A proper resume and effective job hunting skills can go a long way in getting a foot in the door. An invaluable handbook for those looking to improve their ability to find a job. “The Ferguson Guide to Resumes and Job-Hunting Skills” covers all the essential elements of the job-hunting process – from finding a career track that matches one’s needs and interests to organizing and writing a resume and cover letter to getting and conducting successful job interviews. More than 100 samples illustrate many different types of resumes and cover letters. Additional information explores the benefits of preparing a resume early, both as a tool for career exploration and as a way to help readers prepare for the professional world. Sections include looking for a job and career, writing a resume, writing a cover letter, and interviewing. The perfect guide for those looking to improve their resume or find the right job, “The Ferguson Guide to Resumes and Job-Hunting Skills” is packed with authoritative, up-to-date information. Read the rest of this entry »

Job Placement Strategies for Paralegals is a job search guidebook for paralegal students and professionals. This practical workbook outlines placement skills and strategies for helping job seekers find a position in the fast growing paralegal profession. The book offers effective tools and strategies to help paralegals prepare a professional resume and cover letter, find job opportunities in the private and public sector, win over prospective employers in the job interview, and evaluate job offers, including salary, bonus structure, and benefits packages. The guide includes a detailed resume worksheet that will direct job seekers in preparing and customizing a resume for a successful job search. Sample paralegal resumes and cover letters contain critical commentary to help applicants prepare outstanding materials. Read the rest of this entry »

Writing That Works is unique among business and professional writing textbooks. The book’s advice on the writing process, abundant workplace samples, guidance on working to deadline, and practical assignments all draw on the author team’s real-world and academic experiences. Honed by the suggestions and contributions of more than a hundred teachers and writers over nine editions, Writing That Works is an invaluable resource for both students and practitioners of business and professional communication. Streamlined for ease of use, packed with fresh examples and assignments, and now available for course management systems, Writing That Works works better than ever before. Read the rest of this entry »

This book offers a distinct advantage over other books of this type. It is two books in one – a comprehensive Career Guide plus a dynamic Job Finder. First, it presents comprehensive health care occupational descriptions and then provides resources to locate job announcements, job hotlines, job fairs, placement services, directories, associations, and job related books. This dual format permits comparisons between specialities and offers insight into qualifications, cross training potential, and pay. You can easily locate occupations with similar skills and required training. Opportunities abound for all levels of education from a high school diploma to Doctorate Degrees. Each occupational description lists required education and/or on-the-job training.

Review : By Midwest Book Review (Oregon, WI USA)
The new fourth edition of “Health Care Job Explosion!: High Growth Health Care Careers and Job Locator” is a brand new comprehensive career guide and a job locator for health care jobs. Health career data can be accessed at multiple internet sites, with one created especially for this book (http://healthcarejobs.org). The book is very user-friendly and is conveniently organized into 10 chapters. The first, “the Health Care Explosion,” is an overview, while the second, “the Nexus – Making a Connection,” is helpful to increase chances of obtaining the desired job. Chapter three, “Job Sources for Everyone,” is an invaluable key to many resources, including job advertising services, job fairs, job hotlines, internet sites, associations and directories. It even includes pages on the Internet, Surfing lessons, LIST SERVERS, search engines, and education and career resources. A handy system of symbols connects the reader to the desired resource. Chapters four through ten cover general health care job areas, from health technologists and technicians to dietetics, pharmacy, therapy, nursing, health and social services, health diagnosing occupations and assistants, and home health care jobs. Each of these chapters begins with an interview with a practicing health care worker in the listed field. Job descriptions include significant points, a description of the nature of the work, working conditions, training, qualifications and advancement, job outlook, earnings, and related occupations. This is followed by an exhaustive listing of additional special resources pertaining to that occupation/area, again using the helpful icons established in chapter 3. Finally, Appendices A and B present information about health care corporations and sources for tuition and scholarships for specialized health care job training. “Health Care Job Explosion!” is an updated resource that will serve all who seek to build a career in one of the many areas related to health care in the United States. It would be a valued addition to the shelves of libraries and education institutions.

This completely updated edition features the latest information available for finding and applying for federal government jobs. The author and editors have over 110 years of combined federal government service. Considering that federal employees earn an average annual compensation of $106,871, including pay and benefits, compared to $53,288 in the private sector, according to the United States Bureau of Economic Analysis, the federal sector is an attractive option for job seekers.

