There is a ton of help available to help you with your job search online and today we want to highlight some of them that have resources valuable to your job search. Whether you need help with a resume, need to access job listings or need help networking, resources abound. Here are some resources that we recommend:

1. Help my Resume- A no-cost resume rewriting service with a mission in mind to help people present themselves better. Their vision: “By the end of 2011, we will be the leading advocate, conscious, voice and solutions provider to, and on behalf of the unemployed, regardless of age, sex or race throughout the United States.” They have a comprehensive blog with a ton of good job searching information as well. Follow them on Twitter and Like them on Facebook.

2. Expert Resume Man- We first met Graham on Twitter, where he keeps a steady stream of interesting job conversations and resources going. Today he posted a great tip: “Never include marital status, religious/political affiliations in résumé. Don’t insert picture either.” Graham is a career coach and if you feel the need for some more in-depth analysis of your resume, job search or defining your objective/goals, he’s the one to go to.

3. Landon Long- We also met Landon on Twitter. He is great at outlining the common pitfalls on resumes and offers a free course on his website about resume writing. The course includes access to four newsletters on job interviewing.

4. HealthCareers.net offers a great blog with a lot of healthcare job stats and growth predictions. In addition, they have job listings, health news, education and financial aid information. You can even view educational programs by State.

5. Job-Hunt.org offers hundreds of listings for job resources including online job searching tutorials, a Guide to Lay-Off Self Defense and more. From Job-Hunt website, “Job-Hunt is dedicated to the millions of people who have had their personal lives disrupted by the loss of a job…We hope that Job-Hunt can help open doors and provide assistance and hope to job seekers…A job loss can be a new beginning as well as an ending. A career is a process, not a destination! Don’t give up!”

6. Don’t forget to check out our blog for great resources and also our job listing section for thousands of healthcare jobs!

You will find resume writing tips galore on the Internet and in books. Some are great ideas. Others, not so great. When searching for resume samples you will find several dozen samples that are offered as the “best” style to use. But the information can be confusing and overwhelming.

What’s the best way to write a resume that is compete, honest and stands out from the crowd? I recommend that you first write an outline. It will be an invaluable tool as you organize, format and write your resume. Include the following in your notes:

1. Your goals- Write them all down and then compact it to an objective that clearly states a goal that your potential employer will see on your resume. Do not include desired salary and be careful about self-serving statements. (Consider what you can provide for the employer versus what you want from them).

2. Your Job History- Dig up your job history, including name/address of employer, dates worked, salary and specific duties. Also note any special accomplishments while in that job position.

3. Your Skills- Make a list of the skills that you have and don’t forget the basic ones. Remember that not everyone can type at the same WPM that you might be able to and believe it or not, not everyone knows how to use the Internet. Add any special skills that might be applicable only to the positions that you are applying for.

4. Your Education- List your education, including the name/location of the school, dates attended and concentration of study, including your high school. Include any classes, seminars and continuing education. Include degrees and certifications obtained.

5. Your Awards- If you have obtained awards in your professional or personal life, make a list of them including the year received and what they were for. Also include any publishing credits you might have.

6. Your Volunteer Activities- If you volunteer your time outside of your home to help others, include this on your outline. This shows that you are a caring individual with goals other than earning a living.

7. Your References- Prepare a list of people who might be willing to be a reference. Call them or send them an email to make sure that they are okay with it. Concentrate on those you know from a professional arena and ones you’ve known longer than a year or two, if possible.

In the next post, we will discuss how to organize and format your resume to be the best that it can be in this competitive job market.

Recently we were pleased to meet with Paul Knoch, an HR administrator with 17 years of experience in the industry.  Paul told us about the challenges and fun parts of his job, as well as how the economy is affecting current employees and applicants.

HDJ- What draws you to a candidate in an interview?

Paul- First impressions do count. I look for a confident demeanor as well as the usual first impression things like how they are dressed, if they are on time, etc.

HDJ- What makes the caution flag fly for you?

Paul- If someone appears really nervous (some nervous is normal) or if they interrupt. I had an applicant interrupt me many times on the phone and when she talked with the department manager, she did the same thing. When we didn’t hire her, she asked why. I told her why. By the way, she was interviewing for a customer service position.

In addition, someone who is trying too hard, who is overly friendly or tries to oversell themselves doesn’t work for me. Being too forward, taking a phone call during the interview (that has happened) or appearing distracted are also red flags. In a competitive market, those behaviors will quickly put someone to the bottom of the list.

HDJ- Do you have a lot of applicants right now?

Paul- It has doubled or tripled from a year or two ago. Also our turnover has decreased. So it makes it tough with not as many positions open.

