Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Career change: social media can help

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Career change is usually difficult for the one doing the changing. There are always aspects of advertized jobs the applicant has not exactly accomplished, if only because he or she hasn’t had the chance! Highlighting transferable skills (the ones you can use in any job) as well as targeting your application materials for the positions in question are important pieces of a successful career change. Having a well-targeted resume that makes it clear why you can do the job (even if you’ve never done it before) is so important! [Read more…] about Career change: social media can help

6 tips to land a job long distance

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Looking for a job is hard enough. Add the out-of-town factor, and it could seem insurmountable. What can you do to help smooth the way to find opportunities in another city or state? [Read more…] about 6 tips to land a job long distance

How to use your time in a job hunt

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Are you looking in the mirror when you search for a job – to take a good, hard look and see if there is something about your attitude or approach that you can change? Staying positive and upbeat is important to your ultimate success.

Another important tip? Use your time well if you are not currently working. It’s easy to let hours, days and weeks pass by before setting up a strategy that will help you succeed in your  hunt.

I’ve already shared great reasons to volunteer if you have some free time. Here are a few additional tips to consider if you’re not quite sure what to do with your time.

If you haven’t started, dive into social media and Web 2.0 applications! Yes, this can take some time if you are going to do it full force. But, you have time, so go for it! Start searching for blogs in your niche. Guy Kawasaki’s Alltop list is a perfect place to find blogs in an array of topics, but you can certainly use Google to find current information in your field of interest. Spend some time researching and exploring. See if you can identify the stars in your field. Use online mechanisms to connect to them!

How? Post smart comments on their blogs. See if they use Twitter and follow them. (Read more of my suggestions about using Twitter for the job hunt HERE or check out my book, Social Networking for Career Success. (You can even get in on Kindle for a great price on Amazon.) Make sure you are using LinkedIn effectively. You may be amazed at  how quickly you can connect and “befriend” people online. (Learn more about my book and my Google+ Guide!)

Consider authoring a blog. If you are a strong writer, there isn’t a better way to influence your Google rankings and demonstrate authority in your subject matter. If you have the time, why not try? You have nothing to lose. (If you want to learn more about what you’d put on your own website/social resume, but sure to check out my site. I can even help you get into your own site if you’re not technically inclined.)

Stop and think about what you really want to do. Use your time to assess yourself, your goals and plans for the future. How often are we forced to take a moment to really think about the future. This is your chance. Do you like the way your life is going? Are you happy with your path? If not, consider a coach to help you figure out a new direction.

Learn a new skill. Have you been thinking about taking a class in something that will help you with your job? Maybe you’ve always wanted to learn how to knit? This is a good time. Doing something new and learning a new skill is good for your attitude and will help you in multiple ways.

There is so much information and opportunities to learn new things online for free. High-profile and talented people are offering free teleclasses, webinars and seminars all of the time. If you plug in, you’ll learn about these opportunities and benefit from them. Take advantage of your public library as a resource for information. Check in with the librarian for information you might be missing!

Don’t wait until you have an interview scheduled to prepare for the interview! Do you know what you’ll wear to an interview? Does it fit? Is it clean and pressed? How about your shoes? Do they pass muster? Dont’ wait until you’ve been searching for two months and get a call for an interview tomorrow to look in your closet!

Once you have an outfit ready, start planning and practicing what you will say in an interview, in a networking situation…Use your time to get ready. I work with clients on mock interviews, so you will really know what skills you can improve. If you are prepared, when you start pulling in opportunities, you won’t panic!

Of course, much of your “free” time will be taken up with job hunting. Don’t forget, many of the activities listed above are part of your job hunt. I would be remiss if I didn’t specifically mention that networking (in person and online) is key – spend more time doing this than searching for online postings. Make sure your resume and materials are top-notch and use your time to prep for everything you will need.

What ideas do you have?

photo by Earls37a

Improve your resume by asking yourself, “So what?”

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Last week, I had a chance to join CNN anchor Fredricka Whitfield on the air to provide tips for job seekers. We went over some “before” and “after” resumes. Here’s part 2 of a several-part series dedicated to improving your resume. (Don’t miss part 1, showcasing resume headers.)

OLD RESUME

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 

Managing Web Editor, XYZ Company
New York, NY  March 2008 – Present

-Manage high-traffic Web site for 1.5-million member organization.

-Edit and write content for Web magazine, marketing materials and internal memos and reports.

-Project manager for Web site overhaul. This includes planning and testing design, navigation and developing streamlined functionality to stimulate e-commerce activities.

How could this description be improved?

