Executive & Professional Resume Writing Services

Job Seeker, Are You Crazy? American Idol Encourages It!

I have said it many times before and I will say it, here, again…you have to be willing to stand apart from the job search mob by daring to break the norm and differentiate yourself. Try the new, the fresh—take a chance. Will someone think a resume without an Objective is just crazy? Maybe. Will your friends advise you against a personal branding statement on your resume because that is just not done? Perhaps. If you call a company and ask if they are willing to review your resume will they think you are just insane for soliciting them? They might. But these tactics work! Call them crazy if you’d like but ‘crazy’ worked her for Paul McDonald of American Idol. And a little job search ‘craziness’ will work for you too.

Back story: Paul is a contestant on American Idol who has a very unique voice. (God bless his quirky talent.) Some love his voice—others hate it (what can you do? Se la vi). His special voice helped him capture a strong start in the competition. However, his past two performances were not the type that would help him survive much longer. So, what say his advisors Jimmy Lovine and Will.i.am Paul carry out in order to secure a position for next week? “Sing it like you are out of your…mind,” they said to Paul. Of course, upon hearing this most people would think, are these guys serious!? They want me to make a fool of myself? But not Paul. Nope. He did exactly as the EXPERTS advised him—and—his performance was wonderful! (Don’t agree? I bet he is safe from elimination this week and we will see him next week on American Idol.)

Lesson: Next time your job search coach/resume writer advises you go a little ‘crazy’ and, well, let’s see… trash your old, boring, safe, and mundane resume—listen to them. If they ask you to have a little trust in their expertise…you know what you must do? You get out of your comfort zone—and, yes—listen to them.

Check out the ‘crazy’ performance below. Enjoy. (Sometimes ‘crazy’ is not insane but just different enough to spark an unexpected reaction.)

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
careersteering.com

Valentine’s Day: Employer, Be Mine.

On Valentine’s Day we share many heartfelt expressions with our loved ones. We tell them how wonderful they are; how much we appreciate them, that they make our lives better, that we can’t live without them and so forth. And that is wonderful! But, today it is an even more special Valentine’s Day because I would like you to perform an exercise to help you sprinkle some Valentine’s Day ‘love’ on your job search campaign.

 

 

Why Are You So Special?

Print out your resume and walk away from the computer (after reading the next steps, of course). Find a comfortable, feel-great area in your home. Grab a pen (yes you can live without your computer for a few minutes) and revisit each one of your employments beginning with the oldest.

Now, on the resume or on a separate sheet of paper write the answer to the following:

1. Why was I hired for this position? (What did they need? What was the issue they were facing and needed to solve?)

2. How did I become special to this employer beyond executing my daily role?

3. What wonderful things did others say about me at work?

4. When I ended my tenure with this company, who was “heartbroken" and why?

5. What was the most pressing duty/issue that worried me as I handed the reins over to my successor?

6. What did I bring from that experience to my next job/career that helped me succeed?

7. What one specific example can I use from this tenure to prove my value to others?

8. Overall, after reviewing my entire career, what am I most proud of?

www.careersteering.com

 

You Don’t Need Cupid to Package Yourself

After you perform this exercise, I would like you to reflect on how valuable you have been to  your colleagues and your bosses. It is not enough to know you were great. You must be ready to reference specific examples and interpret the value offer for your employer.

What can you do with the answers to this Valentine’s Day exercise?  Right away, begin to edit your resume so that each employment begins with a ‘hook, line, and sinker’ followed by an enthralling story and not mundane job descriptions. Then, bring this new resume to an interview so that you know how to “sell” your unique value and make your employer fall in love with the promise of the right candidate.

 

Happy Valentine’s Day!

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer

Favorite 2010 Career Posts and Tweets

Follow the hash tag #Favorite2010 during the month of December

As we close this year of 2010, I wanted to bring you, the leading careerist of 2011, some of best that I have come across via my involvement in social media and career related networking.

There were too many great articles, tweets, and blog post to list here, and I am sure that I have missed some. So, I need your help. If you are a career professional and believe your favorite tweet, blog post, or article can help others, please feel free to include it in your post comment.

 

Job seekers/careerist if you have found information that you believe is helpful to others, please post it as well. Here are a few Favorite from some of my closest Twitter and FB (Facebook) colleagues who contribute their wisdom every day to help you have a successful job hunt.

 

 

 

Career Pros You Must Follow on Twitter: 

Career Pros On Twitter

 

 

 

Blog Posts:

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter

What Would Hemingway Do? | Career Trend http://goo.gl/vXMj3  by @valueintowords

 

Dawn Bugni
There is no such thing as “Just” http://bit.ly/fRmeEh  by @DawnBugni

 

August Cohen 
Resolution for the new year http://goo.gl/CUKTs  by @resume_writer  

Kris Plantrich
ResumeWonders' Blog » Networking and My Gardens http://goo.gl/17LiS  by @KrisPlantrich

 
Cindy Kraft
CPA CFO vs. Non-CPA CFO | CFO Coach http://goo.gl/ZhJUl  by @CFOCoach

Gayle Howard
When advice can be too much: The Great #Resume Truth http://bit.ly/bJ5lpU by @GayleHoward

Ilona Vanderwoude
Are You a “Jack-of-all-trades, Master of none?” by @CareerBranches http://goo.gl/xloxy

 

Erin Kennedy
What do the Olympics have to do with your JOBSEARCH? http://bit.ly/aJpO4j by @ErinKennedyCPRW

  

Phyllis Mufson
The Boomer #JobSearch Advantage http://bit.ly/6u69hX by @phyllismufson via @JobHuntOrg

 

Tim Tyrell-Smith
10 Ways To Penetrate Your Target Companies http://t.co/y7lDqmg by @TimsStrategy

Miriam Salpeter
5 ways to market your skills across industries when no one is hiring by @Keppie_Careers http://goo.gl/oj1mj

 

Harry Urschel
The job application process… and how to break through! http://goo.gl/4RWqR by @eExecutives

 

Career Sherpa
RT @careersherpa: Interviewing is an exchange of information! http://bit.ly/cL9GO4

 

Susan Ireland
Susan Ireland's Job Lounge: What Makes an Executive Resume Different From Professional Resumes? http://bit.ly/9wLSm0

Julie Walraven
8+ tips to improve your online applications  http://bit.ly/dsRoXQ by @juliewalraven:

 

 

 

 

 

Favorite Tweets

Susan Whitcomb
RT @SusanWhitcomb #JobSearch Tip: When using an online assessment, pay close attention to areas with low scores as well as high scores.

Darryl Dioso
RT @DarrylRMSG Sometimes it's best not 2 use acronyms: Letter rec'vd: "Cold call & introduce clients to SH IT solutions".

PRT @DarrylRMSG Proof ur #resume and proof again. Today's unfortunate error - "Resume for the perfext candidate"

 

Daisy Wright
Don’t Quit: The more No’s you get the closer you are to Yes! Hang in there and never give up. RT @careertips2go

RT @CareerTips2Go Your #resume is a fluid document...it must constantly be adapted to fit the job requirements. Another #fave2010

Maureen MCCann
@mypromotion #jobseekers: DEFINE what u need to be successful in your #jobsearch, then ask yourself “who do I know” who can help?

RT @mypromotion You are an awesome employee / manager / entrepreneur, right? Besides you, who else knows about this? #FAVE2010

Martin Buckland
RT @MartinBuckland: Don't embellish in a resume, just make yourself look super sexy!

Jackie Yun
RT @JackieYunTweets: #Focus RT @WalkingWil Do u have too many things going on in ur life to pay much attention to any one of them?

RT @JackieYunTweets: RT @joannapaterson: Making Time to Be Conscious of Treasure http://fb.me/DlpLHMuw

For more fantastic career and job search tweets please follow the hash tag on Twitter #FAVE2010 and/or see below:

Halloween Caution: Job Seeker Horror

Part of the Career Collective monthly posts series, please see end of this post….

 

Yes, it is Halloween and although it is much fun to dress up in spooky costumes —It is no time to become creepy and scare your job opportunities away! So, consider yourself cautioned and do everything you can to not transform into one of these frightful of job seekers….Muahahahahaha!

 

Vampire

Trick: Sucking the life out of your contacts (networking leads, hiring managers, recruiters) with excessive follow up (stalking) is a huge NO! While you may perceive this as persistence, your “prey” will not.  You will become a nightmare and will find yourself in the darkness of an endless job search for a long time…

Treat: Follow up with an unthreatening Thank You Letter to recruiters and hiring managers; stay connected with your network by being present in a conversation or by offering assistance.

 

 

Zombie

Trick: A two-way and intellectual conversation is imperative during the job interview. Don’t just show up, nod in agreement, answer briefly, and fail to offer intelligent insights, or to display enthusiasm over the company’s needs and direction. Do this and a “coffin” will be your permanent cubicle. 

Treat: Research the corporation before you get there. Learn something about them and ask questions, positioning yourself to impress with great and other-candidate-distancing answers.

 

 

 

Mummy

Trick: Don’t preserve your old self! Some job seekers are stuck in their old patterns of job searching and technology skills; they think their MS-Dos skills are still attractive. No way!

Treat: Perusing job ads, reading qualifications, matching requirements, and taking steps to ensure your computer skills, leadership, and overall competencies are up to date is crucial. Learn social media branding; your online image matters. Unwrap those linens and circle to 2010, would you?

 
 

Now , Go Have Some FUN with your Job Search. Here is another treat for you this HALLOWEEN!

 www.careersteering.com

 

 

 

Part of the Career Collective monthly post. Please follow the links below for more career advice from top career professionals.

