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

Spring Cleaning and Your Personal Brand

Part of the Career Collective monthly posts series. “Re-Tooling, Re-Focusing, Organizing, and Spring Cleaning Your Job Search.” Please see end of this post for more advice from other career experts.

 

Branding yourself was a great idea! You are well aware of your unique value offer; have leveraged it to position yourself as an expert in your field and ‘knockout’ other heavy-weight champions. Great job!

What’s next? To stay current, you must always revisit your personal brand’s core values, ensure the value offer you’ve focused on is still in alignment with your target employer’s fluctuating needs. If it isn't, you may need to rebrand yourself.

A re-tooling of your personal brand is sometimes necessary in reaction to fluid industry demands—very strategic and smart defense! HOWEVER, a proactive rebrand based on forecasted industry needs and a deep-dive self reassessment --is even smarter!  (That’s offense, baby!)

So, is it time to re-evaluate, clean up, refocus, and polish your personal brand? Get your gloves, dust mops, and brooms...(pen and paper will work too).

Canvassing.Initiate contact with your target employer.

Learn.What is important to them as they plan for the future.

Evaluate.How does your personal brand meet their needs?

Adjust.Discard the old, remove barriers to the new you.

New. Package yourself anew this spring with a fresh and in-demand brand.

As always, if any questions: Master Executive Resume Writer

 

More advice from the career collective experts. Please visit the links below.

Personal Branding to Fire Up Your Job Search, @DebraWheatman

Succeeding in a “Final Jeopardy!” World, @WalterAkana

5 Steps to Retool & Jumpstart Your Job Search, @erinkennedycprw

Your Job Search: Let's Just Start Again Shall We? @GayleHoward

Checklist for Spring Cleaning Your Job Search, @careersherpa

5 Ways to Spring Clean Your Job Search, @heatherhuhman

Ten Surefire Ways to Organize Your Job Search, @KatCareerGal

Put Spring Into Your Job Search, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland

Toes in the Water, @ValueIntoWords

How to Revitalize a Stale Job Search, @KCCareerCoach

How to re-think your job search, @Keppie_Careers

Wake Up and Smell the Flowers: Spring Cleaning Your Resume, @barbarasafani

Spring Cleaning and Your Personal Brand, @resumeservice

Spring clean your mind clutter first, @DawnBugni

Managing Your Career 2.0: On Giving Something Up To Get It Right, @Chandlee

Clean up, Chin, up, Shape up, @LaurieBerenson

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

The New: From The Employer’s-Eye View

Part of the Career Collective monthly posts series. Job-hunting “Rules” to Break and Outdated Job-Search Tactics. Please visit other blog posts, link provided at the end of this post.  

Old Habits Die Hard

Your resume is in pretty good shape. Isn’t it? You have been perusing professional samples online and you have been reading all the how to’s, when to’s, and don’ts. Well, then why no quality interview calls?

Despite the unemployment rate still at 9.1% as of the end of 2010, there ARE opportunities out there. It is tougher, let's face it, but why? Because your competition is talented and highly qualified. Therefore, you, my friend, have to step up your job-search game and dare to take control of your brand on paper (resume) by not playing it safe but standing out on your own. 

What am I referring to? Applying the old objective plus career chronology resume format you learned in high school isn’t going to cut it anymore. It is now imperative that your resume pop and quickly capture attention. That it conveys value over others who are also extremely qualified. That you tell a story about how you rescued the company, department, location, region, initiative, client base, or project. How? Survey your career from the employer’s-eye view and promote your exclusivity. Then, you will know how to best write a resume that implicitly tells an unmatched story that hogs the job search spotlight.

 

The Basics You Must Know

1. Presentation does matter. Seizing the attention of an employer means you have to break from the traditional and overly used resume presentation. While ultimately, content (achievements and qualifications) is what will win you an edge--by capturing attention first, you net the additional seconds necessary to entice, enthrall, guide, and compel through content (yes, content is still king). Now, know the design of your resume is conceptualized based on the industry you are targeting. Depending on your target industry, it may be necessary to keep the resume design conservative. Yet, conservative does not mean mundane. See below:

 

 

 

2. Write storytelling descriptions. As a career professional, I receive resume submissions daily. Most are in horrible shape but every now and then, I will find a few in my inbox that look nicely polished. (Thumbs up!) Yet, as I begin to read, the truth is discovered. The truth? The resume is an absolutely boring boilerplate; the job seeker has simply regurgitated the job description as if we don’t already know what the job entails.

Get this, your resume is not a job ad. You are not to list all the requirements to perform the job. (Employers already know what a job entails). Your resume is a candidate promotional tool and you are to tell and show…what YOU did with the opportunities under the given job title—not just that you fulfilled the job title (that is the least expected of you). 

 Example:

Before: Job Description 

Cross-Selling Specialist, Company Name Here, 2007 to Present

Responsible for managing sales of distributor partners and direct customers. Facilitated customer relationships, leveraged marketing programs, provided sales training, and developed unique selling tools to drive sales volume, revenue and margin by translating customer needs to product solutions. 

What is unique about the above? Wouldn’t others who hold this very same position describe their job this very same way?

 

After: Job Story (Cliffhanger, normally followed by quantifiable achievements in bullet form.)

Cross-Selling Specialist—Company Name Here, 2007 to Present

Identified, tackled, and solved the lack of a systemic processes and efficient tools necessary to uncover account cross-selling opportunities and maximize sales growth despite a down market. Engineered a unique and user-friendly tool by leveraging industry ratios as benchmark to identify product slate. Developed accompanying process. Tested, rolled out, promoted, and launched commensurate sales staff training, successfully equipping this B2B organization to better quantify, target, and aggressively close cross-selling opportunities across 14 sectors. Earned a promotion based on results; tool is recognized as a global best practice standard.

 The above tells a story. Does it not? Let’s see: 1. this person faced and solved an existing problem, 2. created opportunities for growth, 3. engineered a tool that positioned the company for long-term growth. This person's work was recognized company-wide. Wow! They actually produced results and not just executed the job.

Employer’s-Eye View= “This person is worth meeting. Perhaps they can come and dissolve our similar obstacles in reaching increased margins.”

 

3. Add impact with marketing power. Sometimes quantifiable achievements can be best illustrated with a bit of bling (A graph, a table). See here:

 

Bottom line is don’t be afraid to break from the historic way of presenting yourself on your resume. True, perhaps you will surprise prospective employers and yes, perhaps you will be the only one submitting a resume likes yours. Is that a bad thing? Are you a leader or a follower? 

Playing it safe and blending in does not win interviews for top-paying jobs.

Time to shoot higher and dare to break the norm. 

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
Nationally Certified Resume Writer
Certified Expert Resume Writer
Academy Certified Resume Writer

 

Follow the hashtag, #CareerCollective on Twitter.

• Juice Up Your Job Search, @debrawheatman
• It's not your age, it's old thinking, @GayleHoward
• Want a Job? Ignore these outdated job search beliefs @erinkennedycprw
• Job Search Then and Now, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes
• Break the Rules or Change the Game? @WalterAkana
• The New: From The Employer's-Eye View, @ResumeService
• Job Search: Breakable Rules and Outdated Beliefs, @KatCareerGal
• Job Hunting Rules to Break (Or Why and How to Crowd Your Shadow), @chandlee @StartWire,
• Shades of Gray, @DawnBugni
• 3 Rules That Are Worth Your Push-Back, @WorkWithIllness
• Your Photo on LinkedIn - Breaking a Cardinal Job Search Rule? @KCCareerCoach
• How to find a job: stop competing and start excelling, @Keppie_Careers
• Be You-Nique: Resume Writing Rules to Break, @ValueIntoWords
• Modernizing Your Job Search, @LaurieBerenson
• Don't Get Caught With an Old School Resume, @barbarasafani
• How Breaking the Rules Will Help You in Your Job Search, @expatcoachmegan
• Beat the Job-Search-Is-a-Numbers-Game Myth, @JobHuntOrg
• 25 Habits to Break if You Want a Job, @CareerSherpa

 

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:

Are You Boring Recruiters?

 

 

Does your resume resemble a checklist, to-do list, a laundry list? Have you desperately tried to convince your prospective employers of your qualifications by including everything but the kitchen sink on your resume? Well, please don’t. Believe me, HR knows what a job description is; they have seen thousands of resumes. While the HR/hiring authority’s goal is to screen resumes and identify qualified candidates, the person doing the screening, well, is a person—and no one enjoys being 'bored to death', especially not by sifting through long-winded resumes that regurgitate all-too-familiar job descriptions. Here is a little secret: Many HR Managers actually write job descriptions. So, you are not doing them (or yourself) any favors by including a sea of bullets with your daily job accountabilities. Understand that your resume’s job is not to give away every little detail of what your job entailed. Instead, your resume’s job is…

to list your employment, so they know you have experience;
include job titles, so they know you have done the job before;
include dates, so they gauge your loyalty and employable record;
and, include education, certifications, and professional development, so they verify your credentials.

The rest of the resume is marketing, so you outdistance other job seekers. How do you outdistance other job seekers? With differentiating, interesting, and attention capturing copy that gets into the mind of the hiring authority and motivates them to ‘buy’ what you are selling.

So, before you decide to use your resume to tell HR Managers what an Operations Manager does, what a Creative Director is supposed to do, what Sales Managers are in charge of…opt to instead capture attention by telling them (concisely) how well you did it, a story of what challenges you faced, how you creatively overcame them, and paint a picture of the bottom-line your efforts produced. Now, that will ensure you are memorable, entertaining, and worth an invitation into the office for a personal interview.

 

Here is a checklist (how on topic) to help you determine if you have said way too much and if the “HR Lady” is snoring on the other end.

1. Is your summary longer than five to six sentences? Keep things concise and employer-focused. It helps to write this section last.

2. Have you included more than say 2 to 3 soft skills(personal traits) in your Professional Summary. Soft skills are usually adjectives and while they add energize your writing, too many of these also weaken your candidacy. On the flip side, substantiated and concrete skills (hard skills), strengthen your candidacy.

3. Is it difficult to identify your hard skills (technical skills, experience listed through the use of industry jargon such as staff management, operations improvement, sales cycle). These should be clearly identified.

4. Does your employment history resemble a job ad. Have you just defined what your job title means by recounting the reason you were hired. Don’t do this. Instead, focus on how you performed in this role, how you owned the role, and tell a story of the magnitude of obstacles you faced.

5. Do you have more than say six bullets under each job description? Remember that accomplishments are to be bulleted. While you may have more than a few accomplishments under each role, a skilled copywriter (resume writer) can combine similar triumphs, identify which are worth mentioning, and ‘umbrella’ some. There are a myriad of ways to convey your milestones without having to list 20 bullets under each job title.

6. Have you left them with questions? You must, but be very careful. You must say enough not to sound vague but conceal enough to ignite interest and plant a need for them to know more about you.

 

 

Is Your Brand Hurting You?

 

 

Is Your Brand All Wrong?

A careerist said to me, "I need your help. I need to REBRAND my resume."

Ooookay. So, I was expecting, "I need a resume like yesterday." Perhaps, "What is resume branding?" But, an outright "rebrand" —well! If I wasn't already sitting...

 

Why a Rebrand?

