It seems like everyone has a Facebook page now a days. Even my parents have profiles (they don’t know how to use them but they have them).
While Facebook is great for staying connected with your friends and family, you do have to be careful what you put on your Facebook.
Current and future employers are now checking social networking sites so if you don’t want them to see those pictures from the keg party or read about how much you hate your job, don’t put it on Facebook.
Sure there are privacy settings but did you know that companies can pay for unrestricted access to Facebook? I worked in HR for a company that pays for it. Whether your profile has the highest privacy settings or not, companies that pay Facebook can access it all.
Be careful what you post…
Tags: boss, facebook, privacy, Unemployment
By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Rosa E. Vargas
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 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; 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 (thank you) 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 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 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 state you would like to clarify a point you wish you had emphasized.
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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. Remember, the entire job search process is a strategic marketing effort; leverage every tool and maximize every opportunity.
If you think you need help leveraging your resume in your personal marketing strategy, please do not hesitate to submit your resume to rvargas@creatingprints.com for a free evaluation. You may also visit www.creatingprints.com for more information.
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CAREEREALISM Expert, Rosa Elizabeth Vargas is a job search strategist who is Quadruple-certified as an (MRW) Master Resume Writer, (CERW) Certified Expert Resume Writer, (NCRW) Nationally Certified, and (ACRW) Academy Certified Resume Writer. Additional qualifications include job search coaching and social media consulting. She has been helping job hunters since 2003 as owner of Creating Prints Resume Service, leveraging an accomplished 10-year career background as a Leader/Senior Manager, which included interviewing, hiring, training, and building strong and competent teams. You can find her on Twitter at @resumeservice.
The photo for this article is provided by Shutterstock.
Tags: Career Advice, career expert, career question, CAREEREALISM, follow up, interview, Job Search Tactics, thank you letters
Unemployment isn’t funny but unemployed robots are hilarious
Tags: cgi, funny friday, robot, robots, Unemployment
Erin's Notes: As a recruiter, I spend a lot of time reviewing resumes. If you have a resume that stands out, chances are you'll make it on the short list...I may even keep a copy of your resume as an example of a great resume. It's not hard to come up with a different format than the standard MS word template, just take some time to create something different. Aim to stand out, not blend in.
By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Jessica Holbrook Hernandez
The economy seems to be picking up a little, and more and more job seekers are coming to us and letting us know about internal opportunities within their organization they would like to apply to. But even as more opportunities open up, the competition is as strong—or stronger than ever before. Here are seven ways your resume isn’t quite cutting it. So take it out, brush it off, and let’s kick it up a notch.
It’s still sporting that outdated objective.
If your resume is utilizing an objective, you really should trash it and start all over with a fresh, powerful introduction that incorporates a personal branding statement. A tailored career summary and polished personal branding statement will catch the employer’s attention and give him or her the best information up front—the information he or she needs to make a decision to call you to schedule an interview.
The design/format is generic or elementary for your professional level and experience.
There is a strategy behind resume formatting and design. If you are an executive, yet you are using an entry level resume format, you will look unprofessional and under-qualified.
It’s missing important keywords.
Omit keywords and the software system scanning your resume can’t find you. The recruiter giving your resume a quick once-over is looking for specific keywords as well. Leave them out and you’ll be left out of the interview process.
Generic and/or vague statements.
Avoid using the same old terminology that everyone else uses in their resumes. Yes, we know you can problem solve. But instead of telling me you’re a problem solver, show me the result of a problem you solved.
Soft skills vs. hard skills.
And the championship goes to…hard skills. I used to be a full-time recruiter, and I used Monster and CareerBuilder to search for candidates. Not once did I ever enter the search terms: great communicator, excellent verbal skills, detail-oriented. These are universal statements millions use to describe themselves. Give me something tangible and relevant to the position I am trying to fill.
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Duties and responsibilities
Instead of wasting valuable real estate on your resume providing me with a rundown of your job description (the same one I’ve read a million times as a hiring manager), show me what you achieved, what you accomplished, and what you contributed in the past. WOW me with something other than the predictable, mundane job description. I want to know the challenges you faced in your previous roles, how you addressed them, and the results you obtained. This makes you different from everyone else. No two people will have the exact same experiences. Your experiences are what make you outshine your competition—USE THEM TO YOUR ADVANTAGE.
Are you passive or active?
Using terminology that is passive is boring and lacks action. Instead of using phrases like ‘served as’, ‘duties included’, ‘promoted to’, ‘worked with’…choose strong action verbs. Action verbs do just what they say: they convey action and, ultimately, results. The hiring manager is interested in results you can provide about what you did along the way. Choose terms like: Launched, Catapulted, Spearheaded, and Pioneered. These terms tell me something. They show me the action you took and captivate my attention so that I want to read on to discover the results you achieved.
Your resume needs to do two things: It needs to capture the hiring manager’s attention—and it needs to motivate him or her to pick up the phone and call you for an interview. If you look and sound like everyone else, you have no competitive advantage. And therefore, you’ve provided the HR person with zero motivation to pick up the phone, call you, and schedule an interview. Stop creating a ‘same old, same old’ resume that looks and feels just like everyone else’s. Start today by adding some variety and focusing on your accomplishments.
View professional resume samples or submit your resume via e-mail to info@greatresumesfast.com for a free resume analysis.
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CAREEREALISM Expert, Jessica Holbrook Hernandez, CEO of Great Resumes Fast is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, and presenter. She has written hundreds of articles that are featured on some of the best career advice Web sites today. In addition, her writing has been included in Launch Pad, a career search strategy guide featuring exclusive information by the top career experts in the industry. Follow her on Twitter and LinkedIn.
The photo for this article is provided by Shutterstock.
Tags: Career Advice, career expert, career question, CAREEREALISM, HP_Featured_Left, job search advice, resume advice
I’m sorry I’ve neglected to write recently. (I actually have half a dozen “almost finished” posts) One of the perils of employment is being exposed to all kinds of germs while you slave away in a cubicle farm. You have to deal with people who feel the need to come in even when they’re sick. Then you get sick and have to miss work but, since you are temp, you won’t get paid for being sick. Awesome. Yet another reason I wish I was unemployed…