HDJ- How have things changed?

Paul- One change I have seen is that people are less likely to quit a job even if they aren’t totally satisfied with it. With fewer jobs available, I think employees aren’t confident that they will find a better job so they are more willing to try to make things work where they are at.

Another change is that it’s an employer’s market right now with all the massive applicants available. Five or six years ago it was the opposite and employers were throwing perks out to entice employees to come on board.

HDJ- Have you seen many people apply from out of state?

Paul- Currently, fifty percent of applicants come from out of state. With our organization, people commonly come because they want to find meaning in their job. It’s not about money. It’s about being part of an organization that they care about and support.

HDJ-Has the recession made your job harder in any way?

Paul- The recession has been tough on all of us I think. I really feel for the people who call and share their life situation, hoping for a job even when we don’t have openings. It’s heartbreaking. I think most people who call are realistic and know we can’t create a position but they are trying to make contacts. One thing I have done is refer some to other organizations that might have openings through a network of emails.

HDJ- That’s certainly above and beyond. What’s difficult about your job?

P- Probably the most difficult part is walking the line between what state and federal laws require and what feels appropriate and compassionate in a situation. They don’t always line up. Sometimes I have to treat people based on HR laws and what I want to do is feel compassion and help people. Also, sometimes ADA and FMLA conflict each other. For instance, privacy laws say you can’t access people’s medical records. And yet, in a situation like FMLA, medical records are needed.

I have done things that I think are right and they may not necessarily be “HR-approved”. Sometimes you have to be courageous. It might mean talking to an employee about a situation instead of letting them go. It might mean that there is a grey area and I have to determine what is best, compassionate and within regulations all at the same time.

HDJ- What do you enjoy about your job in Human Resources?

Paul- I work with great people. There is a lot of variety and fun in my job. I interact, lead staff events, provide training, connect with them on social sites and more. Even the challenging part of confronting someone is good because I can help someone learn and grow and develop as worker-especially the younger people. To some small degree, I am helping with that.

Jobs are a big part of our life. But job satisfaction is less than fifty percent. And a lot of times it stems from how the employee is treated versus what they are being paid. So it’s very rewarding when things that I have intentionally done create a positive impact.

HDJ- This is great information, Paul. Thanks for your time!

Recently I met with Allison Rapaport, founder of Hospital Dream Jobs to learn more about her and why she started Hospital Dream Jobs. I don’t know about you, but I am always curious about the behind-the-scenes happenings with new businesses. I often find that founders have unique reasons for starting a business or cause, and often it is the result of something in their background, a story of something that happened in their personal life or the discovery of a passion for an industry that was previously undiscovered.

J-What motivated you to start the site?

A- In 2008 I found myself in the middle of the economic crisis which was unfolding. The company I was working for as VP of Communications was changing hands and moving many headquarter employees to New York. I suddenly found myself in a unique position surrounded by a department of analysts and managers who were quickly going to be on the job market, many for the first time in decades. Colleagues were asking for my advice on how to search for jobs, to critique/rewrite their resume and help them figure out how to search for positions on the Internet. Word spread and it was overwhelming how many people asked for advice. This was the first time I had shared the job search tips I had used for myself and was surprised to realize how much knowledge I had acquired over the years about how to market myself.

J- What happened next?

A- When the job ended, I finally had a little breathing room. I considered my own business, but was not sure which direction to go. Then my mother suggested an online job board. The more I thought about it, the more sense it made and the more passionate I became about the idea.

As I thought about a website and researched the competition, I saw that there was an opening for another job board – one that is focused only on healthcare, one that listens to job seekers and hospitals and can evolve quickly (small enough to do that, but large enough to have the capability) and one that helps people find their “dream job” whatever their definition of a dream job is.

J- What do you want to convey on the site?

A- It is important to me to convey that you can create your future – through considering possibility, establishing goals, learning something new, and asking for what you want. I thought our site could be a place that serves as a sort of cheerleader for job seekers. I know that searching for a job can be tough and I want to make it as supportive as possible.

J- Why healthcare?

A- Many happy memories! I am now the third generation involved in the healthcare industry. Both of my grandmothers were nurses and my mother ran a healthcare recruitment company for over 30 years. I grew up surrounded by the healthcare industry. I remember my grandmothers’ white uniform with a white cap, hearing the stories of the patients they helped during the day and seeing an occasional off-color comic strip. I also remember working in my mother’s recruiting firm, Hospital Recruiters, cutting out ads from newspapers all over the country and pasting them in a book. She would use these ads to call applicants and place them in jobs. This was before the ease of the Internet.

J- Sounds like you indeed are following your passion, Allison! Thanks for sharing!