As the economy continues to gain momentum, the private sector added numerous positions in May. The private sector added an estimated 163,000 jobs last month, according to a report from Automatic Data Processing. Analysts from the company say this development is so promising it could prevent another economic downturn in the near future. Businesses across the country have now added close to 4 million jobs during the past two and a half years.
Meanwhile, the report indicated that during the month of May, small businesses contributed the most to the job gains, adding approximately 73,000 positions. At the same time, medium-sized businesses expanded payrolls by 67,000, while large companies added 23,000 jobs.
May marks 13 consecutive months of job growth, the report said. However, continued economic uncertainties may be holding back this rate. Specifically, experts say the European debt crisis continues to worry investors and those driving job creation throughout the United States. As a result, the unemployment rate has remained stagnant at 8.2 percent during the past few months.
“This gain in private employment is strong enough to suggest that the national unemployment rate may have declined in May,” said Macroeconomics Advisers chairman Joel Prakken.
If you have managed to keep a job during recent years, but feel it’s time for a career change, now could be a good time. However, before you start sending out resumes to prospective employers, you may want to run a fine-toothed comb through the details that make you stand out from the competition.
Include Your Home Address
Some people are nervous about the personal information they include on their resumes, but you should set aside these fears and include your home address, recommends CareerBuilder.
Failure to include this information could be a red flag for some companies. Specifically, they could assume that you don’t live close to the company and would have to relocate to take the position. However, before you start handing out your personal information, do a little homework to make sure the company is legitimate.
Don’t List References
Listing your references on a resume could be risky, since the prospective employer could contact the current company you work for before you tell them you’re taking a new position.
It’s best to hold off on providing references unless an employer requests them up front. Should you find yourself in this position, make sure to get the green light from your references before you start passing out their contact information.
Grade Point Average
Although some companies request your grade point average or college transcript, this information should generally be left off of your resume, especially if you’ve been out of school for quite some time.
While listing your GPA isn’t totally taboo, if it’s below 3.0, you should keep this information to yourself. However, if you won any academic rewards or had any other academic achievements while in college, feel free to list these facts.