How Job Seekers Can Optimize on Facebook Graph Search

Jackalope Jobs — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:38:07 +0000

A few months ago, Facebook rolled out Graph Search, which is essentially a high powered search engine for your profile. Users can search for others not just by name, but by interests, photos, pages, groups, places they’ve been, etc.

While we can understand the power of Facebook Graph Search for employers — such as being able to find the perfect candidate through select criteria — it’s officially job search season, and that means it’s time for job seekers who haven’t yet check out the function to learn how to capitalize on it. Check out these tips for an easier job search.

Reverse searching

Just like Googling your name or researching your background through a search engine, job seekers can see how their profile looks to other people. While this is not an entirely new functionality, you are now able to understand how your profile looks through different categories. So if you’re aware an employer is seeking a worker who lives in a certain city, has interests in a particular industry, and has worked for a certain number of years, you can tailor your profile to display those traits.

Tip: When performing a reverse search, remember to think with your employer hat on. Would you hire you, knowing that you post four times a day, comment on certain articles, and use Instagram? Maybe or maybe not. It’s all about standing back and seeing yourself through the eyes of someone else. In addition, you’ll be be able to maintain your brand in your job search since you’re viewing it from a different perspective.

Hidden connections

Facebook Graph Search allows you to view connections you may have been unaware of before. If you’re looking for your ideal company in your job search, you can now view who works there, and in turn, check out their public information–for instance, their location, places they’ve been, interests, and groups they are associated with. This allows you to find a connection you may not have realized you had or open the door to a conversation.

Tip: Be bold and reach out! Although you shouldn’t be completely obvious about your job search, there’s nothing wrong with asking questions to a current or former team member. Just be sure to be as accommodating as possible, whether you suggest an in-person meeting, want to chat via Skype, or are simply asking for advice.

The perfect match

Do you dream about working for a company that loves travel? What about one that values volunteering or team building? Finding out this information is possible with Facebook Graph Search because you can actually search by certain criteria. So if you want to work for a company with employees who have certain interests, Graph Search can help you find it. This not only helps you to identify the perfect match, it can also save you from some unnecessary stress in the long-run. There’s nothing worse than getting started with a company only to discover compatibility issues.

Tip: Understand that while Graph Search can give us insight on people and companies, not everyone lists these things on Facebook. So, if employees at your dream organization aren’t so open about their company culture or travel destinations, don’t discount them completely! Use different search methods or simply ask around. You may find the information you’re looking for elsewhere.

Once Facebook Graph Search is available for all users, we’ll likely discover the huge benefits of the tool for job seekers who are looking for an easier way to conduct the job search. By doing some reverse searching, looking for those hidden connections, and finding the perfect match, Graph Search may be the best researching tool you use to eventually land a job.

What do you think? What are some other ways job seekers can optimize on Facebook Graph Search?

Sudy Bharadwaj is a co-founder and the CEO of Jackalope Jobs, a platform that helps job seekers find a job via their social networks. Learn how Sudy and Jackalope Jobs obsess over job seekers by connecting with them on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

The Top 5 Myths About Employee Referral Programs [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Tue, 18 Jun 2013 12:00:28 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Want to hire better workers who stick around longer? Look no further than your trusted external network! Employees who are hired from referrals are usually of higher quality. Plus, nabbing that endorsement from someone you trust is a sure-fire way to know what to expect. So, why are so many organizations skeptical about referral programs?

This infographic, compiled by social employee referral management platform Zao, counters this skepticism by debunking the five most common myths about referral programs. Some takeaways to note include:

75-100% of employees participate in the referral process if engagement methods like automation and gamification are used
Hires from referrals produce 25% more profit and are 20% less likely to quit their jobs
Engagement can increase from 10-50 times with referral rewards

Check out the full infographic below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

What do you think? What are some other common myths are employee referral programs?

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and human resources technologies. She is also the instructor of Find Me A Job: How To Score A Job Before Your Friends, author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships (2011) and #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets.

Burning Bridges? 5 Ways to Fix a Negative Work Relationship

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 13 Jun 2013 19:25:51 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

One of the most common pieces of career advice given is: “Don’t burn bridges.” You can never know when you’ll cross paths again with an old coworker or boss. But what happens if your relationship ends badly?

It’s essential to make a strong effort to fix the relationship. Not only is it the right thing to do, but if you fix the damage now, you might avoid a broken reputation in the future.

While you should avoid burning bridges at all costs, here are five steps to fixing a negative work relationship:

1. Admit you made a mistake.

Be the bigger person. Step up and apologize. No matter what you did, the other person will be appreciative when you make the effort to make amends. Apologizing can be difficult, especially if you believe the other person was wrong. Plus, it’s often embarrassing to admit your mistakes. However, you cannot fix a relationship and move on if you don’t take this first step. Say, “I’m sorry.”

2. Do it now, not later.

Never wait to fix things with your boss, even if it may feel difficult to approach them immediately after the issue. When you can confront the issue in a timely matter, it will help improve your relationship. If you wait several weeks or even months to offer an apology, the individual could have stewed about the problem and you will appear unprofessional or even lazy.

3. Pick your battles.

Ask yourself, is a little spelling error or missed voicemail going to cost you your job? It’s easy to allow the little mistakes to become a bigger problem than they really are. In reality, if you apologize to your boss continuously for your minor mistakes, they will begin to focus on your mistakes instead of your successes. Make sure, when you feel like you need to apologize to your boss, it is a real issue — not a tiny mishap.

4. Stop gossiping.

We all know it’s easy to talk behind a coworker’s back, especially once you’re not on good terms. If you’re trying to mend your relationship, you need to stop gossiping about them. When you continue to talk behind their back, you run the risk of the gossip getting back to them. If this happens, your apology will not appear sincere and the whole relationship will come crumbling down around you. Gossip is a sure-fire way to relapse into an even worse relationship. Just avoid it at all costs.

5. Listen.

Accept the other person’s apology (if they give you one). And hopefully they will apologize too, since you were the one who initiated the amends. Listen to everything they have to say and thank them. Once you both apologize, you’re both on an equal playing field for the future.

Think about a time where you could have prevented an issue at work. For example, you forgot to complete an assignment with a strict deadline. Could you have prevented the missed deadline by double-checking your calendar?

Burning bridges is something that can be prevented in the long-run if you just pay attention and learn from your mistakes. Your place at work and the relationships you have with your co-workers is invaluable. Make sure you are making the effort to maintain positive relationships at work so you can have those connections throughout your career.

Have you burned any bridges in professional relationships? How would you fix them?

Why Gamification is the Cure for Poor Employee Engagement

Ziv Eliraz — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 14:50:45 +0000

By Ziv Eliraz

According to a Gallup poll, more than two-thirds of employees are disengaged with their jobs. The research goes on to outline that engagement was stable over the past decade, but something happened recently to sideline this trend — the percentage of engaged employees went down from the usual 30 percent to only 10 percent.

So, what’s the issue?

While we can blame an employee’s workload, or their homelife, or even their professional backgrounds, the fact is, disengagement starts at an organizational level. We must do everything we can to keep our employees on track. The alternative is watching our operations falter and our businesses slip.

One way many organizations keep employees engaged is gamification. Let’s explore this strategy.

What is gamification?

Gamification is the use of game mechanics to encourage engagement and instantly recognize the efforts of employees. Gamification allows small rewards and recognition for good work, such as employee referrals that bring in qualified candidates and result in interviews.

Gamification is on the rise in many organizations. According to recent reports, 70 percent of large companies (Global 2000 organizations) will implement some sort of game mechanics into their workplaces by 2014. In addition, spending on gamification projects will grow to as much as $2.8 billion by 2016.

Why do we need it?

Essentially, gamification uses the thinking, learnings, and mechanics from games to increase engagement in non-game systems. So, your employees are essentially playing a “game” while also completing assigned tasks, making their work fun and entertaining.

Why do we need this though? Why can’t work just be entertaining in itself? It very well could be. However, outside factors, workloads, and the repetitiveness of some tasks can weigh on employees. In addition, 85 percent of employees will be left unrewarded or unacknowledged for their efforts. So, when there’s little input from management, some teams and employees may pull away from their roles. For instance, if a manager doesn’t give feedback or acknowledgement to their employees on an important project, workers may become disengaged since there’s a lack of direction.

What are some ways to boost engagement levels?

There are a few ways to boost engagement levels through gamification. If you have an employee referral program, a shared leaderboard showing the top referrers in order can help socialize and gamify the process. Employees and members of your network are able to see which of their friends and co-workers are active in the program, motivating them to do the same.

Another method is to create an atmosphere of collaboration, instead of competition, through gamification. Let’s go with the previous employee referral management program example. The challenge with typical programs is employees have very little insight into how other people are doing. So, make a competition between departments or office locations. Give a collective reward to the department or office that contributes the most qualified candidates. This gives people the feeling they are accomplishing something important and helping the company.

With both examples, we see a trend. Employees have a reason, other than their job titles, to actually do good work. Tasks are essentially turned into a game so they don’t “feel” like they have to do something just to do it. There is an incentive to do so.

Gamification is a great way to boost engagement levels with your employees. Once you understand the underlying concepts of the strategy, you’ll be able to apply them to your operations and reap the benefits.

What do you think? What are some other ways to use gamification to solve employee engagement?

Ziv Eliraz is the Founder and CEO of Zao, social employee referral management platform. Connect with Ziv and Zao on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

How To Manage Your Employees When You’re Ill

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 06 Jun 2013 22:16:56 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

It’s one thing to be a manager and having the pressure to lead your team. But when you are trying to balance your employees while coping with an illness, it can make your responsibilities much more difficult.

Having an illness or simply feeling under the weather can make managing your employees a stressful task. Not only do you have to cope with your symptoms, but also you have to continue to be a leader. While the only thing you may want to do is crawl back into bed and hide under the covers, the reality is, you have employees who need you and strict deadlines calling your name.

To help you continue to be an effective manager, even during poor health, there are several strategies you can utilize to make work a little easier. To be prepared for an illness, here are some ways you can manage projects and employees when you’re out of the office:

Create a plan. While no one can plan ahead for an illness, it’s important for you to have a plan in place in the event you have to be out of the office for an extended period of time. You can do this by keeping an organized to-do list, complete with deadlines, that can be easily accessed by your employees.

Build a cohesive team. When you have a team of employees who are on the same page and work well together, it can make your job much easier. By creating a cohesive team, you can be assured work will be accomplished and you will have peace of mind your employees will be working efficiently when you’re away.

Delegate tasks to employees. To ensure projects are being completed, don’t be afraid to delegate tasks to your employees. It’s important for them to take ownership of projects and hold themselves accountable for meeting deadlines. When you’re sick, you don’t have the energy to worry about your projects. When you have a reliable team of employees, they will be able to pick up the work you can’t do when you’re trying to rest.

Trust your employees to work efficiently. It’s easy for managers to want to hover over their employees to make sure work is being completed efficiently and correctly. However, when you’re feeling too sick to stay on top of your employees, you need to trust your team to get the work done. This will require you to allow your employees to work independently and trust them to accomplish tasks in a timely fashion.

Be available for communication. If you’re forced to be out of the office for an extended period of time, make sure you are still available to your employees in some fashion for questions and concerns (or appoint someone else). Tell your employees the best way they can contact you and the best time of day. Whether it’s through Skype chat or email, make yourself (or again, someone you’ve appointed) available during office hours so you can communicate with your employees.

By implementing these ideas, you will be able to worry less about your absence at work due to an illness. Although it can create obstacles having to manage your employees from home, you can make it work by having a team of dedicated employees and providing a plan for them to follow. While no one can predict when they’ll be struck by an illness, you will be able to continue to manage your employees when you have efficient management strategies in place.

How do you manage your employees when you’re away from work because of an illness?

15 Types Of Bosses And How To Work For Them

Heather R. Huhman — Mon, 03 Jun 2013 13:03:46 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Every workplace is different. For some their office might be an exciting place to go; others it may be downright awkward to ask a question; while a few never know what to expect. Often the difference is actually a result of the manager. It’s important for you to recognize if this is the case, as a boss can shape and help make — or break — your career! Identify early on what kind of boss you have and decide how to form the most beneficial relationship possible with them.

Here are 15 types of bosses and how to work for them:

1. The Workaholic

Balancing work with life is not a familiar concept to the workaholic boss. This boss always puts the job first. You will find this boss working on holidays, snow days, and after hours. Plus, there will never be a day when this boss calls off sick. But, just because your boss never leaves the office, doesn’t mean you can’t either. Do all of your work efficiently and the workaholic shouldn’t be a problem.

2. The Traditionalist

This boss has been with the company for years and years. Traditionalists are very set in their ways and don’t take kindly to change. They like to do things the way they’ve always done them. If you work for a traditionalist, be receptive to the old methods. You never know, their methods might actually work pretty well. Occasionally you may be able to introduce them to some new methods. If they never accept change, your boss’s boss will eventually realize something isn’t working.

3. The Power Hungry

Power is everything for this boss. They appreciate the management position more than the job itself. They believe they have supreme authority because of their title. Essentially, this boss has the “because I said so” mentality. If this is your boss, do what is asked of you, but also, do what you think is right. Don’t comply with outrageous requests just because the boss said so.

4. The Yeller

“You will do what I say because I am yelling at you!” This boss thinks shouting loudly is necessary for you to obey. If your boss is a yeller, just make sure you are following directions. A yeller just wants people to do what they say. Don’t take the yelling personally. Just do your job and do it well.

5. The Scary

Worse than a yeller is a scary boss. This boss thinks it is essential to be intimidating, and it’s working. The scary boss might yell or threaten employees in order to accomplish goals. A manager who scares employees will not last in the role. Eventually, complaints and quitting among your co-workers might become a red flag to the person in charge, but it’s no guarantee things will change. If you’re brave enough, you can confront your boss yourself (but do it constructively). If you’re truly intimidated, it might be a good idea to start searching for a new job.

6. The Nitpicker

According to the nitpicker, everything you do has something wrong with it. It can be the smallest detail, but this boss will make changes to your work, simply because they can. If your manager in a nitpicker, you need to choose your battles. Many times you probably won’t win. Develop ways to argue your case, while making sure your boss still feels in control. Compromise is key.

7. The Micromanager

A micromanager is a perfectionist. This boss is involved in everything you do. This is even worse than the nitpicker because they will try to control all of your work, rather than pieces of it. If your boss is a micromanager, it is important not to take their over-involvement personally. Don’t let a micromanager take your motivation away. Instead, recognize that it’s going to happen and do the best you can.

8. The Buddy

This boss wants to be friends with all of his or her employees. The buddy wants to be seen as an equal and be well-liked for it. If you have a buddy boss, it’s on you to balance your work time with play time. It’s OK to be friendly with your manager, but don’t let your work slack off as a result. Make sure to treat your boss friendly, but professionally.

9. The Pushover

If you have a pushover for a boss, you can pretty much get away with anything. Leaving early, showing up late, whatever it may be. The pushover doesn’t want to cause problems, so employees have free reign. If this is your boss, don’t take advantage. Instead, motivate yourself to work hard so you can move up because your boss isn’t going to help you.

10. The Idiot

Every once in a while, an idiot will make his or her way into a management position. It can be really challenging to work under someone like this. If your boss is an idiot, it is important to maintain a strong work ethic. Like the scary boss, eventually the idiot’s superiors will notice something is wrong. If you’ve been working hard despite the management, you may even get to replace your boss one day.

11. The Underqualified

This boss might be less educated, less familiar with the company, or less familiar with the industry than you. Just because your boss seems underqualified, doesn’t mean they aren’t going to be a great boss. If they’re new to something you know really well, help bring them up to speed. They’ll remember you for it and will trust you in the future.

12. The Eccentric

Eccentric bosses are over the top. They have very unique ideas about the workplace and very unique ways of accomplishing goals. This may result in confusion or frustration among employees. On the flip side, eccentric bosses can be the most open to suggestions and innovative ideas. It’s difficult to pinpoint how to succeed under an eccentric boss. Study their habits and determine a strategy specific to your boss. Above all, if you can focus on your work, this boss should be no problem.

13. The MIA

Your boss is constantly missing in action. The MIA boss often works from home, or goes out for meetings, or stays locked in an office. It’s important to be self-sufficient if your manager is MIA. This is great for independent workers. Stay motivated and be proactive by asking for feedback. Take advantage of when your boss is available to check in.

14. The Introvert

Introverts prefer to work alone. They became managers because of their hard skills, rather than their people skills. They work best when they’re working alone, so they’re not always the best at managing others. Again, it’s important to be self-sufficient with an introvert boss. Establish your own goals and go out of your way to learn things from them. Having a clear question on a process will allow them to provide you a detailed answer and discuss something they’re comfortable discussing. Avoid small talk, they don’t need it.

15. The Great Boss

Finally, the ideal boss. The great boss is someone who is fair, someone who listens, and someone who motivates. The great boss asks for feedback and input from all employees. The great boss leads a positive work environment and wants you and your co-workers to succeed. It’s not hard to work for a great boss and you’re lucky if you have one.

No matter what types of bosses you have, there is always a way to succeed under their management. You can learn from anyone. Take note of the habits of managers you’ve liked and not liked. Hopefully you’ll find yourself in their position someday and you will be the great boss!

How do you deal with different types of bosses?

7 Reasons to Consider Temp Work

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 22 May 2013 18:50:16 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Temp jobs are on the rise. Demand for temp workers will grow at a rate 5.9 percent faster this quarter than in the same period last year.

Temp work is often the perfect solution for job seekers who need to fill the gap in their resume. Here are seven reasons to consider it:

Get paid.

The most obvious reason to look into temp work is to make some money. If you can’t find the job you want, temp work will fill in the gap and give you the opportunity for some income. It may not be your ideal salary, but it’s a start.

New experiences.

As a temp, you get assigned to different companies through an agency. Through the different assignments, you can learn about different career fields and company cultures. Temp work can give you a taste of different atmospheres you might pursue in the future.

Less stress.

Companies hire temps when they have too much work for their current employees and need someone to take on the less important tasks. You will have less demanding responsibilities as a temp — and therefore, less stress at work.

Flexibility.

When you enter into a temp agency, you can decide what days or times of day work best in your schedule. Assignments can last from a few days to more than a year. They will try to find a position to accommodate you. When your temporary assignment ends, you get to decide what to do next.

New skills.

In temp work, you’ll get to work on the skills you already have in addition to learning new ones. Sharpen soft skills like time management and attention to detail, as well as hard skills related to new technology and software. Boost your resume along the way.

Meet new people.

Being assigned to various companies means meeting lots of new people. Temp work is an ideal networking opportunity. You might meet people you can connect with later on in your career. Maybe someone will offer you a full-time job.

Lead to full-time.

Going along with networking, working as a temp might lead you to a full-time job within the company. Companies hiring from within will likely consider temps for open positions because they are already familiar with things. It’s not a guarantee, but about 70 percent of temporary workers are offered permanent positions.

What are some other benefits of temp work?

6 Tips for Avoiding Burnout in Your Job Search

Heather R. Huhman — Tue, 21 May 2013 15:50:05 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Searching for a new job — even with the multitude of tools and resources available — can be almost immediately overwhelming. So it’s no surprise a large amount of job seekers experience job search burnout at one point or another.

Want to get back on track to new employment? Here are some ways to avoid burnout in your job search:

Replace Applying to Jobs With Networking

It’s easy to get burned out in the job search process and just give up. When you’re feeling like you can’t look at one more applicant tracking system, it’s time to switch gears. Instead of giving up entirely, work at networking instead. It can be way more fun to meet new people and build new relationships than to fill out another form. Plus, these new contacts can turn into hot job leads, and help your video resume or cover letter get in front of the right set of eyes.

– Josh Tolan, Spark Hire

Mix It Up

Today there are about a dozen different ways to find a job. By playing in all the buckets (job boards, social media, networking, temping/contract work, volunteering, etc.), candidates have a varied day and maximize their chances of success as no one can predict which bucket will lead to the job.

– AnnMarie McIlwain, Founder and CEO, CareerFuel.net

Find Job Search-Life Balance By Staying Active

Burnout often accompanies a long, strenuous job search. Job seekers can avoid burning out by keeping themselves busy outside of their search for employment. This means staying active, spending time outdoors, enjoying hobbies, and making time for friends and family. Similar to the work-life balance you try to maintain while employed, it’s important not to let your job search consume you.

– Nathan Parcells, InternMatch

Focus On No More Than Four or Five Jobs Or Companies At The Same Time

Don’t stray from your original search criteria. Know and learn about the three or four companies that best support your search and focus on the specific roles that align with your interests, strengths and goals. Do not look at too many (more than four or five) jobs or companies at the same time.

– Emily Krull, PNC Financial Services Group

Force Yourself To Do Something Physical

Walk, run, lift weights, etc. Do this away from home. It’s so hard if you have been out for a while, and you get more and more desperate, but job search burnout will hurt you the long-term. You could also volunteer for something — whether in your church, your community, or even for a friend who is working. Doing something that gets you partially in the workforce will keep you engaged.

– Sudy Bharadwaj, Jackalope Jobs

Focus Your Search With Alerts

If you must look at job postings, don’t spend hours surfing the web. Set up email alerts with a job aggregator like Indeed.com. Commit to looking at the results over coffee for 10 minutes each morning. That really should be all you need. Set up alerts using Google news alerts to alert you of companies in your industry of choice that have activity. An example is: Medical Device Companies+Growth+Texas. You can also track individual companies this way.

– Mary Elizabeth Bradford, Resume Writer and Job Search Coach

What do you think? What other ways can job seekers avoid burnout?

5 Tricks to Success When Working on Your Own

Lynn Dixon — Fri, 17 May 2013 12:00:57 +0000

By Lynn Dixon

We’ve heard the story a million times: A professional has worked in their field for years, but feels like something is missing. After a while, ideas start to churn and they come up with a brilliant plan to start their own company. However, although they have the right expertise and knowledge in the field, getting started and creating that success is the one big hang-up.

Working on your own is scary. It’s intimidating. It puts all the pressure on you. But if you have a great idea, striking out on your own can be a great way to accomplish your goals. It just takes a different approach.

Check out these five tricks to success when working on your own.

Plan your operations to the T

When getting your business started, you need to plan everything: What’s your budget? How many employees can you hire? Where will you be working? Do you need investors? What about an online presence? Answering these questions will allow you to navigate your initial operations more smoothly, as well as help you to avoid any loose ends.

Create an efficient workspace

Perhaps you decide to work from a cafe. Or maybe you want to work in an office. Whatever the situation, make sure you create an efficient workspace that will help your business to grow. For instance, working in a coffee shop doesn’t make much sense if you have 10 employees. On the other hand, if you have a remote team, an office isn’t necessary. Find out what’s going to make the most sense for your business, as well as for your team, and work out a good system.

Cultivate a great team dynamic

Your team can make or break your business. So, it’s important to cultivate a great team dynamic that will enable your business to reach its goals. For example, you may want a team who can brainstorm ideas together. Other business owners prefer working with their best friends. Some professionals are into the idea of working on their own. In the end, whichever dynamic will steer you in the right direction and create the most results should be the one you move towards.

Understand when something isn’t working

It’s OK if something goes haywire or you veer down the wrong path. After all, that’s what running a business is all about. However, you need to understand when there’s a problem so you don’t run into the same one twice. For instance, if one member of your team fails to do their job correctly, you need to solve the issue before it harms your business. Or, if some tactics aren’t bringing in the right results, you may need to pivot your business in order to create better ones. Either way, getting a real gauge on what’s working and what isn’t can help you to run the show a little better.

Be humble

If you work hard and provide a quality product or service, chances are you’ll be successful. Remember to be humble with this success, both with your team and with your customers. Don’t forget about where you came from and what it took to get to where you are today. You’ll be a better ringleader and professional because of it.

Working on your own or starting your own business can be a challenge. However, when you take these steps into account, the process will likely be easier and much more rewarding.

What do you think? What are some other tricks to success when working on your own?

Lynn Dixon is the co-founder and COO of Hourly.com, an employment network that quickly matches people who are interested in flexible positions with the right opportunities. Connect with Lynn and Hourly on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

7 Questions To Ask In Your Job Interview

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 16 May 2013 17:00:01 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

If you plan on showing up to a job interview and robotically answering each question, you’re not doing enough. A job interview is also a critical time for you to assess your fit at the company–and you should do this by coming prepared with questions for your interviewer.

Does your mind go blank when an employer asks, “What questions do you have for me?” Here are some great things to ask during your job interview:

Questions To Determine Company Culture Fit

When it comes to the interview, the question segment can really be a job seeker’s time to shine. This is the moment to show how much you truly know about the company. Whether the interview is in-person or through online video, job seekers should seek to determine if the company culture will be a good fit for their work style and personality. Remember, you should enjoy your job, which means fitting into the company culture as well as being able to perform job functions.

– Josh Tolan, Spark Hire

Use Interview Questions To Showcase Interest

Job seekers should ask the interviewer questions that showcase their interest in the position and company as a whole. In an interview, consider asking your interviewer to describe the company culture, inquire about their personal experiences at the company, ask about your direct supervision, and if possible, try to get your eyes on a few work examples from someone in the position you’re applying for.

– Nathan Parcells, InternMatch

Where Are They Now?

My favorite question to ask any employer has always been to ask where the person was who had this job prior. Very quickly this answer will tell you if this is a company that advances its people (person was promoted) or if there is an issue with expectations or internal differences. Either way it opens the door for further discussion.

– Lynn Dixon, Hourly.com

Ask About Strengths In The Current Team

What are the strengths/personality types of the current team members? This rarely asked question will allow you to better understand the current team dynamics of your potential colleagues, as well as give you the opportunity to elaborate on how you can complement these strengths. For example, if one of the team members is known for seeing the big-picture, you can complement this with your attention to detail.

– Melanie Harris, OneWire

Inquire About The History Of The Position

Job seekers should always ask the employer questions in a job interview. First, it’s important to understand the history of the position. Asking about the accomplishments of the previous employee can also provide you with some insight. Inquiring about growth can help you to see your future in the company. Lastly, ask the interviewer about their professional background. These questions show you’re interested in the role, as well as the company.

– Alan Carniol, Interview Success Formula

Determine What The Hiring Manager Wants You To Accomplish

If you are really interested in the position, and you want the job, then be sure and ask, “What is it you want me to get accomplished in the first six months — first year — in the position?” That will get their attention very quickly.

– Richard S. Deems, co-author of Make Job Loss Work For You

What Did You Do Yesterday?

Before any interview, research the company well. This will help you develop well-crafted, probing questions. If you have an opportunity to interview with a peer or the hiring manager, asking “What did you do yesterday?” will tell you more about that person, the job and the company culture than you will get from that person describing the job to you.

– Kristine Faxon, executive director for career and alumni success, Savannah College of Art and Design

What do you think? What other questions should job seekers ask in an interview?

Heather R. Huhman is the founder and president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and human resources technologies. You can connect with Heather and Come Recommended on Twitter and Facebook.

8 Things to ALWAYS Say in an Interview

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 15 May 2013 19:55:16 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

In your lifetime, you will probably have to prepare for lots and lots of job interviews. Every interview is different because every job and every interviewer is different. That being said, there are a few things that rarely change when it comes to job interviews.

Here are eight things you should always say (and mean) in an interview:

1. You know the company really well.

Show the interviewer you’ve done your research by talking about your knowledge of the company. Before the interview, view their website, social media, recent articles, and whatever else you can find. Know the scope of the company and current events related to it. Weave this knowledge throughout your responses, and the interviewer will see your true interest company.

2. You have the experience to do the job.

Every interviewer is going to ask about your experience. Use this question as your opportunity to prove you have the ability to do the job. Talk about relevant things you’ve done and the results of your work. Explain that your success with a previous project will allow you to successfully do something else for this company. Prove your worth.

3. You work well with others.

The ability to work in a team is one of the qualities employers want most. An interviewer wants to hear how you have worked in a team in the past and how your team succeeded. Explain what your role on the team was and how you contributed to the team’s success. Companies want to create teams that can manage themselves and produce strong results.

4. You are constantly seeking to learn.

Employers want to know you’re open to adapting and learning new methods. Talk about your willingness to continue learning more about your industry. Tell them you are constantly reading articles about industry trends and speaking to mentors for advice (and actually do these things, don’t just say so). Be specific when referencing publications you read or blogs you follow.

5. You are motivated.

When you use the word “motivated” to describe yourself, you are expressing a few things to your interviewer. First, you have a desire to help the company do well. Second, you are a productive worker. Both of these things show employers they can count on you to do your job. Explain how your motivation has helped you in the past and how it will help you with specific things related to this new role.

6. You are excited about this job.

An excited candidate is one who won’t take the job for granted. “Excited” says, “I really want the job and will do my best when I get it.” The interviewer will hear your excitement for the role and translate that into a very positive view of you. Employers want optimistic workers. Excitement demonstrates your optimism.

7. You have a plan.

The most important objective in your interview is to demonstrate how you will benefit the company (not how they will benefit you). Don’t forget this important distinction in your interview. Explain to employers how you would do the roles required for the job and why you’d be best at implementing your ideas. You obviously won’t have all of the details worked out, but have some general ideas you think would work well and know why they would work.

8. You want to build a career in the company.

This is sort of a bonus because it may not always be true going into an interview. But, if you know you want to build a career in the company, say so in your interview. Your interviewer wants to know you’re invested in the company and you don’t have plans to move on quickly. If you think you’d like to work for the company for a long time, mention it in your interview.

Whether you are applying for a job as an engineer or an office clerk, these things hardly change. If you remember to touch on these points, you’ll be better off in all of your job interviews.

What are some other things you should always say in job interviews?

The Internship: Apprenticeships to Virtual Work [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Mon, 13 May 2013 12:00:57 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Internships have become an essential ingredient for students looking to land a job after graduation. Birthed in the 11th century as apprenticeships for those looking to practice a trade, internships have come a long way. While they no longer involve years of back-breaking labor, they’re still a great way for students to develop skills in a real-world setting. In fact, 66 percent of employers expect relevant work experience from their entry-level hires.

The arduous transformation of the internship can be viewed in this infographic compiled by InternMatch, an online platform connecting the best intern candidates and employers. Here are some key points to note:

47% of employers have a structured internship program
63% of paid interns got a job offer
Interns are 70% more likely to be hired as full-time employees with a company
The average wage rate for interns at bachelor’s level is $16.21

Check out the full infographic below:

What do you think? Do you think internships are vital to getting experience within your industry?

10 Signs Your Internship Program Sucks

Ashley Mosley — Thu, 09 May 2013 16:00:27 +0000

By Nathan Parcells

Not all internship programs are created equal. And I’m not just talking about the vast differences between the intern perks at big-name companies in comparison to startups. Are your interns really receiving a stellar experience by taking part in your internship program?

With more companies taking on interns every year, the rise of the less-than-positive internship experiences is seemingly inevitable. Many students take on internships to immerse themselves in their future career field and gain hands-on experience outside of their college curriculum, only to find they’re undervalued, mismanaged, and uncompensated. The long-term effects of poor internship programs don’t bode well for employers or students.

With social media and review websites like InternshipRatings.com, it’s become easier than ever for interns to share their poor internship experiences with the world. Before you post your next internship opportunity, take a deeper look at what you’re really offering students.

Here are 10 warning signs your internship program needs to head back to the drawing board:

1. You lack a fun intern culture. When was the last time your interns did something outside of regularly scheduled work? Stop scratching your head — it’s time to incorporate some fun into your internship program. There are a number of creative activities, events, and outings you can provide your interns.

Rather than loading up your intern class for a trip to a baseball game, take a look at your company culture and see what kind of activities and events fit into your organization’s values and vision. Does your company culture encompass a love for the outdoors? Consider a relatively inexpensive team-building trip to the woods. Or you could take a lesson from The Weather Channel, which let their interns challenge Twitter users to blow them away with a tweet-powered fan during the TV channel’s famed Tornado Week.

2. You forget your interns have personal lives. Yes, your interns have a life outside of your office. Recently, InternMatch was on Berkeley’s campus for a career fair and interviewed every student who visited our booth about their top considerations when accepting an internship. Over 50 percent said that timing with their class schedule and extracurriculars was at the top of their list.

One of the simplest ways for you to show respect for your interns is to allow them to achieve work-life balance. Your interns likely have school and another job aside from your internship. Make sure your assigned tasks and events don’t take up too much time outside of the office.

3. You don’t provide meaningful projects. Internships shouldn’t be synonymous with busy work. Put an end to coffee runs and administrative duties. If you aren’t providing your interns with meaningful, challenging assignments, you’re not only wasting their time, but also setting your company up as undervaluing its interns.

Looking for meaningful project ideas? At Salesforce, interns complete a semester-long project and pitch it to senior executives. Other companies allow their interns to build content distribution platforms, write SEO landing pages, and even monitor social media channels. Another way to create a culture of meaningful work for your interns is to inform them of how their role within the company and their projects directly impact the bottom line.

4. Your intern perks are sub par. You may not be Google, but this doesn’t mean you can’t provide your interns with some fantastic perks. Depending on your budget and company culture, these perks can range from a free meal once a week to an all-expenses paid trip to an industry conference. Providing your interns with unique perks isn’t just a great way to show how much you value them, it’s also crucial to attracting the best talent within your industry.

5. You don’t provide training opportunities. Training isn’t just for full-time employees. Your interns are with you to learn; therefore, it’s your duty to provide them with beneficial training opportunities. Allow your interns to gain training relevant to their internship position, your company, and the overall industry. If specific software training will help them during their future career, pencil this in as a mandatory portion of your internship program. Believe me, they will thank you.

6. Your interns lack supervision. Are your interns receiving an exceptional amount of guidance? Don’t push your interns down a creek without a paddle. Assign each intern a single manager who thoroughly enjoys mentoring and sharing his or her expertise with students. Feedback also goes hand-in-hand with good supervision. Your intern supervisor should be meeting with interns individually once a week to go over objectives, answer questions, and provide the necessary guidance.

7. There’s no game plan. Simply hiring an intern shouldn’t be the extent of your internship program. Do you have quantifiable weekly goals for this student? What about an intern handbook? Successful and valuable internship programs require planning, structure, and consistency. Establish a game plan for your internship program by creating a handbook including all of the need-to-know information and guidelines for your interns to succeed in their position.

8. Your interns go nameless. Do your interns have the chance to mingle with other employees and even executives? Don’t relegate your interns to the back corner of your office. Networking opportunities should be one of the most important aspects of your internship program. Make your interns part of the team by inviting them to company lunches, networking meetings, and outings, as well as introducing them to clients, coworkers, and the CEO.

9. You don’t conduct exit interviews. It’s unlikely for your internship program to grow and improve without the feedback of the people who matter most: your interns. Conduct individual exit interviews with your intern class to gain a 360-degree view of their experiences with you. If you don’t feel like your interns will divulge the negatives, provide them with a chance to take anonymous online surveys.

10. You don’t compensate your interns. Not paying your interns isn’t cool. Aside from the legal repercussions of unpaid internships, letting your interns go without pay can damage your reputation. Consider providing your interns at least minimum wage for the hours they spend with you.

Does your internship program still seem stellar? If not, utilize these tips to make the necessary improvements to provide your interns with an unmatched experience.

How does your internship program stand out from the rest?

Nathan Parcells is co-founder and CMO of InternMatch, an online platform connecting the best intern candidates and employers. Connect with Nathan and InternMatch on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

6 Old-Fashioned Ways to Be Productive at Work

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 09 May 2013 13:30:45 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

With all of the productivity applications and online calendars, old-fashioned planners and notebooks are going out of style. Technology has allowed workers to store all of their documents, to-do lists, calendars, and deadlines within their computers and smartphones.

Although today’s technology provides excellent applications to increase productivity, sometimes your brain can go into information overload when staring at a screen all day. If you are looking to create some productive work habits, maybe it’s time to power down the electronics and dust off some old-fashioned tools.

From using notepads to whiteboards, here are some ways to help you ditch technology and increase your productivity:

Grab some post-it notes. These little guys are very trusty when it comes to creating mental notes. Each day when you create your to-do list, use a post-it note to remind you of important deadlines and tasks, and attach it to your computer screen or stick it in your planner. You can also use post-its to break larger tasks into smaller ones. The best part is, as soon as you complete a task, you can throw away the post-it note and feel accomplished!

Use a whiteboard. Although they aren’t as “old school” as the chalk board, whiteboards are a great tool for brainstorming ideas. With a whiteboard, you can write down ideas for projects, to-do lists, give presentations, and easily color code everything you write. This will help you visualize your ideas.

Use a notebook. Notebooks are a great way to keep track of your notes, deadlines, and dates. You can also write down ongoing to-do lists and make yourself reminders. What’s great about using a notebook is its size. Not only can you carry it wherever you go, but also you won’t be able to ignore your notebook if it sits on your desk.

Get some fresh air. Are you feeling lethargic from sitting at your desk all day? Take 10 minutes to step outside for some fresh air. On your lunch break, go for a walk around the block or sit outside to eat your lunch. Fresh air is a great way to give your body the extra boost it needs to get through the rest of the afternoon and back to productivity.

Hide your smartphone. Ten years ago, smartphones weren’t a hindrance because they were a luxury many people didn’t have. When you keep your phone on at your desk during the day, it can become one of your biggest distractions. Your phone will stare at you, waiting for you to check notifications and text messages every 10 minutes, but it’s important to resist the urge to open them. When you have a project to complete, put your phone away to remove this distraction. You’ll be surprised at the difference it makes when you don’t check your phone while you’re working.

Clear the clutter. A messy desk can be one of the biggest distractions when trying to be productive. If your work space isn’t conducive to productivity, how is it possible to be focused at work? By creating a productive workspace, your mind will be able to think clearly and you will accomplish more.

The next time you feel like you’ve hit a wall with your work, think about incorporating some of these ideas. By taking a moment to step away from technology, you will be surprised at the many different ways you can increase productivity in your workspace. Sometimes, all you need is your favorite pen and notepad to help you focus more at work!

Do you incorporate any of these habits into your work to increase productivity?

6 Ways to Transition into a New Career

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 01 May 2013 15:50:35 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Does it seem like your current career has come to a halt? If it feels like you haven’t gained anything from your career (even if just recently), you could be in the wrong profession. While this can be a scary thought for job seekers, sometimes it’s necessary to find a new career better suited to your career goals.

Do you think it’s time to change career paths? If so, here are six ways to help you transition into a new career:

1. Be prepared for change. It’s not going to be easy switching into a new career. For example, if you are transitioning into career where none of your skills overlap, you will have to invest a lot of time preparing for your new career. Job seekers must be willing to dedicate the time, effort, and even money into switching careers.

2. Learn new skills. If you’re ready to move into a new career, it’s a good idea to think about pursuing additional education. Job seekers who want to switch careers need to have the skills required to make the move. You can do this by going back to school to learn new skills, doing internships, and gaining certifications in your new profession.

3. Gain volunteer experience. Volunteering is a great way to gain experience if you are looking to switch careers. This is also a wonderful way for job seekers to demonstrate their desire to work in a different field and learn new job-related skills.

4. Rebrand yourself. Are you ready to make the career switch? You can inform the job market you are establishing your new profession through your personal brand. You can start the rebranding process by marketing your job-related skills and interests, updating your LinkedIn profile, and tweaking your resume and cover letter. If you have an online portfolio or a social media presence, you can also rebrand those platforms.

5. Reach out to your networks. Do you have friends or family members currently in the career you want to break into? Ask them if they know professionals in your desired field who would set up an informational interview with you. This is a great way to find a mentor in your field and make connections with professionals who can help you find employment opportunities.

6. Keep a journal. When you begin your transition into a new career, it can be helpful to document your thoughts, notes, and accomplishments to keep yourself on track. Switching careers can be draining, so if you have a journal where you can focus your energy, you will feel more positive about the transition. A career journal is a great way to document your journey and learn from your experiences.

If you are considering moving into a new career, it’s important for you to be confident in your decision. Remember, this is a process that requires a great amount of dedication and motivation to find success in a new profession. By staying focused on your goals and taking time to learn new skills, you will be ready to transition into a new career.

What advice do you have for people thinking about transitioning into a new career?

6 Employer Branding Tips for Great Intern Hires

Ashley Mosley — Wed, 01 May 2013 12:00:40 +0000

By Ashley Mosley

Spring is in the air, which can only mean one thing: summer internship season is nearly upon us.

With summer break and college graduation right around the corner, students and recent college graduates are looking for a chance to gain valuable experiences in their chosen career field. But have you taken the necessary steps to ensure talented potential interns have your employer brand and internship program on the top of their internship-search list?

Since interns are 70 percent more likely to be hired as full-time employees, the goal of your internship program should be to hire high-caliber interns who will push your company forward. Reaching these above-and-beyond students or recent grads is nearly impossible without laying the groundwork for employer branding. Rather than simply posting your internship listing to your company website, you should be looking for ways to communicate with and engage intern candidates with your company culture, while also building trust, and leaving your mark.

The proper showcasing of your employer brand will help you land an impressive addition to your team, rather than someone who simply completes their daily tasks.

1. Focus on facetime with candidates. Driving beneficial connections with talent potential interns isn’t possible through run-of-the-mill job postings and social media shares. Intern candidates are more likely to gain interest in your internship program if they actually know who’s behind it — and wouldn’t you prefer to put a name to a face when it comes to knowing who’s potentially applying for your positions?

Nabbing the best intern candidates means stepping out from behind the computer. Make sure you’re attending career fairs and networking events. If you’re looking for a more personal approach to connecting with students gaining degrees within your field, get in contact with specific professors and offer to speak to their students on a variety of relevant topics. Through this you will be able to engage with talented students, provide them with valuable information, and familiarize them with your company culture.

If you’re looking to engage students at a greater distance, consider engaging in virtual face-to-face interactions using video chat programs. Google Hangout is a great feature for getting in contact with potential intern candidates and engaging them in informative and beneficial conversations regarding your company, internship program, and your industry.

2. Build the right connections. Connections get people hired, so who do you know? Touting your employer brand to intern candidates often means enlisting an army to help you share all the great things you have to offer in terms of opportunities and experiences. Make a point to establish strong relationships with the homebases of your intern talent: university and college career centers. Whether they’re in your area or those of the colleges who boast the top programs for the kind of interns you want to hire.

Professional student organizations within your industry are also another great way to share your employer brand with potential intern candidates. These organizations are your gateway to experienced students who are looking to get more than just a classroom-based education. The more involved a student is during their college career, the more experience and skills they will be able to bring to your company.

3. Don’t be afraid to get social. Your goal is to increase brand awareness, so why not go where everyone is? Social media is the perfect way to give your brand a signal boost. Aim for quality over quantity. There’s certainly not a shortage on social media platforms, therefore it’s best to choose wisely when building your social presence.

Maybe LinkedIn, Facebook, Pinterest, and YouTube work best for your company. It’s important to choose the channels that are the most relevant to your industry and showcase your company culture, while also promoting hiring and internship opportunities. Use this hub to post updates, answer questions, and generate buzz. The more time you spend engaging potential candidates, the better intern applicants you will acquire.

4. Stop marketing and start helping. Be an expert in your industry. Talented students are more likely to be drawn to employers who not only excel within their industry, but also enjoy fueling the experiences of the young professional in their space.

Students crave learning experiences, that’s why they seek internships. Play off this vital tidbit of truth by positioning our company as a the premier place to gain information about your specific industry, as well as career advancement. Use networking events, speaking engagements, and social media platforms to allow potential intern candidates, and anyone else within your industry, to gain access to guidance on how to thrive. For example, consider holding a Twitter chat where you allow internship seekers to ask questions regarding resumes, interviews, and landing their dream internship. This will allow you to build awareness, gain trust, and keep you top-of-mind.

5. Showcase why you’re different. Gaining interest from great potential interns means standing out from the competition. What can you provide these interns with that you’re certain they won’t receive while interning at other companies? Do you offer great compensation? What about amazing projects? Opportunities for virtual internships? Maybe you provide outstanding perks for your interns like paid meals and a gym membership.

Whatever you decide, make sure that your internship program provides students within something they won’t get anywhere else. Be sure to highlight the knockout aspects of your company culture every chance you get.

6. Let your previous interns talk for you. Word of mouth matters when it comes to winning over talent potential interns. Provide your previous or current interns with a chance to spread the word about their awesome experience at your company. Use some creativity when it comes to how you create and spread the experiences of your interns. Consider creating video testimonials to house on YouTube or Vimeo. You might even consider making a “Day In The Life” style photo story on Vine and Instagram depicting the elements of a typical intern day. What do you think will spark the most attention from great potential candidates?

Finding exceptional students and recent college graduates for your internship program depends on a variety of effective employer brand elements. Get the word out there to ensure you’re getting the best applicants in your industry.

What are you doing to showcase your company to potential interns?

Ashley Mosley is Community Engagement Manager of InternMatch, an online platform connecting the best intern candidates and employers. Connect with Ashley and InternMatch on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

Top 5 Words Recruiters Look for in Resumes

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 24 Apr 2013 14:47:23 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

As job seekers work to perfect their resume, it’s important for them to know what recruiters are looking for. According to CareerBuilder, there are five keywords most HR managers look for on resumes. If job seekers are able to match their experience with these types of skills and experience, recruiters will be more likely to spend time reading their resumes.

Let’s dive deeper into what these keywords mean and how they will set a job seeker’s resume apart from the rest.

1. Problem solving. Job seekers need to display this strength in their resume because it illustrates their ability to approach challenges and solve them. Whether the job seeker is applying for an entry-level position or the C-suite, problem solving is a skill used by every employee. In order to meet goals and fix problems in the workplace, employees need the ability to solve problems effectively.

2. Leadership. HR managers look for leadership experience on resumes because they want employees who possess skills associated with good leaders. Employees need to be able to demonstrate confidence in decision making, good listening skills, and the ability to be a team leader. Employers expect their employees to take initiative and communicate new ideas to management.

3. Written communication. While this skill is underestimated by many job seekers, this is one of the strongest skills HR managers look for. If an employee can demonstrate strong writing abilities, this will give them a better chance of finding a job. The majority of communication between the employees and management is through writing; therefore, employees must show in their resume they are prepared to communicate with top management.

4. Team building. Team building is what helps a company achieve their goals. When a job seeker displays the ability to work in a team, HR managers will see they are able to collaborate with their co-workers to meet company objectives.

5. Performance and productivity improvement. Job seekers should be able to illustrate throughout their resume how they have contributed to the success of their previous companies. Employers want to know how you can improve upon the success of their company and your ability to increase a company’s performance.

If job seekers can demonstrate these keywords and provide concrete examples with experience, their resumes will stand out among other candidates. Recruiters expect to see these types of skills on resumes, so job seekers must be prepared to share their experiences.

Have you used any of these keywords to describe your skills and experience on your resume?

4 Jobs Everyone Should Work At Least Once

Lynn Dixon — Tue, 23 Apr 2013 13:00:44 +0000

By Lynn Dixon

I came across an interesting article recently titled, “Gratitude Included: Why I Loved Being a Waitress.” As someone who worked as a waitress in their teens, this piece illustrated the pros of the job, despite some pretty rough work conditions. Among those benefits included thriving under pressure and the importance of teamwork.

This got me thinking: If the food service industry could teach someone important life skills, what other professions could the the same?

Freelance gigs

The world of freelancing is a very complex one. Typically, a professional contracts their skills to an organization or an individual on a project-by-project basis. Web developers, copywriters, and designers are all popular freelance professions. Plus, the field is growing. According to recent studies, freelancing could rise to as much as 30 to 50 percent of the entire U.S. workforce over the next few years.

What it can teach you: Freelancing can teach you how to deal with different people. Since you can’t exactly control the personalities of every client, freelancers often work with a variety of bosses. From the very deadline-oriented, to others who allow you to put your spin on things, freelancing essentially forces you to learn how to perform well under an array of management styles.

Temporary work

Let’s say you were a college student and you wanted to work during your summer off. Instead of committing to a position full-time, temporary work allows for an “end date” to your job–that is, the position is short-term. This market is also growing, with 40 percent of employers planning to hire temporary workers this year. Temporary work comes in different forms, such as seasonal jobs or contracted opportunities.

What it can teach you: Temporary work can push you to learn necessary skills, gain knowledge, leverage your network, and develop as a professional, all within a short time period. Your professional growth is given to you in a more condensed time period, which can benefit those with hectic schedules.

Hourly roles

Hourly jobs are professions that are paid by the hour, instead of through salaries or other forms of compensation. These jobs also come in many different forms, from retail-based professions to nurses and software developers. Hourly jobs are typically more cost-effective for many organizations, especially in developmental phases. So, you’ll often find companies hiring hourly workers because of the flexibility factor, which can be a benefit for both the organization and the employee.

What it can teach you: Hourly jobs can teach us a thing or two about time management. Since these jobs are essentially based on how many hours you work, professionals need to be able to perform well under set circumstances, such as a timeclock. Because of this, workers can begin to understand how to work well and which habits are necessary in order to succeed in their hourly roles.

Volunteer positions

Volunteer-based work doesn’t typically pay, but rather compensates in experience. For instance, charitable organizations or non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have many volunteers who are passionate about the cause. Since many of these organizations don’t have a ton of funds, they are usually happy to take on as many volunteers (and ideas) as possible.

What it can teach you: A life of volunteering can teach you many things–gratitude, compassion, problem solving, crisis management, etc. Essentially, volunteering can help you to resolve issues when you don’t have many resources or support based solely on your dedication to the cause.

Freelancing, temporary work, hourly jobs, and volunteer-based activities are all roles everyone should work at least once. In the end, not only can they turn you into a well-rounded professional, they can also teach you important skills for life and your career.

What do you think? What are some other jobs everyone should work at least once?

6 Red Flags Interviewees Should Notice

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 16:39:19 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Interviews aren’t just for impressing the interviewer — the interviewee should be impressed, too. When entering the interview process, it’s important to be an observant job candidate. Although you are being interviewed, make sure you keep an eye out for red flags. Sometimes, the interview can be the first sign the job isn’t for you.

Wondering if you need to pay closer attention during your next interview? Here are six red flags job seekers should notice:

1. Was the interview process too long? If you have spent almost a month going through the employer’s interview process, maybe you should reconsider if this job is worth your time. Employers who make the interview process longer than necessary can show they’re indecisive. If it’s a competitive position, employers should already have an idea of who they want to hire. Therefore, if you make the cut, the interview process should move quickly.

2. Are there signs of turnover? Don’t be afraid to ask the employer why they are hiring for the position you applied for. It’s important to ask because it can provide more information about the employer. Feel free to ask how long the last employee worked in that position as well. If you discover their previous employees held the position for only two or three years, this could be a sign of no opportunity for growth within the company.

3. Did you stump the interviewer? Candidates should always come prepared with research and questions about the company. You can easily impress the recruiter by asking questions like, “How would you like to increase the success of the company by next year?” or “What will I accomplish in the next six months as an employee?” However, if these questions come as a challenge the interviewer and they lack confidence in their response, this could be a sign the employer doesn’t view their employees as an asset to the company.

4. Your values don’t match the company’s. If you’re sitting in the interview and the hiring manager is explaining their mission, but it doesn’t align with your morals, you may want to search elsewhere. It’s very important to have a job where you can believe in the company’s values and ethical standards are in place.

5. They’re trying too hard to sell you the job. Does the interviewer seem to be pushing the position upon you? If you feel like the offer irresistible, but the interviewer is begging you to accept; you may want to ask yourself a few questions. Job seekers shouldn’t feel the need to convince themselves to accept a job offer they really want. If the interviewer continues on about endless perks and benefits, you may want to find out for yourself if they’re telling the truth.

6. There is no hint of a future. A common question asked by interviewers is, “Where do you see yourself in five years?” If the recruiter hasn’t asked you about how you imagine your future with the company, this may be a sign there is no opportunities to be promoted. Job seekers want the opportunity to move up in their careers and if there’s a hint of no promotion in their future, maybe you should look for a different opportunity.

Remember, it’s important not to settle during the job search. If you feel a position doesn’t line up with your career goals, it’s okay to be selective. Even though the next opportunity may not be your dream job, make sure you accept a position where you can work toward accomplishing your career goals.

What red flags have you experienced from an interviewer? Did those signs change your perspective of the position?

Bigger Budget? Here’s How to Overhaul Your Social Recruiting Strategy

Amy Miller — Tue, 16 Apr 2013 12:30:47 +0000

By Amy Miller

As the new year blossoms into spring, new budget cycles mean promotions for your most talented employees. A recent study found January was one of the top months when it comes to doling out promotions, but what happens after your best employees are settled into their new positions?

Now that you’ve rewarded your star players you might be asking yourself what the next step should be. What about the open positions your superstars have left behind? What’s the solution to keep more of your renewed budget and yet still find the best people?

There’s a reason everyone has jumped on the social media recruiting bandwagon. In fact, in 2012 companies used social media to recruit for more than 80 percent of all job openings. The problem lies with the fact that everyone tends to have the same social media recruitment strategy. Recruiters and hiring managers are searching Facebook and Twitter, posting on job boards, and wondering why these tactics aren’t bearing fruit. To find the very best, you can’t just follow the herd.

The first step is admitting you have a problem with your social media recruitment strategy. The second step is finding workable solutions in order to find the best people for your company. We’re an ideas economy where great employees are the currency smart companies use to get ahead. Utilizing the Internet and social media to recruit can be a great way to find your next batch of superstar employees without blowing your budget.

Here are some common social media recruitment problems, and some simple solutions:

Your Problem: Skills Gap

You have great positions open and your inbox is flooded with resumes. So what’s the problem? The people applying for your open positions just aren’t the right fit for the job. The skills gap is very real and plaguing employers in every career sector. High unemployment might mean the pool of applicants for every available position is wider, but it doesn’t mean it’s filled with candidates who have the right qualifications for the job.

Your Solution: Scout Passive Talent

Look for passive candidates who might not be looking for a new job opportunity, but wouldn’t turn down a great offer if it floated their way. Instead of merely posting jobs or using social media to promote your openings, actively look for the kind of talent you need. The benefit of passive talent is that you already know they can perform the job. Social media paves the way for recruiters to more easily make inroads with these prospects in order to find someone ready for a new challenge.

Your Problem: Same Old Candidates

You’re looking in the same places as everyone else, so you’re finding the same prospects as your competitors. Sure, 91 percent of online adults are using social media, but they’re not all using the same platforms. If you’ve constrained yourself to the same two or three platforms everyone else uses, odds are you’ll be swimming in a shallow talent pool.

Your Solution: Look for Hidden Talent Pools

Whether you’re searching manually or using a recruitment platform, search the places online where great talent converges. Don’t convince yourself you’ll only find someone great on Twitter or Facebook. Talent gathers everywhere online and you need to find these hidden caches of prospects in order to hire better.

The big sites aren’t the only social media in the game after all. Look at industry-related Meetup groups, search the list of speakers at an interesting conference, or even search for top quality thought leadership in a discussion group. The best talent might not be advertising themselves on the big networks, but these hidden candidates could be just what your company needs to grow.

Your Problem: Waiting for Mr. or Ms. Perfect Hire

The right person isn’t going to fall into your lap, so why post and pray? You need to do more to find the right person for your company than craft a good job description and post it to job boards. Social media can be a great tool for getting your job out into the universe, connecting with candidates, and promoting your openings. But at some point, you have to stop being reactive and start being proactive in your social recruiting strategy.

Your Solution: Pick up the Phone!

Those top prospects you’ve found, through your talent search engine or on a press release, aren’t just going to contact themselves. Don’t be afraid to use the phone. After all, the key term in your social recruiting strategy is ‘social’. Don’t be afraid to truly connect with talent and tell them exactly why they should be excited to work for your company. If your enthusiasm is infectious, the best people will respond to your personal touch and get excited about your company’s opportunities.

Social media is a great tool for finding the best people wherever they spend their time online without breaking the piggybank. This is why it’s important you’re not falling into the same traps and missing the best people. If you look critically at your social media recruitment strategy, you’ll find the solutions you need to hire better.

What are some solutions for common social media recruitment problems? Share in the comments!

Amy Miller is a Search Consultant at Scavado, a talent search engine empowering recruiters to find the best hidden talent from all over the web. Connect with her/him and Scavado on Facebook and Twitter.

5 Ways to Stay in Touch with Your Professional Network

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 17:29:58 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Networking, networking, networking. It’s one of the most emphasized job search methods out there. The problem: most job seekers who think they’re networking aren’t actually accomplishing anything.

It’s not enough to connect on social media and then forget about them. Stay in the minds of your professional network by keeping in touch on a regular basis.

Here are five ways to stay in touch with your professional network:

Social media. True, it’s not enough to simply add someone as a social media connection, but social media is still important.

Facebook and Twitter allow you to share content directly with the people in your network. Use them to send interesting articles to the professionals who might find them relevant. LinkedIn keeps track of changes in your connections’ careers. Pay attention to these updates and congratulate people in your network when they get a promotion or start something new.

Email. Sending an email to someone is much more direct and personal than social media. Email is more likely to result in a back-and-forth conversation, so take advantage of it.

Like with social media, you can start a conversation with an article or some congratulations. Another idea is to let them know when you start something new or accomplish something important, and ask them for advice.

Phone calls. Sometimes a quick phone call is all it takes to learn something new.

Call up your contact and say, “Hey, I’m really interested in learning more about this part of your job. Would you chat for a bit to share insights on how you do it?” If they have the time, they’ll probably talk to you. If they’re busy, chances are they’ll tell you to call back when they have the time. Either way, be prepared with questions to ask.

Greeting cards. A fun way to reach out to people is by sending greeting cards.

A simple handwritten note is all it takes. It can be to say thank you or even for a holiday. Send these to people you have connected with in the past, or people you have just met. No matter who you send these to, be sure to thank them for their time.

