In the email box, a software based service which promises to get your resume "to the top of the heap". How enticing.
A conversation with a business colleague; an anecdote about a friend in the tech industry who hides industry related keywords in white font heavily throughout his resume. His rationale for doing so? That most resumes are scanned electronically and his hidden keywords will place him at the top of the hiring manager's list.
Look, these tricks may help get a resume in the "pile", but they are no guarantee of employment. Employment and steady work are the goal, not getting to the top of the "pile".
Networking, done correctly and constantly, results in less employment downtime.
Networking means more opportunity before and after the hire date.
Play resume games if you will, but concentrate on your personal network and leave the games, piles and heaps to the amateurs.
Happy hunting!
Showing posts with label resume. Show all posts
Showing posts with label resume. Show all posts
Thursday
Marketing Me! What to do if you have been laid off
Allegedly, this list came from the newspaper Washington Post, but I cannot find a record of it on their site. This was forwarded to be by The Career News, a newsletter I subscribe to.
I found this list a bit old fashioned and out of touch with modern reality.
Ask about severance pay. But don't bank on it. There is no federal law requiring an employer to let you take your half-empty notebooks with you, much less a couple weeks worth of pay.
My comments: Sure ask, it cannot hurt. Regarding notebooks and such, keep copies with you before the layoff happens.
Apply for unemployment benefits. This seems obvious, but young white-collar workers sometimes forget that such benefits apply to them.
My comments: I agree. Too many of us think unemployment is welfare. It is not. It is a system you and your employer have paid into. BUT - collecting benefits is a pain in the butt. The "gubermint" should make this an easier and online process.
Pare back discretionary spending, immediately. You want your savings to tide you over until you find the right job. Otherwise, you may have to take something awful just to stay afloat. It's rarely a good idea to let your bank balance completely drive major career decisions.
My comments: Common sense here. Also consider another form or two of income in the meantime. Working part time, contract work or consulting will help pay the bills and not be construed as replacement work.
Take a little time off. You may need a day or two to recalibrate, especially if the announcement came as a complete surprise. But don't let this drag on.
My comments: Wrong. Hit the ground running as soon as you are out the door at your old job. The early bird gets the worm. ALSO.. you should have had your network in place before this happened to cushion the blow. If not, get working on it now!
Perk up your resume. You will be handing it out plenty in the next few weeks or months, so take the time to make it perfect. If you need help, seek out a professional resume writer.
My comments: Wrong again! Don't spam the world with your resume. Bring it up to date but keep it ONLY for interviews and for select distribution. You know my opinion on professional resume writers. Better save your money and check out free online resources if you need help or guidance.
Distribute your resume. Once your resume is ready make sure you distribute it widely to job sites, personal contacts, employers and recruiters.
My comments: Why not make a thousand copies and throw them off the nearest office building onto a busy downtown intersection? Resume spam is no guarantee of a new job much less an interview.
Turn to your friends. Make sure you have a way to contact former co-workers and supervisors. You will need references, and a mass layoff can scatter your contacts to the wind.
My comments: This is called a network. You should have one in place now. Get busy before this situation occurs.
Don't burn any bridges. It's understandable that you will feel frustrated, even angry, but channel that anger in ways that won't damage your reputation with your former colleagues.
My comments: Rather, have a new position lined up and show these people what a mistake they made later.
Good luck!
I found this list a bit old fashioned and out of touch with modern reality.
Ask about severance pay. But don't bank on it. There is no federal law requiring an employer to let you take your half-empty notebooks with you, much less a couple weeks worth of pay.
My comments: Sure ask, it cannot hurt. Regarding notebooks and such, keep copies with you before the layoff happens.
Apply for unemployment benefits. This seems obvious, but young white-collar workers sometimes forget that such benefits apply to them.
My comments: I agree. Too many of us think unemployment is welfare. It is not. It is a system you and your employer have paid into. BUT - collecting benefits is a pain in the butt. The "gubermint" should make this an easier and online process.
Pare back discretionary spending, immediately. You want your savings to tide you over until you find the right job. Otherwise, you may have to take something awful just to stay afloat. It's rarely a good idea to let your bank balance completely drive major career decisions.
My comments: Common sense here. Also consider another form or two of income in the meantime. Working part time, contract work or consulting will help pay the bills and not be construed as replacement work.
Take a little time off. You may need a day or two to recalibrate, especially if the announcement came as a complete surprise. But don't let this drag on.
My comments: Wrong. Hit the ground running as soon as you are out the door at your old job. The early bird gets the worm. ALSO.. you should have had your network in place before this happened to cushion the blow. If not, get working on it now!
Perk up your resume. You will be handing it out plenty in the next few weeks or months, so take the time to make it perfect. If you need help, seek out a professional resume writer.
My comments: Wrong again! Don't spam the world with your resume. Bring it up to date but keep it ONLY for interviews and for select distribution. You know my opinion on professional resume writers. Better save your money and check out free online resources if you need help or guidance.
