Professional Documents
Culture Documents
Copyright 2014 by Louise Garver and Christine Edick All rights reserved. No part of this book shall be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system, or transmitted by any means electronic, mechanical, photocopying, recording, or otherwise without written permission from the publisher. Published by Happy About, a THiNKaha imprint 20660 Stevens Creek Blvd., Suite 210, Cupertino, CA 95014 http://happyabout.com 1st Edition: March 2014 eBook ISBN: 978-1-60005-251-4 (1-60005-251-7) Place of Publication: Silicon Valley, California, USA
Trademarks
All terms mentioned in this book that are known to be trademarks or service marks have been appropriately capitalized. Neither THiNKaha, (the parent company of Happy About) nor any of its imprints, can attest to the accuracy of this information. Use of a term in this book should not be regarded as affecting the validity of any trademark or service mark.
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Take the angst out of landing the interview with easy, understandable, step-by-step instructions! Susan Britton Whitcomb, author of 8 careers books, including Resume Magic, and founder of TheAcademies.com for career coach training.
As an Executive Recruiter, I deal with many candidates who lack a GAME PLAN when they start a search. Louise and Christine delineate in the clearest of terms the action steps necessary to execute a winning strategy. Of special interest to me is the section on Personal Branding. I wish all my candidates had this in their professional job search tool boxes. The advice offered is timely and very practical. Michael Robinson, Ph.D., Master Club Manager, Robinson Club Consultants
If Christine Edick and Louise Garver wrote it, then I know its sage advice! Ive known both of these career experts for 15+ years, and have nothing but admiration for their knowledge and their contributions to the careers industry. This book is another exceptional offering ... valuable lessons in the intricacies of job search and how to position yourself as THE winning candidate. A must-read for every job seeker and a valuable resource for every career professional. Wendy Enelow, CCM, MRW, JCTC, CPRW - Co-Founder & Executive Director - Career Thought Leaders Consortium
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Id like to commend Louise on her new book as it provides crystal clear direction for job seekers to follow in order to achieve success in todays job market. I know that the content is spot on as I work with job candidates on a daily basis in my search firm. Many candidates struggle with creating, articulating, and correlating their career successes to the opportunity they are competing for. Your advice provides a great blueprint for success. Congratulations and best of luck! Ken Diamond, President, Digital Action Executive Search Founder, & CEO of WinTheView.com
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Your resume needs to be a targeted, brand-reinforcing, career marketing communication. Supplementing your resume with a professional bio, a compilation paper, and digital documents is key to success in job search today. If you arent Internet savvy or dont know how to use online resources, consider taking a class or borrowing books from your library. Your library is an extremely valuable resource. A strong online presence is also essential when in job search mode. You may not feel comfortable putting yourself out there, but without an online identity, you dont exist and may be completely invisible to recruiters and other hiring managers who source Jill Grindle and assess candidates by what they find about them online. You need to transform your portfolio of career documents into a LinkedIn profile thats a magnet for recruiters and hiring decision makers. But LinkedIn is just one critical component in building an online presence and leveraging social media. Having a solid, continuously nurtured network is like having health insurance for your career. Your real-life and social networks need to be ever primed for you to tap into for new opportunities, introductions, and hot leads and to help you penetrate the hidden job market.
