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Social media is becoming an increasingly important part of the job search. Whether it’s LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook, these tools can either help us or hinder us. Katie Roth shares the most important things to remember, and make sure that social media is working FOR you and not AGAINST you.
Do you have questions about using social media in your job search? Let us know on Facebook or Twitter!
We found this cool graphic recently, and had to share with our blog readers. You can see that a large chunk of job growth is happening in the technology industry – with software development, information technology, etc. Want to have a secure career? That’s definitely a place to look. It’s also known to be high-stress however, so make sure you find the right balance of what you want.
Were you surprised by anything in this graphic? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!
In any interview situation you may be in, there will be a time for you to ask questions. Many people just skate by this part because they’ve prepared for the questions being asked of them, not the other way around. This is a place though that you can truly stand out! Katie Roth shares examples of questions you can ask to make sure a potential employer will remember – including one very bold example!
When employers post a job listing, they get anywhere from tens to hundreds of resumes a day. So when they’re clicking through each one, you want to make sure that your resume has what they’re looking for. Here are our tips for making sure your resume has the right stuff to get you noticed and, hopefully, hired:
-Make sure your resume is clearly written and easy to read. Spelling and grammar are also extremely important—double check for any errors, and have someone else look it over before sending it in to a potential employer. A misspelled word can be enough for your resume to be overlooked.
-Appropriate experience is key. If you don’t have the experience an employer is looking for, you’ll probably be overlooked. So if you think you have the right skills, explain why you’d be right for the job in your cover letter.
-Longevity in past jobs—at least a year in a job shows that you aren’t just bouncing around from job to job. Employers want to know that you’re going to stick with their company if they hire you. A new employee is an investment for the company, so help them see that you’re a good one.
-Don’t include any inappropriate information. We’ve seen a range of things on a resume that shouldn’t be there, including: age, gender, race, social security number, father’s name, etc. It’s just not relevant to the application process.
It doesn’t necessarily mean that you won’t get hired if your resume doesn’t match these tips, but be prepared to explain how you can be an asset to the company despite one of these issues.
If you have any questions about how to improve your resume, feel free to email one of our recruiters for advice:
Andrew@porticohr.com
Amanda@porticohr.com
Your resume is a soft first impression to a potential employer. It can convey your experience and professionalism, but it can’t tell your personality or competence or fit within a company. That’s what the interview is for. Yes, a first impression is certainly made in the first 10 seconds of meeting someone, but your interview as a whole should be taken as a first impression. Watch the short video below for some specific tips.
Do you have any other interview questions? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!
From our friends over at AARP Magazine comes this handy list of 5 ways to help you “brand” yourself for potential employers:
These tips apply to ALL ages, genders and races. What do you think of the list? What works best for you? What would you add? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!
Guy Kawasaki is well known as a bestselling author and Internet entrepreneur. His creation Alltop is one of the most visited sites by digital influencers today. And his newest book, Enchantment, inspired many people to intentionally work on their relationships in the business world.
He was recently interviewed about what advice he would give to job seekers, and he gives some great tips to follow:
1. Avoid elimination at the cover email/letter stage. It must be customized for the particular company and job you are applying for. Anything else conveys laziness.
2. Make a good first impression at the interview. Have a strong handshake. Dress nice, but not too nice. Make sure it is tailored to the specific company. “It should communicate that you are solid, dependable, and friendly person.”
3. You have two jobs at the interview. The first is to convince them that you can do the job. The second is convince them that you are a good fit for the company. Both of these are musts for those who are doing the hiring.
4. Follow up. Send an email (or even a handwritten thank you note) to everybody you met within 24 hours after the interview. This also means you were smart enough to get business cards with their contact information.
Your hope is to “Enchant” your interviewers into hiring you — hence the name of the book! Go out and get your copy today, you won’t regret it!
What other entrepreneurs or business people do you glean advice from? Tell us on Facebook and Twitter!
Today would have been Dr. Suess’s 108th birthday. It is also the National Read Across America Day. In honor of that, we thought we’d share with you 30 of the the author’s best quotes regarding life. Even thought he technically wrote children’s books, there is much we can learn from his words and pictures.
What is your favorite Dr. Suess book? Let us know on Facebook and Twitter!
Most of us dread these questions. The behavior-based questions that start with “Tell me about a time when…”. We mentally scramble and try to come up with something off the top of our head because we’ve only prepared for more skills-based questions. Luckily, we have a few tips to share with you so you don’t have to dread these types of questions!
Do you have other interview related questions? Find us on Facebook and Twitter!
It’s fairly common now for companies to check up on job applicants by looking into their social media profiles. You now have recruiters, however, who are also using social media to find candidates. According to iCIMS, 89% of companies recruit using social media platforms, and 65% of companies have successfully hired with this method. These numbers will only continue to skyrocket.
What does that mean for you as an applicant?
First and foremost, you want to make sure that your profiles are clean. You don’t have to suppress your personality, but you should keep in mind that employers may be seeing the photos and status updates you post.
One of the best tools you have in a job search is networking, and LinkedIn is a great resource to build your web of connections. If you have a link to someone in a company you’re interested in, a LinkedIn message can go a long way. One of our part time employees got two leads on good jobs out of a couple of quick LinkedIn messages. If the people you know don’t know you’re looking for a job, you’re not giving them the opportunity to help you through their connections.
Be sure your LinkedIn profile has a clear, concise statement in the summary section: include what type of job you’re looking for and the experience you have that an employer would find valuable. Keeping your profile updated is just as important as keeping your resume current because if a recruiter is searching LinkedIn, you could get an interview that way.
You can be sure that the companies that are using social media for recruiting will be on Facebook as well, which provides you with a really easy way to connect with them. Head over to their page, become a fan, and keep an eye out on what they think is important enough to post—during an interview it shows you’ve done your research and are fully prepared.
Social media is an increasingly important part of the job search process. Don’t neglect it’s capabilities, and don’t neglect the power it has to keep you OUT of a job search if you aren’t careful.
