We all know that employers are checking social media sites of their current employees for signs of misconduct, but asking a job applicant to hand over their Facebook password clearly crosses the line.

So the question is: Is it illegal for an employer to ask for your Facebook password? NO! Unfortunately, It’s not illegal on a national level to ask for your Facebook password, but soon it might be.

Maryland strikes first by becoming the first state to ban the practice of employers asking current employees as well as job applicants for access to their social media accounts, such as Facebook & Twitter. Bills SB 433 and HB 964.

California wants to be the next state to ban the practice of employers asking for Facebook and other social media website passwords. The bill AB1844, which was introduced in late February, passed the House unanimously (73 votes to 0). Now it moves onto the Senate. This bill would ban employers from requiring current or prospective employees to disclose usernames or passwords for social networks such as Facebook and Twitter.

Senators Calling for Probe

Two U.S. senators are asking Attorney General Eric Holder to investigate whether employers asking for Facebook passwords during job interviews are violating federal law, their offices announced Sunday.

Troubled by reports of the practice, Democratic Sens. Chuck Schumer of New York and Richard Blumenthal of Connecticut said they are calling on the Department of Justice and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to launch investigations. The senators are sending letters to the heads of the agencies.

Facebook Takes a Stand

In a recent blog post by Erin Egan, director of privacy for Facebook, Erin stated that Facebook will “take action to protect the privacy and security of our users, whether by engaging policymakers or, where appropriate, by initiating legal action.”

To help protect user’s privacy, it’s a violation of Facebook’s Statement of Rights and Responsibilities to share or solicit a Facebook password.

Employers need to realize that they could be held liable and open themselves up to their own host of lawsuits should they obtain someone’s password. For example, if an employer sees on Facebook that someone is a member of a protected group (e.g. over a certain age, etc.) that employer may open themselves up to claims of discrimination if they don’t hire that person.

Until It’s Illegal

Until it’s illegal for employers to ask for your social media passwords, we suggest the following.

If an employers that you’re working for or interviewing with asks for your login information you have a tough decision to make. You can comply, otherwise you may not get the job. You should also consider whether you want to work for a company that doesn’t respect your privacy. Also, would you want to worry about everything you do online while working for that company.

On the flip side, most everything you do online can be seen by the entire population. It’s not always easy to find, but usually it’s only a few keystrokes away from someone that knows how to find information. Social networking when done properly can actually help your job search rather than hinder it.

Remember the golden rule… don’t post anything online you wouldn’t want your grandmother to see, especially when you’re in the middle of a job search.

The most important thing that you can do before your job interview is to prepare for it.

Once you have your foot in the door with a particular employer, you want to make sure that you shine in person.

To prepare for the job interview, you should:

• Research the company with whom you are interviewing
  Visit the company website, view their Facebook, Twitter and Google+ pages to get a feel for the company. If you can, find out something about the person conducting the interview by searching for them on LinkedIn or Google.
• Anticipate your interviewer’s questions
  Have your answers prepared for common interview questions by practicing them beforehand with someone reliable.
• Prepare your own questions for the interviewer
  Write down any particular important questions you might have about the company or position and ask them when the interviewer gives you the go ahead.
• Clarify your own interests and career goals
  Know why you are right for this position and be ready to convince the interviewer that you are.
• Have all needed materials prepared to take with you
  Prepare your resume and references in case the interviewer requests to see them.

Day of the Interview

DO NOT be a “no-show” to a job interview. If something comes up and you’re not able to make the interview or if you are no longer interested in the position, make sure you give advanced notice to the interviewer so that they have time to changes their plans.

Here is a checklist of things to remember on the day of your interview:

• Bring your resume with you to the interview.
• Dress to impress.
• Do not smoke, apply strong perfume/cologne, or start chewing gum before the interview.
• Arrive at least 10 minutes early to the interview location.
• Mentally rehearse possible interview questions while you wait for the interview to begin.

