You're working at your family's welding business during the day, and then go to your second job at night. You're 50-some years old, working as a cashier at Target. You always said that if you're 40 years old and have a career that requires you to wear a name tag, then to just shoot you!

Not that there's anything wrong with working at Target or wearing a name tag or working the family business. Those are all honest jobs. It's just that after 20 years with your previous company, and with your education and expertise, you hadn't exactly planned on ramping up to your golden years asking customers if they'd like to save ten percent on their purchase by opening a store credit card.

You heard rumblings about the company folding. But as far as you knew, the numbers were good. At least they were good. Then competition took over and the owners decided it was a good time to bow out gracefully. You were hoping you weren't going to be one of the countless main wage earners to get let go. But sadly, you were. Unemployment ran out. You sent out literally hundreds of resumes and still nothing. Your spirits are down, you're frustrated (that's an understatement) and you even had to humble yourself to get some help from a local food pantry.

You've done all the online courses; you have tirelessly pounded the pavement and scoured the classified ads. You've even hit up all the online sources to jobs such as www.monster.com www.usajobs.com hotjobs.yahoo.com and about 800 other job boards that you regularly surf. If one more person tells you that a door closes and a window opens or that good things come to those who wait, you think you're going to puke.

You have a family counting on you; so now what? For starters, keep plugging along. Keep on keeping on. You know a job isn't going to fall from the sky, so you need to just accept that your job right now is finding a job. You are working and you're working harder than most at this task.

More importantly you need to keep a positive outlook. Yes that's easier said than done. But if you can't control the circumstances you can control your attitude toward it. You can either look at downsizing as an opportunity to do something different or to learn something new; or you can view it by accepting that you've been dealt a bad hand of cards and now all you can do is play it out. Do not view yourself as a victim. No good will come from that attitude.

You wouldn't have advanced nor had the longevity that you did in your former career had it not been for your wherewithal and internal drive. You need to find that strength again. If you're still having a pity party, it's time to get over it. If you've sent out that many resumes and exhausted what you believe to be all your leads and you're still bitter and feeling sorry for yourself, it's time to reevaluate. If you haven't already accepted a job that you're overqualified for and underpaid, then it's time you did.

Pride can be our biggest downfall. Working a family business that you never wanted to, or working nights at the concession stand may not be what you envisioned for yourself. View it as temporary. View it as a paycheck. View it as an opportunity to network with people you would have never had the opportunity to cross paths. Maybe your next customer could be a business owner that you've been attempting to get an interview with.

As for the people who give you clichés - know that they mean well. People who have not been a mile in your shoes don't understand it. They don't know what to say. Remember downsizing sometimes sucks, but it may be forcing you into a new opportunity that you really love. Make the best of it.

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"Everybody does it" as they say. Face it, the job market can be a very tough place to compete. If everyone inflates their experience then how can an honest person get a job?

Well, as tempting as it may be, you do NOT want to risk lying on your resume.

Whether it's personal information, job experience, or schooling - employers are finding new ways to sniff out liars and you don't want to be one of them.

PERSONAL INFORMATION

While some information may not be easily verified, information such as a criminal record, can be very costly to you in the event it is checked out. With sites like rapsheets.com you can never guarantee that an employer won't be able to find the information, even if your employer is hiring you for domestic work and is not a business.

JOB EXPERIENCE

Clearly this is not the place to boast about fake employment as you are going to list the businesses you worked for which may be contacted for verification. As this is the most likely area your interviewer will do a check on, avoid misrepresenting yourself at all costs.

EDUCATION

Think that nobody will notice if you slip in an education you don't really have? Perhaps you do have the skills, but you can't afford to claim education you can't provide proof of. EmployAct.com is a new service that will allow employers to have background checks - similar to criminal or credit checks - to verify your claim.

WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE

With all that said and done, how can you create a resume that will highlight your skills and abilities without needing to lie?

Give yourself credit. Your skills in the workforce can be weighty indicators of your ability to work in a given job. You may not know what an employer is looking for. With many jobs that don't require a particular expertise, you many find that they are looking for people who are able to learn on the job. Proof that you have gained skills as a worker (or even a volunteer if you're just starting out) can be very valuable.

Be certain that you focus on skills. Expand your descriptions. Do not say 'I worked in an office', rather say 'I was responsible for answering the phones in a professional manner and directing calls to the proper departments. In a busy work environment I was able to multi-task by providing supportive administrative assistance to the head receptionist including maintaining a filing system, processing inter office memos, delivering documents in a timely manner, directing clients to their meeting appointments and providing relief reception. I was quickly able to learn the filing and switchboard systems as well as create good working relationships with fellow staff.'

As you can see from the above example, it is perfectly acceptable to elaborate on your skills, but do so in an honest and ethical manner. If you need help you can find software programs which will give you suggestions on wording depending on the position you are describing or you can hire someone who writes resumes to help you. Have confidence in keeping the job you are sure to get by doing it right the first time.

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Some Tips on How Not To Lose a Job

Nowadays, finding a job can be very tedious. However, some people contend that trying to keep a job to avoid the risk of losing it is in even harder. This is because they are trying whatever viable means there is, in order not to lose their jobs.

Unemployment is a devastating condition in the society. It wrecks dreams and ambitions, and the goal to have a happy and decent life. In fact, unemployment had such an effect in the United States in 1990, where it only recorded 45% of its population working and from here; only 24% are working full time. That is why it is extremely important for a person to find a job and try harder not to lose it.