Distribute your resume. Once your resume is ready make sure you distribute it widely to job sites, personal contacts, employers and recruiters.
My comments: Why not make a thousand copies and throw them off the nearest office building onto a busy downtown intersection? Resume spam is no guarantee of a new job much less an interview.
Turn to your friends. Make sure you have a way to contact former co-workers and supervisors. You will need references, and a mass layoff can scatter your contacts to the wind.
My comments: This is called a network. You should have one in place now. Get busy before this situation occurs.
Don't burn any bridges. It's understandable that you will feel frustrated, even angry, but channel that anger in ways that won't damage your reputation with your former colleagues.
My comments: Rather, have a new position lined up and show these people what a mistake they made later.
Good luck!
Tuesday
Marketing Me! Questions
A random sample of inbound questions..
I hate my current job, what should I do?
Quit. Better yet, find a new job and then quit.
I just gave notice where I work. My company requires an exit interview, should I tell them the real reason why I am leaving (co-worker) or should I give the standard answers?
Unless there is the possibility of legal action on your behalf (harassment, wrongful termination, etc) I would keep my thoughts to myself or at the very least, present them as positive as possible. Remember to thank your old employer for the opportunity and the meeting.
As I am job hunting, I am considering a resume service. Which one do you recommend?
None of them unless you are really struggling with your resume. A resume service charges several hundreds of dollars to do something you could do yourself with a good resume guide.
College degree or technical certification?
Degree. A college degree in English Literature awarded in 1973 is more valuable than a Microsoft Certified Professional certification from 1999 any day.
I am thinking about starting my own consulting firm but my wife thinks I should stay with my secure 9-5 job. What do you think?
Too many things to consider here, but my first gut reaction is do both for six months if possible. If going alone is bringing in the change, make the jump. Support your family first!
Which part of the country has the best job opportunities?
It depends upon what you do. There are people working out of Bozeman, Montana almost exclusively online who are making six figures a year. Geography is quickly becoming irrelevant.
Should lawmakers prevent jobs from going overseas?
Not much they can do about it. More and more jobs are nearly virtual anyway.. think telephone customer service, insurance, IT.. so many jobs can be done with Skype and the Internet they can be done from anywhere. Rather think about how this can benefit you. You might be able to do your current job from somewhere far more fun than where you live now.
I am thinking about learning a new language to increase my job skills. What do you think?
Depends upon what language and what you do. Twenty years ago, everyone wanted to learn Japanese. I guess that would be fun now, but Chinese might be far more valuable today. Concentrate on what you are saying and the value it brings than in how you say it.
My company is shutting down operations in our city. Should I take the severance package or relocate with the company? (The package is quite a bit of money).
First and only question: Do you like your job? If so, move with it. If you are considering the money I bet you hate your job enough to take money to leave it. Take the money and do something you love.
How important is networking?
Let's put it this way, if you are down and out, you can always turn to your family. Think of your network as your professional family. They will be there when you are in need.
Is your name really Jack?
Nope - and that is not my picture either!
Monday
Marketing Me! The Ladders Tips for the Unemployed Job Seeker
The Ladders delivered a great list for job seekers. A quick synopsis..
No matter your timeline, get your name out - Let's say you have been given a 90-day notice your position will be going away. Get busy NOW putting the word out your availability. (Too many job seekers are in shock the first 30 days or procrastinate).
Stay up to date in your field - this truly matters for technical workers, insurance, workers comp, HR and other certification heavy fields. Don't get caught with a resume full of ten year old acronyms!
Keep tabs on the Job Market - You might be surprised how much your field has changed now that you are looking again.
Get expert assistance - the author recommends a professional resume service, coaching and recruiters. I have had mixed results... no dismal results with professional resume services. I know myself better than they do. But a good coach is mandatory.
Use your network - in a top ten list for job hunters, this would be numbers one, two, three and ten on my list. The best jobs are found in your network.
Set goals - No doubt. Have them for your career and make sure your job searches match your career plans!
Be aggressive - assert yourself with hiring managers. That is who they remember.
Don't act on fear - the author advises against taking the first job that pays money and requires a warm body. You most likely will be unhappy in short time.
Know when to compromise - Which is kind of funny because it refutes "Don't act on fear" above. However, put it in the perspective of a laid off auto worker in Detroit. Compromise means sell the house in Michigan and get outta Dodge to a part of the country with jobs.
Do what you love - Always. Remember, a hobby is something you do for a living but don't get paid for it. Find a way to get paid for your hobby!.
No matter your timeline, get your name out - Let's say you have been given a 90-day notice your position will be going away. Get busy NOW putting the word out your availability. (Too many job seekers are in shock the first 30 days or procrastinate).
Stay up to date in your field - this truly matters for technical workers, insurance, workers comp, HR and other certification heavy fields. Don't get caught with a resume full of ten year old acronyms!
