5-27-09 Apex, NC
Yesterday afternoon, I received a call from a job candidate. This candidate was from out of state and had 12 years of experience. She now found herself on the outside looking in. I get a lot of these referrals; mostly, they come from managers I have done business with in the past. My contacts (connects) know I will listen and help the candidates who call. As I assessed her situation over the phone, I again gave my "you need to become a social media junkie" speech. Use Linkedin, Facebook, Twitter, Inside 919, Word Press, Blogspot, Live Journal, and Jobing to make yourself known out in the Virtual Reality.
Complete the social platform profiles. Be a regular blogger. I call it Soft Personal/ Professional Marketing (SPPM). The key is not the constant e-hammering of how great you are. No. The strategy is the consistent message that you are a good person who is good at something that is needed, and you are looking for honest work. The recruiters and employers will pick up on that message. Your blog should be useful information about what you are an expert at. Remember that an expert by definition is someone who knows more and more about less and less! And fill the blog with key terms that are easily searchable. I do it automatically in every blog I author. Take advantage of the tags at the base of every blog you do.
You simply have to be different and unique. You must to be Dorothy in the Land of Oz. And you need to be focused only on positives. Life is not over when you lose your job. In fact, now is the time to get your bearings and spend time with family; finish that deck or project. Give yourself time to re-establish a commitment to your new beginning. And why not? You deserve it...
Remember that there is a BIG O O in the middle of GOOGLE. So do not put any oh-oh's out there in the Virtual Reality that will kill your job chances. Get a professional photographer to take your picture and have it photo shopped so you look simply marvelous, and put it out in your profiles along the Ning network. YOU MUST HAVE A PICTURE. And not the silly one someone took at the party.
Finally, PLEASE make your resume accomplishments specific. If I see one more "possesses outstanding leadership skills" rather than "led team of six that saved the company $13,000 in establishing recycling processes within the sales department floor", I will cry...
The generalities will drive employers AWAY!
Remember SPPM...
Good luck. Call me if you need me.
Showing posts with label Resume. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Resume. Show all posts
Wednesday, May 27, 2009
Wednesday, May 20, 2009
Ho Ho. Hi Ho! It's Off to Work I Go!
5-20-09 Apex, NC
Sometimes as job seekers, you can get discouraged. And then you make excuses. Man, are you good at those. It's the economy, stocks, banks, the weather, etc. STOP!
Pick yourself up (mentally), dust yourself off and get back to your real job... finding a real job. Call someone today to network with. Do it every day. Sent one resume out, every day. Get business cards, I would use vistaprint, and give a card out to everyone you bump into. The more rocks you turn over, the more creatures you will find. Go to every job fair, business expo, and transition group you can. They are in the paper. Buy one. If you are not eye-ball to eye-ball with people, you will not be successful.
Need strategies? Google them. Take notes and develop a plan from that. Ask the w's, who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Never give up. Opportunity comes from luck, patience, and dedication. Spit-spot your resume. Make it perfect with NO mistakes and make it personal to the job you seek. Put specifics in the thing not generalities. If you are someone with outstanding leadership skills, tell the employer WHY!
I do not mind looking at your resume. But you are cheaper than I am, so first work on it yourself. Take every generality OUT of the resume, and keep it to one page unless you are a teacher, researcher, doctor, or CEO.
Recruiters have candidate ADD (another dang denial). DO NOT be in that pile.
Remember things are half full not half empty. And if you need me, go to my website, www.vtrconsulting.com
Good luck! I am also a tweet away.
Jim (@salestherapist)
Sometimes as job seekers, you can get discouraged. And then you make excuses. Man, are you good at those. It's the economy, stocks, banks, the weather, etc. STOP!
Pick yourself up (mentally), dust yourself off and get back to your real job... finding a real job. Call someone today to network with. Do it every day. Sent one resume out, every day. Get business cards, I would use vistaprint, and give a card out to everyone you bump into. The more rocks you turn over, the more creatures you will find. Go to every job fair, business expo, and transition group you can. They are in the paper. Buy one. If you are not eye-ball to eye-ball with people, you will not be successful.
Need strategies? Google them. Take notes and develop a plan from that. Ask the w's, who, what, when, where, why, and how.
Never give up. Opportunity comes from luck, patience, and dedication. Spit-spot your resume. Make it perfect with NO mistakes and make it personal to the job you seek. Put specifics in the thing not generalities. If you are someone with outstanding leadership skills, tell the employer WHY!
I do not mind looking at your resume. But you are cheaper than I am, so first work on it yourself. Take every generality OUT of the resume, and keep it to one page unless you are a teacher, researcher, doctor, or CEO.
Recruiters have candidate ADD (another dang denial). DO NOT be in that pile.
Remember things are half full not half empty. And if you need me, go to my website, www.vtrconsulting.com
Good luck! I am also a tweet away.
Jim (@salestherapist)
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
