Jump Start Your Job Search on Monday

Mondays are the worst days for many people who have jobs. They insist the weekend wasn't long enough or they wake up with the Monday morning "blahs" and then they muddle through the week waiting for Friday to return.

But did you know Monday is actually a great day for people who are unemployed? According to a survey by Bright.com, 30 percent of job applicants who apply on a Monday have a good chance of making it to the next stage in the hiring process. Getting your application in at the beginning of the week gives it the best opportunity to be seen by a fresh pair of eyes and ahead of all of those other applicants who wait until the latter part of the week to submit theirs. Applications that come in later may have a higher chance of falling between the cracks or getting pushed aside.

Anyone who hopes to get a job today must have access to the Internet. Many employers only post their jobs online, and a large percentage only allow people to apply through their web-based application. The good thing about getting your application in on Monday is you can do it right from home--provided you have a computer. Job sites like Indeed.com and SimplyHired.com make it easy for us to job search and apply wearing our pajamas if we want to.

One final point: Make sure you tailor your resume to fit the specific job you're applying for. There is no such thing as a one-size-fits-all anymore. Your resume is marketing document and you want to make sure it's marketing you properly to each job. Don't make it too long, focus on achievements, and leave off the objective. Remember the average person looks at a resume for less than a minute, so bullet points are better than paragraphs. Remember to check your spelling and grammar.

Happy job hunting and good luck!

Your Address on Your Resume Can Lead to Discrimination

As a Job Counselor working with adults 55-years-old and above, one of the first things I tell them after reviewing their resume is to REMOVE THEIR ADDRESS.

Putting your address on your resume is a good way to be discriminated against when it comes to being considered for a job you've applied for. Why? Because an employer may have a preconceived notion about where you live and how that might impact their Company.

Say it ain't so Joe!

Oh, but it is. They call it Economic Profiling: Let's say you live in or very close to an area that is known for having a high crime rate and you're applying for a bank job. That potential employer may fear that you will bring a certain "element" to their business because of that street address. You could be applying for ANY job for that matter and an employer may exclude simply because of your geography.

When you include your street address on your resume, employers can use online search engines (like zillow.com) to determine the value of your property, the median income in your neighborhood or how much you paid for your home. If you live in a lower income area, companies can assume that you will accept a lower salary offer. The same holds true if you live in an a very upscale community. They might overlook you thinking they can’t afford your salary requirements.

Another reason you shouldn't put your address on your resume: The employer may think it's too far for you to commute, especially if you have to rely on others to get you to and from work.


The bottom line is that you control your contact information. All an potential employer needs is your phone number, city, and state, and email address.

Good luck and happy job hunting!