Invite them out. Whether it’s lunch or just coffee, face-to-face communication is always the best way build and maintain a relationship.

Do research beforehand and come ready to discuss the latest trends your industry. Have a strategy and goals for the conversation. What do you hope to gain from your meeting? Ask for career advice. If you show you want more than just a connection to a job, most professionals will be happy to help.

When you keep in touch with your professional network, they are much more likely to help you out when it’s time to look for a new job. Maintain a genuine relationship with these people and the rest will be easy.

What are some other ways you find effective for staying in touch with your professional network?

How to: Succeed in the Job Search Today [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 15:58:43 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

These days, the job search can be one of the hardest things a professional can go through, both the process, as well as the outcome. In can lead to stress, frustration, and even some soul searching. However, if you’re armed with the right information and do your research, going through the job search doesn’t have to be so bad.

This infographic, compiled by Interview Success Formula, a program that helps job seekers to deliver powerful interview answers, illustrates how job seekers can navigate through the job search today and how to do well in the process. Some takeaways to note include:

The average number of applications submitted per job is 118
The average length of an interview is approximately 40 minutes
A candidate may wait anywhere between 24 hours and two weeks after the interview for the verdict
56 percent of employers reported that a candidate rejected their job offer in 2012

Check out the full infographic below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

What do you think? What are some other ways to succeed in the job search?

Recruiting On A Budget: How Social Media Can Save You Money

Michael Dennis — Thu, 11 Apr 2013 12:00:24 +0000

By Michael Dennis

If you’re like many small businesses right now, you’re taking hiring slow and steady this spring. A fatigued economy means increasing hiring budgets and staffing seems a bit risky.

The latest small business jobs numbers reflect your hesitancy. Small business hiring numbers going into March show a minimal .20 percent gain on hiring. Experts suggest the reasons listed above have a lot to do with this.

So today’s issue is this: As a small business, you were already recruiting on a shoestring budget — but as you’re looking to expand, it’s seems like a loftier and pricier goal than before. Right?

The thing is, if you’re truly in need of some new talent at your biz, you need to harness your social media strategy to utilize low-cost techniques to recruit, source, and interview great employees (thus, saving you a chunk of change).

Let’s take a look at how you can do this the right way.

The Cost of Hiring

This is a tricky but important number to consider–and the intricacies of this number won’t change, regardless of the economy. So as a small business, let’s get a grip on your costs.

How do you want to allocate your budget to make hires? This could include job board fees, recruitment agency fees, ATS software, training and benefits, or even travel.

If you’re thinking of using one route — the job posting — and leaving it to fate to send you great resumes, this not only is unlikely to work, but it can still be expensive depending on your budget. One job posting alone on CareerBuilder costs $419, according to GetHired.com. If you have a few jobs open, this can add up fast.

But perhaps you’ve decided to use employee referrals or a recruitment agency, taking time and manpower used to sift through referrals and the agency fees are still going to add to your cost of hire.

So depending on your needs, social media offers many cost-effective opportunities to hire talent.

Getting Started with Social Networks

According to a Jobvite survey, 92 percent of U.S. companies hire through social media, so you won’t be alone in your endeavour. Better yet, 73 percent of those companies made successful hires through social media.

1. Facebook. With 955 million users, Facebook is a melting pot of talent. Here you can create a company space, use the Social Jobs app to post job openings, showcase your awesome company culture, and share what your company is currently doing in your industry. If you want to screen candidates, this can be done via Facebook, too.

2. Twitter. Similar to the benefits of utilizing Facebook, on Twitter you can create your company space, send job openings through your Twitter feed, send targeted tweets using hashtags to #jobseekers, and generate conversation around your company. Plus, with resources like TweetMyJobs, it’s really never been easier to recruit on Twitter.

3. LinkedIn. Our favorite job search tool, LinkedIn, can really give you industry-focused access to talent. Create your company page, post jobs, and participate in group discussions. With LinkedIn, you have access to 161 million professional profiles and resumes.

The best part about these tools is that there’s a viral quality to your postings. If you create a solid network of followers and connections, they can share your content with qualified candidates in their own network. If needed, you can contact candidates directly through these sites, too.

Cost? Free to very low. Why? Because most of the suggestions I gave you are strategies you can use without buying ads or other business fees.

Consider Going Mobile This Year

A recent study released by Harris Interactive and ESET reported that 81 percent of employees work using their personal mobile device. As we all know, there are many options for retrieving and sharing information on-the-go, including job postings.

Optimizing your careers website for the mobile Web. This means mobile users will view a different, more optimized site on their mobile device versus a computer. The content will be user-friendly, include less Flash and photos, and be viewable on multiple screen sizes. In short, your career content will be easily viewed on any device.

Additionally, if your company has a mobile app already, make sure the app has a careers link! As the saying goes, there’s an app for that. So if the platform is already available, hit two birds with one stone and optimize some content for job seekers.

Cost? Low. The move to mobile web shouldn’t be too expensive if your current site was created recently. There are also tools available to help you do it yourself. As for a mobile app, if you already have one, then the cost would be zero to add more content.

Although social media strategies can be extremely cost-effective, especially for small businesses, it shouldn’t be the only tool in your toolbox. If you do require an ATS, choose a platform that is budget-friendly (they exist!) and includes everything you need in one platform — even social media connections. If your system isn’t making it easier for you, then it’s not worth the money.

What budget-friendly social recruiting tips would you add? Share them in the comments below.

Michael Dennis is the CEO and Founder of FindHire, an innovative sourcing, interviewing, and hiring software platform. Connect with Michael and the FindHire team on Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn.

Severance Packages: A Guide for Employers [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 12:00:03 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

In 2012, a whopping 44 percent of Americans were dissatisfied with their jobs. What’s more: many report being afraid to quit their jobs to find something better. That’s a lot of unhappy workers, but the solution may lie with employers themselves. If companies focus on creating great outplacement services in the form of employee severance packages, they can avoid any negative blows to their reputation and help former workers get back on their feet.

The infographic below, compiled by CareerShift, a comprehensive job search and career management solution, spells out exactly why a great severance package is important for employers and discharged workers. A few key points:

60% of businesses have severance plans
3-5% of companies provide retraining or relocation assistance
Most employers provide severance in the form of healthcare, financial planning, or financial compensation
Many discharged workers turn to the Web: daily Internet job search traffic is 33% higher than 2 years ago

Check out the full infographic below to learn more about how employers can ensure their outplacement services are up to par.

What do you think? Do your employee severance packages need to be improved?

Is Your Career At A Standstill? 10 Ways To Tell

Heather R. Huhman — Tue, 02 Apr 2013 17:36:50 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Do you feel like your current job is no longer satisfying? Then maybe it’s time to re-examine your goals – or even move on to a new career.

If you’ve held the same position for years without a raise or simply cannot find any joy in your work, then these could be signs your career is at a standstill. When this happens in a career, it usually means there is little or no opportunity to move up in the company.

If you feel like you could be experiencing a stalled career, here are 10 ways to tell:

1. There is no satisfaction in your work. This is a very strong indication your career has come to a halt. Do you feel like your work doesn’t contribute to your career goals? If your career doesn’t make you feel accomplished, you must ask yourself if this is the right position for you.

2. You haven’t received a promotion. If you’ve been in the same position for at least two years and still haven’t been promoted or received a pay raise, then it could be time to find a job with more opportunities.

3. You have fewer duties than when you first started. Do your colleagues receive more projects than you? Has your boss shortened your to-do list? When your tasks begin to disappear, you may need to consider finding a new career that provides more responsibilities for you as an employee.

4. You lack motivation. If every day feels like a Monday to you, you could be losing your desire to go to work. Once you lack the desire to go to your job, it makes it difficult to perform well. Think about moving onto something new that fulfills your career goals.

5. You’d prefer to hang out at the water cooler than sit at your desk. Having friends at the office is important, but is it your number-one priority? If you look forward to the daily chatter across cubicles more than your work, it’s time to think about what you really want out of the job. While it is nice to have fun coworkers to talk to, be careful not to make it your priority.

6. No one listens to you. Do you try to share new ideas with your boss or coworkers, but they simply put them aside? If you’re trying to find new ways to make your work exciting, yet no one respects your ideas, then it could mean your job is no longer the right fit.

7. You’re too comfortable. Can you check your Facebook or email without worrying about your boss catching you? If you are able to get away with anything while on the job, this could be a sign you need a more demanding career.

8. You haven’t learned a new skill. One of the most important aspects of having a career you enjoy is the ability to learn. If you aren’t learning new skills or gaining valuable knowledge, consider finding a new job that will turn you into an asset for their company and teach you valuable skills.

9. You can’t remember the last time you updated your resume. Has it been more than 12 months since you last updated your resume? This could be a sign that either you haven’t received that promotion or acquired new skills.

10. You can get by with the minimal work. If you can get your work done while surfing the web at the same, you aren’t being challenged enough. When you feel like you don’t have to exceed expectations with your work, then it could mean it’s time for a new career.

How can you solve your stalled career? First, decide whether or not your current career coincides with your professional goals. Next, figure out if you can find solutions for your stalled career or if it’s time to find new opportunities. By reaching out to your boss and expressing your needs as their employee, you could change your situation. However, if there is no room for improvement, start searching for opportunities that can lead to a rewarding career.

Have you experienced a standstill with a job? How did you solve your situation?

7 Terrible Ways To Search For A Job

Amit De — Thu, 28 Mar 2013 13:51:02 +0000

By Afifa Siddiqui

Let’s face it: We’ve all heard our fair share of job search horror stories. From addressing the wrong company in your cover letter to blowing a job interview, mistakes come in all shapes and sizes — and can happen to anyone.

Here’s a mistake you may not realize you’ve been making: the way you search for a job.

Although it’s never fun to evaluate your own performance, the job search is based heavily on trial and error–and there are certainly wrong ways to go about seeking employment. Don’t waste valuable time, energy, and money on a terrible job search. It’s time to take a deeper look at the way you’re searching.

Here are seven terrible ways to search for a job–avoid these so you don’t become a job search horror story legend:

1. Never Leaving Your House. We now live in an age where it’s completely possible to be too immersed in technology. One sure-fire way to fail at your job search is to confine yourself to your home. The job search might leave you feeling a little like a hermit, but you need to maintain relationships with your network to tap into their valuable resources. Make a point to stay in touch with your connections, as well as putting effort into expanding the network you already have.

2. Thinking Only Inside The Box. The job search is no place for routine and standard thought processes, especially in this highly competitive job climate. Job seekers who don’t stand out won’t get hired. Go above and beyond to get noticed by employers by looking for new ways to boost the presentation of your qualifications throughout the hiring process.

3. Trying To Fit A Mold. No worthwhile employer is looking for a drone candidate. Too many individuals find themselves attempting to fit a certain mold during their job hunt — this certainly isn’t a positive tactic. Break the mold by cashing in on your niche and showcasing yourself in a way that leaves hiring managers unable to pass you up. This means truly assessing what you can bring to a position and marketing yourself appropriately.

4. Failing To Get Personal. Far too many job seekers overlook the need for a personal touch during their job search. Getting personal spans many areas including: personalized interactions throughout the hiring process, expanding your network through personal interactions, and more. A successful job search demands a level of personalization that can only be reached through focus and energy.

5. Forgetting To Strategize. While timing and luck do play a special role in the job search, all job seekers are certain to fail without a set strategy. The amount of time and effort you put into developing a strong and well-thought out job search strategy, the faster you’ll get hired. Develop goals, create lists, manage your time, track your applications, and network until you’re blue in the face.

6. Failing To Explore Other Avenues. Your job search should involve a variety of different elements. Getting hired today means finding new avenues to reach out to employers. Gather a list of companies that you want to work for, join professional organizations, attend conferences, and build an unbeatable online brand.

7. Not Learning From Mistakes. Errors are bound to take place during the job search, but the real mistake is not learning from them. You may have sent out one too many mediocre resumes, but you’ve grown through this and developed a hard-hitting resume for your latest opportunity.

During the job search, it’s important to be both a critic and a marketer of your own work. Transform your employment search by repeatedly evaluating its effectiveness.

What’s the best job search advice you would offer first-time or out-of-practice job seekers?

Afifa Siddiqui is the COO and Co-founder of Careerleaf, an all-in-one job search platform that cuts the time to apply in half. Connect with Afifa and Careerleaf on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

8 Tips For A Successful Networking Coffee Date

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 27 Mar 2013 19:41:07 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Networking is one of the most equally loved and despised aspects of career growth.

Some individuals live to network, while others avoid it at all costs. There are many folks who shine in online networking situations, but clam up at networking events.

While we may live in a digital world, face-to-face networking hasn’t lost its importance. In fact, the presence of online networking makes in-person networking even more powerful in terms of driving a unique connection. Taking the plunge and setting up a networking coffee date may be seem scary — it’s easy to to shy away from this kind of meetup in the world of instant messaging, email, and online forums.

But never fear! The following tips will help you find success at your next networking coffee date:

1. Come prepared. Simply “winging it” won’t get the job done. There’s nothing worse than meeting up with someone to find out they don’t have much to say — especially if you’re networking during your job search. Do your research and prepare a topic and questions. It’s best not to act like you’re reading a script, but make sure to keep the conversation flowing.

2. Eliminate pressure. Face-to-face networking can leave even the most extroverted person feeling pressured. When it comes to making a social or professional connection, it’s easy to place a lot of stress on yourself. Eliminate some of the pressure by remembering that confidence is key to the self-marketing involved in networking. Why wouldn’t this person enjoy connecting professionally with you?

3. Don’t expect too much. While it’s important to prepare for a networking date, you should also try your best to keep any expectations in check. If you go into the meeting expecting this person to immediately call their manager and ask them to hire you, you’re just setting yourself up for failure. Remain open-minded and focus on really getting to know the person before you jump to any conclusions.

4. Get comfortable. Offline networking can be a little tense if you’re not used to it. Try to make yourself as comfortable as possible on your networking date. This doesn’t mean showing up in sweatpants–instead, try to keep the professional conversation light. Networking doesn’t need to be stuffy, you can casually chat about sports or pop culture if it’s something the other person is also interested in.

5. Remember: desperation isn’t cool. Nothing turns off another person more than desperation. Making a connection should come naturally. Try not to force yourself on the person you’re networking with. This individual will be able to tell if you’re desperately trying to weasel your way into an opportunity or if you’re truly looking to connect with them. Show your interest by spending time asking questions about their current work, career, or industry.

6. Focus on developing a relationship. Making a lasting networking connection depends on building a relationship. One coffee date with someone doesn’t solidify a relationship–it takes energy to successfully connect with others. Spend time getting to know this person and learn as much about as you can. If you’re truly interested, you’re off to a good start and a networking relationship with surely follow.

7. Respect their time. Keep your networking date on a schedule. If you tell this person you’d like to chat for 30 minutes, then you should wrap things up in the appropriate amount of time. If you’ve connected and you’re still chatting well past the scheduled time, this may be a good sign.

8. Keep in touch. End your networking chats by talking about staying in touch. Consider talking about getting coffee again or even asking if they’re planning on going to an industry event you’re interested in attending. Once you’ve left the coffee date, shoot them an email thanking them for their time and be sure to continue to reach out to them. Connections need to be mutual.

In-person networking can be scary at first, but face-to-face connections are certain to positively affect your career. Set up a networking coffee date today!

Do you have a trick for better in-person networking? Share below!

How Your Unique Skills Can Get You Hired

Amit De — Mon, 25 Mar 2013 13:33:37 +0000

By Amit De

What steps are you taking to stand out to potential employers during your job search? Before you do something drastic, consider your unique skill set.

In your job search, it’s equally important to fit the mold as an employer’s ideal candidate, in addition to going above and beyond to stand out from the competition. That’s quite a bit to wrap your head around–especially when you’re just beginning the job search.

Carefully customizing the skills and experiences on your resume and other materials to match the skills and qualifications on the job posting is sure to get the attention of the hiring manager. But now comes the important part: standing out. With such a push for job seekers to perfectly fit the needs of their potential employers, many candidates are feeling the need to leave out some of their most unique skills.

Here are a few simple ways to identify and present your unique skills to get hired:

Identify What Sets You Apart

What skills do you have that the competition doesn’t, and most importantly, how can you display them in a way that offers employers an added incentive?

Your unique skills might not be immediately recognizable when reviewing your previous experiences, but it’s important to spend time carefully dissecting your entire body of work, including unpaid work, activities, volunteering, and even special interests you’ve turned into side projects. All of your experiences offer a unique opportunity to acquire a new skills that could be highly beneficial in marketing yourself during your job search.

Compile Your Skills

Create a master list of all of your transferable job skills after carefully looking into your experiences. This will be beneficial for reference during the application process and when you’re interviewing for a position. Then organize this list into skills categories, including management, organizational, interpersonal, communication, critical thinking, technical, and any other areas that you feel fitting.

Customization Is Critical

Gone is the time of the “well-rounded” resume. In previous generations, job seekers were taught that their resumes should encompass every single skill and experience that they had to offer. Well, times have changed. Nowadays, a sure-fire way not to get noticed is by failing to customize your resume.

While many job seekers argue that they just don’t have enough time to customize every single resume they send out, it’s important to remember that the job search is about quality and not quantity. Your chances of catching the attention of a hiring manager increase with every customized resume you send out.

Look To Enhance The Position

Each time you apply for a position, review your list and choose skills that both coordinate with the needs of the employers and present unique skills you can provide to enhance the position based on the company’s mission and values.

You may be fluent in a second language, have graphic design talents, social media management experience, or maybe you’re extremely computer-savvy. Whatever your unique skills may be, it’s important to present them to a potential employer in such a way that allows them to see the value in your skill. Providing an explanation in your cover letter about what your unique skill can bring to the position that can benefit the company for the long term will give you an edge over the competition.

Highlight Your Profitability

With the current state of the economy, employers are looking to fill their position with candidates that possess the ability to generate profits. Even if your most previous position was one that did not involve revenue generation, you can also quantify how much money you saved your previous employer through your strategies and practices.

Even if you don’t consider this one of your most notable skills, employers will notice it. Highlight your profitability throughout your resume by using percentages and numbers to show where you cut costs or generated profit.

Put Them Where They Will Be Seen

Many job seekers make the mistake of burying their skills section at the bottom of their resume. Don’t do this. You’ve worked hard for your skills and it’s time to present them as achievement by placing them toward the top of your resume.

Since it takes only a few seconds for a hiring manager to judge your resume, it’s important to put your skills in direct focus to avoid having them passed over. Also, it’s common for companies use resume scanning software that is set to search for specific skills of every online application that is submitted through a form setting. If you’ve got the skills they want, you’re less likely to be passed over.

Actively Develop Your Skills

If you’re still feeling uncertain that any of your skills will set you apart from the rest, take the time to identify an area in which you would like to grow personally. Maybe you’re interested in finance or leadership techniques. This may mean attending conferences, webinars, or taking a few classes about what you’re interested in. By choosing to enhance a unique skill, you have an opportunity to add value to your career path.

As a job seeker, the key to your success is knowing how to identify, utilize, and present your skills to potential employers.

Has one of your out-of-the-ordinary skills ever landed you a job?

Amit De is the CEO and Co-founder of Careerleaf, an all-in-one job search platform that cuts the time to apply in half. Connect with Amit and Careerleaf on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

How to Succeed in Any Type of Job Interview [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Fri, 22 Mar 2013 13:00:28 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Landing a job can be a difficult task. You have to craft the perfect resume, create an inviting image, and sometimes go through an intense application process. Even then, though, doing well in a job interview can the real challenge because every situation is different. How can candidates be prepared for each?

This infographic, compiled by Interview Success Formula, a program that helps job seekers to deliver powerful interview answers, illustrates how job seekers can read the most common types of interviewers and how to succeed in the process. Here are some key points to note:

The typical phone screen takes 30 minutes
Department heads are more willing to spend 1 hour in a group interview of 12 candidates than to set aside 12 hours for one-on-one conversations
60% of managers conduct video interviews
21% reported employers were not enthusiastic about their company being an organization of choice

Check out the full infographic below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

What do you think? What are some other ways job seekers can succeed in job interviews?

Severance Packages: A Guide for Employers

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 16:00:42 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

60% of businesses have severance plans
3-5% of companies provide retraining or relocation assistance
Most employers provide severance in the form of healthcare, financial planning, or financial compensation
Many discharged workers turn to the Web: daily Internet job search traffic is 33% higher than 2 years ago

Check out the full infographic below to learn more about how employers can ensure their outplacement services are up to par.

Social Recruiting with Facebook Graph Search [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 21 Mar 2013 12:30:29 +0000

On January 15, 2013, Facebook’s much anticipated search engine, Facebook Graph Search, finally launched, making finding the people you’re looking for on the platform that much easier. For social recruiters, it means finding candidates in much more targeted way since searching has become more insightful.

In order to illustrate some Facebook Graph Search best practices, this infographic, compiled by social employee referral management platform Zao, shows you how to get started with in order to find the best employees. Some takeaways to note include:

47% of new hires are generated from Facebook
1 in 5 had a contact share a job on Facebook
92% of users are connected by only 4 degrees
52% of job seekers use Facebook to help find work

Check out the full infographic below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

What do you think? Would you use Facebook Graph Search for recruiting?

7 Professional Goals to Clean Up Your Career This Spring

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:08:45 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Spring is a time for renewal and refreshment — and not just for your home or yard. The changing of seasons is also an adequate time to rejuvenate your career.

Before diving into housework, kickstart this season by considering your career in past, present, and future tense. Which areas within your career could use refreshing? Start letting the light in by creating a spring cleaning to-do list filled with professional goals.

This spring, consider the following goals to spruce up your career:

1. Grow your network. When it comes to making strides in your career, it often comes down to who you know. This spring, plant the seeds to grow a stronger and more beneficial professional network. Start by reconnecting with those you may have lost touch with, identify individuals you’d like to connect with, and begin actively attending networking events. Even if you’re not looking for a new job, these relationships might provide you with unique opportunities and important insight into the future of your career.

2. Dust off your resume. When was the last time you updated your resume? Even if you’re happy at your current job, an updated resume is a must. Shine up your resume by considering a creative overhaul, developing more concise bulleted information, and adding actionable verbs and specific examples of your accomplishments. If this spring cleaning effort leads your mind to wander to a new job, begin casually seeking out opportunities and be sure to customize your resume to each position for which you apply.

3. Polish your online profiles. If your social media profiles are lacking luster after a long winter, it might be time for polishing. Start by taking a look at how you’re using social media. Are you utilizing the appropriate platforms for your industry? Are you interacting on industry forums? Do you frequently post beneficial information and interact with a variety of users?

Online visibility is important for your career. Since most recruiters have taken to using social platforms to find top talent, a strong online presence will make it easier for them to find you. Also, be sure to routinely monitor your online brand.

4. Spruce up your skill set. When you think of your professional skill set, do you feel confident? While you may have acquired outstanding design skills in your previous position, they might be a little dusty after laying dormant. Give your skill sets a spring awakening by taking an online course, seminar, or even spend time working on personal projects. You can find a variety of cost-effective resources online for refreshing previous skills or honing new ones. These skills will be certain to give you competitive advantage throughout your career.

5. Reposition your career. A new season might awaken a need for change in your life. Use this spring to investigate a variety of new career opportunities. Spend time researching new careers and what it takes to get hired. This might mean networking, going back to school, or simply sending over your resume.

While the grass may be getting greener, it’s important to remember it isn’t always greener on the other side of the fence. A new career might seem like the answer to your current job woes, but it’s important to evaluate your situation before making the switch.

6. Seek out a career mentor. The need for professional guidance can come in all stages of your career. Give your career a boost by building a valuable relationship with a career mentor. Whether it’s someone within your company or an admirable individual within your field, your mentor can provide you with a plethora of knowledge and guidance. Utilize your mentor for gaining insight into advancing your career, beginning the search for a new position, or simply growing professionally.

7. Refresh the balance in your life. Managing your professional and personal life requires a unique balancing act. This spring, focus on how you spend time outside of the office. Begin making more time for your hobbies, head back to the gym, or pencil in more time to relax. Maintaining a healthy work life balance will allow you to be more happy and engaged at work.

Rather than scrubbing the floors and cleaning out your closets, let these professional goals help clean up your career this spring.

How do you plan to clean up your career this spring?

Why The Stigma of Hourly Employment Needs to End

Lynn Dixon — Wed, 20 Mar 2013 15:00:01 +0000

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, hourly workers make up three-fifths of all wage and salaried workers. In addition, 40 percent of employers plan to hire temporary and contract workers this year, compared to 36 percent last year.

While these findings are all well and good, the fact is, there is still a stigma associated with this sort of work. Workers may be seen as “lost”, floating, or worse, not ready to commit to anything serious. However, we live in a different job market now. It can be difficult to find a full-time or permanent position in your industry, especially if you don’t have a ton of experience. But guess what? Hourly, temporary, contracted, and project-based work can be just as good as the alternative.

So, do away with preconceived notions that hourly work isn’t as good as permanent! Here are some reasons why:

Hourly work is just as valuable

In permanent positions you learn, work, and absorb information. You network with thought leaders, you perform tasks that can challenge you, and you grow as a professional. With hourly work, you do exactly the same thing. The difference? Your schedule. That’s it. The work you do is just as valuable, just as fulfilling, and just as beneficial to your career. It may not be the traditional route you may be used to, and that’s okay. Just remember, you can gain as much from an hourly position as something permanent.

Professionals can “try before they buy”

When you’re in a full-time or permanent position, you may have to sign a year-long contract or be committed to an employer for a set amount of time. With hourly positions, you may not have to take on that sort of obligation. In fact, you can “try before you buy.”

For instance, let’s say you were interested in marketing. Well, there are many forms of marketing, like analytics, content creation, public relations, and branding. Instead of wrestling over which path to take, working in temporary positions allows you to explore your different interests. That way, should your temp job lead into something permanent, you’ll be much happier and more productive in the job because you took the time to explore what you enjoy.

Allows you to spread out your interests

There’s a benefit to hourly work that may not be so obvious: You can spread out your interests. Are you an artist with a pension for baking? Great! Perhaps you’re into design but love to teach on the side? Awesome! Temporary jobs can translate these interests into an actual gig because there’s probably a market for them — you just have the benefit of having more than one focus. Plus, you get to explore multiple interests, which is always great for your career.

Separate your hobbies from your job

Some people say you shouldn’t make your hobby into a job because it takes the fun out of it. Well, with an hourly or temporary job, you’ll still be able to find a job that pays the bills, without giving up your sole passion. For instance, the artist with the pension for baking can still paint to their hearts content, but have a steady income through the bakery. The dual benefit of this is the ability to still have the time to do what you love, but not in a way that results in an empty wallet. Temporary employment makes this into a reality.

Stigmas are stigmas for a reason: We likely don’t know the full story or we don’t understand the concept, so we link our knowledge to something that may not be true. Hourly work may not be the norm, but it is becoming something with which more professionals are aligning themselves. And in the end, it doesn’t matter if your job is hourly or permanent. It just matters that work is helping you grow as a professional.

What do you think? What are some other reasons the stigma of hourly work needs to end?

Lynn Dixon is the co-founder and COO of Hourly, an employment network that quickly matches people who are interested in flexible positions with the right opportunities. Connect with Lynn and Hourly on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

7 Reasons You Didn’t Land The Job

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 06 Mar 2013 19:54:47 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

You’re feeling lucky. yYu found an opening for a job you would love to have, your resume made it through screening, and you had a decent interview — but somehow you still received a rejection email. What went wrong?

With the national unemployment rate resting at an uneasy 7.9 percent, it’s safe to say the job climate is highly competitive. In fact, 29 percent of candidates never even hear back from a hiring manager after applying for a position. While you may have made it far in the hiring process, there are many reasons you weren’t considered to be a perfect match.

Here are seven common reasons you didn’t land the job:

1. Your qualifications didn’t quite match up. While you may have felt you had the necessary skills and experiences to match you to the position, your potential employer didn’t feel the same way. This error is usually due to job seekers misunderstanding what an employer is looking for, or the simple misjudgment of their own qualifications. Just because you didn’t get the job doesn’t always mean you were under-qualified – there’s also the possibility you were overqualified or just altogether an inappropriate fit with regard to the company.

In the future, consider spending a significant amount of time matching your qualifications and skills with those required for the position. If there isn’t a close fit, it might be best to refrain from applying.

2. You don’t look good on paper. You may have the exact qualifications for a position, but if you can’t present them to your potential employer, it’s unlikely you’ll be hired. Aside from grammatical errors on your cover letter and resume, it’s also important to look at formatting, relevancy, and whether you’ve gone above and beyond to stand out. If your resume and cover letter are generic and vague, don’t expect to be hired. Put the time and energy into creating a customized cover letter and resume for every position you apply for, and make sure you spend time showcasing why you’d make a better fit above other candidates.

3. Your interviewing skills held you back. Just because you answered every question you were asked doesn’t necessarily mean you wooed the hiring manager. Think back to your interview… Were you enthusiastic, positive, and did you showcase a personable depth to your professional personality? Too many job seekers get hung up on knocking out the technical questions and miss the chance to build a connection with their interviewer. Always remember to come to an interview well-researched, practiced, and eager to showcase why you’d be an outstanding addition to the team.

4. Your overall presentation needs some work. If you arrived late to an interview dressed in wrinkled clothing, you aren’t exactly presenting yourself as a stand-out candidate. From your resume to your face-to-face interview, presentation matters in every part of the hiring process. Attitude and body language fall into the category of presentation. Many job seekers let their search for employment get to them — they come off as negative, unenthusiastic, or uncomfortably confident. Focus on presenting yourself in a way that encompasses your unique personality traits, as well as highlights your overall togetherness.

5. You didn’t fit the culture. Fitting into a company’s culture is a must. You may have more than enough talent to get the job done, but without the proper chemistry, it’s unlikely you’re a match. Companies seeks out individuals who share the same values as they do. During your job search, it’s crucial to understand the culture of each company you are applying at. This will help you figure out whether you’d fit in, and it will also help you tailor your resume and properly prepare for an interview.

6. You didn’t showcase your competitive advantage. Did you go out of your way to present yourself as the best candidate for the position? It’s easy to get caught up in fitting the mold and completely miss out on an opportunity to inform the hiring manager of why you’re the best option. This should start in your cover letter and carry into your interview. While you may be able to get the job done, how can you do it better than anyone else?

7. There wasn’t actually a job in the first place. Just because a company has an opening posted doesn’t mean it’s actually available. Many companies hire from within but are still mandated to post the opening. Other times, a potential employer may face a last-minute budget cut, with the position being completely eliminated.

Receiving a rejection is never a fun experience, but it’s important to learn from every aspect of your job search. While there are many reasons you could have slipped up, it’s also important to remember there are a lot of factors at play when it comes to hiring a new employee.

How do you cope with being turned down from a job?

Professional on a Budget: Build Your Wardrobe for Less

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 27 Feb 2013 17:40:27 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

With warmer weather in sight, professionals across all industries are beginning to peer into their closets with concerns of what to do when the season changes. This winter may have left you a little strapped for cash, and stocking your wardrobe with professional apparel more suited for warm weather wasn’t really where you want your hard-earned money to go.

Never fear, there are many ways to build a versatile professional wardrobe while still maintaining a budget — it just involves a plan. Before you run out on your lunch break to grab some new suits, consider the art of strategic shopping and how it can benefit your bank account and your closet.

Follow these steps to build your professional wardrobe for less:

1. Create Your Budget. While you’d probably prefer to just head straight to the mall, it’s best to first take a look at the numbers. Without a budget, you won’t have any idea of what you can actually spend on your wardrobe. Set your number and only allow for wiggle room if you find a great deal. Sticking to your budget will keep focused throughout your wardrobe search. Remember, this process doesn’t necessarily have to happen in one shopping trip.

2. Identify Your Needs. You may want new suits, blazers, and shoes — do you really need all of them? Spend some time in your closet to assess whether you really need a piece of clothing, or just want it. This will also help you adapt your budget to your needs. A suit costs more than a dress shirt, therefore you’ll need to allot the majority of your budget to it.

3. Know Where To Shop. There are a variety of retailers dedicated to providing deals on great clothing items. While you may be able to find a some great deals on the sale racks at your favorite department store, it’s best to avoid it altogether at first. Check out off-price and mid-level retailers first — TJ Maxx, Marshall’s, Target, and Sears. If you’re not having the luck you’d hoped for, consider checking looking online or even heading to Goodwill.

4. Try To Ignore The Trends. Fashion trends move in and out faster than you think — don’t waste your money on a piece you might regret in a year. Instead, invest in classics and staple items for your wardrobe. A neutral-colored blazer with never go out of style, and neither will a simple dress or blouse. Since women’s fashion trends tend to change more drastically, career women can spice up basic professional outfits with accessories like scarves and jewelry.

5. Think Versatility. Mixing and matching is a simple and cost effective way to maintain your professional wardrobe. When you’re shopping, consider the versatility of every piece of clothing you’re interested in. Can you wear it through different seasons? What about after dinner to a networking cocktail hour? Casual shirts can be mixed with blazers, trousers, and pencil skirts. It’s also important to consider colors for your versatility. Black, gray, brown, and khaki separates are useful when pairing with other basic pieces of the same color.

Building your professional wardrobe doesn’t happen overnight. Consider purchasing one piece with every paycheck to put less stress on your wallet. Focus on developing an affordable, professional wardrobe that boosts your confidence.

Did you build your professional wardrobe on a budget? Share your story!

How to Implement an Employee Referral Program

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 21 Feb 2013 14:38:51 +0000

According to recent studies, referrals are the number one source of employee retention and hire quality after one year. These are more than just temporary employees, too. These are quality candidates who bring value to an organization and stay for the long-run.

So, if employee referrals yield great workers, how can we encourage our current workforce to get on board? This infographic, compiled by social employee referral management platform Zao, illustrates how to implement an employee referral program in order to attract and maintain a quality task force. Some takeaways to note include:

Referrals are #1 in employee retention rate after one year
Cash rewards for referrals are the #1 incentive for getting employees to participate; 48% of employees report it would further motivate them to participate in referral programs
Referrals are 5 times as likely to be hired
Gamification increases engagement in the recruiting process; 70% of large companies will implement some sort of game mechanics into their workplaces by 2014

Check out the full infographic below and let us know your thoughts in the comments!

Have you implemented an employee referral program? Why or why not?

8 Tips for a Smooth Transition into a New Job

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 20 Feb 2013 16:24:25 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Congratulations, you accept a new position! Now it’s time to make your move and settle in at your new job.

Finding your groove after landing a new position can be challenging. You’ve been granted a new and exciting opportunity to showcase your skills and experience, generate beneficial solutions, and navigate a new company. But getting there takes a bit more time than you’d expect.

Don’t sweat the small stuff — keep in mind your first 90 days are usually a transitional period for finding your footing. Here are eight tips for creating a smooth transition into your new employment endeavor:

1. Stay positive. Every career change comes with a variety of emotions. While you may be thrilled to take this next step in your career, transitioning into a new position is likely to come with a few obstacles. Whether you’re not quite fitting in as quickly as you’d hoped or maybe your typical work speed hasn’t got back up to par. Whatever the case may be, it’s important to keep your chin up and endure the change with a positive attitude. Showcasing your enthusiasm will likely draw in your co-workers and make initial interactions a bit smoother.

2. Find your routine. The average duration of unemployment is about eight months in the current job climate. For many, this means the breaking and remaking of a variety of routines. Returning to work might initially be a challenge in terms of finding your footing with your new tasks. Actively attempting to build and manage a routine will allow you to increase your efficiency and effectiveness, as well as create a sense of normality.

3. Immerse yourself in company culture. Fitting in at a new job often means observing the overall culture of the company and adapting. Since you were hired for the position, you probably expressed a variety of values that made you a good match for the company. Openly embrace the culture of your new company by making the office norms your new habits.

4. Take notes. Key in on your work environment by utilizing your senses. Take both physical and mental notes on what goes on around you. While you’re immersing yourself in the culture of the company, also familiarize yourself with some of the other norms. How does your boss react to certain things? What are problems you can provide solutions to? Take a “fly on the wall” mentality while you’re settling in to see how the company functions.

5. Set goals. Within the first few weeks on the job, make a point to establish some beneficial goals. Ask yourself what you must accomplish in your first three months, what you want to accomplish in the future, and how you plan to continually improve your efficiency. These are just a few questions to set you off in the right direction. Goal-setting techniques are important in every stage of your career.

6. Build relationships. The relationships you have with the people you work with can easily make or break your experience. Immediately forging relationships with your co-workers will also help you transition more smoothly. Step out of your comfort zone and attempt to interact with everyone you work with. Introduce yourself and always accept happy hour invitations. These are the individuals who are likely to be your networking connections for years to come.

7. Increase your participation. While you might still be nailing down your own duties, it’s also important to extend a hand when possible. If you know a co-worker could use your help tying up a few loose ends on a project, offer your services. This will provide you with a chance to work with someone new, as well as showcase your willingness and ability to work on a team.

8. Seek out mentorship. Sometimes the best way to familiarize yourself with your new position, as well as a company, is to seek out a mentor. After observing daily operations for a while, reach out to someone you admire within the company. Shoot them an email or stop by their office and share your interest in learning about — and from — their experiences.

It may take some time, but you will eventually settle into a comfortable routine at your new job.

Have you recently transitioned into a new job?

4 Ways To Spot A Good Job Opportunity From A Bad One

Heather R. Huhman — Mon, 18 Feb 2013 13:00:56 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

On the job search, it can be difficult to determine good job opportunities from the bad ones–especially when limited information is available.

So how can you recognize a good job offer or job posting from a bad one? Here’s what several experts had to say:

Direct Contacts Matter
I like it when I see there’s an actual name attached to the job listing that you can email and reach out to rather than an hr@xyz email address that likely serves as a dumping ground for resumes. Direct contacts matter and with names attached especially, it gives you an excellent opportunity to Google the person beforehand, find out how long they’ve been at the company, whether they have a prolific Twitter account you can message, and begin putting together a more personalized cover letter.

– Heather Taylor, social media manager, MyCorporation.com

Check Offers Against Your List Of Needs
Know your own “personal” criteria. This is your confidential stack rank of your needs: money, commute, benefits, etc. Write them down prior to your search and check the offer against them.

– Dana Manciagli, Author of Cut the Crap, Get a Job (Spring 2013)

Candidates Should Only Apply For Positions With Clear Job Descriptions
A position with an unclear or muddled job description is unlikely to result in a good workplace environment. Companies with a good idea of exactly what employee they’re looking for will be a better place to work. These companies will have specific job-related questions to ask you in the interview, whether it’s in person or through video. Good job descriptions will be less likely to result in a job where your duties go far beyond what you initially signed on for.

– Josh Tolan, Spark Hire

Look For A Paper Trail
With established companies, their brand name tells you what you need to know – IBM isn’t a fly-by-night operation. But if you’re getting a job offer from a startup or overseas company, be sure to conduct due diligence. What comes up about them online? Have they filed the necessary paperwork (such as incorporating in the state in which they claim to be based)? Who is funding them? Have they been written about by reputable members of the news media? Make sure there’s third-party validation before diving in.

– Dorie Clark, Author of Reinventing You: Define Your Brand, Imagine Your Future

What other tips should job seekers keep in mind when looking researching new opportunities?

7 Career Benefits of a Strong Network

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:11:57 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

What’s your secret weapon when it comes to your career?

If you’re feeling unsure, there’s certainly one fail-proof way to impact your career for the long-term — develop and maintain a vast network of contacts. While you may have originally been prompted to build your network during your job search, a large pool of professional contacts has more to offer than just connections to job openings.

The benefits to establishing a strong network for your career are seemingly endless. Here are just a few to consider if you’re looking to boost your career with the foundation of a networking:

1. Guidance. Whether you’re just entering the workforce or you’re a veteran executive, guidance is something you should never be short on. Building and maintaining a network of industry contacts is one simple way to ensure a continued level of guidance throughout your career. It’s up to you to decide how to use your network to gain insight.

The need for guidance throughout your career seems to be highly understated. You may be considering a career change or the potential for a promotion — these circumstances are sometimes more easily solved with careful help from others. While some may choose to develop professional mentor-mentee relationships within their network, others may find a level of guidance from regularly attending industry outings.

2. Opportunities. A vast, well-maintained professional network will likely be ripe with opportunity. While you may not be actively looking to change positions, it’s likely your network will regularly pass along insight into a variety of career opportunities. This means you’re getting the first look at a position before anyone else. (In fact, according to a recent Jobvite study, employees hired through referral are hired 55 percent faster than those who come from a career site.)

Even if you rarely — or never — bite at the opportunity, there may be a time when you are given word about something that completely changes your career perspective. Aside from opportunities in the realm of employment, your network may also offer you a chance to explore volunteer work, hobbies, or even new industry-related trends and techniques.

3. Support. You’re likely to be faced with a variety of trials and tribulations throughout your career journey. A strong support system will help you manage your challenges and celebrations more effectively. Calling on your professional contacts in times of needs might take some getting used to, but always remember it’s a two-way street. Open chains of communication with your network will allow you to provide a mutually beneficial setting for the daily encounters of a successful career.

4. Discovery. Many individuals lacking a professional network risk limiting their experiences in continued learning. Your network is likely to provide you with an outlet for discovery which you might not otherwise have had access to. For some, this means gaining keen business insight through forum conversations on social platforms, while others may learn innovative tips from a chance meeting with an industry contact at a seminar.

5. Growth. Personal and professional growth is crucial to a successful career. Similar to the guidance and support provided by a portion of your network, some of your contacts might also be beneficial in helping your reach new heights within your career, whether it’s pushing you to apply for a position you initially felt was out of your realm or simply inspiring you to work harder on a daily basis.

6. Status. When it comes to your career, sometimes an aspect of power lies within you who know. While simply having the business cards of a thousand individuals within your industry won’t give you status, maintaining strong professional relationships with a handful of them will. Expert status usually comes down to the success of your personal brand, but it’s important to note that the most successful brands are also backed by a significant and influential network of contacts.

7. Resources. A strong network can easily be utilized as a resource center for a variety of your career needs. Consider each of your connections as a one-of-a-kind book of experiences. Your network is likely to be exploding with information with regard to every aspect of career success and challenge.

Let your network be your secret weapon when it comes to your career. It’s never too late to begin building a vast network of beneficial relationships.

In what ways has your network benefited you throughout your career?

Speed Dating and Interviewing: How to Find “The One” [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 16:01:34 +0000

In the month of February, you notice more hearts and cupids floating around in your midst. This is because February is the home of Valentine’s Day, the most romantic — and somewhat stressful — holiday of the year. If you haven’t found your soulmate yet, the bombardment of hearts, flowers, and candy today might motivate you to get yourself out there.

Hiring the right person for your open positions can be like finding your soulmate. In both cases it’s not easy, and you should never settle for second best. This is why more people are taking up speed dating to find their romantic partners, and video interviewing to find their star employees.

Speed dating can be a great way to evaluate more potential suitors, while the video interview can be a great way to screen candidates more quickly and focus on only the top talent for your organization.The infographic below, compiled by Spark Hire, an online video resume and interviewing platform, compares the search for that special someone to the hunt for your perfect hire.

Whether your looking for your soulmate or your perfect hire, this infographic can help you cut down the process as you search for “The One.”

How are you finding “The One” in your hiring process? Share in the comments!

The Perfect Valentine’s Gift: Finding a Job You Love

Josh Tolan — Wed, 13 Feb 2013 15:10:48 +0000

By: Josh Tolan

This Valentine’s Day, instead of focusing on flowers and chocolates, maybe you should focus on embarking on a love affair with your career. Valentine’s Day is all about appreciating the people in our lives who we love, but it might also be the right moment to take stock of your career.

After all, it’s easy to stagnate in your career and find yourself waking up in the morning with a feeling of dread instead of elation. If this sounds like you, perhaps it’s time to move on and find a job you’re truly passionate about.

Like finding Mr. or Ms. Right, finding the perfect job isn’t always simple. Here are some tips for getting started on achieving career bliss:

Get yourself out there
It’s tough to find the right person if you’re stuck in the same routine. You need to get out there and meet new people. Sometimes you even need to rely on your friends and family members to set you up with some prospects. All of this can help you find a great person to share your life with, but it’s also reasonable advice for the job hunt.

If you want to find a job or a person you can really love, it’s time to stop being complacent. Good things come to those who wait, but great things come to those who are willing to go out there and make things happen. Go to a networking event in your area and start cultivating contacts. Revamp your social media profiles and start taking part in discussions about industry-related topics.

And don’t be afraid to ask your professional contacts to set you up on a few blind dates, so to speak. Perhaps your contact knows of someone hiring in your field, or knows of a great person you can speak with to gain insight into your industry. Don’t be afraid to ask for help, advice, and guidance. Then, when you find a career track you love, you can pay forward this guidance to the next generation of job seekers looking for their perfect job.

Show off your personality
When it comes to the first date, you want to be on your best behavior and put your best foot forward. But you also want to be yourself, because your ultimate goal is to find someone who will love you for you.

It’s no different when looking for a great position. You don’t want to be part of a company where you constantly have to hide your personality or change yourself. Professional behavior is one thing, but if you need to twist yourself like a pretzel to fit into the company culture, then you’re probably not right for the job.

Employers want candidates who are going to fit into their company culture with ease, because these are the employees who will be around the company for the long haul. Look for ways to connect with employers on a more personal level in the hiring process. For instance, you can send a video resume in addition to your traditional paper resume. On film, you can show off your personality and communication skills in addition to your qualifications.

Don’t be afraid to show off your passion for the job in the interview. You might be afraid of coming off as desperate, but a little research can be the difference between wowing a hiring manager and coming off as too needy. If you have solid, concrete reasons why you’re excited to work for the company you’ll look motivated and not desperate. Most importantly, make sure you find a company where your unique personality, skills, and viewpoint will be appreciated.

Know what you’re looking for
Most people have at least a few items on their list of what their ideal partner will be like, and a few items on their list of dealbreakers. Whether you can’t date a smoker or want to find someone with a good sense of humor, these items are important to help you weed through the dating pool.

You should have a similar list for your job search. Know where your skills and abilities lie, and know what you’d like to do with them. Understand the environments in which you thrive and the cultures in which you’d wither. Having a clear idea of what you’d like to do is the best way to save your time and target only the jobs likely to make you the happiest.

Like finding your soulmate, finding your ideal job is no picnic. But the rewards for isolating and following your career passions certainly make it worth the work.

What are some ways you go about finding a job you’d love? Share in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

How to Spice Up Your Relationship with Your Job

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 06 Feb 2013 20:27:50 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Have you been feeling disconnected from your job recently? Maybe it’s the buildup of resentment, boredom, anger, exhaustion, or stress.

Your job–like any relationship–can put you through a variety of experiences and emotions that leave you feeling a little out of touch. It’s really no surprise individuals are falling out of love with their jobs left and right–it’s been reported most workers spend the vast majority of their day on the job.

Instead of giving up altogether, let the approach of Valentine’s Day fuel you in your attempt to rekindle your love for one of the most important relationships in your life: your job.

Get to the bottom of your distaste. Getting to the heart of the your issues with your employment situation is the first step to figuring out what needs to change. Whether the change is something made to happen by you or if it’s a solution your employer can potentially provide, it’s you your duty to ensure your continued enjoyment.

Look to the past and future. Do you remember what you originally enjoyed so much about your current position? It’s easy to get hung up on your current bout of unhappiness and forget your original motivations for your job. Use your past to motivate where you head in your future. For example, if you took the position because it provided you with a change for continued professional development, are you still taking advantage of this opportunity? Discover what will ensure your future contentment.

Take steps toward falling in–or back in–love. Sometimes even dream jobs can turn into nightmares given certain predicaments. If you’re working in a position you once valued deeply, you owe it to yourself, your employer, and the future of your career to once again find your happiness. Don’t use quitting as the immediate solution to a potentially fixable problem.

Spend some time away to gain an appreciation. If you’re spending too much time at work, you’re probably burned out. Similar to other relationships, spending too much time with someone can leave you feeling less appreciative. Use this feeling as an excuse to plan a vacation–smart employers understand the importance of time off.

Manage your stress levels. Stress often goes hand-in-hand with employment. If you’re not actively attempting to manage your stress, it’s likely to consume you. Take the time to learn what triggers your stress and plan to battle against it. The less stress you’re under, the more likely you are to feel content in your current position.

Choosing a Job When You Have Multiple Offers

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 13:49:08 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

What would you do if you were offered two positions in the same week?

For many job seekers, the idea of juggling more than one job offer sounds like a highly unrealistic fantasy. The current state of the job climate has put the potential for this opportunity completely out of the minds of the majority of those seeking new employment. But this scenario isn’t actually out of the realm of possibility for those who have executed a strategic job search.

The job search might have caused you stress, but choosing a position when you have multiple offers on the table is likely to cause a bit of alarm. While it may initially seem overwhelming–especially when faced with a strict timeline–the careful dissection of each offer is sure to put you down the path to success.

Dig Deeper

If you have a knack for researching, this is where it will come into play. Put together all the information you’ve gained throughout the hiring process regarding each position and company–then take it a step further. This is no place for sugar-coated data, gather news, financial information, value-statements–and most importantly–employee insight.

Google, social networks, and forums are a great place to gain valuable information regarding an employer, but it’s also important to information straight from the source. Utilize your network connections to to learn more. Don’t be afraid to ask straight-to-the-point questions and alleviate some of your potential concerns.

Assess Your Needs

After sleuthing out insight regarding your potential employer, it’s time to take the same approach on yourself. Self-assessment is often even more challenging than the most tedious research. And during the job search, it’s easy to lose sight of your own personal goals when you’re faced with the desperate need for an income.

In the face of multiple job offers, there’s no room for the careless evaluation of your own personal needs. This goes beyond salary requirements and sick days. Maybe you need a certain level of flexibility or you’re interested in a job which allows you to travel–whatever the case may be, it’s your job to get to the heart of what matters most to you.

Break It Down

Simply comparing each opportunity won’t put you at an easy or immediate solution. You need to break down each offer based on its key areas and then relate them back to your own values and needs. These specifics can usually be segmented into pay, benefits, company culture, time and flexibility, position type, and anything extra you feel is necessary to take into consideration.

This form of evaluation will make the process more manageable, although it’s important to keep in mind that you might go through a series of conflicting thoughts. While one job might pay more and provide better benefits, it might also require you to be working longer days with far less flexibility. Your introspective assessment of your needs should act as a guiding force in your overall decision.

Go With Your Gut

Making a decision that strongly affects the future of your career is tough. In these kinds of situations, it’s always important to trust your gut. Smart research and analysis is highly beneficial, but at the end of the day, you have to place trust in yourself.

Take time to really place yourself in each position. Envisioning your future down each path is a highly effective way to get past the initial anxiety caused by multiple job offers. Be sure to consider the types of work and whether or not a certain position or company will be a challenge to you, if there’s a chance for growth within the company, and finally, your overall career goals.

Being faced with multiple job offers is a very positive and exciting opportunity. Stay analytical, focused, and trust yourself throughout your decision making process and you will certainly find yourself in the best position.

Have you had to choose between multiple job offers? Share what helped you make your final decision!

6 Ways To Shake Off The Winter Blues At Work

Jackalope Jobs — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 13:30:49 +0000

By Sudy Bharadwaj

The temperatures are dropping and we’re all feeling a chill to our bone as we head to work in the mornings. The workweek is feeling dull and let’s face it, we’re all downright grumpy and lazy. Some call this sluggish feeling the “winter blues,” and it commonly hits us around this time of year, making us feel weary and tired.

But it doesn’t have to be this way. We can still be productive workers during the winter months. Considering our current state in the workplace, this might be easier said than done. But before you write me off, try these six tactics to work through and beat the winter blues at work:

1. Look ahead at the next month’s worth of work.
Sometimes looking ahead at your work weeks can put things into perspective and light a fire under you. This is especially helpful if you’ve been working for the weekend and haven’t taken into account things coming down the pipe.

2. Prioritize your work.
We all know there’s nothing less motivating than a huge pile of tasks and projects when you’re already feeling less than enthusiastic. So try prioritizing your to-do’s to feel more productive during your day. Set small goals for your week to finish tasks on time. Looking ahead will help you figure out what needs to be prioritized.

3. Take advantage of your upcoming weekend.
What I mean by this is that if you’re feeling fatigued from the cold or general lack of sunlight, use your weekend to catch up on sleep, get your schedule back on track, and eat well. Coming back to work as refreshed as possible will help you feel like yourself again.

4. Sneak in some office exercise.
Nothing works better to get you refocused than some healthy exercise. So I challenge all of you to take a walk outside or up and down the stairs during your next break at work. While it doesn’t sound appealing, you’ll feel better for it afterward.

5. Allow yourself to indulge in your winter blues haze.
But don’t do this for long! The only reason why I’m suggesting this is because sometimes it takes a little indulgence to shake off the winter blues. I suggest going out to eat with a friend for lunch at work or leaving early one day. But whatever works for you — it might help more than you think.

6. If you can, turn off your cell phone and close any other distractions online.
Don’t lie, you probably have Facebook, Twitter, or your favorite blog up right now at work. Well, it’s time to close up shop and focus. Whatever distractions you find yourself accustomed to at work, be more proactive about shutting them off. If you tend to text a lot on the job, turn off your phone for an hour to focus on your work.

Avoiding the winter blues is easy if you come to work prepared to shake it off fast!

How do you shake off the winter blues at work?

How to Avoid Te’oing When Hiring For Your Startup

Heather R. Huhman — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 13:30:42 +0000

By Heather Huhman

By now you’ve probably at least heard of, if not been completely sucked into, the Manti Te’o saga. It’s one of the strangest stories in the world of sports and like any good trainwreck, it’s hard to look away.

But just in case you’ve been living under a rock, here is the Te’o saga in a nutshell: University of Notre Dame linebacker Manti Te’o became one of the top inspirational stories in college sports when he played through the death of both his girlfriend Lennay Kekua, who was revealed by Deadspin to be a hoax.

Between Lance Armstrong’s sit down with Oprah to admit his past with performance enhancing drugs and the strange Te’o tale, sports stories have been shining a particularly bright light on the importance of honesty. For every great story about how the Internet and social media bring us together, there is a tale like Te’o’s which proves you still have to be careful.

What does this have to do with startups?
Startup companies can be easy targets for Te’o-style hoaxes, because startups are looking to fill important positions fast. You don’t have the time and resources of a Fortune 500 company when it comes to hiring, which leaves your startup vulnerable to those looking to take advantage. Lies in the hiring process will always be a problem. Don’t think it can’t happen to your company, because even corporate giants like Yahoo! can still be duped.

Te’o spoofs might abound, from SNL to a new ‘invisible friend’ meme on the Internet, but his story can actually help your company from making a similar mistake. If you’re shaking your head thinking it can’t happen to you, remember all those people on MTV’s reality hit Catfish who think they’re in relationships with models. We all have our blind spots.

For startups looking to hire great people fast, it’s easy to ignore the warning signs in favor of the talent right in front of your face. Sure, they might sound a little too good to be true, but you need great people…right? For startups looking to establish an attractive corporate culture and move the company forward, one dishonest employee really can spoil everything you’ve worked so hard to create.

So what are some lessons your startup can learn from the Manti Te’o drama and apply to hiring great workers?

Always connect personally
Te’o was pulled into a hoax because he never met his supposed “girlfriend’ in person–or even saw her on the other side of a webcam. We now know this is because she never existed, but it’s surprisingly easy to let impersonal technology tools come between you and the person you need to connect with. You might trust a resume, an email, or even a phone conversation, but the only way to judge a candidate’s honesty (or existence) is face-to-face interaction.

The best people for don’t always live around the corner (much like Te’o’s girlfriend). However, sometimes cash-strapped startups might not possess the resources to fly out a great candidate for an in-person meeting. But don’t give up on meeting face-to-face just because your talent lives in another area code.

Instead, utilize video interviews to connect with the talent you need while keeping more cash in your company coffers. Using a live video interview you can evaluate important body language cues and ask probing follow-up questions to make sure the candidate is everything advertised.

Use social media…but don’t trust it
Social media is making it easy to find great people and connect with top-tier candidates. This is probably why 92 percent of recruiters used social media to find talent last year. Like any other tool, however, it’s important to understand social media can have a dark side.

Don’t trust everything you read on a candidate’s LinkedIn profile or Twitter stream. It might even be a good idea to cross check a candidate’s resume with their social media profiles. Considering 46 percent of resumes contain some form of false information, you might be able to spot a dishonest candidate just by noticing online inconsistencies. For instance, maybe the year-long stint on their resume was actually only a few months long according to their social media accounts.

Social profiles can be used to lie and deceive, but ironically they can also force job seekers to be more honest about their experiences. After all, a public profile makes it harder for candidates to tell big lies and get away with it. It makes them accountable to the other people in their life, including past employers, who know their real story and can undermine their tall tales.

Do your homework
This tip is obvious but must be stated: always do your homework. If any of the reporters who breathlessly repeated the heartwarming story of Te’o had done even cursory research into the tale, they would have found it didn’t add up. It’s what the writers of the Deadspin piece did and how the hoax was eventually uncovered.

Those references on a traditional paper resume, cover letter, or video resume exist for a reason. It might be time-consuming, but pick up the phone and give those references a call. Take some time and run your candidate’s name and credentials through a search engine to make sure they check out. Doing your homework is the best way to hire someone great and avoid the embarrassment of being duped.

Your company might not be operating on the national stage like football player Manti Te’o, but you still can’t afford a dishonest hire. Use the tools at your disposal (along with some old-fashioned sleuthing) to make sure your candidate will make a great hire, instead of a dramatic story.