 

Where Are the Wild Things, Anyway?, @WorkWithIllness

Is Your Job Search Making You Feel Like a Smashed Pumpkin?, @DebraWheatman

Hiding in Plain Sight, @WalterAkana,

Don't make these frightful resume mistakes, @LaurieBerenson

How Not to Be a Spooky Job Seeker, @heathermundell

A Tombstone Resume:Eulogizing Your Experience, @GayleHoward

The Top Ten Scary Things Job Seekers Do, @barbarasafani

Oh, Job Search Isn't Like Trick or Treating?, @careersherpa

A Most Unfortunate Resume Mistake No One Will Tell You, @chandlee

Oh no. Not the phone!, @DawnBugni

Halloween Caution: Job Seeker Horror, @resumeservice

Boo! Are you scaring away opportunities or the competition? @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

Your Career Brand: A Scary Trick or an Appealing Treat?, @KCCareerCoach

How to avoid mistakes on your resume, @Keppie_Careers

Sc-sc-scary Resume Mistakes, @erinkennedycprw

A Flawed Resume is a Scary Prospect, @KatCareerGal

Job Search Angst: Like Clouds Mounting Before a Storm, @ValueIntoWords

Does Your Career Costume Fit You?, @expatcoachmegan

 

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer

Save Your Job Search: Change Your Negative Internal Dialogue

Lack of Confidence Can Hinder Your Job Search

If you are feeling defeated because you have done all you can do, have interviewed, and a new job has not  manifested for you, examine your internal dialogue. Yes, put down the resume, halt the job searching, and join me in this deep-dive exercise of exploring your thoughts…

What are your beliefs about your candidacy? What "vibe" are you transmitting during your phone interview, exuding through your body language, projecting with your attire selection, and reinforcing via your marketing documents?

 

Others Can Sense Your Lack of Self-Assurance

Lack of confidence can be 'smelled' a mile away. Negativity, cynicism, and a 'poor-me' attitude is not attractive at all--no matter how you try to mask it.

   

Open the Floodgates of Interview Offers

While it may seem too simple and bordering on just "self-help" talk, the beliefs we hold about ourselves are fundamental in our success. The concept of reversing negative internal narrative not just during a job search but also in your everyday life, yes, seems simple. However, actually changing what you are thinking, feeling, and exuding is not—but it can absolutely be done (more on this later). I guarantee that if you have lost the job offer, perhaps even during a second interview, the person who got hired sold their qualifications with more confidence, was more persuasiveness in promoting their value, and closed the deal (job) by assertively reassuring the employer that they were the best choice!

   

Possible Reasons for Your (sometimes) Hard-To-Detect Negative Self-Talk

The following could fuel consistent negative beliefs about your value, your opportunities, and your expectations:

   

1. Shame in losing your job. No need to be ashamed, it happens to everyone at least once. We cannot control what happens in the world and often we cannot control events in our lives. Nevertheless, we CAN control our reaction to what happens to us and we can DECIDE to take action.

   

 2. Internalizing past failures. "Success builds character, failure reveals it" ~Dave Checkett. Enough said? Well, just in case: judging yourself for past failures builds a false self-image. Understanding that failure is part of trying and that while owning up to your failures nurtures intellectual and emotional growth--defining yourself by your failures, does not.

 

 3. Desperation. Understandably, if you have been out of work for a very long time, creditors are calling you, and your funds are now very limited, you can easily find yourself in a desperate-feeling place. Yet, I encourage you to adopt a new attitude. Employers need you. So, while you are out there distributing resumes and interviewing--interview them! Mmm hmm, that's right. You interview them. Turning the tables around (tactfully) will position you in a 'power' place and not a 'victim' place. (After all, you are bringing this corporation into your life for more than 40 hours a week.)

 

4. Habit. This is probably the #1 reason we all do a little self-berating on a daily basis. Pretty much, we experience disappointment, become frustrated, angry, and sometimes need to justify what has occurred. Make a conscious choice to be kind to yourself, coach yourself, and pay attention to what you could be saying to yourself; because negative beliefs can make their way onto the visible aspects of your job search.

   

Begin Today to Change the Direction of Your Thoughts and Job Search

No matter what strategic job search plan or marketing pitch you have in place, if you cannot convince your prospective employer to hire you, your self-marketing tools are pointless. Know this: You cannot sell what you do not believe in and you cannot energize others to believe in you when YOU lack that type of enthusiasm in your own services. (Moreover, it feels good to recognize how good you really are.)

So, begin to take notice, write down all the reasons why you believe your job search is not fruitful, what your weaknesses are, why you think you are NOT the best candidate and then eradicate that thinking. Replace it with positive self-talk and substantiate it with achievements. Ironically, exploring your negative dialogue and reversing it can lead you to your UVP (unique value proposition).

 

   

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Executive Resume Writer
Quadruple-Certified Resume Writer

www.careersteering.com

Jump Start Your Job Search Now!

Part of the Career Collective series. Please see end of this post.

Right now, at this very moment, you can begin to take action and fire up your job search by leveraging tools and resources that will help you outdistance other job seekers.

Sounds too fantastic? Take a look at the following resources, develop a game plan, and then launch a stronger job search campaign. In no time, you’ll be thankful and excited about new job opportunities that seemed to have come from nowhere!

Resume: A polished, marketing-oriented, and differentiating resume is pivotal. There are many resources online to teach you how to write your own resume, but if you do not want to go at it alone (I don’t blame you. It is quite impossible for you to overnight gain the skills necessary to craft a resume that will beat your competition), hire an expert. Check out Career Collective Experts and Master Resume Writers.


Career Coaching: Employ a career coach to assist you. No matter how fantastic your job search tool kit is, you must know how to use it. Ask your resume writer to help you or to recommend someone who can. We, experts, got you covered! You can also check out: http://www.certifiedcareercoaches.com/

Online Job Search Sites: Don’t limit your job search to online only. However, job searching online should not be neglected. Here are the top online sites I recommend, Indeed.com, SimplyHired.com, Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com.

Online Brand: Developing an online presence is essential. Employers will Google you! Here are the most popular social networking sites and where you should begin. LinkedIn, Twitter, Visualcv.com, Beyond.com

Twitter Starter Kit: Once you set up your Twitter account, whom do you follow in order to ensure you receive the best advice? Start with these experts. Follow Career Experts as well on Twitter: http://bit.ly/10Tuqo | | http://bit.ly/4BzdyK

LinkedIn Groups: There are information-driven and support groups on LinkedIn.  See Careerrocketeer’s list and I recommend: Spin Strategy™

Read Blogs and Career Oriented Sites: Here are a few of my favorites:  Careercollective.net, Jobmob.com, Careerealism.com, Resumebear, Careerrocketeer and also look up some of the top sites at Alltop.com and at RiseSmart. 

Create Network Cards: Be ready to capitalize on any job lead. Prepare network cards.

Additional Resources:The following list will help you with career development, offer you guidance, and often provide links to other resourceful sites.

Rileyguide.com

Recruiterreqsjobseekers.ning.com/

Job-hunt.org

Womenforhire.com

Google.com/Top/Business/Employment/Job_Search/

Jobhuntersbible.com

Careeronestop.org

About.com/careers

Blogtalkradio.com/categories/Jobs/mostpopular

WorkForce One

Recruiters & Headhunters

 

Salary Negotiation: Before you walk into your job interview, research current salary ranges.

Salary.com

Payscale.com

Salaryexpert.com

Salarynegotiations.com

 

Ask For Support! Don’t be too proud to ask your friends and family for support, guidance, leads. If you get really down reach out to those in your community, church, or any person close to you. We all want to help.

If you know someone who has been out of work for a while, and is showing signs of needing emergency counsel, please provide them with this number (800) 273-TALK (8255).

Good luck!

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Quadruple Certified Resume Writer

www.careersteering.com

 

*********************************************************************

Please visit other Career Collective members' blog post providing you with job search resources. Also, please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective.

If your industry does not participate online, you can lead the way, @Keppie_Careers

6 Ideas to Put In Your Toolbox, @WorkWithIllness,

Your Best Job Search Resource? You!, @WalterAkana

In a Job Search, Knowledge is Power, @barbarasafani

Jump Start Your Job Search Now!, @resumeservice

Favorite Resources for Jobseekers, @GayleHoward

The Best Job Search Tool Ever, @careersherpa

Find What You Do Best, Know Your Stuff, and Connect, @chandlee

27 Recommended Blogs for Entry-Level Job Seekers, @heatherhuhman

Invaluable Resources for Job Search Success, @heathermundell

Favorite Social-Media Resources for Job-seekers, @KatCareerGal

Canadian Resources for Job Seekers, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland

A Self-Empowering Job Search Resource, @KCCareerCoach

Covering your bases: 5 ultra-useful online career resources, @LaurieBerenson

Favorite resources for Job seekers, @DawnBugni

Top 3 Resources for Job Seekers to Position Themselves as Experts and Increase their Visibility, @expatcoachmegan

Time as a Career Resource: How "Not" to Squander It, @ValueIntoWords

Favorite Internet Resources for Jobseekers, @ErinKennedyCPRW

The Facts Behind Why LinkUp Is the Most Revolutionary Job Search Engine Available to Job Seekers, @GLHoffman

 

Add LinkedIn Power to Your Job Search Arsenal – Part 1

You set up your LinkedIn and now you are waiting for someone to contact you, tell you how wonderful they think you are, and that you’re perfect for a job lead they have! (Yeah. Right.) If only it were that simple. LinkedIn is one social media tool to network online and create more opportunities. There is much more to successfully gaining a job lead online than “setting up tent.” But, for now, let’s explore how you can improve your LinkedIn today!

 

Include Keywords in the Profile:  In order to improve the chances for someone in your target industry to locate you, incorporate keywords (industry relevant nouns/noun phrases and the target job title) into the Professional Headline. When someone conducts an internal LinkedIn search, preferably your profile should result in the first three pages. So, let us assume you are a Commodity Manager, if you have included this job title and other keywords, your profile should be prominently positioned within the first few result pages.

Customize Your Website Links: Instead of using the default categories/titles for links, create a customized link name with keywords. You should select these keywords based on your target job title. For Example: Commodity Manager Website or Commodity Management Resume.

