10 Simple Google Search Tricks

I’m always amazed that more people don’t know the little tricks you can use to get more out of a simple Google search. Here are 10 of my favorites.

1. Use the “site:” operator to limit searches to a particular site. I use this one all the time, and it’s particularly handy because many site’s built-in search tools don’t return the results you’re looking for (and some sites don’t even have a search feature). If I’m looking for WWD posts about GTD, for example, I could try this search: GTD site:webworkerdaily.com.


2. Use Google as a spelling aid. As Rob Hacker — the WWD reader I profiled last week — pointed out, entering a word into Google is a quick way to see if you have the right spelling. If it’s incorrect, Google will suggest the correct spelling instead. Additionally, if you want to get a definition of a word, you can use the “define:” operator to return definitions from various dictionaries (for example, define: parasympathetic).


3. Use Google as a calculator. Google has a built-in calculator — try entering a calculation like 110 * (654/8 + 3). Yes, your computer also has a calculator, but if you spend most of your day inside a browser, typing your calculation into the browser’s search box is quicker than firing up your calculator app.


4. Find out what time it is anywhere in the world. This one’s really handy if you want to make sure that you’re not phoning someone in the middle of the night. Just search for “time” and then the name of the city. For example, try: time San Francisco


5. Get quick currency conversions. Google can also do currency conversion, for example: 100 pounds in dollars. It only has the more mainstream currencies, though — if you’re trying to see how many Peruvian nuevos soles your dollars might buy, you’ll be out of luck.


6. Use the OR operator. This can be useful if you’re looking at researching a topic but you’re not sure which keywords will return the information you need. It can be particularly handy in conjunction with the “site:” operator. For example, you could try this search: GTD or “getting things done” site:webworkerdaily.com


7. Exclude specific terms with the – operator. You can narrow your searches using this operator. For example, if you’re looking for information about American Idol but don’t want anything about Simon Cowell, you could try: “american idol” -cowell


8. Search for specific document types. Google can search the web for specific types of files using the “filetype:” operator. If you’re looking for PowerPoint files about GTD, for example, you could try: GTD filetype:ppt


9. Search within numerical ranges using the .. operator. Say, for example, you want to look for information about Olympic events that took place in the 1950’s, you could use this search: Olympics 1950..1960


10. Area code lookup. Need to know where a phone number is located? Google will let you know where it is, and show you a map of the area, too. For example: 415

10 Simple Google Search Tricks

The iPad Job Search

I will be one of the geeks on line at the Apple Store, picking up my pre-ordered iPad early Saturday morning.

Part of this is my Apple fanboy-ness and part of it is my desire to remain ahead of the curve.

A lot of job search has moved mobile. So many apps are now out there for mobile job search that it has become a major source of job search traffic and also a major tool in the modern job search.

I just perused the list of iPad launching apps and to the best of my knowledge, there are no job search apps on there yet. What I’d like to do is have us all keep our eyes out for when the first one launches.

Will it be Careerbuilder, an early and heavy user of the iPhone app ecosystem? Will someone make a mashup app for craigslist?

Or will it be more interesting?

Just as the mobile web has given us a new way to job search, will the iPad bring us something we can’t imagine yet? Will the iPad become something (more interestingly for me, certainly because I own a resume writing business) that is a presentation device? Will it be something we bring along to interviews and job fairs? Will the iPad become the modern brief case? Will this be the way we show off our resumes or portfolios?

I don’t know the answers yet, but I want to make sure we’re all there when we find out.

So, I’ll be getting my iPad on Saturday. And I’ll post some stuff here about it.

But help me out as well. If you see some job search oriented iPad apps pop up, please, let me know. If someone starts using the iPad for job search in new and interesting ways, please let me know.

I’ll share it here, and we can all dissect and evaluate it. Is it the future? We’ll decide together.

More in a bit.

Original Post The iPad Job Search

Unemployed: America’s 35 Hardest Hit Cities

Across the nation, cities have seen rising unemployment rates and many people are struggling to find jobs. In some areas of the country, that may be more difficult than others. Today we look at the cities in America that have been hit the hardest by job loss and have the highest rate of unemployment.

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Unemployed: America’s 35 Hardest Hit Cities

10 Sure-Fire Ways to Make Your Resume Scream “I’m an Amateur!”

Is your resume not getting as many replies as you expect?

This is a guest post by Casey Accord. If you’d also like to guest post here on JobMob, follow these guidelines.

You’re probably not actively seeking ways to make yourself appear LESS professional. But plenty of resumes suggest otherwise. This article outlines the 10 most common things people do that make their resumes—and themselves—look amateurish, whether or not that’s the intention.

1. Use Comic Sans or some other over-used, impractical font. Hiring managers especially love flowery script that’s hard to read!

Pro Tip: Stick with fonts that are easy to read and professional looking. Great choices are Times New Roman, Georgia, Arial, Verdana, and Tahoma.