Today, the percentage of people who are employed gradually increases and the wage that they earn escalates as well, according to the Bureau of Labor and Statistics. The families that only earn from $10,000 to $50,000 in a year are already less common because the others are earning a lot more.

For people who already have a job and desire not to be jobless again, here are some tips that they must follow in order to stay on track:

1. Employees should always try their best to improve their performance

This entails a chain reaction within the work force in the company. The employee should, by all means try harder to do their job well as well as improve their performance in order to increase productivity.

Once productivity has been improved, the income of the company will grow, meaning there will be more funds for remuneration and more probabilities that the company will adhere to its employees' cultivation and motivation.

2. Avoid procrastination

If a person does not want to lose his or her job, procrastination should be avoided. Making up lame excuses, even if there is the slightest truth in it, will never justify the work undone.

3. It is better for a person to find a job that he or she truly likes.

It would be harder to keep a job that a person does not like. This will only result to poor performance and everything. It is better for a person to find a job that would bring meaning to his or her life.

The main point here is that people should know how to turn failures into success in order to focus on one common goal: never to lose a job again.

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Another morning of job hunting lies ahead of you. You pour a cup of coffee and open the paper to the employment section. With a mixture of anticipation and desperation you pick up a stub of pencil and prepare to target and identify some possible job opportunities.

There are less ads to circle this morning and despite the promising words and vague descriptions you have begun to believe that none of these potential employers will seriously consider you. Perhaps they have family or friends or maybe you'll hear once again "I'm afraid you're overqualified for this position".

After making a few phone calls you try to get into a positive frame of mind. You head out the door, a folder of resumes in one hand and a list of addresses at the next. You will drop off a few resumes and have plans for an interview this afternoon.

Maybe today will be different...

Are you or a friend looking for work? Have you heard of acquaintances laid off from long-term employment only to find four or five months later that they are still unable to find a job?

If you think the only way to find a job is to have connections, you may be partly right. With such a demand for employment many jobs never make it to the paper. How can you compete?

NETWORKING

"Leave no stone unturned". Tell friends, family and acquaintances of your job search. These people can give you an 'IN' to their businesses when positions come available.

They may also hear of someone who is hiring and keep you updated on opportunities you may not otherwise have heard about. Their personal referral can also make an impression on the employer in your behalf.

NON-POSTED JOBS

You don't have to wait for a job to be listed in the paper, or even posted on the company board, to apply for work at a company.

Go through the phone book and make a list of companies you'd like to work for. Call and ask if there are any positions available. Ask for the name of the human resources manager or the individual in charge of hiring for the area you are applying to.

Send a resume and direct it to the person in charge of hiring. Write a cover letter that expresses your interest in the company and why you'd like to work for them. Follow up several days later and ask for the individual. Tell them you're checking to see that they received your resume and ask if there are any positions that may become available.

If they are not hiring suggest you'll check back at another time. Often positions are made available unexpectedly and by keeping in contact (without pestering) you may be the first person that comes to mind.

This is not a secret. If you're not taking advantage, someone else will. You can't afford to miss out on making yourself known to employers BEFORE the job posting is made public.

Accessing this hidden job market may open up opportunities you never thought possible. By staying one step ahead of other job searchers you can be sure that your new job is just around the corner!

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Whether you've been downsized, are looking for a career change or are just starting out, your resume speaks volumes about you. If your resume doesn't make it past the first cut, you're doomed; no matter how qualified you are. Below are ten common mistakes to avoid when putting your resume together. Remember, you only get one chance to make a good first impression.

1. Multiple pages - You need to be concise. Keep it to one page and one page only. If you can't highlight your talents on one page, you're giving the message that you are unorganized and tend to go on and on.

2. Fancy paper - If your skills don't speak for themselves, then your fancy paper isn't going to make a bit of difference.

3. Fancy font - Same as above. Don't try to set yourself apart with a different font on your resume. Set yourself apart by being uniquely qualified.

4. Irrelevant info - No one really cares that you were a singing waiter if you're applying for an accountant job.

5. Outdated information - Does it matter than you had a newspaper route and were on the high school cheerleading squad 24 years ago? No, not in the least. Leave it off.

6. Typos and misspellings - You would think this is an obvious one, but you'd be amazed at the number of resumes received with big blaring mistakes.

7. Falsified information -Greatly elaborated credentials are the same as lies. Do not list diplomas, certifications, affiliations or awards that you did not earn. Just don't do it. It'll come back to bite you in the butt.

8. Attachments - At the resume stage do not send any attachments, whatsoever. If you are granted an interview, at that time you could bring in whatever it is you're so hot to get into the selecting official's hands. The person accepting the resumes will likely just throw it in the round file.

9. Elaborating too much - Place of employment, job title and brief, very brief description of job responsibilities are all you need. Don't complete a whole paragraph for each job you've held.

10. No cover letter - Writing a good cover letter is a bit of an art. However, any cover letter is better than none. Just keep the same principles in mind with your letter: Brevity, relevant and free from typos.

If you can avoid these simple ten resume mistakes, you're more than half way there to getting an interview. Once you have your foot in the door you can really shine for the boss. If you don't make it past the first cut, due to any of the above fatal mistakes, your beautiful resume will be used to wipe up coffee spills or will be added to the recycle pile! Don't let that happen to you.

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