You see, this careerist had developed a strong brand; earned a reputation as a 'department savior.' The problem? Most of the job offers were coming from companies in need of an immediate and truly challenging rescue. (It is a logical result. Don't you think?) The issue is this careerist no longer wishes to come in and organize mayhem. Now, it is not that this person is not willing to "roll up their sleeves" and work hard. But that their most prominent qualifications, the brand that was exuding from resume shouted: "Give me your poorest, most chaotic department, with little or no employees, and non-existing resources—I like that!" The solution? A rebrand.

 

The Complexity of Branding

Many careerists in a quest to outdistance other job seekers work on developing a personal brand and that is great. The mistake is that sometimes a careerist will launch a personal branding campaign based on what they have been told repeatedly they are best at. What's the problem with that? Many of us are often cast into roles that we do not ENJOY just because we are good at them.

Yes, perhaps, when we first begin our careers that is good enough. Nevertheless, as we grow, learn more about ourselves, discover through experience what we truly take pleasure in, we often desire personal fulfillment in conjunction with meeting our financial needs. Consequently, we need to revaluate, and yes—REBRAND!

 

The Value Offer (Unique Value Proposition)

First, let's be clear. In order to win that job, you must solve a problem for employers. (Yes. This is true.) Please know that companies are looking for candidates because they need to solve a problem. So, if boarding a sinking ship, steering it, and hoisting it out of turbulent waters is what you enjoy—ahoy! But (pay close attention now), as an example, if you do not desire to save a department from flounder—what then is your value offer? Perhaps taking the department to the next level? Offering higher returns? Guaranteeing more efficiency? Promising to train even better employees? Yes, you can present a solution to a challenge they have not yet faced. Think about the latter. How often have you purchased a product you originally didn’t know you needed but as it turns out it has made your life easier? Branding.Targeting. Marketing! You and only you can answer the question of what your value offer is, but be assured that you must offer value.  

 

What This Means for You

You must pay close attention to what you are offering via your resume and brand. What you promote most prominently will attract those in need of just that. It is that simple. It is not just about outdistancing and differentiating yourself (although it is a key component of branding) but it is about attracting the right employer by targeting the right market and promoting the right brand.

Developing the right brand is a very complex self-analyzing process. You have to be extremely cautious that you do not promote an undesirable brand. Coming into a department and sustaining things as they are is not a bankable or differentiating brand. Thus, you must evaluate and identify what you offer a corporation that is providing them with an added value and concurrently position yourself to leverage the strengths you wish to implement in your daily work life.

What is your resume/brand saying about you? What is the value you are offering? And dare I ask you...What would make you happy?

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas

Quadruple Certified Resume Writer
Master Resume Writer

Join me on Facebook: www.facebook.com/CareerMarketing

 

Facebook and Your Career

Excuse me. Come again? Are you kidding? What is the first thing you do when you want more information about ANY topic? About a celebrity? About a dream vacation? The weather? You Google it. That's right. I know you do. You Google it. What makes you think you are un-googleable?  Simply put, Facebook can affect your online brand, your digital reputation, your corporate identity, and ultimately your employability.

The most important thing you must realize is that EMPLOYERS WILL ABSOLUTELY GOOGLE YOU. If you have a name, you are googleble; if you have any social networking account, even if just one—you are definitely googleble; which means your reputation is searchable. So, now that we established this, what do you do with that information?

 

A Few Takeaways:

Facebook counts. Perhaps Facebook itself won't lead you to a job opportunity (perhaps). So, how does all this pertain to your (FB) Facebook account and your job search/career? Well, for starters, if you are a professional who is already using Twitter, LinkedIn, and other online sites to job search, don't discard Facebook as a useless tool. Facebook results in Google searches; therefore, it plays a role in building/influencing your online image. Consequently, you must decide if you are going to protect it (set it to private) or put some thought in what you share via FB.

Executives and hiring managers are on Facebook too. Imagine this: you decided to network via LinkedIn and Twitter (because you are just that cool). You connect with a few folks. Now these contacts found you on Facebook and request you as a 'friend.'  You were not counting on this. (C'mon, you had no idea there were apps to find your Twitter friends on Facebook or that the HR lady you connected with on LinkedIn would send you a friend request via FB.) Now what are you going to do about the not-so-polished brand you have been unintentionally building via FB?

What goes online, stays online forever. If you are not going to use FB to project a professional brand, yes you can set it to private. However, realize if you are networking with others—nothing is 100% protected online. If someone has access to it, it can be copied and it can be shared. Hence, it can go viral!

In another post I will discuss how you can leverage Facebook to add a favorable dimension to your candidacy and pile up layers of 'awesomeness' but for now, allow me to accentuate that at the very minimum you should care to open a Facebook account or to be cautious of what you share via FB.

Where is all the fun going? I hear you now, I can, "can't anyone have fun anymore?" Sure. But, remember that old saying, "don't mix business with pleasure." Well, at times, that is still good advice. And, of course, it depends on what you call fun.

For social networking to be successful you must be friendly, and yes, some associates may become your friends. What you have to be cognizant about is which friends, what topics, and what's off-limits. If you are ranging on-brand from professional to personal life, you have nothing to worry about. Otherwise, may need two separate Facebook accounts. 

Be sure to sign up for this blog  and join me on www.facebook.com/Careersteering

 

As always, if any questions, Rvargas@creatingprints.com

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas

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

How Much Education Should Be Listed on Resume?

This is one of the questions that is posed to me again and again…and it is a good question! Here is the answer: IT DEPENDS. I know. You would like a clear-cut answer.

But the reality is that when you set out to prepare a favorable candidacy via your resume you will use discernment and scrutinize your resume line-by-line, outweighing, repositioning, questioning, and editing so you influence and gain an interview.

The following question came to me via Twitter. Because Twitter limits your answer to 140 characters, you will find my reply below. (Great question!)

 

Question:

 

@artdeal

 

@resumeservice Hello I have a resume question. Should I list both my Associates and Bachelor Degrees?

 

Answer:

@resumeservice

You would always list your Associate’s Degree and your Bachelor’s Degree so as long as listing both is favorable to your candidacy. Now you may wonder, “how can multiple degrees not be favorable to my candidacy?”

Here are a few examples of when you would opt to not include your Associate’s degree if you have a Bachelor’s degree:

 

1. Your Bachelor’s degree major is in line with your career path but your Associate’s degree is not related in the very least. At this point, no need to divulge that you have taken up a different path before unless it can somehow add another favorable dimension to your candidacy. Remember, resume writing is about listing information that would be influential and about keeping content to the minimum necessary to persuade.

 

2. Your Associate’s degree is from a community college while your Bachelor’s degree is from a more impressive institution or a an Ivy league. I applaud those with a community college degree, so no hate mail please. My point is that you are shaping the most favorable and impressive image, so discard the unnecessary.

 

3. Your Associate’s degree was more than 10 years ago. Remember that this advice is if you have additional degrees. If your only degree is the Associate’s degree, list it no matter how long ago, but don’t include graduation date.

 

4. You never finished your Associate’s degree but transferred to a four-year college and completed your Bachelor’s Degree. No need to go there.

 

5. Your GPA was very low for your Associate’s degree but your performance was excellent during your Bachelor’s preparation.

 

Those are the ones that come to mind now. Feel free to add your own commentary.

 

As always, if any questions leave a comment below or at rvargas@creatingprints.com

 

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

 

Dancing With Words and Ideas Leads to Masterful Resumes

As I finished my resume prep session, I looked over at the time on the lower right-hand corner of my computer and I realized over 2 hours had passed since I began to plan/write my latest resume. Yet, if you were to look over my shoulder at my computer screen, you would not believe me. I have the contact information laid out, the color scheme has been carefully selected and harmonized, the skeleton of what will eventually be a bountiful and a masterpiece of a resume is carefully outlined with ideas I need to convey. The personal branding is so far composed of a few trigger words. Yet, not one sentence has been fully written. What was I doing? Daydreaming? No. I was dancing.

You see, when you are an expert and a passionate resume writer, you set out to deep-dive into your clients' career life. If you are committed to capturing your client’s true unique value, meeting the needs of the future employer, and igniting interest over other candidates, you will introspect and embark on a writing journey that is time-consuming, challenging, and time transcendent. I am not kidding.

Before I begin to communicate my client's career triumphs on paper, and after our deep interview session, you will discover me ‘dancing’ with the ideas that are floating in my mind and fixed on identifying a unique brand; cavorting with phrases, concepts, and canceling out similarities; playing the role of employer and analyzing for possible negative conclusions, contriving to avert any doubts. I envision my target audience (employer) and strategize how I am to captivate, provoke, flirt, enthrall, intoxicate if I must; but do everything I can short of grabbing the phone myself and holding it up to the ear of the hiring authority and shouting “call my client for an interview, now!”

Reflecting on this prep/writing process of mine inspired this post. I wondered how many of my colleagues were at that very moment 'time travelling' and 'dancing' with, through, and over the details they have garnered during an interview session. How many are targeting, outweighing, distilling, repositioning, evaluating, pondering, crafting, and rewriting in order to create a masterful dossier UNLIKE those they have written before? (Solidarity my friends!)

Resume dancers (expert resume writers) are hard at work, submerging into their clients' past, forecasting employer needs, transcending time by analytically predicting whom their clients are becoming and plotting a story around why the employer should care. That is the difference between those that build a resume as an art form and those that merely rehash a work history that fails to neither make anyone FEEL excited nor believe that this client’s work-life merits further exploration.

Here is to my elite resume-writing colleagues (you know who you are) who with the goal of positioning their clients for success, plunge into their client’s work-life as incisively as some ravish the latest Oprah Book Club selection. You are a credit to this industry and I do dare dance along with you!

To you job seeker, if you are trying to go at it alone, I hope you rethink this plan; because, if a blank document on your computer screen with the cursor blinking doesn’t excite you, the end result won’t induce a more favorable emotion from your employer either. Leave it up to us 'geeks' who love to write, dance with words and ideas, and who will skillfully and passionately communicate your differentiating value, winning you the interview you dream of. Then, it is your turn to dance.

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Certified Resume Writer
How to write an executive resume the right way

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

 

 

How to Identify a Great Resume Writer: No Rip Off!

A very good friend of mine Dawn Bugni who is a certified resume writer has written a great post  in response to a “resume-writers-rip-you-off claim.”  I began to comment on her blog, and, well, you see here how long that comment became. To summarize,  someone scornfully advised job seekers that resume writers are all ripping them off. Instead of sharing their unfortunate experience and perhaps advising job seekers to perform due diligence before hiring a resume writer, they chose to scare job seekers away from resume writers (and probably closer to something they are offering). Tsk, tsk. No. I am not linking to their post; I don’t want to do them any favors. :-)

Here is what I have to say about that: You cannot pile all resume writers into one category. Unfortunately, it is true that there are resume writers who are not providing stellar documents. Every industry has its slackers but that should never discredit the entire industry. But then again, who are these less-than-perfect resume writers? Are they top-tier writers in our industry or some who just recently self-proclaimed themselves resume writers?

To add another layer to this discussion, allow me to remind everyone that the resume is ONE tool. No resume, not even if it could literally fly onto the desk of a hiring manager—can capture a job for you. The strategy is that the resume compel the reader over other qualified candidates and open doors to opportunities. The rest is up the job seeker. Hence, you may need a job search /interview coach also.

Another layer: remember when you receive your new resume that you are not the best judge of whether you received an effective resume or not (neither are your friends). I recommend you actually allow your new resume to penetrate the job search market for a few months and then cast your judgment. A truly talented resume writer is trained and committed to crafting documents that will gain you an interview by catering to the needs of your future employer and NOT yours. STOP...Again. By catering to the needs of your future employer and NOT yours.