The Interview

There are numerous things to remember during your interview, and nerves can get the best of all of us. However, remain calm and confident, and follow these tips to make the best impression in your interview:

• Give a firm handshake
  When entering and when leaving the interview, give the interviewer a firm, professional handshake.
• Maintain eye contact
  Look at the interviewer when talking or listening. This shows that you are interested in the conversation and have respect for the other person.
• Take your time answering questions
  If you are unsure of how to answer a question that is asked of you, take a minute to think about it and formulate the best response. It is better to wait before answering and then answer intelligently than to jump immediately at the question with a poor answer.
• Remain professional
  Sit with an upright posture, speak and answer questions clearly, listen when the interviewer is speaking, and stay professional regardless of how you feel the interview is going.
• Thank the interviewer
  Do not forget to thank the interviewer for their time when the interview is over.

Remember to remain polite and respectful even if you decide that you are no longer interested in the job or will likely not be offered the position. You never know when you will meet the interviewer again, or if a better opportunity will arise at the company.

Follow up

Regardless of whether you thought the interview went well or not, be sure to send a thank you note or email to the interviewer expressing your gratitude for the opportunity as quickly as you can. Within a day is preferable.

• No word from interviewer?
  If it has been over a week since the interview and you have not received word yet from the company, call the person with whom you interviewed. Remember to speak only with them, since they are the one that knows the particulars of your situation. On the phone, keep the same professional attitude that you had in the interview. Tell them again how interested you are in the position and that you are calling to see what you can do to get it, since you have not yet heard anything about the results of the interview.

# 1 – Solve hidden needs for the employer. The employer is going to have more needs than what is listed in the help wanted ad and you must find a way to identify and meet those needs in order to stand out in a sea of applicants all applying for a single position.

# 2 – Sell not your skills, but the benefits behind them. Explain the benefits of the skills that you bring to the table, rather than simply stating that you possess those skills.

# 3 – Create an image capable of matching the salary that you are hoping to receive. Keep in mind the job level and the salary level that you are looking for and craft your resume to suit that. If you create the image, your future employers will see it.

# 4 – Prioritize the content within your resume. The most important information should be listed within the top portion of your resume, because this is what prospective employers are going to see first and foremost.

# 5 – Tweak your resume, targeting the individual companies you are applying for rather than using a single general resume. The more customized your resume is, the better it will perform.

Be sure to visit our Resume Center for other professional tips on creating a resume that will get you noticed.

Most of the time, your resume is representing your skills and experiences – as well as your tidiness, organization, personal hygiene and more. Potential employers will draw assumptions from your resume, whether it’s online or on paper – because that’s often all they have in front of them. If you have typos, in their mind it might mean you’re lazy and careless. If you slide your resume or job application under the door after business hours, it might leave the impression that you’ll be a habitually late employee.

Here are 3 expert resume tips for making sure your resume is a winner.

Be Patient

When completing applications and your own resume – whether you’re writing, typing or completing an online application form – don’t rush. It sounds like common sense, but you’d be surprised how often we run into careless errors, and hear from employers who loved job applicants, but were scared away by misspellings and typos. After all, if you’re not going to take the time to make a solid first impression with an employer, why should that hiring manager believe you’d extend the same courtesy to a customer?

After you finish your first stab at your resume or job application, put it down. Lock it in a drawer. Wait 30 min. and give it to a friend to scan for errors. Then look at it once more. Trust us, you’ll thank us. (You’re welcome.)

By the way, we should note that if you’re specifically working on a resume, and are in need of a resume template to guide your formatting, Microsoft Word has several options that are widely acceptable by employers. If you make your own template, just keep it simple and easy to scan.

Make your Resume PG-13

Does your email address contain slang, a nickname or hip hop lyrics that would be bleeped out on MTV? Does your typical job interview wardrobe consist of a wrestling T-shirt with today’s most popular wrestler? If so, you might want to class it up a bit for your job search. You don’t need a prom dress or a bow-tie, but dress up at least like you would for a class photo, even if the job you’re applying for is a uniformed blue collar gig.

Get Everyone in the Loop

Many job applications – and most resume templates – have a spot for references. Potential new employers see checking references as a crucial step in the application process – and so should you. It’s one thing for you to hype your own skills and experience, but why should a hiring manager take your word for it? It’s important to not burn bridges and maintain relationships with past supervisors and workplace peers so you can leverage these as references when the time is right. And if you’re going to use someone as a reference, be sure to get their permission and give them a heads up that someone strange might be calling them.

Following the above 3 tips will increase your odds of finding the right-fit job you deserve. Find more award winning career advice where we have everything you need to know about job interviews, resumes and more.