Become the CEO of you. Think of yourself as a company of one YOU, INC. If youre actively job hunting while unemployed, finding a job is your new nine-to-five job. You have to devote full days to launching and managing your job search campaignif you want to land the job you deserve. Overall, you need to change your thinking and the way you approach career management in the digital world, whether or not a career transition is in your immediate future. ***** Employees at any level may experience job loss, and when that happens, they can feel powerless. This type of devastating experience can also affect a job seekers sense of authority and identity, especially when he/she has no control over the circumstances. The outlook can look less than dim knowing that there are fewer positions at the top. A reality check to gain perspective is important for a job seeker to move forward and look for the future potential opportunities. One of the most effective career collaterals in job search/interviewing is the strategic use of the 30-, 60-, 90-day business plan as part of the follow-up thankyou letter-writing process. Sent in the body of an email within 24 hours of an inperson job interview, this two- to three-page document reiterates a candidates value proposition, recaps key points of pain shared in the interview, and presents ideas as to approaches to be taken, preliminary strategies, suggested solutions, and a working game plan for the first 30, 60, and 90 days in position if hired. An important element of any job search campaign is to utilize your best project management skills. Strategic thinking, preparation, planning and organizational skills, along with a little common sense, will help you be successful. Implement your plan with determination as rejection can be right around the corner. An individual in the midst of a job search encounters unreturned phone calls, limited response to direct mail, or repeated rejection. There can be many reasons for this, so dont take it personallyit is part of the process. Like any project, managing the interim objectives and measuring success in small stages is key to maintaining a healthy attitude.
Career change comes with pros and cons. On the plus side, there is greater satisfaction to be gained if you are making the change for the Jan Melnik right reasons. Typically, people who are happy in their jobs are healthier; and along with that, the positive demeanor has a ripple effect on their personal life too.
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If you are unemployed, you should be spending at least thirty-five hours a week on your search. If currently employed, spending ten to fifteen hours a week is essential to get momentum. Spending less time on job search could slow down the process and extend the Jill Grindle time you spend looking for another job. Strengthen your success factors with a strong foundation, a career action plan, and organized job search tasks. If you are unemployed, make looking for work a full-time job. It is also important to maintain your recreational, social, and fitness plans in order to avoid burn-out.
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C o n t e n t s Introduction . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1
Companies Are Changing Their Hiring Process . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 1 New Job Market: Are You Prepared? . . . . . . . . 3
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Contents
The Fundamentals of a Winning Resume . . . . 37 Cover Letters for Different Audiences . . . . . 59 E-Letter . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 68
Chapter 5 Converting Your Documents into Plain Text For Online Uses (Plain Text, Rtf, Pdf) . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70
How and When to Use Your ASCII/Text Resume . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 70 Applicant Tracking Systems . . . . . . . . . . . . . 72
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Introduction
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provided for the job opportunity carefully as it will contain clues to key skills and behaviors. If this is a position that you found out about through other channels such as networking or an internal employee, ask questions about the companys expectations of the person they are looking for to fill the position. 3. Proof. The companies need proof that you are who and what you say you are. There cannot be an ounce of doubt for the interviewer. They are looking for the closest fit, and anything that can be disputed could get you disqualified. NOTE to job seeker: You will be tested during the interview to prove that you can do what you represent. They may give you a specific problem to solve. Can you make quick decisions? A sample situation may be thrown your way (and timed) to simulate a situation under pressure. 4. Panel/multiple interviews. More companies believe two heads are better than one. By involving more people in the interview and hiring process, they get several perspectives that bring multiple levels of information and details that would not have been possible if the entire process was handled by one person. NOTE to job seeker: You may be seeing more panel interviews that include many levels from several departments that would be affected by the hire. There also may be more interviews in the entire process. Some companies have a policy of a minimum of eight interviews with everyone from the top executives down to the assistant for the new job candidate. They come together after all interviews are conducted to compare notes. So be alerted that companies are sharpening their interviewing and hiring processes, and identify how that might affect you.
Introduction
2. Create your niche. It is easier to separate yourself from the masses by clarifying your expertise and showcasing it in your job search documents and interview materials. What we know is that every company has problems. Recruiters and hiring managers are looking for people who are able to solve those problems. Make it easy for the recruiter or hiring manager to see you as the go-to person for X.
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Are you prepared to answer this question that almost always comes up in an interview?