If the resume writer can knock-your-socks-off prior to you attaining interviews, excellent! However, the ultimate person to please is your future employer. Your satisfaction with your resume writer should initially be determined based on the quality of services and the construction of a document that is notches above yours; eventually and ultimately on whether it brought more positive attention to your job search.

Questions to Ask Your Resume Writer Before Hiring Them

With that said, the best steps a job seeker can take before hiring a resume writer is to research and interview the resume writer:

1. How many years of experience does this resume writer have?

2. What kind of professional training?

3. Any certifications?

4. Which organizations provide these certifications and what is the process? Research the organization also.

5. Does the resume writer have testimonials with more than just initials?

6. Is this resume writer published in career books? Testament that they are committed to the career industry.

7. Has the resume writer written articles to inform job seekers? If so, read their content and identify quality.

8. Will the resume writer be the one writing the resume and not someone else who is new? While many successful resume writers need assistance with workload, credible and seasoned resume writers usually hire competent and experienced help; and they are usually involved every step of the way, approving, guiding, and editing at the very least.

9. Send the resume writer a copy of your resume and ask for a consultation to determine if you two are the best fit (not tips to improve your resume on your own).

10. Does the resume writer have an online presence on LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, Blogs? This speaks of their passion, qualifications, and involvement.

11. Google them! Do you find any negative news about them?

12. Call them. Don’t just limit your search by email unless you are the type of person that does not like phone calls (but in this case you are in real trouble when it comes to job searching so you will need interview coaching too).

To reiterate, once you have performed your research and hired an expert --you have to trust them. If you request hundreds of drafts based on what YOU think is best, you have guided your writer back to your original resume; then, who can you blame but yourself for the end-result?

If I find that my clients need changes that I don’t agree with I usually will warn them before proceeding and may request they sign a contract, which states they have been advised and wish to continue with their expert techniques and not mine. Many choose not to make changes and thank me later for being so upfront. But, some writers may not  push back that much. They may just give you what you want which is not to say they don’t care but they just have a different customer service style. So trust the expert. 

Professional Resume Writing Brings Success

I cannot tell you how many times a client has come to me with a mediocre resume and NO job leads. After I transformed their resume into a compelling marketing document (instead of a history report), they not only captured interviews—but also attained a job in a tough job market and could pay their bills and take care of their families. That type of peace of mind is gained by ensuring you have marketed yourself the best you can. That is worth a little research and investing in the right job seeker marketer (a professional resume writer).

Summary: Why a Resume Writer and NOT You

In closing this long post (sorry), you have to ask yourself the following: Can I write a better resume for myself than someone who has trained, been tested by a panel of judges, writes resumes daily, has access to a network of resume writers, resources to craft my resume, enters resume contest (yes. We actually enter contests), nurtures ongoing training, and has seen my competition’s resume? I bet the answer is… no way! And guess what. You cannot afford to take that chance. While you contemplate if you can write a better resume for yourself than someone who does it for a living can—your competition hired a professional and they are interviewing already. 

As always, my contact information is below:  

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer

Resume Security: Protect Your Digital Documents

So many of you have wisely taken the job search online but are you implementing measures to protect your private information plus career marketing content? Here are a few steps I take to ensure my clients’ resume copy and personal information is only accessible by those that are serious about evaluating their candidacy.

1. When creating a web page, web rez, web portfolio, place the following meta tags inside the page’s header:

<META  NAME="ROBOTS" CONTENT="NOINDEX, NOFOLLOW">

This will help (not guarantee since technology is ever evolving) avoid the indexing of any links to your downloadable resume or cover letter. Hence, abating your resume come up in Google queries.

 

2. Don’t repurpose your entire resume online. When you set up social media profiles, just copy and paste portions of your resume and indicate somewhere for them to contact you for the entire resume. Not only is this a wise way of protecting your resume copy but it makes for a more interesting social networking profile. If you make the entire resume available for download, perform the next step… 

 

3. Protect your MS Doc with a password and qualify the inquiries received online/ via social networking sites. Instructions for MS 2003 protection; Instructions for MS 2007. Perhaps you have linked or uploaded your MS doc to any of the numerous online social networking sites such as LinkedIn or  perhaps posted it on VisualCV; only provide your password to those that seem honest and serious about learning about your candidacy. If they go as far as to email you to attain the password, they most likely mean business.

 

3. Set up a temporary free email with Gmail or Yahoo. Once your job search is over, you can just get rid of that account.

 

Don’t get discourages or concerned about job searching online. The point is for you to execute steps that will abate any unfavorable use of your documents.

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

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
Quadruple Certified Resume Writer (NCRW, ACRW,CERW, MRW)

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

 

 

Life Happens: Dealing with Gaps In Employment on Resume

Dear Rosa:

“I worked as an account manager for XXX Brands for nearly 9 years but was laid off in January 2007 as part of a divisional reorganization. I wasn't expecting this and had not really thought about where I would go next. So instead of jumping into something I wasn't sure I wanted, I decided to take this opportunity to try the stay-at-home mom routine with my 2 boys. The oldest had just turned 5 and the other was about to turn 2… However now I have this 2 year gap on my resume and it appears to employers as someone that nobody wants to hire. I am getting a very poor response rate and when I do get a response it is geared towards entry-level sales.

How can I get beyond this on my resume and let employers know that this was my choice? I have an excellent track record, was a top-performer, etc. but I am not getting the chance to prove it because I get weeded out as soon as they see I have been out of work for more than 3 months. I would greatly appreciate any advice or input you might be able to provide.
Thank you again for responding.”

 

The above came to me via LinkedIn. To protect the privacy of the job seeker, we are going to call her Marla (I like that name).

I am sure that Marla’s situation is similar to what many of you are experiencing. Okay, listen up…you cannot hide, deny, embellish the fact that you have been out of work. Even if you were to remove dates (let’s just say), during the application screening process this will be indentified and guess what; not only will you now be the candidate who has been out of work for a couple of years but you are the candidate that tried to camouflage it. (This is not what Marla is asking but I just wanted to broach this subject because I know many of you try to hide gaps.)

 

The best way to overcome any flaw on a resume is to outshine it by deflecting the spotlight on to why/how you are more than qualified!

 

How can you do this?

• Apply a different format than the chronological order. Instead of listing Name, then Objective (please don’t use an objective) or Summary, and then your Employment --- go a different route and list your Name, Summary, and Career Highlights and then Employment. Why? Because this allows you to make your case, promote yourself, convince and compel before your career chronology and  your employment gap. The idea is that by the time they notice your employment gap, you have made such an impression, they are interested enough to call you.

• Do not omit dates.  You can downplay your employment gaps (flaws) but don’t completely avoid it. List your dates but ensure it is not the first thing they see.

• Fill in the gap. What did you do during this time in addition to taking care of your family? Perhaps you took up a training course? Did you volunteer? Were you active in the community? If so, list it above your latest employment but don’t exaggerate (like calling yourself the CEO of your home. I know sometimes it feels like a just title but it really does not translate to the business folks). Also, if you only volunteered once, don’t list it. When listing volunteer, you must state where, how often, and the difference you made as a volunteer. In addition, being able to add a part-time job or volunteer work with dates, will help technically fill that gap so that you at least make it through the online computerized sorting and have an opportunity to reassure an actual human being that taking a chance on you is not as risky as they might think.

• Create a dynamic cover letter. This is why I am a big advocate of cover letters. Many have admitted to me, when they are on the fence regarding a candidate, they read them. That is enough for me! 

Cover letters should be created in a more personal manner. This is where you would convey to your new employer that your sabbatical from work was voluntary and why you chose to do so. Then, convince them that although you have been out of work you still remember how to produce.

In Marla’s case,  I would suggest you convey that you are still a sales and customer service expert; you can overcome objections and close; you can cultivate relationships and retain accounts long-term. Tell them why you are so good at it and highlight how well you have done.  Face your issue of employment gaps head on in the cover letter.

 

"Marla," you need to sell yourself in this cover letter and resume by highlighting benefits over features! You stay away from the negatives and you focus on the takeaway. Promise them the results they seek, substantiate it with your achievements, quantify your claims with numbers, jargon, specifics, and prioritize your points. Your resume is a selling tool and you must sell yourself above and regardless of any "flaw" or gap.  There is no magic trick for getting rid of employment gaps but when a resume and cover letter is prepared strategically (PRIORITIZATION being key) your justification for employment gaps will be well received.

 

Hope this helps. As always if any questions rvargas@creatingprints.com

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas

Master Resume Writer

Don’t Underestimate The Power of The Thank You Letter

Have you ever felt frustrated after an interview? Sure you have! I know you’ve mentally gone over your interview answers and…you remember what you DID NOT say and you realize you missed an opportunity to REINFORCE your candidacy. Well, this is why you write a strategic Thank You letter, which will position you back in the “game.”

Of course, it all depends on how badly you’ve screwed things up. Sometimes, there is no backpedaling, but let’s assume for a moment that you can recoup or cement your candidacy--what then do you say in your Thank You letter besides…thank you?

The problem with most Thank You letters is they are usually prepared as just a nice gesture. Saying thank you is a very nice thing to do and it does go a long way, but if written as an ordinary thank you, it is not strategic enough to add another dimension to your candidacy, it leverages not an additional qualifier, and doesn’t elevate your interview performance. In other words, use your Thank You opportunity as a last marketing tool in order to gain a competitive distinction.

Here are a few things you can do to take advantage of the follow up opportunity. Remember that now you have "insider" information you did not prior to the interview—don’t waste it.

When Your Interviewer Shared a Concern: If during the interview process, you were told that the perfect candidate must meet XYZ and you discussed your lack in one of these areas, you need to talk about this again. Concisely bring it up, reiterate why this would not be a problem, and, in fact, promote how despite this "weakness" you are the PERFECT candidate.

When You Did Not Say What You Should Have Said: At times, we reflect and in retrospect recognize where we failed. Well, this is your opportunity! Bring up the topic and say you would like to elaborate, you would like to expand; you had time to think about this and want to convey the following.

When You Think You Sensed Apprehension: This is a bit risky because you could be wrong. Yet, what is life if not risky? If you are very good at perceiving and ascertaining needs and you KNOW you identified a problem--"smooth" it out! Please do not say you think the interviewer did not understand... You NEVER want to convey you assume to know what others think but you can discuss what YOU failed to communicate. You can say you would like to clarify a point you wish you had emphasized.

When You Really Just Want to Say Thank You: There are times when you were FANTASTIC during an interview and you sincerely just want to say, thanks! Nevertheless, you don’t know how your competition performed and you are not privy as to what kind of Thank You letter they are preparing. So, in this case, thank them but fortify your candidacy even further. You could...

• Accentuate three of your top qualifications as discussed during the interview. Now you have more information than you did prior to the interview—put it to work for you! Connect your qualifications with employer needs expressed during the interview.
• Bring up information they shared about the company and express how much more interested you became.
• Sell them again on the bottom-line goal they need to achieve via your employment. Seal the deal by promising to deliver.

Keep this thank you letter concise; while a sales tool it does not have to be as elaborate as your resume or cover letter. And, remember, the entire job search process is a strategic marketing effort; leverage every tool and maximize every opportunity.

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer

The Value of Your Tweets During a Job Search

 

How To Tweet Your Way to a Job Lead

The value of your tweets.  Now that you have set up your Twitter account, what do you tweet in order to get closer to an actual job lead? There are many steps you can take to job search via Twitter but in this blog post, I will focus on your tweets' content because a great tweet can propel you closer to a job--a bad tweet can help you lose the job you currently have…AND QUICKLY!

