New Stuff in JibberJobber

New Stuff in JibberJobber Ya, this is the third post for today, sorry about that! You now I usually only post once a day. I just needed to mention a few updates next week Ill have more cool stuff to announce as we are finishing up some way cool development to further polish JibberJobber. And, I got a lengthy detailed e-mail yesterday by someone that is very analytical with some great points (well, weaknesses) that can be addressed. So heres whats new (at least, the stuff I can announce now): First, John from Utah requested a change on how to add contacts if you want to use the referred by part then you have to know where you put the referrer (so, if Joe referred you to Sally, you have to know where you had Joe (in My Network, Friends, etc.). That was getting kind of confusing, and some people like to have tons of categories, John suggested to just have a drop down of all the people in his network, and not have to hunt people down by the categories. This is the new default, but if you like the old way then you can go into My Account - Preferences and go back to the old way. Second, Im pleased to announce a relationship with Salary.com where they actually co-branded their stuff with my site. We have been talking about this for a while but it was my bad because we were in the middle of changing our layout (which, btw, I was recently told feels old You just cant win them all!) Anyway, under Tools AND on the right-bottom panel on the front page while logged in are the links to Salary.com go ahead and go there to see what you are worth, and all that juicy stuff. Third, another great relationship with Chimby.com. Ive blogged on them before and they have done a co-branding also. You will find links to them (1) under Tools, (2) in the bottom right panel on the main logged in page, and (3) in the Library (at the bottom). Chimby is the google of all things job search. I know the owner (he wrote the book Ultimate Job Hunting Secrets) and he has a great search system that is limited to searching on only job related stuff. He pulls from about 200 websites that have blog posts, articles, etc. I go there frequently when Im looking for good information Google just doesnt filter it down like Chimby does. Thats all I have to say for now. Heres a sneak peek at what were working on for Wednesday(ish): Addition of a birthday field for contacts (duh.. how can you keep relationships if you dont know this. Go put your wife or husbands b-day in!) New phone field so you can have work and home once again, DUH. Not sure how we overlooked that. But polishing is a good thing, right? Adding a picture on a contact this is cool because Im *really* bad with names+faces. This way Ill be able to put peoples pics up and when I meet with them, go check out their picture so I can recognize them when I see them. Importing enhancements. This will be phase II on this feature it works fine (no bugs) now but there are some useability changes that were implementing that will make it way easier and more effective. Im out there networking and meeting with users, collecting business cards and having lunches. Im putting JibberJobber to the test personally and have a list of things to make it better all the input from you guys is great and is on the list!! New Stuff in JibberJobber Ya, this is the third post for today, sorry about that! You now I usually only post once a day. I just needed to mention a few updates next week Ill have more cool stuff to announce as we are finishing up some way cool development to further polish JibberJobber. And, I got a lengthy detailed e-mail yesterday by someone that is very analytical with some great points (well, weaknesses) that can be addressed. So heres whats new (at least, the stuff I can announce now): First, John from Utah requested a change on how to add contacts if you want to use the referred by part then you have to know where you put the referrer (so, if Joe referred you to Sally, you have to know where you had Joe (in My Network, Friends, etc.). That was getting kind of confusing, and some people like to have tons of categories, John suggested to just have a drop down of all the people in his network, and not have to hunt people down by the categories. This is the new default, but if you like the old way then you can go into My Account - Preferences and go back to the old way. Second, Im pleased to announce a relationship with Salary.com where they actually co-branded their stuff with my site. We have been talking about this for a while but it was my bad because we were in the middle of changing our layout (which, btw, I was recently told feels old You just cant win them all!) Anyway, under Tools AND on the right-bottom panel on the front page while logged in are the links to Salary.com go ahead and go there to see what you are worth, and all that juicy stuff. Third, another great relationship with Chimby.com. Ive blogged on them before and they have done a co-branding also. You will find links to them (1) under Tools, (2) in the bottom right panel on the main logged in page, and (3) in the Library (at the bottom). Chimby is the google of all things job search. I know the owner (he wrote the book Ultimate Job Hunting Secrets) and he has a great search system that is limited to searching on only job related stuff. He pulls from about 200 websites that have blog posts, articles, etc. I go there frequently when Im looking for good information Google just doesnt filter it down like Chimby does. Thats all I have to say for now. Heres a sneak peek at what were working on for Wednesday(ish): Addition of a birthday field for contacts (duh.. how can you keep relationships if you dont know this. Go put your wife or husbands b-day in!) New phone field so you can have work and home once again, DUH. Not sure how we overlooked that. But polishing is a good thing, right? Adding a picture on a contact this is cool because Im *really* bad with names+faces. This way Ill be able to put peoples pics up and when I meet with them, go check out their picture so I can recognize them when I see them. Importing enhancements. This will be phase II on this feature it works fine (no bugs) now but there are some useability changes that were implementing that will make it way easier and more effective. Im out there networking and meeting with users, collecting business cards and having lunches. Im putting JibberJobber to the test personally and have a list of things to make it better all the input from you guys is great and is on the list!! New Stuff in JibberJobber Ya, this is the third post for today, sorry about that! You now I usually only post once a day. I just needed to mention a few updates next week Ill have more cool stuff to announce as we are finishing up some way cool development to further polish JibberJobber. And, I got a lengthy detailed e-mail yesterday by someone that is very analytical with some great points (well, weaknesses) that can be addressed. So heres whats new (at least, the stuff I can announce now): First, John from Utah requested a change on how to add contacts if you want to use the referred by part then you have to know where you put the referrer (so, if Joe referred you to Sally, you have to know where you had Joe (in My Network, Friends, etc.). That was getting kind of confusing, and some people like to have tons of categories, John suggested to just have a drop down of all the people in his network, and not have to hunt people down by the categories. This is the new default, but if you like the old way then you can go into My Account - Preferences and go back to the old way. Second, Im pleased to announce a relationship with Salary.com where they actually co-branded their stuff with my site. We have been talking about this for a while but it was my bad because we were in the middle of changing our layout (which, btw, I was recently told feels old You just cant win them all!) Anyway, under Tools AND on the right-bottom panel on the front page while logged in are the links to Salary.com go ahead and go there to see what you are worth, and all that juicy stuff. Third, another great relationship with Chimby.com. Ive blogged on them before and they have done a co-branding also. You will find links to them (1) under Tools, (2) in the bottom right panel on the main logged in page, and (3) in the Library (at the bottom). Chimby is the google of all things job search. I know the owner (he wrote the book Ultimate Job Hunting Secrets) and he has a great search system that is limited to searching on only job related stuff. He pulls from about 200 websites that have blog posts, articles, etc. I go there frequently when Im looking for good information Google just doesnt filter it down like Chimby does. Thats all I have to say for now. Heres a sneak peek at what were working on for Wednesday(ish): Addition of a birthday field for contacts (duh.. how can you keep relationships if you dont know this. Go put your wife or husbands b-day in!) New phone field so you can have work and home once again, DUH. Not sure how we overlooked that. But polishing is a good thing, right? Adding a picture on a contact this is cool because Im *really* bad with names+faces. This way Ill be able to put peoples pics up and when I meet with them, go check out their picture so I can recognize them when I see them. Importing enhancements. This will be phase II on this feature it works fine (no bugs) now but there are some useability changes that were implementing that will make it way easier and more effective. Im out there networking and meeting with users, collecting business cards and having lunches. Im putting JibberJobber to the test personally and have a list of things to make it better all the input from you guys is great and is on the list!!

