CAREER
BUILDING
Your Total Handbook for
Finding a Job and
Making It Work
T H E E D I T O R S O F
CareerBuilder.com
CONTENTS
INTRODUCTION
ix
SECTION ONE: FINDING “THE ONE”
1
CHAPTER 1: RÉSUMÉS AND COVER LETTERS
3
I. Writing Your Résumé
3
II. Making a Good Impression on Paper
19
III. Five Steps to an E-Friendly Résumé
24
IV. Cover Letter Dos and Don’ts
28
CHAPTER 2: FINDING THE JOBS
37
I. Where to Search
37
II. Search Online with Keywords
38
III. Cracking the Job Listing Code
39
IV. Protecting Yourself from Scams
41
V. Using a Staffing Firm or a Recruiter
44
CHAPTER 3: THE INTERNET VS. YOUR PROFESSIONAL IMAGE 49
I. What’s Happening on the Employer End
49
II. You’ve Got a Rep to Protect
51
III. It’s Not All Bad
51
IV. Damage Control
52
iv
Contents
CHAPTER 4: INTERVIEWS 101 AND BEYOND
55
I. Interview Basics
57
II. How to Answer Employers’ Questions
59
III. Questions to Ask the Employer
65
IV. Interview Body Language
69
V. Hiring Manager Secrets
72
VI. Interview Mistakes
73
VII. Damage Control
76
VIII. Thank-You Notes
77
CHAPTER 5: THE JOB OFFER
85
I. Weighing the Job Offer
85
II. Get Paid What You’re Worth
88
III. Salary Negotiation
92
IV. What to Say in Your Salary Talks
93
SECTION TWO: TOUGH LOVE AT WORK—
WORKPLACE FUNDAMENTALS
97
CHAPTER 6: WORK 101
99
I. Your First Days on the Job
99
II. Career Poison
101
III. Taming Workplace Mess
105
IV. Meetings
108
V. Defeating Distractions
112
VI. Working from Home
113
CHAPTER 7: USING, NOT ABUSING, TECHNOLOGY
119
I. E-Mail Gaffes
119
II. E-Mail: The Good, the Bad and the Ugly
123
III. Spies Like Us—Big Brother at Work
125
Contents
v
IV. IM-ing at Work
129
V. Cutting the E-Leash
131
CHAPTER 8: EXCUSE ME? CALLING IN SICK AND
COMING IN LATE
135
I. Taking Tardiness to the Next Level
135
II. The Art of Playing Hooky
138
III. No Excuses: When You Should Take a Sick Day
141
CHAPTER 9: WORK DON’TS
143
I. It’s Not Them, It’s You
143
II. Turning Your I