The current minimum wage in the United States of America is $5.15 per hour and some believe it should be much higher. In fact the city of Chicago wanted to mandate that the employment wages could not go less than $10 per hour and some agreed. Recently the United States Congress and the United States Senate voted on a minimum-wage bill, which they did not pass.

Now each side of the aisle is blaming the other side for not allowing the minimum-wage law to pass. However from a free market standpoint the minimum wage should be zero dollars per hour. Yes, you heard me right the minimum wage should be zero. In other words there should be no minimum-wage law and that is the truth about minimum wage. With unemployment rates hovering between 4.6% and 5% we simply do not need a minimum-wage law.

If an employer does not pay the minimum wage in those employees will find work elsewhere and therefore competition will dictate price. Those employers who pay more dollars per hour will end up with the best workers and those that don’t will get the worst workers. Smart companies will want the best workers and therefore pay the most money and that solves that problem we do not need any more laws. Makes sense right? Now then consider all this in 2006 when discussing minimum wage theory.

Author: Lance Winslow
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

Here are some tips and considerations to avoid making resume mistakes that can cost you.

1. Dont obsess about the length of your resume, focus on the content but do keep in mind that most people will get by with a 2 page resume. A third page should really only be used when absolutely necessary.

2. Dont include personal information in your resume such as age, hobbies or things of that nature. The goal of your resume is to get an interview not a date. Keep it professional.

3. Dont include any references to salary your current salary or desired salary in your resume.

4. Dont use personal pronouns such as I or Me or My in your resume.

5. Dont simultaneously email your resume to multiple recruiters or hiring managers in the same email. Send emails to individual contacts, one at a time, addressed to the specific person you are sending it to.

6. Dont forget that you no longer work for a company. If you have left the company, dont make it look on your resume like you are still working for the company. Include accurate start and end dates for each job you have held.

7. Dont embellish (ie. lie) on your resume if youre not prepared to have to explain yourself when youre caught.

8. Dont ask a recruiter to submit your resume for a job that youve already applied to yourself or through another recruiter.

9. Similarly, dont keep sending your resume to the same company over and over again. Observe their rules: if they say that they keep resumes on file for 6 months, then believe them. You dont need to send your resume every 2 weeks.

10. Dont apply for jobs you have no chance getting. There is a difference between submitting your resume to a company for consideration should a relevant job arise, and submitting your resume for a specific advertised job that you are not suited for. Learn to tell the difference otherwise hiring managers will be hitting delete the moment your emails arrive.

11. Dont list your references on your resume. They can be provided to the employer when the time comes. Plus, if you are using recruiters, they will most likely make a note of your references and contact them if they have a job that might suit them.

12. Dont send additional materials when submitting your resume for a job. If you need to supply educational transcripts or other materials, you can supply them when asked.

Author: Carl Mueller
Article Source: EzineArticles.com

In the limited time an interviewer has with you, their mission is to know you and assess your worth, especially in relationship to the other candidates interviewed. Asking you questions is the way they accomplish that mission.

Youll be asked to tell the interviewer about yourself, your qualifications (especially as they pertain to the specific opening), your professional background, your likes and dislikes, your strengths and weaknesses, and your goals. So the first step is to know yourself. Be prepared to talk about your skills, competencies, qualifications and accomplishments. Understand your strengths and weaknesses. Explore the goals you have for yourself both current and future.

Especially know how to convey the value you bring to the table the strengths, unique gifts and marketable assets that are distinctly yours. Know your value proposition; it describes your worth. It is what uniquely defines you, and differentiates you from the crowd. If you want to stand out in the huge ocean of candidates that represents your competition, you need to become fluent in this arena.

You may also be asked why you left your previous position. This is where the interview can get a bit tricky. How you answer this question can make or break your chances. No matter how challenging your supervisor was or how grueling the workload or the sixty-hour weeks were, you must frame your response in a positive light. If you left your previous employment because you were downsized, that’s ok. That’s happened quite a bit in the past few years. If you resigned, be very careful how you state this. Your attitude can enhance or end your chances. Be honest, and be sure to indicate your desire for stability as an overriding factor.

Keep in mind that while your answers will help the interviewer assess your skills for the position at hand, its how you respond that more importantly determines your overall fit with the company. Personality is ninety percent of the battle. You may answer a question factually, but your attitude might tell them no. On the other hand, its far better to establish a rapport with your interviewer than to answer every question correctly. A skill can always be taught, but when was the last time you successfully altered someones personality?

Find out everything you can about the interviewers quirks and traits. Is the interviewer confrontational or laid back, serious or informal, friendly or stern? What is their position within the company, and how long have they been employed there? Are they the decision-maker and therefore in a position to make you an offer? They may simply be a screen, filtering out all the non-viable candidates from further review by higher-ups. If they are a screen, try and discover upon whose shoulders the hiring responsibility falls.

You need to learn as much as you can about the position for which you are interviewing. Why does the position exist are you replacing someone or is this a new position created because of company growth? If you are replacing someone, is it because they retired, resigned or were terminated? Understand the fundamental responsibilities of the position, especially in relationship to similar positions you have held in the past. Know what possibilities exist for your growth within the position and the company.

Research the company, using Google, Dunn & Bradstreet, Hoover’s, Standard and Poors, or any of the other sources of corporate information. Who are the companys competitors in the marketplace and what percentage of the market do they own? Are their processes state of the art and at the cutting edge of technology? Are they a public company or privately held? If public, how are they perceived by investment advisors, what is their earnings track and how has their stock performed? If a privately held company, is it a family-run business with non-family members being in the minority? That would be ok; however, it could affect your chances for future promotions and growth.

Know the industry. The company might be at the forefront in terms of their processes, sales and marketing efforts, and growth, but its industry may be on its way out. If you see a delicious-looking apple growing on a dying tree, you might hesitate before pulling it off and taking a bite.

Do your research in all these areas so you can be well-prepared. Get on the Internet and find out everything you can. Make phone calls. Make sure you know all there is to know, so that you will go to your interview with great confidence and self-assurance.

Come to the interview dressed appropriately. Establish a comfort level early in the interview and maintain that rapport throughout. The initial handshake must be firm but not gripping. Eye contact is critical throughout the interview. How you sit in your chair and shift your posture can make or break your effectiveness. Remember, youre there to sell yourself, so be sure to ask for the offer before the interview is over. Fully armed, you can ask all the right questions and come away a success.

Copyright 2005 TopDog Group All rights reserved.

Author: David Richter
Article Source: EzineArticles.com