What are some lessons about hiring you’ve learned from the Manti Te’o saga? Share in the comments!

I Had a Great Interview! Why Didn’t I Get a Callback?

Alan Carniol — Thu, 24 Jan 2013 13:30:08 +0000

By Alan Carniol

It happens often. The interview went well. The conversation flowed. You were poised and presented a very strong case. You even got along on a personal level with the interviewer. Weeks have passed though, and there hasn’t been a callback. What could have happened?

There is always the possibility you may have misread the positive experience, and even those times when the internal candidate was basically guaranteed the offer. Still, sometimes candidates lose the job offer because of the interviewer’s experiences after the interview. What could change your interviewer’s mind?

Here are a few to note:

Failing to follow-up

According to a CareerBuilder survey, nearly one in four hiring managers will bypass a candidate who did not send a thank you, believing these candidates won’t follow through with work or aren’t serious about the position. Now, you’re manager may not be part of that one in four, but why take the chance? As I’ve heard from many job seekers, it may just tip the scales in your favor.

Next time: Thank the interviewer for the opportunity, even if it was a phone interview, quick coffee meeting, or an informal group setting. What should the note say besides thank you? A few things to consider are: memorable parts of the conversation, reasons you’re excited to work for the company, and places where you would create value on the job. A thank you note keeps you connected to the organization and creates a stronger relationship between you and the interviewer.

Poor online presence

The Internet has made it easier for us to communicate on a broad scale. However, it also puts us at risk of association with inappropriate content. Employers have also taken this into account: 65 percent of companies like to see if candidates present themselves professionally online. Many companies do not want to hire someone who could present the organization in a bad light, which may happen if your name is associated with inappropriate content.

Next time: Clean up your online image before the interview. Research your name in a search engine. Enable privacy settings. Put the correct social media links on your resume or portfolio so the interviewer knows exactly where to look. Make sure your name is not associated with anything that may make the organization question your professionalism or your ability to perform. These tactics will help you to stand out better online, instead of steering your name in the wrong direction.

Unreliable references

No matter how impressive you are in an interview, the words of others have a dramatic impact. Good references enhance how you presented yourself. References that are unreliable or unresponsive may harm your chances. For instance, a reference who cannot remember your accomplishments or when you worked for the organization does little to prove why you’re right for the job. It may do the opposite because your experiences are left unconfirmed.

Next time: Proactively reach out to your references to inform them they may be contacted. Let them know which accomplishments or points you highlighted in the interview. Give them a briefing on the organization, the position, and the interview as whole. This helps your references be prepared no matter what the organization throws at them.

You just weren’t a good fit

You may have walked into the interview believing it was your dream job. However, the interviewer can quickly tell if you’re right for the position based on your professional background. Company culture also plays an important role in the hiring process. It’s hard to face, but you may not be compatible and landing the position would not work well for you in the long term.

Next time: When performing your job search, focus on organizations that match your strengths, knowledge, values, and motivations. Understand why you would be a good match. Investigate how your professional background would aid in the mission a company. When you are aware of why you would work well in an organization, you’ll be able to target your job search and interview better.

Though many candidates are disappointed when they don’t hear back from a company, it’s vital to understand some key reasons behind it. Ample follow-up, your online presence, references, and being the right fit are all reasons why you may have not received a callback. Take these factors into account as you continue along your job search.

What do you think? What are some other reasons why you didn’t receive a callback?

Alan Carniol is the Founder of Interview Success Formula, an online training program that helps job seekers deliver powerfulinterview questions and answers that prove why they are the right person for the job. Follow Alan and Interview Success Formula onFacebook,Twitter, andLinkedIn.

3 Essential Rules To Workplace Honesty

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 23 Jan 2013 21:51:56 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Where has honesty in the workplace gone? With multiple reports of dishonesty in the workplace hitting headlines lately (yes, I’m thinking Te’o and Armstrong), it’s got me thinking: Do one-size-fits-all rules exist to navigating honesty in the workplace?

The short answer is “no.” The one-size-fits-all concept doesn’t work for most people in any situation, let alone in the workplace. Each company is different. Corporate and office dynamics change from year to year, and sometimes much more often than that. But in Manti Te’o’s case, for example, is it ok to tell certain colleagues and members of your “team” the truth about a situation and not others? Where does full disclosure actually come into play in the workplace?

Whether you’re facing fallout from unusual personal behavior online or you’re confronted with other ethical dilemmas at work, we all encounter issues with honesty in the workplace from time to time. However, it’s how we handle these situations that make the true difference in how our coworkers and employers view and trust us.

With that in mind, here are some tried and true rules to workplace honesty to keep in mind:

1. Address mistakes as soon as possible. When faced with situations of dishonesty at work, this will help everyone out in the long run. Mistakes happen, and covering them up only perpetuates the behavior of being dishonest. Your employer and coworkers will appreciate that you’re coming clean and cleaning up your mistake is often easier when done quickly and with honesty.

2. Know where your words hold no weight. Yes, it’s true that sometimes your words and opinion won’t hold the weight that it would if said by someone else. Know your place in your office. If your boss or manager holds more weight in the situation and would be less likely to be reprimanded for his or her honesty, perhaps it’s better to privately discuss the issue with this person. Don’t step on toes in the office unless it’s necessary.

3. Honesty is not always the best policy in the workplace. Now, I’m not at all telling you it’s ok to lie, but being completely honest won’t always serve you well in the workplace. Why?

Not all situations are black and white. Every situation in the workplace will require you to use your best judgement when deciding what path to take.

There’s always going to be that one coworker who doesn’t pull their weight or goes about things their own way. But does this mean you should be honest with them and your employer about their lacking work ethic? Not necessarily. Again, use your best judgment.

Have you found yourself in trouble due to inappropriate workplace honesty? What role do you think honesty plays at work? Share your discussion in the comments below!

How Do We Get Money to Play a Smaller Role in Elections?

Rand Strauss — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 13:00:44 +0000

By Rand Strauss

In the race for a seat in the White House, knowledge may no longer be your biggest asset. Your political affiliation may not be either. And your professional history? It’s up for debate whether your background is your strongest ally.

What can help you win an election? Money.

According to The New York Times, Republicans and Democrats both received almost a billion dollars in donations in the last presidential election. These came from multiple sources, such as party committees, super PACs, and outside donations such as Restore our Future, Inc. and American Crossroads. Although the Republican nominee did not clinch the election, it does illustrate something very clear: if you have enough money, you have a very real chance of winning.

Recently, an article showed some key visuals on the use of money in politics and there were some interesting takeaways. For example, huge amounts are being spent in small states to sway elections. In fact, almost $5 per person is invested to change the minds of citizens in these states who are on the fence. Is this what we want? And if not, how do we get this to change?

Currently, the leader of our nation is decided through the electoral college, which consists of electors who vote for a candidate based on the wants of the people. However, if we elected a president by popular vote, instead of concentrating the money on swing states, the money would be spent more broadly to reach all undecided voters.

Let’s think back to when the electoral college was formed. When the Constitution was being written, a popular vote was desired. However, slavery was a complication since slave owners would control their slaves votes. To lessen the power of slave owners for representation in Congress, a slave was treated as three-fifths of a person. To have the same effect for electing the president, many considered having Congress elect the president.

On the other hand, many wanted the president to be independent from Congress. So, they decided that a different set of representatives, or electors, would vote based on the wants of the voters. The number of electors per state would be the same as the state’s members of Congress, including senators, making a state’s electoral votes a mirror of its congressional political power.

Let’s fast forward to the late 1960s and early ‘70s when the electoral college was almost abolished. The constitutional amendment process stalled in the Senate, when smaller states didn’t like the idea that they’d have less of a say in the election. For example, if a state has only enough people to have one representative — such as Alaska, Delaware, Montana, South Dakota, Vermont and Wyoming — they still have three electoral votes since they receive one for their representative and one for each senator.

Thus, the vote of a person in one of these states has about three times the power to elect the president as the vote of a person in a large state. Did the people in these small states want to keep their advantage? This was the main reason why the electoral college was not abolished.

Now, 40 years later, we live in an era where we’re even more mobile and more connected through communication. States rights don’t hold as much importance as they once did. For example, the issue of slavery that stopped the founders from having a popular vote has disappeared. Nowadays, people move easily between states, with only 59% of us living in the state in which we were born. We should try again.

We started by looking at money in elections, which is often focused on swing states. If we had a popular election for president, the money that’s now targeted on a few small areas would instead target all undecided voters. We should be minimizing the quirks of elections. In these days of data-driven politics and ideology-driven constituents, we should be maximizing fairness and minimizing areas where unfairness can be exploited.

Currently, money in politics works as a gateway through which a lesser candidate can succeed based on a few areas where people have not made up their minds. The contributions of super PACs, party committees, and outside donations are all affecting the quality of our leaders–and potentially even skewing their political interests. Just like the indirect voting methods of the electoral college, the roundabout way money is used prevents us from electing our leader fairly. Switching to the popular vote can help us to improve this situation and create a fairer America.

What do you think? What’s your take on money in the elections? Do you think getting rid of the electoral college is the answer?

Rand Strauss is the President and CEO of PeopleCount.org, a nonpartisan organization that enables the public to communicate constructively by taking stands on political issues influencing the country today. Connect with Rand and PeopleCount.org on Twitter and Facebook.

7 Tips for Mobile Video Interviews

Josh Tolan — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:30:55 +0000

By: Josh Tolan

Video interviewing is increasingly being embraced by employers as a quick and efficient way of talking to top candidates with busy schedules. In fact, a recent survey by Office Team showed six out of 10 employers are using video interviews in their hiring process. As with all things digital, now video interviews can fit in your pocket thanks to apps for smartphones and mobile tablets. But how do the interview rules differ when speaking with an employer from your mobile device?

All interviews are different and the rules for a mobile video interview aren’t quite the same as for an in-person sit down. Most mobile video interviews will actually be one-sided affairs where you answer written employer-posed questions on video. Unlike an in-person meeting or live video interview, there will be little give-and-take with your interviewer. The benefit, however, is that you can take your time recording your answers. This means your final product should be able to truly wow your potential employer. Just like in any interview, the stakes are high.

If you want to impress employers while using your mobile device, here are a few tips and tricks to keep in mind:

Dress to impress
Just because you won’t be sitting in front of your interviewer doesn’t mean sweatpants are appropriate attire for your mobile video interview. You might think it’s fine because your interviewer will never see your bottom half, but your clothing has the power to affect the way you feel and the way you present yourself.

Dress up in a business suit or other office-appropriate formal wear, even if your employer will only see your top half. This will show your interviewer how serious you’re taking the opportunity and will help you to exude the confidence you need to impress.

Stand out from the crowd
It’s important to remember that just because video interviews are now portable doesn’t actually mean you should record your interview on the go. Take some time choosing your location, don’t just record your video interview answers anywhere. You want to make sure you’re the star of the video, so you’ll want to find a private place to answer questions. In the middle of a crowded room or with your roommate making dinner behind you is not the best bet.

Stage your background just like you would for a video interview or important teleconference. Just because you can interview now from wherever life takes you doesn’t mean all backgrounds are created equal. Try to find a neutral, professional setting so employers focus on you, not your scenery.

Sound it out
Just like your background, the sound quality of your recording is extremely important. If employers can’t hear you, you’ll end up in the trash pile within the first few seconds of your recording. Make sure you choose a very quiet place to record your video interview answers. Turn off all televisions and devices likely to make noises.

Before you submit, watch your answer and make sure you can be clearly heard and understood. You’ll want to make sure to enunciate your words so employers can understand how you’d bring value to their company.

Get static
You’re recording a video interview, not the Blair Witch Project, so make sure you stay away from the shaky cam form of filmmaking. It might be tempting to hold your smartphone at arm’s length and record your answer, but this is a bad idea. It’s likely your arm will get tired and even those with impressive arm strength might find they have a hard time keeping their phones held steady.

Instead, try using a tripod or prop your phone into position on a nearby table. Make sure your mobile device isn’t going to fall over while you record your video interview. It’s important to keep your phone in a steady location to ensure the finished product looks and sounds professional.

Turn off notifications
If you’re recording your video answers from your smartphone, it’s a good idea to turn off anything with bells and whistles. Turn off all your notifications and make sure to let your friends and family know you’ll be busy recording.

No employer wants to hear the sound of your phone receiving multiple text messages while you talk about your ability to focus and prioritize. You might be a popular person, but for the space of the video interview put your social life on hold.

Know your stuff
Knowing your stuff is obviously the best way to impress in any interview, whether it’s in person, a live video interview, or a mobile interview. Do plenty of research on the company including what challenges the organization is facing, what their biggest successes have been, and what the corporate culture is like. This will allow you to tailor your answers to transform you from just another candidate into just the person the company needs to succeed.

Follow-up
Because you won’t be face-to-face with your interviewer, it’s easy to submit answers and forget to follow-up. But touching base with the employer after the interview is vitally important. Even though you didn’t see your interviewer or shake their hand doesn’t mean they’re not taking time out of their busy schedules to consider you for the job.

Send a brief note thanking your interviewer for their time and consideration. In the note, make sure to restate your interest in the position and ask when you can expect to hear back about the next stage in the process. This will set you apart from the other submit-and-wait candidates and show employers just how eager you are to land the job.

Mobile interviews play by different rules than traditional in-person meetings or even live video interviews. Make sure you know these tips in order to impress your interviewer and nab the job of your dreams.

7 Unconventional Ways to Make Money After Your 9-to-5

Heather R. Huhman — Tue, 15 Jan 2013 21:00:49 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Feeling a little strapped for cash?

Whether you’re paying off student loan debt or just not making enough to meet all your needs, sometimes full-time work isn’t enough income to supplement your cash flow–and this situation is sure to cause you some stress.

It may be time to consider a variety of options to supplement your income before charging expenses to your credit card to make ends meet. Your time may be limited, but there are a variety of ways–aside from retail or bartending–to earn a little extra and ease your stress.

Here are seven unconventional ways to boost your income after your 9-to-5:

1. Dabble in babysitting. While typically your first job as a teenager, it’s important not to rule out part-time childcare as a flexible option to make a bit of extra money. Since most babysitting jobs take place between 6 p.m and 11 p.m., it’s likely that this kind of position will fit into your work week. Consider signing up for Sittercity to make your search for babysitting or nannying jobs that fit your schedule.

2. Get crafty and start an online store. If you’re a serial DIY’er, it’s time to get paid for what you love. From knitting to painting, websites dedicated to buying and selling handmade goods are a great place to showcase your wares while sparing cash flow. Get started on Etsy and use your spare time to do what you enjoy most.

3. Become a dog walker. Often the dream job of many pet and exercise enthusiasts, dog walking is an easy part-time gig that often pays fairly well. This unconventional position will allow you to create your own schedule and maintain a variety of different furry clients.

4. Share your knowledge as a tutor. If you have a knack for writing or math, tutoring might be the perfect gig for your nights and weekends. This is also a great option if you are (or have considered becoming) a teacher.

5. Work freelance. The current job climate has created a very hospitable environment for freelancers. Many companies looking to cut costs are now outsourcing work to contractors and freelancers. Use your marketable skills to seek out work you can accomplish in your spare time.

6. Staff a convention center or special event. There are a variety of venues and services that seek out part-time help to staff an event for an evening. If there is a large concert venue near you, consider seeking out a position where you can work as needed during big events. There are also a variety of opportunities for those individuals interested in working in a promotional position.

7. Donate plasma. If you donate blood often, it might be time to consider earning a little extra money while doing so. There are a variety of medical facilities that pay for the drawing of blood plasma.

What unconventional ways have you supported your income?

3 Ways to Use Online Video to Find Great Interns

Josh Tolan — Sat, 12 Jan 2013 13:00:31 +0000

By Josh Tolan

As the semesters change for college students, it might be time to think about how to hire great interns for your company. Online video might be the solution, helping you to cut down your hiring time while still connecting personally with this large and eager applicant pool. Considering 75 percent of students who attend four-year colleges undertake at least one internship, the odds are your pool of potential interns will be fairly wide.

You’re not just looking for someone to make you coffee and make copies, you’re looking for talented workers willing to learn the ropes. Internships can be great opportunities to train the future of your industry. They can also be opportunities to find your next great hire with a big dollar discount.

According to a study quoted in Management Review, employers save about $15,000 per person when they hire from their own intern pool. This makes sense, since hiring a current or former intern means low training costs and onboarding expenses. More importantly, you already know the intern fits in your company culture and is passionate about the work.

So how do you hire interns with the potential to become superstar employees when they turn the tassel on their graduation cap? Online video might be a powerful way to attract the right interns and hire the best people to grow their skills in your company.

Here are a few ways to utilize online video to find the top-tier interns you need:

Make a company video
It’s important to attract interns who will flourish in your company culture. Just like hiring a full-time employee, company culture fit is important when finding the right interns. If your company is a creative and chaotic startup, you’ll want interns who can jump in and hit the ground running without much hand-holding. If you’re a big corporation with hierarchical structures and rules for moving up the ladder, however, you’ll want to find interns who crave a more ordered universe.

Recording a company video is a great way to show off your organizational environment so the interns who apply for your positions can self-select depending on their ideal culture. By making a recruitment video, whether it’s general or just aimed at interns, you’d certainly be in good company. Social media giants like Twitter have utilized online video as a creative way to show off what it’s like to work at the corporation with some personality.

Short of letting a bunch of interested interns tour your company on a typical workday, recruitment videos are a great way to show off your culture so you attract the right people.

Encourage interns to send in video resumes
Looking through endless resumes can be tough, but it can be even more difficult when your applicants have little real-world experience to fill a traditional paper resume. Just because a college student doesn’t possess much relevant work experience doesn’t mean they won’t be superstar interns. In fact, most internship candidates are looking to get a foot in the door of their chosen industry and might have little experience, but a lot of passion.

This is where online video can really help you and your candidates. By encouraging your candidates to send in a video resume, you’re allowing candidates to tell you more about their passion for the job than they could on their resume or in their cover letter. In the 60-second video resume they can let you know about their relevant school work and volunteer experience and how it can apply to the job.

Most important, however, you can see their communication skills, personality, and passion and how it will fit with your company. When it comes to cultural fit, a video resume can tell you more than a list of classes and a GPA. Plus a passionate intern who wants to learn is more likely to go the extra mile than a skilled but dispassionate candidate.

Video interview even far-flung candidates
Just because your intern candidate isn’t located in your backyard doesn’t mean they’re not the right talent for your company. Many students go to college miles away from their home states. But when the summer months roll around, these students return home and look for ways to expand their skill sets.

If you want to get a jump start on hiring your crop for the summer internship season, video interviews can be a great way to connect with out-of-state talent. Utilizing a live video interview, you can connect with these candidates face-to-face all without your talent leaving the dorm.

It’s also a great way to connect with potential intern superstars who are studying abroad. Video interviews can help a wider variety of candidates to apply so you can find the people most excited to learn and grow in your company.

Hiring great interns is a smart way to develop your talent pool and even find your next great employee. Using online video can make the prospect of finding the interns you need less daunting, so you can focus on hiring only the best and brightest.

What are some ways you can use online video to hire great interns? Share in the comments!

13 Employee Referral New Year’s Resolutions for 2013 [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Fri, 11 Jan 2013 15:35:54 +0000

For many people, the new year means renewing your gym membership, staying away from sweets, and learning how to organize your life a little better. For many organizations though, it means figuring out how to be better in 2013. This may entail gaining new talent who can bring their skills, experience, and accomplishments to the company. And where should you find these employees? Look no further than your own network.

It’s true that top employees are usually hidden behind the people you trust the most. So, it’s time to use this to your advantage. The infographic below — compiled by social recruitment platform Zao — illustrates 13 simple employee referral resolutions any organization should make to build great teams.

Check out the full infographic below–and when you’re ready to to take these ideas to the next level, check out the full ebook, Employee Referral Best Practices, here.

Courtesy of: Zao.com

Do you have any employee referral new year’s resolutions for 2013? Let us know in the comments below.

4 Job Search Missteps to Axe This Year

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 10 Jan 2013 17:38:11 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

For job seekers, the loads of advice found on the Internet is almost overwhelming. Unfortunately, much of this advice is downright bad and misleading. Some of this bad advice stems from the ever-changing job market and technologies created specifically for the job seeker. Let’s face it — it’s hard to keep up sometimes.

However, other advice comes from lack of experience and ignorance. It’s time to wipe our job search slates clean of some bad advice this year:

1. Networking is the only priority.

Networking is a very essential part of the job search process, but if this is all you’re doing, you may not have a fruitful outcome. In some ways, landing a job is about who you know, but you must have the personality, skills, and knowledge to back that up!

2. Going back to school will help you land a job.

In some cases this might be true, but getting a new certificate or degree doesn’t guarantee anyone a job — just look at the thousands of recent graduates struggling to find jobs right now. What you should be considering is additional education that will help you achieve your career goals in the future. Your expectations shouldn’t include fixing your immediate situation.

3. Settling on a job is okay.

Job seekers, especially those newer to the workforce, are often told it’s okay to settle on a job because you can’t expect the best at the beginning of your career. Wrong! Many people love their first jobs and these jobs end up serving as a springboard to bigger experiences. If you’re really not feeling a job offer, you don’t have to accept it just because it’s your only (or first) offer. It’s okay to do what’s best for you and move on — particularly when it doesn’t feel like a good fit.

4. Nobody reads your cover letter and resume.

Cover your ears! This career advice is possibly the worst around. There are plenty of other job application materials, digital and otherwise, that are taking shape today. But the traditional resume and cover letter remain an important aspect of your job application, so don’t forgo the time and effort it takes to perfect them. It’s best to use a variety of approaches in your job search, and that variety should still include traditional job search tactics.

Basically, you should understand that one single job search tactic will not land you a job or make you more employable. Take the advice and incorporate it into your strategy of the many things you’ll do to find a suitable job. Relying on only one piece of job search advice is foolish and will ultimately handicap your job search!

What’s the worst piece of job search advice you were ever given?

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for job search and human resources technologies. She is also the instructor of Find Me A Job: How To Score A Job Before Your Friends, author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships (2011) and #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets.

A New Year = A New Approach To Resumes

onepage — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 14:40:03 +0000

By Joanna Riley Weidenmiller

Out with the old, and in with the new.

Companies have a lot to consider in the new year, especially those looking to expand their staff by hiring some of the top talent available. Similarly, job seekers need to consider looking for new ways to stand out to potential employers.

Adapting Due To The Job Outlook

As the job situation grows more serious, businesses could be heading toward a crisis if they’re unwilling to adapt to the challenges of an ever-changing hiring environment. This year, hiring managers should expect to say goodbye to the traditional resume-based hiring process, and welcome in new ways to challenge their potential hires.

“U.S. small business owners expect to hire fewer employees over the next year than at any time since the depths of the financial crisis on concerns surrounding the fiscal cliff,” wrote Anjili Raval in the Financial Times. In a survey of 607 small business owners in November, the Wells Fargo/Gallup Small Business Index found that 21 percent expect to cut jobs at their companies in the next year, the most since August 2003.

The Downfall Of The Resume

Resumes are increasingly less efficient in confirming whether a candidate can meet the qualifications for a position. With 3.6 billion resumes being sent to the current five million companies within the U.S., job seekers are being drowned out. Additionally, since many organizations now use applicant tracking systems (ATS) for pre-screening candidates, many highly qualified people get weeded out of the hiring process if their resume lacks the keywords necessary to score highly in the system.

Take A New Approach in 2013

The status quo just isn’t going to cut it in 2013 — not for job seekers or employers. With the bar being raised so high due to competition in the market, job seekers need to seek out a new approach for landing a job. Look past the generalized and constricting resume for a new way to prove to potential employers you have what it takes to succeed whether it is in the position they’re offering.

1. Understand the company’s needs. Going above and beyond is essential in every part of the hiring process — especially when it comes to understanding what a company is really looking for in their candidates. Truly assess the needs of the company in regard to the open position. This will help you to better understand how you can position yourself as the person who can do more than just the bare minimum.

2. Assess your skills and experiences. A successful job search involves a level of self-understanding many job seekers completely lack. Take the time to understand your personal goals and values — and how those relate to the company and the position — so you are certain of what you can bring to the position you’re applying for.

3. Be the solution. Rather than simply being “just another applicant,” position yourself as the solution the company has been searching for. This can be done in many creative ways, all of which certainly break the boundaries of the traditional resume. Plan to package your unique skills and experiences in a way that works for you, whether it’s coming up with a proposal, creating a video, or utilizing other new tools to show off your skills.

Getting hired in the new year means thinking outside the resume. Seek out new ways to impress your potential employers by being the solution they’ve been looking for.

How do you plan to go above and beyond as a job seeker in 2013?

Joanna Riley Weidenmiller is the CEO of The One-Page Company. Prior to launching 1-Page, Joanna was the CEO of Performance Advertising. Joanna earned her B.A. in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and lives between Beijing, China, and San Francisco. Connect with Joanna and The One-Page Company on Twitter @1pageproposal and Facebook.

What Every Job Seeker Should Know About Applicant Tracking Systems

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 02 Jan 2013 18:15:09 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Job seekers often lament over the lengthy application processes they must endure to apply for only one job. They go through applications several pages long, cover letter writing, and document formatting to get materials submitted. Why do companies make this process so lengthy and cumbersome?

Three words: applicant tracking systems.

Otherwise known as ATS software, applicant tracking systems are used by companies to manage the large volume of resumes and applicants they receive for each open position. In fact, each open position garners an average of 118 applicants. This is a large number of applications for any one person to sift through, not to mention if there are several positions open at a company. Thus, ATS software has become the norm.

Because this software is meant to pre-screen job applicants, weeding out job seekers who don’t meet the lengthy job requirements, it’s easy for job seekers to fall victim to the ATS. But if you understand how ATS software works, you can use it your advantage.

ATS software thrives on keywords and phrases.

While you should never overload your resume with job-specific keywords, being cognizant of these keywords and phrases can help ATS software flag your resume. The best way to do this is to customize your resume to every job description, making your resume more relevant. Whether you’re a marketing specialist, web developer, or software engineer, there are skills and titles relevant to your industry that will commonly show up in searches. Hone in on these keywords.

Follow all of the directions in the application, large and small.

I know, these applications can get pretty lengthy. But think of this as one of the ways the ATS is trying to weed out job candidates. With that in mind, be sure to fill out everything in the job application, whether it’s “required” or not, so the ATS has more ammo to flag your application as a match. Didn’t attach a cover letter? Well, for all you know, a cover letter was an unofficial job requirement (meaning, they didn’t list it in the description but are using the lack of a cover letter as a way to weed out applicants) and not attaching one automatically puts you in the “no” pile, regardless of how well you fit the position.

Simplify your resume.

Make sure you’re submitting materials in the appropriate, requested format. For example, you may have an awesome PDF version of your resume, but make sure you have a simplified Word version available, too. Many ATS’s allow you to upload your resume and automatically pull information into the appropriate application fields. But if your resume is laced with fancy layouts, images, and fonts, it often botches that upload and makes it difficult for the ATS to read your resume details.

Don’t fall victim to ATS software ignorance. If you’re truly a good fit for a position and you use the ATS intelligently, you can get your resume to the top of the pile. But if you’re worried your resume isn’t getting seen, find the hiring manager’s email or mailing address and send a copy of your resume with note stating it’s your second submission.

Good luck!

The Top 10 Job Seeker New Year’s Resolutions

Josh Tolan — Mon, 31 Dec 2012 15:39:48 +0000

By Josh Tolan

What better time than around the new year to start making your resolutions? Most people resolve to lose weight, reconnect with old friends, or even rediscover an old passion when the clock strikes midnight and ushers in 2013.

But you’re different, because you’re a job seeker. Your resolution for the year 2013 is to go out there and find your dream job.

Finding a dream job doesn’t just happen by magic. (Wouldn’t that be awesome?) Here are some specific resolutions you should be making in order to meet your goal and show up for work at your ideal office in 2013:

Resolution #1: Know Your Goals
Before setting out on a protracted job search, ask yourself what you really want out of your career. It might seem silly, but perhaps you don’t know your own goals and aspirations as well as you think. By spending some time focused on exactly what you want to get out of your job search, you’ll avoid taking the wrong job and getting stuck on a career path which doesn’t fulfill you.

This is also a great chance to think about whether you should stay on your current path or switch industries. Whatever you decide, make sure you’re truly dedicated and passionate about your goal and you’ll be one step closer to achieving it.

Resolution #2: Never stop networking
Networking is a great way to discover hidden job opportunities and to set yourself apart from the pack. It’s important to resolve to make 2013 the year you really focus on building up your circle. Network in person and through social media and make sure to remember to follow-up with your contacts in order to keep them fresh. This way, when a great opportunity opens up, you’re smiling face is the first they imagine.

Resolution #3: Work on your elevator pitch
If you’re going to be networking up a storm in 2013, it’s important you have your elevator pitch down cold. Your elevator pitch is the concise way you introduce yourself to new contacts. Make sure you have all the vital information about yourself, but don’t ramble on. You want to make an impression quickly so the conversation can move on from the introductions. This will also be helpful in the interview process, whether it’s in person or through online video, when the interviewer asks you to tell them a little bit about yourself.

Resolution #4: Get Visual
Visual media is everywhere you look now, from your college friends posting Facebook pictures to your grandma merrily pinning away on Pinterest. Everyone is obsessed with visual media, and the job search isn’t much different. If you can find a way to make an impression visually, you’ll be more likely to grab the attention of hiring managers.

Look into infographic resumes, make sure your social media profiles sport professional pictures, and record a video resume to show off your communication skills. Remember a picture (or video!) can tell a thousand words, so make sure your images are saying the right things.

Resolution #5: Have a Social Media Plan
Social media is an ever-increasing part of daily life. From keeping in contact with friends to networking with potential contacts, social media is an important tool to stay in touch. Make sure you’re not just using social media on a whim when it comes to your job hunt.

Take some time to make a workable social media job search plan. This could include groups you should join, discussions you should add to, or Twitter chats you should monitor. Don’t think social media is a magic bullet that will land you a job with no effort.

Resolution #6: Brand Yourself
It’s important to establish a personal brand for yourself as a candidate in order to quickly and efficiently tell employers what you’re all about. Consider it your elevator pitch for when you don’t have the opportunity to speak to a potential contact in person.

You might want to consider a personal website, video resume, or an online work portfolio where you show off your skills. At the least you should make sure your personal brand is consistent across all your social media profiles and anywhere else you can be found on the Internet.

Resolution #7: Focus on Time Management
You don’t have time to apply to every job opening, which is good because not every job is right for you. Instead, focus on managing your time by only applying for the jobs you’d really and truly love to have. Make sure both the position itself and the company culture are a good fit.

Resolution #8: Volunteer Your Time
Volunteering is a great way to give back to the community. It’s also a great way to show employers how dedicated and hardworking you are. If you have a gap on your resume, volunteering is a great way to fill it. And if you find a volunteer opportunity in which you can use your industry-related skills, this shows employers you’re passionate even during your off hours.

Resolution #9: Keep Learning
Never stop learning and adding to your knowledge base. Know what skills and qualifications are necessary in your field and got out there and brush up those skills. Take a certification course or even spend some time with someone in a different department to find out how other aspects of the company work. Make sure you never stay stagnant in your career and who knows what doors you might be opening for yourself in the future.

Resolution #10: Give Yourself a Break
Job hunting is tough, make no mistake. If you spend 100 percent of your time hunting for a job, you will burn out. Don’t forget to relax and take a break occasionally. Make time for the things which are important to you, so you can return to the search refreshed and ready to snag your dream job!

What are your 2013 job search resolutions? Share in the comments!

5 Ways to Love Your Job in 2013

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 17:44:53 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Throughout your career journey, there are likely to be plenty of stops along the way. While you may not have your dream job just yet, today’s lagging economy means there are still plenty of reasons to be appreciative of the job you do have.

In 2013, make a resolution to take significant steps to love your job, dream job or not. Some minor tweaks and attitude changes can save you from getting stuck in a career rut or feeling unmotivated as the new year dawns. Check out these five ways to love your job in 2013:

1. Get motivated. Every day, vow to focus on the positive aspects of your job rather than the negative ones. Maybe your job allows you time to have a fulfilling social life. Maybe one of your coworkers is also a great friend. Or maybe you’ve completely mastered your everyday tasks. Keep your work life in perspective by ensuring you’re focusing on fulfilling activities when you’re out of the office, too–consider volunteering or joining a community club you’re interested in.

2. Keep your eyes peeled for new opportunities. Too many people feel they have little control over their career once they’ve landed a job. Even if you’re not working at your dream company, there are still plenty of opportunities you can seize to keep your industry knowledge fresh and learn new skills. Take advantage of workshops, webinars, networking events, company social gatherings–anything to get you out of your comfort zone. In your career, any new opportunity can be a chance to learn valuable skills and glean new insight.

3. Vow to network more. Just because you have a job, that doesn’t mean you should stop networking. In fact, people who stop networking just because they’re comfortable in a job may end up hurting themselves if they’re back on the job hunt later. Be proactive about your networking efforts–attend networking events, reach out to professionals whose work you admire, invite longtime contacts out for coffee to reconnect–anything you can do to keep old relationships strong and seize opportunities to forge new ones.

4. Challenge yourself. Taking on new projects can be a great way to show your boss you’re adaptable and a valuable asset to the company. Offer to step in where you normally wouldn’t have responsibilities. Or, ask your boss if you can shadow a colleague in another department to learn how various aspects of the company work. Your boss will like to see you taking initiative to beef up your skills–and this can also reflect well on you come promotion time.

5. Ask about telecommuting. Determine if you have a job that would be suitable for working at home. Do you have all the necessary software? Can you keep to deadlines? Can you turn in projects electronically? Will you be able to keep your boss updated on your progress? Take advantage of our technologically-connected world by asking your boss if you can do a test run working from home one day. If it works out, you may be able to snag a few additional days each month during which you can telecommute–and this will do wonders for your work-life balance.

Loving your job often takes nothing more than a slight attitude change and a motivation to seize new opportunities to help you grow. Consider these tips as you gear up for your career in 2013. Good luck!

How to Perform a Job Search Overhaul This Holiday Season

Alan Carniol — Wed, 26 Dec 2012 14:35:46 +0000

By Alan Carniol

It’s that time again. The weather is colder, decorations have been lighting up the streets for weeks, and we begin to evaluate the year that has passed. Unfortunately for some, this year may have not been the best.

The unemployment rate has been on the rocks in 2012. According to Gallup, without seasonal adjustment, the unemployment rate was 7.8 percent for the month of November. With seasonal adjustments, the rate was 8.3 percent. No matter which number we’re looking at, one thing is clear: many Americans are still out of work.

However, with the holidays comes a time of reflection and the chance to start fresh. So, for those who are still looking for a job, I challenge you to do something this holiday season: overhaul your job search so you won’t be in the same place this time next year.

Here are some ways to do it:

Use new ways to show off your strengths online
The power of social networks are undeniable. According to some reports, 1 in 6 job seekers found their last job through one. However, with such heavy competition, what are some additional ways to stand out? A few suggestions include the following:

Start an online campaign that highlights why you’re a candidate to watch. (Here’s a great example.)
Highlight or pin your status updates so the most important ones are always at the top of your profiles.
Connect with thought leaders and dream companies and start a conversation.
Participate in Twitter chats to get your name out there.
Manage your online reputation by cleaning up any questionable posts or photos and replace them with content that reflects positively on you.
Always backlink to your personal website, LinkedIn profile, and/or online portfolio.

By showing off your strengths online, you begin to stand out from the sea of job seekers who are doing the bare minimum on their social networks. With nearly 2 in 5 companies using social networks to research candidates, it’s in your best interest to do so.

Make your profiles SEO friendly
Search engine optimization (SEO) is a tactic used to help you stand out in search engines. From creating catered content to inputting keywords, SEO becomes important as more companies begin to research candidates online. Why not use the strategy amplify the power of your profiles?

For example, a job description will typically list some important details about the position. You can use the tactics of SEO, such as inputting essential keywords, into your online profiles. If the position is an advertising executive in Orlando, you could note these words in your LinkedIn headline. You can also use the same method in your Twitter bio, Facebook “About Me” section, Google+ page, or personal website. So, if an employer searches for a candidate using these keywords, your profile should pop up.

Evaluate your interview style
Many job seekers fail to connect their motivations, strengths, values, and accomplishments with the position, therefore stumbling in an interview. Take the time to evaluate your interview style, how you present yourself, and how to relay your desire for the job.

There are a number of steps to take in order to do this. First, understand the position through and through. Next, evaluate why you are right for the job, such as linking past accomplishments to the needs of the organization. You should then try to polish off your interview skills by taking an online course or practicing with a friend. You can also record yourself and then assess what works and what doesn’t. By doing so, you get to the root of your desire for the job, which will help you to be a more confident, well-versed candidate when the real interview happens.

So, as this holiday season winds down, do more than play in the snow or eat too much food. Overhaul your job search so you’re the getting the phone call, nabbing the interview, and landing the job.

Good luck!

What do you think? What are some other ways to perform a job search overhaul this holiday season?

Alan Carniol is the Founder of InterviewSuccessFormula.com, an online training program that helps job seekers deliver powerful answers that prove why they are the right person for the job. Follow Alan and Interview Success Formula on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

4 Details Hiring Managers Really Look For In Your Cover Letter

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 17:34:27 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

As we all know, writing a great cover letter that will get a hiring manager’s attention is no small feat. The best cover letters are customized for each and every unique job and company. This can be time consuming but is a super successful technique for getting your cover letter read and into the interview pile.

But aside from customization, what details are hiring managers looking for when reading job applicants’ cover letters? I can say from experience they are much simpler than you might think.

1. Job and company-specific content that shows you did your research.

Think of writing your cover letter as a sales pitch. You’re essentially selling yourself, your skills, and your knowledge to the company. Therefore, hiring managers are looking for details that show you’re familiar with the company and that you would make a good fit.

You don’t have to go all out with these details. But by customizing your cover letter for each job description and making note of any industry-related news, new products, or recent announcements, it shows you’re paying attention.

2. Actions and results from your work experience that relate to that position, not your personal life.

Hiring managers truly want to know the details of your past work experience that pertain to the job at hand. This means you don’t need to highlight all of your great skills and experiences. Again, this is where your strategic thinking should come into play.

If you’re not sure where to begin, consider examples of times when your top skills came in handy and consider how that sets you apart for this particular job. Don’t forget, hiring managers don’t want to hear about your personal life, goals, or needs — only about how you can contribute to the company.

3. Short paragraphs with succinct details.

While all the details above are great for a cover letter, hiring managers want to receive this information in short and succinct paragraphs. You should focus on making it easy for them to read your cover letter. Don’t get bogged down in the nitty-gritty details of a past project — simply share the most important details that get your point across. Situation, action, results.

4. Professional-quality and error-free content.

This last detail is so simple, yet you’d be surprised how often it’s ignored. When writing a cover letter, never forget to proofread your work. If you are customizing each cover letter to every job description, it’s easy to miss some details here and there. But if a hiring manager sees an error, your cover letter will go straight into the “no” pile. The same goes for cover letters that aren’t written professionally. While creativity is great, keep your writing professional and politically correct.

Never forget your cover letter is about what you can do for the company and why you make a good fit for both the position and the organization — and nothing else. Hiring managers are reading your cover letter quickly, so make it short, professional, and give them the details they want to see.

What other details are hiring managers looking for in cover letters? Share your tips in the comments below!

5 Ways to Maintain Work-Life Balance During the Holidays

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 19 Dec 2012 14:45:00 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

The holiday season is stressful–and trying to divide your time between everything that needs to be done can make it worse. Although many folks have days off where they can spend time with their families, work still needs to get done.

So, how can employees maintain work-life balance during the holidays? Several experts weighed in with their suggestions below:

Create An Organized Schedule To Maintain Work-Life Balance
Focus on developing an organized schedule for the holiday season. This will allow you to have an overview of your daily, weekly, and monthly tasks, both inside and outside of the office.

– Amit De, Careerleaf

Put Focus Where It Belongs
Maintaining a work-life balance during the holiday season can be truly difficult, especially as presents need to be bought and stockings need to be stuffed. The best way for employees to maintain balance is to really focus on each task. At work, employees should focus only on work-related tasks which means no online holiday shopping. At home, employees should put away their email in order to focus on spending quality time with family this holiday season.

– Josh Tolan, Spark Hire

Be 100% Present With Your Time
Set specific days or times in your schedule to commit yourself solely to work, and the rest of your time to your personal life. Whatever you do, don’t stray from that. If you find yourself trying to do a little work here and there over the holidays, you will find yourself distracted, inefficient, and unproductive.

– Joanna Riley Weidenmiller, 1-Page Proposal

Flexible Schedules and Working From Home
During the holidays, employees can maintain their work-life balance by adopting flexible schedules. Try asking your employer if you can work flexible hours, where you avoid long commutes by starting work earlier or later than usual, and ending earlier or later as well. Or ask of you’d be able to work from home one or two days a week. Just being able to start dinner while you’re finishing up the work day can help you maintain your balance during a very busy time.

– Sara Sutton Fell, FlexJobs

Set Expectations By Determining a Point Person or Off Times
Determine with your group who needs to be the point person “on call” and designate that individual, rotating days. If you are in a work setting where you can’t team base the workload, then designate “on” and “off” connecting times. It is all about setting expectations. Say you leave the office and drive carpool — state your off times are from 7 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. and the on times are from 8:30 p.m. to 10 p.m. If you receive a message during the off times, let it fall into voicemail. People will respect your off times if you hold true to it. When you answer any time, you set yourself up for the 24/7 routine.

– Lisa Chenofsky Singer, Chenofsky Singer & Associates

How do you maintain a good work-life balance during the holidays?

Most Ideal Jobs for Type A Personalities

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:53:15 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

The best job for you could depend on the type of personality you have. If you’re a Type A, this means some career paths are likely to be better for you than others.

The concept of the Type A personality arose in the 1950s as a risk factor for heart disease. People with Type A personalities tend to be ambitious, goal-oriented, and focused. They’re likely to be risk takers who dislike routine and are great at multitasking. They’re change-oriented, deadline-driven, and take a no-nonsense approach.

While Type A personalities are ambitious high achievers, their personality also comes with some drawbacks. Type A’s are often time starved, too competitive, controlling, rushed, and impatient. They experience a constant sense of urgency that can lead to feelings of stress. Type A’s often schedule their commitments in tight increments, another stress factor.

If this describes you, it’s important to take a look at which career paths will be best for your personality. A job that doesn’t suit your individual personality can mean you’ll be uncomfortable at best — and unsuccessful at worst. Here are the most ideal jobs for Type A personalities:

Business. The world of business is fast-paced and requires the multitasking abilities most Type A people possess. Be sure to research a company’s values and culture prior to committing to a position. Because environmental factors tend to have an impact on a Type A’s stress levels, it’s important to ensure your working environment is one in which you’re comfortable and can eliminate triggers for stress.

Entrepreneurship. Type A’s are self-starters, meaning they have the gusto to motivate themselves into taking all of the necessary steps to complete whatever project they’re tasked with. This type of dedication lends itself to entrepreneurial work, which is challenging and requires a self-motivated attitude–perfect for Type A’s.

Leadership. Leadership roles offer Type A’s an outlet to harness their ambitious demeanor and put their organizational skills and focus on efficiency into practice. Type A’s are also status conscious, making leadership or management roles a good fit. One challenge of being a leader with a Type A personality means overcoming the tendency to be high strung, aggressive, or controlling. Keeping a balance between leading, listening, and collaborating is the key.

Public Policy. Public policy, advocacy, or political work provides an excellent opportunity for Type A’s to harness their take-charge attitude. Work in public policy can be draining and requires someone who has the self-motivation to see projects through to the very end, despite any bumps along the way. Type A’s are self-critical, meaning a commitment to personal values is what will help them to succeed in public policy positions.

Type A personalities face unique challenges in their career paths. Their self-motivated, go-getter attitude means they’ll likely be high achievers if they choose a position and working environment that caters to their strengths.

5 Ways Seasonal Employment Affects Future Job Opportunities

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 18:49:47 +0000

By Heather Huhman

Many job seekers face this dilemma: take a seasonal job in hopes that it will lead to something permanent, or continue searching for a full-time job during the holidays?

So how does seasonal employment really affect your career and job search?

Show Off Your Stuff to Turn a Seasonal Job Into a Full-Time Career
If you want to turn a seasonal job into a more long-lasting opportunity, make this clear right from the hiring process. Go into the interview, whether it’s in-person or through online video, the same way you would for a full-time job. Stress that you’d be open to working at the company after the season ends and make sure to work hard when you actually get your seasonal job. Then, when it’s time to bring on a few new full-time employees your name will be at the top of the list.

– Josh Tolan, Spark Hire

Seasonal Employment: A Soft Skills Christmas Stocking
Working in retail? You just gained critical sales and closing skills. Food-service or banquets: you just acquired problem-solving skills you wouldn’t have otherwise. Tourist-related industries: your customer service skills are in high-demand. Even warehousing skills show a commitment to achieving deadlines at crunch-time. Properly positioned on your resume and LinkedIn profiles, seasonal employment is the gift that keeps giving…through development of soft skills.

– Mark Babbitt, YouTern

Positioned Properly, Seasonal Employment Shows Soft Skills
Seasonal employment does not impact job opportunities if the resume is positioned appropriately. In other words, don’t let your resume signal a “job hopper.” Your resume should reflect your ability to onboard quickly, learn new companies/cultures/processes fast, and your willingness to work hard.

– Stacey Hawley, Credo

Opportunity to Upgrade the Workforce For Managers
Seasonal hires provide a much better opportunity for evaluation of an employee’s abilities and attitude than a job interview. Managers should be looking for star performers among seasonal employees and use opportunities to upgrade the workforce. Managers should also stress to current employees that the holiday season is important and they are expected to perform.

– Edward F. Harold, Fisher & Phillips

Think of it as Auditioning For Full-Time Employment
In short, if you stand out as a seasonal player, you can consider this an audition for a full-time role in most cases. Hard working, smart employees are hard to find. Focus on standing out for the right reasons in your seasonal job and it could lead to full-time employment.

– David Lewis, OperationsInc.com and AllCountyJobs.com

What do you think? How has seasonal employment affected your career?

The Top 10 Things To Always Bring Up In an Interview

Alan Carniol — Wed, 12 Dec 2012 13:30:43 +0000

By Alan Carniol

The job interview might be the only thing left between you and the position of your dreams. Even when you’re the most qualified candidate with references galore, a poor interview performance can leave a lousy impression on a potential employer.

Yet, you can avoid nearly all interview mishaps if you prepare the right way for your interview. This means always knowing which talking points to bring up — and why these points are important in determining if the position is a good fit for you.

Here is a checklist of 10 things to always bring up in an interview:

1. The work
The most fundamental goal of the interview is to determine whether you have the skills to do the job. Still, your interviewer may not even know how to figure out if you have what it takes. You must be ready to do it for them. Be prepared with a list of your top selling points so the interviewer is completely aware of your advantages over others.

2. The company
In a 2011 survey by AccountTemps, 38 percent of managers said the number one interview mistake they encountered was little or no knowledge about the hiring organization. Don’t let that happen to you. Do your homework ahead of time so you are ready to say why you want to work at that job and for that company.

3. The culture
The work environment can determine whether you love your job or hate it. Address the work culture with your interviewer to make sure your values align. There’s nothing worse than landing a job only to realize the organization is not a place where you would feel comfortable working.

4. Industry knowledge
Want to “wow” the interviewer? Show off your knowledge of the industry. Talk about recent newsworthy events or the company’s newest products. Thoroughly understanding your industry proves your passion for the field. In addition, having this knowledge suggests you have a deeper level of expertise than the average candidate.

5. Past experiences
Your past experiences demonstrate how you would perform if you landed the job. So, you want to be prepared to describe past experiences where you had a big impact. If you have numbers to back up your claims, that’s even more persuasive.

6. Portfolio
A portfolio is a visual representation of your past work. It not only shows off your accomplishments, it also gives you added value. While a portfolio may not be essential for many positions, having physical representations off your work that you can share upon request will make you look good because you went that extra mile.

7. Your plan for the position
Your interview needs to show the company what you can do for them. Lay out what you’d do, should you get the job. This plan doesn’t need to be detailed–it just needs to illustrate how you would positively contribute to the position. For instance, presenting how you would reduce customer turnover is an easy, yet beneficial way to show an employer why you would do well.

8. Your referral (if you have one)
There’s nothing wrong with name-dropping if the person helped you land the interview. If you were referred to the position, be sure to remind the interviewer. This connection may put some legitimacy behind your candidacy, as well as spark a positive conversation between you and the interviewer.

9. Thought-out questions
Always make sure you have questions at the end of the interview. From queries about the interviewer’s role to thoughts on the history of the position, questions show your desire for the job. They can also give you more insight into the role, which may not have been addressed during the more formal portion of the interview.

10. Next steps
Understanding the next steps in the interview process is essential. Always ensure you’re aware of what these are. It may be a second interview. It may be giving the company a list of references. It may mean you won’t know the outcome for a few weeks. By asking about these next steps, you’ll know what to expect and gain some peace of mind. You’ll also show your enthusiasm for this position.

As you can see, job interviews can be a much smoother process if you use this checklist. Do your research, emphasize why you are the best candidate for the job, and always leave on a good note. You’ll find the outcome of the interview will be much more positive if you do.

What do you think? What are some other things to always bring up in an interview?

Alan Carniol is the Founder of Interview Success Formula, a program that helps job seekers to deliver powerful answers that prove why they are the right person for the job. Follow Alan and Interview Success Formula on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn.

5 Inspirational Career Quotes for Your Career from 2012

Josh Tolan — Mon, 10 Dec 2012 14:30:52 +0000

By Josh Tolan

The year 2012 is drawing to a close, and as we prepare for the new year, it’s time to look back on the wisdom we’ve learned. The ancient Mayans might have held 2012 to be the end of the world, but this year was actually full of big events and inspiring people. From the presidential election to the 2012 Summer Olympics, people fighting for their dreams were everywhere on the world stage.

You might not be the fastest person in the world or running for the highest office in the land, but this doesn’t mean your career isn’t important. Whether you’re trying for a big promotion or looking to land your dream job, your resolution for 2013 should include career bliss.

Here are some great quotes from the creators, thinkers, and athletes who made 2012 so special. These are all valuable lessons you can take with you when improving your career or hunting for the perfect job in 2013:

1 “Before dreaming about the future or marking plans, you need to articulate what you already have going for you – as entrepreneurs do.” – Reid Hoffman, co-founder of LinkedIn, from The Startup of You

This is incredibly important advice, whether you’re looking to move up in your career or move into a great job. What you need to do before setting out on the road to success is to make sure you understand what unique strengths you possess.

For instance, you might be a great communicator, but your traditional paper resume isn’t the best outlet for showing off those skills. So instead, you might want to consider recording a video resume to enhance your traditional resume and show off these superior communication skills. Before making grand plans or mapping out your future, understand where your passion and talents truly lie so you can make the most of your skills.

2. “You don’t need a grand plan. Whatever you do plan is probably going to change 100 times before you’re 30. And you don’t need to be an expert in something to try it.” – New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg, speaking to the graduating class from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill.

Too many job seekers feel like, once they’ve started down a certain career path, they’ll be stuck in that industry forever. But this is just not true! You can switch paths at any point in your career if you feel passionately enough and have the skills it takes.

Don’t be afraid to try new tasks at work or take on additional responsibilities, even if you’re not an expert. The only way to learn and grow is to put in the effort and try. You might fall on your face, but you’ll learn valuable skills from the experience.

3. In a world that’s changing so quickly, you’re guaranteed to fail if you don’t take any risks.” – Mark Zuckerberg, from the Facebook IPO letter

Risk taking should always be a major aspect of your career. You don’t want to become stagnant, but instead want to continually embrace new ideas.

In the job search, this might mean utilizing new creative forms of job applications like social media, personal websites, video resumes, or infographic resumes. In your career it means not being afraid of suggesting a creative new idea, even if it’s ultimately doesn’t work. There’s no reward without risk.

4. “I am a big believer in visualization. I run through my races mentally so that I feel even more prepared.“ – Allyson Felix, London Olympic athlete in women’s running

When it comes to preparing for your interview, whether it’s in person or through online video, the best preparation is mental. Make sure to research the company as much as humanly possible. Find out what challenges the company and industry face and see how the company is being covered in the news. Utilize social media to network with current and former employees and pick their brains about what kind of worker the organization needs.

Then rope family and friends into practice interviews to make sure you sound cool, confident, and ready for anything. There’s no such thing as being over-prepared for an important interview.

5. “When you’ve worked hard, and done well, and walked through that doorway of opportunity, you do not slam it shut behind you. You reach back, and you give other folks the same chances that helped you succeed.” – Michelle Obama, Democratic National Convention speech

Don’t get complacent after you’ve reached your goal, whether it was a promotion, added responsibility, or a great new job. Your career doesn’t go on hold just because you’ve achieved what you set out to achieve.

Even more importantly, now you’re in a position to help others. Never turn down requests for advice or networking. You never know what the future will bring. The person you share advice with in an informational coffee today could be the contact helping you land a great new job tomorrow.

Use the wisdom shared by those who have achieved great things in 2012 in order to meet your own goals and resolutions in 2013.

What are some lessons you can take for your career from the inspirational quotes of 2012? Share in the comments!

Getting In The Spirit For Your Holiday Job Search

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 06 Dec 2012 18:46:11 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

There are many typical emotions surrounding the holiday season — cheer, excitement, surprise. All of these emotions add up to create the overall spirit felt during this time of year — unless you’ve embarked on the search for a new job.

The stress and frustration of searching for a new position often leaves job seekers feeling less than willing to get into the holiday spirit. It’s unfortunate to hear many job seekers actually put their searches on hold for the holidays.

Instead of giving up on your job search during the holidays, revitalize your search by tapping into the seemingly endless amount of seasonal spirit.

Get Inspired

Tapping into the holiday spirit can do wonders for your attitude and level of inspiration. This doesn’t necessarily mean decking out your resume with poinsettias and holly, but it does mean looking for inspiration on how to improve your search for a job.

There’s no “one size fits all” method for getting inspired for your search, but many job seekers find inspiration by looking on Pinterest, LinkedIn, and reading news about their industry. Seek out inspiration for unique and driven ways to present yourself to employers, or simply stay up-to-date on news within your field.

You can also look for inspiration from networking connections, friends, and thought leaders. All of these people can impact which job boards you search, how your resume looks, and even your search tactics.

Keep In Touch

Another great aspect of holiday spirit is the emphasis it places on reconnecting with the people you know. Embracing this spirit can benefit your job search by allowing you to get back on track with your networking. Use the holidays to reconnect with your network, as well as boost your efforts and meet new people.

Take advantage of the many different forms of holiday parties, and even look for ways to create your own networking opportunities. If you haven’t spoken with a previous colleague in a while, use the holidays as an excuse to get back in touch and meet up to catch up over coffee. You never know who will be the connection to your next position, so it’s important to keep your networking efforts strong throughout your search, even during the holidays.

Create Lists

It’s common to create a wish list for your holiday gifts, but it can be also a practical tool for your search. Get in the spirit by creating lists to help manage and direct your job search. Start by creating a wish list of companies in which you are interested. This is a great way to better understand what you’re looking for in the way of company culture and what kinds of positions these companies have to offer.

Another useful list for your job search is one created to track the openings for which you plan to apply. This will increase the level of organization involved in your search and have a positive impact.

Do A Little Redecorating

This season always seems to bring out the decorator in all of us, and job seekers can certainly utilize this aspect of the holiday spirit to benefit their job searches. Focus your redecoration on updating your resume and online profiles to better represent yourself during the search. Create direct, concise, and keyword-focused statements that set you apart from the competition, as well as position as you as the perfect candidate.

Rather than putting your job search aside for the holidays, utilize the holiday spirit to add a little extra jolliness to your search. Find new ways to get and stay inspired, keep in touch with those who are crucial to your success, and manage your search in a new way.

4 Tips For Turning Seasonal Employment Into A Full-Time Position

Amit De — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:30:22 +0000

By Amit De

It’s officially the holiday season.

For many, this means working a temporary seasonal position. Some like the additional income for the extra spending involved with this time of year, while others may be in-between jobs and searching for a more permanent position. While there are many pros and cons of seasonal employment, the concern of many is that the work is only temporary and lacks a guarantee past its ending date.

But the future may be brighter than expected for seasonal workers hoping to go full-time after the holidays. A study by CareerBuilder found that 23 percent of companies are planning to transition some of their temporary staff into permanent employees.

If you’re hoping to transition your part-time seasonal position into a full-time gig, it involves a lot more than crossing your fingers and hoping for luck. It’s your job to impress the company in a way that sets you apart from your competition.

Here are four tips for turning your seasonal employment into a full-time position:

1. Adjust Your Attitude

Since there are many reasons people choose to take on seasonal position, it’s likely that you’ll be working with individuals with a variety of different attitudes about their job. Some of your co-workers might be negative, tired, stressed, or even overly jolly. It’s important to remain continually positive and upbeat while on the clock. This kind of attitude will set you apart from your co-workers. It will also provide a sort of momentum that is certain to influence anyone who has the opportunity to work with you. Customers, co-workers, and management will always remember you for your personable, can-do attitude.

2. Leave A Lasting Impression

Focus on connecting and impressing the people you work with on a daily basis. From your first day on the job, identify the co-workers, managers, and employees that you hope to leave an impression on. Many of your co-workers will be non-seasonal employees who probably aren’t keen on building relationships with seasonal employees due to the turnover time. Make it a point to get to know your co-workers in a way that helps to build a professional friendship. Don’t be afraid to ask them for the occasional pointer, and help them when they are in a pinch.