Make Your Resume Available for Download: You can either host your resume outside of LinkedIn and then link to it or you can use the box.net feature. Yes. Your LinkedIn profile can be printed as a PDF straight from the LinkedIn interface; however, you should never just repurpose your resume on LinkedIn. If you decide to make your resume available for download, I recommend you upload a PDF and protect it. Please read more about that here: Resume Security Protect Your Digital Docs.

Integrate Your Tweets into Your LinkedIn Profile: Join your Twitter and LinkedIn account. Learn how here.  But beware; stay on topic, professional, and employer conscious when tweeting. You can set the application to only include tweets with the #in hash tag; this will prevent your "off-topic" tweets from appearing on your LInkedIn profile. Note: LinkedIn has great SEO power and usually results on the first page of Google.

Add a Picture or a Personal Logo: Don’t leave that area blank. If you don’t have a professional head shot, get one! If you are camera shy, invest in a personal logo--but, project professionalism visually--you must!

Here are a few more pointers to take your LinkedIn from ho-hum to FANTASTIC

• Your summary should begin with skills and competencies offered. Author it in a conversational tone; write it friendlier and social as opposed to common biographies.
   
• Notify your network that you are STILL job searching by updating your status on a weekly basis: e.g., “Offering expertise in 3d modeling in the Orlando area.”
  
  
• Make sure there are no spelling errors: If you must create your content outside of LinkedIn and then copy and paste, do so. It is worth the added security of a good spell checker.
  
  
• Write compelling content: Just because LinkedIn looks good doesn’t mean you don’t have to place any effort in the copy (marketing).
  

 

Remember that all the tools and strategies you implement are a part of a bigger whole in your job search arsenal. Leverage all your tools and ensure you are projecting consistency and employer focus throughout all your marketing collaterals (resume, online profiles, etc.).

Sign up for this blog. Part two of this post will cover recommendations, how to deal with job history (what to include), LinkedIn groups, and adding additional multi-media to power up your LinkedIn profile.

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
Quadruple-Certified Resume Writer

 

 

Networking? Ugh!

Part of the Career Collective series. Please see end of this post.

You've heard it before, "Network in order to optimize your job search."  But, what do you do when you are not a social butterfly? It is not as difficult as it seems. Once you get your 'feet wet' it can be fun. 

 

 

First, the Objective:

The idea is to meet/reconnect with as many people you can in your desired industry, make a connection, gain their trust, cultivate the relationship, and earn a good job lead.

 

Second, the Reasoning:

There are many job seekers vying for the same job ad and so you are at the mercy of the one doing the searching. However, networking places you in a position of power in which you can create opportunities. By connecting with others, you will gain access to those on the ‘inside’ or those close to the ones on the ‘inside’ and you will be able to learn of opportunities not yet advertised. Perhaps, you will learn of a certain company’s need to solve a problem and you might just be the one with a solution.

Networking can be compared to researching (just a bit more fun); you are out there in the world or in cyberspace, gathering information, filtering through leads, and identifying the what, who, and where—so you present an unsolicited proposal for your employment.

 

Third, the Strategy:

• Be aggressive but polite. Employ all strategies available to you (in person, online). You can network online via     .  In person, you can join associations, go to industry-relevant events. Oh, and volunteer. Yes!
  
  
• Value every contact whether they provide you a job lead or not. Engage, listen, and help them. Keep track of whom you have met, where you have met them, and keep notes on what most impressed you about them. Follow up and thank everyone that attempts to help you.
  
  
• Be prepared. Set up all your online social profiles before you set out to network. Carry networking cards. Networking cards are just that, business-size cards that include your contact information and on the back this card will include your ‘elevator’ pitch, (UVP) unique value proposition, or a snippet of your resume.

 

Last, Overcoming Fear:

Dreading to network is common because you are navigating outside of your comfort zone but also because you are networking with an end-result in mind…well, don’t! Huh? Isn’t the whole point to gain a lead?  Yes, it is true that you are networking in hopes to gain a lead but that should never be your only focus.

Here are a few things you should focus on while you network, which will help calm your anxiety and help you enjoy the process a bit more.

• Meet and Help Others. Perhaps you are in a better position than you realize. Offer your industry knowledge and assistance. This is an excellent way to ‘break the ice,’ feel good about yourself, and enjoy the process as opposed to frantically zero in on an end result. People will sense your frustration and your ‘ulterior’ motives, which will not help you; plus, I know it is not your intention to use others.
• Learn. When you think you know everything, well you just never know enough! This is the time to learn from others, share what you are learning, and seek to learn more.
  
  
• Have a good time with old friends. Reconnect with those you lost touch with since you have been working so much. Not only will you raise your feel-good energy and fuel your positive thinking but you will rebuild those connections that add happiness to your life.

 

If you employ the above steps, even if it makes you uncomfortable, you will soon be comfortable in your new zone—guaranteed!  Networking means sharing…and sharing often encourages others to share with you.

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
Quadruple Certified Resume Writer

 

 

Please visit other Career Collective members' blog post regarding Networking. Also, please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective.

5 Little Secrets About Networking, @Careersherpa

Networking: Easy as 1, 2 , 3, @WorkWithIllness

How to Take the Intimidation Out of Networking, @heathermundell

Networking for the Shy and Introverted, @KatCareerGal

A tale of two networkers, @DawnBugni

Introvert or Extrovert: Tips for the Job Search No Matter Which 'Vert' You Are, @erinkennedycprw

Networking for Job Candidates Who Hate Networking, @heatherhuhman

Networking? Ugh! @resumeservice

Network, Network, Network, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

3 ways to make networking fun for introverts and extroverts, @Keppie_Careers

Grow Your Career Networking Seeds Organically, @ValueIntoWords

Networking: It's a Way of Life, @WalterAkana

Social Media Networking & Your Career, @GayleHoward

Networking for the Networking-Phobic, @JobHuntOrg

Networking: Why Who You Know Doesn't Count, @Chandlee

 

Help! I Can’t Land An Interview

The bills are piling up. It has been months since you lost your job. You are becoming extremely concerned. You feel as if you have done everything you can to secure a new job opportunity but nothing has become fruitful-- not even a job interview.

If this sounds familiar, don’t despair. I sympathize and many, unfortunately, are in your situation. Ironically, although the job market is challenged, usually there are blocks in a job search. Let’s discuss possible obstacles that could be wedging themselves in-between you and your new job. 

 

Your Resume Does Not Outdistance Others:
Contrary to what you have been taught and what you have been practicing in the craftsmanship of your resume—a resume is not the place to dump your entire career life. Because it IS a marketing tool, it must be visually enticing, and the content so compelling that it ignites action and quickly.  

How? In order for YOU to create the need for an employer to call you and not others, there has to be something about your resume that captures interest over the rest and that infuses the reader with the desire to know more about you (hence, creating the need to call you). This is key as many job seekers write their resume by including ALL their information and then think, “hey, this is a pretty decent resume.”

My questions to you: Does your resume promise results and offer differentiating value over others who are also qualified? And does it convey this in the most interesting, unique, and succinct manner possible? What is in your marketing dossier that has revealed a gem, an added value, a 'je ne se qua' that no one else has listed? Or in a manner that no one else has told it?

Think about this: How is your employer to choose you if you sound just like the other thousands of applicants who have a pretty decent resume too? Luck?

 

The Jobs Are Wrong for You: Part of  a successful job search is perusing job ads and identifying which you are an ideal match for-- Not, “I could do this.” That is not enough. Remember, there are many people unemployed now. Why would an employer settle for less? You must be the ideal candidate. Take the time to study the job ads, review the requirements, match their needs with your skill set, and launch a strategic job search. Ultimately, you will feel more optimistic; It it is very difficult to remain upbeat when you have distributed hundreds of resumes and no one has called. Diminish the number of resume submissions; instead, target quality and perfect-for-you job leads in order to optimize the responses to your candidacy.

 

Where Are You Job Searching?: Job boards work. I have seen it work first-hand. However, are you limiting your job search to just online job boards? Please don’t. You must launch an integrated job search campaign that leverages online job boards, social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter, networking in person, and prospecting offline.

How do you tap into the hidden job market? You uncover it by performing research on the companies in your area and industry of choice. What do they sell? Who are their clients? What is their mission? Where is their Human Resource department? Could they use someone like you? Then channel some courage and call on them, email them your resume, or approach someone in the company via LinkedIn. Whatever you can do to tastefully gain a contact in the company-- do it! 

 

 

Are Your Expectations Too High?: I am a believer in that we all deserve the best and the job of our dreams—absolutely. But, does it have to be at this very moment? Being that the economy is where it is and the job situation is not ideal--why not accept employment that may pay you less than you expected but perhaps the possibility for growth is immense? How about employment in which the benefits package is more attractive than the annual salary? Remember it is all temporary. This of course is ideal advice if you are in real need of immediate income.

 

 

Tell Your Friends and Family Members: I have helped clients who have not told their close friends and relatives they are out of work. Why? This is no time to “keep up with the Joneses” or to nurture your pride. There is no shame in needing a job. You will never know who can step up and assist you. You don’t have to give others a sob story; simply mailing your resume and job target with an upbeat message can help you communicate your need without worrying everyone around you. It is all in the presentation.

Last, remember to revisit your online profiles/resumes as most candidate searches are performed based on activity in the last 30 days. And, keep in touch with your references and network connections. (Out of sight, out of mind.)

 

 

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
www.careersteering.com

 

Treasure Hunt—Yo-ho-ho! Heat Up Your Job Search

Part of the Career Collective series. Please see end of this post for details and links.

Aye! Ye can relax, sit back in a beach chair, and worry about job searching in September...Blimey! Are ye serious, matey? This is the perfect time to launch a “treasure (job) hunt.”

With map in hand, set sail into the hidden job course. It's not that grueling. It's worth the effort. It's not as if me sending ye to Davy Jones’ locker! 