Useful Resume Tips For Job Seekers

Useful Resume Tips For Job SeekersThe Internet is filled with numerous resume tips that are designed to help a potential employee in the search for job. These tips are created with the intention of helping students, individuals and employers alike in the search for an ideal resume. Through the right help, resumes can be developed with the necessary tools to produce the best results.First, you need to know what it takes to create a resume that will get you a job interview. It should be professional and persuasive. After all, the goal is to make your resume stand out among those of other applicants. It is a great idea to make sure that the language you use is clear and easy to understand.Next, the resume should highlight all the career path you have taken. If you are employed in the healthcare field, this is one way to find out if you can fill the position, or the employer may require more education in order to choose you. This helps get the employer excited about you because they know you have experience in a particular field. Even if you know you don't need more education to fill a position, it's still best to include this so they will have a good idea about what you can do for them.Use a professional approach to the letter to let the employer know exactly why you deserve the job. Your resume should give a detailed description of your experience, as well as the experiences that can prove you have a proven track record. If you are a sales person, mention your work history, and if you have the needed training, that is also appropriate.Keep your information concise and focus on your specific skills. This will make it easier for the employer to determine if you are the best candidate for the job. A good format for this is to write about your skills, provide three or four examples of how you have applied them and give the employer some training on how you have used these skills.Include any business or specialized knowledge you may have, as well as any awards and com mendations you may have received. These types of extra information will help a potential employer identify with you. Employers also like to see that you have prior experience and that you have good communication skills, both of which you can easily showcase with a good job history.If you have a mentor who can help you with your resume, mention that. If you have a blog or any online articles that you can share to show the employer that you are trustworthy, that is a great way to let them know about your goals for the future. Also, if you have any educational credits that will prove that you have completed the college course, this is something to mention here.When taking advantage of the many resume tips available on the web, remember that this is not all that is needed. Create a nice resume and put your best foot forward when applying for the next job.