Keep tabs on the Job Market - You might be surprised how much your field has changed now that you are looking again.
Get expert assistance - the author recommends a professional resume service, coaching and recruiters. I have had mixed results... no dismal results with professional resume services. I know myself better than they do. But a good coach is mandatory.
Use your network - in a top ten list for job hunters, this would be numbers one, two, three and ten on my list. The best jobs are found in your network.
Set goals - No doubt. Have them for your career and make sure your job searches match your career plans!
Be aggressive - assert yourself with hiring managers. That is who they remember.
Don't act on fear - the author advises against taking the first job that pays money and requires a warm body. You most likely will be unhappy in short time.
Know when to compromise - Which is kind of funny because it refutes "Don't act on fear" above. However, put it in the perspective of a laid off auto worker in Detroit. Compromise means sell the house in Michigan and get outta Dodge to a part of the country with jobs.
Do what you love - Always. Remember, a hobby is something you do for a living but don't get paid for it. Find a way to get paid for your hobby!.
Wednesday
Social Networks and Society
Read Mashable everyday (like you should) and find out about the dozen or so social networks open for subscription daily and you understand what is happening.
Social Networking is hot and big business. And although MySpace will get all the attention, the hot, hot, hot area will be in targeted niche social networks. Think social networks for seniors (hot!), veterans, doctors, and so on.
Work 2.0
My concentration on Marketing Me is using Web 2.0 applications, like social networks, to better market yourself for potential revenue generating opportunities - jobs, contract, consulting, speaking, writing and marketing.
So far, I am still looking for a Web 2.0 application which will help make "job" searches and trusted resume submissions, better. In my world it works for both the job seeker and job finder.
I truly believe we are about to see the end (in the next decade) of several "jobs" as described currently - Full time employment, employer funded benefits, deductions for government programs, etc. Rather, we are going to see a world of part-time, contracted projects with less supervision in exchange for non-traditional work environments.
Charity 2.0
Seth Godin is running a Squidoo Lens on NPO's using Web 2.0 effectively. I think in the very near future, (like tomorrow) this will have the same novelty affect an email address had on a business card in 1994 or seeing a URL on a movie billboard in 1995 - minimal and short lived.
I am not surprised by non-profits using blogs, podcasts or social networks to build "awareness". These people have used mailing lists and phone banks for years. Using scalable Internet applications for the same results is expected.
I will be surprised, however, when politicians actually come down from their ivory towers and join social networks, answer their email and allow their constituents to "digg" legislation. As if...
Society 2.0
Social networks have evolved from "chat rooms" and curiosities and become necessary applications like email and instant messaging. We have take the application from the desktop and brought it truly online.
Will it evolve further into banded, trusted communities which "follow me" through my day and activities? Most surely.
Will social networks suffer and stumble? Of course. But email suffered from spam yet continues as does instant messaging and open websites (remember the concept of websites as channels one would subscribe too?).
Does this cover the world? No, but all of these bolded keywords came up this week and shouted at me. More will come.
Social Networking is hot and big business. And although MySpace will get all the attention, the hot, hot, hot area will be in targeted niche social networks. Think social networks for seniors (hot!), veterans, doctors, and so on.
Work 2.0
My concentration on Marketing Me is using Web 2.0 applications, like social networks, to better market yourself for potential revenue generating opportunities - jobs, contract, consulting, speaking, writing and marketing.
So far, I am still looking for a Web 2.0 application which will help make "job" searches and trusted resume submissions, better. In my world it works for both the job seeker and job finder.
I truly believe we are about to see the end (in the next decade) of several "jobs" as described currently - Full time employment, employer funded benefits, deductions for government programs, etc. Rather, we are going to see a world of part-time, contracted projects with less supervision in exchange for non-traditional work environments.
Charity 2.0
Seth Godin is running a Squidoo Lens on NPO's using Web 2.0 effectively. I think in the very near future, (like tomorrow) this will have the same novelty affect an email address had on a business card in 1994 or seeing a URL on a movie billboard in 1995 - minimal and short lived.
I am not surprised by non-profits using blogs, podcasts or social networks to build "awareness". These people have used mailing lists and phone banks for years. Using scalable Internet applications for the same results is expected.
I will be surprised, however, when politicians actually come down from their ivory towers and join social networks, answer their email and allow their constituents to "digg" legislation. As if...
Society 2.0
Social networks have evolved from "chat rooms" and curiosities and become necessary applications like email and instant messaging. We have take the application from the desktop and brought it truly online.
Will it evolve further into banded, trusted communities which "follow me" through my day and activities? Most surely.
Will social networks suffer and stumble? Of course. But email suffered from spam yet continues as does instant messaging and open websites (remember the concept of websites as channels one would subscribe too?).
Does this cover the world? No, but all of these bolded keywords came up this week and shouted at me. More will come.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Posts
http://www.mybloglog.com/buzz/join_comm.php?ref_id=2007011113293225