**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches.  Each month, all members discuss a certain topic.  This month, we are talking about job-hunting “rules” to break and old job-search beliefs. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective.  You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.
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Despite a wealth of great job-hunting advice, many prospective job seekers are still clinging to outdated job-hunting and resume writing guidelines that hinder their search for a job. If you’ve been sending your same old resume from 10 years ago with a “Dear Sir or Madam”, then you’ve probably learned that these methods have become obsolete.
If any of the following job hunting problems match you, then you need to implement corrective measures as soon as possible if you want to achieve success in 2011:
1. Not studying your competition
Candidates fail to check out their competition when they start their job search. They reason that their generalized resume worked in the past and that it will continue to work in the future, but that just is not the case any longer. You resume will be stacked against incredibly high skilled competition who probably have seen and done things that you present as standout attributes on your resume.
If you have a diverse set of skills, you’ll need to go the extra mile to get into your chosen career. You’ll need to establish connections and contacts with people in the industry to help fill in any career gaps you have and to boost your education and work experience. And you’ll need a compelling resume that clearly develops a connection to your prospective employer.

2. Not caring about your online identity
Social media is the way of the world now, and like it or not, it’s not going anywhere and people pay a lot of attention to it. Who do you think an employer is going to choose, the guy with the drunken Facebook profile picture or the business professional LinkedIn page? 10 years ago no one thought about having themselves Googled, no one really even knew what Google was but now you have to have an online profile to get noticed. You have to make yourself an online brand and highlight yourself above the pack.
3. Disregarding trends in resumes
If you can’t get past the old resume template with your list of qualifications, then you are going to find the job market in 2011 to be very harsh. Companies receive hundreds of resumes a day, so it becomes critical for potential employees to document the impact of their work and to back up their accomplishments through quantitative means. For a business to hire you they want to make sure that you are going to positively impact their business, and that means on the bottom line, are you going to make their business more profitable.
You have to have something on your resume that shows how you have positively impacted growth in one way or another. For executives or senior-level employees, personal branding has become the newest trend in the job hunt. This is a delicate process and you will need someone who understands developing a branded persona. You have to become the expert in your field.
Hopefully these tips will help you get past anything that was holding you back and put you on the road to new employment!
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Read the posts below for other great advice/ideas/tips from these top career bloggers:

How to Take the Plunge and Start Your Own Business

BlogCareer & WorkplaceJob SearchWork/Family Balance


January is the time of year when lots of ambitious entrepreneurs decide to start their business. Starting a business can be a risky proposition, but it’s always exciting to start out on your own and let yourself be the one making the decisions. In order to have a successful business venture you need the right resources and help, including checklists, tools and services you will need.

If you’re ready to take the plunge, make sure you have everything in line before your business is up and running. There is a lot of groundwork that needs to be laid before you can even find your first customer, so make sure you have everything lined up before you start your business.

  • Create your businesses identity

You need something that sets you apart, and your logo and brand image are what represents your business. They are the most recognizable, tangible part of your business. Before you start a business you need to create a unique, standout logo for your business identity.

  • Select your legal status

Depending on how your business will be structured, you will need to form a legal structure. Some of the most common legal statuses are incorporated (Inc.) and limited liability corporations (LLC). Decide what type of business model is right for you business before you begin.

  • Get some customers online

Your potential customers are out there…online. You need to create a solid website, have it submitted to search engines and even start some small advertising campaigns. If you can establish an online presence, your business will see sales in no time.

  • Paying your employees

There are payroll services available that will calculate checks and taxes; it’s one of the easiest ways to pay employees. You can find plenty of suppliers online that will make it easier to write paychecks all on your own.

  • Manage your finances, seriously!

Make sure you keep an eye out on your finances, money does not grow on trees but it sure as heck burns like them. You can blow through a pile of cash quickly without even paying any necessary bills or expenditures. Get a solid accountant or software that will manage your finances correctly.

  • Enable credit card transactions for your company

Look up some merchant services account companies. They enable you to run a credit card online, through you computer or over the phone. It’s a simple process that doesn’t require that much information from you, but really helps out with generating revenue. Most people pay for goods and services online through credit cards, they aren’t shoving cash in their modem, so make sure you have the ability to process their transaction. You might also consider PayPal as they also have merchant services for a monthly fee and a transaction fee. Your bank may also provide a merchant service with less fees (mine does… I just made the switch- what a savings!).