  • Underlines look dated. Usually, you’ll only include months in the date section if the experience was one year or less.
  • Bullet points shouldn’t just list WHAT you did, but focus on HOW you did it so it relates to the employer. Decide what they need you to do and show that on your resume. Ask yourself, “SO WHAT?” for every bullet point and provide an answer in your resume. Incorporate skills and accomplishments when giving the answer.
  • Be sure all bullets are consistent – parallel tense. Begin each with a verb: manage, edit and “project manager” don’t match.
  • Don’t make your resume a laundry list of “stuff” you’ve done.

NEW RESUME

CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS

Managing Web Editor, XYZ Company  New York, NY   2008 – Present

  • Analyzed site traffic using Google Analytics, Lyris HQ Agency Edition and SiteCatalyst. Identified strategic patterns, trends and popular content and recommended changes to site, resulting in 17% increase in page views in only three months.
  • Supervised site’s overhaul in compliance with company’s goals. Conducted needs assessment, identified market opportunities and planned and tested design, which stimulated e-commerce and increased profitability from $15M to $20M in 2010.
  • Authored content for Web and email newsletters and created and recorded podcasts highlighting organization’s mission. Management attributed increased membership rates to high-quality online and audio content.

What is better about this description?

  • Decide if your title or the organization name is more important. In this case, the resume focuses the reader on job titles. Be consistent across the entire resume.
  • Incorporate details important to the employer. Use key words (for example, the names of the programs to analyze site traffic).
  • Show your impact – use $ amounts, %ages and other numbers when possible. (These answer the question, “So what?”)

photo by y-a-n

Stay tuned for another post with resume tips!

 

 

Improve your resume using these tips

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Last week, I had a chance to join CNN anchor Fredricka Whitfield on the air to provide tips for job seekers. We went over some “before” and “after” resumes.  Here’s part 1 of a several-part series dedicated to brushing up and improving your resume.

Review these suggestions to see if there are any changes you may want to incorporate in your resume.

OLD HEADER

Jill Jack
123 Main Street – New York, NY – 212-555-0000 – [email protected]

Objective

Innovative, highly motivated, dynamic team player with extensive experience, stellar writing skills and the ability to effectively manage concurrent projects seeks opportunity to contribute in Fortune 500 Company.

What’s wrong with this header?

  • It does not include social media references, and relies on an old-fashioned email address. (While I, personally, don’t discriminate against an “AOL,” or “Hotmail” address, it can make you appear a little dated and not in tune with modern technology.) Consider a Gmail account, with the added benefit of a Google profile.
  • I do not recommend using an objective. Your objective is to get the job. Use that space to include headlines and bullet points describing your fit for the job. In addition, the objective here uses overused words (innovative, highly motivated, dynamic extensive experience). These words are not very descriptive; avoid “empty” words in your resume.
  • It doesn’t have a clear focus or specific job goal.
  • It’s difficult to tell here, but the font is Times New Roman. Consider choosing a more updated font, such as Trebuchet, Verdana, Calibri or Tahoma.

NEW HEADER

Jill Jack
123 Main St. – New York, NY –  212.555.0000 – [email protected]
http://www.linkedin.com/in/JillJack – @JillJack – gplus.to/JillJack – JillJack.com

Multimedia Manager — Communications Strategist — Content Developer
Market savvy, writer/editor experienced in producing profitableonline, video and ezine content.

“Jill combines a flair for the creative, an intuitive understanding of market trends and consumer needs with her unbeatable technical, writing, editing and management skills. I’ve never known anyone who can evaluate the landscape, design a strategy and execute on plans as well as Jill.”
– Peter Pan, Overseeing Editor, XYX Company (View this and other endorsements via LinkedIn)

What’s better about this header?

  • It incorporates social media URLs – indicating this person is involved online and up-to-date. By inviting the reader to review her Twitter stream and LinkedIn profile for additional information, it’s clear (no matter how old this job seeker may be), the candidate is an early adopter (showing a Google+ account) and clearly willing to learn new things. Only showcase these URLs if you are using social media professionally. However, don’t assume no one will find your Twitter and other social media outlets.
  • Notice this resume includes a link to the job seeker’s personal website/social resume. Having this online portfolio really demonstrates she is using technology and is up-to-date.
  • This header uses important resume “real estate” at the top of the document to hone in on important points: job titles and key skills. It avoids “empty” words that don’t describe a connection between the candidate and the job. It’s important to select KEY words from job descriptions, company websites and LinkedIn profiles from others in your industry.
  • It includes a recommendation from someone found on LinkedIn. This is a great way to help tell your story and to prove your qualifications from an outside perspective.

Watch the video here:

Stay tuned for more tips to help you evaluate and improve your resume!

photo by cobalt123