A New Type Of Professional Clerical Jobs Are Emerging

Written By Expert Author "Chewy Ine"

During these trying times of our economy, including major layoffs throughout our nation has literally "inflamed" our job seeking. With major corporations laying off thousands after thousands of workers, we have had to broaden our skills and talents more than ever. Just think, I believe we are going back to our "Wild, Wild, West" days, where we had to make a self-sufficient living in order to survive our changes within our society. Therefore telecommute and work at home positions have become not only an attractive position, but its becoming a necessary position. We constantly advertise our personal self within social bookmarkings, forums and community that we kind of overlooked the fact that this is really our portfolio's in foreshadowing of our resumes. Employers are now including going on to our Myspace, Facebook pages as such when doing reference checks. So Go figure - better be careful of what you got our there.... With this new trend developing, a new trend or parade of workers have evolved throughout the years. This leads me to my story, "A New Type Of Professional Clerical Jobs Are Emerging."

A New Type Of Professional Clerical Jobs Are Emerging. No longer is the term "clerical" made only for secretaries, and administration... It goes on further than that. They are reconstructing themselves into independent contractors and sole business owners. The skill that an average clerical worker obtains is a foundation basis for his or her own self-made business especially during these trying times in our economy. As a Mass Communications Major, I am in aawh as we grow in an era of technology and worldwide communications; employment has become a lot more diverse. Many Americans along with internationals are seeking to work from the comforts of their own home. I remember when it was totally unheard of being able to work from home unless it was a truly prominent position. We Americans are under a constrict timeline within our culture. I guess that’s why time management is so important to us. Therefore we do the daily routine of getting up every morning to a set time, do the old personal touchup grooming and off we go to work. Those of us who settle every morning in the same cubicle, the same coffee and the same startup routine just go along with the flow and dream of becoming that independent person free of all chains of management and adherence. However we think just because we do the same customer service routine day in and day out, doesn’t mean that we cant get an enjoyment out of our job. If this is what we do best… then search for something that best suits your needs and requirements. We have to work in our society in order to follow the rules of our land, to get products and services so there is no way around making money in order to survive. Just do it in a manner that you can enjoy and perhaps if it goes well enough…maybe you could just retire from it.

So after all that, what I am trying to say? What I am saying is that with the talent and skills that we have attained and learned can be made useful to help those of us who are willing to advance to a more independent career path by ways of utilizing the latest technology. Hmm, so lets see, my skills are in clerical: filing, typing, customer service, data entry, accounts payable/receivable, oh and not to mention making coffee. I believe just about every clerical worker has these basic skills. Well let’s start to use these skills to start your own thing. Take those skills and market yourself to companies or just start working for yourself. If you’re like me, I started off working for other companies before I decided to do my own home-based
business. This is a great stepping-stone if you are looking to build a business of your own. For others they may just want to work for a company, get paid while doing this within the comforts of their own home. So having clerical skills is really the “bomb”! That is actually a gold mine. Clerical can be extremely Lucrative! Just because the statute pay of a clerical job is low and painful, doesn’t mean you have to settle for that. There are hundreds of companies out there who are willing to pay top dollar to those who are qualified. It is a more cost efficient method to hire clerical telecommuters, work from home associates then to house an office. Even the California State Personnel guidelines states that any state department that can substantiate and justify telecommuting are more than provided favor. In other words, the state can save more money to keep you at home than to have you come to work every Mon-Fri 9am –5pm or earlier. That’s right, the Governor Schwartznegger even stated that…so don’t give up your hope about working from home or telecommuting.

Now that you have a better understanding… the next thing is where to do the job research? Be careful with the research of working from
home, data entry and etc. There is tons of information out there for you to see. Some will require a small membership fee and some will not cost anything. You can’t distinguish whether or not if they are a good company if you have to pay a fee or not. It doesn’t matter…

Remember, if you are planning on becoming your own clerical boss, there will be some out of pocket costs from you. However be extremely smart about that. You just have to do your research, research, research. You will get caught up on some of the catchy pitch pages that they have to offer, so be vary wary about that as well.

I hope you enjoyed this article and the many to come on the website. If you have some other great information you would like to share, please feel free to do so.

"As Clerical As It Seems, As Lucrative As It Can Be!"

