Rock that Resume – Six seconds to launch!

I recently came across a new article, related to the attention span of the hiring department. Read the article here. A few numbers to consider:

250 – On average, the number of resumes received for each corporate job opening.

200 – The number of seconds that pass before the first resume is submitted for an online job posting.

427,000 – The number of resumes posted on Monster alone every week.

6 – The number of seconds a resume is scanned during the review process.

Now, if you have hung around this little part of WordPress, you know that I stress the importance of networking.

I liken job websites as more of barometer, related to how many jobs are available in your field and hometown at a given time.

But this article really stresses the importance of being very clear with your submitted resume. Six seconds is just enough time to see where you worked, your title, a few keywords and your education.

Here’s one more stat:

61 – The percent of recruiters that will dismiss your resume instantly due to tipos…typoes…typos!

So, take your time, and here’s a tip: Read your resume back to front to see every word. When you read a sentence you mite miss a typo. But read typo…a…miss…mite…you…sentence….a…read…you…When, the typo can stand out!

Pass that resume around. Have someone read over carefully. And try your own six second scan. Does it work?

Now, let’s go out there and do something good together!

Social media checklist – Take some time to keep it current!

A social media checklist…

1. Make sure your Facebook account is up-to-date with contact information.

2. Make sure that same Facebook account presents you in the best possible light. Be careful with postings and pictures that you wouldn’t want your boss or prospective employer to see!

3. Over at LinkedIn (you have a LinkedIn account, right?) review your work history. Check your dates of employment and that your current position is indeed where you are working at currently! I had a contractor call asking where my counterpart had gone, when it showed up on his LinkedIn account that his current position lasted less than a year (and I just saw him Friday!)

4. Are you represented well across the major social media outlets (Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn). In other words, is your contact information consistent, do you have a consistent headshot or at least similar headshot on all your outlets?

5. Do you contribute to your accounts on a regular basis. I am very good about Facebook, I should do more on Twitter and my blog, well, it always needs attention!

6. Do you look for new social media opportunities? Tumblr and Pinterest are two that I am going to look into shortly.

7. Know when too much social media is too much social media!

8. Take a break every once in a while from that news feed or tweet list.

9. Realize that employers and potential employers can be looking over your shoulder at your social media (postings, pix, tweets and more) at any minute (maybe, this minute?)

10. Know which medium to harness when it comes to communicating effectively. Post, tweet, email, phone call or a hand written note? All have different strengths when it comes to reaching out to someone for information or to simply thank them for a networking opportunity.

Keep your social media current and strong and you’ve tackled a big part of your communications plan. Now, let’s go out there and do something good together!

Know that alot of no’s can put you in the know (without even knowing it!)

The No Man gets a “yes”
and a seat in a police car

I’ve always believed in “Don’t Ask. Don’t Get.” Meaning that if you don’t ask for that help, you’re not going to get it. If you don’t ask for that raise, you aren’t going to get it. If you don’t ask for clarification on an issue in a project, you are going to stay in the dark. I liken it to Wayne Gretsky’s quote “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.”

So how does this all tie in to looking for a job, keeping a job or getting a better job? If you don’t reach out and network and ask for advice, help, criticism (constructive, of course!) or feedback, you are going to be further behind than your counterparts.

The January 14 issue of Bloomberg Businessweek had an article titled “The No Man.” The subject of the story, tech entrepreneur Jia Jiang, has set about posting his rejections to questions and requests on his website www.entresting.com. Titled “100 Days of Rejection Therapy” it shows what he labels “preposterous demands” including asking a flight attendant if he could do the pre-flight safety announcement, asking a ice cream shop to invent a flavor for him, and his first posted rejection from a hotel security guard when he asked if he could borrow $100.

He says the project started when he lost funding for his start up company and felt horrid rejection. He said “to build up resistance” he’d force himself to get burned by being told no.

I think the big thing here to realize is that while many of us have thin skin when it comes to rejection (present party included), it really is to our benefit to make the ask, even if you feel there is a “no” in the response.

So, ask that co-worker for advice, ask that person to lunch that you’ve always wanted to network with, ask someone to review your resume. You just might be surprised!

