Face-to-face networking is incredibly important, and if you know your way around, then you have a distinct advantage over much of your competition. You’re making a serious mistake if you do not have a social media presence or if you skip social media sites all together.
If you’ve neglected to create a social media presence, especially on LinkedIn, then you are missing out on an incredible opportunity to find open positions. Targeted, extensive networking is still the number one way to find a job, to achieve this you need to have a complete and up to date profile on several social media sites.
The reason social media is so important is because 83% of employers look to LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter when looking for new hires. 89% rely exclusively on LinkedIn to fill their empty positions. So if you’re not using social media, then your chances of getting a job are seriously diminished.
Without a solid social media presence on LinkedIn, you make it much harder for HR managers who are looking for you specific skill set to actually find you. Employers will also review your social media sites to examine more information after they have received your resume. So you have to take the necessary steps to stand out and never put a bad face forward. Here are some tips for putting the right social media face first: 1. Think of your online profile as your brand.
Identify your abilities that set you apart from other applicants. You should define the areas where you excel, and always make a solid case for the value that you bring to a prospective employer. 2. Use your online profile to showcase your skill set.
On Facebook and LinkedIn, there is a headline below where you put your name. This is an incredible important part of your branding, you need to put something with keywords HR mangers will instantly gravitate to. Your headline should show a range of what you are capable of doing. 3. Position yourself as the expert in your field.
Include searchable keywords in your social media profile so that HR mangers can see your in depth experience and talents. Employers will often look through social media sites in search of a fit for a specific problem, if you have your expertise highlighted, then you may be the one they’re looking for. This makes it much easier for them to find you. 4. Clear up any discrepancies between your resume and your social media profiles.
Make sure your dates of employment, job titles and other extended details match your resume. HR managers will not contact prospects who have inconsistencies on their resume and social media profile. 5. Join Facebook or LinkedIn groups that are associated with your field.
Who knows, by commenting on a group post or by offering your advanced knowledge, you could attract someone looking for your particular talents. Answering questions in these groups is an excellent way to attract attention to yourself, just make sure you approach groups with the correct mindset, you’re trying to garner the right attention. So make sure you know what you’re talking about.
What Are Your Options Once Your Short Term Job Ends?
Is your current contract about to end? Do you have options once it ends? Everybody has things that they believe will happen, but are those options realistic? If not, then you should start to develop some specific options and have them available by a certain date. Your contract is ending so you need multiple options in case one, or all of them, falls apart. Your career obviously has options if you’re working on a contract basis, so start searching for the options that fit with your skill set. How many working professionals actually have a clear-cut set path that they would like to follow? How many options do your coworkers have after their job ends?
If you do not have any options once your contract ends, then you need to start developing some career options quick. Why do you need career options? The job market is tough, but there are still other things that you can do to broaden your horizons. When you have a long-term contract it seems like you don’t need a long list of options, but if you’re working on short-term jobs, then you always have to keep an eye open for something new. Your career is like a long winding road trip. You may not know the destination but you know where you started from, you know where you want to go, sure there may be detours along the way, but eventually you will want to have a clear destination. If you don’t have all of your options mapped out, then that should be your top goal. So, what are some of your options after your short-term job ends? 1. You could get another short-term contract
If you’ve always had short stays at companies for contract work, then you might be more comfortable working in this manner. This can be a great way to make money and still have your freedom…if you have the stomach for it. And sometimes it can be hard to find another job if your contract ends quickly. 2. Go for a long-term company
If you’re tired of looking for work every 6 months, then why not find a traditional 9 to 5 job? Depending on your chosen field, you could have many different options in a lot of different companies. If you have an accounting degree you’re basically set to work at any company, as long as they need someone to do their taxes, then you’re their person. 3. Try a different profession
What if you feel stagnant during your current work? It doesn’t mean you have to swear off that type of work forever, but you might want to consider a change of scenery. Moving to a different position within your short-term contract employer may provide other options. 4. Extending your contract
If you and your contract employer have a solid working relationship and you like where you’re at, then why not stay there? They obviously could use your talents, so talk to the HR manager about what can be done.