Micro blogging as part of your job search toolkit. Project and strengthen your professionalism, brand, and expertise. If you provide valuable and spot-on content, you will gain influential followers. If your Twitter "followers" find your content useful and insightful they may recommend others follow you or better yet (RT) re-tweet you, helping you expand your reach.

Don't tweet anything you would not say in person to your future boss.For some odd reason people share more than they should via their tweets. You should be even more cautious because what goes online stays online, forever! Be tactful and remember that employers will Google you!

Stay on topic and provide useful content. Say you are seeking employment as a Pediatric RN, stay on that subject. Tweet about an article you wrote regarding healthcare, your thoughts on excellent pediatric care, provide advice, and share links to interesting blog posts. You may even tweet a job lead you did not pursue. Don't. Please. Don’t start tweeting about…say…your trip to the grocery store or about your romantic relationships. (I know the little Twitter box request “What’s happening” but don’t literally answer that!) Sure, engage in conversation but at all times be cognizant of what you’re discussing.

Incorporate keywords in your tweets. Include jargon / keywords specific to your target industry. Your tweets will become pages on the Internet and so be sure to optimize your job search tweets for the web. What are keywords? Keywords are industry-specific nouns and noun phrases such as tech skills and job titles. However, perhaps the most imperative reason for incorporating keywords in your tweet is so – your tweets help project your expertise.

Hash tags. Adding a hash tag (#) to your industry keyword (e.g., #nurse, #CEO, #sourcing manager, etc.) will help professionals within your industry find you when they conduct a an on-topic search.

Sample Keywords and Hash Tags in Tweets:

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

#Sales #management: a client-focused presentation is the key in closing deals in a tough economy.

#Webdesign: beautiful layouts that are also search engine friendly are essential for great #SEO.

You should aim to keep tweets even shorter than the allowed 140 characters in order to invite re-tweets (RTs). If someone does not have to edit your tweet in order to re-tweet it, then that person is more likely to! More RTs means more people will learn you are job searching.

Re-tweets brand you too. Once you RT a message, this tweet becomes part of your Twitter stream and so be selective. What you choose to re-tweet demonstrates your thought process, your decision-making, and illustrates what captures your attention. (I know, Twitter is supposed to be fun, but creating career opportunities in such a challenging job market is work...and a strategic endeavor.)

Tweet your resume in moderation. Yes, you are on Twitter to job search -- I understand. Yet, don’t tweet your resume with every other tweet. Hold back a bit. Find folks to follow, share tweets, gain followers, network, then tweet your resume once a week and ask others to RT it. People help those they like--not those that annoy them.

The ideal situation would be for you to have a link from your Twitter bio to your resume (on LinkedIN or VisualCV.com) and as you tweet brilliant information, your “followers” will be interested enough to click on that link!

Twitter is just one tool.Twitter is one method for you to go about networking and creating your own job opportunities. Don't ever 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 -- Twitter it is just one tool.

As always, if you need assistance or have questions, writer@careersteering.com

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
www.careersteering.com

The Resume as Part of Your Social Media Job Search Campaign

Part of the Career Collective monthly posts. See end of this post.

Contrary to what you have heard, the resume still has its place in this web 2.0 world. Despite interactive mediums, it's still a very crucial marketing tool and essential in launching your digital marketing campaign. What has occurred? Greatly due to the explosion of social media, job sourcing and job-seeker marketing has exponentially evolved. Consequently, the way in which you write and promote your self-marketing message must be hoisted to meet market demands.

You now must be the ‘maestro’ of a digital symphony, which will compose your web persona and it begins with a resume sheet!

Whether you plan to print your resume or publish its content online diminishes NOT the resume's importance. It is now even more imperative that you orchestrate content to deliver a unified message. What's advertised on your resume must be reinforced, complemented, and augmented by what you self-publish across various social networking sites. Substantiate the claims you have made on resume and further position yourself as an expert.

Creative writing and content management

So, I implore you, begin with a resume. Then, define what social media tools will best serve to promote your brand and employability. LinkedIn? Twitter? Facebook? Do you need an online portfolio to showcase images of your work?  Will an interview podcast be advantageous in your target field? Would you benefit from a video interview?  Once you have developed your resume and identified which social media tools will be part of your job search campaign, you can strategize, publish, and manage online content.

A Few Suggestions

Do not Repeat Resume Verbatim Online:If you are developing a LinkedIn profile, decipher what you will promote on LinkedIn that you a have not already communicated on resume. Really, what's the point of rehashing the resume again? Ignite a desire for others to learn more about your qualifications so they request your resume. Vice versa, create a need for the employer to visit your LinkedIn. Yes, you can include your LinkedIn URL on resume;therefore, create a short and professional URL when you set up your account.

Blogs: If you blog, again your blog's content should not mimic your resume but it should add a dimension to your resume. Stay on topic. Say you promote that you blog regarding latest trends in your industry, when the employer visits your blog, that is exactly what they should discover and not rants about your personal life. (That’s for another blog.)

Twitter: If you list on your resume that your tweets are so industry targeted you have gained more than, say, three thousand followers, then that is exactly what they should learn. Additionally, your Twitter bio should provide something special that reinforces your resume’s message.

YourDomain.com: If you have developed a professional site, yes, provide a copy of your resume for easier download; but again, offer the employer something new that they have not yet learned about you via your resume, Twitter, or LinkedIn.

Strategize content and unravel surprises as you project a consistent brand, which leaps off your resume onto the web. With the resume as a  starting point for your online marketing campaign, your message will come across clearly and position you as the perfect candidate.

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer

 Career Collective Blog Posts: Collaboratively Helping Job Seekers

Please visit all the posts below, which are addressing the same topic, expert advice to help job seekers. Post by members of the career collective.  Follow our hash tag on Twitter #careercollective 
 

@KCCareerCoach, Career Chaos, “The Art of Being Gracious: Much Needed in Today’s Job Search,”

@MartinBuckland, Elite Resumes, Career Trends and Transition 2010

@heathermundell, life@work, Kaizen and the Art of Your Job Search

@barbarasafani, Career Solvers, Looking Into the 2010 Careers Crystal Ball

@resumeservice, Resume Writing Blog, The Resume and Your Social Media Job Search Campaign

@kat_hansen, Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog, New Year: Time to Assess Yourself and Your Career

@keppie_careers, Keppie Careers, Help for job seekers in a rut

@heatherhuhman, HeatherHuhman.com, Job seekers: 5 tips for making the most of 2010

@DawnBugni, The Write Solution, Ya, but

@ErinKennedyCPRW, Professional Resume Services, Advice to Job Seekers in 2010–learn Yoga?

@Chandlee, The Emerging Professional Blog, Starfish, JobAngels, and Making a Difference

@ValueIntoWords, Career Trend, Is Your Job Search Strategy a Snore?

@debrawheatman, Resumes Done Write, Making the most of a new year

@walterakana, Threshold Consulting, Starting anew – tips for truly managing your career

@careersherpa, Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa, The Year of the Tiger

@WorkWithIllness, WorkingWithIllness.com, Dogs Can Do It, Can You?

@JobHuntOrg, Job-Hunt.org, Lifelong Learning for Career Security

@AndyInNaples, Career Success, What Are You Getting Better At? Make This the Year You Become the Best You Can Be!

@GLHoffman, What Would Dad Say, A Flash of the Blindly Obvious

@GayleHoward, The Executive Brand Blog, How are those New Year's Resolutions Panning Out?

 

 

Spruce Up Your Resume in 30 Minutes or Less

How would you feel if you possessed a nicely polished resume that projects and elevates your level of professionalism? More confident? More positive? I bet!

Crafting a dynamic resume that is also a great selling tool is more time-consuming than 30 minutes. Yet, with the following quick and easy visual and marketing ‘styleover’ tips, you will begin to distinguish yourself from the job search mob in half an hour! That sounds good. Doesn't it?

  

Tip 1: Check spacing and make sure your page margins are set to at least a 0.7 all around. This will not only ensure that your resume is inviting but that it meets universal printing standards (abating printing issues).

Tip 2: Bold your name and enlarge the font to 16 pt. or 18 pt. Also, centering your name is a great way to make immediate impact.

Tip 3: Separate your personal contact information with a bullet or divider, providing great visual appeal and easy email and phone number identification. 

Tip 4: Add your target Job Title to introduce your Summary or Profile instead of the more common labels such as “Qualifications Profile or Summary.” This will help you add a great resume keyword right at the top and will lend to your expert image/ brand.

Tip 5: Edit your Summary or Profile, ensuring sentences end quickly; combine ideas and try to limit this introductory paragraph to five to six lines. This will help create a nice crisp look and you will deliver your marketing message more clearly.

Tip 6: Go through the rest of your resume and remove all orphan words (words left on a line by themselves). This just causes an unorganized look and it really isn’t necessary.

Tip 7: Bold resume sections (Employment, Education, etc.) and enlarge the font size to 14 pt. This will nicely separate the areas of your resume and guide readers through.

Tip 8: Group job accountabilities together in a paragraph form, separating from achievements. Keep the number of sentences to no more than six. People lose interest when paragraphs are long-winded. Plus, long sentences and paragraphs makes it easier for your message to become convoluted.

Tip 9: Separate your achievements (how you actually performed and the results you generated) from the job description. Bullet them; no more than five to six bullets. Any more than that will look too busy and unwelcoming to the reader.

Tip 10: Ensure you have begun all bulleted sentences with action verbs. Here: Download Resume-Writing-Academy-Verb-List provided by the Resume Writing Academy.

Tip 11: Make sure all your bullets line up and match! Inconsistency screams sloppiness and conveys unprofessionalism.

Tip 12: Eliminate any hobbies or personal information (picture, marital status, age, religious associations). These do not belong on your resume.

Tip 13: Read the entire resume aloud to catch awkward phrases end errors. As you read aloud, analyze if what you have just read is relevant to your new career target, if not--remove it! 

Tip 14: If you have created a second page that is at least one third full. There is no excuse for a second page with just a few lines on it.

Tip 15: Remove the phrase, References Available Upon Request, this is very antiquated and unnecessary. Sure, perhaps in the past when locating wasn't as easy as it is now with email, Google, mobile phones, etc.

Now, get to work! :-) Invest time in preparing a resume that you have polished, in turn, fortifying your professional image.

Can you list a few of your favorite resume polishing tips?

 

Related post: Holiday Resume Sparkle
Ebook: Resume Writing Guide

If you have any questions: rvargas@creatingrints.com

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
Triple-certified Resume Writer
careersteering

Know Your Value: Don't Undersell Yourself on Your Resume

How to Demonstrate Value in Resume Even When You Don't Have Figures

Learn how to find value in your everyday job accountabilities and own your worth at work. Many job seekers, especially those who don’t work at a job where metrics are directly involved with their role, will often fail to promote the difference they have made. A resume is a marketing tool! You must promote your contributions and offer value to your new employer so you outdistance your competitors. Accentuate bottom-line results the company has reaped because of your hard work.

Often, the lack of self-promotion is also a matter of how you look at things--Is the glass half empty or half full? Of course, whenever you can substantiate your achievements with figures, examples, comparisons or specific results, the better. For now, let’s review how ordinary sentences for team-driven positions can be transformed into valuable statements that promote the quality candidate you truly are!