Here’s the link to the article – http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-01-07/rejection-therapy-a-hundred-days-of-no

Here’s some tips on rejection from the article

1. Don’t look on the bright side – Manage those rejected negative feelings for 48 hours, avoid the “hurry up and get over it feeling.” Learn from it.

2. Accept that you’re not perfect – Mary Poppins is the one likely exception to this rule and she still has some faults.

3. Watch out for paranoia – Don’t equate the rejection with being unlikable. Best quote from the article: “Remember: Other people really aren’t thinking about you…they’re preoccupied with their own lives and careers.”

4. Try not to be a jerk – If you are rejected for a job, for feedback, or criticism, just take it for what its worth and move on!

Now, let’s go out there and make some mistakes…and do something good at the same time!

Social media skills are a must in the job market

Recently, a story on CNNMoney (click here) discussed the importance of social media skills when it comes to the job market. Part of the article revealed:

While U.S. unemployment hovers around 8%, job postings requiring social media skills rose 87% from 2011 to 2012, topping 13,000 in one month alone earlier this year.  Among Fortune 500 companies, 73% now have company Twitter accounts and 66% have Facebook Pages (FB).

That first statistic, job postings requiring social media skills rose 87% from 2011 to 2012,certainly drives home the importance of knowing your way around the social media world.

I’ve always stressed in my blog that you must, must take that first step in securing a Facebook account and a LinkedIn account at a minimum. I also have a Twitter account, but I will be the first to say that I don’t update it as much as I should.

Another interesting statistic from the story:

Among Fortune 500 companies, 73% now have company Twitter accounts and 66% have Facebook pages.

As you continue your job search while you are unemployed, or you are looking for your next opportunity, part of your research should be looking up a companies Facebook and Twitter pages. You can gain insight as to the daily goings-on within the company, learn about trends, their products, events and other programs they have. Many times, such short postings will give you much more insight than going to their traditional website.

Once you build your Facebook and LinkedIn accounts, it is up to you to keep it dynamic. Postings are important. I tell people that if they make the effort to build a social media account, they must keep it updated. A potential employer that sees a Facebook account that hasn’t been updated in three months, could reflect poorly on whether you get that all-important phone or face-to-face interview.

It doesn’t matter if you are 18 or 58. If you are in the market for a new job or trying to find that next great opportunity, being well-versed and immersed in social media, can help you stand out from the competition.

Hmmm….I’d better lead by example and update my Twitter account!

Now, let’s go out there and do something good together!

Share just enough in social media and your interview…

In a recent New York times article, the topic focused on employees tendency to over-share their personal experiences, while in the workplace. Examples of discussing births in vivid detail, drunken exploits and other “Facebook” worthy scenarios, can cast the storyteller in a less than flattering light and keep you from ascending the employee ladder.

The author points at Facebook for partial blame, where we tell our every whim and fancy – “Driving Daisy to the vet”, “Wishing it was Friday”, “Whoot, whoot, it’s Friday”, “Shouldn’t have eaten those 12 donuts”, you get the idea.

I’ve read similar stories that likens such social media discussions as bragging, but, to me, it’s really filling the space that social media demands.

As someone who may be looking for work, I’ve always stressed that you need to be active in social media, both in looking for a job and getting looked at by potential employers.

But, you certainly have to walk that fine line, when it comes to providing information and exposing yourself. Keep your Facebook postings and Twitter tweets relevant, fun and interesting, but leave the late-night party pix on the side, where they belong.

Employers can easily Google your name to see how you fit into the social media community as well as your own personal community. How you present yourself can make or break your chances at getting that all-important first interview or landing that job.

Have fun with social media, harness it to your advantage. But, at the same time, make sure it puts you in the most positive light possible. Likewise, when you get that first interview and they shake your hand and ask “How are you today?” you can answer with “Fine, thank you…and you?” instead of “Well, my cat threw up on my bed this morning, so it’s not off to a good start…” Save that for a later tweet!

Now, let’s go out there and do something good together!

Marketing director re-invents job search, tapping into networking, volunteering opps!

The Wall Street Journal recently had a feature “Slow Recovery Feels like Recession,” where they profiled individuals and the way they are adapting to the downturn in the economy.

One story on a former marketing director from Verizon, laid-off during the recession, really illustrated how individuals need to get out from the computer and the same old routine, to stand out from the pack and get work.

