Craft a strong resume that says you’re ready for the workforce.
Here are seven tips to help you send the right message to prospective employers with your resume.
Ditch the objective statement
We’ve all seen an objective statement that goes something like this: “Looking for an entry-level position that will help me gain skills and allow me to contribute to an organization.” This tells the reader nothing about the person’s goals or relevant skill-set. Instead of your run-of-the-mill objective statement, use the space to give the reader your elevator pitch. In three to five sentences, explain what you’re best at, most interested in, and how you can provide value to a prospective employer. We call this your professional summary.
Include relevant buzz words
Incorporate common terms and key phrases that routinely pop up in job descriptions you’re interested in applying to (assuming you honestly have those skills). The ATS (Applicant Tracking System) software is programmed to scan your application for specific buzz words to determine if you’re a likely fit for the role. You typically have to make it past that check point before a human will ever set eyes on your application.
Describe your contributions.
Use bullets under each job description to describe how you contributed or supported your team or manager’s projects and initiatives. A recruiter or employer is not expecting you to have a long list of professional accomplishments when you’re fresh out of school – that’s one of the reasons why your education section is above your work experience on the resume. However, they want to get a sense of what you’ve been exposed to and if it’s relevant to the role they’re filling.
Play up your strengths
Your relevant work experiences and internships are key selling points to employers. However, if you don’t have much experience to list, focus on highlighting the areas where you’ve shined the most. For example, if you’ve received a number of awards for academic achievement, such as academic scholarships or making the honor roll, then create an Honors section below your education information. If you were cum laude, include that in your education section. If your GPA (cumulative or in your major) is brag-worthy, then include it next to your degree. If not, leave it off and focus on your other accolades.
Highlight your leadership skills
As an entry-level professional, there’s more flexibility with the resume format. For instance, it might make sense to divide your experience into “Relevant Work Experience” and “Additional Work Experience” sections so that your relevant internships are at the top of your experience. Other students can benefit from including a “Leadership” section after their “Work Experience” to highlight their involvement in leadership programs or volunteer work, or to mention any positions they held within extracurricular activities.
Include a skills section
Don’t assume an employer knows what skills you possess. If you’re well-versed in social media channels such as Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and LinkedIn, list them. The same goes for your familiarity with Microsoft Office: Excel, PowerPoint, Word, and Outlook. Depending on the role you’re pursuing, these skills could be valuable selling points.
Keep the presentation clean
The average recruiter looks at a resume for 6 seconds, so stay away from crazy fonts, colors and images. You want the focus to be on your qualifications, not the photo you included. Be consistent in how you represent locations (“Atlanta, GA” vs. “Atlanta, Georgia”) and time (“Summer 2012” vs. “May 2012 – August 2012” vs. “05/2012 – 08/2012”). Stick to a black font that’s easy to read on and offline, such as Arial, Calibri, Cambria, Tahoma or Times New Roman, and a plain white background.
Click on the following link for more information on crafting the right resume. Want some expert help? Call 1-800-235-1170 or email the Career Services team to learn more about TheLadders’ resume services.
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders. She provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Submit your question here for a chance to have it answered in her weekly column, and be sure to follow @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and “Like” her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
A follow-up on some of the most popular questions asked during Thursday's spreecast on cleaning up your job search.
Thanks to everyone who tuned in to yesterday’s spreecast on Spring Cleaning Your Job Search. Click on the following link to view this Spreecast and check out the hashtag #AmandaLIVE on Twitter for additional tips.
Before I dig into some of the topics we discussed yesterday, I’d like to share a few stats on a job seeker’s online presence. According to a Jobvite social recruiting survey:
As always, you can learn more about the job search and find out about our upcoming spreecasts by following me at @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and liking my Facebook page. Now on to the questions!
Question #1
What is online presence?
As a job seeker, you need to develop a marketing campaign that will advertise your skills to employers in a variety of formats. These include how you are represented on paper, in person, and online. Take a look at the following articles to learn how to monitor your online brand, eliminate or push down bad results, and build a strong online presence that aligns with your resume.
Question #2
I'm relocating for work so my wife can attend medical school and trying to make a career switch since I recently got my MBA. How can I stand out to employers when I'm applying from so far away?
If you have an MBA or important certification in your field, add this acronym after your name on resume and profiles so recruiters can’t miss it. If you’re relocating, let recruiters know there’s a good reason for the move. In other words, make it clear you didn’t make this decision on a whim and that you’re not an expensive flight risk. Utilize your professional and alumni networks in your desired location to build your connections in the new area. Also, be prepared for a phone or Skype interview!