Identifying and Communicating Your Value
(The following are good examples for action- and team-driven accomplishments. Whenever possible, create numbers- or bottom-line focused achievements.) 

Before: I received sort of a promotion. They gave me more responsibilities that they did not give everyone else because I always got it done; but it did not pay me more.

After: Embraced more vital accountabilities, earned via an exceptional skill to multitask and prioritize competing and time-sensitive priorities.

 

They gave me a raise once because I did my job correctly and performance reviews were up.

Earned great performance reviews and a salary increase for exceeding all expectations.

 

They always asked me to work longer hours when things were really busy. They did not offer this to everyone.

Alleviated  workload by working extra hours during holiday and peak times; only one out of twenty team members offered additional hours.

I often helped new employees. They thanked me but there was no additional pay as I did not have to develop a training program. It was more side by side training.

Contributed to team efficiency by directly training and guiding new hires side by side.

 

Everyone always came to me when they had a problem with one of our leaders. I usually calmed them down.

Became an integral team member by offering words of encouragement to colleagues, helping to nurture a cohesive work environment and protecting company culture.

 

One thing I always did is I made sure I did things correctly. I never made errors; actually found errors others made.

Saved the company time /money by preventing errors through meticulousness and laser-like focus; often identifying what others overlooked.

 

The Formula

So what is the formula? Resume writing is copywriting; identify the impact of what you do day in and day out. + Compare your performance to that of others who don’t meet or exceed expectations. + Look at your job from the employer’s perspective and not yours! + Pat yourself on the back a little more often, banking on your value.

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
Triple-Certified Resume Writer

 

Resources for Job Seekers for 2010

 

There is no denying that this year has been extremely difficult for many of us. Many people have been out of work and many still looking for work. However, I’d like to advise you to take some time today and over the next few days to especially focus on what you do have! Often times when we are challenged financially, we realize that the true treasures in life, we already have -- our families and friends.

Here are a few things you can do to motivate yourself and adopt a positive outlook before you launch your new 2010 job search campaign~

Take Inventory of What You Do Have: Write down all the wonderful things that have happened to you despite your loss of employment. Did anyone graduate from school? Did your son/daughter get married? Have you celebrated a family member’s birthday? Any new addition to your immediate or extended family? Has someone surprised you with a nice gesture?

{I love doing this every year. I sit down and write all the wonderful things that have happened to me in that past year regardless of whether it has been a generally good year or not. I’ll share that this year I have met wonderful acquaintances via Twitter, moved from Florida to Colorado (although I miss Florida) because my husband found a great job after a challenging job search. My dad recovered after being hospitalized in critical condition. Just a few things on my list despite many challenges this year.}

Back to you…

Make a List of Those You Can Help This New Year: Nothing turns around your “bad luck” and attitude as recognizing that others need more help than you do.  Regardless of your job loss, your life is about more than what “role” you play in your career. Career is one piece of the pie that makes up a whole. Remember this!

New Friends: Have you met new people this year? If so, how did you meet them? You will find that serendipity does often exists but is often ignored. Be thankful for and kind to your new acquaintances and friends.

2010 Job Search Tips…

Job Search Plan: Now that you feel bit better, write down your career goals for 2010. Where do you see yourself working? (Don’t think of the methods or obstacles right now. Just write down your goals.) What type of positions can you fill? List them. Which companies would you like to work for? What cities would you work in? If you were to relocate, which states are you willing to move to?

Job Search Tools: Do you have the best resume and cover letter you possibly can have? Many are afraid of investing in a resume service. I understand. Yet, I encourage you to research and find someone within your price range and who is qualified to help you. You have no idea how focused professionals are in helping you reach your career goals (as long as you find an ethical and committed professionals).

Begin by searching associations such as the National Resume Writers’ Association, Career Directors’ International, and Career Management Alliance. The leaders and members of those organizations are there to help you. Reach out to them. They will point you in the right direction.

If you truly cannot afford any assistance, then purchase books written by top resume writing gurus. I recommend Susan Whitcomb’s book, Resume Magic; Louise Kursmark and Wendy Enelow have written numerous top-notch books on resume writing for different industries. Now of course, reading these books and writing your own resume will not replace direct professional help but if you must do it on your own ― invest the time to do it the best you can!

Career Coaching: Employ a career coach to assist you. NO matter how fantastic your job search tool 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 Profiles: Develop your online presence by establishing a LinkedIn profile,Visual CV, Google Profile, and Twitter account. Join LinkedIn Groups. There are information-driven groups and support groups on LinkedIN.  See Careerrocketeer list. I'll post more later. Right now, I recommend: Spin Strategy™ 

Free Information: Many sites provide thorough and valuable information for job seekers. To name a few, check out The Riley Guide and JobHunt Org. Also, Paul Paris has developed a site focusing on providing free help to job seekers. Checkout: recruiterreqsjobseekers.ning.com/

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

Follow Career Experts on Twitter: Here a few of my favorite lists, http://bit.ly/10Tuqo | http://bit.ly/5bx4bd | http://bit.ly/4BzdyK

Ask For Support! Don’t be too proud to ask your friends and family for support. If you get really down reach out to those in your community, church, or any person close to you. We all want to help. Really! I am an optimist and believe people are inherently good!

If you know someone who needs emergency counsel, please provide them with this number (800) 273-TALK (8255).

Stay Positive and Implement an Unusual Job Search Campaign: You will find a job if you “take the road less traveled.” By that I mean, don’t only depend on job searching online or on any one method. Be creative and employ different methods. Tap the hidden job market by sourcing and approaching companies that have not yet advertised they need help.

May the New Year bring the very best for you and your loved ones!

Happy New Year!

As always, if I can be of any assistance, please: Rvargas@creatingprints.com

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
www.careersteering.com

 

A Resume Critique You Can Benefit From

I was asked to provide a job seeker feedback and I thought it would be helpful if I repost my advice as many may benefit from the tips I shared. Of course, each resume’s weak areas vary but if you ensure you have at least covered these basics, your resume will be a more powerful one. Here is part of my feedback to that job seeker.

(Please know I was much nicer to the job seeker. The instructions below may seem too straight to the point and perhaps a tiny bit cold. To protect the job seekers' privacy some of the 'friendlier' interaction was removed. So, I am really not this mean...)

 

Feedback begins below:

Marketing: First know that a resume is a marketing tool. This resume falls very short in that arena. What are you proposing as a result? What is your branding statement? What sets you apart from others?

Visual Appeal: The job market is tough right now. With unemployment rate in double digits, you need to make an impression immediately. This resume could use a ‘face lift.’ Understand that while the content of your resume is king, you must first attract in order to give your resume a reading opportunity. So work on visual appeal.

Achievements:  Where are the achievements on resume? If they are there, they are hiding. A few simple strategies like bulleting your achievements and separating the job description from results will help you tremendously.

Format: You don’t have to keep your resume in this layout (traditional/chronological order). This layout only emphasizes your “job-hopping experience.” You can create an Area of Expertise or Career Highlight in order to bring attention to your best accomplishments. Additionally, why have you set off your employment dates toward the right side? This only brings even more attention to your short-term employment.

In all honesty this resume needs much work. You said it has been rewritten, professionally? I understand that job seekers may be worried about investing in a resume prep when they have to manage their funds – but I implore you all to seek professional assistance.

There are many certified resume writers that can help you –- all with different fees. I am sure you can find someone within your price range. It is worth the investment to secure a job!

 

As always, if I can be of any assistance, please email me at rvargas@creatingprints.com

Master Resume Writer

Holiday Resume Sparkle: Outshine the New Year Job-Search Mob

Part of the Career Collective monthly posts. See end of this post.

    

  

We all LOVE presents! Don't we? It is especially delightful to open a beautiful gift box adorned in all the 'bells and whistles' (high-quality gift wrapping, fancy ribbon, sparkly bows with a sentimental gift card). Tell me. How difficult is it for you to temper your smile when you've been 'gifted' with an aesthetically pleasing package? Seconds later, surges your curiosity, what's inside the box?

You can admit it, the prettier the box—the greater the expectation. Of course, there are those times when you open that box and, um, you wonder…Why on earth someone would go through all that trouble just to present you with a pair of socks. Really! Why would they?  Yet, you have to admit (even while you're enjoying your eggnog and 'admiring' your brand new red fluffy socks) that the presentation was so alluring-- your curiosity was instantaneously ignited. That's because presentation matters.

So, this holiday season, don't halt your job search. Instead, equip yourself with the best job search marketing tools and strategize your job hunt. One of the things you can do is revamp your resume so that it's attractive and professionally branded. Please know, however, that while I'll be equipping you with formatting/visual techniques, your resume's content is the bottom line and it needs to be 1. RELEVANT, 2. MARKETING-ORIENTED, 3. ACCOMPLISHMENT-DRIVEN, 4. SUBSTANTIATED and 5. QUANTIFIED. The following will immediately improve your resume's visual appeal...

Expert Techniques to Make Your Resume Sparkle

Dynamic Heading - A few things can help your resume's heading pop. You can bold, change the font size, create a logo, or add a clip art. The point is to ensure it is tastefully done and relevant to the industry. Note:  I do not recommend anything other than bolding and changing font size for conservative industries (i.e., engineering, law, accounting, insurance, etc.).

Summary / Profile - Brand yourself a professional. You can begin to do so easily by adding a job title before your Profile/Summary and underlining your new section with a colored border.

White Space - One of the most neglected visual techniques is the inclusion of white space. Including white space makes the reading inviting and easier on the eyes. Legible!

Cleanup Sentences - I am a concise kind of gal. For me, conciseness is key. Keep paragraphs short. Personally, I don't like more than say five to six sentences together. Nice crisp and clean --but power hitting! 

Color - I mentioned color above, but allow me to elaborate and emphasize you must use color carefully. If you are using more than one color, keep it coordinated, subtle, and professional. If you have no color theory knowledge, keep to the same color and just combine two shades. Better yet, stick to one color.

Charts, Tables, and Graphs - If you are in sales, marketing, any numbers-driven field, you can add a visual relationship reference to demonstrate spiraling revenues.

Borders/Dividers - Sectioning off the areas of your resume with either borders, dividers, or extra white space is an excellent way to keep things organized and neat. Give each section a strong and bold title. Make it easy for your employer to skip to the areas desired.

Bullets Limited - A sea of bullets is not attractive-- no matter how you adorn them. I try to keep bullets to no more than six. There a few things you can do here like inserting space of .02 to .04 in between bulleted sentences; create a paragraph and then bullet only extraordinary achievements; a bit trickier, but effective, is grouping bullets/achievements based on skill.

The Second Page Matters - When you create a second page, remember to format it also. Many will focus on the first page and the second page looks pretty plain. Use the same techniques I listed above. It is even more difficult to guide your reader's eyes through the entire second page, as most employers don't even read that far into your resume. If they have, ensure it is an easy and information-driven read.

Extra Visual and Marketing Power - Adding an endorsement or a quote is an excellent eye-catcher. Just ensure you have followed the white space rule, otherwise, your endorsement will just seem like unnecessary adornment. Lastly, adding a branding statement is an outstanding charmer and an excellent marketing tactic.

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

www.careersteering.com

 

 

 

Please Download Resume-Sparkle and present it to someone who needs a resume makeover this holiday season. Happy Holidays!