Terry Sullivan had the credentials: overseeing a $105 million annual budget and more than 1,000 employees, but six months into his job search he said “my resumes were falling into a sinkhole.”  So what did he do?

1. Began attending a local support group for job seekers (networking opportunities, moral support!)
2. Started setting up events for his local chapter of the American Marketing Association (volunteering, staying busy, building portfolio while laid-off)
3. Attended outside events (networking)
4. After one particular event, approached speaker, which resulted in a consulting gig (networking and temp. job)

A great example of getting out there and beating your own drum. It is up to you to make yourself visible, show you have the experience to do what it takes to get back to work. Sullivan volunteered, networked, built his portfolio and networked his way to temp work, which hopefully will lead to full-time work!

I’ve always said that networking is the most important tool in your unemployment toolbox. When I was laid off in 2008-09, I had to force myself some days to get out there, volunteer, make calls, do lunches and just ask for help in learning about job leads. I volunteered to oversee the new newsletter format/layout for the Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge, I volunteed for a grassroots group marketing my hometown of Grosse Ile, Michigan and just told people of my need to get back to work. But it had to be done!

You can do it, too! Now, let’s get out there and do something good!

Your job search: Being polite can put money in the bank!

In the June 2011 issue of Kiplinger’s Personal Finance, editor Janet Bodnar discusses “Secrets to Landing a Job”. (You can read the column here.)

But, wait, read on first…

While the article centered around first-time job hunters, much of what she discussed applies to all job hunters.

Some of the highlights I’ve listed below, that you can use whether you are currently laid-off or are looking for new work in this still fragile economy:

Those who hustle usually end up ahead: It is so true that you have to get out from in front of the computer and network. I stress it over and over again, that it is really up to you to get out there and develop leads.

Stay on top of it: Bodnar discusses that it is imperative that you send follow-ups, once you establish a contact or get a job. Don’t be overbearing, but remind your contact that you are interested in the job.

Communicate effectively: Bodnar points out that email is not a text message. So true in today’s technology, complete sentences and thoughts are still the best way to go….NO, I M NOT KDNG!

Do your homework: Before even applying for a job, do research on the company and industry. Weave that information into your cover letter, keep a few key bullets nearby, if you land an interview. It speaks volumes to a recruiter if you know what the company does!

Conscientiousness : (Phew! What a word! Put that in the national spelling bee and see how many people get that one right!) – Bodnar closes her column citing a University of Michigan study that showed people who essentially were polite and considerate earn about $1,500 more per year and have significantly higher lifetime savings. (So mom was right: Be polite, send a thank you to Aunt Margie for that hideous sweater, even if you don’t like it!)

Bottom line – checklist for job search:

• Be polite;
• Do your homework;
• Stay in touch;
• Send thank you notes.

Now let’s go out there and do something good together!

Networking in 2011 – map the steps to the President’s office!

Whether you are facing February with a job layoff, or maybe are starting to put out feelers, now that business is saying they actually might add jobs this year, you have to break out of your old ways and be inventive in 2011.

Here’s a great example of someone who took the necessary steps to really tell his story world-wide!

In this week’s Crain’s Detroit Business, the Rumblings section leads off with a story of a Michigan business owner who was thrust into the spotlight when mentioned in President Obama’s State of the Union address. The owner, Robert Allen, was in a reception line to meet the president and thought it would be an opportune time to give him a business card (not really sure how many people give business cards to the President of the United States, but what the heck, why not?).  So the leader of the free world took the card from Allen.

But how did this business owner get in front of the president? The article discusses the steps that the solar roofing business, Luma Resources LLC, took. Really, it boils down to four steps:

1. Allen talked to a staffer at the National Science Foundation about his business and how it would be a good fit for the State of the Union address.

2. In turn, a letter was written to the US Department of Energy, which,

3. published a story about Luma in an in-house publication, which,

4. caught the attention of the speechwriters, and the rest is history!

So, just four steps to go from relative obscurity in Rochester Hills, Michigan to a mention in the State of the Union address and meeting the president. Not bad at all for making that first effort in telling your story to an individual who set the story in motion!

The same can be said for your networking. The company above was only four steps away to greatness!

