It’s a good idea to keep an eye on where your career is going — otherwise, you’ll never end up where you want to be! Are you thinking of making a change? How are you planning to get from where you are to your target opportunity? [Read more…] about How to make a change to a meaningful career?
What LinkedIn’s “apply” button may mean for job seekers
There’s been a lot of buzz in the past week or so about LinkedIn’s “apply” button. Mashable reported LinkedIn will launch a button to allow users to easily apply for jobs using their LinkedIn profiles as an effective “resume” later this month. Dan Schawbel called for this being one more nail in the resume’s coffin and asserted job boards are on their way out as a result. There’s lots of push back from the recruiting community on the topic and, many of us believe the resume is not going out of style, but I think there is a more important question to consider for job seekers.
Does “one button” applying help or hurt your chances for a job? Easy isn’t always the best approach for job seekers. I would anticipate a one-button solution (eliminating those pesky “hoops” job seekers usually need to jump through) will result in many more candidates applying for jobs. Just a guess here, but I am also guessing it would appeal to more UNqualified candidates. I’m not sure if that’s useful for employers or job seekers, but it’s sure to feed into an applicant tracking system to help make it easy for employers to scan and screen applicants.
The question of what it all means for job seekers still sticks out like a sore thumb. One of the most important things to do when applying for a job online is to target your materials to match the employer’s needs. How you apply for a job can be the difference between getting a job or not. It’s crucial that your application materials make a case for you. This may be tricky for people applying for various types of jobs. It is much easier to tweak a resume and application than it is to worry about what LinkedIn profile is up. (Although, of course, the LinkedIn profile is always a factor, when it is the clear leading indicator when you apply, it can make applying more complicated for career changers or those career change expert Marci Alboher calls “slashers.” She defines “slashers” as people who have multiple career interests and expertise and “can’t answer the question ‘What do you do?’ with a single word or phrase.”)
Donna Svei points out that reports say applicants will have a chance to edit their profiles when they apply, but as she explains, it’s unclear right now if the changes would be permanent on the LinkedIn profile or not.
These are all important details, and it will be absolutely necessary for job seekers to remember that “one button” applying may shorten the process, but it’s not an invitation to apply for jobs without foresight and focus.
If companies do start to receive a lot of unqualified or un-targeted applicants, we may see them preferring to find candidates from other sources. In fact, Career Columnist for The Seattle Times (NWjobs), Paul Anderson recently shared a column describing the fact that some employers advertise and collect applications from places even though they DON’T expect to hire applicants from that pool! A little crazy, right? Paul clarified for me they put out those feelers “just in case” they don’t get a good pool from their preferred sources.
Job seekers should keep an eye on news about easier ways to apply for jobs. If you want to land an opportunity to interview for the job, though, don’t focus on the “it’s easy” aspect — keep an eye on the prize and spend time needed to tweak and target.
Have you seen my new book — Social Networking for Career Success? Take a look if you want ideas about how to get your job search (or business) going in the right direction!
photo by Jim’s outside photos
Looking for meaningful work?
I’m excited to share an opportunity for those of you looking for an encore career. In case you are not familiar, Civic Ventures, which is “a think tank on boomers, work and social purpose,” defines “encore careers” as jobs that “combine personal meaning, continued income and social impact.” Sometimes, these may be post-retirement careers, although retirement should really be in quotes, since it seems the term has taken on new meaning in today’s economy and because many people are not ready to stop working at a traditional retirement age.
I understand than an encore career can come any time in a person’s work history, not only after a lifetime of working. Are you tired of doing what you are doing? Maybe it is time to think of a new direction, and lucky for you, there is a great resource to help. Here is the information from Civic Venture’s press release:
What: Civic Ventures is partnering with the New York Times Knowledge Network to offer an online seminar for people interested in encore careers. The interactive course will offer practical advice about how to succeed in today’s job market to combine continued income, personal meaning and social impact.
Marci Alboher, careers expert and former New York Times columnist, will be leading the course. According to Alboher, “The idea of encore careers — second acts with social purpose — has started to take hold, but more people are now seeking guidance from experts and others who can teach by example.â€
Topics will include: Will there really be enough jobs for the number of people who want to do meaningful work in their encore years? What kinds of job opportunities exist, and how do you make the leap into a field where you may have no experience or contacts? What should you do if you want to work but don’t have the interest or ability to work full time? How can you deal with age discrimination?
Who: The course will feature advice from experts as well as people who have or are on the path to meaningful encore careers. Speakers will include:
Marc Freedman, author of Encore: Finding Work That Matters in the Second Half of Life, founder and CEO of Civic Ventures
 Suzanne Braun Levine, founding editor of Ms. magazine and author of Fifty Is the New Fifty
David Bornstein, author of Social Entrepreneurship: What Everyone Needs to Know and founder of Dowser.org
Laura Gassner Otting, president of the Nonprofit Professionals Advisory Group and author of Change Your Career: Transitioning to the Nonprofit Sector
Lester Strong, CEO of Experience Corps and former television journalist
Stephen Alderman, Purpose Prize winner and co-founder of the Peter C. Alderman Foundation
When: Fridays, October 22 and 29, from 12-1:15 p.m. ET / 9-10:15 a.m. PT.
How: The online seminar costs $95. For more info and to register, click here.
Made possible in part by a generous grant from the New York Life Foundation.
