02 Oct
9 Easily Avoidable Interview Blunders
There is no shortage of articles “how to succeed” in job interviews. You can find advice on how to answer tough questions, suggestions on what to wear and everything else in between. But, sometimes looking at other people’s mistakes can be an even better lesson.
With this in mind, I asked recruiters and hiring managers to send me some “Interview Bloopers” things that made them stop and say “I can’t believe that he or she just did that!” Having worked in the career field for over a decade I’ve heard a lot of stories about inappropriate behavior by candidates. But, some of the submissions, including one candidate’s obsession with reality TV, shocked even me.
While some of these stories may make you chuckle, they should also serve as cautionary tales.
25 Sep
5 Ways To Be Remembered (In A Good Way)
In our competitive job market, many candidates are competing for each position. There is only one winner and there’s no prize for second place.
Everyone looking for a job has heard that it’s important to send a thank you note. But the percentage who follow through is small.
That means, sending a thank you note is a sure way to stand out in a positive way.
It’s one of the quickest, and easiest, ways to get an employer’s attention. To keep you top-of-mind once the interview is over.
Here are 5 ways to make sure you continue to be remembered in a good way.
#1 Act Fast
Send a thank you ASAP. Try to email a note as soon as you can. Have a thank you template that you can revise as needed depending on the specific job interview. Unless your handwriting is illegible you might want to follow up with a handwritten note as well. When was the last time you received anything besides a business letter in the office mail?
09 Sep
The Reason Your Resume Isn’t Generating (The Right) Calls
One of the biggest differences between a resume or LinkedIn profile written by a professional and one that you write for yourself is that professional writers begin by developing a strategy. This strategy helps them decide what information will be included in your resume and how it will be presented.
Perhaps the best way to illustrate what I mean by strategy is to provide an example that demonstrates a lack of strategy. Otherwise known as how most people create their career documents.
12 Aug
6 Common Job Search Myths (And How To Shatter Them)
There’s a lot of career advice online. I’ve certainly written my share. Despite all the easily accessible career information, several myths seem to remain.
The most obvious is that the best way to find a job is to apply for as many employment ads as possible. It’s not. Spending all day working the job boards is unlikely to land you a job.
Creating a list of target employers and strategically networking your way into the company will yield better results.
Here are 6 common job search myths that continue to persist.
#1 You can’t get a job through social media.
While you may not get hired by sending a tweet, employers are increasingly turning to social media for recruiting purposes. Corporate and contingency recruiters have been on social media for years. Many post jobs on LinkedIn, Facebook, and even twitter.
08 Aug
2 Phrases That Will Sabotage Your Resume
Generally, there are two things that mark a not so great resume. Poor content and lack of style. While an eye-catching resume can help you stand out from the crowd, without compelling content it’s unlikely that anyone will be inspired to contact you.
The hallmark of most poorly written resumes are the phrases “responsible for” and “duties included.”
People mistakenly believe that saying that they are responsible for managing a team or running a department or overseeing a large sales territory will impress the reader.
Not so.
Being responsible for something doesn’t show impact.
For example, if you’re a VP of Sales you may be responsible for opening new markets. But, what does that actually mean?
19 Jul
5 Ways To Tap Into The Hidden Job Market
You’ve probably heard that many jobs aren’t advertised. That’s true. And even when jobs are advertised, candidates who come in as a referral have a better chance of landing the job. As the adage goes: People like to hire people they know and like.
So the best way to find a new opportunity is to have a strong, robust network. People who can help get your resume in front of your target employers. People who will think of you when the type of position you’re looking for opens.
Here are 6 ways to tap into that hidden job market.
#1 Target Employers
Yes, applying to jobs online should be 1 part of your job search. However, sitting at the computer all day responding to online jobs is not the most effective way to conduct a job search. Before you begin your job search, create a list of 10 to 15 target employers.
12 Jul
4 Ways To Increase Your LinkedIn Connections
LinkedIn connections are valuable for several reasons. Building your connections expands your network. Having a larger network means you have more 2nd degree connections which gives you the opportunity to view a lot more profiles.
And maybe more importantly, it allows a lot more people to view your profile as well.
For example, potential employers who might want to learn more about you.
Another reason to increase your number of connections is perception. If you work in sales, marketing, or public relations, for example, potential employers will be looking at the size of your network. If you have 154 connections on LinkedIn they may wonder how much of a network you actually have.
So how can you build your LinkedIn network?
13 Jun
How To Write A Resume That Generates Calls
There are a several elements that make one resume more effective than another. First, a resume needs to grab the reader’s attention. It needs to present what the candidate has to offer right up front. It also needs to sell the candidate to the recruiter and hiring manager.
A 2012 study done by TheLadders found that you need to get a recruiters attention fast. The results of their eye-scanning study showed that recruiters made a yes or no decision in less than 6 seconds.
29 May
3 Ways To Get Hired Using Social Media
Barely a week goes by without news of someone getting fired over a post on social media. Some are truly horrific, like the bankers who were fired because they thought it would be fun to reenact a beheading. Others are merely stupid, like the Colorado teacher who was canned after posting racy tweets.
But, what you may not realize is that inappropriate behavior on social media can also keep you from getting hired in the first place.
Today 52 percent of employers are investigating candidates online as part of the hiring process, up from 43 percent in 2014, and 39 percent in 2013 according to a 2015 report from CareerBuilder. In the study, 48 percent of employers who reported researching candidates on social media said that something they found caused them not to hire the candidate.
What turns employers off?
16 May
Does Your LinkedIn Profile Look Outdated?
As you probably know, LinkedIn has rolled out a new user interface. Some things are gone, like the Advice for Contacting section. This makes it a bit trickier to make it easy for people to contact you, if you’re conducting a confidential job search.
But, there are also new sections that make it easier for you to showcase your brand. For example, the opportunity to insert a background photo.
Unfortunately, just as with their LinkedIn headline, many users leave LinkedIn’s default background shot.
Why?
Inserting a personal background photo on your LinkedIn profile is as simple as putting a cover shot on your Facebook page. And it serves a similar purpose.
It gives readers a chance to immediately learn a bit about you.
Beyond that, leaving the default background shot makes you appear outdated and lacking technological savvy.
Here are a few ways to update your LinkedIn profile today,