Question #3
I owned my own business for the past few years but I want to go back to the corporate world – any suggestions?
Stay away from calling yourself the owner or CEO of your latest venture, since you want to avoid any assumptions or stereotypes recruiters make about entrepreneurs (basically that you won’t play nice with others, etc. in the corporate setting because you’re used to running the show). Take a look at these articles for other pointers.
Question #4
What should I do if my most recent job doesn’t isn’t as relevant to my current job goals as some of my earlier work?
Think of your resume and your online presence as an ad. You only have so much real estate to work with, and you want the most relevant information to go above the fold. Spend less real estate on the jobs that don’t support your job goals so that your more relevant roles will make it to the first page of your resume (or the top half of your profile).
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders. She provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Submit your question here for a chance to have it answered in her weekly column, and be sure to follow @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and “Like” her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
Give your job search a good scrubbing this spring.
Can you believe that spring is here? Many of us use this season as an excuse to clean out our closets and give our homes a good scrubbing from top to bottom. It’s also the perfect time to take a look at our job-search tactics and give them a thorough cleaning.
If you’ve been reading my column for a while, you should be familiar with a concept of “harnessing the power of three.” As a job seeker, there are three main ways to pursue job leads – both hidden and published. I recommend applying and following up to online listings; utilizing your network of personal and professional contacts; and engaging with recruiters.
By sprucing up your job-search strategy, you can increase the number of relevant job leads in your pipeline. Use the following tips to get your job search in tip-top shape and help you harness even more job leads this season.
Unclutter Your Resume
If you haven’t reviewed your resume in a while, now’s the time to give it a good polish. Rearrange the information to showcase your most relevant experience and qualifications. If you find yourself hoarding extraneous information, it’s time to trim the fat. Edit your resume so it’s no more than two pages and clear off any experience beyond the past ten-to-fifteen years.
Replenish Your Network
Use this season as an excuse to dust off your address book and take stock of your network. Now’s the time to repair friendships with those you’ve lost touch with, and weed out those who are unsupportive of your goals. Plant the seeds for new connections by joining relevant professional associations or other industry-specific groups. Meeting new people in your industry will only increase your chances of landing the right job, sooner. Remember that not every networking opportunity will be a face-to-face affair. Break out your smartphone to keep networking while on the go.
Clean Up Your Online Presence
Out with the old, in with the new! It’s time to give your online presence a face-lift. Set up Google Alerts for your name to actively monitor your brand, and clean out or update any outdated profiles. Increase the security settings on any personal accounts you don’t want to associate with your professional brand. This will ensure that employers find the same professional online that they met face-to-face or read in your application.
Want to learn more about this topic? Join me tomorrow at 3 p.m. (EST) for a free interactive online discussion about cleaning up your online presence for the job search. Click on the following link to RSVP to this Spreecast.
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders. She provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Submit your question here for a chance to have it answered in her weekly column, and be sure to follow @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and “Like” her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
You asked for it! Here's a follow-up on some of the most popular questions asked during our live video chat on Friday about mobilizing your resume.
A big thank you to everyone who attended our first-ever interactive video chat on Mobilizing Your Resume. I had a great time and I hope you did too! Click on the following links to view this Spreecast and to obtain a copy of a presentation I gave on the topic at TheLadders’ Job Central event. Below are some of the questions I fielded and links to more information on the topics. Enjoy!
Question #1
As a recent college graduate, your resume should only be one page. Your education is located higher up on the resume (just under your professional summary), since you’re likely to have less experience and want to promote your new degree. Often times, you can break up your experience into two groups: (“Relevant Experience” and “Leadership Experience & Activities”), to showcase your talents better. A more seasoned professional needs to keep the resume to two pages and only cover the last 10-15 years of work experience. In both cases, your resume should act as a marketing material that shows off why you are qualified for a certain role.
Question #2
How do I handle certain challenges on my resume, such as handling an employment gap or trying to relocate?
While there’s a pretty standard format for resumes, you’re always going to make special tweaks to accommodate your goals and circumstances. Check out these articles for more information on how to edit your resume to best position your talents.
Question #3
When you’re making a switch, whether you’re ex-military transitioning to the civilian workforce, a business owner looking to get back into the corporate world, or you’re just looking to change industries, the most important thing to do is focus on your transferrable skills and translate your resume into a language that your target employer will understand.