  • Have a brick and mortar store

If your business requires it, have a physical location, but if you’re starting an online company a website is all you need. Just have point-of-sale equipment so that you can process payments as they come through the store. Tracking and maintaining customer records allow for faster processing times, this allows you to estimate future expenditures.
Having and running your own business has its ups and downs but in the end, if answering only to yourself is a strong motivator for you, then I would say GO FOR IT!


Working from home is the goal of many people. I understand. I work from a home office as well. It is great when you don’t have to dig your vehicle out of a foot of snow to get to work in the morning, or sit in traffic for two hours on the way home. There are lots of cons as well, but that’s for another post. So, if working from home seems like the right choice for you and your family, what is the next step?

From stay-at-home moms looking to supplement the family income to entrepreneurs hoping for a chance at a better life , work from home opportunities often seem like the perfect solution. Finding a position that allows you to work from home is possible, if you know where to look and how to apply. Cutting through the scams is just the first step. As a job seeker looking for an opportunity to work from home, you must be web savvy, able to articulate your skills online and tenacious work ethic.

Finding the perfect online job means sorting through fraudulent offers and scams. Many of the most “promising” opportunities require you to invest money, sometimes several hundred dollars before gaining access to the details of the opportunity. In other cases, the opportunity, which ‘guarantee’s’ income in the thousands of dollars per month simply do not live up to the hype. The best way to avoid these types of false opportunities is to carefully search for opportunities. Instead of using keywords like ‘work from home’ use keywords and phrases like ‘telecommuting’ and ‘virtual.’ This will allow you to find real opportunities.
While many online opportunities request a real resume, most simply request you start the process by filling out a form. This presents a problem for many job seekers who are concerned with safety. Avoiding giving sensitive personal information should always be foremost in your mind. Never send information such as your social security number via online form. It is also a good idea to set up a separate email address for the purpose of online job seeking. In general, be leery of any opportunity that requests personal information early in the process.
For opportunities that request a resume, job seekers are encouraged to take advantage of all the tools at their disposal. Attaching portfolios or examples of your work is a great way to make your resume stand out. You’ll also want to add or attach a cover letter to briefly and professionally introduce yourself to the reader. No matter what the job is, highlighting organizational skills and self-motivation throughout your resume is critical as it sets you up as an ideal independent contractor.
In many cases the next step is a phone interview. Take this opportunity to highlight your personality, goals, ethics and belief system as they relate to working independently. Be sure to respond to all emails and phone calls promptly during the entire hiring process. Remember that once hired your primary contact with your employer will be via phone and email, so it’s critical to establish yourself as a prompt and courteous potential employee.
Working from home can be a viable career choice for many people, but only if they carefully select opportunities to avoid scams. Be prompt, professional and courteous in all your online dealings to increase the likelihood that you will land a plum at home job.


Many job seekers erroneously believe that searching for a job during the holiday season is a waste of time. Nothing could be further from the truth.  In fact, the holiday season, the time between Thanksgiving and the New Year, is often one of the best times to look for a new job.  This is true for several reasons.  First, there is often less competition because so many job seekers suspend their job search during these months.  Second, corporations with hiring budgets are often looking to ‘spend off’ their remaining budgets, making it easier to find an ideal position.  The key is utilizing unique opportunities available to job seekers during the holiday season and remaining positive.

For those looking for a job during the holiday’s, the following tips should be carefully reviewed and considered as part of their ‘survival guide’:

  1. Remain upbeat: Those that have been searching for a new position for an extended period of time often find their mood flagging during the holiday season.  Depression can quickly lead to wasted job seeking opportunities, so be sure to remain positive.  If needed, create a schedule for yourself, providing at least one job-seeking task each day.  Remember to treat your job search like it is a job in itself.
  2. Use holiday parties to network: You never know where the next opportunity will come from, and holiday parties offer the perfect opportunity to network and increase your visibility.  Whether attending family parties or industry events, put on your best face, be positive and network.  Holiday parties are the best opportunity for networking around.
  3. Holiday greetings: While the old ‘Merry Christmas’ cards are considered politically incorrect, Holiday Greeting cards offer the perfect opportunity to reconnect with industry contacts or potential employers.  Be sure to include your business card or contact information in the card to fully take advantage of this opportunity.
  4. Regularly review postings: Remember that as the year comes to a close, many businesses are struggling to fill open positions before their budget ‘resets.’  Keep checking classified ads and online listings and keep in close contact with your headhunter to ensure that you don’t miss any opportunities.
  5. Consider seasonal work: While seasonal work isn’t the ideal opportunity, especially for those looking for executive positions, sometimes taking a seasonal position can be beneficial.  The act of working again can do wonders for depression and if you are lucky enough to land a seasonal position in your field or industry, help keep your name visible. Oh, and might I add one very important thing: DISCOUNTS.