Remember, you can’t just simply think you are going to waltz into the president’s office of the company that you are interested in. You need to take a few steps back, put a strategy together, do your homework and see how your path can work up to the president’s office. A fellow employee you went to college with, pledged with, volunteered with, could be a great start.

I am a big proponent of “Don’t ask, don’t get.” As the saying goes “You miss 100 percent of the shots you don’t take.” If you can’t figure a way to strategically network and learn more, you may as well just be answering the CareerBuilder or Monster ad with everyone else!

Over the next few weeks, I’m going to expand on networking with some great insight from Gail MarksJarvis, writer with the Chicago Tribune. I’ll discuss how traditional ways of networking just aren’t the way to go in 2011.

Now, let’s go out there and do something good!

A few thoughts on employment in MI…

Here in Michigan, we certainly have felt the near fatal blow of our national recession. General Motors and Chrysler receiving government bailouts literally decimated the two companies, laying off thousands with both nearly going bankrupt.

Metro-Detroit and the ancillary companies (automotive suppliers, restaurants, even down to the neighborhood barber shop) have felt the effects of GM and Chrysler’s problems. Many have gone under, never to return. Some have had to re-invent themselves, trying to predict the next innovation to come out of the Motor City (electric, hybrid and the like).

Unemployment indeed has started to creep down ever so slightly. For the first time in more than a year, Michigan’s unemployment was not the highest in the nation. Nevada is holding the number one spot now. While unemployment has crept down in Michigan, it could be partially attributed to the thousands of long-term unemployed who simply have stopped looking for work.

I certainly felt unemployment first-hand after being unemployed for 11 months in late 2008 and 2009. But I harnessed a few ideas in keeping my job search on track. Yes, I had bad days, but I had alot of good days, too! Certainly, I have shared these on this blog over the past several months, but they bear repeating:

Network: You must, must get out of your comfort zone and strategically make a list of people that you can reach out to, who can help you with your job search. But their role is not to find you work, but to help you identify potential leads within your area of expertise.

Volunteer: If you are laid-off, get out from in front of the computer a few hours a week and help out in your community.

Review your messages: Give a good look at your current resume and generic cover letter. Let someone else read it and have them tell you what you have done for a living up to this point. If they are wrong, based on the information on your resume, then you need to take a good look at it and clarify what you have done to this point.

Forgive yourself: Michigan, and really the rest of the country, has gone through some sobering times. You need to realize, with the holidays approaching, that you must cut yourself some slack. Stress is a daily occurrence, but really multiplies during the holidays. Let yourself know that it is okay. As long as you are keeping up with networking and messaging on a daily basis, you really are doing all you can.

Ask for help: If you need help, you need to ask for it. Talk things out with your significant other and family. If you are alone, reach out to someone you trust: a former mentor, member of the clergy or friend. If you need help with everyday needs, call your local United Way, who can help refer you to mental health groups, food pantries or towards whatever concerns you need help with.

So, keep up the faith and keep it up. 2010 is nearly in the books. 2011 looks a little better, but it still will be a daily battle landing work. But keep on, keepin’ on!

If a student can ask to try out for UM football, you can ask for employment help!

Recently, there was an article in The Detroit News on a student asking University of Michigan football coach Rod Rodriguez about trying out for a kicking job (field goal) on the Wolverines team. Read the article here. Wow! What a concept! An absolute outsider essentially walking up and pounding on the door of the Big House asking for a chance!

This really reminds me of the movie “Rudy”, except well, the guy who talked to the UM coach didn’t have to go through years of grueling, demanding work before he could suit up, like the Sean Astin character in Rudy. The guy just approached the coach in a parking lot…..AND ASKED!

Which leads me to my point. If this kid can ask Rich Rod for a job, you certainly should be able to reach out to that supposed, untouchable individual to ask for advice or any leads on employment.

I’ve always subscribed to the “Don’t ask, don’t get” mentality. You have to ask for such things. The worst thing someone can do is say no.

So, suit up and approach that person who you always thought was above approach…and approach them!

You might:

1. End up trying out (free advice, networking opp?);
2. Making the team (getting your foot in the door for a formal interview) or;
3. Making first string (landing that job!), or;
4. Not make the cut (no leads, but you tried!)

Remember, it never hurts to ask! Now, let’s go out there and do something good!