Question #4
How should I use social media to display my resume?
A Jobvite survey from this past summer found that 92% of the 800+ recruiters and employers polled use social media to look for candidates. If you don’t have an online presence that supports your resume and career goals, you’re missing out on opportunities. Similarly, 86% admitted to searching for a candidate who submitted an application. Use these two articles to not only clean up your online presence, but to also build your professional brand.
Question #5
Should I include a picture on my LinkedIn profile?
While you’re 40% more likely to be clicked on when you have a photo in your profile, you have to make sure it’s the right photo and aligns with your professional brand. Here are two articles to help you decide if a photo is right for you and your brand.
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders. She provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Submit your question here for a chance to have it answered in her weekly column, and be sure to follow @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and “Like” her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
Join me March 8 at 1 p.m. (EST) for a free online discussion about mobilizing your resume.
As the Job Search Expert for TheLadders, I get to help people find the right job each and every day. As you know, I’m pretty active on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, sharing relevant articles and providing practical tips to move your search or career forward.
However, my favorite part of the job is when I get the chance to present to professionals and answer their questions live. That’s why I’m so excited about our latest initiative!
Join me this Friday, March 8, at 1:00 p.m. (EST) for an online video chat about mobilizing your resume. I will provide tips on crafting a resume that not only supports your job goals, but is engineered to make it past the electronic gatekeepers. And the best part? You can ask me your questions and get an answer immediately!
We are using a service called Spreecast for this pilot show. In order to RSVP for this event, you will need to create an account with Spreecast. Please follow the instructions below to attend this free Q&A session.
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Go to spreecast.com/events/ask-amanda-mobilizing-your-resume and click the blue RSVP button on the right hand side of the page.
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You will be asked to create an account with Spreecast using your email address* or the login used for your Facebook or Twitter account.
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Once you’re created an account, you can RSVP for our spreecast. By RSVP’ing you will receive an e-mail reminder both 24 hours and 1 hour before the spreecast starts.
If you’d rather just attend as a guest, you can join the Spreecast on March 8th here. However, please note that you will only be able to ask questions or comment if you have a Spreecast account. Click on the following links to learn more about Spreecast or email their support team. I look forward to speaking with you on March 8!
*To complete your registration, you will receive a confirmation e-mail asking you to authenticate your account. If you do not see this e-mail, please check your Spam or Junk folder before e-mailing support@spreecast.com.
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders. She provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Submit your question here for a chance to have it answered in her weekly column, and be sure to follow @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and “Like” her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
When your job application is competing with many others, it’s the little things that count.
Did you know that today is National Grammar Day? The holiday was established in 2008 by Martha Brockenbrough, founder of the Society for the Promotion of Good Grammar (SPOGG) and author of Things That Make Us [Sic], to remind people to ‘speak well, write well, and help others do the same.”
In today’s saturated job market, it’s in your best interest to treat every day like grammar day. When your application is competing with hundreds of others, the smallest error can be used to eliminate you from the pile.
In this mobile age, we’ve grown accustomed to using short-hand for texts and tweets, and have become all too reliant on spell-check. These days, it’s very easy to overlook the little mistakes, such as using “higher” when you really meant to say “hire.”
It’s time to sweat the small stuff, folks! Use this checklist to make sure you make the right impression with prospective employers.
Job Applications
Be careful with capitalization, punctuation and grammar in both your cover letter, and your resume – errors in these not only look bad, but they can confuse the ATS software and scramble your application in the system. Embedded images, charts and other objects will have the same effect. The chances of an employer taking the time to manually fix your application in the system are slim to none.
Email
Use an email address that incorporates the name you use professionally on your resume and cover letter. Cutesy, offensive, flirtatious or sexual addresses send hiring managers the wrong message.
Follow Up
Read the job description carefully. If an application deadline is listed, then follow up one week after that date. If you can’t find a deadline, send your follow-up note one week after your initial application. Remember, if the job listing states “no calls,” do not call to follow up. The employer will assume you can’t follow directions.
Online Presence
Remember that spelling and proper grammar – even in the Twittersphere – count. In fact, Jobvite’s social recruiting survey found that employers were more turned off by misspellings and grammatical errors found on candidates’ social media profiles than by images of the candidates drinking an alcoholic beverage. Your online presence has become an increasingly important part of an employer’s screening process – make sure yours passes the test.
