Resources Department

Company name

Address

Date

Dear Miss * *,

I got the information of a vacant position in your company from your website, and I think that I am one of the best candidates for this position. As a native speakers of Chinese, I am living and working in the US. I have profound knowledge of Finance and Accounting, and I would be grateful if you would take your time to go over my résumé attached along with this cover letter.

I am sure that I can fulfill a productive role in your company. My contact information: *

Looking forward to get your positive reply soon.

Sincerely,

(Signature)

Your Name

II.

Mr. * *

Human Resources Department

Company name

Address

Date

Dear Mr. * * ,

In response to your job vacancy advertisement for (the job), I am writing this letter to you. I have ten-year experience in (your job skills), and I have ( brief job experience emphasis on your strong points). I look forward to get your positive reply soon.

Sincerely,

(Signature)

Your Name

III.

Mr. * *

Human Resources Department

Company name

Address

Date

Dear Mr. * *,

I got the information of a vacant position in yesterday's news from your website, and I would am writing this letter to apply for the position of (the job).

After graduation from (the name of your famous university), I have been working as ( your job) for ( how many ) years in ( which field ). Since I recently married with ( whom), I have to relocated to this city from Australia. I would be grateful if you would take your time to go over my resume.

Further, there are some testimonies of my excellent job in this field:

Http://www.*.com/testimonies

http://www.*.com/achievement

…

I am looking forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,

(Signature)

Your Name

Tell us about yourself. This is not the time to recount your weekend hunting and fishing activities, or to go on about your cute kids and how much you love them. What the interviewer wants to know includes your educational background and your professional experience. They are trying to figure out if you're a good fit for the company and how you can help the company remain profitable. What do you have to offer that others don't? A job interview is like a first date. You are trying to get to know each other, to see if this is going to be a long-term relationship and to see if the chemistry is there between you and the company. Make sure you tailor your answer so that the interviewer will get a sense of your professional self and background, not your personal life.

What are your strengths? No one likes to come across as a boastful know-it-all, but this is your opportunity to outline your best professional skills and abilities. Make sure all that you list can be backed up with your education or references or portfolio. Look at the job announcement you responded to. What are the absolute musts the job requires? If the ad mentions the preferred candidate is organized and pays attention to detail, you should definitely highlight this area if it adequately describes you. Be prepared to give examples of how you organize large projects or the types of details you are skilled at dealing with. Don't just say you are good at x, y and z...be prepared with examples or anecdotes.

What are your weaknesses? No one likes answering this question because here you are trying to impress someone with your credentials and they want you to start listing your flaws. The trick here is to give them a flaw, but one that you've turned into a positive. Here's an example: My biggest weakness is that I always like to be busy and productive. In the past, I've had jobs where there hasn't been enough work to keep me busy the entire day. So what I did was to talk to my boss about taking on some added projects from other departments. This solved my problem and it was good for the company.

Another weakness turned into a positive could be: I used to be very disorganized and unfocussed. What I did was to take a course on project management and productivity and I learned how to really get more out of each day, how to tackle big projects and complete all the tasks on deadline and the manage time more effectively.

Again, put a lot of thought into this question beforehand and make sure you have examples to back up your claims. Make sure the interviewer knows which reference they can speak to about each skill or weakness you've changed.

What was your favorite job and why? First, you want to make it clear that you've enjoyed all of your jobs. This is no time to bad-mouth any previous or current employer regardless of what they've done to you. However, you can always pick a standout job; maybe you had a mentor or someone within a former company who taught you useful skills that you can use for this company. Make sure your reasons for telling them about a particular job relates to this specific position you are interviewing for.

What was your worst job and why? Again, this is not the time to speak ill of past employers. You can, however, in the same way you took a weakness and turned it into a positive, take a job you didn't care for and explain the situation in a way that makes you shine. For instance, if your worst job was one that required a lot of travel that you tired of, you can say that it was not your favorite because you found that being away from the team at headquarters made you a less-effective sales person. You can explain that you get an energy boost from working in the same environment as other sales people and enjoy that synergy among the team.

Why do you want to work here? Before you show up for the interview, you have to have done your research on the company. You need to know what they do, who its customers are and some basics about the corporate culture. Peruse the company Web site and get to know enough about the company that you can list three reasons why you'd like to work there. Keep your reasons mostly geared toward the actual work and the clients rather than the perks and benefits.

Do you have any questions for us? Since you've done your research on the company, you should have several questions formed before the interview. You can ask about the company's long range plan for growth, which areas it expects to expand current business and current research and development areas. You can follow up on a story you read in the newspaper about the corporation, ask about employee stock purchase plans or how the company is involved in the community. Don't ask questions about what the company can do for you; gear your questions with a healthy dose of curiosity and genuine interest in the business of the company and its future profitability.

Master these questions by doing your research and planning your answers in advance and you will be well on your way to getting the job you want.

You may have the skills and qualifications to succeed in the job position, but if you don't present yourself correctly, you could lose the opportunity to prove it.

Clarify your expectations and goals, such as money, time available for a work schedule, and how much time you are willing to dedicate to a job. Do you prefer an inside or outside position; surrounded by a lot of people or very few? Most importantly, what do you excel at? Any special talents or skills will go a long way toward helping you obtain that coveted job.

Jewelry Store

Not only will you be surrounded by people in this type of environment, but you will also have the chance to meet a broad variety of backgrounds. You won't be bored, and interacting with the public on a daily basis is excellent if you excel in sales.

Daycare

Try volunteering or applying for work at local daycares. The work takes time and dedication, but the lessons and skills learned will benefit you later in life. Although most usually females apply for these jobs, there are no gender laws regarding such employment, so guys go ahead and get a head start on learning how to handle kids and babies, you might just find out you rock at this!

Summer Camps

Local churches or youth organizations often offer employment through summer camps as counselors or in other positions. This is an excellent way to share in helping to shape and nurture the next generation by teaching them and guiding them on some of their life learning experiences. This is a great chance to figure out if you have a future in a field involving kids such as pediatrics, social work, etc.

Ok, so maybe none of these ideas totally grabbed your attention, there's always beer tasting (for the proper ages) and ice cream tasting, or maybe getting paid to play video games is down your alley. The point is, get creative! Don't settle for the menial wage at some greasy fast food joint. Get your brain to roll and think of the most amazing ideas.

Some websites are a breeze in helping you find the coolest summer jobs. At Business.com you can find nearly any listing available. Local or otherwise, keep an open mind and search for something amazing and spectacular. CoolWorks.com gives you listings of jobs from the coast to the mountains and nearly every amazing place in between. SummerJobs.com ranks high on the list for finding that perfect job as well. With diverse opportunities ranging from the hilarious to the unbelievable, you can't go wrong this summer when you search for your best job ever.

If you want that one job to tell stories about for a long time to come, start your search now and get your name out there. Somewhere out there is the best summer job, and it has you name written all over it.

One of the best you can do is have a business plan. You should treat it like a real business. Write out an outline for a plan. Fill in details of your business and where you want to be in the future. By creating an outline you will train yourself to complete those goals.

If you are just starting your own business, you might want to find an experienced person that might be willing to help you. They can guide you in the right path. With a business mentor and a business plan you should be able to have success in your business.

The most important thing is have the want to succeed. You need to have the desire to work long and hard hours. You may think that owning your own home based business gives you the ability to work when you want, which you are able to do, but you will succeed most when you work set hours and sometimes longer hours than you would on a regular job.