Its Not Who You Are, Its What You Mean - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

It’s Not Who You Are, It’s What You Mean - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career If you’re trying to sell yourself on your stats: as a bundle of skills and experience, you’re going to lose out to competitors who know what they mean and are promoting that to employers and prospects. The goal of your personal brand effort has got to answer this one question: what do you mean to your target group (or what will you mean when you get it together? As Phyllis Korkki writes in the New York Times, communicating that you are “hard-working, flexible, cooperative and witty,” will allow recruiters and clients to see what you would mean to the organization, not just what you can do. Romancing your brand Personal brand strategists could learn a lot from the literature on romance. Men fall in love with women who make them “feel” a certain way. These women can be encouraging, admiring, demanding, angry and anywhere along the dotted line from angel to devil. The one thing that the loved have in common is not perfect hair and great bodies. These women mean something to the men they connect with. Someone to save, someone to adore, someone to fight out the demons of the past, someone to rely on when t imes are tough, someone they would take a bullet for: this is what generates commitment. I live in Los Angeles, the capital of beautiful, toned, and educated women who are alone every Saturday night. They start out like this at 22 and continue until they’re 50, when they decide that having cats means they are no longer alone. Their “best years” are dotted by “hanging out” with a man now and then. Their regular dates are other womenwho are equally lovely and absolutely hopeless about finding a long-lasting, loving connection. Last Friday night, I went out with my fiancé to meet these women and the men who would chill with them, but not settledown with them. It was 9:30 PM at an uber cool saloon, Pink Taco in Century City. We were there for a going-away party for Adam, an athletic, sweet, handsome and single physical therapist. Every other man at the party was almost a clone: hunky, nice, funny and hard-working. The women there had all chilled with these men. Yet it looked like a middle school dance, except the guys didn’t look awkward at all. They were laughing and talking, mostly making fun of each other in that guy-bonding way. The women were talking to each other about work and not dating.   I know these women because we chat each other up at the gym and at get-togethers like this one. They have really interesting jobs or are wrestling with challenges like finding a job, they have great family relationships and they all look like models. They just haven’t hunkered down on the one thing that matters in creating a relationship: what do I mean to someone else? What doe you mean to someone else? Vibrant personal brands and big brands present a promise of what consumers will enjoy and why it’s worth it to commit to owning this one thing â€" to the exclusion of owning something else. With so much competition, it’s not enough for the contents of the can or the resume to be jam packed with good things. What Harvard Professor Gerald Zaltman calls “deep metaphors,” and I call “ideal qualities of life” are what you want to communicate with your personal brand. Zaltman’s research on Coke shows that the brand has successfully embedded the promise of “connection” to the soda. Connection to others and even more importantly, connection to the self are what consumers are buying: not the syrup and bubbly water in the cool red can. What Coke means is people holding hands and singing the same song or the pause the refreshes, which a radio spot successfully broadcasts just by the sound of ice clinking and soda effervescing in a glass. Ahhh. You connect your brand Whether you’re seeking a job or going after clients (or trying to get a promotion or project approved), start off by communicating the quality you deliver that elevates an organization’s standard of living. Of course, if you have a big book of business and you’re in sales, then it’s pretty clear: revenue means power. But, if you are in another occupation consider what you could mean. Get your achievements organized so they all lead to a recruiter or prospect to say: “Wow, this individual would be a force of ______________ in my company.” Need some hints? Below are just some of personal brand values you may be. Vitality Creativity Resourcefulness Courage Humor Empowerment Security Legacy Persistence Author: Nance Rosen is the author of Speak Up! Succeed. She speaks to business audiences around the world and is a resource for press, including print, broadcast and online journalists and bloggers covering social media and careers. Read more at NanceRosenBlog. Twitter name: nancerosen.