2. Include every job you’ve ever had—even that 2-month gig as a video store clerk in junior high.

Pro Tip: If it’s not relevant to the position—or completely outdated—forget about it.

3. Include a bunch of unnecessary personal information like your height, weight, birthday and social security number. (This is especially helpful if your prospective employers are also identity thieves.)

Pro Tip: Avoid giving any information that may be too personal or could be used to discriminate against you. Focus on your unique professional traits, not personal ones.

4. Create solid, single-spaced blocks of text in 8-point font to squeeze as much information as possible onto one page.

Pro Tip: Use bullets to break up text and make it easier on the eyes. Be concise and organized in your formatting, and if your experience warrants it, allow your resume to fill two pages. The one-page rule is considered by most to be outdated.

5. Use a lot of clichéd buzzwords like self-motivated, outside-the-box, people person, and team player.

Pro Tip: Don’t waste space with meaningless jargon and corporate-speak. Be authentic and cite specific examples that demonstrate who you are and what you are capable of doing.

6. Throw in a few graphics. A little clip art makes any document more fun.

Pro Tip: No. No. No. This is not an art project. It’s a resume. Keep it professional. That goes for pictures of yourself as well. Don’t do it.

7. Avoid numbers and specifics. Be as vague as possible. Draw them in with mystery.

Pro Tip: Quantify your accomplishments. Using real numbers to back up your claims creates a compelling story.

8. Don’t worry a lot about editing. No one cares about proper spelling these days.

Pro Tip: All it takes is one typo for a hiring manager to toss your resume. Careless mistakes can make you look sloppy or—even worse—uneducated. Proofreading is an absolute essential.

9. Lie, exaggerate or embellish your qualifications. Just keep your fingers crossed that no one finds out.

Pro Tip: You want your resume to represent the real you. The job needs to match your skills. Don’t fake it just because you’re desperate to get an interview. The truth will always come out—eventually.

10. Use a bunch of cute text lingo and emoticons. This’ll show how tech-savvy and fun you are ;)

Pro Tip: Just say no to slang and other “adorable” embellishments. Your resume is not the place for smiley faces. Focus on using powerful words that add value. Save the textese for your BFF.

About the author

Casey Accord is a writer monkey for Resify.com, the coolest site on the web for resume-related advice and free resume templates. She’s passionate about helping job seekers, correcting public displays of grammar dysfunction, and dressing her dog in silly costumes. You can connect with her on Resify, via email (Casey@Resify.com) or on Twitter (@Resify).

If you recognize who the cartoonist is for the image above, please tell me in the comments so I can credit them. Thanks!

If you found this article useful, you’ll also enjoy The Secret “So What?” Method To Resume Writing Success.

10 Sure-Fire Ways to Make Your Resume Scream “I’m an Amateur!”

5 Alternate Ways to Use Twitter

image by joelaz

When you ask someone who doesn’t use Twitter why they abstain, you’ll most likely hear, “There’s no point”, “I’m on enough networks already”, or my least favourite, “I don’t need to hear what anybody had for breakfast.” Sigh.

These are all obviously silly reasons but they do show something important: Twitter has a learning curve. It’s not evident right away what you’re supposed to do. In an effort to help persuade new users to using Twitter, I’ve outlined these five out-of-the-box ways to use Twitter that don’t include talking about breakfast.

1. Newsfeed

A great way to start using Twitter is to replace your RSS reader or whatever way you currently digest news. Your local news channels and newspapers will have a twitter account to keep you in the know, as well as national and international news sources. There are also people who tweet only articles and news from specific niches like web design. You can take it one step forward and use Lists to organize your sources, offering you personalized niche-specific newsfeeds.

2. Find a Job

Twitterers like to help others. That’s why if I was looking for a job here in Ottawa I’d follow @ottawatweetjobs, and if I wanted to land a freelance gig working with Wordpress I’d follow @wordpressjobs. Your area and niche will have people tweeting opportunities as well, and there’s always @monsterkaw, @simplyhired, and @microjobs as well. (For more specific accounts to follow, check out Find a Job on Twitter by Mashable.)

3. Bookmarking

After you start getting all these resources in your Twitter stream you’re going to realize you don’t have time to read it all! That’s ok, just mark it as a “favourite” and read it later. You can also favourite your own tweets, so if you see something elsewhere you’d like to find later just tweet about it and favourite it.

4. Find Deals and Coupons

Everybody likes saving money (I’d hope), and Twitter can help you do that. There are lots of accounts that only tweet sales and coupons, such as @fatwalletdeals, @slickdeals, and @coupontweet.

5. Stalk Celebrities

I don’t know what people’s obsession with celebrities is, but Twitter marks the first service where celebrities and us “common falk” mingle and converse together. Try a search for your favourite celebrity, comic, artist, musician, etc. and I’ll bet you’ll find them tweeting away. P.S: This one you might end up hearing what somebody ate for breakfast.