Don’t use the holiday season as an excuse to forgo your job seeking activities. Instead, try to remember that the months in-between Thanksgiving and the New Year can offer plum employment opportunities.  Use your survival guide to take advantage of the unique opportunities the holiday season can present.
Above all, remain committed to your job seeking activities. Failing to do so during the holidays can quickly ruin any momentum you currently have.


For any newbies to social networking, it might seem unusual to use a site such as Twitter to find a job. However, many people can find the right contacts on Twitter to help them to find a job–but it can be a little complicated in 140 characters or less? When using Twitter as a job search tool, it is best to keep content as neutral and professional as possible. Remember, as with anything you write and post online, once you “tweet” it’s out there FOREVER.

The first thing to do when starting up a Twitter account is to choose your user name wisely and word your 160-character bio in such a way that it becomes more searchable, or Google-friendly. Your bio should share a little bit about your career so that when other people look up that keyword, you can gain more traffic to your profile. An avatar will also make your profile more appealing. Choose a professional portrait or a simple picture in which you’re facing the camera and you are not accompanied by anyone else.
A basic rule of thumb when it comes to using Twitter as a job-search tool is to keep content favorable to anyone who might stumble across it – your tweets should balance your work and personal life. If you are looking for a job, you can tweet about the types of jobs in which you are interested. Also, you can tweet about your hobbies or interests so that employers get an idea of what you are like outside of work.
In that same vein, keep in mind that there are many recruiters who actually look to Twitter for new hires because it gives them something of a real-world perspective of what that person is like. In an extremely competitive economy, where plenty of people are qualified for the same job, many companies look at an applicant’s personality to see whether they would be a good fit in the company’s culture. In this case, it helps to follow these recruiters for the companies in which you are interested.
On a similar note, you can connect with these recruiters and industry leaders and show them your interest in their tweets. You can either “retweet” to forward their tweets along or you can address them directly by putting the @ symbol before their user name. By keeping in touch with these people, you will have access to the latest information in your industry. Therefore, when you are called in for a job interview, you will have that extra edge over other candidates by speaking confidently about your knowledge of their field.
Like any real-world networking situation, a Twitter presence cannot be expected to build overnight. It takes time and patience; however, by connecting with the right people, you might very well find your way to your dream career. The key to a successful Twitter profile is keeping it professional with a glimpse of your personality, hobbies and interests outside of work as well.


My brother-in-law just bought a car for my nephew off of Craigslist. I know NOTHING about Craigslist. The little I do know had negative connotations attached to it, so I decided to do some research to find out more.
While opinions differ, many believe that Craigslist can be a good place to look for jobs, as long as the job seeker takes the appropriate precautions.
Craigslist can be thought of as the biggest electronic classified site in the world. Designed to be easily searchable and typically free, it is the perfect place to advertise everything from lost pets to open positions. The simple search functions which allow users to browse local listings through clearly marked categories, makes finding a job or other service or item easy. Understanding how to make Craigslist work for a job seeker is another matter entirely.

First, realize that in most cases, potential employers can place ads for free. While there are some options that require a payment (ranging between $25.00 and $75.00), most options are free of charge. This means almost every company can advertise on Craigslist without breaking their budget. While this can be positive, it can also lead to potential scams. Understanding that not every post is legitimate and learning how to recognize a scam helps job seekers stays safe. The best way to protect yourself is to regularly review their posted information regarding scams and fraudulent advertisements and by using caution when posting a resume.
It is equally important to protect your identity. Never post full contact information. Instead, rely on a simple cell phone number or an email address. This way, job seekers can carefully evaluate open positions and offers without risking identity theft.
Next, users must understand how Craigslist works. It can be somewhat daunting to narrow down the massive database to jobs that are appealing, appropriate and located in the correct geographical area. Craigslist utilizes lists and drop down menu’s to help users drill down to the information they are looking for. By spending the time to review options and select appropriate choices, it is possible to find job postings that will work.
Craigslist can be an excellent resource for job seekers. It can be especially helpful for those looking for employment in smaller companies. Understanding not only how Craigslist works but also how to protect your identity and information is all that is needed in order to be successful with this service. Be smart about it, research and know the service before you use it.
A word of warning:  when using Craigslist, or any service, if the job sounds too good to be true, it probably is. Proceed with caution.