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How are you more qualified to do this job than the other applicants? 3. Follow industry trends. Up to now, you may have been sustaining an insular approach to your job and focusing only on your company. Its time to evaluate whats going on industry-wide, whether you intend to stay in your current industry or move on. Incorporate industry research into your job search activities to find the trends. Joining online groups (LinkedIn is a great source for online forums and groups) and networking will also help you verify the information that is circulating about your industry and trends. This will help you circumvent concerns that may come up about key issues that are stumping your competitors. Social networks are perfect forums to engage with people you might not have otherwise met. Establish connections, learn about the needs of others, and share your expertise as well. Building relationships is still essential in job search.
The writing is on the wall: The job market and career opportunities are changing! If you dont know where you are going, youll end up someplace else. Yogi Berra The facts are clear. Over the last decade, job seekers want a career change because they are dissatisfied with their job/industry, unhappy with their salary, insecure about longevity of job, work in an obsolete industry, or a victim of corporate downsizing. Maybe you are among nearly 50 percent of job seekers rethinking their career path. Recognize that jobs typically last for only two to four years, not a lifetime. Develop an outstanding plan, including strategy and tactics.
Introduction
Chapter
Career Audit
Many people think that if they keep their job-search options open, they will land a job sooner. Quite the opposite is true: With a target job in mind, you are far more likely to prepare properly from resume to company research and land the job of your dreams. Debra OReilly Are you ready for change? When was the last time you took a serious look at your career direction? Where are you now? Where do you want to be? Not sure? As a job seeker, you know that being proactive is a must in this fast-moving world. And many job seekers are just too wrapped up in the day-to-day job activities to take a pulse reading of where they are in their own career. If you answer yes to these statements, you may need a career direction evaluation: 1. Your job lacks challenge and excitement for you. 2. You are feeling unappreciated. 3. Your promotional and/or development opportunities are limited. 4. You are no longer having fun. 5. Learning is replaced with routine. 6. You sense that your skills and talents are being wasted. 7. You are suffering from stress or depression. Individuals often take on the burden of having to know all and be all and lose themselves in that thinking. However, today, senior management is stretched beyond their capabilities at times,
Chapter 1: Focus and Set Goals 5
causing one or more of the statements above to be true. How do you get back on track? 1. Start with a career action plan. Yes, you may already have one, but if it is dated or not working for you, it may need some revisions or a fresh approach in a new direction. 2. Assessments or personality inventory may be helpful as tools to help you discover your strengths, preferred way of working, people relations and commonalities, etc. 3. Resume, cover letter, professional bio, LinkedIn profile, references, and other career documents may need to be updated. 4. Work with a career coach who can be extremely helpful in supporting you through this process. Coaches are perfect sounding boards for brainstorming ideas, formulating a strategy, and creating steps to help you implement it. Dont wait. Get started now!
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Develop a plan that is multifaceted, creative, and includes both online and offline networking and resources. Dont forget how valuable your local librarian(s) can be in the search process. Jill Grindle Your career needs a roadmap. Be sure to establish your goals, create steps to achieve both short- and long-term objectives, and develop metrics to measure your progress. Its so much easier to find your way to your career goal when your C-GPS (Career-Goal Positioning System) is programmed properly! Debra OReilly
These questions generally get a person thinking about whats most important and what they can put aside temporarily to work towards their job search goal. Sometimes a few more questions are helpful to drill down a little further. 1. What do you really need right now? 2. What kind of support would be helpful? 3. What is your strategy? 4. What is currently motivating you? 5. What are you just tolerating? When you create a job search marketing plan, be sure to include the Six Pillars of Job Search: traditional networking; social networking; direct mail campaign, in which you send an ROI letter to employers; surveying posted jobs on aggregator sites like Indeed.com and niche sites; approaching recruiters; and building your online footprint to attract recruiter searches. Jean Cummings These types of questions are not always easy to answer and should be given a reasonable amount of attention to contemplate the answers that support your intentions. Being honest with yourself and your circumstances can sometimes uncover whats standing in your way of accomplishing what you need to do to work on your career action plan. If you are not ready to make your job search a priority, then what can you do in the interim to move things along? If you are ready to jump into the job search arena with both feet, then understand that there will be roadblocks and challenges at times that will sidetrack your progress. However, recognizing your level of commitment can help you stay motivated. The most focused and dedicated individuals are the most successful.