Interview & Next Steps
If your interview requires you to bring samples of your work, choose your best and most applicable pieces and give them a good proofread. Also, carefully proofread your thank-you note. Then read it again. Then have your friend proofread it. Make sure everything is spelled properly (including the interviewer’s name and title), and correct all typos before hitting the “send” button or dropping the envelope into the mailbox.
As a job seeker, there’s no excuse for handing in work samples, job applications or any other communication related to the interview process with grammatical errors and typos. If you’re not a natural writer, or you’re struggling to craft the right resume, seek help from a professional. If you’re looking for some resources to improve your knowledge of punctuation and grammar, check out Eats, Shoots & Leaves: The Zero Tolerance Approach to Punctuation, by Lynne Truss, and Woe Is I: The Grammarphobe's Guide to Better English in Plain English, by Patricia T. O’Conner.
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders. She provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Submit your question here for a chance to have it answered in her weekly column, and be sure to follow @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and “Like” her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
Take a page from our founding fathers with an honest approach to your job search.
Today we celebrate Presidents Day and honor all 44 U.S. presidents. Many know the story of George Washington cutting down the cherry tree (“I cannot tell a lie…”) and admire “Honest Abe” Lincoln for his integrity as a lawyer, leader of the Union, and great emancipator of slavery, but how do these virtues fit into today’s workplace?
With a tight economy and many people out of work, it’s tempting to tell a few white lies to get ahead. In fact, a research study found that 53 percent of people lie on their resumes or job applications.
In this mobile-driven society, the truth is often just a few key strokes away. Whether you’re embellishing your skill set, fudging dates to avoid age discrimination, or filling in employment gaps, you’re setting yourself up for failure in the long run. Consider Scott Thompson, for example, who was forced to resign as CEO of Yahoo! after it was discovered that he misstated his credentials, claiming he had a degree in computer science (he only has one in accounting).
Take a lesson from our great leaders and use these five tips to stick to the truth during your job search.
Fill Your Skill Gaps
If you lack a skill that’s required for your dream job, find a course online or at a local school where you can learn it. Trust me, if the hard skill is vital to the job and you make it to the final interview rounds, the hiring manager will test your skills in a pre-employment exam and the truth will come out.
Pitch Your Qualifications
Your resume is an important piece of your personal marketing campaign. It should call attention to your relevant experience, accomplishments, education and skill sets. However, it can’t sell experience you don’t have. There’s a fine line between positioning your experience to support your target job and flat-out lying about a qualification you simply don’t possess.
Keep Your Story Consistent
If you tell a lie, it doesn’t end with the job application – you now must keep the charade going online and during the interview process. A recent social recruiting survey by Jobvite found that 86% of U.S. employers and recruiters polled admitted to reviewing candidates’ social network profiles – whether or not the candidates gave them permission. Make sure your online brand and interview responses tell the same story as your resume, or you’re sure to raise red flags with the recruiter.
Know Your Dates
The simplest reference or background check will reveal discrepancies in your work history, so be truthful with your employment dates. You can leave off the dates from your degrees and certifications and limit the resume to the last 15 years of your career to avoid age discrimination, but you can’t lie. If you’re concerned about an employment gap, test different ways to represent the dates (i.e. Mar 2009 – Dec 2012 vs. 2009-2012) or consider a different resume format.
Be Genuine
Much of the interview process is spent determining if you are a good cultural fit for the company. If the job requirements match your skills but the company doesn’t fit, don’t waste your time. Even if you convince the hiring manager that you love a fast-paced start-up environment and land the job, chances are, you won’t last very long in that role. Be honest with yourself about what working environment is best for you and target those opportunities instead.
The bottom line? Do yourself a favor and stick to the truth. Lying has the potential to do serious damage to your personal brand and hurt your chances of landing your dream job. Click on the following link to learn more about lying during the job search.
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders. She provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Submit your question here for a chance to have it answered in her weekly column, and be sure to follow @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and “Like” her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
If you’re not getting results, reevaluate your job-search strategy and make changes.
This Saturday is Groundhog Day. In fact, every February 2nd, the town of Punxsutawney, Pennsylvania celebrates the holiday with early-morning festivities to watch their beloved groundhog, Punxsutawney Phil, emerge from his burrow. Legend has it that if Phil sees his shadow, he has predicted six more weeks of winter. However, the phrase “Groundhog Day” has come to mean much more. For many, it’s a time of self-reflection.
