2

CONTENTSHow to Win the Job in 2015 3

The Worst Jobs of 2014, The Best Jobs of ‘15 &Cities that Are Ready to Take Off 4

Clean Up Your Act! Social Networks & Your Personal Brand 7

Get Hired Faster! Tap Into Your Network 9

Stand Out from the Crowd: How to OptimizeYour Resume for Search Engines 11

Are You Qualified? The Skills You MUST Include in Your Resume 13

Volunteer Work Is More Important than Ever 15

Your Resume is #1 in 2015: How to Make It Great 17

The New Rules: Writing Your Cover Letter 19

Five Interview Tips You’ve Never Heard Before 21

Your Job Apps Are Done! What’s Next? 23

3

How to Win the Job in 2015Today’s job landscape is changing so rapidly, you’ll never get hired if you fall a step behind. This e--book offers 10 job-search tips you need to know for 2015. By Rocco Brown-Morris

Technology is speeding up everything. Smart phones are smarter. Cars drive themselves. Friends who live on the other side of the globe can Skype you instantly.

So why did the average job search drag on for eight months in 2014. If time really is money, how could it possibly take 240 days of resume writing and lost salary to find work?

Part of the reason is high competition. For every job posted online, an average of 250 applications pour in. But above all else, most 2014 job seekers were underprepared. They weren’t using all of this game-changing technology to their advantages. And they weren’t clued in to the latest job-search trends.

Whether it’s optimizing your LinkedIn page or overcoming the year’s trickiest interview questions, these 10 tips will help you wow employers in 2015.

4

The Worst Jobs of 2014, The Best Jobs of ‘15 & Cities that Are Ready to Take OffWe explore the jobs that were hardest on workers in 2014, as well as the career options that are sure to take off in 2015. Plus, 10 cities that expect the most job growth this year.

Impossible deadlines. Insane stress levels. Razor-sharp buzz saws. If this sounds like your everyday work routine in 2014, then you have a good reason to complain. With lucky 2014 in the rearview mirror, the numbers are in for the worst jobs of the year.

To determine these treacherous trades, the study took into consideration pay, stress levels, work environment, and future outlook. Lumberjacks topped the list, mainly because of dwindling job opportunities, dangerous work, and low pay.

The runner-up was newspaper reporters, while enlisted military personnel finished third. Both oc-cupations are low-paying, and stressful with long hours, and they can require working far away from home.

Also on the list: taxi drivers, broadcasters, head cooks, flight attendants, garbage collectors, firefigh-ters, corrections officers, and roofers.

But 2014 is now behind us. And even though it was a rough year to write articles and slice trees, there are plenty of jobs that are revving their engines and ready to take off in 2015. Let’s take a look at the top five jobs of the year:

5

1) MathematicianAn interest in numbers can add up to career success. Demand for mathematicians in 2015 is high, not just in the academic world, but also among corporations, government agencies, and non-profits. For those with the right education and a compelling resume, the possibilities for mathematics jobs is nearly infinite.

2) University ProfessorUniversity professors enjoy a rewarding workenvironment, solid income-earning potential, and lower stress than workers in many other fields. With a median annual salary of $68,970 and projected job growth of 19% by 2022,pursuing a career in higher education seems like a smart choice.

3) StatisticianIn today’s fast-moving, high-tech world, statistical analysis is more important than ever for a wide range of businesses and institutions. When you run the numbers, statisticians prove to be in high demand, with 27% projected job growth by 2022 and a median annual salary of $75,560.

4) ActuaryLooking for a job that puts those strong mathematical and statistical skills to use? With more Americans than ever having health care coverage, becoming an actuary can really pay off. The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics projects strong growth for years to come in this important butcompetitive field.

5) AudiologistAudiologists are healthcare professionals who help patients with hearing and/or balance issues. With America’s aging population, career opportunities for audiologists are expected to grow—by up to 34% by 2022! If you’re interested in a healthcare career, this could be a great option for you.

6

2015’s Best Cities for Job Seekers

Using data from the Bureau of Labor Statistics, here are the top 10 cities for finding a job in 2015 (based on low unemployment rates and the number of job openings, relative to the number ofjob-seekers):

1) San Jose, California2) Salt Lake City, Utah3) Richmond, Virginia4) Washington, DC5) Raleigh, North Carolina6) Boston, Massachusetts7) Denver, Colorado8) St. Paul, Minnesota9) Oklahoma City, Oklahoma10) San Francisco, CA

7

Clean Up Your Act! Social Networks & Your Personal BrandA single Facebook photo or controversial Tweet could derail your job search. Learn how to protect your personal brand in the ever-growing era of social networks.