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To help you define, try this exercise. Create a spreadsheet or, on a piece of paper, create three columns. Title them Job, Traits, and Skills. Job Fill in the positions you are (or have been) interested in pursuing. Traits Picture a person in this position and what traits make him/her successful. Fill these in this column. Be specific. Is he/she a leader, team player, creative, flexible, self-motivated, independent, etc.? Skills Fill in the skills or qualifications the position requires the clear requisite skills and education one needs to have. This step may require a bit of research. If youre not sure of the skills required, look up job descriptions or listings on corporate career centers to find the requirements.
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Once you have completed this chart, you can begin to evaluate where you stand in relation to the positions you are considering. Can you pinpoint two or three career paths that match your current talents and skills? Is there a certain career path youd love to pursue but need additional education or experience for? Use this collected information to define a clear direction for your job search.
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Identify where your target industry hangs out. Having the opportunity to connect with people in your target industry is key. You most likely wont run into these professionals hanging out on the street corner or in a caf. So how do you find these people? Join an industry-related LinkedIn group, Ning.com site, forum, etc., where other professionals contribute to conversations and networking. Is there a chapter of your industry association in your area? Is there a meetup group for professionals in your field? Consider all the ways you can branch out to connect. What do you do if you identified a field that you know requires further education? In this case, your next steps could include researching schools and training programs, speaking with alumni, admission offices, etc.
promise of value, attributes, competitive advantage blended with your successful history. 2. E-Career Portfolio The results of your professional career come to life with an e-career portfolio that summarizes your achievements, talents, and education. It is an innovative and technology-savvy 3-D presentation of the value of your professional talent. 3. One-Page Networking Resume A great tool to use in networking conversations, recruiters and employers often seek a one-page snapshot of your background. 4. Networking Cards Business cardtype networking cards with just your personal contact information printed. Never hand out a business card from a previous employer. 5. QR Code Create a QR code specifically for job search through http://vizibility.com. 6. Twitter Profile Depending on your industry, building a network on Twitter may get you noticed by the right people. 7. Blog A blog is a fantastic way to establish yourself and your knowledge of your industry. Just be sure to keep it professional. Make sure you have a consistent look and tone to all materials you are using in your job search. You want to convey a strong brand and message so that a potential employer is never confused about you, your knowledge, and personality.
all point to a rate of more than 60 percent of jobs being found through networking. Just imagine Spiderman with his web spread across many buildings, enabling him to maneuver in spaces that others dont have access to. What does that mean to you? Networking can be your web to people and organizations that your competition does not. If you want to boost your chances, you need to be networking! Research - In the old days, when the world was more aligned with the Clark Kent/Superman scenario, companies did not expect a candidate to come into an interview fully knowledgeable about the company. Part of the interview process was filling the candidate in on the operations, products, staff, etc. Today, candidates are expected to have done their research and to walk into an interview equipped with information about the organization, the mission statement, products, competition, and executive team. Yes, it takes time; but if you are truly interested in acquiring a position with a potential organization, it is definitely worth your time to present yourself as an informed candidate. Prioritize - Since job search can be equated to a full-time job, a candidate needs to prioritize, especially if he is currently employed. This can be challengingto put yourself first when you have obligations to your job, family, friends, and various other responsibilities of life. Aquaman comes to mind here; one of his superpowers is that he can breathe underwater. It may seem at times that you are barely keeping your head above water when in the midst of a job search. Making priorities fit your needs is of utmost importance. Schedule dedicated time each week/each day to devote to your job search campaignwhether it is checking online job boards, networking, sending out resumes, or researching companies. Fill the oxygen tank and dive into the depths of organizing your plan and next steps. These are just a few strategies to get you started. Remember that some superheroes have partners to help them accomplish their super feats such as Batman and Robin or the Fantastic Four. Consider who your partner might be to help you navigate through this career transition. Passion - Do something you love, and you will never work a day in your life. Confucius Do you look at your passion as an asset or hobby? You can turn your passion into a career. Of course you have to be realistic and look at all the factors that contribute to success and failure when changing career focus to a new job. Research the viability of the industry or business you want to transition into. Part of that research could be volunteering on a board of directors to get an inside view of business challenges and successes, or joining associations or social groups to network with others in the industry. You can learn a lot by asking informational interview questions in the course