Now everybody might not think Twitter is for them, but I can guarantee anyone could find usefulness in using at least one of these methods. So next time somebody says Twitter’s not for them, or they’re bored of Twitter and thinking of leaving, offer up one of these solutions.

What neat ways have you been using Twitter?

© 2008 TwiTip Twitter Tips.

5 Alternate Ways to Use Twitter

What good does THIS contact do for me?

“I’m an Electrical Engineer, I go to a job networking meeting and ask for contacts at one of my target companies, and someone gives me the name and contact information for an Accountant! What good is that???”

Or…

“I already know someone at ‘XYZ Company’, I don’t need anymore contacts there.”

Leading job networking groups and teaching job search classes, I get the same kinds of questions or comments all the time.

What good does a company contact do you if it’s not the hiring manager for the kind of job you want? And, why should you pursue multiple contacts at a company you are targeting? Because the more information you gain, and the more allies you develop, the better your chances of gaining an interview and a job!

When networking for contacts in your job search, any contact can be a great asset to you. Also, pursuing multiple contacts in the organization can boost your exposure when you need it. There is a great deal of value to those introductions and names. They can each be sources of company information, help in navigating the organization, guides to help you get to the best person, and resources in helping you assess the company’s fit for you.

If you are an “Electrical Engineer”, and connect with an “Accountant” at the company you are pursuing, you can ask any of those kinds of questions. Be concise, be professional, be upbeat, and be humble. Ask them things like:

“I realize you’re not involved with the type of role I’m pursuing at ‘XYZ Company’, however, I’m hoping you might be able to point me to the best person to talk to about the ‘Electrical Engineer’ position.”

“Knowing the company as you do, however, pursuing an opportunity like I am and hoping not to get lost in the sea of other applicants going through the normal HR process, how would you recommend I get noticed or find the right person to talk to for that position?”

“As I pursue opportunities in the organization, I’m hoping you can help me get a better understanding of the corporate culture and what priorities are for the company.”

“I have an interview scheduled in the next few days, and I’m hoping you may be able to help me be better prepared. I hope to go beyond what most others would do. Is there any general advice could you provide that would help me excel?”

”Could I ask for your consideration in sharing my resume with someone in the functional area I’m pursuing?”

“Even though I have connected with the ‘Engineering Manager’, I’m hoping to gain more knowledge and understanding of the organization from others as well. Could I ask you a few questions?”

Those questions and others can provide you a great deal of insight and help from any contact within the organization… and sometimes your best information comes from the least likely sources.

In today’s job market, you generally find that most people are willing to help in some way. If you ask in a professional and unassuming way, you will often get the guidance you seek.

Don’t regard any contact as not ‘valuable’ to you, and don’t get discouraged with some ‘dry wells’. Follow up with every contact you receive and your progress will accelerate.

What good does THIS contact do for me?

By Harry Urschel

Resume Objective Statements: Tell the Hiring Manager Why He Should Read the Rest of Your Resume

image by CharlotWest


Don’t be fooled by people who tell you that resume objective statements are optional, or that you shouldn’t have one at all. Their reasoning is usually that objective statements fence you in and limit your job-seeking focus.

I’m here to tell you that you need an objective statement on your resume. Why?

• An objective statement tells me why I should keep reading the rest of your resume.

It’s advertising, basically. It’s the teaser that will draw me in to reading the rest of your resume. (The cover letter won’t do it. Recruiters don’t generally have the time to read a cover letter–we go straight to the resume. So, make sure the first few lines of your resume make me want to read more.) Read about how to craft a compelling objective statement. At it’s core, it’s about creating a statement that fits your capabilities to fulfilling the needs of the organization. What are a few of your key qualities that will make you a good fit for this job? Be careful that you don’t make this too generic (boring).

• An objective statement makes it easier for me to figure out who you are and what you want.

Don’t be vague: Think of your resume objective as a Personal Branding Statement (thanks, Phil Rosenburg of reCareered). It’s not only saying what you want, but it’s also indicating what problems you can solve and how you can bring value to the organization. In that way, it’s tailored to the job you’re applying for. Jessica Holbrook’s article on Career Rocketeer agrees: Don’t start off by telling the hiring manager what you want, tell the hiring manager what you can do for the company.

Don’t worry: a well-crafted, tailored objective statement won’t stop you from being considered for other jobs. For instance, as a medical sales recruiter, I’m always looking for the best candidate to submit to my clients for consideration for jobs in medical sales, laboratory sales, medical device sales, health care IT, and more. If your objective statement has led me to read the rest of your resume to see what you can do (and what you have done), I’m going to think about you for any job you might be a good fit for because that’s what’s in the best interests of me and my client companies.

Original Post Resume Objective Statements: Tell the Hiring Manager Why He Should Read the Rest of Your Resume