Map to Lead You to Job Openings Not Yet Released From the HR Chest

• Research and identify companies in your target territory that would benefit from the differentiating value you offer. Peruse the company website and call them to gain a contact. You can try and locate a company contact via LinkedIn or Twitter as well.
• Have your 30-second pitch ready. Focus on the value you will bring to them.
• Offer to provide them with your LinkedIn URL for immediate access/connection.
• Track the companies you’ve called; whom you spoke to. You can do so in MS Excel or better yet, with the Jibber Jobber Career Management tool.
• Network! Always carry networking cards.
• Create a broadcast letter, which is a great job search tool with the intention of soliciting non-advertised job openings.
• Don’t underestimate the good old-fashioned way of door-to-door soliciting. Of course, with your broadcast letter in hand.

 

While all the other job seekers think hiring is slow during the summer--you will be on a treasure hunt, which will lead you to hidden, unadvertised careers. And, sail ho! The other job seekers will prefer to 'walk the plank' come September.

Fair Winds!

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer

More tips to help you heat up your Job search this summer by the Career Collective members. Follow our hash tag on Twitter #careercollective 

Post by the Career Collective Experts

Turn Off The Computer, Tune Into What’s Happening, & Heat Up the Job Search, @chandlee

Heating up the Job Search-How to Stay Motivated During the Summer, @erinkennedycprw

Light the Fire Under Your Feet, @careersherpa

Cool Job Seekers Heat Up Their Search in the Summer, @barbarasafani

Some assembly required, @DawnBugni

Summertime, Sluggish Economy Provide Strong Motivation for an Updated Resume, @KatCareerGal

9 Ways to Heat Up Your Job Search This Summer, @heatherhuhman

Getting Out From Under Chronic, @WorkWithIllness

Upping Your Job Search Flame; Be 'Needed, Not Needy,' @ValueIntoWords

Is Your Career Trapped in the Matrix?@WalterAkana

Put some sizzle in your job hunt - how to find a job now, @keppie_careers

Summertime - and the Job Search Ain't Easy, @KCCareerCoach

Heating up your job search. 5 ways to dismiss those winter blues, @GayleHoward

Hot Tips for a Summer Job Search, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes

Heat Up Your Job Search: Avoid Job Boards, @JobHuntOrg
www.creatingprints.com

Win by Promoting Value Over The Rest

#1 Problem With All Resumes, Job Searches, and Interviews

 Imagine sitting in a lobby waiting for an interview. You look around and all those waiting are as professional and qualified as you...

· Graduates from top schools.

· Possess years of experience in your field.

· Have achieved impressive triumphs in their careers.

In other words, they are ALL highly QUALIFIED. Again, highly QUALIFIED!! What will you say during this interview that is special and more compelling in order to outdistance others? What is your USP (unique selling point) and what does that translate to so it's a benefit for your new employer?

Standout From the Crowd of Experts

The number #1 strategy job seekers neglect is the selling of their UVP (unique value proposition) over other qualified candidates. Your competition is not the underperformer with an unpolished resume and poor communication skills. (Wouldn’t that be easy?) Your competitor is smart, hired a professional resume writer, is articulate, and accomplished. So, you, must introspect, dig deep, and develop an enthralling marketing plan that persuades from resume, to online brand, to interview, and through follow-up by seducing your employer with the promise of success through a differentiating value that you, and only you, can offer.

You must examine your career performance, find those special ways in which you deliver results--own them and promote them! Because to win in this challenged job market you must sell a unique value proposition/a brand/a differentiating value.

Deep-Dive Analysis

So how do you go about this? Take out your pen and paper or better yet, open your MS Word program and answer the following questions:

1. Why would an employer hire me over others who are qualified? You are not allowed to answer this question with education, years of experience, or industry knowledge. Sorry! Yes, these are important and you must leverage them but these are qualifiers. Remember, your competition is qualified—we are looking to nudge your employer over the fence by dangling a gem.

2. What is my unique value and how will this impact my future employer? When others speak of you, what do they say? What have you been consistently recognized for? How have you delivered in areas that no one else could?

3. What guarantee can I make to my future employer? It is not enough that you have discovered your brand or USP/UVP—you must market it and convince the employer to switch/buy what you are selling.

4. What in my past can I use to substantiate my personal brand or unique value proposition? Convincing is done with examples, stories, and references. You must prove it.

5. Is this message delivered consistently and persuasively across all my self-marketing efforts(resume, cover letter, interview performance, online social profiles, self publishing content)? The more consistent you are in the promotion of your image across all materials/communications—the more believable you will be—the more trust you will gain—the more you will convince.

 

The game has gotten tougher folks! The same way in which you make purchasing decisions (you want to get the best for the money)—employers want to hire the best for the salary and they desire to not make a mistake in hiring you.

Present and position yourself over the competition, dominate, close the deal by reassuring that you are unique and not only are you qualified but you will deliver above the rest!

Learn more about how to write your own resume.

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer

 

Are You A Superstar Job Seeker?

The job search competition is fierce; there is no way to deny that. All the career gurus are advising you to build your brand, get online, tap into the hidden market, launch a strategic job search campaign...but, have we failed to divulge you must be a superstar!?

With so many qualified professionals seeking employment, it is not enough that you are competent, smart, and experienced. Nope, it is not. Your self-marketing must pack power, make a memorable impression, and ‘wow’ your prospective employers.

What makes a superstar in the realm of job hunting and career management? A superstar is…

1. A subject Matter Expert (SME) = Know your industry’s ins and outs. Stay abreast of the latest (keep your finger on the pulse), so you offer trending knowledge and competitive skills, which cannot be easily found in someone else, and, certainly, cannot be resisted.

Many professionals become comfy in their zone and don't seek to acquire new skills or predict what may be needed in the future in order to remain center stage.

2. Confident = No matter how strong your brand or your job search tactics, your inadequacy and insecurity will be perceived. How do you build confidence? Work on being an SME and, yes, believe in your value. Plus, be courageous and brag, promote and flaunt your talent. Moxie anyone?

So many job seekers make the mistake of not tooting their own horn (and those that easily do, often shouldn't). Know HOW you are brilliant. Ensure you can 'emanate' your prowess, and, ooh baby, let the world see your glow!

3. Singing the Right Tune to Right Audience =This is where the topic of personal brand needs to be clarified. Many job seekers are now focusing on personal branding, but guess what—if your personal brand is not aimed at the right audience or is not 'beaming' the right message, your personal brand equals -- nada! Without the right message (superstardom), you are one of many who just slapped on the “brand” label to a nothing-special candidacy; this, making your light as dim as the rest.

4. Packaged as a Star = Hey, listen, I am no Beyonce. I promise you that. My point is that a polished presentation online, on resume, in business cards, and professional attire does matter! Sprinkle some stardust on your candidate packaging. Twinkle with the right brand as a subject matter expert and with confidence at the right audience; then gaze at how your superstardom star-struck all potential employers. As you radiate that special and bankable shine, someone will lasso you right into your dream job.

 

Master Resume Writer

www.careersteering.com

 

 

Hey, Job Seeker-- Don't Be a Fool!

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

www.careersteering.com

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

 

 

Turn Around Your Floundering Job Search by Discovering Your Good Luck

Imagine having consistent good fortune. What would that be like? Let’s see…You lost your job—not the end of the world, you'll find a new one! You always look great in white and serendipity seems to be your best friend. Nice way of life, right?

I consider myself a pretty lucky person and I know others who seem luckier than I. Then there are those poor souls for whom nothing seems to go their way. So, I began to ponder, what is luck and how come some have it and some seem to repel it as quick as a wink?

What is Luck?

Discovering your luck is about EXPECTING it, CREATING it, IDENTIFYING when opportunity knocks at your door, following your GUT INSTINCTS, TAKING RISKS and looking at challenges from a POSITION OF POWER and not from a victimized perspective.

How is it that some job seekers seem to attract career opportunities easier than others with the same qualifications and the same job search tools? Is it really just luck? Let’s see…

 

Unlucky job seeker statements: The economy is so tough. There are so many qualified people out there. Recruiters are mean to me! How could this be happening to me? I am worried this is going to take a long time. Can you cut me a deal since I really can’t afford it? And my personal favorite, how soon can I get back to you if my resume is not working?

Lucky job seeker statements: Can’t wait to get this resume out there. I feel so much more confident now with this new resume. If I post this resume every day, I will be sure to get ahead of all the other job seekers, right? I will do everything I can to speed up this job search process. Coincidently,  I just reacquainted with my old colleague …

Do you see the distinction? Clue: Attitude, expectation, energy, enthusiasm, and focus on the goal! Yes, these are very difficult times right now for many job seekers but focusing on the challenges instead of on a ways to overcome them is not going to change your luck or attract the right employment.

 

Make Your Own Luck

A must read on this very topic is How To Make Your Own Luck by Daniel H. Pink. In his blog, he quotes psychologist Richard Wiseman:

"What are some of the ways that lucky people think differently from unlucky people?

'One way is to be open to new experiences. Unlucky people are stuck in routines. When they see something new, they want no part of it. Lucky people always want something new. They're prepared to take risks and relaxed enough to see the opportunities in the first place'”

Do you agree with the statement above? And if you don’t, isn’t it still worth a shot? Allow me to provide you with a few tips so you spark your good luck and begin to reverse your unfruitful job search. Yes, practical steps for a totally magical transformation!

1. Create a Job Search Road Map: Creating a job search plan is a pragmatic way to ignite your luck. A navigation tool with detailed action steps, a clear and defined job target, along with job search tools (resume, cover letter, reference list, thank you/follow up letter, job search methods, networking strategies, and an online presence). Luck favors the prepared they say.
2. Be Flexible and Take Risks: While a plan is in order, don’t employ a tunnel vision. Work toward your plan but be open to the idea that there may be something else or another way of getting to your ultimate goal. Consider temporary assignments or even relocating if need be. Change industries; try a different side of the coin.
3. Be Observant and Curious: Come up for air once in a while and notice others. While you network be present and see if you can assist. When you are focused on only what you can gain, you actually fail to notice wonderful opportunities that are right under your nose. Investigate further on leads that may not seem so attractive at first -- you really don't know where they may lead you.
4. Expect to Win: Self-talk if you must but bank on your success and not your failure. Practice saying, “Once I have my new job I will...” This is not new age nonsense. This really is a great way to keep motivated. I know that by the time you finish reading this post you will feel more positive. (See, I just practiced it.)