In order to advance your career and get your job search back on track, there are a few things that you must do correctly. As a job seeker, finding a job should be your full-time job. Many people work tirelessly to find a job, but they keep coming up short, so today we’re going to have a look at the 5 reasons that your job search is still going and why you’re not getting the response that you feel you should. If you find yourself doing any of the following, then today is a great day to take action. 1. You do not make your job search personal
What this means is that you’re still sending out generic resumes with no target. Instead, get personal. Find the names of HR Managers, company directors or anyone involved in the hiring at the company. Then you send them a personalized note with your custom made resume to their company explaining your desired position and how you could help the company. 2. You are looking in the same place as everyone else
One thing you have to keep in mind is that there are a lot of unemployed people right now. Many of these people will be looking in the exact same field, geographical area or they have the same skill level as yourself. One way around this is to find opportunities through networking, online job searches and by using job boards to find hidden career options. If everyone is looking in the same place, it will only drown out your voice. Be different and look at all of your options. 3. You believe every word you hear about the recession
If you think everyone is living hand to mouth, then you are very mistaken. America has a lot of opportunity for people who are willing to look. Yes, it’s tougher than usual, but not impossible to find a job that suits you. Take a few minutes to review the positive aspects and reduce your stress level. An open mind will lead towards an open job. 4. Poor email etiquette
Every time there is a job fair, we see this problem emerge. People do not read their emails and proof them, but you can bet that your prospective employer is reviewing every little detail about your resume. Misuse the word “your” in place of “you’re” and it’s a dead giveaway that you did not proof your email. Another way that people send out poorly written or constructed emails is if they do not have a subject, have a subject line that reads, “have a look at my resume” or poorly written opening lines in the email. Try to show a little patience and take some time to review your emails before you send them. 5. You’re not as productive as you believe
Sending out a few resumes during the morning and then taking the rest of the day to watch some TV is not a productive job search. Get into the habit of diligently looking for a job. Make yourself a schedule and stick to it. All you have is you. So, work hard and you will find the right career for you.
Resumes mean so much to hiring managers. It’s your first introduction to a prospective employer and it’s how you differentiate yourself. But what separates the bad resumes from the good ones? The best resumes avoid abbreviations. Abbreviations are not professional nor are they accepted. Nothing makes HR managers cringe more than seeing sentences like the following: “Answered the phone and went 2 C clients” (yes, I truly have seen this). It may be the information age but this is not a text message so don’t treat it as such. Giving up too much personal information is a no-no. You should leave off anything related to hobbies or interests that are not related to the job. Do not include your weight and height unless you’re applying for a position as a gym trainer. If it’s not related to the job in any way, do not include it on your resume. Leave out your illnesses or why you took off 2 years to care for a dying parent. As hard as that may have been, it will count against you. The best resumes are the best because they’re not being used as an art canvas. If you try to stand out by having large graphics on your resume it’s a bad move, because this will give you an unprofessional and amateurish looking resume. Your prospective employer only wants to see your skills, your duties and achievements. You’re not going to get anywhere by having a Word Art picture of a snail on your resume. Keep the negativity to yourself. The best resumes are neutral in tone or highlight the best attributes of the applicant. But, if you have information on your resume that is negative, such as, leaving your previous employer because you did not like the boss, just keep that part to yourself. Do not try to explain the situation on your resume. That’s an impossible battle that you should not fight. Your resume’s job is to sell and promote you. So don’t eliminate yourself because you were negative. Good resumes include dates. Do not make an HR manager have to guess. This kills your resume on the spot. You have to include dates. What years were you in college, did you attend graduate school or did you graduate from a trade school? How long have you been working at your current position? Do not make the hiring manager have to ask questions about your resume. The second they have to guess, your resume is going straight to the trash. Make sure your resume flows easily and there are no date gaps. If you took a year off to go travel or to go back to school, include this on your resume. Bad resumes do not highlight achievements. Many people will fill their resumes with irrelevant information, but they leave off the most important part of the resume – focusing on their achievements. You want to stand out from other applicants, so how can you do that if you do not showcase what you’ve done. Explaining your past accomplishments means that the HR manager can see what you’ve done and know how you can fill their need. If you have the abilities, you need to showcase them on your resume.