Just like your co-workers, your managers will also be used to seeing employees come and go. Go above and beyond to impress your managers, but keep in mind that brown-nosers are easy to spot — so keep it subtle and genuine. Be sure to express your enthusiasm for your position and occasionally remind these key players that your future goals align closely with the company’s.

3. Go The Extra Mile

If you want to be hired full-time, it’s important to treat your position as if it’s full-time. Go out of your way to express your commitment to your position by never slacking, being flexible, dependable, and a go-to for fast problem solving. This may mean coming in when others call in sick, picking up shifts from your co-workers, or staying later to make sure everything is completed properly. When asked about your work ethic, your managers should be able to recall you as someone who continually powered through their daily tasks, as well as helped others, and even looked for ways to do more.

4. Make It Known

Your employer will never know of your intentions for a future with them if you stay quiet. Focus on being straightforward with your manager about your intentions. Your last week on the job might not be the best time to express your interest of staying on past the holidays, so don’t wait. Be sure to speak openly with management about the possibility of post-seasonal employment. Create a case for yourself by expressing your successes throughout your time on the job, as well as explaining why you’d make a valuable long-term addition to the company.

There’s certainly no guarantee that your seasonal employer will have a spot for you after the holidays, but it’s your job to continually impress them with your attitude, hard work, and unwavering interest in the company. Don’t fret if you don’t get hired after working hard all season. It’s possible that they may call you as soon as a position opens up in the future.

Were you ever hired on full-time from seasonal employment? Share below!

Amit De is the CEO and Co-founder of Careerleaf, an all-in-one job search platform that cuts the time to apply in half. Connect with Amit and Careerleaf on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

How to Avoid Awkward Interview Situations

Alan Carniol — Mon, 03 Dec 2012 15:11:35 +0000

By Alan Carniol

Interviews can turn into an awkward experience for any job seeker. They can be difficult to get through, impersonal, and make you feel stressed. At times, it can even feel like a bad date or a painful trip to the dentist.

You may feel out of your element. The interviewer may seem like he’s speaking gibberish. You may not understand what your next move should be. The hiring manager could be a jerk or show no emotion at all. Nerves can make it hard to speak.

Just the thought can make anyone cringe.

Even worse is the fact that those situations can prevent you from proving why you are the right fit for the job. However, there are some common ways to avoid those awkward interview moments in order to come out on top. Here are a few to note:

Do your homework beforehand

Before any type of interview, it’s important for you to do your research so you aren’t stumped by certain questions from the interviewer. For example, do you know who the CEO of the company is? What are some recent news events to note? What makes the organization better than its competitors? And most importantly, why do you want to work there?

Ample research helps you put some substance behind your responses. You’re able to position yourself as a candidate who has done your homework and understands what’s needed to do the job well. This combination can decrease the awkward factor since you’ll feel more confident.

Elaborate on your responses

Believe it or not, there is such a thing as an interview “conversation stopper.” Most of the time, it’s because the candidate is not being thorough enough or they are giving one-word responses.

An interview is not the time for yes or no answers. It’s the time to elaborate on your achievements, show through examples what you can contribute to the organization, and essentially be a salesman for yourself.

For instance: If the interviewer asks if you admire the company, don’t just say “yes.” Instead, elaborate with specific reasons. Say why you follow the company, perhaps by referring to recent events or organizational practices which impress you. Help the interviewer to understand why you want the job and to see your passion.

Know when a question is off-limits

Did you know there are certain questions that are off-limits for employers? These include your religious or political affiliation, your marital status, questions in regards to your gender, and any debt you may have, among others.

When you’re asked these sorts of questions you may feel very uncomfortable, but may also feel obligated to respond. Remember, if it’s not legal, you don’t need to answer.

If you do face such an off-limits question, counter it with alternative answers. According to Forbes, if the potential employer asks whether you’re thinking about starting a family soon, you can steer the conversation towards company career paths or your commitment to professional growth. By doing so, you put the focus back where it belongs and avoid providing information that is too personal.

You may come across your fair share of awkward interview situations. Just remember to always do your homework, elaborate on your responses, and understand when a question is off-limits. In the end, you put yourself on the fast-track to nailing the interview, and of course, landing the job.

What do you think? What are some other ways to avoid awkward interview situations?

The 25 Days Of Your Job Search

Josh Tolan — Fri, 30 Nov 2012 13:30:09 +0000

By Josh Tolan

It’s almost a new year. With that new year, many people are looking at what strategies will help them land that new, dream job. But don’t be fooled by the holiday hubbub and pause your job search — hiring managers are absolutely still working and looking for new talent during the holiday season.

Actually, they have more incentives to hire now. Why? Many companies receive federal income and employment tax benefits due to hiring during the holiday season, among other stipulations, under the HIRE Act.

All the more reason to stay active this holiday season during your job search! And if you’re looking to discover what tactics you should use in your job search, take a hint from this list of the 25 days of your job search:

Day 1: Find your target. Know what industry, job titles, and locations you’re looking to target in your job search.

Day 2: Revise your resume. Make sure all contact information, dates, employers, and measurable results are up-to-date.

Day 3: Create your elevator pitch. Draft a 30-second pitch for potential employers on why you are right for their company.

Day 4: Refocus your cover letter drafts. All cover letters should be specific to each job, but sometimes it’s helpful to have updated drafts ready to edit.

Day 5: Register your resume and cover letter on large job boards. Online job boards like Monster, CareerBuilder, and Indeed all allow you to post your resume and cover letters on their site for recruiters to find.

Day 6: Define your networking strategy. Networking is the most important aspect of your job search. Who do you want to connect with, how, by when, and what’s your pitch?

Day 7: Update your social media profiles. Make sure all of your social media profiles are updated and professional, including a proper headshot and bio.

Day 8: Pinpoint niche job boards. While large job boards are nice, don’t forget to use niche job boards too.

Day 9: Search for recruiters in your targeted area. Sometimes, recruitment agencies are a great place to get started with your job search. Just remember that recruiters are usually working for the employers, not you.

Day 10: Take a look at the classifieds. While most job seekers are looking online for jobs, don’t forget to take a look at the classified ads in your local newspaper, too!

Day 11: Network, network, network. You have your networking strategy set, so start connecting with people. Be sure to share, not sell.

Day 12: Stand out and create a video resume or infographic. If you want to be a little creative, try creating a video resume or resume infographic to catch the attention of hiring managers.

Day 13: Organize your networking contacts. Don’t make the mistake of forgetting who you’ve contacted and followed up with–keep it all in a Word doc or spreadsheet.

Day 14: Organize the jobs you plan to apply to and research each company. Once you’ve determined what jobs are good for you, research the company prior to sending in that application. If possible, tailor your resume and cover letter to fit the needs of that specific job and company.

Day 15: Apply for the jobs you’ve found through large job boards, niche job boards, recruiters, and networking. Try doing this throughout the entire 25 days of your job search!

Day 16: Create a spreadsheet of the jobs you’ve applied to. You don’t want to apply for the same job twice, so stay organized and know where you’ve applied and who you still need to follow up with.

Day 17: Schedule informational interviews. If you’re generating some interesting new job contacts, ask them to meet for an informational interview to learn more about them or their company.

Day 18: Target new contacts via social media. Social media sites like LinkedIn and Twitter are great ways to target new networking contacts.

Day 19: Send thank you notes to new networking contacts. If you’ve had the chance to connect with new job contacts via phone, email, or informational interviews, be sure to thank them for their time in form of a thank you note.

Day 20: Follow up on job applications. Use the spreadsheet that you’ve been updating to follow up on your job applications. Make note of who you sent your application to or if it was through a ATS platform. Either way, you should be able to find an email or phone number to contact.

Day 21: Prepare for your interviews by researching the company and the interviewer. Through all your hard work, interviews should start rolling in within a few months. Before you attend the interview, make sure you know the in’s and out’s of the company, as well as pertinent information about your interviewer.

Day 22: Update any portfolio materials or work-related examples. Spruce up your past work example to ensure their professional, accurate, and relevant to the job.

Day 23: Prepare a list of questions for your interviewer. Through your company research, you should have a few questions for the hiring manager. Show your interest in the position and company by asking these questions at the conclusion of the interview.

Day 24: Follow up with a post-interview thank you note. As usual, the thank you note is a great way to solidify your candidacy for a job.

Day 25: Be patient. You might not land an interview in 25 days. But if you follow the steps above, you’ll certainly become a competitive job seeker. So, be patient as you continue your job search into the new year.

What other tactics would you add to the 25 Days Of Your Job Search list?

When To Stop Negotiating Your Salary

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 29 Nov 2012 14:25:18 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

It’s easy for a job seeker to immediately be afflicted with a case of blurred vision once receiving a job offer. While you may feel like you’re crossing the finish line of very long race, it’s important to realize there’s still work to be done.

Rather than accepting immediately, it’s beneficial to take a day to understand what has been presented. This will give you time to weigh your options, including your potential salary and benefits package. Once prepared, you will then have the chance to negotiate what has been offered to you — this can often be intimidating, but it’s absolutely essential to the hiring process.

While salary negotiation is necessary prior to accepting any potential job offer, a candidate must know when to stop negotiating and either accept or deny an offer completely.

Understanding Your Negotiation

Prior to and during your negotiation, continually refer back to your initial reasoning for wanting to negotiate. While negotiation is beneficial to success on your career path, don’t just negotiate because you feel it’s expected of you. Do your research and gain as much knowledge as possible about the salary ranges for this position in your industry. This will allow you completely understand what you are negotiating for and why you are doing so. Was the offer just slightly out of your range or way off? No one is going to accept an unreasonable offer.

Keep in mind these negotiations don’t have to be limited solely to money. Many individuals choose to negotiate other benefits that are important to them, in place of a salary increase. This may mean negotiating your schedule to telecommute once a week, or your paid time off. Whatever your needs may be, your negotiation should be based on research, not on simply demanding the salary you think you deserve.

When To Accept An Offer

Accepting an offer comes easy to those who have clearly defined their needs to their potential employer. There isn’t a sounding bell for the perfect opportunity to stop negotiating and accept a potential employer’s offer, but you will feel more confident in accepting an offer when you’ve taken the necessary time to prepare, consider, and negotiate.

Calling off your negotiation and settling on an offer should involve a lot more than a keen assessment of your potential salary and benefits. Their package might be great, but it’s your job to tie up any loose ends before sealing the deal. Make a final assessment of the position by taking a deeper look into the job’s value, as well your needs. Your acceptance of the offer should ultimately be based on your judgement.

When To Reject An Offer

The possibility of rejecting an offer might be hard to swallow for many job seekers. After all of the hard work and a potentially long hiring process, no one wants to start again. But there’s no reason to accept a low-ball offer or an offer for a position you’re less than thrilled about.

It’s common for job seekers to reject offers that don’t directly meet their needs. Even if you’ve done your research and crafted an appropriate negotiation, an employer doesn’t have to change their offer. Your decision to decline should come when your needs aren’t being met. Be sure to do this promptly, confidently, and respectfully. There isn’t any reason to burn a bridge with this employer.

During your salary negotiation, it’s important to completely understand why and what you are negotiating based on research and your needs. Accepting or rejecting the offer completely should be based on your confidence that your needs are being met. Never settle for less.

Have you ever declined a job offer because an employer wasn’t willing to negotiate salary?

How To Take Initiative To Ensure Career Fulfillment

onepage — Tue, 27 Nov 2012 17:30:14 +0000

By Joanna Riley Weidenmiller

Gone are the days of staying at one company for decades; Americans have adopted a new attitude towards job seeking. While money and stability are still very important factors when considering new opportunities, job seekers are looking to achieve fulfilling, meaningful lives.

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reports that most employees will only stay at each of his or her jobs for 4.4 years, which means many of us will hold up to 15 to 20 jobs over the course of our working lives.

These statistics directly support the belief that many of us had as children — that everything was possible and chasing our dreams and happiness should remain a top priority. The most successful adults have kept that same child-like drive to follow their passions and have found the highest level of career satisfaction.

For many, keeping that optimism in these trying times have proven to be difficult. Three out of four workers (75 percent) actively look for or are open to new jobs, while 41 percent of Americans report chronic work stress, which directly relates to employee happiness and performance within a company.

Having a strong desire to chase your passions and secure your dream job is incredibly important, but is not easy — it requires dedication and hard work. Fortunately, it is never too late to change your current situation around, whether you are hopping from job to job to find the right fit, looking to move within your company, or creating a new position altogether.

Your path to career fulfillment is just around the corner — use the following steps to set you in direction of finding higher job satisfaction:

Take Initiative

There is a sense of empowerment and fulfillment that comes with successfully searching and obtaining what you feel may be your dream job, but leaving your current position might not always be the solution. Many individuals overlook the importance of self and job assessment when it comes to truly understanding the nature of their needs. While you may not feel fulfilled in your current position, are their certain aspects that you could change to reach a new level of job satisfaction instead of looking elsewhere?

It’s truly up to you to take the initiative to go after what you want in your career. You don’t have to have an entrepreneurial spirit to create a new position, or convince someone of the things that need to change. All it takes is using your drive to formulate the outcome that you want for your future.

Address The Problem

Take the time to assess your needs by revisiting your career goals and their accordance to your career path. Once you’re certain of your personal needs, take a deeper look into your current or desired position and company.

What are the company’s pain points? What do you believe that needs to be changed? Is there a more efficient way to achieve the same results?

Before reaching out directly to the supervisor, address your problems by creating a plan of attack for ensuring that your needs are met. Communicating on-the-job needs can be tricky, and it’s important that nothing is missed. If you’re a longtime employee and have a good relationship with your manager, it’s common that your employer will do what’s within their ability to meet your job satisfaction needs. If you are looking to move into a new industry or company, make sure to do your research so you can establish yourself as a knowledgeable and valuable asset to the company.

Provide A Solution

Rather than simply presenting a problem to your employer, which could potentially make them respond negatively, immediately prepare a solution. Whether your solution is small or large, it’s important to provide your current or desired employer with a well-thought out strategy backed by solid research. Your qualifications, initiative, and drive will help to ensure your success in whatever you’re attempting to accomplish.

By going above and beyond, and breaking status quo, you might wake up one day and find yourself starting a new, exciting chapter in an entirely new environment or find that your dream job is actually with the company you’ve been working in after all.

Joanna Riley Weidenmiller is the CEO of The One-Page Company and is responsible for executing the company’s strategic development plan. Prior to launching 1-Page, Joanna was the CEO of Performance Advertising. Joanna earned her B.A. in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and lives between Beijing, China, and San Francisco. Connect with Joanna and The One-Page Company on Twitter @1pageproposal and Facebook.

The 2013 Meaning Of Unemployment

Jackalope Jobs — Mon, 26 Nov 2012 13:30:17 +0000

By Sudy Bharadwaj

Although President Barack Obama has been re-elected, our country continues to be divided amid our economic recovery and job growth. With a 7.9 percent unemployment rate in October, Obama is tackling the highest jobless rate of any president in the postwar era.

However, things do seem to be looking up in the 2013 unemployment forecast. The Labor Department recently reported the nation added 171,000 positions on net in October, with more jobs than initially estimated in August and September. According to the New York Times, economists are hopeful that post-election policies in Congress will address fiscal tightening that may increase job and output growth.

Regardless of your political affiliation, we can all agree that changes need to be made moving forward with unemployment in 2013. These changes mean not only policies or tax cuts, but also new hiring and job search strategies and ways for job seekers to acquire new skills.

As we move forward into a new presidential term and a new year, let’s dissect what we should be expecting for unemployment in 2013.

Impact of Hurricane Sandy and the holiday season

According to the Labor Department, the jobs snapshot for October was based on surveys conducted prior to the chaos and destruction brought by Hurricane Sandy. Economists are projecting that the storm won’t influence November’s numbers, but the East Coast did take a hit.

In addition, the seasonal hiring season is upon us. Surveys project that this will be the best hiring environment documented past five years. In addition, 36 percent of retailers are hiring extra seasonal help this year, up from 29 percent in 2011, with 39 percent planning to hire some seasonal workers permanently after the holidays. If job seekers are smart, they will start moving toward shipping companies, retailers, restaurants, and resorts for holiday help.

These events will both be something to consider moving forward into 2013.

Obama’s Plan

Now that Obama has been re-elected, what should we expect from him in 2013?

Obama will continue to push Congress to enact parts of the American Jobs Act, which included a one-year extension of the payroll tax holiday and an extension of unemployment benefits. Obama says he will continue to focus on improving infrastructure, rebuilding schools, and cutting taxes on firms that hire. According to the Economic Policy Institute, Obama’s plan would create 1.1 million jobs in 2013, primarily coming from the American Jobs Act.

Unemployment in the new year

At the end of the day, focusing on the issues at hand and strategies to fix these issues will get us further than focusing on any single person or entity. Job seekers have to become more competitive and active in their job search moving forward in 2013, as immediate change isn’t going to happen.

If job seekers are still feeling stuck in 2013, it’s time to choose a new path. Consider going back to school, taking classes or webinars offered by professional organizations, or approach a professional mentor. Do something risky and different in 2013 to battle unemployment.

How do you plan to tackle unemployment in the new year?

Job Seekers: Do’s And Don’ts Of Saying “Thank You” [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:30:49 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

With Thanksgiving right around the corner, many of us are taking a few extra moments to reflect on what we’re most thankful for. Some of you are thankful for friends and family, or for the delicious meal you’re about to dig into. But when was the last time you said “thank you” during your job search?

It’s easy to forget the weight this simple two letter phrase holds — especially when searching for a new position. How and when you say “thank you” can hold more power than most job seekers realize. With a million ways to express your gratitude, there isn’t an acceptable reason to miss out on saying thanks.

Forgetting your manners could present you as ungrateful, impolite, and even ruin your chances of finding a job altogether. Personalized, handwritten thank you notes aren’t a thing of the past, and there are many ways to show how thankful you are during your hunt for a new job.

This infographic from Careerleaf, an all-in-one job search platform that cuts the time to apply in half, will provide you with everything you need to know about saying thank you during your job search.

What Your Interview Style Says About You

Alan Carniol — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 14:00:03 +0000

By Alan Carniol

According to the Wall Street Journal, recruiters spend an average of 9.5 hours screening resumes and applicants for a single job opening. Even then, there’s no guarantee the person is right for the job, especially when certain interview styles raise some red flags.

With tight competition comes the need for quick decision-making, even if those judgements have to be made based on the candidates personality or overall demeanor. When it comes down to it, the real challenge for candidates is to avoid some not-so-attractive interview styles and counter them with their own personal strengths.

So, here are some common interview styles that may not be the best way to land a job — and some solutions to solve them.

The Bragger
Otherwise known as the name dropper, the bragger is the type of candidate who seems to give off the vibe that they are better than everyone else. This may be because they know someone in the industry or have more experience than the position requires. Either way, it can turn-off the potential employer quicker than the candidate can suggest they are too good for the job.

Instead: Emphasize your accomplishments and show how your past experiences can assist your potential employer in the future. As an alternative to “I’m better than everyone else,” try speaking about the key moments in your career where your success would be applicable to the company. That way, you’ll stand out in the mind of your potential employer without bragging your way to the “no” pile.

The Underprepared
The underprepared candidate is just that. Whether it means forgetting their portfolio, not remembering to bring up a key moment in their career, or failing to answer interview questions in full, being an underprepared candidate doesn’t bode well. It also shows the employer two things: first, they’re obviously not ready. Second, it seems as if they don’t care enough about the organization or the position to really show a vested interest.

Instead: Always do your research before you walk into an interview. This includes looking into company information, who’s going to be doing the interviewing, recent news, as well as materials you need to bring into the interview. When you walk into an interview mentally prepared, it will show in your responses, your confidence, and most importantly, your desire to nab the job.

The Rambler
The rambler may suffer from interview nerves, employer intimidation, or just stage fright. As a result, they may take it one notch too far. This includes giving long-winded responses which eventually lead to disconnect between themselves and the interviewer. Though they may feel as if they’re giving more than what’s required, they’re really just making it look like they can’t get to the point or answer questions properly.

Instead: If you suffer from nerves, you’re certainly not alone. The cure? Practice, practice, practice. Take some interview courses, go over why you want the job, and do a run-through of common interview questions. That way, you’ll not only know when to end your thought, you’ll also be able to give concise answers which likely appeals more to your potential employer.

The Bad Dresser
The bad dresser may also be known as the candidate with an unkempt appearance or too much makeup. No matter which one they may be, it’s obvious if someone walks into an interview looking less than stellar. Unfortunately, the employer may take that messy suit or the uncombed hair and deem the candidate as unprofessional or unfit for the job.

Instead: Even if the company is casual, it doesn’t mean your appearance needs to be. Invest in some professional attire, avoid harsh smelling perfumes, and make sure your grooming and hygiene are top-notch. In addition, don’t forget to put some personality into your appearance. This can be done by wearing a colored shirt or a subtle piece of jewelry. In the end, you may be working at the organization, so you want to show off who you are in some capacity.

Going into an interview can be difficult for any job seeker. However, if they avoid these common interview blunders — bragging, being unprepared, rambling, and dressing badly — those struggles will likely turn into the ultimate reward: the job.

What do you think? What are some other interview styles to avoid?

Employers: What To Be Thankful For This Year [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 21 Nov 2012 13:30:26 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

It’s that time of year again. The turkey is waiting to be stuffed, the in-laws are flying in, and you’re ready to don your Thanksgiving sweatpants. In the stressful shuffle to put together a Thanksgiving feast fit for homemaking titan Martha Stewart, we can often get swept up in the details and forget the point of the season. The reason we gather every year to gorge ourselves on turkey is to take a moment out of our busy lives and reflect on all we have to be grateful for.

In your professional life, you should always be thankful when your company finds the top talent it needs to grow and meet the demands of the marketplace. This talent comes in all different shapes and sizes, from passive candidates to those job seekers actively hitting the pavement to find work. Every generation has their own strengths to bring to the table, whether you’re impressed by the video resume of a Millennial or wowed by the work history of a Baby Boomer candidate.

The infographic below, compiled by Spark Hire, an online video resume and interviewing platform, takes a peek at the different candidates hiring managers should be happy to see this holiday season. So before you start filling out your Thanksgiving sweatpants, here are the candidates you should remember to give thanks for.

How Not To Blow The Interview Your Job Search Landed You

Amit De — Mon, 19 Nov 2012 13:30:09 +0000

By Amit De

The job search is tedious, time consuming, exhausting, and a bunch of other things we don’t even want to bring up. The feeling of receiving an invitation to interview can leave you both overjoyed and overwhelmed. With growing fears of prolonged gaps of unemployment, especially for older job seekers, developing a job search strategy that really works means there’s no room to blow your chances of getting hired during your interview.

In fact, most mistakes job seekers make during the interview process are completely avoidable. Here are a few simple ways to nail your interview:

Do your research

As the interviewee, it’s your job to come into an interview with extensive company knowledge. Spend time learning the company website like the back of your hand, and make sure to familiarize yourself with their social networks and their blog as well. Read their latest news, know the names of executives, and most importantly, know their values and mission. Whether you’re fresh on the job market or an experienced worker, don’t fall into the trap of “winging it” when it comes to research. Your goal is to express your experiences and values in a way that aligns them directly with the company.

Study

If you’ve used information in your resume or application materials, you should know it — plain and simple. This is especially important if you are an older job seeker with a significant amount of experience on your resume. Consider an interview to be the most important test of your life. When studying your resume, it’s important to have an example for every skill and experience listed. Keep in mind all of the general interview questions, but also take time to delve deeper into your experiences. Write all of your questions and answers down and carefully read them over. To make sure that your memory holds and you don’t sound like you’re reading a speech, practice answering all of questions out loud.

Be timely

While anyone truly interested in a position would never be late to an interview, many candidates often arrive far too early. This can cause for an awkward experience as you wait in the provided area. Your interviewer may feel rushed and even bothered at your presence. Something as simple as this could start your interview off in a negative tone. Try to arrive no earlier than 10 minutes prior to your scheduled time. If you plan to be there on time and end up getting their sooner, take a few laps around the block and mentally review your resume.

Be aware

Fifty-five percent of people said that the main impact of meeting new people comes from the way they dress, act, or walk. A good impression during your interview depends on complete awareness in your outward appearance and body language before, during, and while exiting an interview. Remember to keep your dress professional, keep eye contact with whoever asked you a question, look pleasant, sit up straight and toward the front of your seat, and don’t fidget.

Be concise and direct

An interview is not the time to express every single detail of your employment history. When your interviewer asks you to tell them a little about yourself, make sure that you have an elevator pitch in place and that it’s no longer than a minute. Keep in mind that over explaining anything will make you look less qualified and unprepared. Your interviewers time is precious, make sure to be direct and play off their interests to learn when to share more during an answer.

Show confidence and positivity

While the job hunt might have you feeling negative and full of self-doubt, this is not the time to show any of it. An interview is a fresh start and an opportunity to set yourself apart from all of the other candidates. Warmth, positivity, and confidence are three simple ways to make others feel comfortable around you. Always try to keep a good sense of humor during an interview as well.

Ask the right questions

Always prepare at least three questions to ask after your interview. Stay away from the simple no-brainer and go for something deeper that expresses the amount of research and interest you have in the company. This part of the interview isn’t a time to suck up, either.

Say thank you

Some may say it’s outdated, but a handwritten thank you note is always a nice touch to the completion of an interview. This allows you to thank the interviewer on a more personal level. You thank you note should go into the mail the same day as the interview to ensure that it arrives promptly.

What are your tips for a flawless interview?

Amit De is the CEO and Co-founder of Careerleaf, an all-in-one job search platform that cuts the time to apply in half. Connect with Amit and Careerleaf on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Teamwork Lessons From The First Thanksgiving

Josh Tolan — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 20:04:50 +0000

By Josh Tolan

It’s November, the month we all remember how important it is to give thanks for what we have. With the tough economy and competitive job market, having a job is reason enough to give thanks. You might be thankful you were impressive enough in your interview, whether in-person or through online video, to snag a great job. However, being grateful isn’t the only thing Thanksgiving is about.

In 1621 in Plymouth, Massachusetts, 53 Pilgrims and 90 Native Americans sat down to a meal celebrating their recent harvest. But they were also celebrating the teamwork that made the meal possible. Your organization’s story of teamwork might not be as dramatic as the first Thanksgiving, but there are still plenty of lessons you can learn from how the Native Americans and Pilgrims came together to start a national tradition:

Put aside your differences
The Native Americans and Pilgrims were as different as can be. They came from different backgrounds, they practiced different religions, and they had different viewpoints of the world. Yet they put aside their differences in order to help each other and share a meal created out of their collaboration.

It’s likely your office is filled to the brim with many different personalities and working styles. Not all of these styles will seamlessly mesh together. Just because you might not get along perfectly with a coworker, however, doesn’t mean you won’t have to work with this person in the future. Know the importance of putting aside your differences for a common goal.

For the Pilgrims and Native Americans, this goal was a harvest they shared at the first Thanksgiving. In your office, you might have to put aside your differences to work together on a big project with your least favorite member of the team. It’s important to remember your coworkers were hired for a reason, and they all have important skills to bring to the table. The ability to work with multiple personalities is an important skill to develop and will make you invaluable to your employer.

Share your knowledge and learn from others
In 1621, the Pilgrims didn’t know very much about farming this new and strange country on which they’d landed. Squanto, a Native American in the region, took the Pilgrims under his wing and taught them to grow corn and catch game. He shared his knowledge with the Pilgrims, allowing them to survive in a strange place.

Just like Squanto, you should be sharing your knowledge to improve the performance of the whole team. Don’t hoard your knowledge because you want to be the only person able to complete a certain task or work on a certain project. It might make you look good in the short-run, but in the long-run, your employer will notice you aren’t sharing your skills. The more your coworkers know, the easier it becomes for them to help you on a major project or alleviate some of your workload when you’re snowed under.

Similarly, like the Pilgrims you should know when it’s time for you to learn from the wisdom of others. You might think you have all the answers, but the truth is you don’t know it all. Your coworkers are fonts of useful knowledge if you utilize their information. Take some time to sit down with them and quiz them on what they know. The knowledge you gain from a team member might become a crucial skill you can bring to the table later down the line. Teamwork is as much about sharing knowledge as it is about sharing tasks.

Celebrate success
After the Native Americans taught the Pilgrims how to hunt and harvest, they had an impressive feast. Instead of eating their food alone, they decided to share the fruits of their labor with the Native Americans who made it all possible. They had a three-day feast of Thanksgiving in 1621 to give thanks for their food and the friendship they had developed.

Just like the Pilgrims and Native Americans, your team should celebrate successes instead of letting them pass by unnoticed. This will lead to an increased feeling of camaraderie among your team and will really boost morale. It could be as simple as a lunch party, some after-work festivities, or even a small bonus for team members after a job well done.

If you’re not the leader of the team yet, talk to the person who is and explain how important a small reward is for motivation. There’s little workers like better than having their work recognized, and you don’t need a Thanksgiving feast to celebrate a job well done.

Whether your team is reviewing video resumes to hire the best candidate or pulling together to satisfy a client, collaboration is essential in today’s office. Teamwork was important in the first Thanksgiving and it should come as no surprise that it remains important now, hundreds of years later.

What are some teamwork lessons your organization can take from the first Thanksgiving? Share in the comments!

Why Demographics Won Obama the Election

Rand Strauss — Thu, 15 Nov 2012 18:08:20 +0000

By Rand Strauss

After months of cutthroat campaigning, heavy advertisements, and a country that grew very divided, America witnessed President Barack Obama defeat Governor Mitt Romney in the 2012 election. While Obama received heavy scrutiny during his first term, he kept his position as commander-in-chief in part by targeting the large demographic groups.

The youth
According to a September Pew Research Study poll, those aged 18-29 were “significantly less engaged in this year’s election than at a comparable point in 2008.” In fact, many were predicting that because youth were not as interested as they were in the last election, Obama may have lost a large chunk of his supporters.

However, the polls prediction was wrong. The youth came out screaming, with a slightly higher turnout of voters age 18 to 29 compared to 2008, and overall 60 percent of young people voting for Obama as opposed to 37 percent for Romney. This may have been helped by Obama’s stance on social issues, such as marriage equality and immigration, which were dramatically different from the Republican positions. In addition, the country veered left as more young people become eligible to vote, shrinking the appeal of the GOP for 18-29’s year olds.

The gender gap
Women’s issues had been one of the core topics for both Republicans and Democrats, with each side having their own steadfast opinions on where they stand. Well, women had their own opinions, with more than half siding with Obama on his views on topics such as a women’s right to choose and the use of contraceptives.

In addition, according to CNN, Romney’s controversial comments during his campaign may have pushed women away, such as having “binders full of women” when hiring and not fully answering the equal pay question. In the end, this may have made women more inclined to vote for a candidate who was more aligned to not only their values, but also the values of the nation as a whole.

The minority vote
Come election day, the minority vote went to Obama, with the percentage of many groups, such as Hispanics and African-Americans, increasing in comparison to 2008. An ABC News pre-election poll indicated that a quarter of likely voters who are nonwhite prefered Obama by 76 to 20 percent. That number increases to 96-3 percent for likely African-American voters.

When November 6 rolled around, these predictions rang true: Hispanic voters sided with Obama 71 percent compared to 27 percent for Romney. This may have been due to the fact that Romney supported “self-deportation” of illegal immigrants, pushing a key demographic away. In addition, African-American supporters of Obama stayed by his side for reasons such as education, job growth, and healthcare, according to ABC News.

Earning the support of key demographics was a major reason why Obama won the 2012 election, no matter what previous polls may have indicated. Whether it was Obama’s message of hope or Romney’s questionable comments about the “47 percent” that won the election, one thing is clear: demographics like the youth, women, and minority voters were a major factor in the reelection of President Obama.

In summary, according to Marielena Hincapié, executive director of the National Immigration Law Center, “Politicians on both sides of the aisle should recognize that if they adhere to these draconian positions, their political future is at risk. The demographic writing is on the wall.”

The demographic writing was on the wall. It spells out the need to pay attention to the concerns of the large demographic groups and appeal to a broad base.

What do you think? What are some other ways demographics are important in politics?

Rand Strauss is the President and CEO of PeopleCount.org, a nonpartisan organization that enables the public to communicate constructively by taking stands on political issues influencing the country today. Connect with Rand and PeopleCount.org on Twitter and Facebook.

5 Terrible Ways To Ask For A Raise

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 14 Nov 2012 19:47:32 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Asking for a raise is one of the most important parts of successful career management. This fact alone leaves most people feeling pretty rattled when it comes to asking their manager for a raise.

Maybe you feel like you’ve recently done exceptionally well in your position or you’ve put in a year (or more) of solid work. Regardless of the situation, asking for a raise can put a person in a strange situation. While it may be frightening, it’s even worse when you approach it carelessly.

Here are five of the worst ways to go about asking for a raise:

1. Forget To Prepare

The easiest way to ruin your chances of receiving a raise is to go about it completely unprepared. Even if your confidence is high from recent on-the-job praise, it’s necessary to take some time to research before popping the big question to your boss.

There are many aspects you must take into account before even considering a raise. Reach out to contacts within your industry and ask them about their experiences with asking for a raise. Build a strong case for yourself by carefully considering your achievements with your company and compiling a timeline of contributions to leverage a raise.

2. Let Your Fear Overcome You

Raises are nothing short of nerve-wracking, but giving into the fear will ruin your chances altogether. Many individuals completely rule out asking for a pay raise because the thought of it overwhelms them. While negotiation is certainly a learned skill, don’t let fear alone stop you from pursuing a raise. Focus on your reasoning for the raise and remain calm and confident prior to and during your meeting. A strong amount of preparation should alleviate a majority of the anxiety you might be feeling about the situation.

3. Completely Disregard A Timeline

Timing is everything. Asking too early or too late could completely ruin your chances. While there is no set timeline for asking for a raise, keep in mind that a raise usually signifies a job well-done. Consider how long you’ve been with the company, as well as the weight of your accomplishments, when deciding upon a timeline for your raise request. Although every company is different, asking for a raise before you’ve been with the company for at least a year can certainly increase your risk of being turned down.

4. Don’t Schedule It

Nothing will ruin your chances of a receiving a raise quite like asking about it casually in passing. Respect your manager’s time by scheduling a meeting in advance. Plus, no one likes surprises. A scheduled meeting provides an air of professionalism, regardless of what you’re discussing. This will allow both you and your manager time to prepare.

5. Forget Your Backup Plan

There are two potential outcomes when asking for a raise, and it’s your job to consider both. Disregarding a backup plan could potentially create an awkward end to your conversation. So, in the event your request is denied, instead of scurrying out of your boss’s office in disarray, compile a few questions to better understand what you have to do in the future to receive a raise.

A raise is a significant part of your career path, but it certainly isn’t something that should frighten you away. Remember to come prepared to your scheduled meeting and always have a backup plan.

Have you had to ask for a raise? How did you go about it?

3 Reasons To Be Thankful For Your Professional Network

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 07 Nov 2012 17:36:58 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Thanksgiving is just around the corner, and that means everyone’s recognizing what they have to be thankful for in their lives.

Job seekers and working professionals in particular have a lot to be thankful for. Regardless of your employment status, there are plenty of reasons to be thankful for those in your life who have provided advice, helped you to seek out new opportunities, or otherwise assisted you in your job search or career growth.

Your professional network of contacts has likely been a steady source of guidance and support throughout your career or job search, and that means it’s time to show them some appreciation. In the spirit of Thanksgiving, here are three reasons professionals and job seekers should be thankful for their professional network:

They give great advice. When building your career or searching for a job, you’re likely to wonder about a variety of issues: Am I formatting my resume correctly? How do I answer this type of interview question? Am I qualified for a position in marketing? Should I attempt freelance work? Whatever the case, you can think of your network as a pool of resources to draw from when you need career insight. Any professional should be thankful they can tap into their network’s collective knowledge to glean advice for their own job search or career.

They provide you with insider info. Your professional network is likely made up of a slew of individuals with different values, interests, and skills. They probably work at a variety of different companies or organizations, in a variety of different positions. That means they can provide insight into a seemingly endless list of disciplines, professions, companies, and work cultures. In most cases, you’re only a quick email or phone call away from this insider info—something any job seeker or professional should be thankful for when building their own career.

They connect you with new opportunities. Your professional network isn’t just about getting advice and insider info on companies and professions—your contacts can often be your key to a new job. Regularly keeping in touch with your professional network is key to keeping tabs on any job openings or other professional opportunities they may know about. In other words, your network is your door into the “hidden” job market. Too few workers tap into their network when they’re looking for a job, even though referrals dominate when it comes to filling open positions.

So now that you know why you should be thankful for your professional network, let them know! Send your contacts an email or LinkedIn message letting them know why you appreciate them this Thanksgiving.

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships (2011), #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets.

How to Network Like the Presidential Candidates [INFOGRAPHIC]

Heather R. Huhman — Tue, 06 Nov 2012 14:40:30 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

While becoming President of the United States isn’t your typical employment situation, even our presidential candidates know their success lies in networking. Although your dream job may not be in the White House (or maybe it is!), even everyday job seekers can take a page out of the presidential candidate playbook when it comes to landing their ideal position.

It’s true: In the presidential race, candidates use some of the same networking tactics that can help even regular ol’ job seekers on their search for employment. That means taking advantage of online resources like email, video, blogs, and social media to tap into the right networks. After all, some say Barack Obama won his first election off the back of social media–he hosted the very first White House Google+ hangout and revolutionized fundraising with the power of the Web. This year, Obama has sent out 600 emails in just the past three months alone, and Mitt Romney’s YouTube channel has already garnered 260 million views.

Job seekers everywhere can tweak these networking tactics and incorporate them into their own job search. The infographic below, compiled by Jackalope Jobs, a Web-based platform that combines search, social networking, and the overall user’s experience to provide relevant job openings, details even more techniques used by presidential candidates.

Have you used any similar techniques in your job search? What are some other networking tactics you’d suggest for everyday job seekers?

Heather R. Huhman is a career expert, experienced hiring manager, and founder & president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. She is also the author of Lies, Damned Lies & Internships (2011), #ENTRYLEVELtweet: Taking Your Career from Classroom to Cubicle (2010), and writes career and recruiting advice for numerous outlets.

3 Ways to Ignore Location for Better Startup Hiring

Josh Tolan — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 14:57:38 +0000

By Josh Tolan

The economy might be less than stellar but the startup market is looking rosy. In fact, 83 percent of startups are planning on hiring in 2012, up ten percent from just two years ago. With startup hiring booming, companies are realizing the best candidates for their open positions might not be located right around the corner.

A good deal of tech startups are located in Silicon Valley, where investors are willing to take a chance on great ideas. While more startups are starting to move to the other coast, this still leaves a lot of real estate with great candidates in between. You don’t want to miss out on a superstar employee with the skills and creative ideas to take your startup to the next level.

Here are some ways you probably haven’t thought of before in which you can ignore great distances to find the best candidates for your startup:

Get Social
As a startup, you need a different type of employee. You need someone who can roll with the punches — and roll up their sleeves to do what’s needed to take your company to the next level. This is why, in addition to the “big three”, you might want to focus specifically on social media aimed at startup companies and candidates.

For instance, social site AngelList encourages talent to list the geographic areas where they would be willing to relocate. This makes it easy for your startup to find a great candidate willing to pack up and move into your office. Startup social network Sprouter, on the other hand, helps entrepreneurs share their knowledge — allowing you to interact directly with talent in your industry via the interwebs.

While the big traditional social media sites are important and shouldn’t be ignored, utilizing a startup social network might just nab you the candidates you need to build your business, regardless of their current home address.

Create Talent Communities
Creating a talent community is a great way of finding good candidates, regardless of location. A talent community is group of people with industry- or job-related skills you can tap into both online and off. Talent communities allow for greater communication between employers and job seekers, allowing for a more personal connection. There are plenty of places to create a talent community online, whether making a group on a social networking platform or just developing your website as a place for talent to converge and converse.

Knowing exactly the kind of candidate you’re looking for can be a big help when it comes to fully utilizing talent communities. Just because your office is in Silicon Valley or Manhattan doesn’t mean the programmer or marketing maven you need is located in the same place. In fact, some colleges are well known for turning out graduates with particularly strong entrepreneurial skill sets. Reach out to the career centers of these colleges — and others that offer strong programs in the areas you’re seeking — and explain the kind of candidate you’re looking to hire. These candidates will not only be eager to start on their career path with your company, but also they’ll be more willing to relocate for a great position.

Clean Up Hiring Your Process
The reason many companies shy away from out of town candidates is because they don’t want to sink time and money into a candidate who won’t relocate for the job — or who gets homesick shortly after relocation. However, what companies should really be concerned about is making their hiring process more efficient so they don’t waste time moving a candidate who is all wrong for the company in the first place.

Here are a few simple tips to start cleaning up your process:

Write better job descriptions: If your job descriptions aren’t reflecting the reality of the position, the industry, and your company, the right candidates won’t be applying. There are always the non-negotiables when it comes to hiring for a specific position. Make sure everyone agrees what those skills, qualifications, and/or experience levels are before pressing “publish”.
Get everyone on the same page: It’s important the whole team knows what you’re looking for and are involved as much as possible in the process, especially in startup hiring. Get team members together to discuss the timeframe for hiring, the benefits your organization offers, and the most important questions you’ll need answered.
Make interviewing easier: This could mean putting a candidate on a conference call with the whole team so decisions can be made faster. It could also mean using online video interviewing in order to see a far away candidate before (or instead of) paying for airfare. I have a vested interest here, since I founded video interviewing company Spark Hire, but using video interviews can help startups shorten their interviewing process by helping them evaluate far flung candidates in a more personal way than phone screens.

Startups need the best people to help the company grow and find success. These candidates aren’t always in the company’s backyard, which means startups need to find ways to ignore location in order to hire the best people.

What are some ways startup companies can find the best candidates from far away places? Share in the comments!

5 Ways To Scare Away Your Career Mentor

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 01 Nov 2012 14:37:06 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Wherever you are in your career, seeking out a mentor is a great way to boost your career and expand your network. In fact, 75 percent of executives say mentoring plays a major role in their career — and 95 percent of Millennials just starting out their careers want a mentor. Through your mentor, you’ll likely meet new people, learn new skills, and maybe even find new job opportunities.

Sounds pretty straightforward, right?

Well having a mentor doesn’t guarantee automatic success. Being a mentee comes with responsibility and takes care to create a successful relationship. And it can go south fast if you’re not careful.

So make sure you aren’t scaring off your mentor and consider the following behaviors to avoid:

1. Being vague with your needs.

Be specific about what you need from your mentor. These needs could include professional development, access to opportunities and networks, desiring a role model, or even just a safe space to discuss experiences or career issues. Don’t expect your mentor to know or understand automatically just by reading your resume and meeting you. Otherwise, neither of you will gain anything from the relationship and you’ll likely just frustrate them.

2. Not taking advice seriously.

Remember, you’re not the only one in this relationship. So be kind and respectful of your mentor’s time and advice. You might not always like or agree with what they have to say, but that doesn’t mean they’re wrong or trying to hurt you. Carefully consider their advice and be thankful for it. If you brush your mentor off too often, you likely won’t be getting any more help.

3. Calling or emailing too often or too little.

No mentor — or anyone, for that matter — likes someone who contacts them too much. On the other hand, don’t be passive in this relationship either. Your mentor is a working professional and may have his or her own family, so keep that in mind when trying to contact them. It’s helpful to establish communication guidelines at the beginning of the relationship so you know what’s too much (or too little).

4. Expecting help instead of asking for help.

You aren’t necessarily your mentor’s top priority, so be open and vocal when you really need guidance. Your mentor isn’t psychic and won’t always be checking in on you. So leave any feelings of entitlement at the door, or you will only scare your mentor away.

5. Misappropriating or sharing private information.

As previously mentioned, a mentorship is often meant to provide a safe space for conversation. But if you plan on divulging any company secrets or using your mentor’s business ideas as your own, think twice. Misappropriating or sharing private information is probably the single best way to scare off your mentor. If you had a discussion in confidence, keep it that way. You could not only ruin your relationship with your mentor, but also their entire network.

Take caution when moving forward with a career mentor. You have a lot to gain from the relationship. But if it goes south, you also have a lot to lose.

Have you ever had a poor experience with you career mentor?

Always Be Prepared: Interview Tips from Hurricane Sandy

Josh Tolan — Tue, 30 Oct 2012 14:50:59 +0000

By Josh Tolan

You’d have to be living under a rock to have missed the coverage of Hurricane Sandy, a storm front hitting the east coast of the United States. Dubbed by some in the media as “Frankenstorm” thanks to its close proximity to Halloween, when all is said and done this storm will affect nearly 50 million people in one of the most populated regions of the country.

Hurricane Sandy is no joke, which is why state, local, and national governments have been advising residents to prepare for the storm however possible. An interview isn’t on the same level as a weather disaster, but it can certainly be a disaster for your career if you don’t properly prepare for it.

Surprisingly, there are some similarities between preparing for a storm like Hurricane Sandy and preparing for an interview for your dream job. Here’s how you can apply your emergency planning to your interview preparedness:

Have the right supplies
When it comes to a hurricane, having the right supplies is essential. You need to make sure you have enough batteries for devices, since plugging in would be useless without electricity. You also have to make sure you have flashlights and candles, for when the power goes out and you realize you couldn’t actually walk around your house blindfolded. Most importantly, you need to make sure you have plenty of water and non-perishable food items in case you get stuck in the house for days.

In an interview, you don’t have to stock up on bread and peanut butter, but the right supplies are still essential. First, you need to make sure you have the right clothes to make a good first impression. Having professional interview attire will allow you to schedule an interview on the go without worrying about hitting the mall to pick up an outfit. Make sure this interview attire fits correctly and is both professional and conservative. Sure the bright yellow shirt you just bought looks great, but the interview is not the time to show off your fashion flare.

If possible, you should also make sure your interview supplies include examples of your relevant work. Whether you include this as a link to an online portfolio or bring in a hardcopy example, let employers see concretely how you can bring value to the company.

Hope for the best but prepare for the worst
While many people will have damaged homes and be evacuated due to flooding, there are still many places on the east coast which will be relatively unaffected by Hurricane Sandy. If you’re in one of these areas, don’t think you shouldn’t prepare just like everyone else. You don’t want to get stuck in a dark house with only a pint of melting ice cream to get you through the storm.

Instead, you should hope for the best and prepare for the worst. In an interview setting, this means you should be prepared for those stressful curveball questions. Look over your resume and make sure to prepare yourself for every scenario.

If you’ve done a lot of job hopping in the past, be prepared to account for it. If you’ve been fired, make sure you have a concise explanation ready. The more prepared you are for the tough questions, the more confident and competent you’ll appear to employers.

Keep in contact
In a weather disaster, it’s important to keep in contact with family and friends. After all, you want everyone to know where you are and that you’re fine.

Similarly, it’s important to keep in touch with your contact at the company. Often this means sending a follow-up email after the interview to thank the employer for their time and restate your interest in the position.

In certain cases you might also need to keep an interviewer abreast of a developing situation. For example, many job seekers who had interviews scheduled during Hurricane Sandy will be forced to reschedule as roads close and public transportation is shuts down.

They will need to keep potential employers in the loop about their particular situation and work together to reschedule the interview. Or they could even suggest conducting a video interview as an alternative to a traditional in-person meeting, so no one has to brave the elements. Whatever happens, it’s important to keep the chain of communication flowing to deal with interviews displaced by Sandy.

Stay informed
Is your area in a state of emergency? Is the local river by your house flooding? It’s important in a weather situation like Hurricane Sandy to make sure you’re staying informed. Information is really the best preparation you can have.

Being informed is also the best way to prepare for an interview. Read the company web page and dig through the news to see what’s happening at the organization. The more you know about the company, the better equipped you will be to ask quality questions when the interview is winding down. There’s nothing more impressive to employers than top-notch questions which show you’ve done your homework and actually know what the organization is all about.

An interview isn’t quite the same as a hurricane, but both can be stressful situations. As long as you prepare, however, you should be safe to weather any storm or impress in any interview.

What are some interview preparation tips you can take from Hurricane Sandy? Share in the comments!

10 Ways the 2013 Job Search Will Be Different

Heather R. Huhman — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 20:00:59 +0000

By Heather Huhman

This year, job seekers found themselves among piles of resumes for every job opening. To combat this, many eager candidates found themselves resorting to unusual tactics to grab an employer’s attention. On the employer side, hiring managers took to social media to get a handle on a candidate’s personality and fit within the organization in order to eliminate those who were not ideal for the job. So, what’s in store for the job search in 2013?

How will the 2013 job search differ from the 2012 job search?

Expect More Emphasis on the Social Job Search in 2013
2013 will be the year of the social job search. This phenomenon expanded exponentially during 2012 — and next year I imagine that the job seekers will get more comfortable with the concept and weed out some of the less helpful tools. The 2013 job search will be more targeted and people will truly begin to recognize the importance of referrals, in addition to finding innovative ways to receive them.

– Sudy Bharadwaj, Jackalope Jobs

Job Seekers Will Get More Creative With Their Application Methods
Competition for great jobs is fierce out there right now, with no signs of getting any easier. To set themselves apart, job seekers are going to start getting more creative in their application methods. This will range from attractive infographics, to career-related blogs, to a more wholesale embrace of online video in the hiring process. Applicants will be looking for ways to set themselves apart from the pack to land their dream job.

– Josh Tolan, Spark Hire

The Future Job Search: Video, Crowdsourcing, and Transparency…Oh My!
The future job search landscape will shift from a static, boring job description to job opportunities as living, breathing things. Job seekers will have more opportunities to watch video about job openings, directly contact hiring managers, and know when jobs are closing. The job search won’t be as black and white on our computer screens — and this will make it easier for candidates to know what they are applying for.

– Rob Kelly, Ongig

The Niche Set Will Rule
Niche job boards have continued popping up recently, and remain one of the best ways for candidates to differentiate themselves and find jobs that fit their skill set. With niche job boards, candidates can put the appropriate amount of time and energy into each position, including researching companies, personalizing cover letters and resumes, and building relationships with hiring managers. They will serve as some of candidates’ best resources in the coming year, as they continue to crop up for every corner of every industry.

– Afifa Siddiqui, Careerleaf

I Move You Move…Career-Wise
Since there seems to be some movement from long time employees to different careers, it is possible that jobs will be finally be restructured. The employee who has be piling up certifications and education feels confident that they can leverage their competitive value into a career or business that he or she wants with flexibility and compatibility in mind.

– Mark Anthony Dyson, Competitive Resumes

It’s Not Who You Know, It’s Who Knows You
While everything seems to be rushing towards online, especially in regards to job search, the same rule of “it’s not who you know, it’s who knows you” still applies social media tools such as Twitter, Facebook’s unveiling of its job application, and LinkedIn are key to not only reach out to those in your network, but to expose yourself to networks for opportunities.

– Ryan O’Connell, Digital Talent Agents

2013 Job Search Has More Potential Than 2012
In 2013, there is an expected 13 percent greater hiring rate for college graduates, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers, with demand in business, engineering and computer-related occupations. There will be more opportunity in the 2013 job search compared to the 2012 job search.

– Brittany Jackson, BAJobs.com

Two Powerful Words – Social Networking
Simply put, social networks provide a way for job seekers to tap into a large pool of job opportunities easily. Job seekers have become increasingly frustrated at searching for jobs online and getting no response, and they intuitively know that the best opportunities are found through people not search engines. As social networking has become a core part of our cultural dynamic, we are continuing to see more and more job hunters taking advantage of a vertical they are comfortable with in order to find work.

– Dan Finnigan, Jobvite

Keep Up With the Times, Including Managing and Maintaining Online Social Media Profiles
If job seekers have LinkedIn and Facebook accounts, their profiles will be vetted along with their references. If they don’t have any profiles, then unfortunately they’re simply not going to get hired except for manual labor. As the world becomes interconnected via social media, it’s more important for job seekers to do what they can to build up as much relevant information on their online profiles.

– Ian Aronovich, GovernmentAuctions.org

Personalized Search
Job seekers can find jobs easily based on their own personalized criteria. Often these searches can be automated through overnight email alerts. It’s not just about finding jobs and recruiters finding candidates anymore. That’s the easy part; especially with technologies like LinkedIn. We will start to see an increased emphasis on personalizing the approach and connecting with candidates for an enhanced application experience. It’s no longer about identification — now it’s about connecting and relationship building.

– Gwyneth Bonasoro, Office Depot

Heather R. Huhman is the founder and president of Come Recommended, a content marketing and digital PR consultancy for organizations with products that target job seekers and/or employers. You can connect with Heather and Come Recommended on Twitter and Facebook.

5 Ways To Improve Your Online Networking Skills

Amit De — Mon, 29 Oct 2012 13:00:25 +0000

By Amit De

Many job seekers overlook the importance of online networking skills during their job search. Networking isn’t just about clicking the “follow” or “connect” button. A beneficial networking relationship is born out of a strong interest in gaining valuable information and feedback from someone you consider to be important in your industry.

It is important to look at online networking as a special tool to engage with individuals that you might not have been able to be in contact with at one point. Here are five ways to improve your online networking capabilities:

1. Be Confident

While this sounds like a no-brainer, there are many individuals who lack the necessary level of confidence that generates a clear connection during online networking. Many individuals subconsciously overlook the importance of a positive confident attitude when it comes to networking. Confidence isn’t just necessary for the face-to-face networking that takes place at conferences and seminars, it’s also imperative for successful online marketing.

To put it plainly, your online brand depends on your confidence. Knowing who you are and what you want professionally will allow both clarity and confidence in the way you interact with others. Building your knowledge and passion for your field is one simple step to gain more self-confidence. This will express to others that you’re invested and articulate.

2. Utilize Social Networking Sites Properly

Just because you have a LinkedIn or Twitter account doesn’t necessarily mean you’re utilizing it to effectively build a professional social network worth bragging about. While 61 percent of individuals use LinkedIn as their primary professional networking site, only 42 percent of users update their profile information regularly. How are you supposed to communicate your experiences and skills to those you’re looking to connect with if your profile isn’t updated? Fluidity can be generated by aligning your personal brand both on and offline.

As for getting the most out of the social networking sites of your choosing, when was the last time you used any of their features to actually connect with someone new or reconnect with a long lost contact? If you can’t answer this question, it might be time to update yourself on the latest features offered on the platform. Staying up-to-date on the latest features will allow you to interact properly while building online relationships.

3. Learn How To Stalk Professionally

While this does sound a little creepy, one of the most beneficial parts of networking online is the ability to learn more about the people you are interested in connecting with. Some call this stalking, others call it researching. Get to know the people you’re connecting with online, and use the information you gain to fuel the building blocks of the professional relationship you’re attempting to create. You might find out that a person you’re connecting with has previously worked with one of your close contacts–create a warm-up conversation based on this knowledge! The ability to research online connections will also benefit you in face-to-face networking situations where you will be prepared to communicate knowledge based on the intersection of your interests.

4. Increase Online Interactions

Don’t just be a profile picture. If you’re less than satisfied with the success of your online networking, it might be helpful to look for new ways to interact with others while attempting to build networking connections.

Try setting new personal goals for the amount of people you attempt to make connections within a period of time. If your interaction strategy of comments, retweets, and/or replies isn’t driving the level of feedback you were hoping for, mix it up. Trying something new, like commenting on industry-specific blogs, might gain a level of interaction that drives networking connections. Also, don’t forget to give props to others–this is a sure-fire way to gain the appropriate attention of others.

5. Transfer Online Connections To Offline Connections

While it might not be physically possible to take all of your online networking connections out for coffee, it certainly is possible to attempt to meet the majority of them in-person. The power of face-to-face networking is unmatched and something that will hopefully never go out of style.

Reach out to your online networking connections when you know that either of you will be in the same area for any kind of reason. This could mean meeting up at conference, seminars, or even while on a work-related trip. A face-to-face connection will take a networking relationship to the next level.

Have you found online networking to be beneficial in your job search? Share in the comments below!

Amit De is the CEO and Co-founder of Careerleaf, a platform that helps job seekers showcase their skills and talents, search for jobs, and track and organize communications all from one place. Connect with Amit and Careerleaf on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

3 Reasons Online Political Discourse Is Important

Rand Strauss — Fri, 26 Oct 2012 15:46:54 +0000

By Rand Strauss

Do you ever sign onto Facebook or Twitter and feel overwhelmed by the barrage of political mudslinging, jokes (not always in good taste), and opinions? The same feelings can arise when looking at the reader comments that follow blogs and political articles. However, some of this political discourse online is actually important!

According to the Pew Research Center, 82 percent of Internet users looked for information or completed a transaction on a government website in 2010. Almost half of Internet users (48%) have looked for information about a public policy or issue online. In my opinion, these numbers will continue to increase.

But whether political discourse is conducted via Twitter, online polling or surveys, or within the blogosphere, there are three great reasons why it’s important:

1. Political discourse online allows for deeper dissection of opinions and issues compared to what the mass media typically provides.

According to a study by Topix, 27 percent of Internet users reported participating in political discussions or debates online. Eighty-one percent of these users cited dissecting issues in greater depth than traditional media as the main reason they participate online.

This leads us to the growing distrust of our mass media today. As of last month, 60 percent of Americans reported not trusting the mass media to report accurate and unbiased information. Political discourse online allows the public to read and view mainstream news reports followed by the opinions of others, thus receiving a wider view on current issues.

2. Political discourse and opinion polling impacts the state of political campaigns.

Because a portion of political polling occurs online today, our participation in online polls and surveys can make an impact. And politicians are listening — usually. You can check out the Reuters poll here to see what I’m talking about. Reuters has polled 11,000 people each month about the presidential race and other issues. USA TODAY and Gallup also consistently run polls on the state of political opinion.

