Part of the Career Collective series. Please see end of this post.
Are you the type of job seeker that cannot decipher effective advice from myths? Are you old school and reluctant to change with times and implement new job search tactics?
Don't fool yourself into thinking everything remains the same! As far as myths, let's clarify a few. Shall we?
You Can Write Your Own Resume -- No. You shouldn't! Unless you have a network of career professionals to advise you, access to unlimited resources in the career and resume writing industry, or you write resumes daily, tackling the different challenges in positioning a job seeker and overcoming weakness -- you cannot! You have invested in your education and career, why wouldn't you invest in the presentation of those earlier investments? Don't do yourself a disservice.
Cover Letters Get Tossed-- If you write a cover letter like an ordinary memorandum, then it surely might wind up in the shredder. However, a cover letter that makes a personal connection, ignites interest in order to guide the reader to the main event (the resume) will never be overlooked. When an employer is "on the fence" about you -- a persuasive cover letter will nudge that decision-maker into your backyard!
Thank You Letters Are Pointless-- Everyone likes to be thanked. What they don't like is reading long-winded letters drowned in empty gestures. Strategize and leverage the opportunity of the thank you letter to persuade and reinforce.
You Don't Need Your Brand Online --Eh! Wrong! Not only do you need an online presence but it has to be coordinated with all your other job search tools. If you are not online -- you are not up to speed or a "hot" candidate. Why would someone hire you over another person than can execute the job but who is also curious, proactive, technology, and social media savvy? Besides, they WILL Google You--control what your future employers will learn about you. Mold and control your brand.
More tips to help enlighten you, empower you, and protect you from becoming a "fool" during your Job search by the Career Collective members. Follow our hash tag on Twitter #careercollective
The April, 2010, Career Collective Links
10 Ways to Tell if Your Job Search is a Joke, @careerealism
April Fool’s Day – Who’s Fooling Who?, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes
If It’s Not You and It’s Not True, You’re Fooling Yourself, @GayleHoward
Don’t Kid Yourself! (The Person You See in the Mirror is a Good Hire), @chandlee
Avoiding the Most Common Blunder, @jobhuntorg
Are you fooling yourself? Bored at work? Is it your own fault?, @keppie_careers
Hey, Job Seeker — Don’t Be a Fool!, @resumeservice
Job Search Is No Joking Matter, @careersherpa
Is Your #Career in Recovery or Retreat? (All Joking Aside), @KCCareerCoach
9 Ways You Might Be Fooling Yourself About Your Job Search, @heatherhuhman
Don’t get tricked by these 3 job search blunders, @LaurieBerenson
Trying to hard to be nobody’s fool?, @WorkWithIllness
It’s not all about you, @DawnBugni
Mirror ‘their’ needs, not ‘your’ wants in #jobsearch, @ValueIntoWords
Stop Fooling Yourself about your Job Hunt: Things you may be doing to sabotage yourself – @erinkennedycprw
Same as it ever was – @walterakana
Don’t be fooled. Avoid these – @kat_hansen
Job Seekers: You Are Fooling Yourself ..@barbarasafani