Below is a list of common job interview questions. Read through each one and spend a few minutes thinking about how you would respond. It helps to prepare by writing down short answers to the questions and reviewing them prior to your interview. Practicing will help you be more confident during the interview.

The interviewer may ask you questions that are not included in this list. Try to stay calm and take a moment to think about your response before beginning to speak.

A job interview is a two-way street. You are also there to interview the interviewer. As you practice the interview questions, think about the things that you would like to ask the interviewer. For example: What are the responsibilities of the job? How many hours per week will I be required to work? Be prepared with your own questions.

General Questions

• Tell me a little about yourself.
• Why should we hire you?
• How do you define success?
• What are your strengths/weaknesses?
• Where would you like to be in three years? Five?
• How would you describe your personality.
• What past accomplishments have given you satisfaction? Why?

Job Specific Questions

• What do you know about this position?
• What do you know about our company?
• Explain why you are qualified for this job.
• Are you looking for a permanent or temporary job? Why?
• Why did you leave your last job/position?
• What are you looking for in a job?
• What kind of people do you like to work with?
• What type of work environment do you prefer?
• Describe the best boss you have ever had.

Experience Questions

• How would you define a great work environment?
• Have you ever worked for a difficult person?
• Have you mostly worked alone or in groups?
• How many projects can you handle at one time?
• What was your workload in your current/last position?
• What are some things you find difficult to do on the job? Why?

Education Questions

• What is the most recent skill you have learned?
• What have you learned from your past jobs?
• What made you choose to apply to this position?
• Why do you want to leave your current position?

Behavioral Questions

• Are you a persistent person? Give me an example of this, if so.
• Where do you stand with your former employer?
• Explain a difficult situation in which you were involved and how you handled it.
• How do you work with new people?
• We have a problem with ______. How would you handle this problem?

Stressful Questions

• How do you handle stressful situations?
• Describe a stressful situation and explain how you handled it.
• Can you work overtime? Weekends?
• Do you have any questions?
• How do you think this interview is going?
• How long have you been looking for a new job? Why?
• How long would you stay with us?
• Have you ever had problems getting along with others?
• What can I tell you about my organization?
• What can you bring to the table that someone else could not?
• What are your outside interests that occupy your time?
• What are your reservations with working here?

Even though this is your first job, an entry-level teen resume is something you should create in preparation of your job search.

Your First Resume

Writing your first resume is something a lot of teens worry about when they’re preparing to look for their first hourly job. But creating a resume doesn’t have to be scary or difficult. All you have to do is remain focused on the purpose of a resume; that is to get interest and interviews, and the rest will fall into place.

This is your first job so all your resume has to do is work to get you the interview that you need to get the job that you want. Your teen resume should be able to answer the employer’s question about whether or not you will be able to add value to his or her company.

Your Resume’s Goal

First and foremost, your resume is intended to help get you hired.

So make sure you clearly communicate your strengths to your prospective employer. This way you’ll effectively answer the employer’s question and make yourself a better candidate for the job opening.

Don’t worry that you might not have enough experience to make an interesting resume. No one expects you to have tons of information or experience on your resume. Besides, once you start thinking about it, you’ll probably surprise yourself with the skills that you do have.

Your resume will be unique to you and depend on your interests, your personality, and what you did before you started looking for a paying job. A few things to put into your first resume could be:

• technical or computer skills you may have
• major school accomplishments like a high GPA
• work experience you might have, be it paid or unpaid

Use action words, like organized and created, to describe your work experiences. And if you can, get someone else to critique your resume. It’s always very difficult to find minor errors in your own work because you’re so close to it. A fresh set of eyes will help you make your resume as polished as possible.

Always type your resume on good quality white paper. Make sure there are no ink smudges or dirt and creases on the paper. Keep your resume to one page in length.

An eye-catching resume is as important as a resume with great content. Remember, the employer will be looking at possibly hundreds of resumes. He or she will be human if his or her eyes get sore. So, many employers will immediately toss away the resumes that look to cluttered, too difficult to read, or are dirty and unprofessional looking.

You have approximately 20 to 30 seconds to entice the interviewer to read your resume. So do your best to make yours stand out without resorting to colored text or flashy paper. If you can, avoid the resume templates in MS Word everyone uses. Or if you need to use one of these templates, modify it so that it looks different.