Here’s the problem with applying for jobs: Everyone is doing it. For each job opening posted online, hundreds—and sometimes thousands—of people send in their resumes. To deal with their overflo-wing inboxes, companies are finding new ways to filter candidates.

Enter, social networks. HR departments are becoming more and more dependent on social media to screen job applicants. Jobvite.com reports that 94 percent of employers use social networks for recruiting—and that number may hover closer to 100 percent in 2015.

With so much emphasis placed on your online presence, your social networks need to be opti-mized for your job search. Here are six tips that will boost your social footprint, as well as build your personal brand.

1) Share with caution: Search engines have made it easier than ever for your personal information to come to light. But when your life details leak out of the bag and onto the net, it’s difficult to corral them back in. Think twicebefore you publicize your birthday, favoritehobbies, or photos of last weekend.

2) Google yourself. See what comes up. Hopefully you see LinkedIn endorsements or your personal blog. But if something pops up that could hurt your job search, delete it immediately.

8

3) Own page one on Google. Sites like Facebook, Google+, Twitter, and LinkedIn rank high on Google searches. That means these websites have a better chance of landing on page one of any employer search. So make sure these websites are filled with information about your career, and that they represent your personal brand.

4) Focus on your LinkedIn page. More than any other social network, HR managers turn toLinkedIn for recruiting. Think of this website as an extension of your resume. That means you need to write in the third person, load your profile page with keywords, and include your full name in the URL, header, and profile.

5) Clean up your image. Image searches on Google are a quick and easy way for HR managers to see you at a glance. Make sure the photos that pop up are professional and up-to-date.

6) Create a website, blog, or online portfolio. These sites are going to rank very high in Googlesearches because they’re extremely relevant to you. After all, you created them. So don’t be shy! Include your accomplishments, links to work examples, a short bio, and your professional interests on these pages.

9

Get Hired Faster! Tap Into Your NetworkIn the age of instant friendships and connections, networking has become easier than ever. But easy doesn’t mean more job offers. Learn how to network more effectively in 2015.

One of the most common—and most dangerous—job-search myths is that getting hired is asolomission. In reality, it’s exactly the opposite. For most job seekers, it takes a team of supporters to land an offer.

Fortunately, as online social networks continue to grow, the team backing you does as well. Collegeroommates, former bosses, recentclients—everyone is just a click away.

Here’s how to leverage your personal network to your advantage and get hired in 2015.

1) Don’t “sell” yourself. After all, no one goes to a party with the idea that they want to buysomething. They want to socialize, learn, and receive something. So, instead of shoving your resume in their faces, simply get to know the people around you.

2) Be genuine. In all likelihood, you’ve received LinkedIn requests from people who barely know you. Why did they reach out to you? What can this web-lationship add to either person’s life? In all likelihood, not much. Don’t let your in-personnetworking go down this same route. Make a genuine effort to learn about the people you’re talking to. From there, you can build a relationship that’s mutually beneficial.

3) Prepare in advance. Before you dive headfirst into a networking event, think about and rehear-se what you have to offer—your best skills and assets. This advice shouldn’t fly in the face of being genuine. But if someone asks about your career goals or interests, it can be helpful to hash out your thoughts beforehand so you’re not caught off-guard.

10

4) Let social networks help. Update your Facebook status with the exact type of job you’re looking for. Reach out to your LinkedIn connections. Tweet your latest blog post. Your social footprint spans across the globe, so use this power to your advantage.

5) Follow up. Nowadays, people are used to recruiters, ex-coworkers, and semi-strangers reaching out to them on the web. However, it’s a foreign concept for these connections to reach out more than once. So if you want your contact to remember you, keep the conversation alive. Don’t con-tinually ask for help over and over again. Just stay on their mind—they’ll be more likely to think of you when an opportunity pops up.

11

Stand Out from the Crowd: How to Optimize Your Resume for Search EnginesFor every job ad that’s posted online, resumes pour in by the thousands. But with a fewoptimizations, your resume will float directly to the top of the stack.

You know that feeling of having too much on your plate? Where the amount of work you have to complete is literally impossible for the time-frame you’ve been given? Welcome to the life of recruiting and hiring.