But it doesn’t stop at polling. If our politicians are running good campaigns, they will constantly monitor both media and public perceptions. This includes reactions expressed via mainstream media such as newspapers, magazines, and television networks, and outlets on the Internet.

3. Political discourse online encourages political activism in the real-world, especially among younger generations.

Adults ages 18 to 29 typically have lower voter registration and voter turnout rates. In fact, 63 percent of 18 to 29 year olds plan to vote this year, which is down from 72 percent in 2008. But, In contrast, political discourse online is much higher for this group, likely because they are the first generation to grow up communicating on the Internet.

Because of this, Internet users, especially younger generations, are more likely to participate in political activities, such as watch political videos, share election-related content, “fact check” political claims, and even participate in political activities on a daily basis.

As Americans increasingly use the Internet and social media to seek out political information, political discourse online will rise. Politicians have added online platforms such as social media, blogs, and online forums to their communications toolbox, so let’s help them listen by using these tools actively and respectfully.

Are there other reasons political discourse is important online?

7 Ways Not To Impress Your Boss

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 24 Oct 2012 23:42:37 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Are you hoping to receive a raise, get a title promotion, or simply gain the respect of your boss? Take a moment to think back to the last time you spoke to your supervisor directly or did something that received a high level of recognition. Has it been a while? Also, do you feel stressed, angry, or tired while at work? If so, your boss probably can tell.

It might be time to boost your self-awareness and reevaluate your actions in the workplace. If you aren’t actively working to impress your boss, there’s a pretty high chance you’re actually frustrating him. Don’t wait until it’s too late to leave a lasting impression on your manager. Here are seven ways you won’t impress your boss:

1. Gloat about your accomplishments

There’s a big difference between making sure your boss knows you’re meeting or exceeding your goals and shouting your contributions from the rooftop. Even if your manager doesn’t catch you gloating, no one likes a bragger — and you’re probably going to end up rubbing your co-workers the wrong way, which your boss certainly will notice. Chances are, if you’re doing your job well, there is no need to share your victories so vocally. While it feels nice to give yourself a pat on the back every once in awhile, stick to the facts (Situation, Action, Results) and only inform those who could possibly take actions as a result that might impact your career.

2. Suck up via social media

It’s one thing to be a brown noser to your boss’s face, but doing it via social media will send you down a path of no return. (On the flip side, don’t complain about your boss there either!) While the ability to communicate properly using social media is a must, using social platforms to constantly tweet at, retweet, comment, or share what your manager is saying will probably drive them crazy. There are many ways to build a meaningful relationship with your boss, but this isn’t one of them. Not to mention, no one likes that person at work who only knows how to communicate online.

3. Never interact with anyone at work

Building professional relationships with your co-workers is an absolute must for a healthy workplace culture. It would be a grave mistake to assume your boss doesn’t notice the lack of interaction you have with him and your co-workers. This doesn’t mean you need to pal around with them outside of work, but it does mean you need to take the time to develop a courteous and respectful two-way relationship. At a minimum, congratulate them on work well done and make small talk when the time is right.

4. Avoid face-to-face communication

While sending emails is necessary, it’s often a detrimental form of communication. You’re going to create an awkward situation if you continually avoid speaking directly to your boss. Certainly don’t run into his office every chance you get, but spend time developing a relationship with your manager that involves more communication offline.

5. Never relax

Tensing up around an authority figure is common. You might not even notice you are doing it, but your boss certainly does. It’s essential you begin actively working on being more relaxed in his presence, or things will get awkward fast. Take the time to assess the tension you’re feeling and address it head on.

6. Never do your research

Whether you’re inquiring about a project or asking for a raise, a sure-fire way to anger your boss is by continually disregarding easily accessible facts. If you fail to research simple things before asking, you’ll end up wasting your manager’s valuable time. On the flip side, researching the right answers upfront will impress your boss while putting him at ease.

7. Be as negative as humanly possible

Making a habit out of routinely venting your frustrations at work about your job or your personal life will not only anger your boss, but also could lead to you being fired. Even if your boss isn’t directly hearing your negativity, rumors of your attitude will certainly travel his way. The importance of a positive attitude cannot be overstated. As a long-time manager myself, I can’t afford to have one person bringing my entire team down — no matter how well you perform your job, if you’re causing other people to think twice about working for my company, it’s time for you to go.

What are some easily overlooked ways to go the extra mile when trying to impress your boss?

How Proposing Great Ideas Can Help You Advance Your Career

onepage — Tue, 23 Oct 2012 20:40:57 +0000

By Joanna Riley Weidenmiller

Ideas make the world go ’round — and in the business world, one innovative thought can spark lasting change in an organization, increase productivity and effectiveness, and even land you a job opportunity! For some bright members of the labor force, all it took was one idea to take them from the bottom rungs of the corporate ladder to being a major player in the organization’s success.

Examining these remarkable examples of everyday women who weren’t afraid to share their bright ideas and were eventually placed or considered for job major roles at the CEO, president, and director levels shows that often all you need is one epiphany moment to supercharge your career.

Laura Alber, CEO Williams-Sonoma

One remarkable example of an everyday person turned CEO is the current director and president of home furnishings brand Williams-Sonoma. After earning a B.A. in Psychology from the University of Pennsylvania, Laura Alber spent several years working with major retail brands such as GAP and Contempo Casuals.

How does one go from working in retail merchandising to being ranked ten on Fortune’s list of the “25 Highest-Paid Women” of 2011? By combining dedication and fearlessness with great ideas. While working as a senior buyer for Williams-Sonoma’s Pottery Barn brand, she penned a strategic proposal that honed her innovative ideas and used them to grow the company and expand its reach globally.

According to Laura’s executive profile on Businessweek, “She has been the visionary leader behind several of Williams-Sonoma’s most impressive growth strategies, including the multi-channel expansion of the Pottery Barn brand and the creation of the Pottery Barn Kids, Pottery Barn Bed+Bath, and PBteen brand.” Laura built a remarkable career with Williams-Sonoma by demonstrating her dedication to the company’s mission. In addition to carrying out her job functions, Laura saw room for improvement in the way things were done and shared her ideas with key executives, as well as created a pragmatic strategy for accomplishing the corporate mission.

Lindsay Blackwell, Extreme Job Hunting

Another phenomenal example of the career-nurturing power of innovation is one graduate of the class of 2011. After hearing about a Social Media director position at her alma mater, the University of Michigan, she took to the web to create a viral campaign that would capture the attention of the hiring manager. Instead of solely applying to an open position and taking the chance of going unnoticed amongst thousands of applicants, Lindsay took a divergent approach and built a website and social media campaign that landed her a job interview for the position. Although she did not get specific job that she wanted, she was offered a position by Ingenex Digital Marketing as their Social Media Director due to the exposure she received.

This story has implications for people at every level in their career. The major takeaway point is that you must take a strategic approach to standing out from the crowd. Anyone can submit a job application and resume, but it takes a truly innovative thinker to find a meaningful way to stand out and showcase talent and skills necessary to do the job right.

Both anecdotes above showcase the importance of sticking to your goals and being flexible. Taking an innovative approach may be just what you need to get your foot in the door and make great strides in your profession. In the July issue of Marie Claire, four women were featured and provided tips on how they successfully worked their way to the top:

Introduce yourself to company leadership. Kate Gutmann, President of Worldwide Sales at UPS, says candidates should, “Make sure the decision makers know your name and what you do.” She did just that when vying for a promotion to a vice president position. She says, “the person making the decision didn’t know me at all, which can happen in a big company. So I wrote a memo–’Why Kate Gutmann?’–explaining who I was and why I should at least get an interview. It was a little courageous and scary at the time, but it worked. I got the interview and eventually landed the job.”

Avoid job hopping. “When I look at a resume and see a lot of jobs, I can’t be sure of the person’s success,” said Mellody Hobson, President at Ariel Investments. Many employers value loyalty and believe it shows you’re dedicated when you grow with one company for a portion of your career.

Find a solution. A tip you’ve probably heard from your parents before: “don’t whine–fix the problem,” came from Julie Greenwald, Chairman and Chief Operating Officer at Atlantic Records. Consider how you can solve issues you — or your co-workers face — each and every day.

Break out of your comfort zone. Ask for additional things to do and go beyond your job description. “The best advice I can give in a situation like mine is to know what you don’t know and seek out those who do,” said Tina Schiel, Executive Vice President of Stores at Target.

The key is to throw your reservations to the wayside and be vocal when you see opportunities for changing the way things are done. Through observing fallacies in the current methods of doing things, and by offering practical solutions, your great idea can take you from obscurity to gainful employment.

Do you know of other people who proposed great ideas and advanced their careers? Share them in the comments!

Joanna Riley Weidenmiller is the CEO and co-founder of The One-Page Company and is responsible for executing the company’s strategic development plan. Prior to launching One-Page, Joanna was the CEO of Performance Advertising. Joanna earned her B.A. in foreign affairs from the University of Virginia and lives between Beijing, China, and San Francisco. Connect with Joanna and The One-Page Company on Twitter @1pageproposal and Facebook.

3 Presidential Campaigning Tips for Your Job Search

Josh Tolan — Mon, 22 Oct 2012 14:32:36 +0000

By Josh Tolan

The presidential elections are right around the corner, which means the campaigns of Mitt Romney and Barack Obama are really heating up. Campaign ads are everywhere, email newsletters seem to come hourly, and the presidential hopefuls seem to be around every corner. That’s because Romney and Obama are campaigning for the biggest job in the country, the one which comes with a White House and an Oval Office.

Your own job search might not be as exciting, but it’s surely as important. Just because the unemployment rate has fallen to a three-year low of 7.8 percent doesn’t mean you don’t still have plenty of competition for your dream job. In fact, each open job posting still averages 118 applicants. Now is no time to be resting on your laurels.

Take a page from the playbook of the presidential hopefuls and apply some of these campaign lessons to your own job hunt.

Shake Some Hands, Kiss Some Babies (Metaphorically Speaking)
The presidential candidates would be nothing without networking. Obama and Romney have spent the last few months crisscrossing the country, stopping at small town diners and listening to the concerns of common citizens. In fact, Obama held more re-election fundraisers than the previous five presidents combined.

You don’t have to take your job search cross-country, but you should make networking an important part of your campaign to land the job you want. Look into networking events where you can make a more personal impression on hiring managers and employers. Join online communities and share your knowledge and advice. Ask those already in the company or industry to meet you for an informational interview where you can gain insight to help you in your search. Networking can unearth hidden opportunities, so never stop looking to add to your circle of contacts.

Make Your Own Campaign Ads
Are you tired of those endless campaign ads, both positive and negative, which seem to pop up during every commercial break on television? They might be tiring, but these campaign ads help the candidates stay in the public eye and forward their key messaging to voters.

In your job search, you should also think about getting on film in order to make a personal connection with hiring managers. Record a video resume to attach to your social media profiles and traditional paper resume. You don’t need a cameo by Big Bird to get employers’ attention, just be confident and specific about how your skills will bring value to the organization.

Gain Supporters on Social Media
Social media is everywhere and both candidates have a dedicated presence on big social media sites like Facebook and Twitter. In only a two week period, Obama’s campaign published 614 posts and a whopping 29 tweets per day. On the other side, Mitt Romney used 24 percent of his social media presence to focus on economic issues. Both candidates realize social media is a smart way to engage with voters around the topics they care about and gain passionate supporters.

Social media can also help you gain supporters in your job hunt if you know how to correctly implement a social media campaign. First, watch what you say before you hit the submit button. A bad post on social media can truly hurt your chances of landing the job you want.

Second, be mindful of your personal brand. Social media can be a great tool to help you establish an attractive brand as a professional. With 92 percent of employers checking out a candidate’s online footprint, social media can help brand you as an upcoming thought leader who is plugged into industry trends.

Lastly, make sure to use social media to network with the movers and shakers in your field. Thanks to the power of social media, you now have access to individuals you never could have connected with before. Don’t be too pushy, but make sure to add to discussions and make your voice heard by those who might be able to help you in the future.

The presidential candidates know a thing or two about how to run an effective campaign. After all, they’ve beaten out all the other candidates to vie head-to-head for the country’s most important job. If you network like a pro, get ready for your close-up, and correctly utilize social media you might find yourself (s)elected for your dream job.

What are some job search tips you can take from the presidential candidates? Share in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

Turning Part-Time Seasonal Employment Into A Full-Time Career

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 18 Oct 2012 19:20:53 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Whether you’ve made it a holiday tradition or you just enjoy the extra income, part-time employment during the holidays is very common. While hiring for part-time seasonal employment is in full-effect, the unemployed and currently employed alike are applying for seasonal jobs.

This year, the National Retail Federation‘s annual report projected the hiring of between 585,000 and 625,000 temporary retail workers for the holiday season. The total number of temporary hires will be around 700,000 nationwide for this holiday season. If those numbers sound good to you, it’s time to start applying because most companies began their hiring as early as September.

There’s also more good news for those who’ve been hired for part-time seasonal employment: several retailers are planning to hire a portion of their temporary workforce on as permanent employees after the holiday season. But you’ll need a plan-of-attack if you’re hoping to turn your holiday position into something more permanent.

Turn your temporary job into a full-time opportunity with these approaches:

Express Your Interest

Don’t wait until the end of the holiday season to express you desire to be hired as a full-time employee of the company. Be straightforward with your employer from the beginning that you desire a permanent position. This will take more than a single firm statement during your interview. It’s your job to show your employer that you’re highly motivated to make yourself a valuable, long-term part of the company.

Impress The Right People

It’s imperative to immediately identify the co-workers, managers, and other company employees on which you want to leave a positive lasting impression. Seek out the company decision makers and be sure to build a professional relationship with them. Express your enthusiasm for your position and the company by going above and beyond with your day-to-day work. Be sure to let these key people know your future goals and interests align well with the company.

Work Like You’ve Already Been Hired Full-Time

Treat your part-time position like a full-time job from day one. Express your commitment to the position by being flexible, dependable, and a problem-solver. Your position was created to make sure the company runs like a well-oiled machine through the crazier times of the year, which means your co-workers and managers are relying on you.

The productivity of many seasonal workers tends to fizzle out toward the end of their time with the company. Stand out by remaining positive and optimistic about your future and leaving a lasting impression your managers. When it comes to hiring from temporary to full-time, your managers will recall your attitude and diligence.

Although full-time positions aren’t guaranteed to be created from part-time seasonal jobs, job seekers are looking optimistic at this year’s predictions. Putting in the extra effort could mean a belated holiday gift for your career.

Have you worked a seasonal job that turned into full-time employment?

RemarkableHire: A Talent-Sourcing Platform Connecting Employers With Quality Prospects

Heather R. Huhman — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:30:59 +0000

Let’s face it: resumes and cover letters are biased. Because these documents are written by job candidates themselves, there’s often no way for a recruiter to be absolutely certain the candidate has the know-how they need for their job opening. For employers, this often means making a poor hiring decision and ultimately experiencing higher turnover rates.

That’s why a new website is aiming to offer employers a more comprehensive view of their job candidates. RemarkableHire is an online service that analyzes a candidate’s contributions to online skill-based communities, making the hiring process easier for recruiters trying to locate top tech talent.

Here’s how it works: When a tech professional contributes to social tech and design communities like StackOverflow, GitHub, and Dribbble, there are ways for their peers to endorse their work, whether through likes, follows, or votes of approval. RemarkableHire scans these sites to gather an unbiased, collective view of the abilities of job candidates, based on how their peers have rated their work. This “social evidence” of a professional’s skills helps employers see whether a professional’s online contributions stand up to the claims made on their resume — or if they’re all talk.

RemarkableHire’s candidate ranking system fills the gap between self-made application materials and employer needs. Because many top tech professionals aren’t spending their days scouring job boards, RemarkableHire helps employers to locate candidates who may not actively be looking for a job, but would be open to other opportunities.

If you’re finding it difficult to land remarkable hires, you may want to incorporate this innovative talent-sourcing platform into your recruitment strategy to help locate and evaluate top job candidates.

As an employer, would you consider using RemarkableHire to fill the gap between you and job candidates?

How To Destroy Your Video Strategy In One Step

KZO Innovations — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 13:00:22 +0000

By Jodi Wilkinson

According to Cisco, the number of those who watch online video is set to double, reaching 1.5 billion users by 2016. In addition, the use of online video for business purposes is also projected to see growth, from internal training videos to content marketing. As a result, we are seeing an increased number of companies using video as a way to connect with their internal and external audiences because of its convenient and user-friendly nature.

Although video is a popular medium, the way producers create quality content needs to be thoroughly researched, not only in terms of audience members, but also in terms of trends. Most importantly, content creators actually have to do some legwork and avoid some mistakes that, by themselves, could derail an entire video campaign.

Read on for a few mistakes employers should keep in mind when developing business video.

Videos without mobile capabilities
Many smartphone and tablet users use their devices to watch video–in fact, the majority of tablet users watch video on their devices, and there’s been a 34 percent increase of users accessing video on their smartphones over the past year. If businesses don’t take this trend into account, content creators are losing out on a way to connect with their target market, and employees are losing out on the opportunity to work, learn, and catch up on work while on the go.

Instead: Ensure all videos are created with mobile capabilities to best meet the needs of an increasingly mobile workforce. Employers should make a point to confirm that the content can be viewed on any device that supports HTML5 or Flash.

No collaboration features
The Internet has changed the way we communicate–it’s increased the need and desire to get information fast, and subsequently, the desire to share and collaborate with others. When businesses don’t consider adding video collaboration features, viewers cannot communicate with each other, discuss content, share ideas, or gain insight from their peers. This may lead to viewers going to other sources, meaning they may have to bring the conversation to social media sites, forums, or blogs instead of keeping it all on your platform. Or, they could seek out other companies or your competitors who enable collaboration.

Instead: Make a point to include any collaboration feature which can add value to your video. Also, provide a communication tool to your audience, such as chat, threaded discussions, surveys, or linked content. Provide viewers with all the tools they need so they can engage with others.

Not analyzing sentiment
Sentiment can show subject experts how their audience members feel about the content. Sentiment can typically be classed as positive, negative, and neutral. Not analyzing sentiment can lead producers to create the wrong kind of content — content not based on the preference of the audience, such as making videos that are too long or not providing enough information for the viewers.

Instead: Analyze what the overall attitude is around your videos. Assess whether the sentiment is overly positive or negative, delve in the comments, interact with users, and use your findings to create videos that are more customized.

No call to action
Calls to action (CTA) allow viewers to follow up with the content creator. CTAs can be a question, an external link, contact information, social networking handles, surveys, give-aways, or anything else that invites the viewer to engage. Not including a CTA decreases the purpose and the shelf-life of a video, because it leaves nothing for the viewer to go to once the viewing is over. Disregarding CTAs can also leave the content creator with little feedback, because users aren’t encouraged to give any in the first place.

Instead: Add CTA messages at the end of the video so viewers have a way to discuss their thoughts with the subject expert and other viewers. Respond to CTA messages in a timely manner so users feel part of the conversation.

As our workforce becomes increasingly mobile, businesses need to consider the impact and benefits of using mobile video. Avoid the mistakes outlined here to ensure your video strategy doesn’t fall flat.

Jodi Wilkinson is the co-founder and Vice President of Products at KZO Innovations, a video software company that provides an on-demand video platform for small to large enterprises and government customers. Connect with Jodi and KZO Innovations on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Higher Education: 4 Things To Consider Before Going Back To School

Jackalope Jobs — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 12:30:57 +0000

By Sudy Bharadwaj

Every fall, hordes of students grab their bookbags, their pens and pencils, and their (overpriced) textbooks and get ready to head back to school. Will you be one of them?

If you’re already in the job force but considering continuing your education, there are many things to think about in terms of the value and feasibility of going back to school. Here are four things to consider:

1. Cost
There’s no getting around it: school is expensive. Tuition is expensive, and so are textbooks, software, and anything else you may need for your classes. Consider whether you can afford to go back to school on your current salary, and be sure to talk to your company about whether or not they support employees going back to school. Some companies may even pay your tuition in full!

2. Return on Investment
Yes, school is expensive, but sometimes it’s worth it. Think about what your return will be on an investment in your education. Some career fields see significantly higher salaries for employees with Master’s or Doctorate degrees, and some require certain post-undergraduate education to move forward. If you can say that the benefits of a higher education outweigh the costs, you’re headed in the right direction.

3. Goals
Think about why you want to go back to school: Will it earn you a higher salary? Will it allow you to excel in your career? Will it set you apart from other job applicants? Consider your reasons for seeking a higher degree, and consider your goals for using your furthered education. If your potential degree will help you meet your goals, you should consider pursuing it.

4. Practicality
When all is said and done in terms of costs, return on investment, and goals, a decision about continuing education really comes down to: Is it practical? That is, even if you have the money for school and your education will eventually pay for itself and it will help you fulfill your goals, are you at a point in your life where you can dedicate the time and effort to continuing your education? All in all, this is the final line of fire in your education decision.

Deciding whether or not to continue your education is an important, and not at all uncomplicated, decision. Take into account these four considerations before making your final decision.

Did you go back to school? How did you decide it was right for your career?

Sudy Bharadwaj is a co-founder and the CEO of Jackalope Jobs, a web-based platform that combines search, social networking, and the overall user’s experience to provide relevant job openings. Learn how Sudy and Jackalope Jobs obsess over job seekers by connecting with them on Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter.

How Following Current Events Can Boost Your Career

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:52:40 +0000

Following current events may seem like we’re time traveling back to elementary school. (Remember bringing news clips to class for discussion?) But seriously, following current and industry news can give you a huge career boost if you keep your focus.

Sadly, many of the Americans don’t follow current trends, or even enjoy it for that matter. In fact, only 45 percent of Americans reported enjoying following the news a lot while 36 percent enjoy following the news a little.

But here’s the really interesting statistic: More than a third of those employed full- or part-time say that keeping up with the news is important to their jobs.

However, keeping up with the news should be important to every job! Here’s why:

You never know what an interview or employer might ask you. During your job hunt, current events may be important to your interviewer. And who knows what they may ask. But if you haven’t been following industry news and trends, you might be unaware of a new federal policy, game-changing software, or latest trend. Being knowledgeable about the industry in which you work tells a lot about your dedication to your profession to an employer.

Showing your interest and dedication to your industry is part of your personal brand. Job seekers are told all the time to have a professional social media presence and blog platform to showcase work and impress employers. But if you’re not showing interest in your industry within these accounts, that speaks volumes to hiring managers. Show you’re on top of your game and actually interested too.

You’ll make better decisions — and spot business opportunities and trends faster. If you’re regularly following current events, you’ll start to realize when trends are emerging and pockets for opportunity have arisen. Further, you’ll be more in tune with your industry and client or customer needs, which will likely translate to making better, quicker decisions at work.

You may become an industry expert. So you’re impressing hiring managers and employers, getting better jobs, becoming tuned to industry quirks, and making better business decisions. This may all soon lead to you becoming an industry expert if you choose. There are always at least a handful of professionals in an industry that we look to in trade publications, newsletters, and blogs to provide advice and thought-leadership. If you are present in the news you consume — such as participating and commenting in society forums or blogs and interacting with opinion leaders in your industry — you will start getting noticed.

So if you’re on the current events bandwagon, there are easy ways to start following your industry’s current news, trends, and issues. Use the following resources to get started:

1. Industry blogs, e-letters, and websites. Try putting these into a RSS feed for easy access in one place.

2. Attend meetings with your professional organization, read their newsletters, or watch their webinars.

4. On-the-go a lot? Try downloading some mobile apps to your mobile device. Most major news organizations have their own apps with handy news feeds.

5. Follow thought leaders on Twitter, Facebook, and other social media web sites.

Following current events can seem daunting and boring. But if you truly enjoy the industry in which you work, you are bound to find some interesting stuff every day to share with your colleagues. In the end, it will make you smarter and more aware of the events that impact your life and career.

What’s another benefit to following current events in your industry?

FindHire – Making The Hiring Process Easy

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 10 Oct 2012 14:30:53 +0000

Hiring for any startup or small business is one of the most critical and difficult processes as a business owner. And when you’re starting out, using a chunk of your budget for expensive ATS software or recruitment agency fees usually isn’t worth it.

According to the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE), the average cost of an entry-level hire ranges $5,700 to $8,900. And it’s important to note that your cost per hire is a great way for you to examine all components of your recruiting process to determine how you are spending your money — whether that is recruiter fees or bulky software.

But if you’ve found yourself spearheading your business’ recruiting efforts and don’t have the time or the money to dedicate to finding the perfect hire, there is an affordable option available today.

We recently came across FindHire, a Web-based recruiting tool, as an affordable solution for small to mid-sized businesses needing a kickstart to their hiring process. FindHire offers features for both employers and job seekers looking for a streamlined way to post or apply for jobs. Companies like Skype, Staples, and McGraw-Hill Education are already using FindHire in their own sourcing, interviewing, and hiring plans.

For a $99 or $185 monthly fee — depending on the number of users and postings — employers can create job postings that are syndicated to multiple leading and niche job boards such as Indeed, SimplyHired, LinkedIn, and Craigslist. Or if you’d like to keep your posting private for now, you can keep it confidential within FindHire.

The job candidate search and selection process is also easy for those of you doing all the recruiting yourself. With FindHire, you can use search terms, or “FindWords,” to sort out resumes, rate your candidates and see their job applicant history, schedule video or phone interviews and sync these with your calendars, and even chat with recruiters and other job seekers in the social feed.

These features all seem to be relatively easy to use and will minimize the time you spend posting jobs and wading through job candidates. FindHire also provides easy-to-use analytic features and passive candidate searches.

We can’t forget the best part for those of you on-the-go — FindHire has created a nifty iPad app that allows you to review and hire candidates on the road! So if you’ve been searching for an affordable solution to your recruitment woes, give FindHire a try with their 14-day free trial and see if they are the “perfect fit” for you.

Would a system like FindHire make recruiting and hiring easier for your business? If so, what features do you value most in similar affordable systems?

How to Gangnam Style Your Video Resume

Josh Tolan — Tue, 09 Oct 2012 18:15:04 +0000

By: Josh Tolan

Can’t stop humming the Korean pop sensation “Gangnam Style”? You’re not alone. The catchy K-pop dance video just made the Guinness Book of World Records for most liked video in YouTube history. That’s a lot of thumbs up for artist PSY and his hilarious send up of Korean pop video tropes. Your video resume may never go viral, but there are some tips you can take from the unstoppable “Gangnam Style.”

You’re not going to want to record your video resume in the bath house or the stables, but there is plenty you can learn from this latest Internet success story. PSY has taken “Gangnam Style” on the road, appearing on everything from Good Morning America to Saturday Night Live. And the parodies keep on coming, whether it’s political videos, touchdown dances, or prison inmates taking on the phenomenon.

PSY’s music video took his career off into the stratosphere. You too can land your dream job if you apply some of the lessons from his viral video success to your video resume.

Here’s how to take some of the wacky tactics used in the video, turn them professional, and use them as inspiration to make a better video resume:

Self-Confidence is key
PSY has self-confidence to spare. Some might even say a little too much self-confidence. Confidence is a key component in how you appear to employers in your video resume. Job seekers who speak with confidence about their skills and qualifications will make a big impression on hiring managers. Employers want to know you have confidence in your own abilities before they decide if they have any confidence that you’re the right one for the job.

So put down those sunglasses and instead focus on appearing calm, poised, and well-spoken. Take a few practice runs before recording your video resume to make sure you’ve worked out your nerves and you’re presenting the best picture to potential employers.

Don’t be afraid to show off your personality
Recording a wacky video resume is likely to get you more laughs than job offers. Still, a boring video resume won’t have hiring managers knocking down your door for an interview either. Instead, show off your personality so employers can gauge how well you’ll fit into the organization.

PSY showed off his wacky, strange, and cool personality with the video for “Gangnam Style.” Whether he was dancing across a street or hanging out in an elevator, one thing PSY doesn’t lack is personality. Show off yours by showing hiring managers just how enthusiastic you are about the opportunity.

Dress to impress
If there’s one thing PSY knows, it’s how to dress snappy. In fact, PSY’s “Gangnam Style” uniform of brightly colored tuxedo jackets and bow ties is likely to be a Halloween staple this year.

You should dress for your video resume just like you would for an important in-person interview. Leave the jeans and T-shirts for your leisure time and treat this important opportunity with the respect it deserves. After all, you only have one chance to make a first impression.

Show your unique value
In “Gangnam Style” PSY created his own dance move like he was riding an invisible horse. He said his style is to “dress fancy and dance cheesy.” PSY played to his strengths and created his own unique style and started a dance craze in the process.

You shouldn’t be dancing on your video resume, not even with invisible horses, but you should be showing off your unique value. You’re not just any job seeker, you’re the person specially suited for the job. Let employers see the value you will bring to the company by listing concrete examples of what you have to offer.

“Gangnam Style” is a huge Internet sensation because singer PSY knows the importance of being himself and being confident. These same attributes should be present in any good video resume if you expect to land your dream job. Then you’ll have the perfect dance moves to celebrate!

What are some lessons from “Gangnam Style” you can apply to your video resume? Share in the comments!

Video Interviewing Gaining Traction: Should You Jump Aboard?

Josh Tolan — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 13:00:26 +0000

By: Josh Tolan

Are you ready for your close-up? You might want to be, because video interviewing is gaining some serious traction in the hiring world. A new survey from Office Team found 63 percent of employers are currently conducting video interviews. This number is up 14 percent from just last year.

This shouldn’t be surprising because most online tools that aid the recruitment process have seen a spike in usage. For instance, around 92 percent of employers are using social media to recruit according to a survey from Jobvite. Video interviewing is part of a sea change in the way recruiters and hiring managers use the online space to source and hire great talent.

Still, you might be wondering if video interviewing can bring value to your recruitment process. Just like all tools, there are certain areas in which online video interviews truly shine and make hiring easier. Here are some of the situations where video interviews can improve your recruitment:

Hiring At A Distance
One of the most obvious benefits of video interviewing is the ability to speak one-on-one with far away candidates. Now distance doesn’t have to dictate the type of interview you have with a talented job seeker. In the traditional hiring process, a candidate outside your company’s geographic region would often need to be flown in for an in person meeting. You would have to be extremely sure of this candidate to spend the time and money to meet in person.

With video, you can have a face-to-face conversation with candidates from all over the globe without spending a dime on airfare. By cutting down on the hassle of interviewing job seekers out of your area, you open up your company’s talent pool to a larger cache of candidates.

Replacing Phone Screens
Phone screens can be extremely inefficient. While the average phone screen lasts about 30 minutes, most recruiters know within 90 seconds whether a candidate is right for the position. This is a waste of time for both the recruiter and the candidate who is all wrong for the job or the company.

According to research from the Aberdeen Group, recruiters can view up to ten video screens in the time it typically takes to complete one phone screen. This means one recruiter might have spent 30 minutes talking to the wrong candidate while another weeded through to find two or three top prospects.

This is thanks to the power of one-way video interviews. They work a bit differently than the typical live video interview where recruiters and candidates talk in real-time. In one-way video interviews, employers pose written questions for candidates to answer on video. These video answers can then be viewed and evaluated by recruiters at any time. If you don’t like what you see after a few questions, you can cut your losses and move on to the next candidate.

Scheduling Made Simple
Both one-way and live video interviews can making scheduling nightmares a bit less scary. This means video interviews can be a solution if you have a great passive candidate with a packed schedule. If your candidate has plenty of time, maybe an in person interview is the way to go. However, if your candidate is juggling a crowded calendar, video interviews can be the perfect way to squeeze in a conversation.

“Seeing” Candidates Sooner
Recruiters always want a more personal feel for candidates faster in the process. This allows you to see if a candidate would be a good fit for the company culture and if their personality will jive with the needs of the position. The benefit of video interviews is by using them to replace phone screens, you get a fuller picture of the candidate more immediately.

Instead of waiting until an in person meeting to see how a candidate reacts under stress or what their communication skills are really like, you can assess these factors all without ever leaving your office. This way you can focus your energy on bringing in only the best fitting candidates for the job.

Like all hiring tools, video interviewing won’t be right for every situation. There is a reason, however, more employers and recruiters are jumping on the video interview bandwagon. When it comes to finding great far away candidates, cutting down on time-wasting phone screens, and getting a more personal feel for candidates, this new technology is helping recruiters get a leg up.

What are some ways video interviews can benefit your hiring process? Share in the comments!

5 Common Questions About Business Video

KZO Innovations — Thu, 04 Oct 2012 11:30:33 +0000

By Jeff Fissel

Video is an incredibly useful tool for businesses. Not only is it a gateway to collaboration, but also it can be a way to bridge the gap between internal experts and viewers in a user-friendly way. However, no matter how useful the tool is, it does come with its own set of pre-disposed concerns from organizations.

Here are some of the most common questions about video and what businesses can do to overcome these concerns:

Do I even need to be using video in my organization?
Need a solid reason to use video in your organization? How about this: video can actually increase productivity. The tool can help professionals learn better, particularly if they are on-the-go. In fact, according to a Ragan Communications and Qumu Report 76.9 percent of executives say adoption of technologies like video that enable a mobile workforce would increase efficiency. This means that, although a team can be spread out around the world, video can be used as a way to connect and communicate with your workforce.

Additionally, video can assist in creating a brand for your organization. People were more than two times more likely to visit a site upon seeing a video than control subjects who had not watched video at all. This can lead to an increase in brand recall, website traffic increase, and of course, an increased chance that positive purchasing decisions will be made.

Isn’t creating video hard?
Though video production is perceived with certain barriers to entry, there’s no denying its benefits. As with any other technology, there is a learning curve, but once videos have been created a few times, video production tools can easily be mastered. With video creation, you only need to be as experienced as you want.

For example, you can add a voiceover to PowerPoint slides that will be displayed as video content to your users. As you want to try higher level video production tools, many platforms have built-in guides, tutorials, or live help to assist you should you run into problems or if you want to enhance your video. So, even if you’re a beginner, most video platforms are designed with the user in mind, regardless of skill level.

Additionally, while guidance will be required, companies should consider providing video production tools to their employees. According to the previously mentioned Ragan Communications and Qumu Report, 47 percent of workers say employee created video increases efficiency, which can help them communicate with coworkers or retain information easily.

What sort of capabilities should business video platforms have?
Though every organization has different needs and requirements, 73.5 percent of executives say chatting and commenting capabilities are important features to have in their business video platform. In addition, the ability to upload video from mobile devices to corporate social sites, such as a company Facebook page, is also important to 61.8 percent of executives. Other features to consider include metric tracking, tagging, notifications, and options for enterprise application integration.

What if I have to edit or change my videos in the future? Isn’t that hard and time-consuming?
Video editing can be daunting and time-consuming for the inexperienced. Almost 40 percent of employees believe that editing software requires special skills and 44 percent think it takes too much time. However, overhauling your video content can actually save you time, as well as money, if you use a platform that makes updating simple.

For instance, some video platforms allow content producers to quickly swap out sections of video that no longer apply as well as add new PowerPoint decks, clips, and links to keep videos timely. This keeps everything in one place, allows content creators to break up videos into sections if needed, and makes the updating and distribution process easier and more economical than handing out new materials every time a change is made.

How can I have ensure my videos are reaching a global audience?
According to the Bureau of Economic Analysis, worldwide employment by U.S. multinational companies increased to 34 million workers in both the United States and abroad. For those co-workers who are operating globally, video can be a useful tool to aid in the communication process on a much wider scale. It just needs to reach your audience in the correct way.

Unlike other tools, video can be used on-demand so that your global audience, even those in distant time zones, can stay informed. However, if there are content storage or security concerns, streaming video platforms are recommended because they can help alleviate these issues. Streaming video platforms help you remain in control of your video content because the video file does not get stored on the viewer’s computer. For storage issues, concerns could be further alleviated if the video distribution platform has cloud capabilities or can integrate with a content delivery network.

Though there may be certain concerns about leveraging video for your business, it is unquestionably a useful tool, no matter what industry you are in. Just be sure to address the concerns first — which may not be as difficult to overcome as you might have thought — and start recording quality content for the benefit of yourself, as well as your audience.

Jeff Fissel KZO Innovations, a video software company that provides an on-demand video platform for small to large enterprises and government customers. Connect with Jeff and KZO Innovations on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Scavado: The Search Engine For Recruiters

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 14:30:15 +0000

Sourcing qualified candidates on the Web shouldn’t be a hassle. Recruiters currently spend significant amounts of time using search engines and money developing and implementing complex Boolean strings to make their online talent search more efficient. All while trying to target hard-to-find top performers in a variety of different industries.

In today’s competitive talent market, recruiters deserve a solution for uncovering uniquely qualified candidates quickly, directly and comprehensively. We think the answer is just around the corner!

Scavado, a next-generation search engine developed by and for recruiters, is an effective and time-saving Web-based tool for talent acquisition. Awarded the honor of one of Human Resource Executive Magazine’s “Top HR Products for 2012,” Scavado gives users the ability to proactively target top employed performers anywhere on the Web without any fancy search strings. Its functions cut search time in half and make it easier to find contact information in order to connect recruiters directly to prospects by email or phone. Building great target lists has never been easier with Scavado’s ability to track your search history and favorite results.

This Web-based search tool requires no installation and was built on the belief that recruiters should be able to choose their own software. Scavado’s creators know that ROI is crucial in the current hiring market. Their product can reduce cost-per-hire by up to 90 percent; all while improving the quality of candidates.

But Scavado isn’t for everyone. Scavado subscribers are only the most proactive recruiters who believe in targeting top performers. Recruiters can find out whether this tool is a good match for them by taking the compatibility quiz.

Plans and pricing for Scavado subscribers are both affordable and specialized. A monthly plan, which is perfect for hiring and jobs outside your specialized area, is $99 per month with an annual commitment. An annual plan, which is perfect for recruiters seeking to remedy their consistently tough search year-round, is $999.

Scavado is the quick and painless answer for recruiters looking to stand out from the rest. With its unmatched time-saving ability, subscribers can have the confidence that they are digging deeper into candidate pools and finding the highest quality of candidates.

If you’re a recruiter, would you consider using Scavado to improve your recruiting process?

How Online Social Job Sites Have Revolutionized The Job Search

shinyneedle — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 16:55:01 +0000

By Patrick Richard

Job seekers find a reliable resource in the Internet. This socially enriched space makes it possible to connect with people far and wide and to unearth viable job leads when looking for work. A survey conducted by Jobvite revealed that 92 percent of U.S. companies are using social media networks to recruit talent, up from 78 percent just five years ago.

Social job sites have indeed revolutionized the online job space, leaving job seekers who are less technologically inclined and social media savvy with a major gap to mine. The advent of the social-media powered job search — and the influx in the number of options available to job seekers that followed — have changed the way people identify land positions.

The Rise Of Referrals In The Job Search

Using social media-enriched job sites puts job seekers with well-kept social media presence and massive networks at an advantage. Research shows that while only one in 100 general applicants wind up with a seat in the office, one in seven referrals will land a job with a company they apply to. Job sites that leverage online social connections allow job seekers to pinpoint the organizations that they’re already connected to by a few degrees of separation, meaning they increase their likelihood of being hired if they do in fact have someone in their network who has been previously employed or is currently working at the company they’re interested in.

Online First Impressions Matter

Results of one eye-tracking study shows that the average time spent viewing an applicant’s online profile is 5.7 seconds, with most of the attention going to job title and profile picture. While having a personal brand that’s clearly defined and conveyed by up-to-date social media profiles improves your attractiveness as a candidate to employers, the hyperfocus on this job search tool reduces talented candidates and their accomplishments to a photo on a web page and job title that may not adequately portray capabilities. This can be problematic for job seekers who have less time on their hands to devote to maintaining their presence on social networking sites. Now, even the the time-strapped and those who are less technologically inclined must dedicate valuable time to building online profiles that will catch an employer’s attention.

Power in Numbers?

There are numerous sites available to employers, recruiters, and talent that offer services, software, and job search engines. Job seekers post resumes and while employers supply the job openings and review talent profiles and submissions.

The increase in the number of socially powered job search sites social means there are far more options available, but do they all stack up? Most engines turn up the same results, and the few that don’t update often lead talent to expired postings, job sites that require a credit card and registration to view, or scams.

Today’s job search space has been changed by the influx of social job search sites and search engines in general. Talent must exercise discretion when using job search sites and employers using these spaces must work to ensure postings are up-to-date, complete, and accurate. The joint effort of every contributor to the online and social job search space bears responsibility for maintaining effectiveness and results for employers and talent alike.

Patrick Richard is the president and founder of ShinyNeedle, a job site that allows employers to submit challenges to job candidates and see how they can impact a business from day one, making the hiring process more interactive. You can connect with Patrick and ShinyNeedle on Twitter and Facebook.

7 Ways to Enhance Your Enterprise Videos

KZO Innovations — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 15:36:28 +0000

By Jeff Fissel

With 64 percent of companies planning to use video this year, the need has never been higher for a guide to video enhancement. Today, it’s easy to create video — and online video platforms make it easy to organize your content.

Understanding how to create professional-quality video content isn’t difficult. If you’re finding the content of your enterprise videos lacking, follow these seven steps to enhance your enterprise videos and the user experience:

1. Ensure clear picture and sound in all your videos.

Always pay particular attention to your audio. Clear sound is vital to your enterprise videos. Without quality sound, your audience won’t understand your content, connect with your information, or feel compelled to share your video with others. The same holds true for your picture quality.

Your audience will appreciate your attention to quality. Ensure clear picture and sound by renting or purchasing professional equipment, such as quality mics, webcams, and cameras. With the right equipment, lighting won’t be as much of a burden. If necessary, lights can be used to address any unwanted shadows.

2. Go beyond traditional video by showcasing other visuals.

A talking head and a stagnant screenshot can become boring for your viewers. Don’t let your audience lose interest. Spice it up a little by providing a variety of content in your video.

Try integrating PowerPoint slides, desktop captures of software applications, or industry relevant clips with your video content when applicable. When doing so, you will keep your audience interested in the content and provide additional opportunities to learn and gain more information.

3. Encourage continual learning by linking supporting material.

You don’t have to cover every detail in your video. Add variety to your video content by linking supporting materials to your video. Allow supporting content to do the talking for you by embedding links to relevant PDF’s, whitepapers, or industry research, so users can read more about your topic if they’re interested.

4. Allow your viewers to Engage and communicate.

Engaging with your audience in business is key.

Perhaps you want to post a video on a breaking industry update or issue that will directly influence your business. Your video will make more of an impact if you add social elements to your videos–creating a social video–which will spark a conversation around the content. This type of engagement allows your viewers to discuss the issues at hand and brainstorm solutions as the video plays.

You may also be launching a new product and want your audience’s reaction. Your content creator can add a poll and follow viewer discussions around the video to analyze your audience sentiment.

5. Adjust and organize the delivery of your content.

Ideally, your videos should be no longer than five minutes. If your videos are getting a little lengthy, keep people focused by breaking your content into sections or chapters.

Dividing your video into sections allows them to be viewed in shorter snippets instead of one long session. This also lets your users review points or parts they don’t understand without having to search through the entire video.

For instance, training videos can house a lot of important information. Breaking a 20-minute video into shorter bites of fives minutes can hold the attention of the viewer, while at the same time keeping content organized and segmented for viewers that need a refresher on one of the sections in the future.

6. Choose a platform that allows hassle-free content updates.

No matter your industry, materials will always need to be updated — whether it be updates for new products, features updates, or new training information. With the right video platform, you can update your content and record new segments easily. Updating is made even easier if your content is divided into sections. Using editing software, update the section and swap it with the old section.

For example, a car company has changed one feature in their product line. Instead of creating an entirely new video on this model, they can update the section of the video that covers this one feature so their video is now an accurate portrayal of the product.

7. Analyze user metrics and listen to feedback.

The best thing you can do to enhance your enterprise videos is to listen to feedback from your viewers and track their viewing trends through metrics. Further, using surveys and polls at the end of your videos, in addition to other audience sentiment analysis, will allow you to see how your audience is reacting to your videos.

Evaluating your content after it’s been published can help you to know your audience and to create successful videos in the future. By acknowledging how long viewers are watching videos, who exactly is viewing your videos, and what topics are sparking conversation, you will have a broader understanding of what works, what doesn’t, and what needs to be reevaluated.

By enhancing your enterprise videos, you will be ensuring your content is optimized for your audience. Elements such as picture and sound quality, social collaboration, organized and updated content, and analyzing metrics are all elements that can only improve the quality, as well as the overall user experience, of your enterprise videos.

What do you do to ensure your enterprise videos stay up to par?

Jeff Fissel is the co-founder and Vice President of Solutions at KZO Innovations, a video software company that provides an on-demand video platform for small to large enterprises and government customers. Connect with Jeff and KZO Innovations on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

3 Monthly Tasks To Maintain Your Career Health

Heather R. Huhman — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 18:02:04 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

What do General Electric, Proctor & Gamble, Intel, and Siemens all have in common?

They have all been recognized for their dedication to leadership and career development throughout all levels of their organizations. These companies have been ranked for providing “extensive training, education and mentoring programs,” according to CareerBuilder.

So what’s the takeaway for job seekers? If your current employer isn’t offering any career development opportunities, take control of your career health. This will provide you with a safeguard for when a job change is necessary, and you’ll be on the right path toward your career goals.

What do I mean by career health? In short, I’m referring to maintaining your current skills, learning new ones, and being present in the industry in which you work. It’s easy to get into a lull and forget new things are happening, new skills can be attained, and new networking contacts can be made.

Here are three monthly tasks to help you maintain your career health:

1. Periodically look back on your current skills, accomplishments, and setbacks.

To maintain career health, you should periodically reevaluate your job history. Some questions to consider include:

Have you been involved recently in a successful project or outcome?
Have you faced career setbacks or errors in the past month?
What are your strongest skills? What are your weakest?

Take the time to acknowledge these points and write a little about each in a document on your computer. Noting your achievements and setbacks will make it easier for you to maintain your personal brand, update your resume and cover letters, and pinpoint improvements you need to make in the future.

2. Develop new skills via webinars, professional organizations, education, or volunteering.

Now that you’ve identified the skills you’d like to improve, do just that!

If you’re not already a part of your industry’s professional organization, become a member now. This organization likely offers access to webinars, peer mentoring programs, and conferences as part of your membership fee.

If you are a part of a professional organization, how long has it been since you were actively involved? If it’s been more than three months, consider watching a webinar or another career development benefit.

Getting a certificate or second degree is also a viable option for people who are looking to rev up their careers. But if you’d like to save the money, try volunteering somewhere that will allow you to develop the new skills you desire. This will also add to your resume when the time comes to dust it off.

Develop new knowledge and skills via at least one career development tool per month to maintain your career goals.

3. Keep up with your professional contacts and make new ones every now and again.

Think back on the last time you networked. Were you actively looking for a job at that time?

If you said yes, don’t feel bad. We all have a tendency to ask for things only when in need, especially during a job search. But networking is something that should occur even when you’re not actively looking for a job.

Maintaining your networking contacts takes some time and attention. So keep notes in your address book on your networking contacts so you don’t forget as you meet them. Search through your list to see if there’s someone you could touch base with this month. Maybe you can offer help with something they need.

Stay cognizant of other people’s needs so when your turn comes along, it won’t be so difficult to pinpoint your network and find job leads.

Take time to maintain your career health. Look back on your months with your career goals in mind. Be responsible for your career development and become more valuable as an employee.

Don’t they say hindsight is 20/20?

How To Schedule Your Day When You’re Unemployed

Heather R. Huhman — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 17:29:16 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

So you lost your job. Or you graduated from college and can’t find a full-time position. Whatever your circumstances, unemployment can be tough. It can be tempting to stay out all night and spend all day under the covers. You keep your mouse on the refresh button on your email, constantly checking for news from potential employers.

But believe it or not, there are better ways to spend your unemployed days. Here are a few tips on how to make the most of your day:

Make a schedule, and stick to it. While your bed seems to have some gravitational pull of its own, you have to get out of it. Set your alarm clock for the same time every weekday. Get up, shower, and put on real clothes (as in, not PJs or sweats). Even if you spend the day sitting at your desk on the computer, you’ll feel better having showered and dressed. Keep a regular bedtime too — try not to go to bed in the wee hours of the morning. Assume a night schedule similar to what you’d keep if you were working.

Plan out your day. If you don’t own a planner, you might want to invest in one. Allocate time in your day for activities like applying to jobs, exercise, socialization, and networking.

Applying for jobs: Applying for jobs should occupy a large part of your day. Research niche job boards, specific companies, major job boards, and social media sites to see where unique job postings might crop up. To keep the job search from getting monotonous, assign specific job boards or sites to specific days. For example, Tuesdays and Thursdays might be spent looking over companies’ social media sites, while Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays involve searching on niche and major job boards.

Rank the companies that appeal to you in terms of how well your skill set fits with the openings available. Make note of companies you’d like to work for that don’t have current job openings, and subscribe to RSS feeds that might help you track when openings become available. Keep track of all the jobs you apply for, and be sure to follow up when appropriate. Send follow up emails a week or so after submitting an application and always send a thank you note after interviewing. Organize your applications in terms of their status: researching, applied, interviewed, etc.

Exercise: Physical exercise is important to keep you feeling fit and happy. Even if it’s just a walk around the block to clear your head, make time in your day to get out of the house. Staying cramped up inside all day will only dampen your spirits. Don’t trap yourself in and obsess over your unemployment. Go for a bike ride, a run, a walk, whatever — just get out of the house and into the sunshine.

Socialize: Keep in touch with family and friends. This is another way to break up the monotony of your daily routine — plus they might have useful contacts in your industry. Pick their brains over coffee and catch up on other aspects of life. Be sure to leave time in your schedule to let your hair down so life doesn’t feel like a constant cycle of applying and waiting.

Network: Networking is one of the most important aspects of finding a job. Schedule time in your day to email contacts you might have in the industry. Set up lunch and coffee meetings to ask about your field, the best places to look for jobs, any recommendations they may have or openings in the industry that may not be common knowledge, etc. Be sure to follow-up with your contacts after these meetings to keep the connection going.

Volunteering with nonprofits looking for your skill set is another great way to meet people, plus it boosts your resume and gives you great experience. Keep a comprehensive list of contacts who might be able to help in your job search. Update your status on LinkedIn to reflect your current job search and network through your LinkedIn connections.

Make a weekly goal list. Aside from your daily plan, make a weekly goal list to chart the progress you want to make over any given week. Check things off as you get them done; at the end of the day, those check marks will make you feel accomplished!

Check your goal list at the end of each week to make sure you’re staying on track. If you’re not getting everything done, reassess the way you’re spending your time. Make sure you aren’t spending too much time on Facebook or watching re-runs of Dawson’s Creek on TV. Compare your daily schedule and your weekly goal list side-by-side to confirm you’re using your time effectively.

Maintain a positive attitude. While it can be hard to be unemployed, a positive attitude goes a long way. Keep your spirits up and believe in yourself; eventually, hard work and perseverance will prevail. You will find the right job.

Armed with these tips, be prepared to spend your day in a whole new way. Make the most out of your unemployment, and you won’t be unemployed much longer!

Are you spending your day effectively?

Video to the Future!

KZO Innovations — Mon, 24 Sep 2012 14:30:07 +0000

By Brian Kelly

Step aside boring manuals, monotonous presentations, and old school training sessions. There’s a new way to encourage engagement with your audience and it’s like music to our tech-savvy ears: social video.

In essence, social video creates a two-way dialogue between the viewer and the video creator, providing for ongoing conversations and improved user-experiences. Think of social video as an advanced version of a social networking platform. With it, you get the option of real-time or on-demand collaboration, along with instant notifications when there’s any kind of update or discussion. However, it’s all based around the interactive (and perhaps more interesting) medium of on-demand video.

Now, we’re not talking YouTube or Vimeo. We’re talking about using video in a completely different way. Interactive, engaging, communication driven forms of content that may actually be able to assist our businesses and therefore our workforce to perform better. Externally, social video can help drive traffic, increase sales, and inform our customers. It’s a win-win for every party involved.

As we’ve seen, online video has become one of the primary methods for viewing information, whether it’s professional or for entertainment. More than fifty percent of the population and about 70.8 percent of Internet users (up 7.1 percent from 2011) will watch online video in 2012. Studies also show that tablet and mobile usage of video is exploding. 54 percent of tablet users are using it for video. Pair the two together and it’s like a match-made in tech heaven. So, video will continue to play a huge part in how we learn, interact, and communicate.

However, what does this mean for businesses, big or small? Can they use social video to tell a more compelling company story, capture the attention of new hires, prospects, clients, or current workers? It’s highly likely, but let’s look at specific companies who’ve made using social video a large focus of their overall strategy.

Amazon.com has managed to stay ahead of the competition by using video to promote their products. Users can create video reviews and highlight their customer experience through visuals, all of which increases sales and creates a more consistent brand for the company. Apple also heavily uses video in their strategy to drive adoption of their products and create a more satisfied client. On and off their website, Apple provides detailed videos to assist new and existing users on products, services, company updates, and other important information.

Both Amazon and Apple continue the conversation with their users by providing forums based on the video content. This form of social video leads to increased collaboration between the user and the company. So, if a new user needed help figuring out Apple’s iMovie software, there’s a video and user forum to assist them. Based on this high level of customer engagement, it is not surprising that Amazon and Apple were ranked in the top five for customer satisfaction last year.

As the use of social video is expanded, businesses will use video in new ways to engage and share all types of information with their stakeholders. To support this expanded use of video, expect to see more flexible on-demand viewing options and increased administrative controls within business video platforms. Additionally, businesses will be able to target and selectively share video content based on a user’s needs, providing the right information at the right time.

Social video is a tool that any business can leverage to better communicate with their employees, clients and anyone that they want to engage and share useful information. Expanding the use of social video will benefit your business and help differentiate from your competition.

What do you think? What are some other reasons why social video is important for businesses?

Brian Kelly is the Vice President of Sales at KZO Innovations, a video software company that provides an on-demand video platform for small to large enterprises and government customers. Connect with Brian and KZO Innovations on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

5 Tips for Focusing Your Fall Job Search

Amit De — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 14:15:38 +0000

By Amit De

Fall is almost here. The weather’s getting colder, the days are getting shorter, and the leaves on the trees are changing color. Pumpkin-flavored drinks are back and everyone is looking forward to a break in the humidity. Another thing that comes with fall? Hiring season. Much like back to school, hiring season requires proper preparation and organization. Follow these tips to focus your fall job search and start off on the right foot!

1. Identify your top three skills. Many companies list desired skills on their job posting. Take a look at your resume and think long and hard about what skills you possess. Identify your three most marketable skills so that you can sell them on your resume. If writing is your specialty, highlight your internships where writing was a main task. If you have training in computer science, make sure your resume reflects that. These skills are what make you desirable, and you should know your top three. Use your other skills as a way to fine-tune your resume.

2. Update your resume. Now is the time to take off those leadership roles you held in high school, and that summer job you worked for five straight summers if it doesn’t apply to your current field. While those experiences helped you get internships in college, you really want to focus on your professional experience now. If you don’t have any professional experience, highlight the things you did in college to hone your skills. Led a writing seminar? Put in on the resume. Taught math to high school students? Add that to your resume as well. What you want to avoid is padding your resume with experience like “lifeguard at local pool.” Employers don’t care if it’s not relevant — they won’t be swimming near you anytime soon.

3. Expand your network. Now is the time to volunteer with nonprofits, offer up your skills to local organizations, and join specialized groups and communities in your industry. Join new groups on LinkedIn, tune into Twitter chats, and “like” companies on Facebook who you’d be interested in working for. Use social media and personal connections to expand your network. The more you connect during your job search, the more likely your contacts will be to remember your name when an opening comes up.

4. Rank your top jobs and companies. Visit niche and regional job boards to find the best opportunities for you. Rank the jobs that you qualify for, and focus your energy on the top three to five. Fine-tune your resume and write a unique cover letter for each job. Follow up via email a week or so after applying. Keep track of all your applications and make sure to take all the necessary steps.

Additionally, use major job boards to find companies you might want to work for. Once you’ve found several in your area, rank them in terms of most ideal to least ideal. Follow their social media accounts and monitor their company website for openings. You can even contact the hiring manager with your resume and ask them to keep you in mind in case of an opening.

5. Don’t give up! Job hunting can be discouraging, but the most important factor in your job search is your attitude. Keep positive by reminding yourself of all your achievements and stay busy. Get organized and stick to a schedule to help avoid lazy days in bed and missing important deadlines. Keep track of all your applications and make sure to monitor social media channels daily. Spend some time out in the fresh, crisp fall air and take the time to visit with family and friends. Remember, the right job for you is out there!

And so, with the changing leaves and the return of pumpkin spice lattes, comes the opening of hiring season. Use these tips to stay on top of your game and really narrow your job search. You’ll be interviewing in no time!

How are you focusing your job search for the fall?

Amit De is the CEO and Co-founder of CareerLeaf, a platform that helps job seekers showcase their skills and talents, search for jobs, and track and organize communications all from one place. Connect with Amit and CareerLeaf on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Don’t Fear the Video: Why Everyone Can Embrace Video Technology

KZO Innovations — Wed, 12 Sep 2012 13:00:12 +0000

By Kim Benton

Not every member of the current workforce grew up with a laptop slung over their shoulder or a smartphone in hand; however, online video technology doesn’t need to seem daunting. As the world rapidly becomes more digital, everyone can benefit from staying up-to-date with this technology for their business. After all, online video is good for a lot more than just being able to watch a funny cat playing the piano whenever you want. In fact, online video technology is helping businesses create better presentations, enhance training programs, and improve consumer outreach.