Chapter 2: Preparing for Job Search 13
of conversations. Dont forget social media, checking company/people profiles on LinkedIn and Facebook. Groups and question sections in these social networking sites also have valuable information for career changers. Money - Many people have grown accustomed to living on a high-salary and bonus structure. They need to take a hard look at what type of money/salary will be available for the first few years in a new position. If moving to a lower-level job in another industry, the salary may be significantly less the first few years. What are you willing to do to make this dream job a reality? Are there others in your family who need to be taken into consideration when making this decision? You may have to downsize your lifestyle in order to live on a smaller salary while the business builds and while you build new skills and develop talents. Are you in a position to live off savings or obtain a loan to manage finances while the business gets off the ground? Will you need to work or consult on the side or find other revenue streams to keep finances afloat? One good resource for compensation analysis is PayScale.com, which analyzed the thirty biggest industries to show how pay changes as you gain experience. Take a look at the industries where you have the best potential to make up for career change. Time for a career transition? Think first of the similarities between your past work and your intended career. Transferrable skills are one of the links that help convince a potential employer that you will make a positive difference in the new company, industry or job category. Skills and Talent - How do your current skills and talents translate to the new career? Leverage your strongest skills that transfer across any business or industry. You may need to return to school or pursue certifications to update or build new skills. Take advantage of opportunities your current employer offers for professional development. Updating skills can be expensive if you are footing the entire cost of reeducation.
A few examples of job seekers who have taken this next step: Chief financial officer turned hobby of gourmet cooking into new Debra OReilly career as chef/restaurateur; cardiovascular surgeon used medical background to become a medical malpractice expert; marketing executive left corporate world to run statewide nonprofit food share program. These tips just tap the surface. Hopefully, they give you a window into some challenges that need to be taken into consideration when contemplating a career change. Todays hypercompetitive market
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is looking for job seekers who think out of the box and discover what opportunities might be the next best move. Like any other major life change, reevaluate career options. Dont go back to the same job for the wrong reason. It is not a life-sustaining move, and often people find themselves unhappy and leave the job quickly. Company Culture - The Internet has made easy work of finding potential candidates through social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook. Membership sites have thrived in the last ten years, providing job seekers with job search information and recruiters with a database of well-defined and targeted candidates. And are you aware that most job seekers today are Googled before being contacted for a prescreen or interview? How much time and effort do you put into checking out a prospective company before applying to an organization or considering accepting an offer on a potential position? If you are a manager or executive, you already know that a large percentage of success when hiring new employees is how well they fit into the company culture. But how does a prospective employee learn what he needs to know to determine if he is a good fit with any one organization? 1. If the company is local, drive to their offices and do a little surveillance. Observe the people going to work. Do they appear happy? Are they conversing with fellow employees? What about at the end of the dayis the parking lot still full at 6:00 or 7:00 p.m.? Do you notice people leaving the offices looking worn-out or frustrated? By checking the people coming and going in the morning and leaving work in the evening, you can gain some insights. 2. Teams and teamwork are important points when considering a company culture. How does the organization get things done? Are there several levels of hierarchy to get a decision made? Are teams already in place? And if so, how would you fit with the other team members? Would stepping into a position of leadership create resentment with an existing team? If given an opportunity during the interview stage, request a meeting with the team you would be leading or part of to get a sense of the member dynamics and current functionality. 3. Who do you know who knows the company you are considering as your next employer? Tap into your network and ask questions from people outside the organization to find out what they know. These contacts could be customers or suppliers to the company or even ex-employees. Their experiences will create different perspectives, which can be helpful when looking at the potential company from all sides.
