61 Words were found, 20 displayed

Accomplishments - these are the achievements you have had in your career. These key points really help sell you to an employer -- much more so than everyday job duties or responsibilities. In your cover letters, resumes, and job interviews, focus on key career accomplishments -- especially ones that you can quantify.

Action Verbs - building blocks of effective cover letters and resumes. These concrete, descriptive verbs express your skills, assets, experience, and accomplishments. Avoid nondescriptive verbs such as "do," "work," and forms of the verb "to be." Instead, begin each descriptive section with an action verb. Almost every resume book has a list of great action verbs to choose from.

Assessments - These tests ask you a series of questions and try to provide you with some sense of your personality and career interests. You shouldn't rely on the results of these tests by themselves, but the results can be a good starting point for discovering more about yourself and your interests and considering careers you may not have thought of.

Baby Boomer Job-Seeker/Worker - The generation of people born between 1946 and 1964 -- and about 78 million strong. The group of workers and job-seekers are now nearing the peak of employment and earning potential, with many attempting major career changes -- referred to as recareering -- or retiring from a stressful (or despised) corporate job and moving finally rediscover their career passion. Also referred to as Third Agers.

Background Check - Used by employers to verify the accuracy of the information you provide on your resume or job application -- and beyond. On the rise as prices fall on these services. Items checked include: employment verification, educational background/degrees, references, credit history, medical records, driving record, court records, criminal records, and more.

Benefits - An important part of your compensation package, and part of the salary negotiation process. Note that every employer offers a different mix of benefits. These benefits may include paid vacations, company holidays, personal days, sick leave, life insurance, medical insurance, retirement and pension plans, tuition assistance, child care, stock options, and more. Can be worth anywhere from 20 to 40 percent of your salary. See also Compensation Package and Salary.

Career Activist - Someone who is proactive in planning, evaluating, directing, and controlling his or her career rather than simply reacting as situations arise. (Some call this approach career mapping.) A career activist has an enduring interest in understanding and achieving his or her full career potential, while maximizing career marketability.

Career Branding - Helps define who you are, how you are great, and why you should be sought out. Branding is your reputation. Branding is about building a name for yourself, showcasing what sets you apart from other job-seekers, and describing the added value you bring to an employer.

Career Coach - Also called career consultant, career adviser, work-life coach, personal career trainer, and life management facilitator. These professionals have been likened to personal trainers for your life/career, serving the role as your champion, cheerleader, advocate, mentor, partner, and sounding board on all issues related to your job or career search.

Career Exploration - The process of finding a rewarding career path, as well as specific jobs within a particular career path. Think of career exploration and planning as building bridges from your current job/career to your next job/career. People of all ages -- from teens trying to explore careers for the first time to mature workers seeking to find a new career for recareering -- use various methods of career exploration to help uncover careers that offer fulfillment.

Career Fair - There are many types of job and career fairs -- from those scheduled during Spring Break for college students to industry-specific fairs for professionals -- but they all have a common theme: a chance for a company to meet and screen a large volume of potential job candidates while simultaneously an opportunity for job-seekers to meet and screen a large number of employers.

Career Passion - One of the most important elements of personal happiness is being passionate about your career and your job. If you no longer have -- or never have had -- personal and professional fulfillment from your job, there is always time to discover a career for which you do have passion.

Career Planning - The continuous process of evaluating your current lifestyle, likes/dislikes, passions, skills, personality, dream job, and current job and career path and making corrections and improvements to better prepare for future steps in your career, as needed, or to make a career change.

Career Vision Statement - A set of career goals that a job-seeker sets for the long-term, typically five years or more. The purpose of a career vision statement is to give you a clear direction for the future; it is a vision that has been committed to paper to guide you in making future choices.

Cold Call - When a job-seeker approaches an employer (usually through an uninvited cover letter) who has not publicly announced any job openings. See hidden job market and cover letters.

Compensation Package - The combination of salary and fringe benefits an employer provides to an employee. When evaluating competing job offers, a job-seeker should consider the total package and not just salary. See also Salary and Benefits.

Contract Employee - Where you work for one organization (and its salary and benefit structure) that sells your services to another company on a project or time basis. Compare to freelancer.

Corporate Culture - The collection of beliefs, expectations, and values shared by an organization's members and transmitted from one generation of employees to another. The culture sets norms (rules of conduct) that define acceptable behavior of employees of the organization. It's important for job-seekers to understand the culture of an organization before accepting a job.

Cover Letter - Should always accompany your resume when you contact a potential employer. A good cover letter opens a window to your personality (and describes specific strengths and skills you offer the employer). It should entice the employer to read your resume

Declining Letter - A letter sent to an employer to turn down a job offer. The writer should keep the door open in case he or she would like to approach the employer again someday.