5 Warning Signs Not to Accept a Job

5 Warning Signs Not to Accept a Job There are a lot of jobs in today’s business world that are tempting to accept. From the outside, jobs can seem perfect. The small blurb of a description can be enticing and mesmerizing and is meant to quickly pull you in. But often times, those quick summaries can leave out some very important details. To keep you from accepting a job offer that can seem like chocolate pie but is really, something else, here are five warning signs to keep an eye out for. Interview Fibs Some prospective employers will exaggerate and outright lie during a job interview to entice people, which is why it is important to keep your radar on so you can differentiate between which statements and promises are fibs or genuine truths. If at any time during an interview you hear a vague statement such as “we don’t know yet how much the job is going to pay” or “the pay isn’t great, but the benefits are amazing” head for the door. Employers always set a salary range before hiring and employers can really hurt themselves by taking away salary dollars just to pay for great benefits. Other statements you should watch out for can include things like “it may seem like a big job now, but we’re planning on hiring someone to help you next quarter;” “we should be able to let you know our decision by early next week.” Responsibilities vs Pay Remember how we talked about those quick blurbs? Often times they are a very general overview of what your responsibilities will be. When you go in for an interview, make sure you know exactly what “other duties as required” you will be performing. If the list continues to grow but compensation doesn’t, be wary. You should always know what you’re signing up for before you accept an offer. Will these other responsibilities be a chance for you to gain new skills or will your role just become a dumping ground for those “other duties”? Make sure that the role you are applying for doesn’t get lost in other responsibilities. If it does, it may be that they need to create another position just for those tasks so you can focus on your core role. High Turnover Rate A high turnover rate is a big warning sign, especially if the company isn’t all that new. High turnover can mean a number of things, such as poor management or even a toxic culture. High turnover can also go in tandem with a lack of growth opportunities within the company itself. And not all of us want to be looking yet again for another job in five years. While interviewing, test out the waters by asking questions such as “what is something employees wish they could improve about this organization?” If the employer begins to bad mouth former employees or even current personnel or makes excuse, hightail it out of there. Lack of Learning Opportunities Companies need to provide learning and growth opportunities for their employees to ensure success not only for you, but for them also. There is a wide variety of ways that employers can help in this aspect.  Some ways could include bringing in professionals to speak to team members or setting aside a budget for employees to attend conferences or take courses outside of work. For example, if you work in healthcare an employer could provide opportunities for you to get certification for medical transcription  or even pay for your ACLS recertification online.  If you find that there are few learning opportunities, you need to decide very quickly if you want to stay in that position or fight through this new role on your own. Forced Compromise Before you go in for an interview, ask yourself what are you non-negotiables, what are even just five qualities the job must have. Is it flexibility, high pay, a specific industry? From here, you can determine if the position will make you compromise on your must-haves and future career goals. If it doesn’t, this could be a large warning sign that the position is a step in the wrong directionit’s backwards, rather than forwards. If an interviewer ever says that the position might be a step down for you, then you will be compromising on those non-negotiables and driving your career down the wrong path. Don’t get stuck in that vicious cycle and stick to your guns. . Images via pexels and pixabay.

A Valentine for my husband

A Valentine for my husband In honor of Valentines Day, this is a love letter to my husband. But apparently, he is too busy to read my column, so he wont see the letter. The last time I complained about his disinterest, he said, Okay, fine, read me your columns. So I read a column out loud to him. And in the middle of it, he fall asleep. To test him, I said, So, what do you think? He jerked his head up, like a college kid in an 8 am class, and he said, Uh. It got slow after the first couple of paragraphs. Fortunately, my affection for my husband isnt based on his listening skills. I love him for other reasons, including his fearlessness when it comes to changing careers. He isnt afraid to reinvent himself professionally so that he always does something he finds interesting. His excitement about his work makes our life together more fun. My husbands first job was as a composer. When he was ten. For most kids this wouldnt be a job, but his parents couldnt afford a private school in Los Angeles, so my husband got a scholarship to a top-tier school for his musical talents. In college, he decided that to be a great composer you need to have something very new to say, and he did not have something that new to say about music. So he quit music. He went to film school and earned spending money by editing soft-core porn: The Magic Blanket Bikini. (He says it was very, very, soft because the star announced midway through filming that she wouldnt take her clothes off.) He made video art for his masters thesis, and his work became so well known that it is part of the curricula at UCLAs film school. But he grew tired of the film industry after one too many Magic Blankets. So when he graduated, he took a job designing video games. He learned to say Ka-pow! and Ouch! in four languages, and he got to wheel and deal with big budgets from major gaming companies. I married a game designer with a penchant for piano and a portfolio of films that featured ex-girlfriends being constrained. (The director, he explained, always dates the actress.) On September 11, my husband found himself looking over me, dust-covered and shaken in a hospital bed. Suddenly, he wanted to save the world. He became an unpaid volunteer for nonprofits until one hired him. Now he helps prisoners establish safe, fulfilling lives when their sentence is up. His job would stretch my patience (admittedly, thin) to its limits. My husband drives his parents nuts: We drove to all those music lessons and then you go to film school! We paid for five years of film school and you make video games! He drives my parents nuts, too: What is his job? Video is not a job! Volunteering is not a job! But my husbands approach to work makes me excited; Members of my family picked a career and stuck with it forever, even when they stopped being fun. Our careers are not who we are. But what we choose to do with our days reflects our values. I picked a partner who tolerate being bored or uninspired, and his standards for life encourage me to raise my own. His career choices also reveal a bigger heart than I saw when I married him except when it comes to reading my columns.