Chapter 2: Preparing for Job Search 15
4. It goes without saying that checking the company out on Google is helpful as well. You can find if there are outstanding lawsuits, disgruntled reviews from unhappy customers, bankruptcies, bad and good information that can help you evaluate the company. Learning some of these things early in the search can save you time should you determine there is not a good fit. You may have had a dream at one time in your life to work for Disneyland or Coke, and that unfulfilled fantasy may still be lurking in the back of your brain, pushing you towards an organization that may not be a good match for you at this stage in your career. Yet, you continue to want to pursue the company. Be realistic and diligent in your research to make sure the critical factors that are important to you are present in that organization. Of course, no one really knows the full effects of fitting into a company until one actually starts a job, gets grounded, and gets to know the people and processes. Avoid disappointment in a new job by getting as much information as you can to understand the company culture.
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Chapter
So what is your brand? At its core, your brand is your unique promise of value that you give to everyone you meet, work for, and with whom you have any sort of relationship. Kim Schneiderman Because stories are much more memorable than isolated facts, use an overarching storyline to explain your career, and individual stories to communicate your accomplishments. Being memorable is good! Jean Cummings
seekers need to clearly communicate their professional brandthe impressive things they have done and the unique person they are. A successful resume has everything to do with branding. Understanding a candidates personal brand is key to helping one get the job he or she wants because it distinguishes him or her from others. A good branding statement in a resume should include exclusive value, attributes, and competitive advantage blended with a successful work history. How do you create a branding statement? By telling your story in a succinct way that captures your value. Lets go back to Coca-Cola. Their brand has developed from marketing a single product to multiple products and, as important, the ethics and standards that the business represents. With your brand, companies and hiring managers are buying the standards you Meg Guiseppi have set and consistently delivered. Paint a picture in the mind of the reader with your success stories. Define and communicate personal brand around the unique value you offer your target employers driving strengths, personal attributes, passions, and other good-fit qualities. Three additional benefits to creating your brand by telling your story: 1. Leverage the information in an interview. These same stories can carry a candidate through some of the most challenging interview questions, because you already have the answers (or a portion thereof) in your back pocket. You have a story to tell that can help you present yourself as a solution to a companys problem. 2. Social Media Profiles. Candidates can use a professional branding statement as a basis for a social media profile. It should not be exactly the same as in the resume, however, it can be the starting point for the creation of a strong online profile. 3. Professional Bio. The foundation of a professional bio can be seeded from the professional branding statement. In developing your brand, consider answering these questions to help you extrapolate additional key talents that bring value to a potential employer: Management Style: 1. How do you handle coworker conflicts? 2. What goals have you put in place for your team in the past? 3. How do you delegate assignments? 4. How do you evaluate employees? 5. What do you look for in a cohesive team? Individual member value?
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Leadership Style: 1. How do you motivate others? 2. How do you mentor and train others? Marketing Style: 1. How do you determine marketing strategies? 2. What marketing tools have you developed or used? A good stand-alone brand statement is quite versatile. Creating a professional brand will increase your market value.