Last, when things seem not to go your way, make a lemon margarita!

 

 

As always, if you have any questions, please email me at writer@careersteering.com or call 321.704.7209

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
www.careersteering.com

 

Are You Evolving Into The In-Demand Professional of Tomorrow?

 By Rosa E. Vargas. As a member of a community of resume writers and career coaches called the Career Collective, this post is one of many responses to help job seekers secure their future in a changed economy.  I encourage you to visit other members' responses, see links at end of this post. Please follow our hash tag on Twitter: #careercollective. This month we have combined efforts with QuintCareers.com in Job Action Day, 2009!


What will it take to secure your career success in the future? As the world advances and becomes more information-rich, environment and health conscious, and technology savvy, the job market quickly adapts-- are you? Let's assess; please ponder the following...

Is your digital self strong enough to leverage an interview over other candidates who are job searching online? Are you ready to shape a strong career built on a series of short-term employments? As the world shrinks, who can you communicate with internationally?  Do you foresee a green job in your future? Will your carbon footprint exclude your eligibility for a job? Well, no, but let’s take a look at what may be ahead for the hireable candidate of the future...

The Future Job Market Place:

As the needs of our planet and market demands change, so is the way companies run operations and business development, produce and promote services/products, and staff their teams. This climacteric change amidst one of the worse economies in America's history has spurred a new way of caring for the environment, thinking of consumerism, and planning our future ventures.

It seems our focus will be on Technology, Science, Engineering, Math, and Eco-friendly initiatives...and for that we will need industrious, innovative, and adaptable professionals who have a thirst for knowledge and thrive on challenges. For more on the future job market: See Top 60 Jobs That Will Rock the Future also Career Choices That Offer a Stable Future.

Web 2.0 Image/Branding:

If you are in Generation Y, you are already aware of what social media/networking and Web 2.0 Branding is because this is the way you communicate with your friends daily. However, for others...Social Media Networking is essential for the job seeker of the future. Beyond posting your resume to the top career sites, you must establish and cultivate an online presence. Why? Because the way in which we exchange information is mostly digital and via the web. As companies strategize to staff their teams with forward-thinking and information-driven members, you must prepare yourself to join this type of leading-edge team. Where should you begin? Begin developing a presence online on sites such as Twitter, LinkedIn, and FaceBook. For a more comprehensive list, see.


Investing In You:

The professional of tomorrow must be a life-long learner according to Paul Saffo, a Silicon Valley based technology forecaster (quoted by Jenny Lynn Zappala), and I agree with him 100%.

You must keep yourself "marketable" via ongoing education because in the future you will most likely fill a succession of numerous short-term employments. Many of today's job seekers are not use to thinking of their careers in this manner. Let's face it; most of us pretty much went to school, chose a field, and worked at the same company for years until retirement. That is not the way of the future. Begin to think of yourself as a contractor for your own company rendering services to corporations.  

In addition to staying abreast of the latest in the job market, perfecting your online brand, and learning new computer skills,  you may want to invest in learning new languages. The consensus is that future dominant languages will be English, Spanish, Mandarin, and Arabic. You may want to invest in learning the language of the Web as well. A little HTML, XHTML, and XML won't hurt you as publishing a simple web page will be as common as how administrative assistants were required to prepare memos in a word processor.

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
www.careersteering.com

**********************************************************************************************************************

Please visit the following post by the Career Collective Experts regarding the same topic I addressed above!

 

Meg Montford:  Job Action Day: Finding Your “MOJO” After Layoff

Debra Wheatman: Plan B from outer space; or what do you have in case your first plan doesn’t work out?

Heather Mundell: Green Jobs – What They Are and How to Find Them

Erin Kennedy: Cutting Edge Job Search Blueprint

Grace Kutney: Securing Your Career While Navigating the Winds of Change

Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa– Why Our Job Search Advice is the Same but Different 

Gayle Howard: The Enlightened Jobseeker

Laurie Berenson: Making lemonade out of lemons: Turn unemployment into entrepreneurship

Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter: You Can Thrive In, Not Just Survive, an Economic Slogging

Rosalind Joffe: Preparedness: It’s Not Just for Boyscouts

Rosa E. Vargas: Are You Evolving Into The In-Demand Professional of Tomorrow?

Dawn Bugni: Your network IS your net worth

Miriam Salpeter: Optimize your job hunt for today’s economy

GL Hoffman: The Life of An Entrepreneur: Is It for You?

Katharine Hansen: Job Action Day 09: His Resume Savvy Helped New Career Rise from Layoff Ashes

Martin Buckland: Job Search–The Key to Securing Your Future Career. 

Chandlee Bryan: Where the Green Jobs Are:

Heather R. Huhman, Take Action: 10 Steps for Landing an Entry-Level Job

Barbara Safani: Where the Jobs Are 2009 and Beyond:

Kathy Hansen: Job Action Day 09: His Resume Savvy Helped New Career Rise from Layoff Ashes 

 

 

 

 

Being a Cookie-Cutter Job Seeker is a Misfortune

By Rosa E. Vargas. As a member of a new community of resume writers and career coaches called the Career Collective, this post is one of many responses to the question, "Are you a cookie cutter job seeker?" I encourage you to visit other members' responses, see links at end of this post. Please follow our hashtag on Twitter: #careercollective.

The Meeting

It was Friday and the end of a very hectic workweek! A career as an assistant buyer during a tough economy is no piece of cake. This particular Friday Susan had to attend a meeting at 4:30 PM with Rebecca, the senior buyer (also, the boss). It quickly became 3:45 PM and Susan began to walk past seven offices to take the elevator to the 32nd floor and meet in Rebecca’s office. As Susan walked toward the elevator, she thought of weekend plans with her little girls. I should pick up mom first on the way to Antonio’s tomorrow…The girls would love to have dinner with their grandma… “Have a great weekend, Susan.” Susan looked back at Thomas (one of the procurement clerks). “Good weekend, Thomas. See you on Monday.” Susan waved as she returned the sentiment. Susan really enjoyed her work environment; she knew everyone in the department (all 35+) by first name.

Susan pressed the elevator button and looked down at her black pumps and thought, the girls could really use new school shoes... We should go shopping before dinner…It's supposed to be sunny tomorrow… “Hi Susan, come right in.” Rebecca’s voice pulled Susan out of her incessant mental planning. Susan had unmindfully made her way to the meeting.

When Susan walked into the office, she noticed Maggie from HR was there. Susan became nervous and could not conceal it as she anxiously said hello to both women and awkwardly sat in a chair. “Susan, how was your afternoon?” Rebecca’s tone was friendlier than usual. “Great!” Susan forced a smile. Rebecca looked at Maggie from HR, then back at Susan, and took a deep breath before saying, “Susan, I am sorry. This is not easy for me to say to you because you are a highly esteemed colleague…” Susan could not believe what she was hearing. Rebecca continued to apologize for what she had not yet said, but Susan could only think, Oh no! Not me. I thought I was safe. What about my girls?

Poor Susan. I don’t have to tell you the rest of that story. What I will convey is that many job seekers in a similar situation, panic. While finding yourself without a job is frightful, the last thing you should do is allow panic to launch you into a desperate job search campaign. Hastily creating a resume, beginning a non-targeted job search, and then sitting back and expecting the phone to ring is what cookie-cutter job seekers do-– but not you!  While developing a unique, pragmatic, and targeted job search campaign is a lot more labor intensive, it will reveal the hidden job market and help you outdistance other job seekers so you find employment in a tough job market.

The Plan

Luckily, Susan is a fictitious character. Had she been a living and breathing job seeker, she could have applied her skills as an assistant buyer to kick off a differentiating job search, like so:

Procurement: Where is your employer? Instead of only posting your resume to online career sites, make a list of all the companies that can benefit from your experience and acquire a way to contact them directly!

Understand the Target Market by Region:What does your prospective employer want from you? What results would be ideal for them? Are their needs different based on the region you may find them in? Are you willing to relocate? If so, where to? Study who your ideal employer is and learn their specific needs. 

Interact with Contacts:Translation into job search terms -- network, network, and, yes, network! Interact online via social media sites and offline through professional associations and at industry-relevant events.

Pre-Market and Competition Analysis: What’s the average salary for the positions you are seeking? What does your competition offer that you cannot? What will you have to leverage in order to win an interview over other qualified candidates?

Communicate Value: Once you have researched, compiled information, and analyzed, you can create a targeted resume (and other marketing tools) that captures the attention of employers. You will also be better prepared to develop a 30 to 60 second pitch, quickly summarizing your qualifications.

You decide. Are you a cookie-cutter job seeker?

 

 
The following are links to other blog post by Professional Resume Writers and Career Coaches who have formed an alliance "Career Collective" to inform and help job seekers via blog post. I am proud to be part of this group and look forward to tackling future topics. Please link below to additional "Cookie-Cutter” blog posts from Career Collective members:

Megan Fitzgerald, Career By Choice’s Expat Success Tips: Ongoing Career management is No Longer Optional for the Expat in Today’s New World of Work

Gayle Howard,Top Margin:  Sabotaging Your Prospects: Cookie-cutter Style

J.T. O’Donnell, CAREEREALISM: Cookie Cutters are for Baking…Not Job Searching!

Chandlee Bryan, The Emerging Professional: On the “Cookie Cutter” Approach to Job Search: Do You Need a Recipe?

Laurie Berenson, Sterling Career Concepts:  Job seekers: Break out of the mold!

Dawn Bugni,The Write Solution: Dawn’s Blog: Is your job search “cookie-cutter” or “hand-dropped”?