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If you are looking for a job, you may also want to check out THE CAREER SUMMIT. Tons of career advice, all for a low price of $99 for a short time. Check it out now, before the early bird is over.
The topics include everything from how to think about finding a job you love, to what has changed in search, demystifying the recruiting process, online career management, interviewing and (last but not least) — strategies and tips for your resume, social media profile and job search. Read more HERE or visit the site HERE.
photo from gossamerpromise
Finding the silver lining in job search – Altruistic Tuesdays!
If you look hard enough, you can find a silver lining in this economy for job seekers. Many people have been trudging along in careers that didn’t suit them, but leaving seemed impossible and risky.
Taking advantage of a layoff and turning a difficult situation into an opportunity is not always easy, and it may not be the first thing that comes to mind when making plans for the future. Let’s face it, if you have always done a certain type of work, it is easy to think that your “next” thing needs to be that same thing. If your field does not seem to have much of a future (or even a present!), making a change is obvious and necessary, but I hope my new series of posts will remind ALL job seekers that this may be a good time to take a different path!
I recently reviewed Alexandra Levit’s new book, New Job, New You – A Guide to Reinventing Yourself in a Bright New Career,where she highlights stories of people who have made career changes for a variety of reasons, including:
- Family requirements
- Need for independence
- Desire to pursue additional learning
- Financial aspirations
- Pursuit of a passion
- Personal or health setbacks
- Honing a talent or skill
There is no doubt that layoffs can lead to a second career. (Take a look at this piece from NBC Nightly News that highlights people who made big jumps.) It is no surprise that Marci Alboher commented in this story. An authority on career changers, Marci is a senior fellow at Civic Ventures, the author of One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success and creator of the popular Shifting Careers blog and column for The New York Times. I’ve had a chance to talk to Marci about her work for Civic Ventures and the resources they offer via Encore.org. (Learn more about Civic Ventures and Encore.org HERE.)
My discussions with Marci and reading Alexandra’s book inspired me to create a new, ongoing feature here on my blog. I’m going to highlight stories of people who have made big career changes. To start off, I will share information and resources for and from those who have shifted to not-for-profit careers. I will call this feature “Altruistic Tuesdays” and highlight resources, many from the Encore.org site, aimed at smoothing the transition.
If you have a story to share, please contact me! In the meantime, think about how you can use your skills in a different setting…What have you always wanted to do, but never thought it was possible? You can translate your skills (maybe along with some new training) into a whole new career.
photo by pranav singh
Age discrimination in the job hunt
I’ve been thinking a lot about age discrimination facing job hunters. I plan to do a series of posts on the topic and have been collecting links and resources. There is certainly no shortage of information. (If you are an expert on the subject, or a job seeker with a personal experience or story to share, be sure to contact me!)
When I started to think about this topic, I remembered a blog that Marci Alboher wrote that described a job hunter, Lisa Johnson Mandell. Lisa was profiled on the Today Show because she had transformed her image as a 49-year old “over-the-hill” job seeker (in her industry – entertainment) by taking advantage of online resources and re-making her image to seem more “hip.” I was intrigued by the story at the time and wrote a blog responding to the topic.
(In a funny coincidence, Marci Alboher, author of the book, One Person/Multiple Careers: A New Model for Work/Life Success, is now a senior fellow for Civic Ventures, an organization dedicated to helping people reinvent themselves with “encore careers.” I’ve recommended their GUIDE for boomers (and anyone) who hopes to reinvent their careers in favor of doing something in the nonprofit world and/or the public sector.)
In doing some digging, I found out that Lisa actually has a book out now on the subject of remaking yourself for the job hunt – Career Comeback. In it, she talks about everything from appearance to attitude as they relate to overcoming age discrimination in your job hunt.
I just received my copy of Lisa’s book today, so I was inspired to share the post I originally wrote in July 2008 on the topic of ageism on the job hunt. I think it is just as topical (if not more so) today! Here is a version of that post…
You thought social media was for the “kids?†Blogging, Twitter, Facebook…You don’t have time to engage online with a bunch of people – you’re busy with your job hunt! Think again!
If you haven’t looked for a job in a while and/or aren’t tuned in to managing your “digital footprint†– what comes up when someone “Googles†your name – it’s time for a quick lesson in social media. The long and the short of it is this: an online presence is key to how people will perceive you. Especially if you are in a “young†industry that discriminates against workers over 40, appearing connected to new ways of presenting yourself (your brand, as it were), may help you open doors that seemed closed.
Take the story of a 49-year old entertainment reporter (as reported in Marci Alboher’s blog) who remade her image by freshening up her appearance and wardrobe and creating a hip online presence that made her seem younger than would belie her 20 years of industry experience. She hired people to help her, which is a great idea, but Marci points out that asking fashion conscious friends and teenagers (your children or others’) for advice and information about trends and technology is another option.
The key factor is, no matter how much experience you have, it is important to keep up with what is going on in today’s job market. Video resumes, Wikis, video conferencing, podcasts…Job seekers should be aware of these technologies and willing to use them! Be resourceful and aware – you may be surprised to learn that Web 2.0 tools can be a lot of fun and helpful beyond networking and job seeking. (Be sure to let me know when you start using a Wiki to plan your next potluck!)
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Facing discrimination in your job hunt? I can write your resume to make you look younger. Need help navigating social media and online networking? Keppie Careers is here for you! Don’t forget that clear, concise, optimized job search materials AND a strong, well executed plan are key for job search success! I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching? If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.
photo by Help Age