Drawing Attention to Your Accomplishments: What Your Resume Says About You
Focusing on your experience, your background and your accomplishments is what’s known as a functional resume.Chronological resumes list all of your employers in the order of the date that you worked for them, typically with the oldest employer at the bottom of the resume. Functional resumes are great for people who are looking to make a career change, people with multiple positions with different industries, people with gaps in their employment and those just starting out on their career. However, as always, I have to warn you that recruiter and hiring people really don’t like functional style resumes. They feel you may be “hiding” something.
You can combine both resume types to give yourself a well-rounded appearance to potential employers, plus hiring managers love to see a list of previous experience, especially when it’s for a position of authority. Providing work history is an excellent way to showcase how your accomplishments have translated to actual success in the work place.
Start by writing a list of the skills that you used at your previous jobs. List them one by one so that you cover a wide range of tasks on your resume. Depending on the position you’re applying for, modify your skills to directly reflect those of the position that you’re applying for. Don’t embellish, instead focus on what you’ve accomplished and how it will allow you to succeed at your new position.
Use bullet points to provide a concise and accurate depiction of your responsibilities and where you used your skills. List our your accomplishments and try to use numbers to demonstrate an actual value. You can say something like, you promoted better paper management and turned your office into a green office, reducing the waste and lowering cost for trash maintenance by a third. Or that you increased sales in your office by 15% over a 5 year period.
Show your employer in the bullet section of your accomplishments. You want to be able to match your accomplishments with a tangible company, so make sure to list the companies where you worked. Your accomplishments only mean so much if they can be backed up. Listing your companies, or contacts you may have done a project for, will help highlight your accomplishments.
Use action verbs at the beginning of your accomplishments. Saying things like, “demonstrated” a strong desire to train new employees, is better than saying “trained staff.” Elaborate on your accomplishments, it’s all right to use descriptive words here. In fact, the HR manager may appreciate your ability to be descriptive.
Complete a short job history below the accomplishment section of your resume. This will help employers get a good idea of your work history. Make sure to include the name of the employer, your job title, the dates you worked for the employer and the location of the job. Write this list in reverse chronological order.
It’s time to get those accomplishments out there and find the job that you’ve always wanted!
***A big thanks to Laura DeCarlo, President of Career Directors International, for passing along the information.
+++++
“Each year, WEDDLE’s (www.weddles.com) conducts a year-long poll at its site to identify the thirty job boards and social media sites with the most support among job seekers, employers and recruiters. These sites are then recognized with a WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award – the only accolade in the job market in which actual site users get to pick the winners.
While clearly not a scientific survey, WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Awards are a good measure of the intensity of support that individual sites have among their users. For that reason, we think it’s accurate to say that the sites with the most votes are clearly among the elite in the online employment services industry.