Last year, a staggering 800 million Internet users watched online videos. Think this number is high? In four years, a study by Cisco expects this number to jump to an even more shocking 1.5 billion viewers.

Don’t wait until 2016 to jump on the online video bandwagon. Here are a few simple ways to implement online video in your business, no advanced degrees required:

Simple Creation
Creating compelling online video is now easier than ever before. You don’t need advanced editing knowledge and you don’t need a digital video recorder. Even if you’re not a tech geek, online video creation is still completely accessible. Do you have a webcam on your desktop or your laptop? If so, you’re now at least 80 percent prepared to successfully create your own online video. Just fire up your webcam and you can record a professional video (even in high definition if your webcam is HD) for all your business needs.

Social Crowdsourcing
Let’s be honest, everyone needs a way to interact with employees and clients. Email can be a pain and sometimes you’re not available for an in-person meeting. With online video, you can still get face-time with employees, consumers, and clients.

Better yet, online video allows you to easily collaborate and share your knowledge within the video itself. Link relevant documents right to your video so that viewers know exactly where to go for more information. If a client has a question, there are video platforms available that allow for easy social collaboration. Viewers can ask a question or comment just by tagging within the video at a specific moment in time or within an overall comment thread. You only have so much time for an in-person presentation that these kind of features can prove very useful, especially for questions and concerns that come up long after your presentation is over.

Easy Integration
You already have great business material because you’ve been at this so much longer than the younger workforce. Whether your genius comes in the form of PowerPoint slides or PDF files, video can easily be synced to your existing documents. Now your existing work can reach more people than ever before, thanks to the power of the Web. You don’t need to be technologically savvy to make a great presentation. Not every video will go viral (unless you’ve taught your cat to play piano) but you will be able to reach a bigger, more connected audience with ease. Once you learn how to turn on your webcam, you’re halfway there!

Have you embraced online video technology for your business? Share your stories in the comments!

Kim Benton is an Account Executive at KZO Innovations, a video software company that provides an on-demand video platform for small to large enterprise and government customers. Connect with Kim and KZO Innovations on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

One Thing You Must Do In Your Career: Be a Mentor

Jackalope Jobs — Tue, 11 Sep 2012 13:00:35 +0000

By Sudy Bharadwaj

Almost everyone has had a mentor at some point in their life, whether it was a colleague at work or your high school sports coach. That person likely made a profound impact on your path and made you improve yourself for the better. You could probably make a list of all the insight you’ve gained from your mentor, and if you haven’t had the chance to do the same for someone else in your career, it’s an opportunity to not pass up.

We all know the benefits mentees get from mentorship – guidance, feedback, and loads of valuable knowledge to do and not to do in their career – but what do mentors receive in return?

Here are three benefits of being a mentor to an upcoming professional:

Adds Meaning To Your Career

Being the guiding light for a younger worker can add meaning and satisfaction in your workplace. Younger workers will reach those leadership roles eventually and doing so will take years of experience. To aid them in the process you can be the driver of their success. Pure and simple helping others feels good, and being a mentor means you’ll get to help many people achieve their career goals, even if it’s years down the road.

Refreshes Your Industry Knowledge

Being a mentor, you’ll be encouraged to become a living, breathing reference for all things in your field – advice, best practices, how to’s, and tidbits of knowledge you picked up along the way. It’s a great and indirect way to improve what you already know while learning something new. The more you know, the easier it will be to communicate it to your mentee(s). Plus, being with your mentee can open you up to new and fresh perspectives and trends to follow, which only adds more to your expertise and helps you not become complacent in your career.

Creates A ‘Pay It Forward’ Cycle

For every person that has a mentor, they become more likely to become a mentor themselves. They know firsthand as a mentee how much they benefited and want to do the same for someone else if they can. It creates a cycle of a mentee wanting to pay it forward to young professionals that were once in their shoes. It’s a great feeling knowing that you could potentially create a practice to be carried out by each generation that allows for better understanding and interaction between the senior and entry-level professionals.

It’s never too late to become a mentor. Additionally, your workplace doesn’t have to have a mentorship program in place to make it happen. If you’ve worked with entry-level workers or interns occasionally, take the initiative to build a relationship. Ask if they could use some help with any of their tasks or invite them to lunch with you to find out more about their career goals and see where you can guide them. Empower them to grow in their career. Mentorship doesn’t have to be managing your mentee 24/7, but just filling in the gaps when you can to make it easier for them. They often say you should try everything once, and being a mentor is no exception. It’s a rewarding experience for both involved.

What do you think? What do you think of mentorship? What else can you gain from becoming a mentor in the workplace? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Sudy Bharadwaj is a co-founder and the CEO of Jackalope Jobs, a job seeker focused platform, making the job search social, fast and easy. Learn how Sudy and Jackalope Jobs obsess over job seekers by connecting with them on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

5 Ways to Make Yourself Memorable to Recruiters

Josh Tolan — Mon, 10 Sep 2012 13:00:10 +0000

By Josh Tolan

It is in every job seeker’s best interest to develop a strong rapport with the person doing the hiring. When you make yourself memorable to the recruiting manager you can leave the interview with your head held high and oozing with confidence. But, what many job seekers fail to consider is the many other candidates who are doing the same thing, and who also hit it off with the interviewer. So the question is – how do you make yourself more memorable than the rest?

Countless hours are spent preparing and rehearsing for the nerve-wracking job interview. You spend time constructing thoughtful responses to the most common interview questions, choosing the most professional outfit, and organizing your portfolio. But remember, hundreds of other applicants are going through the exact same routines. The key to landing a job is to embed yourself and your brand in the minds of your recruiters.

In order to leave a lasting impression, you have to follow one simple rule – expect to be forgotten. Being forgotten by a recruiter happens, and it is not a bad thing. No matter how well the interview went, you never know what the recruiter is thinking. By expecting to be forgotten, you can differentiate yourself by taking advantage of the following five ways to be memorable:

1. Absorb your surroundings
When entering the workplace for an in-person interview, often times interviewees do not switch off their busy minds as they go over the answers they wish to relay in their heads. The second you step foot in the office, your interview has begun. Not only do you want to make a great impression with the recruiter, but you also want to be noticed by the others you might encounter. Though your nerves may be slowly taking over, don’t forget your manners. Be sure to greet the receptionist, hold the door if applicable, and smile! There is strength in numbers when it comes to leaving a good impression. The more people you impress, the more chances you have in being brought up in later conversation.

2. Share your unique experiences
We know you have the necessary skills for the position (or at least say you do) but try your best to develop your past experiences into unique stories that the interviewer will remember. Yes, you may have experience as a liaison between a client and the company, but give specifics and develop a story. Take your interviewer on a short journey through your previous job responsibility and share what worked for you and what you learned. Ask yourself, “What have I done that makes me different from the rest?”

3. Make your final words count
Though the light at the end of the tunnel is captivating, don’t miss your last, in-person opportunity to make the final impression. As you go to shake the interviewer’s hand, express your appreciation for their time and your excitement for the job opportunity. Whether the recruiter asks why you would make a great fit for the position or not, be sure to remind them on your way out of the door.

4. Have a solid Web presence
If the company hasn’t searched for you online prior to the interview, chances are they most definitely will check out your Web presence after the interview. Your online presence is likely to take the place of resumes in the future, so there is no better time to perfect it than right now. Whether it is a personal website, blog, or ePortfolio, be sure your work is up-to-date and it shows off your skills in a positive light. Having a professional presence online will keep you within arm’s reach of your recruiter. You can even take advantage of building a profile with the search engine itself. A Google+ profile is a great way to help you differentiate yourself from other individuals sharing the same name as well as showcasing your personal brand.

5. Follow-up thoughtfully
Expressing your thanks after an interview is a nonnegotiable aspect of interview etiquette. But, here is when you need to expect to be forgotten. In addition to thanking your interviewer, include specific conversation pieces or triggers in your note. They see people all day and even if you hit it off, they still may have trouble remembering you when it is all said and done. If you shared a laugh, remind them. If you went to the same school or you found you share a mutual friend, include it. It is your job to help the recruiter remember you in a clever way.

Being remembered without any extra effort is an unlikely occurrence in today’s tough job market. Give yourself a boost over your competition by giving your recruiters no other choice but to remember you and what you have to offer.

As an HR manager, what makes candidates memorable to you? For job seekers, how have you left a lasting impression?

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, which combines a video job board and online interviewing platform to enrich interaction between job seekers and employers. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

Startup Jobs Are Growing: How to Jump Aboard

Josh Tolan — Thu, 06 Sep 2012 12:30:39 +0000

By Josh Tolan

We all know the economy forecast in most sections is gloomy. There’s an exception however, because the sun is shining in the startup community. According to a recent study 72 percent of startups reported optimism about the economy.

And why wouldn’t they? Startups in 2011 either met or exceeded their revenue targets and the future looks rosy for 2012. This might be why a whopping 83 percent of startups are planning to hire this year.

Convinced to give a career in a startup company a try? Well stop packing your cubicle, because there are some important things to keep in mind to help you get the startup job of your dreams.

Here are some tips on how to dive into the startup candidate pool and get hired:

Be Creative
To be part of a startup, creativity is basically required. Startups look at their industry and ask “what’s missing?” instead of just going with the flow. Take the same approach to applying for a position at a startup. Ask yourself how you can stand out from the pack of other applicants who might be just as qualified as you. Think about getting creative with your resume, whether by adding visuals or recording a video resume. Video resumes are great ways to show off intangibles like your communication skills. If you’re working in a more graphical environment, an infographic resume could be right for you. Startups love candidates who dare to be different, so show off your creativity right away.

Be Passionate
Startup companies often mean you’ll be working long hours for sometimes less than you would be making at a traditional company. For this not to get demoralizing, make sure the job really aligns with your true passions. If you’re not passionate about the job or your industry, rethink your application. The people working at the startup are passionate and whether your interview is through online video or in person, they’ll be able to sense your lack of enthusiasm right away. If you match their passion, you’ll match their company.

Be Knowledgeable
Most startups are on the cutting edge of technology, which means they’ve also got a substantial web presence. If you go into the interview with little knowledge of what the company is all about, you’re not getting the job. After all you can most likely check out their website, Linkedin, Twitter, Facebook or Tumblr to find out more. With all this social media at your fingertips, it’s easier than ever to research a company and to reach out and make a connection.

Be Personable
As mentioned, most startups are small enterprises filled with passionate people. They’re also filled with people you’ll need to be working with in a collaborative environment. If the hiring manager thinks you’re a talented nightmare, you won’t be hired. After all, they’ll become very intimate with your personality quirks. Make sure your personality leaves a good impression during your interviewer so they’ll want to see your smiling face everyday!

What are some tips to get a great startup job? Share them in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of SparkHire.com, which combines a video job board and online interviewing platform to enrich interaction between job seekers and employers. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

4 Career Lessons Learned From Neil Armstrong

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 19:18:09 +0000

By Heather R. Huhman

Last month, America was saddened to learn about the passing of one of our most awe-inspiring public figures, astronaut Neil Armstrong. Armstrong was a man who taught the world that we can achieve great things if only we learn how to best leverage our personal skills and abilities to push ourselves to be where we want to be.

Armstrong’s professional career is the reason the world knew and admired him. Although we may not all be destined to walk on the moon, there are certainly a number of lessons any professional can take away from Armstrong’s career and apply to their own lives. Check out these four career lessons learned from America’s favorite astronaut:

Doing what you love really does pay off. Before he took his “giant leap for mankind,” Armstrong pursued his interest in aviation by working at the local airport. Armstrong took small steps to ensure he was engaged in activities he was truly interested in, and he reaped the benefits later in his career. Any professional should do their best to use the resources and opportunities available to them to pursue what they love. While many of us get caught up in ensuring we’re financially stable, we need to remember our happiness is important, too–and pursuing our passions can often lead to the most rewarding successes.

Your smaller accomplishments matter just as much as the big ones. Armstrong didn’t become an astronaut overnight. As a young man, he worked many jobs and was active in the Boy Scouts. He attended college like many other men at the time. While he may not have realized it, these small steps were monumental in shaping the hero he would become. Although you may feel stuck in your current professional or academic situation, know that your circumstances–favorable or unfavorable as they may be–are small steps important to helping you move forward. Armstrong might not have predicted he’d end up on the moon later in life, but he remained optimistic and determined throughout his entire professional journey.

Getting caught up in rejection and criticism isn’t productive. After graduating from college, Armstrong applied for a position at the National Advisory Committee for Aeronautics (NACA) and was initially rejected. During his time as an astronaut, he was often criticized by non-engineering pilots for his more “mechanical” technique. Although it’s important to identify when criticism is constructive and can help you to improve, any professional should know getting tied up over-analyzing setbacks or negative feedback is a surefire way to kill your motivation and drive.

Humility goes a long way. Despite his larger-than-life accomplishments, Armstrong remained humble throughout his career. There’s an oft-quoted remark from his former wife, Janet: “He feels guilty that he got all the acclaim for an effort of tens of thousands of people.” Armstrong also expressed his sentiment that being steadfast in your work is what’s most important. In 2005, he told a reporter, “I guess we all like to be recognized not for one piece of fireworks, but for the ledger of our daily work.“ In any career, it’s important to give credit where credit is due, and to refrain from acting out of self-righteousness. After all, no one likes to work with someone who feels they’re superior to others.

As we mourn the passing of such an inspiring public figure, we shouldn’t forget the things Neil Armstrong taught us. Although most of us will never be astronauts, the success and philosophy of one person shows us values we should strive to embody in our own careers–and that’s a “giant leap” worth taking.

Proper Interview Follow-Up Etiquette

Jackalope Jobs — Wed, 05 Sep 2012 12:30:05 +0000

By Sudy Bharadwaj

So you impressed HR with your resume and landed an interview with the hiring manager and a few select employees. You met with the group, and you’re so confident in your performance that you’d be surprised if the company doesn’t erect statues depicting your glory.

But a few weeks have gone by and you haven’t heard a thing. What happened? You failed proper interview follow-up etiquette.

A recent survey of more than 500 HR managers at companies with 20 or more employees revealed that 91 percent found it helpful for a promising job candidate to send a thank you note following an interview. While the communication vehicles for sending the note differed, the message is clear: following-up remains an essential step in the hiring process.

Following-up demonstrates that you’re interested in the position and the company for which you interviewed, and that you truly appreciate your interviewers taking time from their busy schedules to meet with you. It also keeps you at the top of the hiring manager’s mind when it comes time to make a decision.

To correctly follow-up after an interview, you must begin during the interview itself.

Ask About The Next Steps
Since you’re such a stellar interviewee, you already know that coming prepared with questions is a must-do. Don’t leave this very important question from your list. Asking the interviewer, “What happens next?” gives you a timetable of when it’s acceptable to touch base. If the hiring manager says he will be making a decision within the next two weeks, you know how long you have to complete the other steps in the follow-up process.

Acquire Business Cards
The professionals who interviewed you may have slipped their business cards in your hand immediately after the hand shake, but if they didn’t, be sure to ask for their cards before you leave. Collecting business cards from each professional makes your life easier when crafting thank you notes (our next step!) because you’ll have their titles, emails and correct spelling of their names. If one of the interviewers forgot to bring his business card, write down his name, email and title on the pad of paper you came prepared with.

Send Thank You Notes
Notice that the heading of this section is plural—if you interviewed with multiple people, you need to send individual notes to each. Physical paper notes are a nice personal touch but aren’t always necessary. In the survey mentioned above, 87 percent of those interviewed said email is an appropriate method for following-up. It’s perfectly acceptable to ask your interviewers how they prefer to be contacted before leaving the interview.

When crafting thank you notes, keep your copy concise and specific. Integrate key messages from your personal brand and remind your interviewers why you’re the ideal choice for the position. If you discussed a certain project you completed at a previous position (and you’re sending a thank you email), attach the project specifics. Keep your thank you pleasant and brief, providing the interviewer just enough to recall your meeting. And no matter what, always get your thank you note out with lightning speed.

Follow-Up Again
Sometimes the hiring process can really drag out, especially if you’re the first to interview in a long string of candidate meetings over several weeks. To stay at the top of the hiring manager’s mind, don’t be afraid to check in periodically after you send your thank you notes. You’re obviously most interested in learning the status of the position, but the hiring manager has other things on his mind, so give him something of value when checking in. Instead of asking, “Have you made a decision yet?”, forward a recent article you’ve read that you believe he’ll find interesting and helpful. Following-up in this way demonstrates that you’re a great network connection instead of a pesky wannabe employee.

When the interview is over, breathe a sigh of relief, but don’t rest on your laurels! Complete proper follow-up etiquette keeps you at the top of the hiring manager’s mind and gives you an advantage over your competition.

How do you follow-up after an interview? Share your follow-up success stories in the comment section!

How To Revamp Your Interview Wardrobe This Fall

Josh Tolan — Thu, 30 Aug 2012 15:49:43 +0000

By Josh Tolan

As you prepare for summer fading to fall, your interview wardrobe should anticipate the change as well. The air is getting cooler, and you probably have your favorite football team’s jersey ready to go on game day — but don’t forget that your professional attire needs to be updated for fall as well.

Regardless of the season, the importance of interview attire, whether in-person or video, should never be overlooked. Within the first 30 seconds, your interviewer is developing a first impression and what you are wearing, no matter if you’re male or female, holds a heavy weight. Because summer to fall is a subtle transition, adding some substance to your summer attire is the perfect way to make a smooth change.

Keep in mind, different industries welcome different clothing styles. Dressing for a fashion interview is going to be drastically different than an accounting interview. A little research on your part is necessary to find what the company culture permits.

When revamping your interview wardrobe for the fall season, your main goal is to exude professionalism. No matter the season, you have to dress and look the part. You can spruce up your summer to fall wardrobe with the following tips:

For Men
Fortunately for men, the interview prep time is far less complicated than that of a female. A dark suit, white shirt, and tasteful necktie are a sure-fire way to ooze confidence and professionalism. But, if you are anticipating a needed change, take these tips into consideration for a dapper fall look:

Striped shirts. It can be difficult for men to showcase their individuality when there are not many acceptable options to switch things up. You can add some desired dimension to the classic dark suit by trying out a conservatively striped dress shirt. As you many know, there are many rules to consider when choosing stripes; but, as long as the striped shirt is not a distraction it will enhance your fall interview attire for the better.

Patterned ties. Striped shirts and patterned ties work in opposition, when it comes to proper interview attire. If you choose to add a striped shirt to your interview wardrobe, then your tie should be quiet. If you stick to a classic dress shirt, add a patterned tie for an added boost. If you choose a pattern, remember to keep your patterns simple. Bright colored ties are also modern and can work well if they are not exceedingly flashy.

TIP: During a video interview, recruiters and hiring managers only see the top half of your interview attire. A properly chosen, bold color or patterned tie can be what differentiates you from the other candidates when you are later discussed by hiring managers or recruiters.

Meet the browns. If you are not having any luck with the standard black accents to your interview attire, try out the defining color of fall – brown. A brown belt and brown shoes with a navy suit is trendy and cool. Although brown accent colors are a little more casual than the standard black, if the company culture permits a little flair, then “meeting the browns” is a great change to make along with the season.

For Women
Female professional attire is all about the balance. It is a difficult balance for women to dress fashionably without being over the top and promiscuous. The problem women face is sexiness has proved to be offensive to many hiring managers. Dressing provocatively is a deal breaker, but no one wants to look frumpy. Here is how to balance trendy and professional for the new fall season:

Sophisticated blazers. Wear a trendy blazer over your summer staples, such as sleeveless tops and dresses, to transition into proper fall interview attire. Blazers have come a long way since the shapeless black or gray suit jackets of yesterday. Today, there are endless options that are feminine and posh. If you are wearing a fashionable top match it with blazer to make it more work appropriate.

Covered up footwear. Summer is coming to an end and you may not be ready to hide your freshly pedicured toes. Unfortunately, open toed shoes do not scream professional, especially in an interview. When revamping your fall interview attire, stick to the conservative and classy closed-toe shoe.

TIP: Always take the time to compare your heels and hemlines. High heels should be paired with a dress hemline at or below the knees. As for a shorter dress, pair with small heels or flats.

Shift to a darker palette. Transitioning your summer wardrobe into fashion-forward fall attire can be accomplished by shifting your color palette. Add jewel tones and deep browns, blacks, and grays to your summery prints and bright colors and your interview wardrobe is easily revamped for the fall. These jewel tones show up great on a video interview as well!

If you are planning on taking the job search head-on this fall, your interview attire matters. Lucky for you, you can set yourself apart, while still maintaining a professional aura!

How are you planning to transition from summer interview attire to fall? Will you revamp your interview wardrobe this autumn?

What Web Television Means For Online Video

Josh Tolan — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 13:00:10 +0000

By Josh Tolan

Today, we all know any new creation online has the potential to be the next “big thing.” The endless opportunities provided by the Internet could consume us for years. Though some online projects take off before we even have time to jump on their curtails, others are a little slower to spring; but, the future of Internet and television looks brighter than bright.

The efforts of creating a demand for online Web series have been ongoing for years, yet none have swept through the American culture the way they intended.

For example, Internet video streaming providers like Netflix and Hulu have been around for awhile now. Yes, you can use Netflix on some Playstation’s, Xbox’s, and Nintendo’s – but not everyone has a subscription.

Next comes YouTube’s original channels, which some believe may be coming of age quickly. Google began funding them in late 2011 and just recently the TV series were opened up to advertisers. Between Google and additional advertising, the backing of YouTube’s online television is enough to make it a force in media and entertainment, but will it be enough?

The YouTube ratings are telling and give any TV network other than NBC a little nip in the behind. The most popular channel, Sourcefed, recently accumulated over 6.9 million weekly viewers.

As for the Web series without the powerful force of Google backing them them up? Here is when social media comes into place, and the potential is vast. For example, the online Web series, “Husbands,” is proof behind the motive. “Husbands” received money for its second season through donations via Kickstarter. Kickstarter is an online funding platform, meaning the majority of awareness to contribute donations to the Web series was spread online via social media.

With a solid following and the ability to “spread the word,” the medium in which it is being streamed is merely irrelevant. That is the beauty of today’s world, if something is “fan-worthy,” the message will be sent. Each fan can be considered a brand ambassador, sharing their testimonials and passion for the show, product, or service with their online networks. Think about it, any major network drama on a weeknight is likely to be trending on Twitter. If it’s not trending, the hashtag is still likely conducting a highly active Twitter chat.

Other popular online Web series like Felicia Day’s “The Guild,” draw in a loyal following as well. With a loyal following, the options are endless for these online Web series.

So what’s this mean for online video?

Web series and their increasing popularity are extremely revealing when it comes to foreseeing the future of online video. The emerging popularity of online video can most definitely be accredited to the obsession and dependence on social media present in our world today. Online videos are going “viral” because of the accessibility of a simple click of a button to share with our ever-connecting networks.

Still, what does this all mean? Nearly 800 million people consumed Web videos last year. As for the future? Networking services like Cisco predict this number to rise 1.5 billion in just four years.

It only makes sense for the combination of televisions and Internet access to be the next “big thing.” The future is here as Smart TVs are already on the market. Cisco believes by 2016, HD streams to TV sets will grow sixfold, accounting for 6 percent of all worldwide consumer Web traffic.

Despite the rapid advancements above, we cannot forget about our most prized possessions. Our smartphones and tablets are predicted to be responsible for an 18-fold growth in mobile video traffic between 2011 and 2016. Not to mention, the number of worldwide mobile users will reach 1.6 billion, sooner rather than later.

Though online Web series have yet to take over, the increasing interconnectedness between the Internet and all of our favorite devices — plus our thriving online social networks — warrant the future success of these series and online video, in general.

Where do you see the future of online video going? How can you incorporate online video in your business endeavors?

4 Ways Streaming Video Can Transform Your Business

KZO Innovations — Mon, 27 Aug 2012 12:00:40 +0000

By Jeff Fissel

Over the past few years, streaming video has changed the way we interact, connect, and communicate with each other. In fact, by the end of June, 180 million U.S. Internet users watched 33 billion videos. This relatively new medium is systematically changing the way we access information at a rate that keeps climbing–with no sign of decline.

Streaming video is also widely becoming a more acceptable tool for use in business, particularly for leveraging knowledge, connecting employees, and keeping everyone on the same page. However, what are some other ways streaming video can transform your business? Check out these four additional use cases:

Corporate communication through enterprise software
Twenty-eight percent of businesses are using enterprise software to streamline communication and to increase worker efficiency. Many popular systems such as Salesforce, SharePoint, and Jive enable video integration, which can assist an organization in relaying updates or timely information through a content management system that is already in place. Plus, when you post a video on the employee homepage, it will likely catch the eye of the user in a way text can’t.

Training and onboarding
Training and onboarding are the cornerstones of employee development. If workers aren’t prepared when they first start their positions or take on a new assignment, they probably won’t perform well in the future, which can lead to operational issues.

Implementing video into your learning strategy can help to verbalize the expectations, mission, and values of an organization. As the employee’s career progresses, you can provide many types of training through video which is much more flexible versus traditional training sessions. With video, you can also upload corresponding materials, such as a PowerPoint presentation or PDF documents, which complement the content. The combination of these helps the employee to learn in a more personalized way, assisting with engagement and information retention.

Customer Relationship Management (CRM)
It can be difficult to manage relationships with your customers, particularly if you have a global user base. However, using streaming video in your CRM strategy provides an easy way to engage and communicate with your customers. In addition, video can be used to explain more technical information, it’s always accessible, and it’s a resource for those who want to go back and review information.

Plus, with the right platform, customers can view on-demand video content through their tablets, smartphones, or any other device. This can be extremely beneficial for those who are on-the-go or don’t have access to a computer. The content is there for them whenever they need it, using any device.

Peer-to-peer knowledge management
Let’s say a team member was at an industry-wide conference and an important update was announced. The team member could send an email, but would it convey the right emotion? Probably not. However, if a short video was created, the team would grasp the effect of the news since a real person–not lines of text–is doing the talking. This can only lead to increased collaboration and discussions if professionals are using video platforms with features that encourage communication.

As these use-cases illustrate, streaming video can have a huge impact on your business if it’s used in the right way. When a company takes a tool like video and uses it beyond the base features, they’ll likely see a positive impact on employee performance, operations and overall engagement, things many organization strive to achieve in the first place. So, give streaming video a go! You’ll find that it will only contribute to the efficiency of your organization.

What do you think? What are some other ways streaming video can transform your business?

Jeff Fissel is the co-founder and Vice President of Solutions at KZO Innovations, a video software company that provides an on-demand video platform for small to large enterprise and government customers. Connect with Jeff and KZO Innovations on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Understanding Video Metrics

KZO Innovations — Fri, 17 Aug 2012 14:32:35 +0000

By Andrew Hauser

Think your online videos are hard to track and measure? Think again!

According to some reports, every metric that has been used to measure online video has seen growth in the past five years, with no sign of decline. With many organizations now shifting their online strategies to include video, it’s important they understand how to effectively measure the impact their contact has on their target audience. Additionally, since online strategies can be hard to measure in terms of return on investment (ROI), video needs to be tracked with greater detail.

Once you’ve created your video, it’s vital to find a distribution platform that can fill you in on who’s watching your content and what they are doing with it. Here are some key metrics to watch for:

Traffic
Measuring how many people viewed your video and where they came from can provide great insight into where your audience is discovering your content and can help you determine how relevant the video was for your viewer. For instance, if human interest videos continually gain higher traffic than content with a heavy emphasis on technology, you can assume the former has a greater appeal to your audience.

In addition, businesses need to figure out where their viewers come from, which can ultimately help with future planning. For example, social networking may be a higher source of traffic than a press release. Understanding the source and the reasons behind the amount of views can help you better strategize next moves.

Time spent
According to Tubemogul, viewers of online content have short attention spans. In fact, an average of 10.39 percent of viewers click away after ten seconds and 53.56 percent leave after one minute. With that data in mind, it’s important to monitor how much time is spent actually watching your videos.

For instance, if viewers leave only after a few seconds, perhaps your content isn’t compelling enough. However, if the majority of your audience watches most of your video, you may be able to infer that the subject matter or style of the video is appealing to your viewers.

Sentiment
Monitoring what people are saying about your video is obviously important. However, monitoring sentiment can be helpful as well. Sentiment refers to the overall feeling about your video. Based on your distribution platform, you may be able to tell if this sentiment is positive, negative, or neutral. For example, YouTube allows viewers to either “Like” or “Dislike” a video which is graphically represented by a green (positive) and/or red (negative) scale.

Why is a distribution platform that gauges sentiment important when you can just go through comments or discussions yourself? Sometimes, there is an overwhelming amount of comments to track. Other times, the comments left in a discussion don’t imply an opinion either way. In some instances, comments are left on so many platforms, it can be hard to gauge the overarching viewpoint. Tracking sentiment can therefore help businesses understand how people feel about the video in a more general manner, giving them the option to delve deeper into the conversation if need be.

Sharing
comScore estimates that one in two viewers regularly share videos and more than one in two view online videos with others. This data indicates the power of sharing and what it can do for the viewership of your video. Gaining insight into how many times the video was tweeted, posted on Facebook, or reblogged can help businesses to learn where the conversation is, which can also assist with the above metrics. Just be sure your videos have social sharing buttons or special links so it’s easier to track. That way, you’ll have yet another method when monitoring your content.

Video metrics are an essential part of the content creation and distribution process. With them, businesses can start to learn who their audience is, what they like, and how they can cater their videos towards them. In the end, organizations should view metrics as the backbone of any video strategy, helping organizations to bridge the gap between consumer and creator in a visually appealing and user-friendly way.

What do you think? What are some other video metrics to keep in mind?

Andrew Hauser is a Technical Account Manager for KZO Innovations, a video software company that provides an on-demand video platform for small to large enterprises and government customers. Connect with Andrew and KZO Innovations on Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

Why Is Gen Y Refusing Government Jobs?

Jackalope Jobs — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 13:30:31 +0000

By Sudy Bharadwaj

When good jobs are scarce to come by, it’s sometimes wise to consider a bevy of employment options, especially for the most recent group of entering job seekers, Gen Y. The Bureau of Labor Statistics July unemployment rate for 25 to 34 year olds is 8.2 percent, making it the highest rate among all adult age groups 25 or older.

The hardships of the job market is something recent grads aren’t looking forward to. However, when assessing career fields to go into while still in college, a 2012 survey by the Partnership for Public Service claims just how uninterested students are in working in the public sector. Consider the results of the survey below:

Of over 35,000 students of all level within U.S. colleges and universities…

2.3 percent plan to work for the federal government
29.7 percent plan to work in the private sector
27 percent plan to advance into graduate school
17 percent plan to work in nonprofits and teaching fields
23 percent plan to do other options

Since 2010, the number of students going into the government has been declining rapidly. Moreover, the public sector stability was made unclear by Obama’s remarks at a news conference stating how private sector jobs are safe, but leaving out positive claims for government jobs. Although the current unemployment rate for the public sector is at a low 5.7 percent, government jobs don’t seem to be providing what young professionals want.

The same survey by the Partnership for Public Service offers some insight on what type of wants public sector employment isn’t providing. Among the fifteen characteristics college students want in a first job, the top two are opportunity for personal growth and job security, both of which are found more easily in the private sector. In fact, companies tend to be more accommodating to job seeking recent grads and entry-level professionals than their government counterparts. Application and screening processes are more streamlined and shorter, while hiring interns as full-time employees happens more often than in the public sector. So much so that a law was passed last December to encourage the hiring of federal interns. In addition, the amount of unrest regarding federal budget cuts, including a proposal in March that outlines a 10 percent reduction in the federal workforce and an extended pay freeze through 2015, doesn’t establish public sector jobs, despite the claim, as secure jobs.

What can a government job seeker do? If you’re out of college and ready to start searching, start networking in your niche field. Start with simple strategies and continue to build on them to expand your connections. The more people in your field you connect with, the more opportunities can be connected to you. Additionally, take contracted opportunities if available. Though they are temporary, it’s a good way to build experience, build skills, and meet potential networking connections who can provide even more job leads. There are jobs out there for entry-level professionals and, just like in the private sector, who you know counts.

What do you think? Why do you think college students prefer other options over government jobs? What are some advantages and disadvantages of working in the public sector? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

5 Lessons We Can Learn from the Hilarious Nicolas Cage Resume Mix-Up

Josh Tolan — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 12:00:12 +0000

By Josh Tolan

You’ve found yourself a great job and you’re psyched to apply for it. You’ve sent off an email with all of your information only to discover you’ve made a huge mistake. Unfortunately, this has probably happened to most job seekers at one time or another. However, most job seekers don’t attach a hilariously terrifying picture of actor Nicolas Cage instead of their qualifications.

However, this is the very thing that happened to 20-year-old Vanessa Hodja last month. The student at York University in Toronto was applying for a summer position, but didn’t quite include all her qualifications. Instead, Hodja accidentally attached a picture of National Treasure actor Nicolas Cage looking crazy in place of her resume. Instead of silently weeping onto her computer, Hodja took to her tumblr blog and posted about her mistake.

As we all know, in the age of the Internet things can take off rapidly, especially when it involves Nicolas Cage making a funny face. That’s just what Hodja’s mistake did, becoming a viral hit and scoring her interviews on CNN and in the Washington Post.

In addition to giving us a chuckle, however, this resume mix-up can teach job seekers some important lessons. Here are a few:

It’s good to get creative with your resume–within reason
With 8.3 percent unemployment and the job market looking dim, more job seekers are considering creative ways to stand out from the pack. Getting creative with your resume is a great idea and shows potential employers you can think outside the box and come up with new ideas. Employers want to hire people who can innovate and take new angles when solving common problems. For some job seekers this means putting a resume in a visually appealing infographic format. For others it means recording a video resume to show off personality and communication skills.

It’s good to get creative with your resume, but keep it within reason. You want your creative job application to show off your qualifications and skills. A picture of Nicolas Cage, no matter how amusing, will be unlikely to impress hiring managers.

Always double check before hitting send
The biggest take away from Hodja’s Cage mix-up is to make sure you double and even triple check an important application email before sending. This doesn’t just apply to sending scary pictures of celebrities. With the job market so competitive, even a little typo in your cover letter can get you chucked into the reject bin.

If Hodja had just taken a minute or two to double check her email before sending, she would have seen Cage’s face staring back at her instead of her detailed work history. Don’t make the same mistake when applying for your dream job.

Keep your work and personal files separate
Hodja ended up with a picture of Cage instead of her resume because she didn’t separate her work files from her personal files. Whether or not you have a folder of pictures of Cage making strange faces is your own business. Just make sure to keep that folder as far away from your job hunting files as possible. Keeping all the files necessary for your job hunt in one place will make your life easier when it comes time to apply for a great position. Better yet, it will cut down avoidable application blunders.

Avoid going viral for the wrong things
Hodja’s resume mistake would have only been known to herself, the company, and a few friends except for one thing: the Internet. By posting her mistake publicly on her tumblr blog, she allowed everyone to see and share her error. The visual was so funny the post quickly went viral and attracted the attention of even mainstream outlets. The easiest way not to go viral for the wrong things is to watch carefully what you share online. After all 90 percent of recruiters check your online presence. Make sure they’re seeing the right things.

Don’t broadcast your huge mistakes
After the post when viral, Hodja accepted interviews from outlets as large as CNN to talk about her resume blunder. While it’s fun to get attention, make sure this attention is for your positive attributes instead of your mistakes. The error is humorous, but it also undercuts both her professionalism and her attention to detail.

Hiring managers might appreciate her sense of humor (and apparently she has been offered at least two internships) but they will likely want someone more detail-oriented to get the job done. One mistake doesn’t sum you up as a job seeker, but if you broadcast that mistake far and wide you might have just branded yourself.

What job hunting lessons do you think we can learn from the Nicolas Cage photo mix up? Share in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, a video powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

6 Enterprise Video Trends in 2012

KZO Innovations — Tue, 07 Aug 2012 12:30:27 +0000

By Jeff Fissel

Online video usage has grown tremendously this year. The number of videos watched between February 2011 and February 2012 grew by 660 percent, with the number of hours watched by an average user increasing by 60 percent to 21.8 hours per month.

Watching video online is not just limited to catching up on your favorite HBO show or checking out the latest viral YouTube upload — it’s also useful for the enterprise. When it comes to engaging our workforce, video can re-energize the way we collaborate and perform, as evident by the recent enterprise video trends we’ve seen this year. Check out the top trends I’ve compiled below:

1. HTML5
With HTML5, embedding video no longer requires third-party plugins like Flash or Quicktime. By simply using an HTML5 video tag, you can place a video on a Web page with no app development required. HTML5 is gaining traction in the smartphone and tablet markets, with approximately 336 million phones utilizing HTML5 — and that number is anticipated to hit 1 billion by next year.

2. Software as a Service (SaaS) and Cloud
Software and data can be easily hosted in the cloud and accessed via a Web browser with a SaaS application. The storage of a large number of videos is no longer a problem for businesses with the ability to store things easily and affordably in the cloud. This trend is evident by the rise in cloud-based services like Amazon, Box.net and Dropbox.

3. Mobile
More people are viewing video on mobile devices than ever before, and there are now more devices available with optimal viewing specs. According to eMarketer, 31 percent of mobile users have a smartphone, and that number is projected to rise to 43 percent by 2015. With video viewing apps like YouTube, more than 10 percent of views now come from mobile devices.

Additionally, individuals recording video with their mobile devices allows for increased collaboration at a lower cost for businesses. According to YouTube, three hours of video is uploaded every minute from mobile devices, which tripled traffic to the site in 2011.

4. Social video
Many video platforms have started rolling social features, like chat capabilities and commenting, into their platforms. Plus, in today’s world, people are becoming increasingly more comfortable expressing themselves in an informal, visual manner. So, when these video platforms incorporate a social layer, they are not only encouraging viewers to interact within the video, but they are creating an all-around better and more engaging user experience.

5. Integration within enterprise applications
Video is no longer a standalone tool and can add to the offerings of any enterprise application. Because of this, video is now being integrated across multiple enterprise applications. Integrating video into enterprise applications, like Learning Management Systems (LMS) or Customer Relationship Management systems (CRM) like Salesforce.com, enhances the user experience while providing professionals with a new and current option for learning and communication.

Video may also help drive the adoption of enterprise applications because with the integration of video, professionals can learn and engage in a much more user-friendly interface than plain text alone.

6. Growth of consumer video services
The consumer use of video is driving the enterprise acceptance of video. Because people are using sites like YouTube, Hulu and Netflix at home, they are more comfortable using them at work. Not only are they more comfortable, but people expect and demand to see similar tools in the workplace. In fact, Hulu has seen about 400,000 new subscribers per quarter, and recently hit the two million user mark.

As these trends illustrate, enterprise video is and will continue to be an asset to any organization. Additionally, enterprise video usage will likely increase over the coming years as we adopt more technologies and rely more on enterprise applications to manage our content and data.

What other 2012 enterprise video trends would you add to this list? Any predictions for 2013?

5 Job Hunting Tips from Batman

Josh Tolan — Wed, 25 Jul 2012 16:33:04 +0000

By Josh Tolan

If there’s one thing the caped crusader knows, it’s how to get a job done. So why not turn to Batman for some helpful job hunting tips? After all, if he can clean up the streets of Gotham, cleaning up a resume should be no problem.

He’s certainly been cleaning up at the box office. The Dark Knight Rises, director Christopher Nolan’s final chapter in his Batman trilogy, earned a staggering 160 million over its opening weekend. The film already beat the impressive 158 million record its predecessor The Dark Knight set back in 2008.

It might seem silly, but superheroes can tell us a lot about perseverance in the face of tough obstacles. With unemployment holding steady at 8.2 percent and more job seekers flooding the applicant pool for every open position, some superheroics might be necessary. Here are some job hunting tips we can take from the Batman himself courtesy of The Dark Knight Rises (non-spoilery of course!):

Never Give Up
As The Dark Knight Rises begins, it’s eight years since Batman has gone out of commission after the events of The Dark Knight. After a truly terrible run of luck with Harvey Dent and the Joker, millionaire Bruce Wayne hung up his bat cowl for good to become a recluse.

With the high rate of unemployment and the dismal June jobs report, it would be easy to do the same when it comes to your job search. It might seem like hope is lost and you’re sending out resumes into a void. Just because you’re disheartened, however, doesn’t mean there isn’t a perfect job out there for you. Just like Bruce Wayne never gave up on the city of Gotham, you can’t give up on your job search.

Don’t Turn Your Back On Your Network
Once Bruce Wayne hung up his superhero suit, he also disconnected from his friends. Commissioner Gordon and his colleagues at Wayne Enterprises hadn’t seen the millionaire in ages. Even trusty butler Alfred was tested to the limits of his patience by Bruce.

As a job seeker, your network is vitally important. These are the people who can point you to great opportunities and help you find hidden gems. You want to cultivate these individuals by keeping in contact and lending them assistance. After all, networking is a two-way street. If you help them, when the time comes they might help you by letting you know of an unposted position at their company you would be perfect for. Just like Batman’s friends were there for him when he needed them, your network can’t be ignored.

Watch Your Online Presence
Catwoman Selina Kyle knows a thing or two about the importance of your online breadtrail. After a life of petty crime and theft, Selina wants a clean slate. That’s easier said than done, however, especially with the Internet cataloging your every move.

You don’t need to be a cat burglar to worry about your online presence. A whopping 92 percent of all employers will check out your online footprint during the hiring process. This means it’s time to take down those kegstand pictures from college and put up a nice professional headshot. Social media can be an important tool in the job hunt when used correctly. Since you can’t wipe the slate clean, put out your own online messages. Upload an impressive video resume or start an industry-specific blog. Use the online space to show employers why they should hire you, instead of why they shouldn’t.

Lying Doesn’t Pay
At the end of The Dark Knight, former crime fighting District Attorney Harvey Dent turned into the murderous Two Face. But Commissioner Gordon kept it secret, instead letting everyone believe Batman was responsible for Dent’s crimes. This has led to a decrease in crime, but at the cost of Gordon’s marriage and his own integrity.

Just like Commissioner Gordon, there are often serious repercussions for lying during the job hunt. Don’t think that a “minor” white lie on your resume will be overlooked. Surely this is what former Yahoo CEO Scott Thompson thought when he fibbed on his resume about his educational background. A lie on his resume got Thompson fired, and it will likely only spell disaster for you. Keep it honest and get the position based on your real qualifications and experience. No good ever comes from a lie for long, just ask Commissioner Gordon.

Never Stop Climbing
At one point in The Dark Knight Rises, Batman is in a terrible situation. A situation where it seems impossible for him to succeed. But he doesn’t let the odds against him stop him from rising up.

Just like Batman, you should never stop striving for better things in your job hunt. It’s your career and just because the economy is bad is no excuse to stop climbing and reaching for better things. You may not be rich, powerful, or have a crime fighting alter ego but if you have the drive and determination to succeed you’ll rise to the top.

What job hunting tips could you take from The Dark Knight Rises? Share in the comments!

10 Ways Recent Grads Can Stay Focused On The Job Hunt

Josh Tolan — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 12:00:36 +0000

By Josh Tolan

Summer was made for children. Study hard from September through May, and you’ll be rewarded with three long months of swimming, popsicles and freedom. That’s the way it is beginning with kindergarten.

For recent college graduates, this summer is different. This summer consists of prowling the Internet for jobs where that fancy new degree can be used. But it can be difficult to focus with the welcoming sun beaming through the windows and sounds of children’s laughter filling the air.

If you’re a recent grad who needs a little help staying focused on the job hunt, check out my list of job-hunting tips to help you land a new job successfully.

1. Update Your Personal Brand
Many recent graduates are so excited at the possibility of a great job, they forget this vital step in the search process. A strong personal brand is essential to landing an interview because it distinguishes you from the other applicants. Starting here is a great way to kick off your search because it’s fun and easy to talk about yourself.

To update your personal brand, develop a brand statement and “elevator pitch.” Both should clearly state what you do and why it’s important to X company. Also, ensure your LinkedIn profile is up-to-date and make private any personal social media accounts.

2. Define The Job You Want
Nothing kills job hunt momentum more quickly than unrefined searches. Unrefined job searches deliver unrefined job results, so take time to think about what you want to do and where you want to go. Once you have an idea of the job you’d like, tailor your search to reflect your position’s criteria.

Keep in mind that not all results will be your dream job. If the results you receive aren’t what you want to do, perhaps you need to re-define what you’re looking for.

3. Write Objectives
Job search objectives should be SMART (specific, measurable, attainable, realistic and time-bound). Think carefully about what you want to achieve in your job search, then write it as on objective. An objective may be, “To compile a list of three strong job leads before Friday.” Objectives help you budget your time and efforts.

4. Ask A Professional To Be Your Job Search Mentor
Mom may be the best at nagging you in your job search efforts, but her constant, “Have you found a job yet?” text messages can kill momentum quickly. Tell mom you appreciate her concern for your career, then try to establish a mentor in your desired industry.

A great mentor may be a former college professor who still has connections in the industry or a former internship supervisor. Email or call your mentor with your job search progress at least once a week, and ask if they have any tips or suggestions about where and how you’ve been applying.

5. Make A Schedule
While applying for jobs should be your first priority, many recent graduates are overwhelmed with other responsibilities, like paying the bills for the first time. Don’t overdo it when it comes to applying for jobs. Limit your time spent on applying for jobs to at least one hour and no more than three hours a day. Anything longer will feel like a lifetime, especially in beautiful summer weather.

6. Cut Yourself Off From The Outside World
Job search time should be wholly devoted to finding jobs you want. It should not be used to catch up on personal email, answer text messages or update social media sites. As impossible as it sounds, turn off your cell phone and close all Internet windows not devoted to the search during your scheduled hours.

7. Apply For Internships As Well As Full-Time Positions
It’s easy for recent graduates to become discouraged in the job search. Many companies require at least two years experience for entry level positions, and they won’t count internship experience toward those years. If you find yourself unable to find a full-time position at a company, consider applying for a paid internship. While internships don’t offer medical benefits, they may lead to a full-time position with the company.

8. Get Off The Computer
Job search engines are great resources in locating jobs you want, but they’re not the only resource. Look for jobs in person by attending at least one networking event every month. Also join your university’s alumni group. It’s bursting with professionals eager to help a fellow alumnus out.

9. Don’t Be Desperate
The job hunt can be difficult for everyone, but, no matter how difficult your search may be, always remain positive. Don’t complain online or in person about how hard things seem, and never let a recruiter know that you’ve been passed on by numerous other companies.

10. Don’t Take Rejection Personally
Rejection happens. You must acknowledge that there may be better candidates than you applying for the same job, but that doesn’t mean you should stop trying. Acknowledging defeat will deter your focus and hinder your determination. To keep your focus, ask the company’s recruiter if you can have feedback about your application or interview. If given, improve upon the suggested areas and move on to the next lead.

Are you a recent graduate looking for your first full-time job? What are some ways you stay focused in the hunt?

ShinyNeedle: Making The Job Hunt Better For Employers & Job Seekers

Heather R. Huhman — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 13:26:29 +0000

The job hunt can be frustrating for both job seekers and employers. Job seekers can spend hours applying for confusing, keyword-injected job postings without hearing a word from employers. And employers can read dozens of resumes without ever fully grasping a candidate’s actual ability to perform the work they require.

What’s worse for both is when candidates with impressive resumes and stellar interpersonal skills land interviews and jobs, only to reveal they are unqualified or unable to execute the strategic objectives the positions require.

ShinyNeedle, an online job search tool launched in April, flips the whole hiring process on its head, making hiring underperformers and passing on qualified candidates a thing of the past. ShinyNeedle has special features designed for both employers and job seekers, offering a new way to post and apply for jobs.

For a $75 or $125 fee (depending on the posting), employers post job descriptions accompanied byreal challenges their companies are facing, calling for job seekers to develop creative solutions. Job challenges allow employers to see how potential job candidates would perform should they be offered the job. Plus, this innovative process eliminates time wasted interviewing unqualified candidates and helps locate the best candidates faster.

Job seekers can create ShinyNeedle profiles absolutely free! Once they’ve completed their profiles, job seekers can search for available positions by keywords, location, and categories. When they find jobs they qualify for, job seekers apply for the positions by answering company challenges, demonstrating their ability to truly impact business. ShinyNeedle looks like a great way to bypass the resume and showcase actual skills in the job hunt.

If you’re an employer, would you consider using ShinyNeedle in your recruitment process? If you’re a job seeker, do you think it will help you in the job hunt?

Want To Land Your Next Dream Job? There’s An App For That

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 18 Jul 2012 14:10:38 +0000

The Jobjuice Social Media Job Search App helps you master social media to take your job search strategy to a whole new level.

Why do job seekers need social media? Today, 93 percent of organizations are actively using social media to recruit talent, which means one thing: job seekers should effectively be able to utilize social media in their job search to get ahead.

The Jobjuice Social Media Job Search application for your smart devices is a key learning tool for modern job seekers, MBA students, and business professionals looking to take advantage of social media to build their personal brand, research, and target key companies. The 100+ theme cards are loaded with tips and tools ranging from how to understand the needs of your employers to the correct protocol for reaching out to hiring managers.

The Jobjuice Social Media Job Search App is conveniently broken down into five reference sections. You can easily navigate through the personal branding section and the FIRE methodology – finding, identifying needs, reaching out, and engaging.

Also (and most importantly), the application teaches you how to use Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn effectively to seek out your next job opportunity and find job openings first. Each platform is different and requires a different strategy to optimize its capabilities. Knowing how to create a professional profile can be difficult and it is even more challenging to stay current with what employers are looking for when they screen social media accounts. The Jobjuice app is a one-stop-shop for giving your online presence a professional makeover.

Lastly, in addition to being a powerful learning tool, the application helps you customize your job search. The unique ability to use color-coding, links, and a search option to sort throughout the information allows you to position yourself correctly to adhere to your own career aspirations.

Social media is not going anywhere, anytime in the near future. As a job seeker or professional looking to stay current, it is highly recommended to take advantage of the simplicity of networking through the most popular social media outlets to get a step ahead of your competition.

How have you used social media to accelerate to the next level of your career path? Share with us your social media stories in the comments section below!

4 Tips For Changing Careers

Jackalope Jobs — Thu, 12 Jul 2012 12:00:11 +0000

By Sudy Bharadwaj

It’s official: U.S. employers created only 80,000 jobs in June, leaving the U.S. unemployment rate unchanged at 8.2 percent. The numbers are discouraging for those still searching for work, but maybe even more so for those who are unhappily employed.

Hay Group data shows that employee restlessness is rising. Nearly two in five (38 percent) of employees in 2011 planned to leave their employers within the next five years; that’s an increase of eight percent since 2009. People leave their jobs because they’re dissatisfied with their salaries, they have a desire to make a change, there is a lack of advancement opportunities or they want to make a change of profession, among other reasons.

If you’re one of the many who wish to leave your current position because you want to make a career change, perk up! The mid-year job forecast shows hiring picking up over the rest of 2012. Customer service, information technology, sales, administrative, business development, accounting and finance and marketing are all sectors expected to increase hiring.

Before making the big career plunge, assess your current career satisfaction. Factors like unpleasant co-workers or an uncreative environment may be making your day-to-day unpleasant, but they can be easily changed by moving to a new career in your same field.

If you know it’s the work and not who you work with or work for that’s bringing you down, prepare yourself now for the career change you’re going to make with the following tips:

Investigate Education Options
Earning a degree in your new career sector is ideal and usually required to apply for most jobs.; however, enrolling as a full-time student is sometimes out of the question for many professionals.

Consider taking a few evening courses at a community college, attending seminars or shadowing professional groups to help build skills in your new area of interest. Also, read industry-related books, magazines and blogs to familiarize yourself with trends. Many hiring managers will appreciate the effort you’ve displayed and overlook the fact that your degree is unrelated to your new field.

Show Your Passion
A huge advantage for professionals changing careers is passion. Many job candidates you’ll be competing against for positions are just like you—unhappy in their current careers. The difference is they’re reluctant to make the life fulfilling change you are.

Explain to the hiring manager that you’ve made poor career choices in the past, but you’re sure you’re pursuing the right career now. Your passion for your new career will most likely impress the hiring manager and trump impassionate professionals with relevant work experience.

Focus On Transferable Skills
When you’re applying to jobs in related fields, hiring managers understand and appreciate the work samples and quantifiable data you provide. But if you’re pursuing a career opposite to what you do now, your previous accomplishments may not seem so stellar.

Instead, tell hiring managers about the unique skills that you bring to the position that will enable you to succeed. For example, if you’re an accountant looking to break into a journalism career, you can focus on your ability to see numbers trends differently and possibly more quickly than a candidate who has only ever held journalism positions.

Prove Your Adaptability
If you’ve switched career tracks before, explain your decision for the switch and talk about how quickly you adapted to the new venture. If your current career change is the first of its kind, focus on a new system or process you learned within the industry. Neither of those options fit you? Talk about a time you needed to adapt or learn something quickly in your private life.

When talking about your adaptability, it’s key to be honest. Hiring a candidate outside of the industry is a big risk to companies. If you tell a hiring manager that you can adapt to your new career in a week, he’ll expect you to do so.

Have you ever changed careers? What are some helpful tips you’d give other professionals looking to do the same?

Sudy Bharadwaj is a co-founder and the CEO of Jackalope Jobs, a job seeker focused platform, making the job search social, fast and easy. Learn how Sudy and Jackalope Jobs obsess over job seekers by connecting with them on Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter.

New Job Search Tool: Recmnd.Me

Heather R. Huhman — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 19:12:18 +0000

Professional recommendations are often the key to completing a successful job search. Recommendations show employers you’re trustworthy and knowledgeable in your field, but what’s the best way to go about collecting them?

Sites like LinkedIn allow professionals to swap recommendations, but you’re essentially left on your own to start writing from scratch. The added time element is often a deterrent for people who åare reluctant to ask colleagues for recommendations. But a new tool, Recmnd.Me, is dedicated to allowing professionals to gather recommendations hassle-free. The site allows job candidates to be scored and ranked by their peers. You fill out a short profile including information about your past employment, skills, location, and professional keywords. You can then recommend an unlimited number of colleagues, and they can choose to recommend you back.

Rankings are placed on a scale of 1 to 10 in a variety of different categories. For instance, a creative director could receive rankings based on specialities such as creative direction, branding, HTML, copywriting, graphic design, and more. This type of ranking system allows you to showcase your “soft skills” as well as more specific specialities. The site also pools all of your rankings, so you can see how you measure up to others. Users never see how anyone ranked them, which allows for anonymity and honesty.

The site is free of charge and looks to be very useful to job seekers and professionals in any career or industry. Because users are ranked based on a scale, those who are looking for more personalized recommendations may not find this site to be the best fit, but it’s certainly worth a shot if you’re looking to establish legitimacy in your field and build a portfolio of professional recommendations.

Would you consider using recommendation sites like Recmnd.Me for your job search? Share your thoughts below!

4 Things To Check Off Your Summer Job Seeking Bucket List

Josh Tolan — Fri, 06 Jul 2012 12:30:15 +0000

By Josh Tolan

With so many cookouts to host and beaches to visit, securing a job may be one of the last things listed on your summer bucket list. While you may think you deserve a vacation from your job search, consider this: a recent survey of more than 2,000 hiring managers and HR professionals found that three in ten (29 percent) of U.S. employers plan to hire summer workers.

In addition, a Forbes article advised recruiters that now is the ideal time to hire temporary workers to achieve specialized expertise, quick ramp-up and fresh perspectives. Before you grab your flip-flops to head to the pool, remember that more often than not, temporary work leads to a full-time opportunity within a company.

To stay focused on your job search when the summer sun is so inviting, try checking off items from a Summer Job Seeking Bucket List like the one below!

1. Update Your Professional Profiles
This step on the bucket list seems like common sense, but job seekers will often update their paper resume without giving a second thought to their online professional profiles like LinkedIn. If you’ve forgotten this vital step in your summer job search, make it your first bucket list stop. Double check to ensure your online professional profiles match your paper resume almost exactly (and of course are reiterated in your video resume). Use the same keywords and punctuation style and keep job descriptions very similar, if not the same.

2. Give Your Resume New Flair
More and more job seekers are finding creative ways to bypass the dreaded resume pile. Job seekers with a knack for design are creating an infographic depicting their career experience to accompany the traditional paper resume. However, any job seeker can utilize their webcam to enhance the paper route by creating a video resume.

Today’s technologies allow job seekers not blessed with design or advanced video skills to stand out, too. For help creating an infographic resume, check out four tools Mashable outlined. If you’re looking for a video aspect for your resume, services like SparkHire.com get you in front of hiring managers instantaneously.

3. See How Others Are Searching
Job seekers see searching for jobs in the summer as such a chore because they visualize themselves hunched over computer screens while the smell of grilled goods wafts through the air. What they don’t realize is that job searching doesn’t mean ignoring the summer weather and traditions. Instead, they should be embraced!

If your job search attempts have come up short, consider inviting a variety of other professionals to your home for a summer picnic. They may be able to share on how they landed their current positions or even help you re-strategize your job search tactics.

4. Make A Community Event A Networking Event
Searching for a job in the summer certainly doesn’t mean you need to avoid community events like picnics or festivals. In fact, you can use them to your advantage! If your area hosts a big summertime event, approach it as if it were a networking event. Take time to socialize with a few area professionals, and chat with members of your area’s Chamber of Commerce Board. (Chances are, they had something to do with the event.)

Networking at a community event allows you to share more personal facts about your brand that you may feel are irrelevant at a traditional professional networking event. It also shows other professionals that you have a love of the community in common.

Do you have other suggestions to add to the Summer Job Search Bucket List? Share your insight in a comment!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of SparkHire.com, a video powered hiring network that connects job seekers and employers through video resumes and online interviews. Connect with him and SparkHire.com on Facebook and Twitter.