The federal government s new recruiting, outreach, and retention programs are attracting new applicants with lucrative incentives. Today federal agencies can pay off new hires student loans, negotiate starting salaries, and offer relocation allowances for critical vacancies.

Readers will find an expanded application and résumé chapter that takes readers step-by-step through a typical job announcement and instructs readers on how to write effective federal style résumés and Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) statements. Résumé samples, compiled by the author and Kathryn Kraemer Troutman, the author of Federal Résumé Guidebook, are included to guide job seekers through the sometimes confusing application process.

Considerable improvements were implemented over the past few years to the archaic Civil Service examination process. Uncle Sam has finally dropped most general and administrative written entrance examinations and substituted an Occupational Questionnaire and/or Self Certification in most cases. New applicants for certain occupations may still be required to take written tests, but most agencies, other than the U.S. Postal Service, forgo testing and opt to use Occupational Questionnaires.

Agencies are still evolving since the September 11 attacks and the massive reorganization that established the Department of Homeland Security (DHS). DHS was established to consolidate law enforcement and security functions, and 22 agencies transferred significant operational functions and personnel to Homeland Security since its inception.

The impact of this reorganization and the increased security requirements in all agencies have changed government demographics. An entire chapter is devoted to law enforcement and DHS careers and the many job opportunities that are now available in the government s third largest agency. DHS employs more than 154,000 workers in hundreds of occupations.

Many changes were initiated since the previous edition was published. Lucrative recruitment incentives were authorized by Congress, programs such as the Veterans Recruitment Appointment (VRA) were revised, and the student hiring program was reorganized under the eScholar program. This edition also added information on the Senior Executive Service (SES), and all these changes expanded the new 10th edition to 352 pages.

The federal government s total civilian workforce as of September 2006 was 2,700,392 and approximately 50 percent of the federal workforce is currently eligible for either early or regular retirement. This is creating significant employment opportunities for anyone interested in working for Uncle Sam. Over 1.3 million jobs will need to be filled as the baby boomers opt to leave government service.

This Tenth Edition of The Book of U.S. Government Jobs will help job seekers land high-paying, benefit-loaded, and secure government jobs. If you re looking for a position with good pay with excellent benefits, explore the high-paying and secure federal job market. The average annual salary for all full-time employees was $67,186 in December 2005, and you can work at thousands of stateside and overseas locations. Use this book s resources, including the Job Hunter s Checklist in Appendix A, to begin your personal job search.
Review
Dennis Damp s book is simply the best. He covers all aspects of applying, interviewing and then getting a job with the federal government and provides many useful tips and references… Damp s book is by far the top of the class. I highly recommend this book for anyone interested in getting a job with the federal government and jobs counselors as a useful resource in your reference library. This book is the A to Z on the federal job search process and a must read for federal job seekers. –Mark S., OH, Ebook Reviews
If ever a book s tittle described its content, this one does…this valuable reference tool continues to provide essential information and advice for those seeking to obtain secure, high-paying federal government jobs. A useful and popular source on the process of finding government employment, this is recommended. –Library Journal

The Book of U.S. Government Jobs is a no-nonsense career resource that explains in plain terms where available American government jobs are and how to get one… Point-by-point requirements, recommendations, and contact information for each institution from which one can seek employment form the heart of this handy and easy-to-use resource. –Bookwatch

Engineering Your Writing Success: How Engineers Can Master Effective On-The-Job Communications Skills is a “how-to” writing book ideal for engineers and technicians of all categories who dread writing reports, memorandum, and other communiques. Engineering Your Writing Success shows how to prepare reports, proposals, memos, procedures, data sheets, letters, and other written material faster, more easily, and with better results. It uses a practical structured approach that builds on the sense of logic. Engineering Your Writing Success includes tips on using e-mail and making effective presentations.

Review:
I’m a processes enginner at a power plant. I didn’t know how can I improve my writing skill on the job such as writings of report, proposal, procedures, letters, memos and e-mail, which were daily assaignments. Once, I attended a business writing course, and the instructor advised me to buy this book, and I did. It’s a great book not only for the professional engineers but also for the technicians, and the students of engineering colleges. I highly recommend this book and I say for all engineers go for it.