Always make sure you include all contact information on every resume. Contact information like name, address, phone number and email address are usually what employers look for.

Some employers request references immediately. If they do, go ahead and give the references as long as you’ve already gotten the okay from the people you want as your references. Otherwise, state that references are available upon request.

By following the teen resume tips listed above, you’ll have increased your chances of getting your resume noticed and getting a phone call to come in for a job interview.

The style and color of resume paper you select will depend somewhat on the type of job you’re applying to. The general rule of thumb is to stick with a heavy white resume paper. Every rule is meant to be broken so below we’ll give you a couple of instances in which selecting something other than a heavy white paper resume might not be suitable.

Office Jobs or Technical in Nature

If you’re applying for an office job we recommend that you maintain a conservative and to-the-point appearance with your paper resume selection. We think it’s best to stick with a heavy white or off-white resume paper and selecting the font Arial. Your resume will look professional and will reflect your professionalism.

Marketing or Creative Jobs

For people applying to jobs that are creative or in marketing it’s safe to step outside the norm and show some creativity with your paper, color and font selection. You want your resume to be a reflection of your creativity. Arial font on plain white paper just might not be creative enough to land you a job in marketing for Starbucks or Zappos. Just don’t go over-board.

QR Codes

Some applicants have resorted to adding a QR Code to their resumes. At this time it’s not advised to go that route as there is not standard when it comes to reading QR Codes. Why add something to your resume that may or may not work when a recruiter scans your QR Code?

Final Thoughts

Living in an electronic world, there will be times when your resume is scanned into a computer system and never physically seen by a hiring manager. Other times the hiring manager will be holding your resume while conducting the job interview.

In the end the resume paper weight, color and font selection if not too outrageous will probably not make or break your chances of getting the job. It’s just one of those final touches that gives you a slightly more polished and professional look.

Get hired with a job-winning resume at by visiting and following the expert tips in our Resume Center.

Are you looking for an awesome summer job to help finance a new smartphone, iPad, a trip to the amusement park, or an outlet shopping spree? Well, you’re not alone.

The good news is, you don’t need a fancy resume stating all of your accolades—you know, your stint as captain of your high school equestrian team and debate club champion?

However, you should take a look at these tips for creating online profiles and filling out those tedious but necessary job application forms. No sample resumes or templates here, just straightforward tips and advice on how to make your application stand out in a crowd.

The User Profile

When using most job boards, you will be prompted to create a user profile; this is a quick and easy process comprising your past work experience, special skills, availability and interests. Unlike a resume, which is often tailored to the specific job to which you are applying, user profiles can be used again and again for multiple job searches.

We suggest using Indeed or Snagajob for creating your online job profile. Both are fast and free to create and both offer hundreds of local jobs in your area.

The Paper Application

You know what I’m talking about—the generic two or three page questionnaire found usually at the employer site of your choice. Plain and simple.

Even though most companies are moving away from paper applications, there are still plenty of employers that offer the old-fashioned printable kind. For your convenience we’re collecting as many paper applications as possible and have them available for you to download here.

As an hourly job seeker, these are the two main mediums through which you will be applying to become anything from a trendy fashionista in retail to a soda-slinging, tip-collecting waitress at the deli down the street. Don’t worry so much about studying sample resumes or resume templates as an hourly job seeker.

So now that you know what you’ll be using to showcase your extensive work experience and stellar special skills, let’s go over how to make your application shine, sans typos and incorrect grammar.

The Tips on Landing a New Job

Don’t leave anything out – Even if you think your summer job as a zookeeper has nothing to do with your desired position of secretary at a real estate office, include it in your profile anyway. Employers want to work with well-rounded people, and your ability to stay focused in a zoo — either with real monkeys and elephants or just a barrage of ringing phones and coffee orders – may put you a cut above the rest.

Also, avoid jotting down notes or phrases in place of full, detailed descriptions. While your BFF Jill may be able to decipher your shorthand, don’t assume an employer can, too. Show how polished and professional you are by double-checking your work, grammar and all.

Be Honest – Let’s face it: Filling your resume with fluff is not the stealthiest way to impress a hiring manager. If it wasn’t in your job description during your employment, it’s not cool to create a job title or duty just to make yourself look good. And chances are high that when your facts are checked, you’ll be totally exposed (and totally embarrassed). The moral of the story? Remember what mom always said: Be yourself. It’s the best way for an employer to truly determine if you’re the right fit for the job.