For instance, take the movie Groundhog Day. Bill Murray plays an arrogant TV reporter who is forced to cover the annual Groundhog Day event in Punxsutawny, only to find himself trapped in a time loop, repeating the same day over and over again. It’s not until Murray’s character starts evaluating his life and reexamining his priorities that he can finally move forward to a new day.
How many of you have felt like Bill Murray’s character? You wake up, search for jobs and apply, reach out to recruiters and hear nothing. Then you wake up and do the same thing all over again with the same results. I hear this from job seekers all the time. “I’m doing everything I’m supposed to and getting nowhere – what should I do?”
Below are five questions to ask yourself the next time your job search stalls.
Are your goals clear and realistic?
As my friend Dr. Woody says, you can’t simply say “I want a new job” and consider that to be your plan. An effective search needs to start with a clear set of realistic job goals that align your key skills and experience with your passions and long-term career objectives. Click on the following link for some exercises to help you clarify your job goals. Remember, if you want to relocate or transition to a new career, this will affect your job-search strategy and how long it will take you to find that next job.
Is your resume ready for the digital world?
A research study conducted by TheLadders found that you have 6 seconds to make the right impression. But before your resume reaches someone who understands your experience, it must first get past an electronic gatekeeper and a junior-level HR rep who conducts the initial screenings. Make sure your resume incorporates the key terms and requirements found in your targeted jobs, that it is tailored to play up your relevant skills and experience. Limit your resume to the last 10-15 years of experience to avoid age discrimination. Not sure if your resume is up to snuff? Ask a professional.
Have you Googled yourself lately?
In today’s mobile society, your personal brand must go beyond the physical resume and into the online world. Google your name (as it appears on your resume) and see what comes up. Make a list of every website where you have an account set up – including job boards – and decide if it should be used for professional or personal use. Update your professional accounts to align with your resume and job goals by highlighting your relevant skill sets, experience and affiliations. Edit your personal accounts by changing the name and increasing the security settings so they won’t be found.
Are you applying to the right jobs?
Job descriptions are often a hiring manager’s wish list for the dream candidate. While the employer probably doesn’t expect you to have every single qualification, they do expect you to meet all the core “must-have” requirements. Only apply to jobs where you possess these must-haves. Also, make sure you choose jobs that align with your goals – applying to jobs outside of your goals will dilute your personal brand and confuse employers. Clearly spell out your qualifications in your application so that someone outside your industry could quickly glance at it and understand why you’d be a good fit.
How often do you network?
Whether you love it or loathe it, networking is an important part of the job-search process. Not only is it a great source of the “phantom jobs” The Wall Street Journal refers to, networking also helps you identify connections in your target companies and gets your application past the gatekeepers. Dedicate a portion of each week to networking, such as joining new associations, conducting informational interviews, attending industry-specific events, or catching up with valuable contacts. Remember, the goal is to increase the size of your network and identify new people that can help move your search forward. Not making progress? Try something new, such as embracing a different social media channel.
If you’re having trouble answering these questions, chances are you’re not documenting enough of your job-search activities. By taking time to track and evaluate your job-search efforts, you’ll be in better shape to pinpoint when your routine changes for the better or worse, and what you can do to take it to the next level. Remember, if your current strategy isn’t working, it’s time to change things up.
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders, the online job-matching service for career-driven professionals. She is a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) who provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Submit your question here for a chance to have it answered in her weekly column, and be sure to follow @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and "Like” her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
Will my photo give me an advantage in the job search or hurt my chances of landing the right job?
I admit, I don’t know much about beauty pageants. I’ve seen the movie Miss Congeniality and I’ve been forced to watch an episode of Here Comes Honey Boo Boo, but I don’t know if I’ve ever sat down and watched the Miss America competition in its entirety on television. However, I was pleased to hear that fellow New Yorker Mallory Hytes Hagan took the crown last Sunday.
As I watched the news coverage the next morning and saw the winner and runners up taking the stage, it got me thinking about beauty – or more specifically, one’s appearance – and how that plays a role in the job search and our careers.
While it’s not fair, experts agree that a person’s appearance can affect the outcome of one’s job search and potential for advancement in the workplace. Your personal grooming, professional wardrobe – even your haircut – play a role in your personal brand.
But should you advertise your looks as part of your branding campaign, or do you save that for the in-person networking events and interviews? Below are my thoughts on including images with your resume and online profiles.