Resume Training Series Chapter 10

Helpful tips for emailing your resume

In order to seek out and apply for the jobs you are interested in, you will most likely post your profile and resume on a job search web site, such as jobsinclerical.com, monster.com or hotjobs.com. These search engines allow you to upload your resume in a Microsoft Word or text file format, or create one using their forms.

Outside of the job search web sites, e-mailing your resume as form of application has become commonplace. However, each employer or headhunter has different rules on the file they will accept via e-mail. Most companies will accept an attachment in Microsoft Word – this is why you have to be conscious of the font type and size, as well as margins you are using when composing your resume.

If a company is requesting a text file, you should follow these steps to convert your Microsoft Word document into a text resume:- Select File, Save As- Name the file; as a best practice, use your name as the file name, and use underscores as spaces- Under Format, select Text Only- Select Save.

Now that you have converted your file to a text file, make sure to open it and review how the spaces, tabs, and bullet points have transferred over. You may need to do some edits in order to format the resume to fit the file type. Note that the plain text file doesn’t allow for bolding, italicizing or underlining. Make sure that all your text is left justified and that the spacing is correct.

If an employer asks that you include your resume in the body of an email, treat this as a text file when formatting. Copy and paste your whole resume in an email. Keep the font styles basic; use Arial or Times New Roman fonts and keep the size at 10 or 12 points. Adjust all the spacing and bullet points as appropriate. A good rule to follow is to keep the email simple – avoid bolding or italicizing text since you don’t really know the type of email software your recipient is using or if the accept HTML or text emails only.

If you are sending your resume as an attachment, format the body of your email as a cover letter. At the top of the email, include your name and address, as well as the address of your recipient. Typically, the address can be found either on the job listing or at the company’s web site. If you are sending the resume in the body of the email, follow the same guidelines in terms of the email content. Don’t make an assumption that including a resume in the body of an email is the only information you should include in your message to your potential employer. Even if the resume is copied into the email, you still need to let your employer know a little bit more about yourself via a cover letter. However, since you will include your address at the top of the email, feel free to start your resume with a career objective instead of including the heading with your name and address.

Much like proofing is critical in perfecting your resume, testing how your resume is displayed in a body of an email or how it opens as an attachment via another computer is important. Rally your friends or family for help, and send them sample emails with your resume included in the body of the message or as an attachment. This will provide a great opportunity for you to assure that your resume is reaching your potential employers in the format that is clean and professional.

Resume Training Series

Materials of JobsInClerical: November 2008

Resume Training Series Chapter 9

Resume writing services – pros and cons

If you have never written a resume, you may wonder if it is easier to embark on the task yourself or to hire someone else to do it for you. Resume writing services or professionals concentrate on developing and writing resumes for professionals in any industry, with any caliber of experience. These professionals are skilled in formatting your resume, knowing how to create winning statements that draw attention, and customizing your resume to the industry or field you are interested in. In addition to their writing skills, resume writing professionals are familiar with the scanning software that most companies use in order to review resumes for key words.

You should consider using a resume writing services:- If you have never written a resume and you don’t know anyone who can assist in the process- If you have not written a resume in years and are unsure of the appropriate format that translates well online- If English is not your first language or if you know that you typically have problems with spelling or grammar.

A resume writer can assist by first collecting your information and understanding your career objective. If you have an existing resume, even if it is not the most up to date, you should make sure that you give that to the writer as a starting point. When you work with a professional resume writer you can expect that they can help you in composing your career objective statement, listing your responsibilities in a concise manner, and perfecting the final document. Additionally, a resume writer will be able to help you address any concerns potential employers may have about your resume, such as explaining a change of career, or gaps in your professional history.

There are truly no cons to using resume services, but there are certainly some things you should consider in order to get the best service for your money.

While some people recommend writers who are accredited or certified as professional resume writers, this is not the key to finding someone who will do a great job on your behalf.

Things to Ask & Look for:

Make sure that you speak with the writer, and have him/her address any concerns or questions you have about composing your resume.

They should be able to provide you with a sample of a before and an after resumes they have recently completed for a client, as well as professional references.

Don’t be afraid to ask questions about their writing process; ask about their background (what other writing services do they provide?), their writing and editing process, turnaround time and a detailed explanation of their fees.