Managers deal with work overload on a dailybasis. Their inbox is stuffed to the brim with unread resumes, and they have to searchthrough the stack to find “the one.” Once that’s over with, they move onto their next openposition and repeat.

So how do they get it done? How do they narrow this list down to just a select few? In true 2015 fashion: With the help of technology. Here’s how to optimize your resume so it appears in more searches, gets read more often, and leads to more interviews.

1) Reiterate the job description. Not word-for-word, but use exact keywords, skills, and language from the job posting. If the hiring manager included a necessary technical skill, they’ll probably run a search for that specific ability in their applicant tracking software (ATS).

12

2) Use plenty of keywords. First, define what your keywords are. Perhaps it’s the location of the job, certain skills you need, or a required certification. Then, include that term in your resume whenever it makes sense. Also, use different variations of the same keyword. For example, if you’re applying for work as a certified nursing assistant, use the full job title in your professional summary, abbreviate it as “CNA” in your work history section, etc.

3) Include an optimized summary section. Most tracking systems can’t read images or graphics. So load the top of your resume with important information that it can understand: Your location, job title, and industry-specific keywords.

4) Include keywords in your resume’s file name. Your file name should look something like this: “Computer_Technician_JBrown_resume.html.”

5) Avoid fluff. This means no graphics, fancy fonts, borders, or extraneous information. Stick to a simple template that’s relevant to the target job—and that job only.

6) Proofread! The ATS will gloss over important keywords if they’re misspelled. Read and re-read your document multiple times.

13

Are You Qualified? The Skills You MUST Include in Your ResumeBy itself, your work history doesn’t make you a must-hire candidate. But your skills can. Here are the top skills hiring managers are seeking out in 2015.

A hiring manager might pick up your resume and think: “This looks great, but how do I know this person is the right fit? How can I trust this person will be able to handle these specific jobresponsibilities?”

Previous work experience is one way a hiring manager will judge your candidacy. But in many cases, your past jobs won’t match the target position. And even if they do, you still need something that pushes your resume over the edge—a section that differentiates you from the stack of othercandidates.

Your skills are this differentiator. If your resume proves you have the ability and training to step in and make an impact, your chances of landing the job will sky rocket. Make the skills section of your resume leap off the page with these must-haves:

1) Job-specific skills. These are far and away the most important skills to include, and luckily, the easiest to find: They’re written directly in the job posting. Review the job ad, identify the keyjob-specific skills, and include them in your resume. After all, if a company needs a skilled PCprogrammer, the resume reviewer is going to throw away any application that doesn’t mention PC programming abilities.

2) Transferable skills. Don’t make hiring managers connect the dots between your last job and the target position. Instead, specify the exact skills from former jobs that will transfer over. Even if your prior job and target job have nothing in common, certain skills will overlap. Perhaps they bothrequire strategic planning, leading a team, successfully taking risks, etc.

14

3) Soft skills. These are general skills, like the ability to plan, accept feedback, work in a team,actively listen, etc. Soft skills aren’t going to win you a ton of points, mainly because they don’tnecessarily differentiate you from your competition. But depending on the job, a few soft skills may be necessary to include in your resume.

4) Management skills. Even if the only team you’ve ever managed was your son’s soccer team,incorporating your leadership skills will make your resume much stronger. If you’ve managed large or small teams before, highlight the skills you learned and used. If not, think creatively aboutanything leadership-related from your past. Have you taken control of projects before? Mentored new employees? If the answer’s yes, make sure to say so on your resume.

5) New skills! Look, it’s possible that some of your skills are outdated. If you notice that more and more employers are asking for a skill that you don’t have, accept the challenge and learn it. There are workshops, online courses, tutorials, webinars, conferences, and infinite other knowledgesources to learn from.

15

Volunteer Work Is More Importantthan EverVolunteer work is proving to help job seekers find full-time work, and 2015 will be nodifferent. Donate your time and become the strongest candidate out there.

For over a decade, career counselors have offered similar advice to unemployed job seekers:Volunteer your time. By staying busy, dedicating yourself to a cause, and broadening your skills, career experts have assumed that volunteer work makes you a stronger, more appealing job appli-cant.

After a recent government study, it’s no longer an assumption—it’s a fact. The Corporation for Na-tional and Community Service estimated that jobless people who participate in volunteer work had a 27 percent better chance of finding work than those who didn’t.