The 2011 winners include:
Absolutely Health Care; AfterCollege.com; AHACareerCenter.org (American Hospital Association); AllHealthcareJobs.com; AllRetailJobs.com
CareerBuilder.com; Climber.com; CollegeRecruiter.com; CoolWorks.com
Dice.com
EHSCareers.com; ExecuNet
FlexJobs.com
Hcareers.com; HEALTHeCAREERS Network; HigherEdJobs.com; HospitalDreamJobs.com
Indeed.com
Job.com; JobCircle.com; JobFox.com; Jobing
Monster.com
National Healthcare Career Network
SimplyHired.com; 6FigureJobs.com; SnagAJob.com
TopUSAJobs.com
VetJobs.com
WSJ.com/Careers (The Wall Street Journal)
* * *
People have been fired over what they’ve said in blog posts or on social media sites. Sharing confidential information or making negative comments about a business have cost many employees their jobs. Some employees have even been fired over making positive comments about their company. What is grounds for termination in the cyber-world and how can social media affect your job search? Can having a personal blog, professional blog or social media account impact your job search? It most certainly could and probably will. If you post about how you conduct yourself in interviews or if you post about how you embellish your resume, potential employers will be able to see it. You want to have a profile that does not scream “bad employee” and that could be anything from bragging about excessive drinking to how you steal notepads from work. Is it alright for prospective employers to be reading your blog or social media account? Perhaps not, but, when you post something on the Internet, it’s there for anyone to see, no matter what their motives might be. Some people, who have taken extra steps with their job search, will list their personal site or social media address on their resumes. Again, you should only do this if there is nothing you want to keep from a prospective employer on your site. Who hasn’t Googled someone they were interested in? Well, HR managers do the same thing with prospective employees. If you have it on your resume, then the employer will definitely look at it. Most hiring managers will look at a prospect’s website if they list it. Others will try to find out as much personal information as they can. This is not the days of “3 references” anymore, now your 3 references are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
If your blog is hidden or private and people in the office or a hiring manager finds out your identity, they can still look up sensitive information about you. They certainly won’t mind reading it, so don’t put anything negative about current coworkers or any past employers you have had. Once again, do not include a link on your resume to your social media site or personal website if it contains anything that might be damaging to your job search. Always be careful about what you put online. If you have a social media account, people will probably have no problem reading it, after all, you put your information out there, so it’s public domain now. Even if you think only your friends can access it, you still have to take caution and be proactive about what you put out. If you’re unemployed, consider putting together a website or social media site that’s specifically related to your job search. You can position yourself as an expert in your field. Attach samples of your resume, portfolio or any certifications you have.
People are searching, so when they find you, what do you want them to see?
Even if you have an excellent resume, it still may not be targeted to find the right kind of work for you. What can you do to increase the number of responses you get from employers? Customization is Key!
Blasting your resume out for every position you see won’t help you find the right job. If you want to grab an HR manager’s attention, you need to give them what they are looking for. You need to take the time to customize your resume for each employer and highlight your strengths that will set you apart.
Before you respond to a job posting, look over the job description and see what the credentials are. If you submit your application to a company that does not post the requirements, then look around at other similar positions. Odds are that you can find similar information that will allow you to tailor your resume. Once you’ve found your qualifications, you will be at the right place to meet that employer’s specifications.
The most convenient way to customize your resume is to create a master resume and then tweak it depending on each individual job’s requirements. If you want to tweak your resume, then try these steps: Copy the Master Resume
Find the resume that is right for you to begin with-you don’t want to use your resume that is based on your pre-job experience qualifications, so find one that is current enough for you to tweak it accordingly. Now you’re ready to customize your resume for whatever position you’re applying for. Start with the Title
Start with your stated career goal, along with two or three of your top credentials. You need to tailor these credentials to your specific employer’s job requirements. For example: “Advertising Manager – Advertising Degree with 10 Years Experience in an Agency.” Examine your Objective You need to show that you are perfectly capable of handling this job’s requirements. Create a precise, short resume objective instead of a blanket statement that would work with any job. If your goal is to be the “Chief of Software Development for Bank of America’s online data privacy support,” then it will show the HR manager that you have real, honest goals. It also makes you more attractive to their specific needs. Summary of Qualifications
Once you have an outline of the job’s requirements, you can begin to tweak your qualifications to match those in the the position you are seeking. If you handle this step correctly and match up with what the company’s needs, you will become the number one candidate. Add some information that is uniquely applicable to your desired position. You have to stand out. Expand your Job Descriptions
A lot of HR managers will go straight to the prospect’s employment history to assess their qualifications. Review your listed job descriptions and see how you can modify them to more accurately reflect your past experiences. You’ve probably done some of the functions at a previous employer that will be applicable to the current HR manager. Place the most compelling qualifications at the top of the description and make sure they stand out. Don’t leave out the Skills
Once you’ve found the right job for you, look at the required skills on the job posting and match what the job requires with your skills. Place the skills that would be most beneficial to your prospective employer at the top of the skills section.