How to Write, Brand and Use An Executive Resume - Executive Career Brandâ„¢

How to Write, Brand and Use An Executive Resume Need help writing your c-suite or senior-level executive resume? Ive compiled some of the best posts Ive written over the past 4 years about just that topic. Although my focus is on the top-level executives I work with, the strategies and advice here also apply to most job seekers, at most any level. Starting with creating an all-inclusive kitchen sink resume, from which to draw specifics as you tweak your resume for target employers . . . through dealing with job search and resume challenges . . . I’ve covered many insider strategies you may not read about elsewhere. As youre gearing up your job search, spend some time prepping to write your resume by reading these posts: How to Write and Use Your Executive Resume The Kitchen Sink C-level Executive Resume A kitchen sink executive resume is the repository for ALL your career experience, skills, achievements, metrics, and qualifications. How to Write An Irresistible C-level Executive Resume in 10 Steps Understand first what part your resume plays in the new world of executive job search. Top 10 Executive Resume Branding Tips Executive resumes have changed with the new world of job search. Do you know how? The Biggest Executive Resume Writing Mistake It may not be what you think, but making this mistake can sabotage your executive job search. Does Your C-level Executive Resume Differentiate You? Dont make your executive resume the same as your competitors. Sameness wont sell you. Differentiation will. Executive Resume Branding: Differentiate Your ROI Value Above the Fold Capture the attention of your target audience immediately and compel them to contact you. How C-A-R Storytelling Gives Executive Resume Branding Zing Storytelling is a powerful personal branding device for job search. C-level Executive Resume Length: One, Two, or Three Pages? Each situation is different. Determine what length is right for your target audience. What NOT To Put in Your C-level Executive Resume What to avoid to help you stay on track and cut down on information overload. What a Personally Branded Executive Resume Does For You Beyond landing interviews, an executive resume becomes an integral reference point for you and those assessing you. 10 Brand-Diluting Phrases That Weaken Your Resume (and Profile) Non-specific, anemic phrases waste precious space and don’t help define the unique value you offer. Executive Resume Challenges I’m a CMO But I Need Help Writing My Executive Resume Although theyre marketing experts, Chief Marketing Officers are sometimes not good at marketing themselves in their executive resumes. 10 Reasons Your Executive Resume Needs a Major Facelift How to know if an executive resume update alone isn’t enough. Will Employment Gaps Hurt My Executive Job Search? Dealing with gaps on your resume and other career marketing communications. President-CEO-COO Manufacturing Turnarounds Executive Resume Branding The executive brand story and resume of an actual client of mine, Bruce Smythe, a pioneering leader in manufacturing revitalization and transformations. CFO Executive Resume Employment Gap: Is Volunteering Really a Job? Fill your executive resume employment gaps with volunteer work. Volunteering counts as work, whether you get paid or not. Miscellaneous Executive Resume Strategies, Tips and Musings Executive Resume Writers’ Best Kept Secret You may be surprised. The secret is not that resume writing is easy, and anyone can do it. 4 Reasons You Can’t Write Your Own Executive Resume Executive job search has changed over the past several years, and so have resumes, to keep pace with recruiters and hiring decision makers needs. Job Search Fizzling? Maybe It’s Your Executive Resume Could be time to revisit and revamp your executive resume. If it’s broke, fix it! The World’s Best Executive Resume Is Not Enough You also need to follow executive job search best practices, and back them up with social proof. Is the Executive Resume Dead or Dying? It’s not dead, and it’s not likely to disappear entirely. But it doesn’t look and read the way it did even a few years ago. What’s Wrong with Copying an Executive Resume Sample? For one thing, using published content is stealing and violates the Digital Millennium Copyright Act.   00 0