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer Credentialed

 

Career Collective Blog Posts: Collaboratively Helping Job Seekers

Please visit all the posts below, which are addressing the same topic, expert advice to help job seekers really ramp up their efforts for the holiday season and the new year! Post by members of the career collective.  Follow our hashtag on Twitter #careercollective

   

@MartinBuckland, Elite Resumes, "Season’s Greetings and your Job Search"

@GayleHoward, The Executive Brand, “It’s Christmas: And a ho-ho-ho-hum?”

@KCCareerCoach, Career Chaos, “The Gift Every Laid Off Job Seeker Needs”

@resumeservice, Resume Writing Blog,“Holiday Resume Sparkle: Outshine the New Year Job-Search Mob”

@heathermundell, life@work, “Have a Holly Jolly Job Search”

@sweetcareers,Sweet Careers, “Holiday Job Search Tips for College Students 2009″

@careersherpa, Hannah Morgan: Career Sherpa, “Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, Kwanzaa Cheers”

@careerealism, CAREEREALISM.com, “Holiday Tip for Job Seekers: 4 Ways to Impress Others with Your Professionalism”

@heatherhuhman, HeatherHuhman.com, “4 Tips for Making the Most of Holiday Job Hunting”

@LaurieBerenson, Sterling Career Concepts, “Three Resolutions to Take It Up a Notch”

@KatCareerGal, Quintessential Resumes and Cover Letters Tips Blog, “Avoiding the Holiday Blues in Your Job Search”

@WorkWithIllness, WorkingWithillness.com, “Avoid this Minnefield: Drive Your Bus ”

@DawnBugni, “The Write Solution Could that sound really be opportunity? During the Holidays?”

@andyinnaples, “Shift Your Focus to the Highest Impact Job Search Activities During the Holidays to Leverage Your Time”

@erinkennedycprw, Professional Resume Services, “How to keep up the Job Hunt during the Holidays”

@keppie_careers, Keppie Careers, “Four tips for effective networking follow-up for the holidays and the rest of the year”

@ValueIntoWords, Career Trend, “Navigating the Mistle Toe of Job Search”

@GLHoffman, What Would Dad Say, “Merry Christmas! Can I Buy You Coffee to Talk About Me?”

@BarbaraSafani, Career Solvers, “Holiday Networking Can Facilitate New Year Opportunities”

@expatcoachmegan, Career By Choice Blog, “Expat Networking: Holidays Are a Great Time to Nurture and Grow Your Network”

@chandlee, The Emerging Professional Blog, Footprints & Associations: Job Search Tips for the Holidays

 

@JobHuntOrg, Job-Hunt.org, "(Holiday) Party Your Way to a New Job"

 

Curtain-Raising Cover Letters: Full Disclosure

Cover Letters Get Tossed. Haven’t You Heard?

Quite a conundrum--creating an alluring and candidacy strengthening cover letter without reciting your resume. 

So why do some dislike the cover letter? I’ll tell you what I’ve heard and why sometimes I too don’t like them...

Many underestimate the cover letter and write it as just a formality; others write cover letters with futile marketing attempts because they just recount what will be on the resume. So, I ask you, what is the point of a cover letter when 1. It’s a pretty boring read? I already know you seek the job and this is why you are submitting your resume; 2. Why should I read your resume if you just summarized it in the cover letter? 

Humor me. let's say I read your cover letter, I'm interested, and I proceed to read your resume and…déjà vu…didn’t I just read this in the cover letter? Seems pointless--don’t you think?

Spellbinding and Curtain-Raising Cover Letters

Bottom-line is, a cover letter’s purpose is to lure the reader to, well, read your resume and call you for an interview. Now you may be dying to ask me, why then can’t I only submit my resume? My answer is, you can—but how do you know your competition didn’t submit a persuasive cover letter that just about nudged you off the top spot? Hmm? Worst-case scenario, they can set your cover letter aside but it’s available if they need more convincing.

So, how do you create cover letter that is not tossed? I’m glad you asked…

1. Break a leg with your opening act: Don’t begin cover letters with an ordinary and boring statement. You really want to 'have them at hello' (Sorry. Couldn't help it.) Really, captivate with the very first sentence. Exude sincerity, offer specific value, spin it, and make sure it's employer-oriented. Here is one of my favorite openings:

Dear Mr. Bradley:

“Offering to drive pharmaceutical sales growth by generating qualified leads, penetrating territories, and closing the toughest sales, consistently!” Please allow me to introduce myself...

 

2. Make a personal connection: You can tell a personal story that further positions you as the best candidate. You can provide statistical insight, reinforcing your industry knowledge. You may opt to walk your employer through your process. In other words, you can communicate more personally than you would on your resume and leverage that 'ace in your pocket.'

See an example I used in a cover letter:

“I am an avid golfer (with a pretty good handicap) and golf at least twice per week—I have closed many sales on the golf course over a weekend. Clients consider me a trusted friend and have even helped me form golf teams for charity events, which is an excellent way to network and gain new business...”

Do you think I would have been able to add this golf example in the resume for my client –- no. Now, let’s say candidate #1 is a stellar sales person and candidate #2 (my client) is also an outstanding revenue producer--this example is helping my client promote an added value. This 'sign-on benefit' clues the hiring manager that my client initiates and develops fruitful relationships through personal networking strategies that will be advantageous to the company. Besides, it’s memorable. In a pile of hundreds of resumes and cover letters –- memorable is a winner!

3. Become a tease: Foreshadow what will be listed on the resume; what they will discover when they read your resume--but don’t repeat. Piqué interest! Save some fresh content for your cover letter.  This is a strategic career marketing plan, part of which what goes on your resume or cover letter is determined--a real choreography! Example:

“Please refer to my resume which summarizes more than 15 years of experience increasing revenue for top corporations such as IBM. I have aggressively launched unique sales strategies that have produced up to $8M annually. You will find a full account of my projected sales plans and exceeded goals by percentage per year.”

Now we have asked the hiring manager to review the resume and we have provided a bit of information to spark interest. It is important to add quantifiable information and be specific, as you don’t want to seem vague. However, there is no need to provide all the details in the cover letter, especially if it will be on the resume. While I urge you to tease -- the teasing must be done with actual facts and specific references not generalities that mean nothing.

4. Mesmerize them and get'em to say, YES: There is a physiological connection that goes on when you get a person to think or say yes. So, when you craft your cover letter try to envision the reader nodding their head in agreement with your statements. In order to do this you must validate their needs. You can cast this spell through reinforcing statements or questions. Take it easy on the questions though—you don’t want to come across too sales-driven. (The art of career marketing is a delicate balance.)

5. Ask for the interview: In sales, they always direct you to ask for the sale. Well, ask for the interview. Just ask for it!

The point here is that your cover letter is a supporting influencing tool. It must be unique, inviting, compelling-- a prelude to a well crafted resume in order to provoke action. Your cover letter is part of a marketing package and so merely writing it as you would any other communication letter is not going to generate the interviews you seek.

True story: I had a client tell me that when they were interviewed they were told the cover letter clinched the interview and the resume was used as a guide for an interesting interview. Here is a beginning part of that cover letter:

"Music and entertainment is my passion. I am lucky to have realized so early what I was born to do! I have known I wanted to work in the entertainment industry since I was 11 years old. At age 4, I already had an affinity for music and entertainment...I loved to perform, watch all the award shows on TV, memorize the choreography to music videos, and I always wanted to know how it all worked behind the scenes."

Client landed a job with Universal Music Distribution. There you have it. Market yourself as the ideal candidate via a purposefully created cover letter, which augments the resume, convincing the employer you’ve got what they need…in a very special way.

Rosa E. Vargas

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

 

The Interview: Piece of Cake

 

Hooray! An Interview…Oh No! An Interview  

After such a labor-intensive job search, you now have earned the 'nerve-wracking' interview. You have also begun to obsess about the plentiful competition. It seems as if everyone you know needs a job. So, how can you relax when you must master the interview? (Don't worry; I'll tell you how you can 'untwist your knickers.') You must differentiate yourself by adopting an outwardly-tracked mindset. Instead of obsessing about how well you will perform during the job interview, resolve to focus on servicing the interviewer! Ask yourself, "How can I service this person I am about to meet and the company they represent?" I know. I can hear you now, it sounds simpler than it is—and yet, it really is transparent. If you are qualified, have researched the company, and if you know how to gather your thoughts and communicate them verbally—it's in the bag!

 

The Best Interviewees

When I use to interview, the candidates that were most memorable (and also turned out to be the best employees) were neither the ones who had answers rolling off their tongues (I could see right through that) nor the ones that walked in on pins and needles. The qualified applicants who were curios, polite, professional, and who seemed to be reflecting on our discussion were the ones I hired. Why? Because in addition to being the best qualified, they cared enough to listen, evaluate, ask questions, and provide insightful and unscripted answers. The image these stellar candidates created during the interview was that of a professional who, yes, had prepared for the interview but used the information as a springboard to an engaging, spot-on conversation.

 

Calm Down and Redirect Your Focus onto the Interviewer

When you meet your interviewer, focus on them and on what they seek. Transform that entire interview into an order-taking session by making it about the person across from you. Assess your interviewer's body language, listen attentively, and help them solve the problem of finding the ideal candidate. Be the solution to their problem.
 

Questions That Will Engage Your Interviewer

Another way to engage during an interview is by asking incisive questions. Project your desire to connect, understand, and serve. Here are a few questions:

What is (name company) looking for in the ideal candidate?

How it is that (name company) is in need of fulfilling this position?

How does (name company) see this position affecting the entire department?

What would employees say they most like about (name company)?

Notice the questions suggested above do not address the interviewer by using the pronoun, YOU. By avoiding the use of YOU, the interviewer will not feel interrogated or misinterpret your intentions.

Relax! You have worked hard at attaining an interview. Besides, you wouldn't apply for a job you are not qualified for anyway (right?). Have your piece of cake--you've earned it.

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer
Nationally Certified Resume Writer
Academy Certified Resume Writer
National Job Search Consultant

www.careersteering.com

Tel: 321-704-7209

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 

 

 

 

 

Does Your Resume Tell Your Story?

Are you confident your resume outshines by promoting your candidacy in a style that is coherent, deliberate, and especially engaging by revealing your value-laden career story? When your prospective employer reads your resume will it convincingly tell your career adventure? Have you guided them in imagining you...at work...for them?

What story? A substantiated tale of how with enthusiasm you launched and sculpted your career; how over time you have exponentially flourished; how your contributions have been unparalleled; how painstakingly you've worked; and how you've been successively "morphing" into the invaluable producer you are today! Hmm...think you may have some rewriting to do?

I guarantee you have a pick-me story. You've just discounted it by narrating the mundane and not accentuating the phenomenal. Eradicate "just-my-job" descriptions from your resume and tell your story -- but, tell it like no one else's business!

Resume Tips:

 

Presentation, Branding, & Going The Extra Mile...

When something has been done too many times or when there are so many of the same...how do you emerge from the pack?

Regardless of how you feel about Michael Jackson, we all can agree that since his death there have been too many artist singing his songs, walking his moon walk, and just doing everything they can to impersonate him. To make a point of which I'm positive will help you in your job search, I'd like you enjoy and assess this:

What is so special about this? Is it that it's the same person singing in concert? The creative video compositing? The harmonic medley of top singles? The fantastic voice? I would say yes to all of the above. More so, what makes this video stand out is that it's memorable because it's distinct; it captivates us because it is not a common approach to singing/performing Michael's music.

Again, whether you love Michael or care nothing for him -- the message is not about him but about how this young singer stood out in a voluminous online crowd by leveraging his creativity, delivering a unique presentation, and by going the extra mile to showcase his talent via an outdistancing video that has now branded him. Branded him so well that his video has been viewed over a million times! This video has been played on the popular television show, Entertainment Tonight. And, I am sure it has been played on other TV shows as well.