Stay Current – Each time you volunteer, learn something new, or even move from your ranch-style home in suburbia to a swanky new loft downtown, update your resumes or user profiles. If your phone number or email address change and you don’t keep your contact info current, how will an employer be able to contact you and give you offers for summer jobs you’ve been waiting for? Make sure that there are no excuses for a missed opportunity.

To sum up, don’t worry your pretty little head over resume formalities and instead just follow the aforementioned tips on how to present a polished, accurate job seeker profile of yourself as a responsible applicant ready to dive in on a challenge. Good luck with your summer job search!

Here are some true stories and top job tips for landing your own summer job in 2012.

Start Early

The most common mistake students make when looking for summer jobs is getting started too late. I had one student who locked up a student job a year early – yes, a whole year! Here is what I mean: On his last day of work at his summer job last year, Tim asked his boss if he could come back and work every summer. And the boss, not wanting to spend time and money recruiting new employees every year when he had solid employees waiting in the wings, immediately said, “Yes!” Sure, not everyone has an old reliable job they can step back into, which is even more reason to start your summer job search in April rather than May.

Most hiring for summer jobs occur in April and will be done hiring summer workers by the end of May.

Target the Service Industry

With restaurant jobs and retail jobs both having annual turnover rates of greater than 100 percent, they’re ideal gigs for teens and students to target. But don’t stick to Main Street, mega malls and strip plazas; also leverage what your community does best. Do you live in a tourist town? If so, learn the local lore and history and become a tour guide. Do you reside near an Amusement Park Capital? If so, volunteer to work nights and weekends and that will set you apart from the other candidates. Disney targets workers based on having a flexible schedule the right attitude and the right appearance – and you can control at least one of those qualifications.

Be Vigilant

It’s a fact: There are fewer jobs out there this summer than there have been in past years. That should be extra motivation for freshening your resume, applying to one more job and even ironing that shirt before the big job interview. Often times, there is little separation among the top candidates, and by calling back to check your application status or making sure you’re well mannered, you might have done that little bit extra to leave a great impression and get hired.

There are several types of seasonal jobs available that can provide plenty of opportunities for teens & students to find a way to earn some extra money.

Types of Seasonal Jobs for Teens

Seasonal jobs for teens and students include jobs working in restaurants, retail, working in a national park, at a ski resort, ranch or theme park. Other seasonal jobs are working as a camp counselor or with a tour park.

Seasonal jobs are excellent ways for teens to add some adventure to their lives while earning money. The commitment to a seasonal job is small, so if you decide to try a different job, but decide that you don’t really like it, you’re only committed for a few months. Sometimes you’re only committed for a few weeks, depending on the type of job you choose to accept.

Seasonal jobs will not provide you with a regular or steady income. But they might provide you an opportunity to break into a company that you’d really like to work for once you graduate from high school.

If you’re a little cash strapped during a specific holiday season, working in a seasonal job will give you money for the gifts you might want to buy friends or family. Sometimes a seasonal job can also help you save money for a new iPad, spring break or a summer vacation.

Many employees find it easier, for some reason, to fill seasonal summer jobs early in the summer season. Perhaps this is because many teens and students take time off for the summer during the later part of the season. But filling positions in August and even early September can be a real challenge for many employers. If you make yourself available for seasonal jobs during this time, the chances of you getting hired are very good.

Another time that is difficult for employers to find hourly workers is during the Christmas season. The closer to Christmas that it gets, the harder it is to find hourly workers. The Christmas season, especially in resorts and in the retail industry, are these companies busiest times.

How to Find a Seasonal Job

When looking for a seasonal job, keep your eyes open for ads requesting seasonal workers. Better yet, be pro-active and take the initiative by sending in your resume or job application to companies that are most likely to need seasonal workers. Companies that typically hire temporary workers are retailers, manufacturing companies, and companies in the hospitality or service sectors.

When you get a seasonal job, be sure to put the same effort into your work as you would with a more permanent job. Your employers will notice. Plus, if you like that seasonal job, doing a great job and being dependable might open up the door for more seasonal work, or a permanent job once you graduate from high school.

Online Resources for Finding Seasonal Jobs

• Summer Jobs+ 2012
• SnagAJob.com
• Indeed.com