NETWORKING STRATEGICALLY How to get more job leads, referrals and recommendations

NETWORKING STRATEGICALLY How to get more job leads, referrals and recommendations NETWORKING STRATEGICALLY How to get more job leads, referrals and recommendations NETWORKING STRATEGICALLY How to get more job leads, referrals and recommendations February 18, 2011 by Career Coach Sherri Thomas 1 Comment Image via Wikipedia The goal of networking is NOT to start asking about job opportunities the instant you meet someone. The goal of networking is to create a connection or establish a relationship with someone. As a Career Coach, Ive noticed that many professionals looking to reinvent their career make the mistake of sending a message to others, I need a job. But instead, you want to be sending the message that youre a successful professional whos resourceful, well connected, and who has some similar interests as they do. You want them to realize that you are someone that THEY should get to know!   Below is my simple step-by-step process to help you build a powerful network to get more job leads, referrals and recommendations Seek out others in the industry or job role where you want to work. The next time you meet someone who works for a company where you want to work, or in a job role that youd like to have, keep the conversation focused on that person (its not about you! -at least not yet!) Talk about their latest marketing campaign or product launch, or something new or interesting thats going on inside their company.   Ask to keep in touch! Next, you dont need to have a long, in-depth conversation with each person. Instead, when you feel that the conversation has run its course, simply say, Id love to stay in touch how about if we exchange business cards? Send the message that youre knowledgable and resourceful! ?? Mention a few of your contributions and successes! Once the door is open, then talk about some projects or teams that you’ve worked on that have been successful. One thing that works really well for me, is offering to share tips, insight or lessons I learned about the project. l I find that by doing this, people who appreciate these successes will naturally gravitate towards me. And it provides the foundation for a long-term relationship. After youve established a relationship, then drop the hint! If youre looking for a new job, then go ahead and drop a hint that you’re looking for other opportunities.     Believe me, when you use this simple step-by-step formula, if your connections know of any opportunities they’re going to let you know! One final thought, I strongly believe that no matter where you are in your career, were always in a position to help out others. Is there someone else you can support by introducing her to a potential employer, or giving a recommendation, or inviting to a networking event? Sometimes we get caught up in focusing just on ourselves, but remember that when we help out others along the way the universe gives back to us more than we ever dreamed possible.   ??    Bottom line: you need a powerful network if you want to have a powerful career.   So start making connections and nurturing your professional relationships. Youll find that once you have a strong team of career influencers on your side, doors to new opportunities will open and career will soar!       And finally   If you’re ready to make a career change, get some professional help. You’ll have an easier, quicker, less stressful journey ahead of you when you have a partner who can give you the roadmap on how to reach your goal. Check out our career coaching services  to learn how we can help you advance your career.  

Showcasing Your Computer Skills

Showcasing Your Computer Skills I really like doing my work on a Mac, and if you are lucky enough to be able to choose your computer platform, showcasing your computer skills on your resume is an easy task. Whether you have a professional writer help you build your resume, or you choose to do it yourself,   getting familiar with how your word processing program works, quirks and all, on both platforms will make your life easier. More employers operate on a PC platform than on a Mac platform. So if you are a Mac fan like me and looking for a job, getting to know both platforms will be a big plus. Unfortunately, Windows Vista was such a buggy system that many PC users like myself bailed out and bought a Mac. Fast forward to now. Windows 7 has been a relatively stable environment, and if you have been away for awhile, learning Windows 7 wont be all that difficult. It builds on computer skills that you used when you were working in Windows XP. There are also apps that will allow you to run a stable Windows environment on a Mac if you really want to stick with your Mac computer. Dont let an employer catch you unaware, however, if you are a diehard PC fan. Some employers do work exclusively on Macs, especially in design fields such as graphic design and packaging. Knowing both platforms will help you in your job search. Be sure to list both on your resume if you are up-to-date on MAC and PC systems. If not, look online for free workshops. Windows has gotten much better at providing online training.   Apple recognizes that not everyone lives close enough to an Apple store to attend their free workshops, so much of that information is also online. Add any computer workshops you attended to your resume, as well as  any computer certifications completed. Make  potential employers aware of your computer proficiencies by   listing programs and applications you use on a regular basis on your resume. Most position ads will tell you which programs are required or desired. Check the ad carefully, and make sure you list every program and app required with which you have experience.