1. What do you have to offer? If you dont know your strengths, skills, and talents and how to showcase them, how Debbi OReilly do you expect others to get to know these things about you? Sometimes we are too close to see the whole picture. Career brand strategists can help you extract what you dont see and leverage your attributes in a compelling manner and get attention. 2. Be your authentic self. Confidence comes from within as we all know. When you are honest with yourself and present yourself to others in an authentic way, you will be showing your courage and confidence about who you are and what you can accomplish. This can do more for you in an interview than you might think. People notice the confidence that shows in your face and body language, without you saying a word. 3. Unique value. Whats unique about you that sets you apart from your competition? The question many hiring managers ask at some point in the interview is, All things being equal (education, years of experience, etc.), why should I hire you over the other top
Chapter 3: Define Professional Brand and Value to Employers 19
candidates? Consider the answer to that question as something that should be included in your personal brand statement. 4. Adopt the right mind-set. Be aware of how people do business today and whats most important for hiring managers to know about you. Even as few as five to ten years ago, personal branding was different from today. Social media has had a huge impact on how job seekers online presence affects their personal brand. Candidates are being Google-searched, so LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, and tweets are vital pieces of a personal brand. Watch out for the digital dirt that could exist and ruin your reputation/brand. 5. Focus. With messages becoming shorter and shorter (like 140-character tweets), job seekers need to be able to laser in on their achievements, milestones, and skills in a sound bite. A recent study indicated that the first seventy-five to eighty characters are what people really read. Likewise, a strong brand would include the most significant part of the message up front. These tips should help you create a clear brand message that you can express in verbal or written communications during your job search. Now that you are on your way to creating your brand, putting some of this information into an elevator pitch of thirty to sixty seconds is important. Hiring managers look for three things: reasons to hire (personal brand, target skills, and achievement stories); a match to their open job requirements; and your employers, titles, and lengths of tenure, all in only a six-second read. So convey your brand, speak to the job requirements, and use visual elements to emphasize only the key information you want to communicate. Jean Cummings Ultimately, you want to be able to present a message that is clear, targeted, and easy for anyone to understand. There are five key components of an effective self-marketing profile or pitch. Create thirty- and sixtysecond sound bites. You can tailor them depending on the situationnetworking meeting, answer to the tell me about yourself question, etc. 1. Create a professional identity. This point has been covered previously. Incorporate who you are into this brief message, a shortened version of your unique value to a company. 2. Showcase three areas of expertise.
Highlight three areas of competency that show your value and differentiate you from the competition. Choose strengths that can easily be coupled with proof of performance of how you have helped organizations make money, save money, save time, maintain the business, or grow the business.
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3. Use accomplishment-focused, metrics-driven examples to support your strengths. Just like the resume , the marketing profile must include proof of success. Pair a strength with a specific example to illustrate that you are accomplished at what you do. Quantify accomplishments using numbers, percentages, and dollars whenever possible.
4. Discuss your background as it relates to the target function or industry. Draw on your past experiences from several positions to solidify the scope of your skill set, show career progression, and build the business case for your candidacy. Also include relevant education, if applicable, such as a job-related or advanced academic degree, industry certifications, advanced technological skills, or leadership roles within a professional organization to showcase the diversity of your experiences and to position yourself as a unique contributor.
Make the match between your experience and the skills needed for a particular job function or industry. Bring the conversation full circle by relating your qualifications back to the needs of the employer or the needs of a particular industry. By doing so, you prove relevancy and demonstrate why your skills are a good fit for a certain type of position.
eliminated candidates after they found negative information about them from online sites like Facebook. More and more companies are reviewing the Facebook profiles of job applicants, either as a first step in the screening process (to narrow down the pool of applicants) or before inviting a candidate to an interview. Prospective employers will make judgments about you based on what they find out about you online. You want to come across as committed, competent, skilled, and of strong character and integrity. You can manage the impression others have about you through your online presence. However, it is essential that your online professional image is also authentic and credible. It is also important to note that if you arent managing your personal brand online, its still being formed (but without your input). Your online identity is determined not only by what you post, but also by what others post about youwhether a mention in a blog post, a photo tag, or a reply to a public status update. When someone searches for your name on a search engine like Google, the results that appear are a combination of information youve posted and information published by others. You can have more control of your online identity by taking a strategic, proactive approach to managing your online presence. What is online about you is more important than ever, and you must be proactive in managing your online presence as it relates to the job search.