If you receive a draft of your resume, and you are not satisfied with the format or there are discrepancies, ask for the writer to address your concerns before accepting the final document.

The costs will vary, depending on the professional’s experience. Make sure that you understand what is involved in the cost. It is also in your best interest to talk to a couple of different professionals, so that you can better idea of the cost range.

Most importantly, make sure that you feel comfortable with the writer and the terms of the agreement you have with them, before you decide to hire them to work on your resume. Trust and understanding will result in the best working relationship, therefore producing the best resume for your career objective.

Resume Training Series

Materials of JobsInClerical: November 2008

Resume Training Series Chapter 8

Top 5 common resume mistakes and how to avoid them

If you have ever tried to write a resume, for yourself or for someone you know, you are already familiar with the fact that this is not an easy task to take on. So much information goes into a resume; from your career objective to the list of your qualifications, your resume should be personal, convey confidence and set your best foot forward in order to impress a potential employer. However, creating a winning resume is not easy.

The following are the most commonly made mistakes in resume composition:

• Including references to personal web sites.

You may wonder why referencing a personal web site may be a mistake. What if you have a sample of your graphic design work on your site that you want your potential employer to see? It sounds like a great idea, if the site you are referencing only has work-related information available. Many people make a mistake of including their personal web sites that may contain information potential employers may find irrelevant (and now you are wasting their time) or inappropriate. As a rule, do not include your personal web site if it contains your photo or other photos that may be viewed as inappropriate, if it contains jokes (even if they are clean jokes), or your blog. In other words, if the site you have is entirely for personal purposes, you are best leaving it off your resume. Include a link to your web site if the pages are set up to showcase your professional portfolio, a copy of your resume, reference letters, presentations, photos taken for professional use, or your web development skills.

• Using very small fonts in order to get everything to fit on one page.

One of the most common challenges is creating a resume that formats well on a single page. As a rule, a resume should not exceed two pages. However, in recent years, it has become commonplace for professionals to change jobs frequently, and listing all the experiences, in addition to your career objective, education, qualifications and references, can certainly take up a lot of space. Do not use a small font in order to fit everything into your resume. There is not a single area in your resume that should have a font size of less than 10 points. Keep in mind the font type you are using – stick to the basics, Arial and Times New Roman are your best bet. Instead of changing the font size, review and revise your resume to make your statements more concise.

• Incorrect company/school listings.

The biggest mistake people make, without realizing that they are making it, is not referring to the past employers and/or the school(s) they’ve attended by their full names. Do not use variations of company and school names. Don’t use abbreviations unless they are in fact part of the name. If you have attended New York University, list the complete name, not just NYU (even though it’s commonly known and your employer will likely recognize it). You don’t want to appear sloppy or as if you don’t pay attention to details.

• Lengthy paragraphs describing your experiences.

To list the responsibilities you’ve had in your past professional experience, you are best off using bullet points that begin with action verbs, such as managed, developed, etc. You do not need to use full sentences, and you certainly do not need to use the paragraph format. This makes the information in your resume overwhelming and difficult to review quickly. Make your statements brief and clear; don’t add words to fill in space.

• Typos.

The most important factor in achieving a winning resume is proof reading. You want to put your best foot forward. If your resume contains grammar and spelling problems, your potential employer will get an impression that you are not detail-oriented. It is hard to proof a document you have been working on so closely – use spell check (but be ware, it will not catch everything), ask your friends for help, meet with a career counselor. Do your best to present the most polished resume to your potential employers.

Resume Training Series

Materials of JobsInClerical: November 2008

Resume Training Series Chapter 7

How to write an effective and original objective statement

A career objective, often listed as objective only on your resume, is a statement of your career goals. It sounds simple – you want to get a good job, utilize your experience and education, and get paid well. However, this is the most difficult part of the resume to compose, as you are limited to one to two sentences in which you are expected to convey your professional expertise, expectations from a job and an organization, as well as goals for your professional growth. Doesn’t sound so easy now, does it?

The most common mistake people make is not listing an objective. Most people operate under the assumption that the objective is not necessary to include in a resume because it states the obvious – your objective is to get the job you are applying for. However, this is a big misconception. Employers are looking for an objective; they want to know what it is that you are looking for in order to determine whether or not you are a good match for their company.