5 Recruitment Metrics Every HR Professional Should Report (Part 2)

Simplicant — Fri, 29 Jun 2012 12:00:35 +0000

By Sajjad Masud

In part one of our series on recruiting metrics, we talked about five essential metrics HR professionals need for a meaningful analysis. With the appropriate metrics, HR professionals can determine the most effective sources of hire, total costs per hire and gain insights into optimizing further by adjusting the many variables. This analytical data can assist recruiters in improving their future performance, based on an analysis of their previous activity and corresponding results. In addition, it can help them to compile management reports for their supervisors, providing an overview of the key hiring metrics. Eventually, senior management is also interested in how well their investment in recruitment activities is paying off.

Here are five more metrics recruiters should study when looking at how to get the most of the hiring process.

Referral rates
Did you know that employee referrals accounted for 28 percent of all external hires last year? With that in mind, referral rates should be an important recruitment metric all HR professionals need to report since they are becoming more and more important in the candidate sourcing process.

Let’s say 20 percent of all of your hires came from employee referrals, former colleagues or members of their network. Since referrals are considered one of the best sources of quality candidates, hiring managers can clearly see that referrals via social media are an increasing and highly effective source of quality candidates that will likely be a great fit for the organization and will be contributing to its success for the long run. As a result, more resources should be reserved to improve or create employee referral programs and using social recruiting as a means to do that.

Turnover
Employee turnover is the rate at which a company gains or loses employees. This rate of traffic through your company’s revolving door can say a lot about the company and how much money you might be losing in the recruiting process. There is no “correct” number for turnover, instead it usually depends on the industry you are in. Some have a higher turnover than others and you need to know the average turnover for your particular industry.

If your turnover is higher than average, you first need to know that and then do something about it. In general, the lower this number is the better it is. Replacing employees too often is not only costly and time consuming, it also means that too many people in your organization may be spending too much time on coming up to speed and leaving too soon to be able to add any real value to the company. Once you know the turnover rate, you can find out the reasons associated with the turnover. You will find out that turnover rates are quite often a reflection of the effectiveness of the recruitment processes.

Predictive Analysis
Predictive analysis is when a variety of metrics and figures are used to predict a certain outcome. For example, recently Target came under fire for using their own predictive analysis to figure out when certain subsets of their consumers would become pregnant. Target then used this information to target specific advertising at these consumers. When it comes to HR, these outcomes often have to do with recruitment success and employee turnover. Using metrics like turnover, employee engagement and productivity, hiring managers can get a good view of what the future might look like. It will not be 100 percent accurate, but it will help hiring managers and recruiters stay ahead of the curve.

Pipeline Development
It is always important for recruiters to continue to develop relationships with great candidates. These candidates are then put in what is called a “pipeline”, a store of qualified potential hires recruiters can call when positions need to be filled. Developing a pipeline of quality potential hires is a great way to cut down on the hiring process and save your company time and money. Often pipeline development is tracked through a good CRM, allowing recruiters to keep track of all their various employee leads. Pipeline development is great for cutting down on the key metrics we have previously covered like cost-per-hire, time-to-hire, and quality of hire. This is because recruiters have already established a relationship with great potential candidates, cutting down on the sourcing stage of recruitment.

Post-recruitment surveys
It’s always a good idea to get feedback from those who have been recently interviewed for a certain position. They are in the best position to comment on the company’s recruitment strategy and processes from a candidate’s perspective. In addition, request similar information from those who did not accept the job and those who went through the process but were not offered a position.

Sending out a survey is easy to do. Make sure you collect feedback from all stakeholders who have participated in the hiring process. This could include the interviewers as well. For those who did not get hired, questions can include where they heard about the company and the job, their overall feelings about the application, if they felt the questions asked were easy to respond to, if they would be interested in another position at the company, or how was their experience with the communication (or lack thereof) from the recruiter or the company in general.

These post-recruitment surveys can help you identify some of the critical gaps that you may have missed but others can notice in your recruitment process. They can also bring clarity to or visibility into some of those areas that were not specifically addressed through the other metrics. Collecting and processing feedback in an effective and organized way gives you an inside view into how candidates feel about your recruitment process. It also provides you with a sense for the various perspectives from all other stakeholders involved in the process. All of this information represents critical data that can be analysed and used for making future recruitment campaigns more effective.

What do you think? What are some other recruitment metrics to keep in mind?

Sajjad Masud is the Co-Founder and CEO of Simplicant, a cloud-based social recruiting platform transforming talent acquisition and making enterprise-level recruiting technology accessible to companies of all sizes. Connect with Sajjad and the Simplicant team on Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn.

5 Recruitment Metrics Every HR Professional Should Report (Part 1)

Simplicant — Thu, 28 Jun 2012 12:00:52 +0000

By Sajjad Masud

Measuring the performance of a candidate acquisition campaign requires tracking key metrics that can indicate the effectiveness of the recruitment campaign, highlight how well the campaign is working and point out areas where improvement is necessary.

In this first part of our two part series we look at five metrics that talent acquisition professionals like to see and will need for management reporting. These are essential in order to measure the impact of their recruitment strategy and to determine how things can be improved further. These basic metrics provide a good starting point for any recruiting professional and can be easily built upon to include more sophisticated analyses as more data is collected over time.

Number of applicants
Take note: tons of applications for a job opening is not always a good thing. In fact, it could mean that your job description is attracting the wrong candidates. Some insiders suggest an average of 50-60 applicants per job, a few even climbing into the hundreds.

Although every industry or situation may vary, it is a good idea to find a benchmark and stick to it. For instance, if the industry standard is 45 applications per job and you received 200, something may be off. This type of metric allows you to see if you are getting the right amount of applicants or if you need to rework your recruitment strategy, such as reviewing your marketing efforts or adjusting the job description.

Candidate Sources: Where did they come from?
It is important to figure out the sources for all your applications: these could be your careers website, social networking platforms, job search sites, your company’s Facebook page, advertising, social referrals, etc. This can show which channels are most effective in attracting candidates to your organization. It can also highlight how the various sources compare in terms of quality, quantity, speed and overall effectiveness in the final outcome. That is, which sources are most effective in resulting in great hires?

For instance, if you find that social recruitment and referrals bring you lots of quality leads, it may be something you want to invest more time and money into. Conversely, learning that candidates do not really utilize some of those previous generation job boards to find your particular opportunity can be a strategy you can nix in the future.

Metrics also show you ignore search engines at your own peril. According to one statistic, job seekers utilizing search engines are 30 percent more likely to complete the job application process. It also showed candidate quality was 25 percent higher from job hunters who took to search engines to sniff out opportunities. So ensuring talented searchers can find your company career page will prove important to attracting top hires. Talent communities were also important, proving to be about four to five times better than traditional job boards. Knowing where great candidates originate is an important way to better focus your hiring efforts.

Cost-per-hire
Are you spending loads of money on each applicant or are you skimping a little too much? According to a recent SHRM report, the cost-per-hire for small organizations (fewer than 1,000 employees) runs around $3,079, whereas larger organizations (more than 1,000 employees) had a cost-per hire of $4,285. Larger organizations typically have a bigger budget and can therefore afford to spend more.

Understanding how much you currently spend on hiring these individuals can help you adjust your strategy, figure out if you are using enough resources or discover if you are totally off base and should be investing more in your recruiting strategy. You have the opportunity to go with the newer platforms that can help you get organized and can provide you with some of the most sophisticated capabilities to streamline your recruitment activities.

Time-to-hire
The time to hire metric basically means the time it takes to fill a position. According to the same SHRM report, on average, large organizations typically fill a position in 43 days while smaller organizations take 29. The reason for the longer time to fill for larger organizations is that they usually have more steps in the hiring process.

With this metric, recruiters are able to gauge if they are spending too much time when acquiring the right candidates or if they need to do a little more digging. Remember, do not jump on the bandwagon too quickly and do not over analyze your options. It can actually backfire in the long-run.

This is where growing organizations have an opportunity to really defy the industry averages by taking the lead with innovative technology platforms that not only help them optimize on the cost-per-hire but also greatly improve the speed with which they can find and recruit quality candidates. The average costs per hire in the industry clearly indicate the inefficiencies in the recruitment process and highlight the fact that hiring practices of most organizations are still utilizing older and expensive methods that continue to disappoint and therefore add to the overall costs of talent acquisition.

Quality of hire
According to ERE, the quality of hire metric is driven by “performance appraisal ratings and/or production 6 to 12 months into the new employee’s job as compared to their peers.” The quality of hire metric can be difficult to report since it can vary by organization or industry. However, once an internal benchmark is set, HR professionals can begin to assess the quality of the hire.

For example, an organization could measure the number of new clients a sales person acquires or the number of support calls a customer support representative closes in any given time period. If the company establishes that 10 clients per quarter is an acceptable benchmark for the sales person, HR can assess if the hired individual is able to perform at the expected level.

In part two we’ll talk about five more essential recruiting metrics. Until then, what hiring metrics do you find most useful? Let us know!

3 Things To Do To Impress Your Boss

Mona Abdel-Halim — Tue, 26 Jun 2012 22:00:10 +0000

By Kat Krull

In order to really stand out at your current job — and possibly get that promotion you’ve been hoping for — you’ll want to go the extra mile. This often involves impressing your boss in one way or another.

So, what types of things can you do to make a good impression at your office? Here are several ideas:

Amp Up Your Communication

If you’ve worked at your company for a while, it’s probably pretty easy for you to go about your day and complete assignments without needing to talk to your boss. Unfortunately, this also contributes to your supervisor not having a clear idea of what you actually doeach day.

By opening up the lines of communication, you can help your boss understand how you’re reaching your goals and what types of assignments you flourish in. You can also get more feedback on each assignment. Just be sure that you know the type of communication your superior prefers — whether it’s email, phone, or a quick stop by his or her office. You don’t want to cross the line into being bothersome!

Channel Your Inner Entrepreneur

Have some great ideas for improving the workplace, business productivity, or the way you complete your work? Share them! Although not every manager is able to implement each idea, creativity and thoughtfulness are great qualities for others to associate with you if you want to make a good impression. It also shows that you understand the “big picture” of the way things work at the company, and want to be around to see it grow and change.

Help Out Others

If one week you have a lighter workload than normal, see how you can be of assistance to your co-workers or other departments. Let your boss know that you’ve finished your tasks early and would be happy to help out where needed. (Your supervisor might even want to utilize you if they have a lot of work to finish!) You may even have the chance to forge new relationships with other folks around the office.

What other things can workers do to impress their boss? Have you found success with any of the tactics listed above?

Kat Krull is the Marketing Manager of Resunate, a job application tool that tailors and optimizes your resume for a specific job. You can find Kat and Resunate on Facebook,Twitter, and Google+.

4 Tips For Overworked Dads this Father’s Day

Josh Tolan — Thu, 14 Jun 2012 12:45:44 +0000

By Josh Tolan

As a working dad, you might be looking for something a bit more useful than a nice tie this Father’s Day. In fact, dads everywhere are probably looking for a better balance between their home and work lives. While most mothers in the workplace are thought of as “working mothers” the same isn’t always true for dear ol’ dad. In fact, in a survey done by Betterment Solutions revealed that 50 percent of mothers thought of themselves as working mothers while 75 percent of fathers thought of themselves only as workers.

The challenge for working fathers is to balance their traditional role as breadwinner with spending much needed time with their families. According to an annual Careerbuilder survey 39 percent of working fathers only spend about two hours with their children per night. A further 22 percent are working 50 hours per week or more.

Here are some tips for all of the dads out there to help strike an easier balance between home and the office this Father’s Day:

Learn to say no
Putting your foot down around the office every now and then is important. You don’t want to be the guy who always says no to important projects and career opportunities. At the same time, you know how important it is to spend time with your kids at home. Don’t be afraid of saying no every once in awhile to an opportunity at work. Talk things over with your boss and make sure you’re both on the same page about the importance of balancing. Your colleagues will understand if you’re not jumping to take over every top project if they know why, and they’ll respect your time management to only commit to projects you have the time for. Just like at home, communication is the key here.

Make Time for Important Events
According to the Careerbuilder survey 34 percent of dads have missed at least two significant events in their kids’ lives because of work. Whether it’s a dance recital, piano concert, or karate match it’s important to be there for your kids’ big moments. You want your child(ren) to look out into the crowd and see your proud face, not an empty chair. This might mean you need to shift your work around a bit to make the time. It might also mean you have to take some of your responsibilities on the go. Thanks to the era of the mobile device, taking work out into the world with you is easier than ever. You can now answer email, take and organize notes, and even interview job candidates right from your seat at your child’s special event. Just make sure you turn off your phone before the show starts!

Turn off the gadgets
This might seem an odd choice, given the last tip about taking your work on the go. But let’s be honest, we’re all a little tech-obsessed. The workaholic dad can now come home from a long day at the office and do more work from his laptop, tablet, or cell phone. If you’re at home but still working, then you’re not really spending quality time with your kids. Make it a rule to put away your distracting devices unless it’s an emergency and focus in on the here and now. There will be plenty of time for last minute email checks after the kids are asleep.

Get flexible
More workplaces than ever are realizing that happy employees are also more productive employees. And what makes dads happier than getting to spend time with their families? (I mean, most workplaces cannot afford to outfit a man cave.) Companies are allowing working parents to spend more time with their families by being more flexible.

Maybe this means more flexible hours or shortened summer hours while kids are home from school. Maybe it means getting to work from home a few days a week. The Internet makes collaborative work environments easier to replicate at home than ever, from conferencing a big meeting to using online video to interview a new hire. Working from home allows you to get in your hours and spend some much needed face-time with your kids.

What are some tips to help overworked dads spend more time with their kids? Share them!

3 Ways to Embarrass Yourself in an Interview

Mona Abdel-Halim — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 15:30:10 +0000

By Kat Krull

Interviews are one of the most stressful parts of the hiring process. But, if you come prepared, here’s hoping that your nerves won’t get the best of you like they do with so many others.

What should you avoid doing during an interview? Here are several ways that job candidates embarrassed themselves during this crucial part of the job search:

1. Not doing your research on the company

Ideally, you’ve done your research on the company before you applied, especially since optimizing your resume to each job is an essential part of landing an interview. But some candidates fail to do this, resulting in stories like these (from MyCrappyResume):

“On interviewing on candidate when asked ‘What do you know about our company?”, he replied ‘You fabricate concrete pipes’. The answers should have been around ‘health/pathology’. Bad research = no job.”

“Several years ago I interviewed a young man for a night shift position. It all went quite well until the end when I asked if he could work weekends, he said he was unable for the next six months because of a conditional weekend prison sentence.”

2. Over-promising on qualifications or skills

It’s not usually a good idea to apply to a job where you don’t meet all of the employer’s criteria. Here’s how it can lead to an embarrassing situation:

“My salon is seeking experienced stylists who already have an established clientele. Regardless, new graduates with no clients still apply, but the worst one was the girl who swore she had a clientele on the phone–then, when asked during the interview, said, ‘Umm, maybe. What’s that?’ Not Hired!”

3. Being unavailable

Make sure you’re actually available to start a job if you’re attending interviews, unlike this candidate:

“During a group interview it was specified in previous rounds that we were all going to have to start on the 1st of September. One candidate put his hand up and says ‘I’m on holidays then does that matter?’ Four out of the five got jobs!”

Kat Krull is the Marketing Manager of Resunate, a job application tool that tailors and optimizes your resume for a specific job, and ApplyApp.ly, an innovative job board that finds job seekers their most compatible open positions. You can find Kat, Resunate, and ApplyApp.ly on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Game of Hiring: Job Hunt Lessons from the HBO Fantasy

Josh Tolan — Mon, 11 Jun 2012 13:00:03 +0000

By Josh Tolan

Recently the HBO epic fantasy series Game of Thrones closed out its wildly popular second season. You might not think there’s much to learn from a show with shapeshifters, medieval battles, and dragons. But there are plenty of recruitment lessons to learn from the power-hungry strivers in Westeros.

After all, with the unemployment rate hovering around 8 percent it can often feel like an endless barrage of job seekers are battering the castle walls of your company. The job seekers hoping to get a position at your company are no less zealous than those battling to win a seat on the iron throne.

So let’s see what recruitment lessons we can learn from our friends in Westeros:

Never discount the little guy, they might have dragons
It can often be easy to overlook the less flashy and impressive candidates. Take a lesson from Game of Thrones and don’t forget these candidates might be packing a hidden talent. No one thought former princess Daenerys Targaryen was much of a threat to the throne. Now Dany has some bright friends to help her along the way, namely her pet dragons.

Sure, your candidate probably doesn’t have any pet dragons handy. Just because they’re not as great on paper, however, doesn’t mean they don’t have a lot to bring to the organization. When you’re interviewing, either in-person or through online video, pay attention to a candidate’s personality. They might not be the most impressive on paper, but they might have wonderful communication skills or will fit into the company perfectly.

Everyone is fighting for something
Game of Thrones is a sweeping epic because it shows the viewer every side of every battle. You can get into the heads of the Starks and the Lannisters even as the two sides fight each other. This is not only good storytelling, it makes good recruitment sense as well.

Make sure you know what your candidate is “fighting for,” so to speak. A potential hire might say all the right things, but if their goals don’t align with what your company needs you’ll be rehiring soon. In your preliminary phone or video interview, get your candidate to spell out exactly where they see themselves heading. Make sure it aligns with what the position needs and the kind of employee the company is looking for. Don’t hire a squire when you need a king.

Always stay informed
Perhaps the most powerful characters on Game of Thrones are the politicians and spies flying under the radar but informed of everything. It’s hard to argue characters like Littlefinger and the Spider seem poised to weather any storm. They can deal with the dangerous and ever-changing political situation in King’s Landing because they know information is invaluable.

Take a page out of their book (or scroll) and keep yourself up to date on all the latest trends in your industry. Make sure you’re abreast of all the newest technology. Keep current on the hot topics in the talent communities in which you take part. Technology, like social media and online video, is changing the way recruiters find, source, and interview top talent. Keep your head about you and stay in front of the curve or you could end up like poor Ned Stark.

What are some other hiring tips you can take from the battle-scarred veterans of Game of Thrones? Share them in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, which combines a video job board and online interviewing platform to enrich interaction between job seekers and employers. On Spark Hire job seekers can create a free video profile. Connect with him and Spark Hire onFacebook and Twitter.

Your Video Profile: Ready… Set… Go!

Josh Tolan — Thu, 07 Jun 2012 12:00:25 +0000

By Josh Tolan

No doubt, you are ready to land the perfect job. While it can be tough, it is definitely doable if you go about it the right way! In our ever adapting, innovative, technology focused world, a job seeker simply cannot succeed on the traditional printed resume alone. They need an enhancement, an added value to accompany their top notch resume.

Companies receive an astounding number of resumes per day and that means hiring managers have an overwhelming amount of people to sift through. Recruiters rate the ability to find good candidates the highest among their challenges. As a job seeker, take this knowledge to think about how you can make yourself stand out and differentiate yourself from the pack. Here’s one suggestion – Create an online video profile.

Hiring managers and recruiters are looking for many qualities that the words on your resume simply cannot convey. A video profile can help you showcase these attributes.

Since video profiles have been on the rise since 2007 evolving the way people create their resumes, it is no surprise that you have to stay on top of new ways to stand out.

Recruiters only look at paper resumes for approximately 6.25 seconds before deciding a person’s fate, but if they look at your video, you have gained their eyes and ears. Here are some ways that you can be unique on your video profile:

1. Be compelling when asking them to open your video profile. Just because you sent a video won’t ensure that they will look at it. How will you convince them to view it? When you send the link, make sure to have your resume attached and a cover letter within the email that asks them to watch the video to find out why you are a great fit for the position. If the recruiter just gets a link sent to them, the chances are they will just delete, thinking that it is spam. Don’t be deleted without even a look at you. Instead, give yourself a fighting chance!

2. Lights, Camera, Action! Create the best atmosphere you can for your video by making sure you have the proper lighting and the best surroundings possible. You can have a little fun with this by having a picture of you receiving an award and your degree in the background. Just keep your surroundings simple and clean.

3. Practice makes perfect. Video gives you the opportunity to do it over and over until you get it right. While you can’t take your mom or best friend to an interview with you (or at least I wouldn’t recommend it), you can have them critique your video profile. Have someone that will give you honest feedback go through with you letting you know what works and what doesn’t.

4. Treat it like a job interview. As with any in-person meeting, you have a chance on video to show your style and personality. You should tie it in with your skills and wrap it all up in a nice package you can send via email. You have to do this in limited time so be certain to cover information that pertains directly to the job listing. Make sure to give them the same positive upbeat attitude that you would in your in person interview. Remember, a smile goes a long way in your likeability factor!

5. Use your time wisely. You have likely bought some more time and gained their interest having created a video. With that said, you need to make the most of their time and yours and keep the video to under a minute. Think about it as your personal mini-commercial. You need to convince them that they need to bring you in so they can get to the full picture in person.

Your video profile needs to accurately reflect who you are and what you can do for the employer. You don’t need to spend a ton of time making your video with fancy equipment. Yet you need to make it unique and use it to put you ahead of the competition. So go ahead, get ready, set, and go make a video that can help land you your dream job.
How will you make your video profile different and use it to enhance your printed resume?

Resume SEO: How to Use Keywords To Get Noticed

Josh Tolan — Thu, 31 May 2012 14:41:05 +0000

By Josh Tolan

SEO, or Search Engine Optimization, isn’t just a way for companies and individuals to improve their standing in search engines like Google. It can also be a good way for the clever job seeker to get noticed.

In today’s tough economy and crowded job market, most job seekers will do anything to get ahead. With the influx of candidates for every open position, recruiters and hiring managers are increasingly turning to technology to weed down the applicant pile. In fact, according to the National Resume Writer’s Association 80 percent of resumes end up in keyword-searchable databases.

So how do you work in those important keywords without turning your resume into word soup? Here are some helpful tips on how to use resume SEO to get noticed without undercutting your skills and qualifications.

Research
The most important part of resume SEO is making sure the keywords you use will actually help you get noticed. Since recruiters increasingly rely on resume databases and applicant tracking systems (or ATS), focusing on including the right keywords is key to getting noticed. This will require you to do a little research. Look at the job description you’re applying for and pull out all the relevant keywords essential to the job. You can’t just stop there though! Do some research on your industry of choice and find out what the most commonly searched keywords are within this industry. Then make sure to include those buzzwords in your resume where applicable.

Get Specific
You might be a great team player or communicator but don’t focus on these soft skills. These won’t be the skills recruiters and hiring managers are searching for in their ATS. Instead, focus on job and industry-specific skill sets. If you’re looking for a job utilizing technology, make sure you list out the systems in which you are proficient. This way hiring managers searching for candidates with certain skill sets will be sure to draw your resume from the digital pile.

Spell It Out
The problem with keywords is you never know the exact phrases hiring managers and recruiters will be searching for. Perhaps you have down your title as Chief Executive Officer but a recruiter misses the resume because he was keyword searching CEO. Make sure your most important keywords are included in a variety of formats so there’s no way to miss them. Include both the spelled-out version and the abbreviation so you’ll always show up in results, no matter what variation is searched.

Linkbacks
Just like on the internet, having links to relevant professional pages can only help. If you’re populating a LinkedIn profile or online job application, make sure to include all relevant links associated with your candidacy. Do you have a blog with top quality, industry-specific information? Link it! Do you have a stellar video resume showing off your communication skills? Link it! Make sure recruiters can easily find all your relevant information quickly.

Make It Readable
This is the most important point of all. After stuffing your resume full of keywords, if the resume reads like a word jumble you won’t get called in for an interview. Make sure the keywords are adding to your resume, not detracting from it. If your resume isn’t clear and readable, recruiters won’t be impressed with you no matter how easily they can find you. Remember keywords are there to help your resume get found. Once it does, make sure you have a compelling resume worth finding.

What To Highlight In Your Resume When You Have Minimal Experience

Mona Abdel-Halim — Fri, 25 May 2012 15:40:11 +0000

By Kat Krull

As a student or recent graduate, it can be difficult to draft a resume when you don’t have a ton of work experience under your belt. But this isn’t the only thing potential employers want to see on your resume. There are plenty of other things you can highlight on your resume, even when you have a small amount of work experience. Here are some to consider:

Volunteer experience. If you’ve volunteered your time at an organization where you’ve put your skills to use, this is certainly something to include on your resume. For instance, perhaps your education focused on marketing, and you spent five hours per week at your local animal shelter assisting in creating marketing materials. This is something you should share on your resume.
Leadership positions. Were you involved in an on-campus club or organization? Did you accept a leadership position on the executive board, organize a committee, etc.? Leadership experience is important for many types of jobs, and employers value these skills in the workplace. Be sure to highlight what you accomplished during the period of time you held the position.
Relevant skills. You’ve acquired a wide variety of skills throughout your education and previous work experiences — so be sure to list the most relevant skills on your resume. Depending on your field, make sure you list different programs you’re proficient in and any skills you have learned during your formal education.
Accomplishments. Show employers why you would be a good candidate by listing accomplishments on any previous experience you have. This makes more impact than simply listing responsibilities.
Internships. Yes, internships are something worth highlighting on your resume! Even though it might not have been paid, it doesn’t mean you shouldn’t include it on your resume as part of your work experience.
Awards and honors. Did you receive awards during college for your stellar GPA, leadership experience, or something similar? These could be something you decide to include on your resume to show that you’re an above-average candidate.

What do you think? How else can candidates with minimal experience draft a resume to catch an employer’s attention?

4 Mistakes That Kill Startups When Hiring

Josh Tolan — Tue, 22 May 2012 13:00:35 +0000

By Josh Tolan

There are many challenges to successfully launching a startup. Hiring might seem pretty far down the list, but startups should be careful to give the hiring process its due diligence. The employees on the ground floor of any startup are the building blocks on which the company is built. They are the ones determining whether the business will succeed or fail. Below are the hiring pitfalls startups can easily fall into and how to avoid those traps.

Bringing in Too Many Interviewees
In today’s economy even the simplest job posting can bring in a deluge of resumes. How do you sort through the flood? It might seem like a good idea to bring in as many candidates as possible, but it’s just eating up resources better spent on building the business. Instead think about new ways to whittle the search down to only the most promising. This might mean having candidates show their stuff over the phone or in a video interview before committing to taking time out of your busy schedule to meet in person.

Inability to Think Outside the Resume
You know that cliché about thinking outside the box? This is like that, only traditional resumes are the box. In today’s increasing digital world a paper resume might not be all there is to say about a potential hire. Candidates that find creative ways to show off their wares will often bring that same passion and creativity to their new workplace. Interested hires are now using social media and video to show off talents that might otherwise not fit on a simple resume page. Not being married to the traditional resume also means you can more effectively judge the “superior communication skills” listed, whether through a video interview or a Twitter account.

Not Embracing New Technology
The biggest mistake in today’s business world is ignoring new technology. There is barely a company around that can afford not to think digitally anymore. Facebook, Twitter and blogs are making businesses and their customers more intertwined than ever, and allowing companies to speak directly to their consumer base. So why not use these same digital tools in the hiring game?

This is especially true for startups, which might have fewer resources devoted to the traditional hiring process. This is when embracing new technology can make life easier. Instead of sifting through endless resumes, startups can connect with potential hires in a nearly endless variety of digital ways. The ability to use the web, and all its facets of video and social connectivity, is also going to be increasingly important to any new startup. Watching a job candidate’s video or looking at their contributions to discussions on social media outlets can give a good idea of their ability to use the virtual space. This can only help a startup moving forward as the business world embraces the importance of online development.

Ignoring Fit
Employees, like a good pair of jeans, should fit correctly. The resume in front of you might be highly impressive, but will the employee it belongs to blend with the corporate culture.

This is even more important when talking about startups, which often begin their business lives with a relatively small staff. If your new hire doesn’t gel with your old team, the startup fishbowl means problems will be hard to ignore. This is why it’s key to bring important team members into the interview process. Have your serious candidates interview with the people they will be working with closely. This may mean bringing them into an interview session to make sure the fit is correct. After all, you try on your jeans before buying and hopefully your employee will be with you much longer!

There are plenty of pitfalls that startups must avoid in order to thrive in today’s tough business environment. Hiring good people to grow the company should be paramount to any new venture. These employees will be the backbone of the company and set the standard moving forward. Finding the right talented people isn’t always easy, but if you avoid these four mistakes you’ll be well on your way to building a team that will make your startup a success.

What’s the most important thing you look for when hiring for a startup? Has video played a part in any of your recent hires?

How to Know When to Leave

Josh Tolan — Thu, 17 May 2012 17:28:15 +0000

By Josh Tolan

It’s Sunday night, you flip off “Mad Men,” and you realize there’s a feeling of dread weighing heavily on you. This dread has everything to do with where you’ll be going on Monday morning. Maybe you haven’t even realized it, but you’ve begun to dread going to work. You used to enjoy your job. You’d come home fulfilled and you’d start the work week feeling ambitious and ready for anything. Now you’re starting the week with a world-weary sigh.

If any of that sounds like you, it might be time to leave your job. Despite the tricky economy, your decision to quit certainly wouldn’t be an anomaly. According to the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, 51 percent of all job separations were due to workers leaving their jobs. This might not seem like a big deal, but it’s the highest number of quitters since September 2008.

What does that mean? It means the rebounding economy has lead to more worker confidence. Instead of staying in jobs they hate just because of a steady paycheck, workers now feel they can leave and still find another (better) job.

Is it time for you to start recording a video resume or rewriting your paper version? Here are some signs that it might be time for you to move on.

You’re Bored
Are you just running out the clock during work hours? Sharpening endless pencils just to have something to do? Perhaps you’ve become a serial tweeter, just to feel like someone is listening? Let me break it to you in a language you understand: #You’reBored. You might think a little boredom is no big deal, but it could be affecting your health. According to recent studies, boredom can be just as stressful as stress itself. You started on your career path to be fulfilled and to do something you enjoy. If you’re just killing time at work, it’s time to leave.

Morals Mismatch
If your morals are clashing with your company’s workplace ethics, that might be a problem. Perhaps you’re a staunch environmentalist and the company’s new product is far from environmentally friendly. Whatever it is, if you’re getting cognitive dissonance working for your organization, it might not be worth it to stay.

You’re Underutilized
You have a lot of talents and abilities but they’re not being utilized at your current workplace. You know you have so much more to give, but your office doesn’t seem to agree. If your repeated efforts to take on more responsibility have failed, it might be time to look elsewhere for a better way to use your talents. If your abilities are underutilized for too long, you will undoubtedly fall prey to boredom. As we covered that can be dangerous (and stressful!).

You Can’t Grow
You’ve been working hard and putting in long hours. Your eye is on a big promotion that would finally align your title with the amount of work you’ve been doing. Except you never seem to be able to take that next step. Perhaps your company is on a promotion freeze or maybe your efforts are just being ignored. Life it too short to work forever with no reward. It might be time to bring your talents to a workplace that will actually appreciate and compensate them.

You’ve Become a Job Search Junkie
Are you spending all your free time job searching? Maybe you tell yourself you’ll just open that job board for a second, just to get a little taste. Before you know it, you’re searching out jobs in sectors you’re not even interested in just to read about the benefits. Maybe you just keep revising your resume. Or you might even be recording a video resume to use “just in case.” You might not realize it, but this is a clear sign that it’s time to leave your current position. You should be excited about your own job, not every other available job.

Polish your interviewing skills, record that video resume, and look around the job boards, but not as a hobby. Look for your next job in earnest because your current position just isn’t cutting it.

3 Things You DON’T Want to Do In Your Video Interview

Josh Tolan — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:59:08 +0000

By Josh Tolan

Video interviewing is going to take recruiting by storm if it hasn’t already, and as a job seeker, you should make sure that you acclimate yourself to this interview style. However, with new technology comes a learning curve for those who use it. Fortunately, video interviewing is a breeze once you know the do’s and don’ts!

As the job seeker, you can be in front of the hiring manager much faster with this interview style so you will want to make sure you set up properly and handle yourself in the best way to stand out among others that are interviewing for the same position.

There is a lot of competition right now so when you get the chance to be interviewed via video, don’t blow it! Know how to ace the video interview by knowing what NOT to do.

1. Your laptop is a piece of junk. Many people use their laptop camera to connect for their video interview. Don’t assume you can try your laptop camera out at the time of the interview. You should always test everything out before you need to use it and give yourself enough time to get it straightened out.

Many online interview companies have some valuable solutions for you to try if you are not set up correctly. It allows the video recording system to recognize various configurations and external webcams.

On top of this, make sure that you are in an area that has the bandwidth to conduct the video interview so you don’t have to deal with a flaky signal. The employer will not be very happy that they took the time to interview you and you didn’t take the time to test out the equipment to make sure it works well.

2. You look like a slovenly mess. One reason that companies are using video interviewing is to see how you present yourself. It offers them things that a phone interview can’t such as non-verbal cues you use in your body language. You should treat this interview the same you would an in-person interview by dressing the part.

The difference between an in person interview and a video interview is that your surroundings represent you as well. If you leave the room behind you looking like a tornado went through it, then you will appear like you are a disorganized mess.

Clean up the entire area around you and set it up in the best way that will convey your personality to the interviewer. Perhaps sit in front of your computer and set it up as an at-home office with a picture of your degree in the background and pictures of you doing the hobbies you love, although choose ones where you are fully clothed, such as golf (not sun bathing!).

3. You failed to realize that the same rules and more apply to video as do in a regular interview. Not only should you dress the part, but you should find ways to stand out while on video just as you do in person.

Know your skills and abilities and if possible demonstrate them. For instance, if you are a web designer and you have your computer handy (aside from the one you’re doing your interview on!), you can give a small demonstration of how you built the framework of a homepage or how you designed some of the images if you have a graphic design background.

Remember that body language and colors have an effect on how your interviewer reacts to you, so make sure to sit with your arms to the side and never cross them or point at the interviewer. Make sure that you dress professionally even in your own home. You don’t want to look like you just stopped skateboarding to do the interview and plan to go right back as soon as you are done.

One last note that I will leave you with is to always look at the camera. That may seem like a given, but when you are nervous, you may look around, or downward, or even just at the computer screen (not the webcam) and it will seem awkward to the person on the other end.

If you can keep these things in mind, you should be well on your way to a successful video interview.

Have you tried video interviewing? What did you think?

4 Ways to Find a Compatible Job

Mona Abdel-Halim — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:15:20 +0000

By Kat Krull

When it comes time to search for a new job, it can be difficult to pinpoint exactly what you’re looking for and how to attain it. Do you want to continue working in the field you have experience in? Or are you looking to make a transition? What jobs can you get with your current skills and experience, and what jobs are right for your personality type?

Finding a compatible job is easier said than done. With thousands of jobs posted every day on major job boards, company career sites, and social media, it can be challenging to really focus in and find what you’re looking for.

However, there are certain things you can do in order to ensure your new position will be the right move for your career. Check out these four ways to find your most compatible job:

Research ideal companies. Making a list of companies you’d like to work for helps focus your job search on opportunities you know are a good fit. Look at the company career site to get a good idea of the company values, company culture, etc. to determine if it’s an organization you believe in and would enjoy working at.
Discover your personality type. How do you work best? Do you prefer working mostly on your own, or do you thrive in an environment where collaboration with colleagues happens on a regular basis? What type of company culture is right for you? By identifying your personality type, you can discover the best position and company for you and truly understand your working preferences in a new job.
Discover different possibilities. Look for jobs that are related to your field, but not an exact match based on your degree or past jobs. All too often, job seekers box themselves into only looking at a few specific titles or types of jobs, when they could actually work successfully in a variety of other positions. Even if the particular job opening does not directly lead to your next job, the connections you make during the process just might.
Set up informational interviews. Meet with people who work in the position you’re interested in. Get a feel for their daily projects and tasks to see if it aligns with your vision of the job. Not only is this a great way to learn about the job and get an inside look at the company, but you’ll also make connections at the organization at the same time.

How did you find your most compatible job? What advice would you give to candidates searching for new opportunities?

Kat Krull is the Marketing Manager of ApplyApp.ly, an innovative job search engine that finds job seekers their most compatible open positions. You can find Kat and ApplyApp.ly on Facebook, Twitter, and Google+.

Let’s Hear It For The Home Team: What Baseball Can Tell You About Your Job Prospects

Josh Tolan — Wed, 09 May 2012 13:57:47 +0000

By Josh Tolan

Could getting some peanuts and cracker jacks at the old ball game really help the economy? Baseball has been called the great American pastime, but now it looks like it might also be a good indicator of economic health. According to a study by ConvergEX Group cited in USA Today, it turns out baseball attendance throughout history tends to mirror the economy.

This means seeing more fans at your favorite home game could also be good for America’s bottom line. MLB Commissioner Bud Selig has already predicted that attendance at Major League games will rise three to five percent this year, according to Sports Business Daily. This tees up nicely with the forecast from economists, who expect to see a modest gain in consumer confidence.

What does this mean for you, the job hunter on the prowl for new career prospects? Well, it means that now is as good a time as any to dust off your resume (or polish up that video resume) and hit the pavement. Taking a cue from America’s favorite sport, here are some things we can learn from our Major League brothers about hunting for a homerun position.

Always Swing for the Fences
In baseball, players aren’t just trying to get through a game in order to get home and watch the newest episode of NCIS. No, Major League players are to go out every game and give 110% in the hopes of winning the game. Sure they might not win every game, but they put in their best effort.

With your job search always put your best foot forward, even if you don’t think you’ll get the job. This could mean going over and above on your resume, like including eye-catching graphic design or recording a video resume. It could mean dressing like a corporate CEO on your job interview. Go the extra mile and you’ll soon be circling the bases to your dream job.

Teamwork is Key
No single player wins a baseball game alone. No professional, man or woman, is an island and you should take that idiom to heart while job hunting. Your networks are there for a reason, and the reason is to help you land your perfect position. Leverage your networks to see what jobs might be opening up. You never know, one of your connections might be able to help you get a foothold in your ideal company.

Teamwork, as any good baseball player could tell you, doesn’t only work one way though. Be a resource for your professional network. Do you know someone job hunting and know of an open position perfect for them? Let them know! Hook up your connections with people they should know. As their careers skyrocket, they’ll remember who helped them start the engine. Let your network be your teammate on the road to winning the career you’ve always dreamed of.

Focus on the Game
In baseball, as in life, there are a lot of distractions. Go to any Major League baseball game and you’ll marvel that the players can concentrate on the game at hand. There are family and friends in the crowd, mascots running wild, and fans cheering and booing. Yet MLB players tune out all that background noise in order to play the game at the top of their ability.

How do they do this? They realize that the haters and fans are all white noise and the game is what’s important. Circling the bases in your career on the way to your perfect job, you’ll meet a lot of distractions. There will be personal problems, workplace disasters, and the worst offender of all: complacency. Don’t let it get you down! Don’t put too much stock in either the praise or the criticism you hear along the way. Keep your eye on the prize and never stop moving and you’ll nab your dream job.

There’s a lot we can take away from the game of baseball and apply to the job hunt. Playing baseball takes guts, determination, practice, and the drive to achieve greatness . All those things, unsurprisingly, help job seekers succeed in their search for the right position.

Baseball attendance is telling us that the economy is on a modest upswing. It’s time for job candidates to get swinging as well. If you put in the practice and the hard work, you just might hit a career homerun.

What do you think we can learn from baseball and apply to the job search? Let us know in the comments!

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, which combines a video job board and online interviewing platform to enrich interaction between job seekers and employers. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

How to Find Your Ideal Job After Graduation

Mona Abdel-Halim — Tue, 08 May 2012 21:00:33 +0000

By Kat Krull

Graduation has come and gone for colleges and universities across the country. If you’re a member of the class of 2012, you already know that finding a job will be tough. Perhaps friends who graduated before you told you about their struggle to find work, or maybe you read about the fact that half of young college graduates are either jobless or underemployed.

You didn’t graduate with a degree to work as a waiter or waitress, retail clerk, or receptionist, right? Although the job market is tough, and lower-wage jobs are prevalent, employers are hiring college graduates. A survey by the National Association of Colleges and Employers states a 10.2 percent increase in 2012 hiring above a previous estimate of 9.5 percent.

Follow these tips to land a great job post-graduation:

Target your search. Don’t simply search for anything and everything related to your chosen field. Learn what you enjoy doing and look for positions that utilize your unique skills, experience and education. Identify companies that align with your values and keep up with recent activity through social networks and RSS feeds. Connect with people who work at your target organizations and set up informational interviews or job shadows to learn more about working there.

Fill employment gaps with volunteer or part-time work. Let’s face it: Your job search might take two or three months. It may even take six months. But that’s no excuse to give up and take a job as a barista if that’s not your ideal job. Instead, find volunteer opportunities where you can put your skills and education to work, such as at a local non-profit, or consider taking a part-time or contract position in your field. This helps keep your skills and experience current, all while making additional networking connections that could lead to a full-time position.

Take advantage of your campus career center. These folks can provide job search resources and advice, conduct a mock interview, review your resume, and provide employment opportunities. If you’ve moved away from college after graduation, connect with the career center on social media websites to keep up with the latest job search advice and information.

Optimize your resume. Most employers use applicant tracking systems to rank and sort job candidates. This is why tailoring your resume to each job is vital. (No, you cannot submit the same resume for each job opening!) Your resume should clearly show an employer why you’re a great fit for the opening — think of it as showing why your puzzle piece fits best into the whole company puzzle. Do this by using applicable keywords from the job description in your resume and focusing on your most relevant experience and skills. An estimated 72 percent of resumes are never seen by human eyes — give yours a chance by spending the extra time to optimize it for each job.

What do you think? What else do recent graduates need to do in order to find their ideal job?

Make Them Want You: The Importance of Employer Branding

Josh Tolan — Tue, 01 May 2012 17:29:24 +0000

By Josh Tolan

Branding isn’t just for your favorite household products anymore. In fact, branding isn’t just for brands anymore period. All good companies know they should be aware of their brand identity and what it says about the company at large. On an individual level, with the increasing importance of internet and social media, everyday workers are also becoming more savvy about their personal brand. So why aren’t more companies concerned about branding when it comes to employment and recruiting?

A good employer brand strategy is like a good product brand strategy. It focuses on, among other things, potential profitability, reference groups, “product” features, and word-of-mouth. Recent research has found that only about 51 percent of companies have a working employer brand strategy in place. A further 24 percent are working towards a plan and 19 percent are revising theirs. That means that it’s certainly not the time to wonder if making an employer brand strategy is useful. Your competitors are likely devising and implementing a branding plan that will help them scoop up all the top talent.

It’s time to think like a marketer and consider your company a commodity, not just to customers but to job hunters. How do you go about making your employer brand more attractive to job seekers? More importantly, how do you attract the right kind of job seekers? Therein lies one of the keys to drafting a useful employer brand. The whole point of employer branding is to attract job candidates that will help your business increase profitability. Thus, you need to take a hard look at your company and figure out what sort of employees you’re looking to hire.

For instance, if you’re looking to hire more experienced employees your company can highlight certain attributes to reel them in. Higher level employees typically tend to skew older, as it takes years to gain the experience necessary to climb the corporate ladder. These employees might be attracted by benefits packages that include family leave or on-site child care facilities. If your company becomes branded as being “family friendly” you might be more likely to attract these more experienced candidates.

Conversely, if you’re looking to hire fresh blood in the way of entry-level candidates, it might be time to brush up on your technology. Millennials are plugged-in and see embracing new technology as an integral aspect of business moving forward. If your candidate reference group is made up of younger workers, you might want to stress your company’s technological product features. For instance, you can show young hires that the company embraces new digital venues right in the hiring process. From video resumes and interviewing to social media job postings, there are plenty of digitally savvy recruitment strategies available.

Don’t forget how important word-of-mouth is in today’s increasingly social world. Employee networks are invaluable tools both for finding talented hires and promoting the company’s brand identity. Social media makes today’s workplace like a echo chamber. Both positive and negative impressions of your company will be carried by employees, friends, connections and complete strangers on sites from Twitter to Facebook to LinkedIn. Trying to control the message is one great way to both expand your company’s brand and bring in the talented professionals you need to thrive.

You want to be the kind of company that your candidate reference group dreams of working for. If your social media profile is lackluster or, negative this will never happen. Make sure your employees are engaging with their networks and constantly moving the company’s brand identity forward.

Show prospective employees why they would want to work for your company and they will. Let your employees talk up the benefits of working at your company and other employees will want to take advantage of those benefits themselves. This means that you need to take a hard, critical look at what kind of employee you want to attract, what those employees look for most in a position and tailor your benefits to those people.

The economy is tough and every penny counts. Employer branding is a way to get the best ROI from your hires. It will tell you where to allocate your precious resources to make sure you’re attracting the right kind of job seeker to grow your business. Happy employees positively influence your brand, and with it your bottom line.

How are you showcasing your brand to potential hires?

5 Ways You Can Hold All the Aces When You Video Interview

Josh Tolan — Wed, 25 Apr 2012 19:04:38 +0000

By Josh Tolan

Video interviews are gaining popularity because they save an enormous amount of time and money for companies and job seekers alike. A study of 506 organizations by the Aberdeen Group revealed that 52 percent of companies are utilizing video-enabled applications to conduct their interviews already. That number will only continue to rise in the future. Soon it will become the mainstream form of interviewing candidates, so as a job seeker, you should get comfortable with it like, yesterday. Here are five steps you can take that will give you a leg up on acing the interview and winning the job!

Highlight your experience and abilities that are directly needed for the position. Make sure to read through exactly what they are looking for in the job posting and use their keywords to address each skill they are looking for one by one. Talk about your achievements in other positions to correlate how you could use that in the new position if given the chance.

Be sure to set the stage properly. Your surroundings are a reflection of you, so showcase the environment that you want them to see, and set it up to be quiet. Arrange childcare if necessary. Pay close attention to your background. Try to sit in front of a plain wall without family photos, posters, or other distractions in the shot. If you are recording the interview for the employer to view later, learn how to re-record certain parts to get the best outcome. And lastly, and most importantly, remember to dress for the interview just as you would in person. Sunglasses do not count as an accessory folks!

Be enthusiastic, positive, and likeable. You don’t want to appear too serious or too relaxed. Be prepared to show that you are smart, witty, and easy to get along with. You can illustrate your down-to-earth persona by explaining how great you have gotten along with co-workers and achieved success on team projects in the past. You will have to identify a great middle ground that doesn’t make it appear that you are trying too hard. Answer questions as a human rather than trying to be superhuman. For instance, when asked what you would do if your child got ill, don’t make it seem like you would put work above your child’s health no matter what, because they will obviously know that you are not being truthful. Remember to show your pearly whites on camera. This first impression will make or break the interview!

Be courteous. Address the company properly by saying that you want to work for “XYZ” company for reasons that you outline. Talk about what you know about the company and its achievements. They will appreciate that you did your research. No one wants to hire someone who doesn’t even bother to find out what the company does.

Close the interview to win the job. In every interview, whether it’s face-to-face or recorded, you need to be sure to make the best first impression. Before ever sitting down in front of the camera know what your residual message is. What skills or traits do you want to get across. This needs to be more than, “I’m the perfect candidate.” While most job seekers are aware, it shouldn’t be left out, you need to be prepared. From having your references and work samples ready to send over, to questions to follow-up with. Just because you can’t physically hand these items off, or ask the questions if you’re recording, you need to be ready to provide these things at a moments notice. If you’re unsure of what they need, or what the next steps might be, ask! It shows the employer you’re interested, organized, and you are ready to get to the next step in the process!

If you make sure to follow these steps to record or give a live video interview, you will have a great chance at getting the job you want. It’s time to get comfortable on camera because video interviewing is here to stay!

What will you do to prepare for your next great video interview?

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, which aims to enrich interaction between job seekers and employers by integrating a cloud-based video platform with an online job board. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

Camera Shy? Get Over It! How Startups Can Benefit Via Video

Josh Tolan — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 18:11:37 +0000

By Josh Tolan

Looking for an employee for your startup? Video interviewing is here to help! There is no “typical startup” and traditional means of hiring don’t always work. Hiring and retaining the best talent is as tough as it’s ever been, with projections through 2012 indicating that, for the first time in U.S. history, the number of younger workers entering the labor market won’t be enough to replace those who are leaving according to Entrepreneur.com.

According to a 2012 Aberdeen study, Many companies used the video format to interview job candidates for all levels from entry-level to the top ranks. In fact, 52 percent of companies who interviewed using video experienced shorter recruiting times, and 47 percent improved cost per hire.

Why use video? You might wonder, “Have we become so technology oriented that we can’t even take the time to sit down and talk with someone face to face?” But hiring managers aren’t turning to video out of laziness. They are coming to realize that video interviews offer benefits for both the company and for the job seeker. Aside from convenience, video interviews cut down on costs and save time for companies.

Another advantage is that the one-way interviews (or Spotlight Interviews as we like to call them) make it possible for both the interviewer and the interviewee to accommodate their schedules. The company decides what questions to ask job seekers and submits them to the candidate. The applicant can then, at their convenience, open up the video interview module, record responses and submit them. They don’t need to wait for a meeting that suits both schedules. Then, when you’re ready to do a more in-depth interview you can invite the candidate to do a live, two-way interview, which is very similar to what you’d do in-person.

Is it effective? The short answer is, yes. It is especially effective for the startup that is looking for young college recruits. Colleges allow companies to recruit at career fairs and conduct campus visits. With students already being technologically-savvy you’ll have access to more candidates using video. Recall your days as a ‘poor college kid’? Did that limit you from applying for jobs that you couldn’t afford to travel to? Taking the initial expense of interview costs out of the equation when first screening your candidates saves both of you the expense.

Also, aside from the information in the candidate’s resume that likely grabbed your attention, the video interview provides you an opportunity to see the job seeker’s personality and communication skills. You can learn a lot from their body language, and professionalism (dress and grooming habits) as well.

So maybe this seems a little too “Jetsons” for you. But guess what, video interviewing isn’t brand new. It’s been around and is just now being adapted and enhanced to better serve you and the job seeker. The job seeker of today is comfortable with the technology and is constantly looking for innovative opportunities to best showcase what they can bring to the table. If you’re not ready to step in front of the camera just yet, don’t worry (stick to Spotlight Interviews), but if you’re ready to get the best talent while saving time and money jump on board and find out for yourself how effective video interviewing can be when getting your startup off the ground!

Privacy In The Job Search: What Does It Mean?

Tony Morrison — Thu, 19 Apr 2012 15:07:04 +0000

By Tony Morrison

Although sharing information is the cornerstone of the age of the Internet, that ideal free-flowing information is not without challenges. The paradox to this ideal is the necessity to protect users data to prevent identity theft and other potential crimes and harm against the user, which has given rise to even more privacy settings. Users for sites like Facebook and Google, and numerous other social networking websites, are up in arms over how their private information is being viewed and used.

These ”free” sites grow and thrive on your data. Even Google, especially Google, cares how you are connected and to whom you are connected, but they only care because they want the user data. In a WSJ.com interview, Bradley Horowitz, VP Product at Google, was asked about the very low and apparently declining engagement levels experienced on Google+, to which he responded, ”we’re growing by every metric we care about.“ Google, and Facebook and every other networking website revenues are directly linked to advertising. Their financial goal is intimately tied to the access they have to user personal data and their use of that profile information and connections to target ads to users.

Much like Google’s privacy policy, you end up compromising that sense of anonymity in exchange for using the online tools as part of your job search. Wakefield Research conducted a study of 1,000 U.S. workers 18 and over about their concerns of keeping their job search under wraps. Seventy-six percent believe keeping the job search private is impossible, while 55 percent say when searching online, keeping their resume private from their peers is more important than maximizing its exposure.

The “social” job search is essential in today’s job market, but job search privacy is still possible – here’s some ways to ensure it:

Make sure when you post your resume online, the site is safe, and if posted on job sites it is considered confidential.
If you’re currently employed do not use company resources or time for your job search, including email, Internet connection, or even phones.
Be careful about what activities you post on your social media profiles – current and future employers are paying attention to your online presence.
Be careful about who you share your search with; use the privacy settings social media sites offer.
Avoid discussing the job search with co-workers both online and offline.

Most recruiters and hiring managers will understand if you wish to keep your job search private if you explicitly tell them.

What do you think? It is possible to keep a job search entirely private? What are some more tips for doing so? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko. Cachinko creates employer-branded career applications. It helps employers leverage Facebook and other social networking platforms to find, attract, and engage their next rock star candidates, and it helps job seekers find a job they’ll love through friends they know and trust. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.

3 Crucial Ways to Attract the Best Candidates to Your Job Posting

Tony Morrison — Tue, 10 Apr 2012 12:45:49 +0000

By Tony Morrison

Whether business is picking up or one of your staff is leaving, it’s time to hire someone new.

Despite advances in technology, selection software, and job posting sites, the hiring process is as long, grueling, and, despite your best efforts, may be as fruitless as ever. For many employers, it seems as though finding the right candidate from scratch is nearly impossible. Time-to-hire is increasing. The longer the vacancy, the longer and more intensive the advertising. And, when job postings are not working, you outsource recruiting for the position.

The job posting is a very important tactic in a complex, multi-step hiring scheme. If deployed correctly, it complements the whole hiring process, by helping you to find relevant candidates to fill positions quickly and strengthen your employer brand.

You are probably saying to yourself, “Well, Hello Captain Obvious!”

My response, ”If it was that obvious, then why are vacancy rates as high as ever, with more than 12.8 million unemployed job seekers looking for work in the US, and with >76% of the workforce willing to leave their current employer for the right opportunity?”

If referrals or internal hiring isn’t panning out for you, and you need to fill a position fast, check out the three G’s of attracting the best candidates to your job posting:

Go social

Social media has had a big impact on the way we operate in both our personal and professional lives. Social media is a very important sourcing tool helping you to reach more relevant candidates with your job posting, gain social proof for your employer brand through sharing in the network, and provide exposure for your organization and context about the job to active and passive job seekers.

With the rise of social media, real, engaged talent communities are becoming valuable to the employer and job seekers alike. In a talent community, an employer can manage interactions with job seekers or interact on their own branded talent community, through resources such as Cachinko.

Publicizing your job posting and having an on-going professional conversation can attract the right candidates to your company and your open positions. Engage your candidates where they exist on social networking websites and attract them to your own branded social talent community.

Check out: Talent Communities 101: How to Use Your Talent Community in Your Job Search

Give the 411

A major deterrent for qualified candidates is a job posting that doesn’t have the important information upfront. In your job posting, include the bare minimum – company name, position title and description, location, and application instructions.

Include in your job description you must have preferred skills and qualifications, but absolutely be realistic about what you are asking. Do not make the position impossible to fill by asking for rare combinations of skills that you are unlikely to find in one person. Including the right information is important because it tells job seekers that you represent a real company that is serious about hiring an experienced and qualified worker.

Get it in the right places

Many companies swear by their recruiting process. They are use to spending on average 20 percent of the cost-of-hire for paid job advertisements on job boards that have loads of profiles but no real candidates. Or, they post everywhere including classifieds on the likes of Craigslist with 50 million visitors looking for puppies and used cars. But, then they complain that more than half of their applicants are not qualified. These sites rake in a lot of underqualified and/or underqualified job seekers. (Yes, I meant to say that twice). Look if you just want to fill positions with warm bodies, then advertise like that all year long. You will continue to flood your applicant stream with irrelevant candidates that will distract you from real candidates with real talent that want to talk with you.

Instead of posting to general sites, send your posting to niche or industry-specific job boards and share with specific organizations who can publicize your posting to the right people. Find, attract, and engage the rock star candidates with the right attitude and aptitude you need for the long term health of your organization.

What do you think? What other obvious tips can you offer an employer looking for great candidates? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. His roles include sales, marketing, and business development. He brings passion to Cachinko where he focuses on helping job seekers to find their ideal job and employers to find, attract, and engage their next rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.

Breaking Through Video Interview Fears

Josh Tolan — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 16:32:24 +0000

By Josh Tolan

“We’re going to conduct your interview virtually.” Ever heard that during your job search?

Right now you’re either really happy that this is an option, or you’re terrified of this bold new direction in the interview process. Well, I hope you’re thrilled because you’ve got nothing to worry about that you wouldn’t in a traditional face-to-face interview — and maybe you even have an advantage or three! So, what exactly are these advantages, you ask?

No traveling necessary. Instead of having to deal with the stress of driving to the company’s building and finding a parking spot, you can relax at home to prepare for your interview. Pretty neat, right?

You’re in control of your environment. After all, you’re on your home turf. You decide how to portray yourself, including lighting and background. Get the best angle, use natural lighting, and sit in a quiet room where no one will bother you during the interview. Keep the shot tight to focus on the best feature in the room — you!

It’s convenient for both you and the employer. Video interviews offer a level playing field, because the hiring authority is able to watch your responses when it is convenient for them, and you record when it is convenient for you. This could be beneficial in comparison to an in-person interview, because you may be the last interview of the day and the interviewer is tired, etc. and vice versa.

With all these advantages, who wouldn’t want to do a video interview? Remember though, it’s important just like an in-person interview, to look the part. You must look professional from head-to-toe — and I do mean down to your toes. You don’t want to be all business at the top and party on the bottom. What will you do if you need to stand up for some reason during the interview? Prepare for the unexpected. Treat the way you dress and present yourself as if you are in a face-to-face interview.

Lastly, just think of this as a regular interview with the added bonus of not having to go anywhere. (And just think, no sweaty handshake at the end!) Remember: video interviews are nothing to fear…you can do this!

Have you had ever participated in a video interview? How did the feelings compare to an in-person interview?