Heather Mundell, life@work: How Not to Be a Cookie Cutter Job Seeker

Sweet Careers, Passive Job Seeker=Cookie Cutter Job Seeker

Barbara Safani, Career Solvers Blog:Cookie Cutter Resumes Can Leave a Bad Taste in the Hiring Manager’s Mouth

Miriam Salpeter, Keppie Careers: How Can a Job Seeker Stand Out?

Kat Hansen, Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog: Avoid Being a Cookie-Cutter Job seeker in Your Resume and Throughout Your Job Search

Heather R. Huhman, HeatherHuhman.com: Break the Mold: Don't Be a Cookie Cutter

Rosalind Joffe, WorkingWithChronicIllness.com Forget the cookies! Start with vision 

Career Sherpa, Hannah Morgan: Are Your A Cookie Cutter Job Seeker? 

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer

 

 

Twitter!? Can It Really Help Me Find a New Job? Part--3

THE VALUE OF YOUR TWEETS DURING A JOB SEARCH.

In the last two post I discussed how you should go about setting up your Twitter account to optimize it for job searching. Now, I would like to bring your attention to the actual tweets.

Don't tweet anything you would not say in person to your future boss! What goes online, stays online, forever. Too many people have brought on major trouble neglecting this tip. (Don't you become one of them.)

Stay on topic. If you are seeking a job as a Pediatric RN, stay on that subject. Tweet about an article you wrote, your thoughts on pediatric care, provide advice, ask a questions, and/or share a link. Don't start blabbering (tweeting) about the beach, the grocery store, your boyfriend/girlfriend. The idea is to demonstrate your expertise and passion in your chosen field.

Use keywords. Include words associated with your target industry. These tweets will become pages on the Internet and so be sure to optimize your job search for web 2.0 viral marketing. Adding a hash tag (#) to your keyword (nurse, CEO, etc.) will also help people find you. So perhaps something like this...

Sample Tweets:

#nursing advice: age-appropriate bedside care is important when dealing with #pediatric patients.

 

#sales: Consultative selling is the key to winning clients in a tough economy.

 

#web design: beautiful layouts that are also search engine friendly is essential for great #SEO.

 

Remember that you want to keep your tweets to less than 140 characters. I like to keep tweets even shorter in order to promote RTs. If someone does not have to edit your tweet in order to re-tweet it, then they are more likely to RT it! The more your tweets are re-tweeted, the more people will hear about you and learn you are job searching.

 

Useful information. Try to share information that would help others. This is how you will capture interest and new followers.

Tweet your resume in moderation. I understand that your intention is to find a job via Twitter. Yet, don't promote your resume with every other tweet. Hold back and tweet it once a week and ask others to RT (re-tweet) it for you.

It is just one tool. Remember that Twitter is one way for you to go about networking and trying to create your own job opportunities. Don't sit back and wait for someone to magically tweet a great lead for you. Just like your resume, cover letter, and other career marketing tools--it is just one channel.  

 

 

As always, if you have any questions, email rvargas@creatingprints.com

You can also follow me on Twitter

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
www.careersteering.com

 

Helpful Job Search Links

Knowing where to go to optimize your job search is key as a strategic job search plan is vital. You will find a list of job search sites and resources below. This list will continue to grow and you can come back and find it here: Job Search Links.

Before launching your job search it is necessary you identify key factors such as where you are heading now? What is your goal? Click here to view an enlightening Career Realism Video.

 

 

Job Search: resume posting, employment, social networking

 

On-line Career Sites: Through online sites you can build an account, post your resume, and apply to jobs ads. Additionally, because you have an account, your resume is searchable by recruiters and employers. Just ensure you have resume keywords relevant to your job title and that you update your account every 30 days so you remain active in their database. The following are suggested job sites.

indeed.com

simplyhired.com

monster.com

careerbuilder.com

jobs.com

hotjobs.com

creativeheads.com

employmentguide.com

careerxchange.com

career.com

twitterjobsearch.com

idealist.org

Social Networking Sites: Via online networking, you can connect with others and expand your reach.

Linkedin.com

Facebook.com

jobster.com

beyond.com

visual.cv.com

twitter.com

Resources:The following list will help you with career development, offer you guidance, and often provide links to other resourceful sites.

rileyguide.com

Jobhunt.org (NEW!)

Womenforhire.com

google.com/Top/Business/Employment/Job_Search/

jobhuntersbible.com

careeronestop.org

about.com/careers

blogtalkradio.com/categories/Jobs/mostpopular

career.alltop.com

WorkForce One

Visual CV

Recruiters & Headhunters

 

Salary Negotiation: Before you walk into your job interview, research current salary ranges.

Salary.com

Payscale.com

Salaryexpert.com

Salarynegotiations.com

 

Mainstream Media Career Help: News, News, and more News about job interviewing, where to find jobs, how to get a job, and how to keep yours if you have one!

Wall Street Journal Online

CNN Careers

Jobs.CNBC.com

 

Recruiters online: Find a recruiter near you.

List of recruiters

 

 

Rosa E. Vargas
Certified Resume Writer

www.careersteering.com

 

 

On-line Career Sites: Through online sites you can build an account, post your resume, and apply to jobs ads. Additionally, because you have an account, your resume is searchable by recruiters and employers. Just ensure you have resume keywords relevant to your job title and that you update your account every 30 days so you remain active in their database. The following are suggested job sites.

indeed.com

simplyhired.com

monster.com

careerbuilder.com

jobs.com

hotjobs.com

creativeheads.com

employmentguide.com

careerxchange.com

career.com

twitterjobsearch.com

idealist.org

Social Networking Sites: Via online networking, you can connect with others and expand your reach.

Linkedin.com

Facebook.com

jobster.com

beyond.com

visual.cv.com

twitter.com

Resources:The following list will help you with career development, offer you guidance, and often provide links to other resourceful sites.

rileyguide.com

Jobhunt.org (NEW!)

Womenforhire.com

google.com/Top/Business/Employment/Job_Search/

jobhuntersbible.com

careeronestop.org

about.com/careers

blogtalkradio.com/categories/Jobs/mostpopular

career.alltop.com

WorkForce One

Visual CV

Recruiters & Headhunters

 

Salary Negotiation: Before you walk into your job interview, research current salary ranges.

Salary.com

Payscale.com

Salaryexpert.com

Salarynegotiations.com

 

Mainstream Media Career Help: News, News, and more News about job interviewing, where to find jobs, how to get a job, and how to keep yours if you have one!

Wall Street Journal Online

CNN Careers

Jobs.CNBC.com

 

Recruiters online: Find a recruiter near you.

List of recruiters

 

 

Rosa E. Vargas
Certified Resume Writer

www.careersteering.com

Social Media and Job Searching

So what is all thisTwitter, Linked-in, Visual CV and other Social Media about? How will this help you during your job search?

More people are connecting online everyday, sharing information, including job leads. Employers and recruiters have found an even more productive way to locate and identify uniquely qualified employees.

Additionally, with many older job seekers returning to work, this is a great way to demonstrate that being mature does not mean you are out of touch with the latest. And, as competition surmounts in this job market, you want to outdistance others by leveraging on all the tools available to you (especially online tools).

Just in time, there is a free webinar on APRIL 14, you can sign up for here: by Karen Masullo. It should be very informative! I can't wait and I can't recommend it enough.

Need a bit more convincing that Social Media is the way to go? Watch below

 

Rosa E. Vargas
ACRW - Academy Certified Resume Writer
MRW - Master Resume Writer
NCRW - Nationally Certified Resume Writer

 

Think Selling Yourself in a Job Interview is “Selling Out?”

By Mary Elizabeth Bradford aka The Career Artisan

 

Sometimes I hear my clients tell me that they hate the idea of marketing or selling themselves to prospective employers. I think the problem is our definition of selling - and that it evokes images of selling out and going against our authentic selves. After all, if someone doesn't like us for who we are, then the job probably isn't right for us anyway, right? Wrong!

 

 

Let me offer another perspective on what "selling" a potential employer really means: when you are able to communicate your strengths in a way that compels others, you are doing yourself and them a great favor. After all, you can't help a company that doesn't hire you. To boost your know-like-and-trust factor in your job interviews, it's vital you know how to encourage potential employers to hire you in a way that's ethical, full of integrity and authentically you.

What this means for you is that you will attract the interest of more employers, receive bigger and better job offers, and feel confident in the way you're communicating to the ways that you can help potential employers get the results they want...and that only you can deliver. So everyone gets what they want and desire.

So, here is something you can do in your very next job interview to get you started:

 

Tip #1: Ask what the potential employer is looking for in a star candidate at the beginning of the interview.

As you casually jot down what they share with you, pay attention to those key words and phrases that match what you love to do the most.

 

Lets say for example, you are a marketing manager who is an expert at product launches, and they mention they just had a problem with their latest product launch and are looking for help there. Circle that challenge because you have just been given a BIG GIFT by your interviewer!

 

 

Tip:2 Dig by asking more questions about their challenge

With the gift you have just been given, you want to ask more questions about their product launch challenge such as:

 

WHY do they think they were not successful with their product launch?

 

WHO has tried so far to fix the problem?

 

WHAT would it mean (and be worth) to them if the problem was fixed?

 

 

Tip #3: Seed the interview by frequently mentioning your value in terms of your product launch expertise.

If you are a marketing expert, you will frequently share the results of your marketing efforts throughout the interview. Plus you can mention plenty of  before and after stories. The best ones clearly paint a before and after picture (and the worse the better - so don't hold back!).

Think of all the problems, challenges and dire situations with past product launches in past companies that you have taken on, and how great things are now that you have helped them.

BONUS TIP: Make THEM an offer they can't resist
The point is to create an "offer" that's so irresistible, your interviewers think, "we have to hire this person!" To do this, you need to offer something they believe they can't get anywhere else. Be creative!

 

Following product launch example I have used, you could offer to fix the problem within a certain time-frame. Or, as part of your interview, you could offer to come in for a couple hours and evaluate the product launch in more detail. Then you could offer some solutions (don’t give too much away when you do this though – they have to hire you for that!).  