The second most common mistake is including a career objective that doesn’t actually express your goals and your qualification. For example, a statement like the one below is commonly used is resumes:

“To obtain a position where my experience and education can be utilized and expanded.”

If you examine this statement, you will find it doesn’t say anything specific about what you are looking for in terms of professional growth. Avoid using generic statements like this. They will hurt you more than help you in your job search, because your employer will be left with an impression that you don’t have a set a goal in mind. Now that you know what not to do, here are some helpful tips on creating a winning career objective that will get your resume noticed and get your foot in the door.

• First, make your career objective personal. Think of your whole resume as a sales tool; your career objective is your opening statement. You want your employer to know what you want, not just restate what other people want.
• Second, you want to state your commitment to your career goal. If you are unsure of what you want, how is your employer to believe that you really want the job at their organization and you are not just applying because you want to get out of your current work environment? Don’t be afraid to state what you want from a job and from an organization.
• Third, while you want to state your commitment, you also want to show that you are willing to take action to achieve your goal. Indicate what direction or action you are willing to take in order to accomplish your career objective.
• Fourth and most important factor in a successful career objective is being specific about what you are looking for in a work situation. While you can say that you are looking for a “challenging” environment, this doesn’t mean anything to your employer, as people define challenges in various ways. Avoid using generic and broad terms. Simply state what you want, and what you are willing to do to get it. Keeping in mind these criteria, let’s revise the above career objective statement so that it effectively states what you want.

“To obtain a position of a sales representative in a health insurance industry, where I can utilize my management and customer relations skills, with the opportunity for performance-based advancement.”

This statement tells a potential employer that you know what kind of job you want, what experience you have in order to get the position, and what you are willing do to become a successful professional with the company. Thus, you have just created a winning career objective for your resume.

Resume Training Series

Materials of JobsInClerical: November 2008

Resume Training Series Chapter 6

Listing your experience – how far back should you go?

One of the biggest concerns in creating a resume has to do with your professional experience. Before you begin your resume, consider the following questions. - What is your career objective?- Are you changing careers or looking for professional growth?- What experience have you had so far that will help in meeting your professional goals?

To get started in developing your resume:

• list all of your previous experience, in chronological order, starting with your latest job on a piece of paper.

• List the dates of employment, your job title, the full company name and the location of your employment. Now, consider just how much experience you have had. In recent years, it has become more commonplace to change jobs more frequently and not build your career in one place. As such, it is possible that someone with ten years of professional experience following college has had over three jobs. That doesn’t seem all that much to include on a resume, right? Consider someone with over 30 years of experience. It is important to set limits on what you include and what you can freely exclude from your resume under your professional experience.

• Ideally, your resume should not exceed two pages. Depending on the type of jobs you have held and your responsibilities, having only two pages doesn’t account for a lot of space. The best practice for listing your experiences is not to exceed the most recent five jobs you have held.

• Again, keep the mind the length of the resume when you are deciding on the number of jobs you will list – if your last five jobs and their accompanying responsibilities will take over one page alone, than consider narrowing the experience down to the three most recent positions you had. Also, consider the time you spent at each organization you have worked for – list up to the last ten to fifteen years of experience. It is not necessary to list every job you’ve ever had to showcase your qualifications and years of experience. If you have a long professional career, focus on the last three to five jobs, but use the profile or summary at the beginning of the resume to highlight the number of years you have spent working, or the number of years you have spent in a certain industry, acquiring specific skills.

• When listing your experiences, it is important that you do so in chronological order without skipping any of the jobs you have held.

• While you may feel that certain jobs are not particularly complimenting to your current career objective you should not avoid listing them on your resume. Work on highlighting the responsibilities that are transferable across various industries. Leaving any unexplained gaps in your work history will raise questions by your potential employer – thus don’t create those gaps on your resume by listing your experience out of order or by skipping jobs you have had. Finally, make sure that your cover letter accounts for any additional qualifications you would like to bring to the attention of your potential employer that you didn’t include on the resume.

Your resume should be concise, well written, and sell you as the best candidate for the job. Just remember that it is quality over quantity that counts.

Resume Training Series

Materials of JobsInClerical: November 2008