Don’t Let Your Career Path JUST Show You The Money

Josh Tolan — Fri, 30 Mar 2012 12:30:12 +0000

By Josh Tolan

Your career path doesn’t just have to be a monotonous daily routine that you do just to make money. Instead, you should be passionate about what you do. This is your life and you deserve to be happy, but how can you do this? It starts with the right career path. Here are some things to consider when finding a career you’re happy with and not just a daily job.

Maybe you need to move in a different direction. It’s never too late to move into a new career. According to a recent survey, 84 percent of workers want to leave their jobs in 2012, you may want to get ahead of the game and start looking now since so many jobs could be opening. You may have to settle for getting in on the ground floor if you are starting something completely new, which may mean a pay cut, but keep your sights set on the fact that you are gaining experience in a career you love that will help you grow into higher pay brackets. It really doesn’t take that long to move up if you are highly motivated.

You just need some free time. You might be burnt out of the same old thing day in and day out. It happens to everyone and too much of the same things tend to get boring after a while. If you are content with your job but need time outside of work to do what you are passionate about, then you may want to check into flexible programs at work or find a job in the same field that offers this to you. If you are interested in starting a side business, you could use your new found time to follow that dream.

Money could lead you down the wrong path. Before going for a promotion or a new job, make sure the new responsibilities are something you will love. Many people take on new jobs just for the money and then regret leaving their prior positions. If you are happy with your company’s culture be sure to factor that in before you make a decision based solely off the numbers.

Happiness at work IS very important. Only 47 percent of people are happy with their work environment according to an infographic by Balanced WorkLife. The top three most important factors workers consider are job security (63 percent), benefits (60 percent), and compensation/pay (57 percent). The actual work itself came in at 50 percent, with corporate culture at only 45 percent.

Get rid of your fears. Fear of losing money really motivates many of the choices we make. It runs many of our lives and breeds fears of giving it up for any reason. Research shows that while money buys happiness, it doesn’t take as much money as you would think! People are happy just covering what they need in everyday life. The research showed that a person who made $250,000 per year had no greater emotional well-being or day-to-day happiness than a person who makes $75,000 per year.

Considering these things will help you to discover whether or not you are happy where you are or if you need to move on to something new. The important thing is to be able to put food on the table and be happy with what you are doing.

Do you have a dream career or just a daily job?

Josh Tolan is the CEO of Spark Hire, which aims to enrich interaction between job seekers and employers by integrating a cloud-based video platform (video resumes and video interviews) with an online job board. Connect with him and Spark Hire on Facebook and Twitter.

3 Networking “Rules” You Shouldn’t Follow

Tony Morrison — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 15:45:22 +0000

By Tony Morrison

Some people are naturally great networkers – they have a million stories, know what to say and to whom, and they can tell a joke with perfect timing. They are great at meeting new people and making small talk, and by the end of a function they will leave with a pocket full of business cards to prove it.

If this isn’t you, learning to be like that can be a challenge. Even worse, there is no exact formula for being a great networker. Yes, there are certain rules and etiquette to follow, but in the end, it’s not a guarantee. It takes practice – and not just in the beginning stages. Networking continues throughout one’s career.

If you are struggling with networking, then let’s take a different perspective to explore what you might be doing wrong in networking situations, and stop those habits first. Take a look at the this starter list of 3 rules that you should consider breaking:

Rule 1: Networking to Achieve Personal Gains

Think you’re being sly about promoting yourself for job leads or for your “game-changing” startup? Think again. Self-promotion is easy to spot, and as a result, others will avoid you. Shameless self-promotion can only come off as insincere. Treating people like business prospects devalues the rapport you’re trying to build. Instead, talk less about yourself and listen to others for ways that youcan be a valuable connection.

Rule 2: Never Asking for Help

Note that there is a time and place for everything. While you should not ever solely reach out to your contacts because you need something, it’s perfectly fine to speak up when you could really use some advice or a favor. If you’ve been able to be of value to others, your connections will have no problem helping you in return. Reciprocity is the name of the game.

Rule 3: Handing Out Business Cards to Everyone You Meet

This doesn’t mean everyone you meet isn’t a potential connection; they very well could be. However, rather than handing out business cards, make sure that you’re establishing a relevant and mutually beneficial connection first. Then make a plan to connect at a later date to have a deeper discussion and exchange your contact information It also makes it easier for you to follow up with five people you got to know really well, than it is to contact 25 people about whom you know nothing because you only exchanged your card with them. By all means though, if they ask for your card instead, don’t hesitate to give them one (it’s a good thing!).

The key difference between a great networker and a bad networker is that the latter will see networking as a chore, while the former will see it as furthering or nurturing an ongoing relationship with peers and opinion leaders in their profession. Networking isn’t necessarily about the people you know or how many LinkedIn connections you have. It’s more about how well you know the people with whom you are connected and whether or not you can offer valuable advice, skills, or be of service to them in some way, and vice versa.

What do you think? What other networking rules should people break? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Should Employers Allow ‘Facebooking’ At Work?

Josh Tolan — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 20:19:52 +0000

By Josh Tolan

Facebook has more than 845 million users to date. Are you one of them? The chances are that you are and that you regularly update your status or browse the site more than once per week. A recent study shows that 40 percent of users access Facebook several times a day and 33 percent access it daily. Which begs a question, should employers openly allow ‘Facebooking’ on the job? While there are two sides to every debate, I think there are some reasons to allow Facebook at work.

Why should Facebook be allowed at work?

First you have to look at the new generation of college graduates and their expectations. Cisco recently did a survey of 3,000 college graduates to gain insight on the importance of technology to them and the findings were eye opening. Some of the most interesting findings of the Cisco survey are:

One in three college graduates would prioritize social media freedom, device flexibility, and work mobility over salary in accepting a job offer.
40 percent of college students and 45 percent of young employees said they would accept a lower-paying job that had more flexibility with regard to device choice, social media access, and mobility than a higher-paying job with less flexibility.
Most respondents have a Facebook account and check it at least once a day and half would rather lose their wallet or purse than their smartphone or mobile device.
Two of five college graduates would accept a lower-paying job that had more flexibility with regard to device choice, social media access, and mobility than a higher-paying job with less flexibility.

With these facts brought to light, maybe it’s within a company’s best interest to conform to the changing times. Happy employees are productive employees, so it may even boost business and company morale. Here is how Facebook can be used by employees and benefit the company:

Allowing employees to look for friends/colleagues in their field may give the company a pool of talent that will be easy to find when needed.
Adding apps that will give industry news will be most helpful to keep employees up to date on the latest trends. Just always be careful and set privacy settings accordingly. Also, employees can set the settings to have the news appear instead of friend’s updates.
The preferences can also be set to see new connections that friends or colleagues are making that will benefit you professionally.
You can join groups related to your business and get some great ideas or even become known for sharing some great ones. Your boss will see that you are actually contributing your knowledge in a way that makes your company look good as well.

If it is more important for you to have extreme flexibility in your personal life for your Facebook profile, then that is something you need to seriously discuss with your employer. With Facebook being a great platform that can be used professionally, it can be a valuable asset to a company if the proper social media strategy is put in place.

What is important to you when it comes to social networking? Is it your company, your own business or your personal social life?

7 Laws of Job Applications

Tony Morrison — Wed, 21 Mar 2012 16:29:44 +0000

By Tony Morrison

It’s inevitable. Every job seeker will fill out a job application, or dozens of them. Some of them will be on paper, but most of them will be online. It doesn’t involve any social media, networking, or even much effort, but it is an essential step in landing a job.

Though you may be just one of many submitting a job application into a faceless HR department, doing it correctly actually helps improve your chances of getting recognized or selected. When a position first opens, companies usually begin viewing a pool of candidates from their database of previously submitted applications. This means that if you were among the previous applicants in an earlier round of hiring, you might just have a chance of being considered for a position even before the new position is advertised.

When you find a company and position that interests you and is suited for your skill-set and experience, follow these seven laws of job applications to ensure you get noticed and that you put your better foot forward:

Before

Have Your Information Ready. This is obvious, but still worth noting! Get organized in your job hunt and make sure you have ready all the information that could be requested at any time. This information includes both your personal and previous employment information. For personal information, have your basic contact information (name, address, phone number), as well as information about your education (school name, years enrolled, degree earned). For previous employment information, include basic contact information of the organization and your supervisor, dates of employment, and salary or reason for leaving if applicable. Oh, and do not rely on an old list of your references. You should take the time to contact your old references, and maybe some new ones, to update their contact information and let them know you are searching.

Gather Hiring Materials. Most applications will give you the option to include additional materials, whether it is a resume, cover letter, or relevant work sample. I cannot stress “relevant work sample” enough. I once received a writing sample, just as I had requested, from an applicant for a marketing specialist position. The writing sample they sent me was an abusive and threatening letter that he had written to his psychiatrist who had recently “fired” him as a patient.

Be sure to customize each resume and cover letter for the job description and attach them them if it’s an option. This thoroughness and attention to detail could easily advance you ahead of other candidates who don’t do this.

Gather Your References. Have a list of at least three professional or personal (not family) references to submit. Include their name, job title, relationship to you, and contact number. Always check with them first before submitting them as your reference so they know a call may be expected.

During

Read and Heed the Directions. Before each section, make sure to read and follow the directions carefully. Employers will notice if you hurried through and didn’t pay attention to the questions, left fields blank, or did not provide the correct information that was asked of you.

When In Doubt – Save. If you find yourself stuck or being unable to complete it in one sitting, hit the save button and come back to it at another time. Don’t risk staying on the site too long – the server could time out, wipe out all your information entirely, and force you to start over.

After

Proofread For Errors. Errors on an application or hiring materials are a surefire way to eliminate yourself from consideration. Set aside time to carefully check for spelling and grammar mistakes. Have a second pair of eyes proofread your application.

Leave Nothing Blank And Untrue. Fill out every section on the application. More importantly, do not exaggerate or falsify your work experience, skill-set, or any other information. HR will do their due diligence on candidates – it’s part of their job.

Filling out job applications may not be the most serious part of your job search – but they are often rigid and require exact details. Be sure to not break any laws.

Additionally, I regularly advise job seekers to document their applications and take advantage of the application process to learn something about themselves. While many applications require the same tired information, some may request unique information or ask a question in novel way. This may give you an opportunity to rethink and rewrite a section of your resume or complete future applications differently.

What do you think? How do you fill out job applications? What laws do you follow? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

What Not to Do in an Interview

Mona Abdel-Halim — Mon, 19 Mar 2012 17:00:01 +0000

By Mona Abdel-Halim

If you’ve spent any time on the job search, you probably know what you should be doing in order to nail your job interview — dress professionally, arrive prepared, and practice your answers, just to name a few. If you follow this advice, you should be ready for the process and prepared for anything that might be thrown at you.

However, mistakes are unavoidable. Perhaps you wrote down your interview time incorrectly or left your notes at home. Some of the more unbelievable missteps to avoid, as detailed by anonymous job seekers or employers and recruiters on MyCrappyResume, are detailed below.

Get Personal

“Once I had to interview a girl for an internship at our company. I inquired why she had changed colleges during her sophomore year, and she proceeded to tell me about how her ex-boyfriend was verbally and physically abusive. TMI.”

“I once interviewed a woman and asked her standard interview questions, such as ‘What do you need from a boss?’ To this question, she replied: ‘I need my boss to be my best friend. I’m so lonely. We just moved here a few months ago and I haven’t made any friends. I need a friend.’”

“I interviewed a woman once who was hoping to get back into the workforce after a long hiatus. She brought a suitcase full of old, dusty work samples, and her closer was that she was tired of her cat and husband and couldn’t wait to be around actual people again.”

Try Something You’re Not Sure is Appropriate

“I’d read that someone brought lunch for the hiring manager in an interview and got hired. I tried it, and the interviewer said ‘No, thank you.’ Turned into an awkward moment. I didn’t get hired.”

Talk Negatively About Your Former Position

“I was interviewing a young man for a customer service position. He had worked at a hair salon, and in describing his experience there, he said, ‘I had to deal with a lot of old biddies.’ Needless to say, that’s where his candidacy ended.”

Be Demanding

“A candidate came to the interview with a moped and left it in the reception area. He didn’t want it to get stolen, and stated that he would require indoor parking for the moped.”

Appear Unprepared

“One time an applicant came in wearing only one shoe. She explained that the other shoe was stolen off her foot in the bus. Wow.”

“I was asked to participate in a second phone interview while I was on vacation, and because I was very interested in the job, I obliged. Before I started to answer the first question, my phone completely died. I had no way of retrieving the phone number. Needless to say, I did not get the job.”

Insult the Employer

“One time a candidate said he was so well-qualified that if he didn’t get the job, it would prove that the company’s management was incompetent.”

Tell the Employer About Your Other Interviews

“Someone once started an interview with me by saying ‘Okay. So, just to set this straight, I did interview for another job that I’m probably going to take if I receive an offer.’”

“During the interview, an alarm clock went off from a candidate’s briefcase. He took it out, shut it off, apologized and said he had to leave for another interview.”

What else should job seekers avoid doing in an interview? Let us know in the comments or share your professional HR (mis)adventures anonymously on MyCrappyResume.

Mona Abdel-Halim is the co-founder of Resunate, the world’s only automatic resume tailoring tool. You can find Mona and Resunate on Facebook and Twitter.

How to Vent in Your Job Search

Mona Abdel-Halim — Fri, 16 Mar 2012 15:49:10 +0000

By Mona Abdel-Halim

There’s no denying it: your job search can be stressful. Between networking, applying for jobs, and the pressure of interviews, it’s no surprise that you might feel the need to vent or let off some steam during the process.

Heading to Facebook or Twitter to complain, however, is usually not the right option. Not only does it reflect negatively on you, but potential employers may see it when they’re screening you via social media.

So how can you safely release frustration without hurting your job search and future career? Here are a few ideas:

Talk with friends and family. Many of them have been there before! They can lend a listening ear and may even be a great source of advice and information. Gaining additional perspectives on issues you’re facing is a great way to continue moving forward in your job search, and simply talking with someone about your frustrations can make you feel 10 times better.

Get involved in job search chats and communities. It’s easy to feel disconnected when you’re spending your days sitting on your computer applying for jobs. But your experiences might not be so unique once you start interacting with other job seekers. Twitter chats, online communities, and LinkedIn groups can all help you interact with others going through the same process. Since most of this interaction is public, don’t say anything too damaging. But joining these types of communities can help you remember that you are also a valuable resource for others.

Visit MyCrappyResume. Did you have a nightmare interview? Make a mistake when forwarding your information to a hiring manager? Share your professional HR (mis)adventures — anonymously — on MyCrappyResume and read about other people’s experiences in the hiring process.

Keep in mind that venting alone might not reduce all of your stress on the job hunt. Here are some other ways to ensure your search is as stress-free as possible:

Get organized. Keep a log of all job search activity to make follow-ups easy. Make sure your resume and cover letter are handy at all times should new opportunities present themselves.
Exercise. Stay fit and release endorphins regularly. Bonus: exercise is a natural stress reliever!
Make time for hobbies you enjoy. Keep your spirits up by making time for other activities. Setting a schedule can help you ensure you make time for other things besides job searching.

How do you avoid stress on the job hunt? What else would you add to these lists?

Mona Abdel-Halim is the co-founder of Resunate.com, the world’s only automatic resume tailoring tool. You can find Mona and Resunate on Facebook and Twitter.

Tap Into Talent Communities For Your Dream Job

Tony Morrison — Fri, 09 Mar 2012 14:00:11 +0000

By Tony Morrison

The one thing we all want is a good job.

Most everyone has some idea about their dream company, but not everyone knows who that company is or what working there might be like. As a job seeker, you might think it is nearly impossible to get noticed by any company, let alone find or get noticed by your dream employer. This is how talent communities can help.

Simply put, real talent communities are established by companies to attract, find, and engage qualified candidates with specific experience or skills needed to fill currently available, and future, positions. The key word is ”engage.” Without engagement, it just is not a community.

Professionals and potential job candidates network, share ideas and advice, find out insider industry and company information, and establish connections with company personnel. This is the best way to follow and learn about companies that interest you. Your interactions in the talent community and the professional brand you establish online will help to get you noticed by your dream employer.

For employers, this is the ideal source for talent. Employers can engage talent community members regarding jobs or request introductions to people in the network that have they skills they desire. Company interactions in the community strengthens the employer brand and also helps candidates to understand the employer’s culture to be sure their values are aligned with the company’s and vice versa.

So how can you find one? Talent communities are still relatively new. Lots of employers have opt-in email lists where you can elect to receive emails or some other form of communication about jobs, but this lacks engagement and is not a talent community. There may not be a real talent community for your profession, like a forum or a social network, or for every place you want to work.

When you do find one though, here’s how to get the most value for your job search:

Be Active. Participating is the best way to get noticed among the opinion leaders and hiring managers. Join conversations, offer advice, attend online events and career fairs – in this way, you’ll find out about the company while they’ll find out more about you through your interactions. By the same token, don’t be overly active. You don’t want to flood the community with irrelevant comments or opinions that don’t add value to the conversation. Be sure that when you’re noticed, it’s for all the right reasons.

Be Self-Aware. Because you’re interacting online, you must be aware of how your words will be interpreted. There is a common phenomenon that people tend to act without much restraint online than in person, so be aware of the language, tone, and content you post. Hiring staff will be able to gauge you from your participation. Also, don’t focus all of our attention on yourself. A talent community functions best through two-way interaction. Ask questions, and seek a conversation. Don’t use the talent community as your own personal blog.

Be Focused. Though there may be many opportunities posted, or otherwise shared and discussed, and it’s tempting to apply to them all, be sure to remain focused and target jobs to which you have the right experience and skills. That way, your time applying will be well spent and your chances of getting further in the hiring process will increase.

Keep in mind, that while the talent community is a great way to learn about a company and perhaps get your foot in the door, the purpose is not solely for job postings as with a job board. While getting a job might be your final objective, stay focused by setting goals to learn more about the company, your industry, and yourself as it applies to your job search!

What do you think? Have you ever been involved in a talent community? How did it help your job search? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Mind your Manners: The Value of Etiquette in Modern Networking

Tony Morrison — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 14:15:40 +0000

By Tony Morrison

Long before you were tall enough to ride Space Mountain, your mom reminded you to say “please” and “thank you.”

Along with keeping eye contact, writing thank you notes, and holding the door open for strangers, your mom was always there to remind you that these are the little things that make you polite.

Now, you’re all grown up and ready to take on the world. Do you remember to offer these common courtesies? Do you practice what you have been taught as you network your way to your dream job in the modern job search?

Here are some things to think about:

Don’t throw out old-fashioned rules…

You might not have to curtsey or stand whenever someone leaves the dinner table, but that doesn’t mean all old-fashioned rules of etiquette should be tossed by the wayside altogether. You are more likely to be remembered favorably because you extended an old-fashioned courtesy than if you do not. Whereas if you neglect to offer a polite social gesture, you will most definitely be remembered as being impolite or rude.

Remember that we all (in one way or another) cling to somewhat antiquated rules. Post-interview/introduction thank you notes still reign supreme along addressing superiors as ”Dr.”, “Mr.”, or “Mrs.”

…integrate them with new networking techniques.

Remember your manners as you engage through social media. Don’t jump in on other’s conversations or use your limited (140 character) space as an excuse to be brash or appear illiterate.

Let your thank you notes go cyber as you connect with networking contacts. Make introductions and write recommendations the same way you would on paper.

While more casual, modern networking venues may not require formality day-to-day, the purpose for which you are communicating may still dictate that a certain level of formality be used for successful career networking.

Polite rules.

Politeness and personal respect is something that it is expected in interpersonal communications. It may not be immediately apparent in your interactions, but having manners is a quality every employer wants to see in a candidate.

Allow your manners to shine through in everything you do online and off, and, in the long run, your efforts will truly pay off.

What do you think? What other networking challenges would you offer to job seekers who want to become networking pros? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

The Top 3 Traits of a Working Talent Community

Tony Morrison — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:48:45 +0000

By Tony Morrison

What is a talent community?

According to Wikipedia, a talent community is “a method of social recruiting, by relying on the collection of social cliques (or talent networks) of people that are part of the job seeking process.”

In a post on RecruitingBlogs.com Marvin Smith describes a talent community as “a segmented audience of targeted talent that maps to current & future hiring needs contained in the workforce plan.”

Additionally, ask the folks over at Talent Minded, and they’ll tell you a talent community is “not about the platform, but about the value you’re providing and the content you’re sharing.”

Needless to say, it’s clear a lot of people have a lot of opinions about what a talent community is – and what it isn’t. And they’re all right…more or less. A talent community is what you make it, but it absolutely must facilitate engagement between members.

Check out: Talent Connection Episode 33: Back to Basics: Talent Communities

We’ve grown beyond establishing what a talent community is and isn’t. Now, it’s time for us (job seekers and HR pros alike) to establish what works, and more importantly, what doesn’t work.

Check out the following three traits of a working talent community:

It’s not just about jobs.

A talent community might be the place for job seekers and employers to come together and match skills to jobs, but that doesn’t mean the focus has to be entirely about jobs.

Talent communities are about the talent, the people. Members of a talent community view content and jobs, and they connect with the authors of the content and/or recruiters for jobs that interest them.

Check out: Talent Communities 101: How to Use Your Talent Community in Your Job Search

Communication goes two ways.

Let’s focus on the second part of talent communities, shall we? Community. This is not employers dictating what they want from desperate job seekers who are willing to do anything to get a job. It’s not the job seekers who have posted their resumes on every job board in the hope of catching the eye of a hiring manager. Community is about engagement.

Through mutually beneficial conversation and content contribution, engagement enables employers to see other dimensions of a candidate that are not apparent from a resume alone. Seeing how the candidate interacts and the quality of their interaction with peers and superiors can tell a lot about how they can benefit an organization.

In a successful talent community, employers should feel comfortable answering and asking relevant questions. Job seekers shouldn’t be afraid to speak up and voice their opinions, or contribute their expertise to a discussion about their profession or industry. Without productive, mutually beneficial conversation, the “talent community” is nothing but a job board or e-mail opt-in list.

There are repeat visitors.

While this may seem like the most obvious quality, it’s no less important. Engagement is key, and the foundation to any successful talent community. If they do not return, then the value of the content and conversations you generated to attract them and capture their interest is lost.

A successful talent community will have a group of like-minded individuals that consistently come back to add value to the conversations with others who share their interests and career aspirations. The key to this is to establish the exact topics and opportunities that will help you to bring talent back to your community.

Check out: Talent Connection Episode 31: How to Engage Candidates in Social Media

What do you think? What other qualities do successful talent communities have? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. His roles include sales, marketing, and business development. He is passionate about helping job seekers to find their ideal job and employers to find, attract, and engage their next rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.

Hire My Profile! 5 Tips for Job Seekers on Facebook

Tony Morrison — Thu, 23 Feb 2012 19:34:00 +0000

By Tony Morrison

According to a recent study from Northern Illinois University, the University of Evansville, and Auburn University, a job seeker’s Facebook profile can accurately predict job performance.

That’s right. Your Facebook profile is doing a lot of talking for you in the job search.

In the study, it was found that social networking website profile ratings directly correlated to job performance, hirability, and academic performance criteria.

We already know that employers are Googling and Facebook stalking their candidates. With these recent findings, job seekers should be even more careful about what they put on the World Wide Web.

Sure, you think you’ve done a good job cleaning your profiles. You sanitized your profile pics and activity feed, and then quietly exorcised those friends who suffer from diarrhea of the mouth and the non-clinical form of Tourette’s Syndrome. Is that enough?

Check out the five tips we’ve found to be the most helpful when it comes to Facebook and the job search:

Check the locks

Before you do anything, visit your profile’s privacy settings page. If you haven’t updated your settings in a while, you’ll see that things have gotten a lot more complex – hopefully, in a good way!

Currently, Facebook’s privacy settings have a pretty neat feature. You can set a blanket rule (such as, only friends can see your status updates) and then make exceptions down the road (so you can make one or more status updates more/less visible). My recommendation is to lean towards more restrictive, less visible settings, you can always ease up later.

Check out: Job Placement: 7 Rules of Location Tagging in Your Job Search

Organize your audience

Beyond your privacy settings, savvy Facebook users will organize their friends into groups (not unlike G+’s circles, and Cachinko’s groups and talent networks). Consider having groups of professional contacts, school contacts, personal friends, etc.

Have a friend who loves to post inappropriate pictures/comments on your wall? Limit their access so you don’t have a surprise waiting for you when you sign in.

Think about Granny

A great rule to live by on Facebook is what I like to call, “The Grandma Rule.” If you can’t show something to Grandma, it doesn’t belong on Facebook.

No matter how tightly locked up your Facebook profile is, you don’t want to risk offending an employer with a risqué comment or R-rated photo.

Check out: A Job Seeker’s Guide to Facebook Timeline

What “about” you?

A Facebook feature we often forget about is the “About” section. This is where you can share who you are and what you like, so don’t neglect to fill it out! Sharing your favorite movies, books, and quotes allow employers to see beyond your resume and learn about you.

Be yourself

Last, but not least, don’t be afraid to be yourself on Facebook! Sure, all these rules, suggestions, and tips make it seem like you can’t step out of line, march to a different drummer, and whatever other cliche might befit this purpose, but remember, Facebook is meant to be a social, fun place.

Don’t be afraid to have vacation photos on your profile and friendly comments on your timeline. The key is to balance your social life and your professional brand. In the end, unifying your personal and professional brand will put you in a much better place.

Check out: 4 Things Employers WANT to See in a Job Seeker’s Social Media Profile

What do you think? What other tips would you offer to a job seeker on Facebook? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

I Quit! 5 Tips to Consider When Resigning

Tony Morrison — Wed, 22 Feb 2012 13:30:25 +0000

By Tony Morrison

It was breaking news when Karen Handel, the Senior Vice President for Public Policy and chief lobbyist for Susan G. Komen for the Cure resigned after Planned Parenthood’s funding was restored.

Earlier in the month, on February 7, Handel sent a lengthy letter of resignation to CEO Nancy Brinker, citing the reason why she was leaving and her opinion on the matter.

Politics aside, this story got me thinking a lot about quitting, resigning, leaving, or whatever you choose to call it.

Was Handel’s quitting strategy the right way to go about business? If you’re planning on leaving your job, what is the best path to follow?

Everyone’s situation is different, so I don’t have all the answers. I do, however, have some tried and true tips anyone can use when “I quit!” comes to mind:

Think about it

Despite what the movies and television might lead us to believe, it is not a smart idea to spontaneously quit. No, shoving your computer off your desk and throwing your papers in the air is simply bad form. It might feel good in a dream, but dealing with the consequences afterward just are not worth it.

If quitting has come to mind, consider where you’re headed. Do you have another job lined up? Do you have money in the bank? Thinking ahead can keep you from coming back to your boss two days later begging for your job back.

Timing is everything

Before you go into work tomorrow and quit, consider the timing. Do you have a big project you’re about to finish up? Maybe you have a bonus coming up. Leaving at a time that’s good for you and the company can help ease the transition.

Another timing tip to keep in mind is what day of the week you plan to quit. Michael Spiro of Recruiter Musings suggests that the best time to quit is on a Friday afternoon. According to Spiro, it “gives your boss less time to react, ask questions or to argue, and gives everyone the weekend to calm down, absorb, and accept the news.”

Review your contract

Think back to when you were hired. Did you sign any contracts of employment? These papers are absolutely crucial now because they do have information about resignation in them. What does your contract say about quitting? Are you required to give two week’s notice? Is there a severance package involved? How will your last paycheck be handled?

Know the answers to these questions so that you know what to ask in your letter of resignation.

Keep it cool

Quitting your job can be a very emotional experience. If you’re quitting because of something that is going on at work, your letter of resignation can seem like a solid place to let it rip.

Don’t do this.

Keep your letter and any in-person meetings calm, polite, and focused. Your supervisor might be downright evil, but you don’t want to burn any bridges with your boss or colleagues.

Know who to go to

Last, but not least, know to whom you must send your letter of resignation. In larger companies, the HR department might handle it while in others, it might be your immediate supervisor or even the founder.

When going to that person, make sure they aren’t wrapped up in something or talking to other people. Respect is the key to making your resignation as smooth as possible.

Check out: 5 Types of Bosses & How to Work with Them

What do you think? What tips would you have to offer to someone about to quit? Share your thoughts in the comments below.

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. His roles include sales, marketing, and business development. He is passionate about helping job seekers to find their ideal job and employers to find, attract, and engage their next rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.

How to Land a Job Using Twitter #Chats: 6 Easy Tips

Tony Morrison — Tue, 21 Feb 2012 19:09:31 +0000

By Tony Morrison

Twitter can help you land a job.

It’s true. When used appropriately, Twitter is a great tool that can help you make the right connections and share the right information all the way into a job.

While Twitter offers job seekers a lot of different ways to get noticed and get hired, for this post, I’m going to focus on the Twitter #chat.

If you didn’t know already, Twitter #chats are scheduled public conversations with set topics. Participants use pre-determined hashtags to keep track of the conversation. Tweeps in the know often will use a tool like TweetChat, which helps track these #chats.

After racking my brain for all the tips I could offer, I’ve come up with these top six tips for job seekers who want to use Twitter #chats:

Come prepared

Before you become a Twitter chatting aficionado, you must prepare. In order to even join a chat, you need a Twitter account, but that is not all you have to do to prepare.

In order to rock your first chat, make sure your Twitter profile represents your brand. Pick a dashing profile pic, summarize yourself in the “about” section, and add a link to your blog or another profile. It will take you all of 10 seconds, so make it count. You may even want to personalize your background.

Pick the right #chat

Now that you have a shiny, new account, it’s time to pick your #chat. There are hundreds of Twitter #chats out there, tackling every subject available in dozens of languages, so you need to pick the right one.

For job search, we recommend #jobhuntchat (Mondays at 10PM ET), #HFChat (Fridays at noon ET), #careerchat (Tuesdays at 1PM ET), and our very own chat, #ProCircles (Every other Thursday at 8PM ET)! Also keep an eye out for chats that are specific to your industry.

Introduce yourself

It seems obvious, but to the new Twitter #chat participant, introductions can be daunting. As the chat starts, make sure you pop in a quick hello! Make sure you include your name and why you’re in this chat.

Be a follower

All chats have a mixture of participants and thought leaders. The people worth listening to will make themselves known early on. Whether it’s an employer in your area or someone who dispenses advice, feel free to follow them here. After all, that’s why they’re chatting!

Offer your two cents

You might not be an expert, but definitely speak up in these chats! Offer your opinion and respond to the questions that fuel this conversation. Make sure you are succinct and to the point, after all, you only have 140 characters!

After the chat, know that your responses will be archived on your own profile, so make sure they all put you in the best light.

Become a regular

Last, but not least, find a chat you like and come back. After a couple chats, you’ll be a regular and establish relationships with other regulars…who might just be in a position to get you hired!

What do you think? What other tips would you offer the job seeker who uses Twitter #chats? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

5 Surprising Ways to Use Reading in Your Job Search

Tony Morrison — Thu, 09 Feb 2012 14:54:44 +0000

By Tony Morrison

Did you know that February is widely recognized as National Reading Month?

While we should be reading year-round — whether it’s keeping up with our profession and industry news or reading the classics or contemporary best sellers — this month is a special time for folks of all ages to sit down and read an old favorite or a new literary gem.

Reading is clearly valuable for just about anyone for a variety of reasons, but what about the job seeker?

How can reading help your job search? I’ve found five solid ways any job seeker can read their way into a new job.

Network

We’ve all heard of book clubs. Little old ladies reading the latest romance novel over tea and crumpets, right? Not so fast.

There are book clubs of all sizes and types for different people and for different genres of literature. Book clubs are one of the many ways a job seeker can network without being in a “professional networking” situation.

Check out: Reach Out to Someone New: 5 Steps to Build Your Network

Augment your verbosity

That’s right, in addition to increasing your personal vocabulary, reading can also help you de-stress, improve analytical thinking and memory recall, and even make you smarter. When you’re not regularly exercising your brain with the day-to-day tasks that work offers, picking up a book to keep your mental faculties at work is especially important.

Seek advice

This one is probably the most obvious. There are hundreds of books at your local bookstore waiting to share the latest and greatest job search tips and tactics with you. Many job search tips are even focused on your specific industry, so there is advice out there for you.

Check out: Read Up! 6 Books to Help You in Your Job Search

Brag about it

In a world where the average person publicizes what they had for breakfast on Twitter, it’s OK to brag about what you’re currently reading. Feel free to name drop what you’re reading online or in your next interview. Employers want to see that candidates are well-rounded and actively seeking knowledge. Apply what you learn in your reading to current events in your industry and post your thoughts in relevant forums.

Follow a path

Head on over to your favorite local bookstore and find the biographies and memoirs section. These shelves hold hundreds of true stories from people worth looking up to. Read up on the trials of someone you already admire or study someone new.

Check out: 6 Job Search Lessons Learned from Steve Jobs

What do you think? What other tips do you have to offer the job seeker who reads? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. His roles include sales, marketing, and business development. He is passionate about building B2B and B2C client relationships and brings this passion to Cachinko where he focuses on helping job seekers to find their ideal job and employers to find, attract, and engage their next rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.

6 Habits of Smart Job Seekers

Tony Morrison — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 20:01:21 +0000

By Tony Morrison

Everyday it seems like I meet another frustrated job seeker. They come from everywhere, every industry, and every career level.

Job search frustration can stop the most optimistic of people dead in their tracks. Nothing is more irritating than the feeling of spinning your wheels without making any progress.

I bet you have heard the cliche, “work smarter, not harder.” I never liked hearing it. I still don’t like hearing it. I don’t even like writing it. However, that is the best advice I can offer you at this moment.

Working smarter isn’t nearly as difficult as some make it out to be. The key is to step back and look at everything you are doing, and then consider adopting these six habits of smart job seekers:

Keep it balanced

The smart job seeker doesn’t stick to just one job search method. Instead, they divide their time between research, networking, and applying. They also do not focus entirely on online job hunting activities. They typically follow the 80/20 rule, spending 80% of their time involved in offline job search and networking activities and only 20% online.

You never know where an employer is going to reach out. Balancing your job search across the board allows you to take advantage of many different opportunities.

Thinking for themselves

A common pitfall many job seekers run into is the “well, so-and-so is doing this, so I should too” pattern. When this happens, you lose part of your identity as a job seeker. What works for one person might not work for another. Your situation will dictate the best approach for you and the type of job you want. Moreover, most employers don’t want to deal with a dozen job seekers doing the exact same thing. They are looking for the one or two people who stand out from the crowd.

The smart job seeker always thinks for himself (or herself!). They offer their thoughts and insights in networking situations and job interviews. They might not fit in every situation, but a job seeker who thinks for his or herself will more often than not put themselves in situations where they are a good fit, and where great opportunities can find them.

Knowing their friends

Everyone knows that networking is valuable in the job search. Unfortunately, with social media, job seekers become avid collectors of “friends.” On Facebook, you can easily collect 500 “friends” without knowing a single person well enough to ask for advice.

The smart job seeker knows who their friends are. Additionally, they also know who their colleagues, acquaintances, competitors, mentors, and networking contacts are. When you know what role a person plays in your life, you will be able to use them the right way.

Making new connections

The smart job seeker is always making new connection, online and off. Introductions are the bread and butter of a networking-savvy job seeker. Making new connections and maintaining relationships is paramount for any job seeker. You never know who your next boss knows!

Being creative

For many job seekers, the only way to get hired seems like the same sequence of steps that everyone takes. Unfortunately, many people are finding that these steps aren’t working as well as they hoped.

The smart job seeker uses creativity in their job search. If one method doesn’t work, try tweaking it before completely ditching the idea, but don’t just keep doing the same thing that doesn’t work. If your dream boss loves bocce ball, why not stray from LinkedIn and join him on the court?

Always growing

The job market is anything but stagnant. So, don’t let your job search stagnate. Our communication tools have changed dramatically making everything we do that much more efficient and effective. While traditional tactics and tools (like resumes, manners, and thank you notes) have staying power, and can help you seal the deal on your dream job, nobody should follow the job search playbook from 20, 10, or even 1 year ago.

The smart job seeker is always growing. They adopt new strategies and tools early on and always strive to keep their skills and capabilities up-to-date with their industry.

What do you think? What would you say is the seventh habit of smart job seekers? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. His roles include sales, marketing, and customer relationships. He focuses much of his time on helping job seekers to find their ideal job and employers to find, attract, and engage their next rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection, and, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.

How To Use Google Alerts In Your Job Search

Mona Abdel-Halim — Wed, 08 Feb 2012 02:52:22 +0000

By Mona Abdel-Halim

In your job search thus far, you’ve probably used loads of new technologies to learn about job opportunities, build your personal brand, and research job search best practices, including job boards, social media, blogs, and more. At this point, Google might be one of your key resources for important information. (What job seeker hasn’t searched for “How to create a cover letter” or “The best resume templates”?)

Google also has another tool which you may have overlooked during your job search: Google alerts. Google alerts allow you to monitor the Web for new content relevant to your interests and needs. Simply enter a search query, such as “Ford + jobs”, and choose how often (as-it-happens, once a day or once a week) and how many results you’d like to receive. You can have these emailed to you or put into an RSS feed reader.

While this tool might seem great, you may be wondering, how can Google alerts help me find success on the job hunt?

Learn about new jobs right away. Monitor companies of interest and their job openings by setting up an alert to notify you of new job openings in your industry. Using the example above, you could set up an alert for “Ford + public relations jobs” to hear about PR jobs at Ford the minute they open up. No more hassling recruiters or hiring managers!

Monitor your personal brand. Employers and recruiters are searching for you online — what will they find under your name? Set up an alert for your name to catch results that may impact your job search and focus on creating positive content online for employers to discover.

Follow industry and company news. Have an interview with one of your target companies next week? Sign up for alerts on the company to follow recent news and stay informed on recent happenings at the organization. Not only will it help you learn about the company and its leadership, but it might also aid in identifying your fit within the organization.

Discover key contacts. Can’t find an “in” at any of your target companies? Plagued by anonymous email addresses? Set up an alert for the company and department you’d like to join. You never know…you might uncover contact information that a simple search didn’t reveal.

Do you use Google alerts? If so, how do you use them for your job search?

Mona Abdel-Halim is the co-founder of Resunate.com, the world’s only resume builder to score and tailor your resume for every job. You can find Mona and Resunate on Facebook and Twitter.

New Year, New You: 6 Ways To Keep Your New Job

Wade Jones — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 14:00:29 +0000

YES! You have landed a new job! It was a long road, but now you are in the right place and want to make sure you stay there…right? You have already given a great impression in the interview process, so now it is time to live up to those expectations you set for yourself.Let’s take a look at what you will need to do to keep that job:1. Make a great first impression. There are so many facets to making the right first impression on the job — make sure to pay attention to:

DRESS - Dressing the part and show up for your first day looking like you earned the position you were hired for. If you are poised and confident, you will gain more respect, rather than seeming reserved and needy to other employees. Remember, it’s always better to over dress than under-dress. Wait till you get adjusted to push the envelope.
AVAILABILITY - Connect yourself by setting up your workspace and communication tools the way in which people can reach you immediately. This includes your laptop, email, instant messaging, and smartphone (if your office uses them).
LISTEN - Being a good listener rather than offering unsolicited opinions just to prove your worth. However, don’t be afraid to ask questions for anything you do not understand. This is the time where everyone knows that you are in the learning process and they will need to bring you up to speed. Learn your co-worker’s names and where things are so that they will get the sense that you really care and are listening.
BE POLITE - Thank anyone who helps you to find your way around — especially any administrative help you will be getting. Do this on a daily basis so you can set the standard for a good relationship with that person.

2. Build relationships. Find your go-to people in the office. There are some great ways to start before your first day by finding your co-workers through social media. This helps to get to know them each on a somewhat personal level before you walk through the door. If you do this, you should pay special attention to how you present yourself on your own profiles to make sure you appear professional. One way you can do this is by posting industry-related news so that your new colleagues will come to respect your interest in the industry.

3. Don’t panic. If you feel overwhelmed, make sure to take a step back and breathe. Remember how long it took you on your last job to figure out how to do everything. Remember that you are on a learning curve right now. It will take time to adjust and get fully comfortable with every task.

4. Keep up your momentum. After the first weeks, you tend to settle in and relax, but don’t let yourself settle down too much. If you do not keep up with the first impression you set forth for your work ethic, it is going to look like you are slacking if you suddenly start falling short on things you were doing. Don’t get lazy and assume that other members of the team will always be watching out for you, because most folks end up wanting a promotion at some point. Remember that some people tend to throw others under the bus if they feel like they aren’t contributing as much in order to get a leg up.

5. Always act professional. Keep a good attendance record. Poor attendance is the number one reason employees lose their jobs, followed by inappropriate behavior, such as substance abuse, threatening remarks, or inappropriate sexual conduct.

6. Keep a positive attitude. If you continually have confidence that things will work out and you look at everything in a positive light, your co-workers will be more apt to respect you and want to be around you. Who never wanted to hangout with an optimist? Not me. Also, be sure to steer clear of negative work relationships to keep you in a good mood.

The key to really mastering all of these things is to never take a job you love for granted. In this economy, you can lose it fast — your employer knows that there are people just waiting at the door for your job. Make yourself worth keeping!

Do you think you have what it takes to keep your job?

New Year, New You: Make Mentorship a Resolution

Wade Jones — Wed, 01 Feb 2012 01:45:26 +0000

By Ryan Mack

With January being National Mentoring Month, now is the best time to decide to make mentoring your resolution for the New Year! If you don’t know what it takes to become a mentor, then you have come to the right place; we are going to take a look at what makes a great mentor and how to become one.Are you interested, committed, and confident in your career? Use your abilities you have gained through experience to help someone else learnhow you became successful in your field. It will be a very rewarding experience.The Making of a Mentor

To be a mentor, you need to have certain key qualities. These can also be can be honed if you think you need to work on them. Let’s look at these qualities, so you will know what you need to work on…and if you have them all, well then, you are off to a great start! As a mentor you are able to:

Share your skills and expertise with others
Have a positive attitude that you can help others overcome any obstacles
See others achieve the same things you have and be happy for them
Lead by example by showing others how you got to where you are
Keep the relationship professional to remain as a good role model for your mentee
Identify with the struggles that your mentee deals with and help with encouragement
Be patient and realize that people learn in different ways
Find learning opportunities for your mentee
Help your mentee get over their fears — because if you did it, they can too
Commit to your mentee until they can spread their own wings

So how do you become a mentor?

1. Look within your company. If you are in a management role with the ability to promote people and have an experienced background in your field, then you have a great opportunity to be a mentor within your company. You can be a mentor to more than one person (or even your entire team), but be sure you can commit to the success of anyone you take on as a mentee. Here are some things you can do to mentor an employee:

Give an employee greater responsibilities — especially things that they have not handled before — so they can grow by gaining new experiences.
Teach them how to manage others by giving them an intern that is not an employee. They will learn how to delegate certain tasks and how to motivate others.
Help them set a career action plan and go over their goals so you can give feedback.
Uplift their confidence by telling them that they are doing a great job. Let them know how you overcame the struggles that they are currently dealing with.

If you are in a position to be able to promote them after you have seen significant growth, then this will make your time spent with them very fulfilling.

2. Volunteer outside your company. There are many ways to mentor outside your company, too. Let’s look at how you can do that:

Non-profit organizations. You can find organizations in your area who support young professionals or even college students to get a start in certain careers. You can help by giving guidance to students or others by telling them your experiences in your profession and what they can expect if they decide take the same career track.
State unemployment agencies. These offices oftentimes put together classes to inform people who are looking for jobs about different professions. This can also be a great outlet to give someone a chance at a new opportunity or to find an intern who wants to gain experience and see if your profession is for them.
Networking groups. You can find many colleagues through networking groups, as well as younger ones who are not as experienced as you are in your field. Use that opportunity to help them to grow and achieve what they want in their career.

Mentoring is a choice, and if you want to help others to become successful and confident in their careers, then you are a great person to consider mentorship. Use the information above as a springboard to get yourself started. You can also visit this link to find mentoring opportunities near you.

How do you plan to make a difference by being a mentor?

Other articles in this series:

6 Things Everyone Should Do Before They Retire

Tony Morrison — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 16:00:35 +0000

By Tony Morrison

You’ve probably heard of bucket lists, right?

No, not the Jack Nicholson movie. Or at least, not exactly. A bucket list is a fairly recent phenomenon in which people create lists of things they will, or want, to do before they die.

Admittedly, it’s a pretty darn grim thought. We know already that at some point we are all going to die, but we cannot worry about dying, or we will miss living.

I’d like to offer a new spin on the good ol’ bucket list – for your career: The AARP list, a.k.a., the things you want to do before you retire.

While everybody is bound to have a different list, unique to their industry, location, and experience, here are a few things I think everyone should do before they retire:

Mentor a student

There is nothing more rewarding than being a mentor to someone at the very beginning of their career. Whether it’s a college student, intern, or even an entry-level employee at the company you work at, they will benefit from your experience, knowledge and guidance.

Take a risk

Too many of us “play it safe” to a fault. Obviously, having a reliable job is paramount when it comes to having a family and planning for retirement. However, in your early years, take a risk or two. Try out that start-up company with the great vision – shoot, start up your own company! This experience not only is valuable in your career, but it can really pay off.

Invest in yourself

Whether it’s going back to school to get a degree or training to develop a new skill, it’s important to invest in yourself throughout your career. Many companies today encourage this exact thing! Take the time to invest in yourself to improve as a professional and as a person.

Influence a company

Nothing is less satisfying than the feeling that you’re just a cog in the machine. Too many employees are afraid to offer their insight and ideas to their superiors out of fear that they might get dismissed. You never know when your next idea is going to be the thing that makes your company soar.

Negotiate a raise

You might be thinking, “Ugh, I’m a terrible negotiator, no way.” Just like offering an idea, an employee should be comfortable asking for a raise. The key is to pick the right time and have evidence to back yourself up.

Love your job

This is possibly the most important thing everyone should do in their life. When we spend more than a third of nearly every day of our working years as an employee, shouldn’t we love what we do? Of course, not every job you have will be the best ever, but everyone should have that experience at least once.

Make your mark

A bucket list contains our ideas for what we want to do that will make our life fulfilling. In many cases, it is the thing(s) we do to leave our mark on the world. Make it a point to find the thing you love to do and do it to the best of your ability. Share what you do with everyone, and gratefully recognize those who support your dreams and make the pursuit of all your goals possible.

What do you think? What other things would you add to this list? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. His roles include sales, marketing, and business development. He is passionate about building B2B and B2C client relationships and brings this passion to Cachinko where he focuses on helping job seekers to find their ideal job and employers to find, attract, and engage their next rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cac

5 Job Search Lessons Learned from the Oscars

Tony Morrison — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 13:30:50 +0000

By Tony Morrison

Tuesday, the Academy released this year’s nominees for the 84^th Academy Awards, which is slated for February 26.

Next month, anxious celebrities will gather, and some of you at home will tune-in to see the glam and ceremony of the red carpet, the lengthy acceptance speeches, and a film montage or two.

After 84 years, the Academy Awards still draws in millions of people each year. Once again, it will dominate cooler talk, coffee house chats, online discussion forums and social media news feeds. As someone who writes career advice, I’ve come up with a list of things that any job seeker can learn from this.

Check out the following five job search lessons learned from the Oscars:

Be open to surprise

Every year, it seems, something new or unexpected happens at the Oscars. Even a surprise nomination can shock and awe Oscar fans.

In your job search, expect the unexpected. Don’t be so rigid that you aren’t open to new and unexpected opportunities. You never know where your next boss might come from and you never know when your dream job will pop up!

Dress to impress

You don’t have to be into designer clothing and modeling to know that the red carpet is where all the stars put on their very best threads. Everyone is trying to look hip and cool, but they do not necessarily want to appear like they ”fit in.”

In your job search, your clothes make an impression and they do a lot of the talking for you. While you don’t have to wear the latest trends, you do need to show that you have pride in your appearance. Make sure you have at least one solid, professional interview outfit ready to go for the last minute interview.

Check out: College to Career Part 3: Dressing for the Job You Want

Know your role

Actors know that they’re actors, and directors know that their directors. Thanks to these roles, everyone knows what they have to offer in the making of a film.

In your job search, know your role. Where do you fit in? And, what can you contribute to the success of the whole team? Too many job seekers will apply for jobs that are out of their skill “comfort” zone, especially if they have been out of work for an extended period of time. This wastes your time and the employer’s. It makes the employer think that you have no idea what you can do, what they want, or how you can add value. It will limit the number of jobs to which you can apply, but applying for positions that fit you will guarantee more interviews and more serious consideration.

Respect tradition

The Academy Awards have been going on for 84 years now. Despite the multitude of stars and films that filter through this event, tradition still stands. Films, actors, and movie makers are held to the same criteria they were at the very beginning.

In your job search, recognize that traditional job search methods still hold true. Resumes, cover letters, and thank you notes are still the gold standard, so don’t neglect them!

Be grateful

What are the Oscars without the lengthy and tearful thank you speeches? Winners attempt to thank everyone who helped them in a window of 20 or 30 seconds and never seem to quite finish before the music swells up again.

In your job search, never neglect to thank the people who helped you. Whether it’s your interviewer, someone who referred you, or a professor who mentored you down the road, never forget to be grateful to them. Show that you care by writing thank you notes, emails, or even a phone call.

Check out: Thanks! 4 People to Thank in Your Job Search

What do you think? What other job search lessons can you pull from the Oscars? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. His roles include sales, marketing, and business development. He is passionate about building B2B and B2C client relationships and brings this passion to Cachinko where he focuses on helping job seekers to find their ideal job and employers to find, attract, and engage their next rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.

Survey Says: Telecommuters Happier, Healthier, Better Balanced

Wade Jones — Thu, 26 Jan 2012 00:00:58 +0000

By Ryan Mack

These days, working from home is starting to look better and better — not only for workers, but also for companies. There are just so many reasons that it makes better business sense. While only six percent of Americans already work from home full-time, according to a recent Career Builder survey, it is expected to reach 63 million in the United States by 2016, predicts a March 2009 report by Forrester Research, Inc.There are still some businesses that swear by working in an office together, but research is now showing that telecommuters are gaining recognition in many ways. There are environmental perks, money savingsand, most of all, happier employees!Let’s take a look at why working from home can make you happier, healthier and better balanced:

Telecommuters & Happiness

Aside from the obvious things that would make you happy, such as cutting your commute time and having more ‘you’ time, there are astronomical cost savings associated with it on a national level. The Telework Research Network studies show that 40 percent of American jobs are compatible with telecommuting, and if those people worked from home just half of their work week:

We would save more than $15 billion in gas at the pumps.
We would save $12 billion per year in accident-related costs.
Employees would save between $1,800 and $6,800 in transportation and work-related costs, including child care expenses.
Americans would save more than $650 billion a year total!

This would, of course, make for some very happy people with more spending power! Furthermore, companies would incur huge cost savings — and there are two main points to make here on that note:

It would save businesses more than $200 billion (more than $10,000 per employee) through all the different amenities that they would no longer need in running an office.
National productivity would be increased by 5.5 million man-years or $235 billion worth of work.

According to survey conducted by Staples Advantage, all of these factors make employees more loyal. In fact, 76 percent of telecommuters are more willing to put in extra time on work and say they are more loyal to their company since telecommuting.

Telecommuters & Health

The Staples Advantage shows that there are a number of health advantages to working from home, such as:

Telecommuters say their stress levels have dropped 25 percent (on average) since working from home.
Seventy-three percent even say they eat healthier when working from home.

Telecommuters & Work-Life Balance

The Staples Advantage survey says that more than 80 percent of respondents who work from home say they now maintain a better work-life balance. With all of the extra time and money you will save, it will become easier to plan your work-life balance. So many people plan their lives around work, so why not shift that and balance it so you can have more fun?

It is pretty clear why so many businesses are starting to look at telecommuting as a viable money saving option, and it is no surprise that the projections for 2016 show that so many more employees will be working from home by then.

Would you want to work from home? If so, what are your main reasons? If not, why would you prefer to stay in the office?

New Year, New You: How To Gear Your Resume for Your Dream Job

Wade Jones — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 21:30:22 +0000

By Ryan Mack

Now that you have hopefully taken a good look at what you are meant to do for your career, you have a springboard for your job search. No matter what type of job you are hoping to get, you will need to step up your resume and figure out some creative ways to help you stand out, especially if you do not have as much experience in the field or industry as your competitors do.

It can be an obstacle to overcome some of the job qualifications or requirements that the company is looking for. It’s really about the right mix of qualifications, personality, and the ability to rise to the challenges of the job.

Let’s look at some ways you can gear your resume for the job you really want — while bypassing whether or not you are qualified — because you should only be applying to jobs that you really feel that you can meet the challenges of:

Pay attention to the qualifications the company wants. Once you know exactly what they want, you can then write your resume with that in mind. You may already have some of the qualifications that they are looking for, but if you don’t, that’s okay. Just be sure to address those qualifications another way, but honestly. Recruiters will appreciate and be impressed that you actually took the time to take a look at all of the qualifications and it will show your attention to detail.

All of this can be covered in a brief summary of qualifications before you go into your job experience. In your summary, be sure to actually use the keywords that were used in the job posting as the qualifications needed. This is because most resumes go through an applicant tracking system before they get to an actual person.

Use core competencies to your advantage. Even if you are underqualified, you can find some very creative ways to show why you would be great at this job using skills you have learned over your lifetime. Look back into your past for core competencies that you have gained throughout your lifetime, and then highlight the ones that will be most useful in the job you are applying for.

Again, you can put this in your beginning summary by simply stating these very helpful traits and how you can discuss them further in an interview. You don’t want to get to detailed — rather, peak their interest in how you gained these traits.

Be honest. After you take a look at your experience and core competencies that make you qualified for the position, make sure that you can cover the parts of the job that you do not have adequate experience in and tell them why this will not be a problem for you. This is your dream job for a reason, and you would not want to learn every aspect of it if it were not, so try to get your passion for the job to come through in your resume.

Tweak your resume as needed. You may be applying to several jobs that fit within your picture of a dream job, so be sure to tweak every resume to show that you are paying attention to what each job is looking for specifically. It will take a little extra work, but it will be worth it.

Show some creativity. After you have gotten all of the text onto the page, how can you make this document stand out to a recruiter once it has made its way into their hands? Apply the skills that they are looking for, if at all possible. If they want a graphic designer, for instance, make a visual infographic out of your resume to show them what you are capable of. Or, if they need someone with some skills in Photoshop, put a transparent background of their company building in a cool creative way. Just be innovative!

If you want your dream job, take the time to create a great resume that conveys your passion for it in order to land it. Go the extra mile wherever you can — and never give up on your dream!

How will you change your resume to make yourself standout?

Other articles in this series: New Year, New You: How to Jumpstart Your Career Search & Why It Begins With You

Breaking the Ice: 5 Ways to Get a Conversation Going With Your Next Boss

Tony Morrison — Mon, 23 Jan 2012 17:21:39 +0000

By Tony Morrison

What makes a good ice breaker?

While a fat polar bear is a solid punch line, the ability to break the ice with anyone is something that every job seeker should have in their job search arsenal.

After all, more jobs are made in conversation than job boards and unsolicited resumes can ever dream of having. People-to-people is a more natural way to get hired, the right way, the first time.

That’s where icebreakers come in. You’re not going to get anywhere in a conversation if you don’t break the ice first. And, I don’t mean those cheesy games your homeroom teacher made you play on the first day of school.

Ice breakers can be used online and in-person, however, they’re different for everyone. If you want to kick off a stellar conversation with a potential networking contact, mentor, or even your next boss, consider trying one (or more) of the following ice breakers:

Drop a name (or two)

Have you ever heard the expression, “it’s all about who you know”? It definitely works. Having at least one mutual contact can be thing you need to get into any conversation.

Don’t think that dropping a name is going to land you in the nepotism dog house, but don’t drop names that are not a solid reference either. Simply mentioning “My friend, Joe told me that you know a lot about XYZ, Inc.” can pique the interest of the person you’re trying to engage, especially if they know Joe and believe him to be a credible reference.

Ask a question

If you’re walking down the street and a man asks you what time it is, you’re more likely to respond to him, right? The same goes for starting a conversation. Instead of launching into the meat of the conversation, hook your target in with an open-ended question. Try something like, “I’m really interested in XYZ, Inc., what do you think is going to happen in the next few months?”

Flattery will get you nowhere, but a genuine compliment…

Everyone likes a solid (and genuine) compliment from time to time. Get your target’s attention by bringing up an article they wrote, or something you admire about their work or their career. After all, we all want to help the people that appreciate us.

Share news

This is a time-tested strategy for PR folks when they want to get the right kind of attention: use the news.

If you’re in HR and the unemployment rate just came out, why not use that as leverage to hook your target? Picking something current in general can also speak volumes about you as a potential job candidate.

Go straight

If you’ve “read” your target and have decided that the previous four ice breakers simply won’t do it, try being straight about what you want. If you are interested in interviewing (informational or job), networking, or asking for advice, simply do it!

People are busy and don’t want to wade through a ton of pointless information to get to what you want. No matter which icebreaker you choose, make sure it’s short and sweet.

What do you think? What other icebreakers would you recommend for the job seeker trying to kick off a conversation? Share your thoughts in the comments below!

Tony Morrison is the Vice President of Business Development at Cachinko, a unique professional community where social networking and job opportunities come together. His roles include sales, marketing, and business development. He is passionate about building B2B and B2C client relationships and brings this passion to Cachinko where he focuses on helping job seekers to find their ideal job and employers to find, attract, and engage their next rock star candidates. Find him on Twitter and Talent Connection. And, connect with Cachinko on Facebook or Twitter.