You know, this young singer could have just walked up to the mic, sang, and recorded a simple video--and it would have been lovely; but his video would have been soon forgotten and would have faded in the mob of YouTube videos.

Are you going the extra mile in the presentation of your qualifications? Will you step it up or are you willing to wither away in the job seeker mob?

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas
Master Resume Writer

 

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

 

 

Resume Writing: Ready, Set, Go!

There is major trouble ensuing in the job market! The problem? No, it is not the lack of jobs, the competition, or the unpredictability of the jobs you can find! Oh no, the issue I'd like to bring to your attention is the haste in which job seekers are approaching the writing of their resume. In turn, sabotaging their job search and creating conflict in their career plans! 

Whatever you think resume writing is...it is not a race, people!  In order to overcome the challenges I mentioned above, you must mesmerize your new employer and hold their attention long enough to brew in them the desire to call you. So, before you put pen to paper, contemplate the following:

 

Self-Reflection before Resume Writing

What do I want in a job?
How would I describe my ideal job?
What has my career progression (or lack of) been like?
What have I learned from my experiences?
Who am I at work and where/how do I best succeed?
What are my marketable skill sets?
Why are these skills marketable?
To which companies would I be an asset and why?
What do I need to sidestep?
(Ready for the most important question?)
What benefits do I offer employers over other QUALIFIED candidates?

There you have it. Please, before you rush into resume technique, layout, and race to the finish line of a completed resume, invest time in the resume prep and research process. Reflect on who you are, what you want, and where you would like to navigate with this new resume.  Employers and recruiters will connect with the person behind the resume--if you can show them there is one! Boring, mundane, and hastily written resumes sound generic; but you are distinct! Become strategic in your job search.

The result will be a targeted, well crafted, and amazing resume that attracts interview calls in a tough job market...and brings a smile to your face in the process (just an extra little benefit).

 

 

Rosa Elizabeth Vargas

Master Resume Writer

www.careersteering.com

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

 

Twitter!? Can it Really Help Me Find a New Job? -- Part 2

Welcome back! In the last post I began to write about using Twitter as a job search tool, which means building your brand as an expert in your target field, providing useful information via your tweets, and following the right people (recruiters, employers, job search coaches, online career sites).

The idea behind that last post was to explain why Twitter is an effective job search tool; but, again, it depends on how you use it! It could work—it could not work—it’s really all up to you! If you did not catch the last post, please take some time to read it.

Assuming you know by now that Twitter is a microblogging site, I will get right to getting started.

 

Really, Think Before Choosing Your UserName:

If you are using Twitter to job search, please use a professional Username. Perhaps your real name (you think!?) or at least a word associated with your target industry. For example, you could create something such as, Manager-marketing or Lucy_SalesAgent. The reasoning behind this strategic Username selection is that your Username will actually become the URL (uniform resource locator / web address) for your Twitter account and so you want your Username to have strong SEO (Search Engine Optimization).

• First, you want to establish your presence and brand online as an expert so that you strengthen your candidacy for a new job. By using an industry-relevant URL / Username, you are beginning to do just that.
When an employer searches your name in Google, your Twitter account will be produced with an industry keyword next to it ( e.g., sales, management, 3d Artist), lending even more credibility to your expertise. 

My Twitter account reads Rosa E. Vargas with the username (and keyword) "resumeservice." See below.

 

• Second, someone could stumble upon your Twitter account just by chance by searching for the industry keyword you have chosen as your Username (sales manager, operations manager, real estate agent in Denver)--why not strategize?

To better understand why this would work, you would need to understand a bit about SEO and keywords, which is a very comprehensive topic. For now, just know that all the pages you create and publish online are visited, logged (cached), and saved forever by Search Engines and these pages are sorted, cataloged, and produced to internet users based on the words (keywords) found on your online page. 

A great post to read on this topic is 8 Twitter Power SEO Tips for Job Seekers by Susan P. Joyce.

• Third, those interested in following you on Twitter can make an informed decision and you want to influence them to follow you. (It helps if your UserName is associated with a topic that interests them.)

 

Whatever You Do, Don’t Create an Unprofessional Username:

If you can’t think of any keyword or buzzword in your industry (highly doubtful since you are an expert) use Your First Name and Your Last Name. If your name is already taken by another Twitter user, add a number or a job title to your name. Keep it simple.

Side Note: Twitter will ask you for your Name and a Username. In this post, we are discussing the Username. Please use your birth name when asked for your name, so that employers can find you when they google you. Control your online image.

In the next blog post, we will discuss optimizing your Twitter bio so that employers, recruiters, and others in a position to help you can recognize you are job searching, identify the industry you are targeting, and understand why they should forward your information (resume or phone number) to decision-makers.

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

Rosa E. Vargas
Master Resume Writer
Jobsearch Consultant

www.careersteering.com

Twitter!? Can it Really Help Me Find a New Job?

I hear you; it all depends on how you use it. Everything you implement in your job search campaign (a resume, cover letter, Linked-in or Visual CV account, interview strategies, and Twitter) is a tool and it will take you as far as you strategically position it and maneuver it. Don't ever sit back and wait for any tool on auto pilot to produce a job for you!

Twitter Micro Summarized: Twitter is free and it is a micro blogging tool. Micro, because you can post short messages (tweets) of 140 characters to be exact. Although, "What Are You Doing?" is the question above the box in which you insert your 140 characters / tweet -- I like to think of the question like this instead, "What do you know and what can you share (links, advice, audio files, etc.) that is of interest/value to others?" 

Really think about this, you can post/tweet about irrelevant and mundane activities that will lead you nowhere in your job search or you can utilize these 140 characters to:

1. Establish yourself as an expert in your industry; 2. Provide vital information to others; 3. Network, follow career professionals and recruiters, and respond to career opportunities!; 5. Announce your new resume or on-line portfolio.  You decide; they are your tweets.

 

How to Use Your Twitter Account to Job Search

Establish Yourself as an Expert: Develop your online Twitter bio by promoting your key qualifications such as years of experience. Name the industry you are targeting. Make sure your bio announces you are job searching. (How else will they know?) Additionally, your tweets should always include industry keywords, because each tweet becomes a new page in Google and you want to optimize your ability to come up in topic-related searches on the web.

Provide Information to Others: Who are you talking to when you send out a tweet? Well, every one that will follow what you are saying.  What should you tweet? I say, imagine you are speaking to your new boss and providing information that will help her/him and will demonstrate how perfect you are for a position in that  company. You also want to answer other tweets and offer free (yes, free) information on the topic you are so qualified in.

Network: Find other Twitter folks to follow, respond to their queries, engage in micro conversations, respond to your followers with a follow back, send direct messages, create a #followfriday list. (On Fridays, recommend other people to follow on Twitter.)

Here is a list of recruiters you can follow on Twitter. (This is the kind of valuable information that comes your way when you follow the right people on Twitter. Via @DarrylRMSG). 

Announce Your New Resume: Once you have gained a good following, announce your resume with a direct link to it. Don't overdo this. Although you are on Twitter to job search, you don't want to annoy every person that follows you and lose their interest or worse -- convince them to unfollow you. Self promotion in moderation!   

So now that you have an idea, set up your Twitter account, then follow me @resumeservice and follow these career professionals (101 Twitter Career Experts: list compiled by Online Job Search Expert Susan P. Joyce). You should also check out my list of people to follow on Twitter.

Know that major online job boards can also be followed on Twitter such as Monster.com, Careerbuilder.com, Indeed.com, Simply Hired. Just Google your favorite online job board + on Twitter and follow them. (You can do the same for companies you may be interested in working for -- many, tweet!)

How to Optimize Your Twitter Account for a Jobsearch

Subscribe to this blog as next time, I will offer you more detailed advice on how to optimize your Twitter account and tweets for job searching. For now, let me touch upon just a few more things, just in case you get going right away.

1. Choosing Your Twitter Account Name: Keep it professional, career or industry relevant.

2. Include a Picture! Don't be shy: Although you are job searching, this is also a social networking site. Besides, no matter what hang-ups you have about your looks -- interviews are still face-to-face!

3. Don't Protect Your Tweets: How will I be able to decide if you are tweeting interesting and vital information? You are asking me to follow you before I even know what you are talking about. Besides, what are you hiding?

4. Be Selective with Your Tweet Topics: Remember that every tweet you send out becomes a Google page and will remain in cyberspace forever –- so don't talk about things that will come back to ruin your reputation or employability (yes, I made that word up!).

5. Want to Connect with Friends via Twitter?: Keep your Twitter account for job searching professionally branded. If you want to connect with friends and discuss more personal topics, create a personal account and tweet whatever you want, but use a nickname or pseudo name for that account. You want your professional account to be the one to come up in Google when someone searches your name! Right?

I will elaborate on the above five points in the next blog post and bring up a few more. As always, if you need assistance, please email rvargas@creatingprints.com.

 

Rosa E. Vargas
Certified Resume Writer
Master Resume Writer
Job Search Consultant

www.careersteering.com

 

*** Topic-related post:

8 Twitter Power SEO Tips for Job Seekers

The Beginner’s Guide To Finding A Job With Twitter | JobMob

Free Help for Job Seekers

There is help -- you just have to know where to look. Here are a few sources for you:

Office Depot has extended their free resume copies offer until the end of this year! See 
http://tiny.cc/Vm83F

Monster.com is leading an across the country job fair! See http://monstervjf.adicio.com

Healthcare job fairs near your area? http://tinyurl.com/6anrzd

Careerbuilder.com Job fairs http://tinyurl.com/mq5ak7

National Career Fairs http://www.nationalcareerfairs.com

Check out the following link as well http://www.job-hunt.org/fairs.shtml

 

If you need any assistance, as always...please email me at rvargas@creatingprints.com

 

Rosa E. Vargas
Certified Resume Writer

You Must Launch an Aggressive Job Search Campaign

So you have taken action and hired a professional resume writer! Now the phone calls should be pouring in ASAP! Right? Well, not exactly...

Yes, your resume is an essential job search tool and if you don't prepare it well, you will hinder your job search from the very beginning. Yet, know that hiring a professional resume writer is only the first step. Here are the components of an aggressive and effective job search campaign:

 

 

 

1. An amazingly alluring and employer focused resume.

Craft a resume that is relevant by only including data that positions you as the best-qualified professional. Let go of information that no longer serves you. Write everything on your resume, matching the job requirements and meeting your future employer's needs.

 

2. Post your resume to the top on-line career sites.

Create an ASCII resume and post to job search sites like Monster.com, CareerBuilder.com, Indeed.com,Hotjobs.com, jobs.com. Keep your account active by revisiting your resume every three weeks and updating it or tweaking it a bit; this will ensure you are included in a recent account search.

Also, remember to add resume keywords to your profile, the name of the resume, title you are giving your active resume account. Especially include resume keywords in the top first half of your resume so that you optimize keyword effectiveness.

 

3. Network with others on LinkedIn, Visual CV, Twitter.

Building an internet presence is highly effective and vital! People will google (verb) you to see if they can learn something about you! Control what is out there regarding your reputation. More importantly, enlarge your network, meet others, and allow them to help you.

Linked-IN will enable you to create an on-line profile and connect with those in your industry. You can send periodic alerts announcing you are job searching. Approach others in a position to help you.