Why Volunteer Work Speeds Up Your Search

One thought is that you become a smarter, more capable candidate. By learning new skills and put-ting them to use, you’re basically screaming to employers: “Look at me! I’m a quick learner, and I’m productive with my time.” These are valuable traits that any company is going to covet.

Volunteer work also proves that you’re a self-starter. You don’t simply wait around for work to come your way or for employers to call you in for an interview. You take action, seek out opportunities, and value hard work.

Plus, volunteers have an interesting and compelling story to tell. Once you land an interview, you can discuss your experience and the value you added to your volunteer group. Which is certainly better than drawing a blank or referencing a job that you worked almost a decade ago.

Speaking of 10 years Ago…

16

The longer you’re unemployed, the less attractive you are to employers. In addition to your skills seeming outdated, your connections and referrals might fall out of touch. By volunteering, you not only broaden your network and keep your skills fresh, but you have a chance to land a full-time job with the company you’re currently volunteering for.

How to Find the Right Volunteer Job

First of all, find volunteer work that fits you. A job that you enjoy, that you believe in, and that aligns with your goals. Then, take the job seriously, work your tail off, and make use of your best skill sets. It will feel like full-time work, and that’s a good thing.

17

Your Resume Is #1 in 2015: How to Make It GreatTired of employers skipping over your job application and never calling you back? Then take one long look at your resume. Here’s what you can do to wow hiring managers.

Resumes might seem ultra-traditional and outdated. And yes, this single piece of paper could take weeks to write. But resumes are still the most essential part of your job application.

In 2015, 95 percent of jobs required resumes. And an astounding 89 percent of employers said they would never consider an applicant who applied without including a resume. Those are alar-mingly high numbers.

Fortunately, a well-written resume can launch you directly to the top of an employer’s “must--interview” list. The following resume essentials will help you stand out as you apply for work in 2014.

Conquer Short Attention Spans

When a person picks up a magazine, they ge-nerally want to know what’s inside before they open it. Are all of the articles about politics? Sports? Celebrity gossip? If the magazine-reader can’t figure it out in the blink of an eye, they’ll likely opt for one that they can understand.

Hiring managers treat your resume the same way. Your summary statement is like the cover that tells employers what to expect. This section provides a snapshot of what you do best, and it outli-nes how you’ll help the target company succeed. A good objective—placed near the very top of your resume—can hook the reader in and land you an interview by itself.

18

Tailor It Specifically to the Target Job

A well-written resume mirrors the job description. For example, if the job ad calls for someone who can type 90 words per minute, your resume needs to include your typing abilities. Or if the ad asks for someone who can manage teams, mention the times you’ve successfully taken charge of agroup.

In the end, your resume should paint a very clear picture of how you’ll help the target employer. The hiring manager should be able to envision the value you’ll bring to the team, as well as the influence you’ll have on the company’s bottom line.

Use Technology to Your Advantage

Online resume builders make it possible to create an expert-written resume in a matter of minutes. These builders will walk you through every step of the process and make it easy to insertjob-specific writing examples directly into your resume.

19

The New Rules: Writing Your Cover LetterCover letters are surrounded by mystery. Should they be short or long? Personalized orgeneral? Are they even necessary at all? Learn what employers want in the modern-day letter.

In the previous article, you learned that companies value your resume more than any otherdocument in your job application. The problem is, they’ll never even see your resume if your cover letter doesn’t hook them in first. The tips below will help the modern-day job seeker get noticed and land more interviews.

Briefer Is Better

The exact length of your cover letter will vary depending on the job and company. But—as a general rule of thumb—shorter is better. Some cover letters say everything they need to say in 10 seconds. Others need three paragraphs. Figure out what length makes sense for you, choose every word carefully, and get to the point quickly.

Start Off Sprinting

No matter how short or long your cover letter, the first sentence needs to hook the reader in. Hiring managers will snore right past your letter if it starts off something like this: “I’ve read your job ope-ning with great interest.” Instead, be bold. Tell the reader what they’re missing out on and why they need to hire you.

Address the Employer’s Needs

Read the job description and figure out specific skills the hiring manager is asking for. Then, use your cover letter to prove that you have these skills. To make your argument more convincing, inclu-de examples from your work experience.

20

Use Numbers

Including statistics shows that you’re results-driven. Companies will look at you as a candidate who can step in and bring their company similar success. Plus, numbers make your writing more inte-resting and convincing. Who would you rather hire? Candidate A, who “helped the sales team.” Or, Candidate B, who “boosted store sales by 25 percent.” Probably Candidate B.