Resume
Unless you’re creating a CV and applying to a job outside of the United States, or you’re in the entertainment world and a head shot is part of the job, you should never include a picture of yourself with your resume.
First, the photo will often clue the employer into your nationality, religion and age (among other factors) that could inadvertently lead to discrimination. No need to give them any of those details until they’ve considered your application based solely on your qualifications. In fact, some companies are so afraid of being accused of discrimination that they’ll automatically reject resumes with photos to avoid any potential allegations.
Second, TheLadders did an eye-tracking study back in 2012 that showed the average recruiter looks at your resume for a mere 6 seconds before deciding if you’re worth a second glance. When you only have six seconds, why would you give them something extra to look at?
Online Profiles
Your LinkedIn profile is 40% more likely to get clicked on if it contains a photo. And being attractive with a professional and friendly photo that’s in alignment with your personal brand can certainly be an advantage in the job search.
However, we know that discrimination is alive and well in the job market. Many people worry about being passed over because of their age, and studies have even shown that women who are considered “too pretty” have a harder time landing what’s considered to be more “masculine” jobs. In addition, it was found that overly attractive women were more likely to be passed over or penalized by a hiring manager of the same gender.
If you’re going to include a photo, avoid the web cam self-portrait – it will only make you look unprofessional. Keep the shot on-brand – that means no family group shots, cartoons, or cute pics of your pets. If you’re concerned about discrimination, no photo is better than one that doesn’t project the right personal brand.
Your personal appearance will always play a part in your career and the job-search process. Carefully consider where and when you want to advertise that brand to set yourself up for success.
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders, the online job-matching service for career-driven professionals. She is a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) who provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Submit your question here for a chance to have it answered in her weekly column, and be sure to follow @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and "Like” her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.
For a job seeker, what expenses are tax-deductible?
Can you believe it’s already mid-January? In a couple of weeks – Wednesday, January 30, to be exact – you can officially e-file your 2012 taxes.
While taxes and tax law are definitely not my area of expertise* – I’ll stick to the job search, thank you very much – I wanted to provide some information to help my fellow taxpayers who are currently looking for a job. So I did a little digging and came up with three helpful tax tips for job seekers. Use these steps to learn more about tax deductions and how you may be able to increase your potential tax refund.
Find out if you’re qualified.
If you’re searching for a job in your current (or recently current) field, your expenses are deductible. However, if you are a recent college graduate or you’re trying to switch careers, your job-search expenses are not deductible. Similarly, if you voluntarily left your last gig and took a substantial amount of time off before starting your search, your expenses are not deductible.
Know what’s tax-deductible.
For those of you who qualify, many of your job-search expenses can be deducted. This includes: paid subscriptions for services like TheLadders Premium membership; employment agency fees; the price of your professionally-written resume (and any costs associated with preparing and mailing your resume); admission fees for job fairs or other job-related networking events; and telephone, transportation, and travel expenses directly related to the job search.
Seek out professional help.
Here TheLadders, we believe that there are three things you never do by yourself: never write your own will, do your own taxes, or write your own resume. If you’re not sure if the interview suit you bought can be deducted, don’t guess – talk to a professional. Visit the official government site (www.irs.gov) or stop by your local H&R Block for expert advice. Round up all your receipts** and email confirmations so you’re prepared for the conversation.
As we know, searching for a job can be expensive – not to mention stressful. Use these tips to help you get the best tax refund possible. If you didn’t utilize all these tools in 2012 – consider purchasing one of these in the New Year and save the receipts for next year’s taxes.
* Please note that I am not a lawyer or accountant, and am not qualified to provide you with legal advice. I can offer some guidance, but they are only my opinions and have not been confirmed with a lawyer. I strongly urge you to seek out a certified tax professional if you have legal questions regarding your taxes.
** Need a record of your expenses with TheLadders? Sign into your account and click on “Settings” in the upper-right corner of the page. Choose “Membership” from the left-hand side. Under the “Print Receipts” header, click on “Find Receipts.” Check the appropriate charges and click “Download PDFs.”
Amanda Augustine is the Job Search Expert for TheLadders, the online job-matching service for career-driven professionals. She is a Certified Professional Career Coach (CPCC) and Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) who provides job search and career guidance for professionals looking to make their next career move. Have a question for Amanda? Submit your question here for a chance to have it answered in her weekly column, and be sure to follow @JobSearchAmanda on Twitter and "Like” her on Facebook for up-to-the-minute job-search advice.