Here are a couple examples:

One of my clients quickly received a robust offer because HE offered to produce at least two potential solutions to a challenge the company was facing and he said he would do it in 60 days.

Another client of mine set up as part of her interview process a 1/2 day on-site observation of the potential employer's media company. She then presented an outline of 10 ideas to improve their work environment and boost their ratings. They offered her a whopping 100k over what she had been making previously. All this even after she was let go from that previous position. I love it.

When you stop thinking about selling as something that is disingenuous, or that in order to win someone else must loose, and learn how to communicate to your interviewers that you are willing to invest getting the right information into their hands that is going to help them, you are removing all the obstacles (including money, time and your competition) that might otherwise stand between you and the job offer(s) you want.

 

 

 

 

Would you like to learn how to quickly and easily get more interviews, shorten your job search and increase your salary? Check out my website: http://www.maryelizabethbradford.com, for free articles, free resources and to sign up for my free audio mini-seminar "5 Simple Steps To Find, Focus On and WIN Your Dream Job - Starting Today!"

 

Internationally Certified Advanced Resume Writer, Job-Search Coach and Internationally Certified Master Career Director Mary Elizabeth Bradford is "The Career Artisan."

 

You can also learn more about our services at www.careersteering.com

 

 

 

Returning to Work After Retirement?

Back to work after retirement

Finding yourself in a position to return to work after retirement because you are in urgent need of some cash-flow can be intimidating and daunting. While preparing to return to work when you thought you had it all planned out is not what you were counting on, know there are career options for you!

Open yourself to more career opportunities by 1. Being willing to accept part-time positions; 2. Remaining flexible with salary offers; 3. Brushing up on your computer skills (free courses available at your local library and Microsoft on line has free tutorials available), and 4. By preparing a resume that promotes your value over any negatives (gaps in employment for example). The first step toward employment can feel insurmountable, but know that whatever position you first attract may lead you to more rewarding employment -- you never know! 

Watch the following video embedded from WSJ.com (The Wall Street Journal):

Resume-writing tips to create a back-to-work resume:

• Don't include salary on resume (nor any other personal information, please).
  
• Stay within the last 10 to 15 years tops. If your prior work experience is relevant, simply list the titles but not dates.
  
• Don't include months along with dates. This will only bring attention to gaps.
  
• If you have been retired for more than a year, create a functional resume instead of a chronological. How? Before getting into your career chronology, list the top three to four skills that will position you as the best qualified candidate for the positions you are seeking. Then elaborate by listing achievements under each skill.
  
• Remember that achievements with quantifiable information add value and credibility.
  
• Do employ a more attractive and modern look for your resume -- your resume is also part of your interview attire.

Network with friends and family. Let them know you are searching...ask for help from your loved ones! Also, this is a great site; check out Retirement jobs (mentioned in the video above). Additional relevant information I found: Returning to Work after Retirement: Social Security Benefit Reduction?

Do you have any advice to share with those that are returning to work? A story to share that can encourage them? Let's join the job-search talk and comment today.

Follow me on twitter @resumeservice and subscribe to this feed!

 

Preparing your resume? Build it and screen it like a certified resume writer would. Ten-page, 75-point professional check list / instructions and a chronological and functional resume template for only $7.00 (previous $19.99). PDF will be available for download after payment.

Rosa E. Vargas
Master Resume Writer
Nationally Certified Resume Writer
www.creatingprints.com

Job Search Reality Check for Trouble Makers

Help for The Trouble Makers: If you fall in this category, you know why. You  often come in late; gossip with everyone about everyone; question everything your bosses tell you to do; engage in negative conversation at work; you have been reprimanded or written up more than once; you have job hopped often, etc. Sure, I will provide you with some advice as well— we all need a job, don’t we?

1. Stop being a slacker! This is not the time to be disgruntled. Find out what your problem is and step it up. Times are difficult right now and if you  don’t step it up, you will be out! Although you perform your job, you come with so many sides that you will probably be passed up for someone who works cohesively.

2. If you are looking for a new job already, don’t lie on your resume and make up things you know you won’t be able to live up to. Be realistic about setting forward expectations.

3. Don’t offer negative information during an interview, no matter how unfair you think your layoff was.

4. Go for jobs that you know you can perform; acknowledge your weakness/problem areas and avoid being in the same kind of situation.

5. Focus on the bigger picture. You were hired to perform a job, and you spend more than 40 hours a week at work –- make this time in your life valuable and take pride in what you do -- no matter what it is. 

Analyze your past mistakes and make the decision to change and give your new employment more than you can.

Rosa Vargas

Visit our website for leadership resumes.

Optimize Your Job Search -- Employ Common Sense

So often, one of my clients will hire my services and email me three job postings to positions they are not qualified for. (I ask clients to email me job leads that interest them). Granted, once I create their resume, they will have a better opportunity at attaining employment. But, think about it, how and why should you target a position you are not qualified for?!

Then it dawned on me (as obvious as I think this should be to jobseekers) that perhaps some well-spirited jobseekers don't know how to identify if they are qualified for a particular position.  Perhaps they need a strategy to compare their skill to the job requirement. It's like my love for food and ongoing diet battle: I think I got it, but not 'till I write everything down, which you have to do for Weight Watchers', do I realize -- ok, maybe I was eating a bit too much. Strategy and self-awareness cannot be underestimated!

Now of course, there are those jobseekers that realize they are not qualified but think "hey, I will go for it anyway." Read this excellent blog post as to why you should reconsider: [I came across this great  post by Tim Tyrell-Smith. Shared insight from a different perspective]

When I review my clients' old resume, resume-writing interview notes, and the job posts they send me, I can quickly identify if they are qualified or not -- but then again, I am a professional in this field. Occasionally, when I need help identifying where my client fails to meet the requirements, I perform the following: I make a two-column table; on the left side I list all the requirements the job postings advertise; on the right, I list why my client meets this requirement with substantiated proof (achievements, education, computer training, years of experience, previous job titles, etc.)

It is important that you understand what I mean by substantiated proof. Often, a client might think, "well I can perform that task, I am sure." Yet, understand that from the recruiter / employer's perspective, they are not looking for someone that perhaps can perform that task --They want someone that has, can, and will perform all the job requirements.

Don't get discouraged. My message is that you should focus your energy on job openings that you have a good chance at getting.

Again, please visit Tim Tyrell-Smith's blog post Quick Tip - Unqualified for a job? Don't apply.  Also, revisit one of my earlier post that will shed a bit more light on this topic: Maximize Responses to Your Online Resume Post

As always, any questions. 

Resume Writing Expert
Nationally Certified Resume Writer
Master Resume Writer Credential

 

Begin Your 2009 Job Search Right!

Another year has gone by and I am sure we can agree that it has been a pretty challenging one. I wish you all the best for the upcoming year and much like the state of our country, personally, we all have challenges we have tackle and overcome. One very common challenge right now is job hunting and securing our financial future.

Are you ready? Have you already revamped your resume and created a robust marketing tool? Have you created an on-line profile?  I have said it before, but I will emphasize again that you should utilize the Internet and strengthen your on-line presence. Writing a resume that lures your new employer is essential --but first, you must create an opportunity to capture attention! Job searching on-line is the new thing and you should not fall short of utilizing this new job hunting medium correctly. Please visit the links below which came to me via Twitter connections. Happy New Year Everyone!

Rosa E. Vargas
Certified Resume Writer at www.careersteering.com

http://howtosplitanatom.com/news/finding-jobs-online/
http://abcnews.go.com/OnCampus/story?id=6510948&page=1

You Have a Professional Resume; Now What?

So you have your new resume, you have posted your ASCII/Plain Text resume to top Online Careersites, emailed your resume to companies in response to ads, but you still have not landed the right job and have not seen the number of opportunities you wish -- let's do more. 

Understanding that there has
always been competition but even more so now, and so you need to plant seeds and nurture these job opportunities into fruition. Of course, professional resume writing will place you ahead of others who have not been so resourceful -- but because of the current job search market, it is even more imperative that you network in person and on-line.

The following are some on-line sources that came to me from my Twitter friends. You will find their Twitter account name next to the link they passed on to me (in case you so wish to follow them; they are always very informative). Of course, you can also follow me!    

Keep a positive outlook, perform the necessary research, enhance your on-line visibility with a dynamic resume. Happy Holidays!

Helpful Job-search links supplied to me via Twitter contacts:

(Twitter contact: KrisColvin)

http://www.visualcv.com/webinar/
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/networking/a/linkedin.htm
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchtips/a/bestips.htm

(Twitter contact: Lndseypollak)

http://mashable.com/2008/12/16/find-jobs/

Rosa E. Vargas

Contact us to learn more about our service at www.careersteering.com

Keep Your Cool While You Job Search!

Taking a deliberate approach and calculating the time you spend job searching will help you keep your sanity, nurture a positive outlook, and will be a more effective way to conduct your job search. Here are a few tips to help you worry less and keep your spirits up during this tough time.

1. Schedule Your Job Search Time: Decide how many hours a day you will devote to searching for jobs online or via any other source. Yes, schedule it. Just like you had a job before, well, job searching is a job. Of course, I understand that it will be a full-time job and that if you are in desperate need, it is difficult to relax.  All I am saying is take some time off.

Set your own hours (that is a perk) but do standardize those hours, and take a lunch break. Believe me,taking a pragmatic, organized, and healthy approach to job searching will yield better results. Speaking of organized, take a look at Jibber Jobber for a great career management tool that will help you keep your job search campaign organized.

2. Track Your Household Expenses and Set a Budget: Many people are afraid to look at the facts and don’t write down their expenses as dilligently as they should so the truth is not staring back at them. I tell you though, you must write down your budget plans. Once you get over your initial shock (or maybe a surprising relief), you will feel much more in control.