For those of you who have talked to me, you know that I unabashedly love LinkedIn. As social networking goes for professionals, it’s my favorite.  LinkedIn has a much cleaner interface than other sites such as MySpace, Plaxo or Facebook. Setting up a profile on LinkedIn can put your name at the top of the Google search rankings and can help you get connected and ‘be found’  in ways you might not have imagined.
LinkedIn is one of the best social networking sites to help you increase your online visibility. Because of its popularity among millions of people, the site has gained a significant presence in Google page rankings. Typically this means that when people search for your name specifically, they can find your LinkedIn profile as one of the first results. If you have a particularly common name, like mine, there are a couple of ways to help further boost your profile in Google searches.  Specifically, you should include your LinkedIn profile link in each signature you use from discussion boards to blogs to other social networking sites. You can also use your actual name in the URL you select for your profile. Or, you can differentiate yourself by what you do. My LinkedIn name is: erinkennedycprw. The “cprw” stands for Certified Professional Resume Writer and also sets me apart from the other 212 Erin Kennedy’s. Ideally, for SEO purposes, you really want to have just your name, but if it is already taken, like mine was, you have to figure out something else that will work for you.

Once you have built your profile and included your job history and experience, you can start networking. Chances are that you will find many of your colleagues, classmates, and former university instructors. You can even branch out to the people who are connected to those in your existing network. For example, if you live in Austin and your spouse’s job is requiring that you relocate to Denver, you might not have contacts there. In this case, you can tap into your network to see with whom they’re connected. Chances are that somewhere among your connections, you’ll find someone who lives and works in Denver to forward your resume.
The most important aspect of networking on LinkedIn is building that network well before you need it. Usually, the “pay it forward” concept works here – give out help before you need it yourself. Always make yourself available for LinkedIn recommendations as well as a good word toward HR when a contact wants to apply for a job at your company. By doing this, you highly increase your chances of getting your own recommendations when you need them.
There is another way to use LinkedIn to your advantage. If you know your interviewer’s name in advance, you can look up his or her profile to get an idea of what to talk about during the interview. If you find something that the two of you have in common, such as the same university or previous job, you can bring it up during the interview.  However, this should be done carefully. Only you can determine whether the tone of the interview is somewhat light or very strict. While talking about the things you have in common can help set a lighter tone, this tactic should be approached with caution.
Learning the basics of how to use LinkedIn for networking will help you maximize your networking potential. When you make yourself more visible in Google, make connections with your contacts’ networks and use LinkedIn for research, you can find your way to the next big opportunity.


Although the Internet has been a boon to networking over the past decade or so, there is something to be said for a face-to-face networking over business lunches or trade shows. Adding a personal touch that might be missing from cold emails and Twitter, a lunch with a colleague can be an invaluable tool for you to use for everything from job leads to getting advice about a venture or idea. Trade shows offer the chance to speak with peers in your field. They know that you are interested in finding a place of employment.

People are more apt to share more personal details, and are definitely better able to read you as a person when sitting across from you at a business lunch, or spending a little time with you at a trade show. The chance to understand a person’s inflections, and gauge their sense of humor (or lack thereof), their personal foibles and idiosyncrasies or how much you might even want to engage with them outside the business milieu can only be had in a face-to-face encounter.
There are certain protocols involved when you are considering networking through business lunches or trade shows. Some are common courtesy: such as not interrupting a vendor while he’s currently dealing with a peer or customer. Wait for your opportunity to introduce yourself with a firm handshake and a business card, and get to know the person a little bit before you dive right into a lunch invitation. You might find that after a little personal interaction that you are no longer interested in getting to know someone better, or it might cement in your mind that this is someone to get on your side. Be interested in their products or sales pitch (it’s a hard, sometimes thankless job working a trade show), and ask pertinent questions.
Know that once you’ve proffered a lunch invitation to a potential networking connection, he or she may not want to talk business. Trade shows often carry with them grueling schedules, and lunch may be one of your new contact’s only break in the day.
You might consider making initial contact through the trade show venue, then following up with a lunch invitation. Be sure to let your contact know the agenda of lunch; don’t lull them into thinking a personal relationship or friendship is on the table when you’re really looking for a networking or job opportunity. Be sure to propose a firm date and time, with the offer of alternatives available. When you are networking through business lunches or trade shows do not invite anyone other than the main person (i.e., don’t show up with coworkers, or your girlfriend). Be prompt, be appropriately dressed, be courteous, and thank your invitee for their time. Once you have had lunch, remember, it is up to you to pick up the check, even if they insist. You certainly wouldn’t be impressed if you were invited to lunch and were expected to either pay or go halves; neither will they.