Visual CV is a great way to have an on-line web resume. If you ever find yourself in a situation where your resume is needed, you can simply provide them with your Linked in account or your Visual CV address. I know you don't carry your resume around. Am I right?

Via Twitter, you can follow career professionals who will: 1. Provide you with advice, 2. Share links to career opportunities, and 3. Will announce available job openings and keep you abreast of the latest.

Here a few I recommend you Follow on Twitter (They have also been my Follow Fridays). You can also follow me @resumeservice:

@eExecutives
@alisondoyle
@ValueIntoWords
@GayleHoward
@HRCGroup
@GradToGreat
@JobHuntOrg
@dawnbugni 
@Resume_Writer
@Gradversity
@rezlady
@mypromotion
@crisjobcoach
@MartinBuckland
@RecruitingTruth
@Louise_fletcher
@heatherhuhman
@tim_woods
@KrisColvin
@JasonAlba
@Barry_at_IMPACT
@Devoted2HR
@danschawbel
@HR4Change
@interviewbest 
@Lindseypollak
@careerdiva
@toryjohnson
@tts28
@careerhero
@keppie_Careers
@CJWebster
@StevenRothberg 
@SpinStrategy
@TheJobsGuy
@jacobshare
@chrisrussell
@leaddawg
@laurieBerenson
@jtodonnell
@jobsearchcoach
@noodleplace
@RiseSmart
@joblister
@IGotaJobToday
@jobshouts

 

(More to come I am sure. Check out Job Search Link page for updates)

4. Compile a list of companies you might want to work for and contact them directly.

Search in Google for companies you wish to work for. Find out who is in their HR or hiring department and email them your resume. This is a strategic way of getting to positions before they are even posted as some companies don't go to major on line career sites to post. Cover all bases!

Another strategy I recommend you implement is to search for your ideal position in different search engines like Yahoo, MSN, and Google so that you view a variety of results. 

For example, you could key in something like this: Senior Manager + Retail + Wanted 2009. You can play around with the words. Basically, you want to try and guess the key words a job ad will include so that the search engine's spider (a robot that sorts websites) can find those words and produce those job posting results. 

 

5. Find the Hidden Job Market: Which companies are new in your area?

I know everything is done on-line and so that is why also including smaller, maybe newer companies within your travel radius will help you find opportunities not everyone knows about.

 

6. Carry business cards with you that include your personal information plus your qualifications.

Don't miss out on an opportunity because you did not have your resume on you, did not remember your Linked in address, or had no way of writing down your email address. Prepare networking cards and be ready at all times to aggressively pursue that new job!

 

7. Keep track of your job search leads.

Track when you sent your resume, who responded, what you liked about them and the company. Be very careful and organized. An excellent jobsearch management tool is JibberJobber.

 

8. Follow up with everyone and thank them!

It does not matter if the lead was personal or professional; if it turned out the help you land a job or not -- still thank every person that attempted to assist you. Help them remember you next time.

Remember that job searching is a full-time job!
Rosa E. Vargas
www.careersteering.com
Job Search Consultant

Are You Properly Leveraging Your References?

All job seekers want to know how to properly list references, how many references should they provide, how much detail is needed. I came across this excellent post on the Career Management Alliance Elist and I thought it was extremely insightful and informative... Thanks to Don Orlando for his permission to share with you...

By Don Orlando, MBA, CPRW, JCTC, CCM, CCMC

Employers will want three to five professional references. A professional reference can speak about your performance on the job. Good professional references may be recent supervisors, co-workers (not subordinates), customers, vendors or suppliers, pro-bono clients, or volunteer committee members. Use friends or members of the clergy only as a last resort. They cannot give employers much of the information they need to decide if you should be interviewed or hired

After you get the references’ permission to serve (their willingness to be contacted by prospective employers), please give me (email preferred) the following information about each one:

• Full name and title, if any. (Titles would include Colonel, Doctor, Professor, Judge)

• Phonetic pronunciation of the reference’s name (if required). For example: "Sienkiewicz" is pronounced: "sin’-cavage."

• Job Title

• Organization’s name

• Full business mailing address (try to avoid post office boxes) including ZIP

• Daytime phone number including area code and the best time to call (if applicable)

• The reference’s private e-mail address (if available)

• The reference’s professional relationship to you (former supervisor, current vendor, colleague, and the like) and the number of years you have known each other professionally.

You may improve your chances greatly if you have a powerful LinkedIn page, particularly if your page includes recommendations and endorsements. If you have such a page, and you are satisfied it represents you powerfully, please include the URL to your page when you email the other information listed above. If you are not confident about your LinkedIn presence, or you’re not yet on LinkedIn, I can help.

Don Orlando, MBA, CPRW, JCTC, CCM, CCMC

One of America's first personal, professional executive career coaches Member, Board of Directors, Career Management Alliance Monthly columnist: Professional Association of Resume Writers; regular
contributor: Netshare.com
Published in more than 56 collections of the best resumes in the United States, Canada, and Australia 334.264.2020 - 334.264.9227 (fax) yourcareercoach@charterinternet.com

Email: yourcareercoach@charterinternet.com

http://www.linkedin.com/in/donorlandocareercoach

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

Don't Sabotage Your Job Search with a Costly Resume Mistake

You labor for hours over your new resume and so make sure it is perfect! It is difficult to identify elusive errors when you are tired and when you are eager to find a new job. It is even more difficult to be objective when you are writing about yourself and so you may trap yourself into poor judgment.

Tips to help you proofread your resume:

1. Have a friend proofread and give him/her permission to honestly critique.

2. Hire a professional resume writer to proofread it for you. :-)

3. Print your resume and then recycle paper -- it is easier to catch errors on print.

4. Screen your resume by reading each sentence backward! Trick your eyes into slowing down.

5. Use a ruler to keep your eyes focused on each line.

6. Read out loud! Yes, read normally and backwards out loud.

If you have any proofreading strategies to share, please post.  Check out this post on 150   Funniest Resume Mistakes  http://tiny.cc/YBUad

Also, read below and follow link to a previous post on this topic, which I hope you find useful and amusing

Rosa E. Vargas

Certified Resume Writer

Blog Post below: Original post date 02/18/09

Worst Resume Mistakes -- Career Experts Share Resume Bloopers and More...

C'mon, you know you've done it. An embarrassing typo...a homophone...a bit too much information...You can tell me. I won't tell a soul!

You invest hours researching how to craft a dynamic resume, you slave over a few drafts, you attach your final polished draft to a well-written email and you click that button with the cute little envelope icon...Whatchamacallit? Oh. Yes. The Send button. You feel good, you're hopeful; you can't wait 'till you hear back because you just know your resume is impressive. Wait a minute... what's that!? It's...a MISTAKE on your resume! Well, maybe they won't notice (you think?).

These guys noticed. Read the following bloopers, advice, pet-peeves, and humorous stories told by professional resume writers and career coaches. The experts share some of the worst mistakes and costly negligence they have seen on resumes (a bit beyond typos). Hopefully, they will save you from the same doom that almost befell their clients.

Blog Author: Rosa E. Vargas, MRW, NCRW

 

Contributors belong to the National Resume Writers' Association and Career Directors International

Career Experts Share...

Judy Gillespie, CPRW, CPCC, CEIP
Career Avenues by Judy

1. Resume blooper: "**Amber** had worked for a manufacturing company for several years. She correctly listed her job title as Stripper on her resume. Quite an eye-catcher!"

More http://tinyurl.com/acjs2l

You invest hours researching how to craft a dynamic resume, you slave over a few drafts, you attach your final polished draft to a well-written email and you click that button with the cute little envelope icon...Whatchamacallit? Oh. Yes. The Send button. You feel good, you're hopeful; you can't wait 'till you hear back because you just know your resume is impressive. Wait a minute... what's that!? It's...a MISTAKE on your resume! Well, maybe they won't notice (you think?).

These guys noticed. Read the following bloopers, advice, pet-peeves, and humorous stories told by professional resume writers and career coaches. The experts share some of the worst mistakes and costly negligence they have seen on resumes (a bit beyond typos). Hopefully, they will save you from the same doom that almost befell their clients.

Blog Author: Rosa E. Vargas, MRW, NCRW

 

Contributors belong to the National Resume Writers' Association and Career Directors International

Career Experts Share...

Judy Gillespie, CPRW, CPCC, CEIP
Career Avenues by Judy

1. Resume blooper: "**Amber** had worked for a manufacturing company for several years. She correctly listed her job title as Stripper on her resume. Quite an eye-catcher!"

More http://tinyurl.com/acjs2l

My Twitter Resume Writing and Job Search Tips

I set out to create a list of best practices or best tips I can provide my clients and job seekers to help them during their job hunting process and I realized, I already do just that on Twitter. Please read some of my latest tweets which I have listed below. (Follow me on Twitter to keep yourself up to speed during your job search.)

Keep in mind that Twitter is a micro-blogging platform that only allows 140 characters (therefore some of the unusual abbreviations). Also RT means Re-tweet and so you will find that I repeated the Tweet of a fellow career professional whose Twitter account name you will find listed right next to RT. Feel free to follow them as well!

Tweets:

Don’t write you resume focused on what u desire. Who cares!? But, are u offering what employers need right now? Now that's interesting!

Cover letter tip: convey *justified* confidence. No If, But, Maybe, Think; instead know, guarantee, project and call to action.

www.careersteering.com

 

 

Returning-to-work moms: if u volunteered, trained, aided the community and this is relevant to ur job target--promote it in resume.

The #1 strategy in developing your resume is job target/relevance; #2 is achievements

Job hunting is self marketing. Every contact is a chance for self promotion (distribute network cards) http://tiny.cc/NTXNr

RT @MartinBuckland Why should I employ you? What makes you so unique? Does your resume and cover letter tell that story?

Job seekers panic with interview question "why should I hire you." Relax. It's code 4 *help me understand your unique value*

IT Leaders: What sets you apart from others in the IT world!? Hint: not programming, development, or tech skills.

Executive Resume Action Verbs: Pioneered, Orchestrated, Strategized, Strengthened, Positioned, Leveraged, Saved, Turned Around

Writing your resume is writing a career plan: You write to the future using your past as a springboard!

Reminder: have u updated your online resume (career sites). Keep your account active and recent with minor tweaks.

Resume tip: don't bold text just because u want to pretty up your resume. Be selective--bolding emphasizes.

Would someone who stumbles upon your LinkedIn (other) realize u are seeking employment?

Overwhelmed writing ur resume? Tip: Day 1. Build all sections 2.Position/weigh qualifications 3.Optimize content and proofread.

Companies need qualified, team-oriented, and approachable candidates. The wrong mindset, attitude can ruin your chances.

How important is knowing the company? Would u hire home help (let’s dream) that doesn’t know/care what exactly u need done at home?

A client once spoke to company and quoted wrong company info (too many job submissions, no proper tracking).

Always research company b4 interview and keep info track. www.Jibberjobber.com - great job search tracking tool!

Jobseekers: Do you have a unique selling point? What sets you apart?  

Salary Negotiations: check out http://salarynegotiations.com

Hey, be careful what you say/post online. What goes online…stays online…forever!

A creative resume layout is to capture attention – the content and value offered is what will compel and ignite action.

 RT @RiseSmart RT @marilee_lafond : Job Seeker- prepare your references! http://tinyurl.com/c2tv78

Smiling is contagious. Simply smiling during your interview can help create a positive ambiance for you to excel

More? Visit my Tweets and don't forget to follow me for career, resume writing, job search advice.

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