Scrutinize your spending habits. If perhaps there is only one household income now and you find that your expenses are way too high-- it is time to say goodbye to some unnecessary expenses. Don’t let this cutting down of expenses get you down. It is temporary. Also, schedule this budgeting and tracking activity (perhaps once or twice a week). You decide how often you will jot down your expenses, but when it is not time to track and budget -- don’t do it. Take a bit of time for yourself, friends, and your family.

3. Workout:I know. I have a hard time with this one myself. But, I tell you this, It truly does help release stress and bottled up frustration (not that I have much of it).  In addition, it helps to decrease depression since your body has natural chemical releases of endorphins that are initiated when you workout. A simple walk daily or a low-cost exercise video you can follow at home (Yoga? Pilates?). I am positive  your local public library carries exercise videos/DVDs. If you can find a way to workout in front of your computer, there are tons of exercise videos on You Tube. Personally, I enjoy Yoga Weight loss for Dummies . (Yes, it has worked. Thank you very much.)

4. Nurture Your Spiritual Side:Whether it's appreciating nature, reading positive self-help books, or participating in an organized religion, feed your spirit. I recently received this PDF by email. I am sharing it with you hoping you find it enlightening. It was written by Janet White. Download Your Layoff the Law of Attraction

5. Network Cards: And of course, be prepared wherever you go with mini resumes (Network cards). If you need help preparing this, you know who to call! : - )

This is a time for all us to pull together, share ideas, and roll up our sleeves and work our magic. If you have any information to share with others, feel free to post. Everyone has been unemployed at one point or another. Perhaps you can share tips on how you are planning to keep your spirit up a bit during this challenging period.

Bless,

Rosa E. Vargas
Certified Resume Writer

"Desperate Times Call for Desperate Measures," says banker

Of all the questions that are posed to me often, the one that always gets me is "do you really think it is necessary to pay for someone else to write my resume? Couldn't I just write it and have you critique it?" "Well, sure. If you cannot afford a full rewrite, professional advice is better than none," I respond. (But, I ask you all now, is that enough?) With times changing and the added competitiveness of the job market, will an average or "good" resume be enough? I DON'T THINK SO... 

Take a look at another aggressive, courageous, and creative job seeker and you be the judge! Is the normal job search tactic enough?

BETTER SIGN OF TIMES

Rosa E. Vargas 

www.careersteering.com

How Far Would You Take Your Job Search Campaign?

A resume that is captivating, enticing, and robust is the first step. A strategically managed  and distinguishing job-search campaign is step two! Think your job-search campaign is solid, effective, and creative? Now, I am not suggesting you go out and get a T-shirt and begin to write your Objective on it; but it won’t hurt to have a professional resume, an aggressive job-search plan, and perhaps some interview coaching (at least). : - ) Take a look at the tactic this young lady devised and bravely implemented:

Don't Miss Out on Job Opportunities. Prepare Network Cards!

WHAT IS A NETWORK CARD?

A network card is a small business card. This card works like a mini resume. It contains your most vital career information, it is easy to carry, and it makes a great impression!  (You never know when an opportunity will present itself.) To prepare your network card, you can copy portions of your resume's Profile. What can you include in your network card? The number of years' experience in your industry; listing of your strongest qualifications; your contact information, including addresses to online portfolios, bios, social networks (such as Linked-in, and Facebook) or your online Visual-CV.

DON’T BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP DURING THIS ECONOMIC CRISIS --YOU WOULD HELP !?

You know all those jobs that are filled by the time you call? Friends of friends of people in the company filled them! Email your extended family and let them know you are job searching. Mail them your network card. People really do like to help, and they strike up conversations in unexpected places. So, also start meeting new people. Attend meetings, join organizations, go to job fairs, seminars, anything that promotes job hunting. Where do you find this information? Newspapers, employment circulars, Internet, magazines, call the unemployment agency in your city, and career centers/resources. They have plenty of useful information.

The idea is to capitalize on every job lead. Position yourself to succeed and capture opportunities by being prepared and calling on those close to you and those close to them. Know that people will always try and help; by extending your network you are expanding your reach and increasing your career opportunities (also making new friends).

Side Note: Take a look at The Riley Guide it is an incredibly extensive and valuable online source.

 

For more information contact Rosa Elizabeth Vargas, a certified executive resume writer

 

Self Marketing and Career Opportunity Optimization!

What can you do to empower yourself during unstable economic times? Begin to evaluate your career, skills, contributions, and explore the tough job market now! Don’t wait until you are terminated or downsized! Even if all goes well and you know you will remain with your current employer—it will feel great to see your career progression down on paper, confirm you are an asset, and recongize that your skills are marketable!

I often tell friends that even if things are going great and they are not planning to leave their company they should still invest and "insure" (yes, I meant to use insure not ensure) their career with a new resume and by studying  job announcements! (What skills are required for your ideal position? How do you measure up?)Think about it; companies spend millions on hiring experts to analyze company marketing tactics, study the market and competitors,  evaluate revenue growth, optimize staff performance, compare actual cost vs. forecasted budget, and strategize for increased business growth. So, I ask you, why aren’t you developing a strong marketing and promotion campaign for your career?

We protect everything else; but often, not until we are in urgent need of a resume do we actually seek assistance or take inventory of what we have accomplished throughout our careers! People, let’s take inventory while we have time to do so. Here is my advice (in the process, we will be creating a completely new list of buzzwords!):

Self -performance Analysis: Pay close attention to the task you perform on a daily basis  and compare what you actually do at work, how much you are accountable for, what will not get done if you are not around, with what you were hired to execute. Hopefully, by reflecting on your performance, you will identify that you have gone above and beyond what you were hired to do! Do you voluntarily wear more hats than you were hired to wear? If you don’t remember look over the job description. Don’t just look to the past, keeping a work journal in which you jot down major accomplishments, keep thank you letters, make notes of promotions, pay increases, and remarkable comments (no venting in this ). This type of research, analysis, and documentation will be incredibly valuable to you when you are ready to write a biography or a resume and equip yourself with a pricesless job search tool!  Add this blog to your feed so that you follow up on all ten tips.

Rosa E. Vargas
Certified Resume Writer
Visit www.careersteering.com

Maximize The Responses to Your Online Resume Post

As you peruse job postings, pay even closer attention the Requirements section. If you don’t meet the Requirements section, move on to the next posting—even if you meet the qualifications or job description section. Please understand that the Requirement section is exactly that a requirement.

Strategically emailing your resume for job opportunities you perfectly match will help you keep a more positive spirit during your job search as the amount of no call backs will decrease. Some believe the more you send out—the higher your chances. Yet, I advise you to be selective and study those job announcements with scrutiny, intelligently pair your qualifications with the requirements; this way, you will be doing less legwork, earning more callbacks, and you will lessen your disappointment.

For example, if you answer 100 job postings and you are only perfectly qualified for half, you will be highly disappointed with the responses. Yet, if you had focused on those 50 announcements you were perfectly qualified for, you would have spent less energy following leads to nowhere and you would have utilized that time to create very targeted, sincere, and original cover letters that convince your new employer to call you for an interview.

Employers want to see you understand the position and you have sought it out because you are a good match. Also keep in mind that as unemployment increases, more job seekers will be responding to any ads. Therefore, employers will be bombarded with non-qualified applicants. Set yourself apart by managing a strategic and positive job search campaign! : - )

Good luck!

Rosa E. Vargas
NCRW - Nationally Certified Resume Writer
MRW - Master Resume Writer

www.careersteering.com packages

Are You Prepared for a Possible Job Search?

Let’s face it – it could happen! You could find yourself in a job-search situation, and if you do, are you ready to job search in this tough economy?

If you are currently employed, you are in a great position to begin taking the necessary steps to ensure your career –  even if it means ensuring it outside of your current company. If you are not employed – seeking professional assistance with your resume is the best investment you could make right now!

Let’s assume you are employed – take inventory now! Now that you are employed, you can begin to list and keep track of all your accomplishments; patiently search online for careers and companies that interest you and study them...what skills are they requiring from the ideal candidate? And, do you meet those requirements? If you don’t, what can you do to empower yourself and become marketable in this competitive job-search market? Perhaps update your computer skills? Take a refresher course? A seminar? Enroll in a few classes?

If during your evaluation of the job market, you determine that you are already the ideal candidate—do you have an amazing marketing tool (resume) that lures your new employer and convinces the hiring manager to hire you?  Does your resume clearly state why you are qualified over other candidates and does it substantiate your candidacy with quantifiable achievements? Do you even have the right resume keywords (jargon to help your resume match a computerized search) so that your resume is received, sorted, and actually read?

Preparing yourself does not mean you have a negative expectation! On the contrary, it means you value yourself and your career enough to try and ensure it as you try to ensure and protect everything else that is important to you in your life.

Rosa E. Vargas

MRW– Master Resume Writer

NCRW – Nationally Certified Resume Writer

Visit careersteering.com to learn more

 

 

Network Online to Get Your Resume in Front of The Right People

Now that you have a fantastic marketing tool (resume) that demonstrates how great you are ― let’s get it circulating and have it land in the right hands.

Beyond posting to the top career sites such as Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, Hotjobs.com,   Indeed.com, Workgiant.com, and Simplyhired.com (to name a few), you need to start networking. Create an online presence to connect with other professionals and create opportunities to align with the right people. As you build online relationships, you may learn of opportunities, openings, and career trends. Now, I am not suggesting you meet people online and bombard them with emails with your resume attached ―just network!

Through online interactions, information is swapped and your name as an expert in a particular field may come up.  Be sure to link to an online portfolio or online resume from your social profile, providing non-aggressive and easy access to your career history and status! Don’t have an online resume visit visualcv.com.

Here is a link that will help you get started with online networking ― check it out and see what you have been missing. Complete Web 2.0 directory go2web20.net.  If you get overwhelmed, begin with the most popular ones such as linkedin.com, facebook.com, twitter.com, myspace.com, xing.com, and zoominfo.com.

 

If you need assistance, please contact me, 

Happy socializing!

 

Rosa E. Vargas