Talk to Your Reader

When you check your e-mails, spam messages probably don’t jump out at you as must-read in-formation. That’s partly because they’re impersonal—the senders don’t care who you are or what you’re interested in. Make sure your cover letter doesn’t commit this same mistake. Rather than saying “ to whom it may concern,” address your letter to the person reading it. If their name isn’t included in the job ad, run a Google search or browse the company’s website.

21

Five Interview Tips You’ve NeverHeard BeforeIt’s easy to get run-of-the-mill interview advice. Unfortunately, everyday advice won’t help you in the modern-day interview full of surprises.

Who knew searching for a job involved so much paperwork? Cover letters, resumes, job apps—it’s one piece of e-writing after another. Sometimes you want to snap your pencil in half and actually talk to a hiring manager. You know, like in a real-life interview!

Unfortunately, interviews come with their own set of challenges. And with so much misguidedinformation floating around the web about “the best way to interview,” it’s hard to find a trusted source. So don’t fall for the rumors. Here are the top five tips you need to know for your 2015 job interview:

1) Research the company culture. Nowadays, companies value cultural fit as much as—and in some cases, more than—your experience and abilities. They want a candidate who can step in, make a seamless transition into the position, and gel with the rest of the team. Before yourinterview, research the company’s general vibe so you don’t show up underdressed or give answers that are too straight-laced.

2) Your interviewer might not know what they’re doing. It’s possible your interviewer never had formal interview training. On top of that, they might show up to your one-on-one without reading your resume or preparing beforehand. Rather than nervously approaching your interviewer as an all-knowing source of knowledge, talk to this person conversationally.

3) Don’t worry about having all the right answers. Again, your interview is a conversation. Andthere’s nothing worse than conversing with someone who has to be right all the time. If a question stumps you, admit it. An honest response is better than a long-winded, obviously fabricated answer. And before you leave the room, ask questions of your own (just make sure they’re not thesequestions).

22

4) Get the answers beforehand. Practicing your responses is easier than ever. In fact, some websi-tes give you the best answers to tough interview questions for free. So before your interview, figure out how you’re going to answer basic questions like “tell me about yourself.” Get ready for trick questions about your biggest weakness or least-favorite co-worker. And prepare a list of your three best skills, so you have an answer to fall back on if you’re caught off-guard.

5) Follow up right away. Hiring managers will remember good manners. The moment you get home after your interview, send a thank-you note to the company. If it makes sense, copy multiple managers onto the message, and thank everyone every one for their time and insightful conversa-tion.

23

Your Job Apps Are Done! What’s Next? After a long day of applying for work, it’s tempting to plant yourself on the couch, tune out to the TV, and sip a cocktail. But that’s a surefire way to lose potential job offers.

You’ve put the finishing touches on your resume, created a well-written cover letter, and sent your job apps off into cyber space. Although your job search might seem complete for the day, you still need to take care of the behind-the-scenes work.

The tips below are quick, easy, and extremely important to the outcome of your job hunt. So don’t call it quits a few minutes early and lose a potential job offer!

Track Each Job

Copy the job description for every job you’ve applied to, and paste it into a spreadsheet. In that same spreadsheet, jot down the date you applied, include the hiring manager’s name and contact information, specify the pay range, and mention whether or not the company has reached out to you. With all of this information easily accessible in one file, you’ll be fully prepared for callbacks and phone interviews.

Follow Up

If you haven’t heard back from a potential employer after a week, send a short follow-up message. In this brief email, simply inquire about your application. Let them know you’re excited about the opportunity, and then send it off.

Show Your Thanks

After any phone or in-person interview, send a thank-you letter. This message shows you’re profes-sional and well-mannered, but it will also keep you fresh in the employer’s memory. Sometimes the most persistent candidate is the first to get the job offer. Just don’t go over the top. Managers are busy people, so wait for them to email you back before sending a third message.

24

Keep Networking

Never assume a job offer is a done deal. Until your new boss walks you to your new desk in your new office, keep your job search alive. Continue to network and send out applications. Andremember to send thank-you letters to anyone who helps you out!

Unwind!

It’s okay to take a breather and relax. After all, you can’t invest every ounce of energy into your job search. But LiveCareer can for you! Now that you know every trick in the trade, let the pros give you some free help as you apply for work.