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Google Alerts You should also set up Google Alerts for your name so that you can be alerted when new information is posted online about you. http://www.google.com/alerts Use your name as the search query and determine what information you want searched (Everything, News, Blogs, Video, Discussions, Book), how often you want to receive e-mail alerts, how broad you want the results to be (Everything, Only the best results), and where you want the alerts sent.
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Use quotation marks to make your search more specific. You will get a preview of the search results in a box on the right-hand side of the page, which will help you further refine your search query. For example, using quotation marks results in these sample search results:
Removing the quotation marks makes it more likely that you will receive results that are irrelevant.
You can modify these alerts at any time, so start with broad results and you can refine them over time. Me on the Web Me on the Web is Googles way of helping people manage their online brands. Using Me on the Web, you can create a profile to put your best foot forward, set up alerts to help you figure out when people are talking about you, and attempt to remove negative items related to your online presence.
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Access Googles Me on the Web here: https://www.google.com/dashboard/b/0/ You will need to sign in to your Google account (or create one) to access the tools. Google recommends keeping your profile updated so people who are searching for you will be able to find precisely the information you want them to find. To change your profile, click Edit profile in your dashboard.
One of the main features of Me on the Web is the ability to alert you when something changes with the results that come up when you search your name. Click Set up search alerts for your data under Me on the Web in your Google Dashboard to create your alerts.
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A new screen will pop up where you can choose what you want to be alerted for. Typically, Google will alert you whenever the results for your name or e-mail address change.
You can also set up custom alerts. For your job search, you can set up alerts whenever a company you want to work for is mentioned. Just click Add alert and add in as many custom alerts as you want.
Me on the Web helps inform you when youre mentioned online with Google Alerts and helps you choose what information is displayed to the public with Google Profile.
Twitter Monitoring
You can also set up an application called IFTTT (If This Then That) to send you an e-mail whenever you are mentioned on Twitter. Sign up for a free account at http://ifttt.com/ and use recipe number 19739 (http://ifttt.com/recipes/19739). Replace MyCompany with your name, and you will receive instant e-mail notifications every time someone mentions your name on Twitter. You can also use a free service like TOPSY to create alerts and monitor your online presence.
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You can also subscribe to online services to monitor and manage your online reputation. Reputation.com You can sign up for a free reputation snapshot. You will likely see some of the same results as youve found through your earlier search efforts.
Reputation.com also offers additional (paid) services to help you monitor and manage your online presence. For as little as $9.95/month, the companys MyReputation Discovery will search the Deep Web for information about you: http://www.reputation.com/myreputationdiscovery You can also measure your social influence using a site like Klout.com (http://klout.com/home). KLOUT creates a Klout Score that measures your online influence (on a scale of 1 to 100).
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Although your Google search results may have returned thousands (or hundreds of thousands) of results, its what is in the first three to five pages of results that is most important. There are two steps to managing your online presence: (1) removal and/ or correction of incorrect or inappropriate information, and (2) posting new content that will move the unfavorable information lower in your search results. One of the strongest ways to create positive online content is through social media. Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn often appear prominently in Google search results.
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When you click on the Manage Past Post Visibility link, it will open a new box asking you to confirm that you want to change all of your past status updates to Friends Only visibility. If you click Limit Old Posts, it will automatically reset all your previous posts to a more private setting.
If you choose not to change the visibility of all your old posts, you can change the visibility of individual posts by clicking on each post. (This can be quite time-consuming if you have a lot of posts.)
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Another important step is to see how the public views your profile. You can check this with Facebooks View As . . . option under Edit Profile. http://www.facebook.com/editprofile.php Finally, be aware that when you comment on other peoples posts, the information may be more public than you were aware.
Be sure to post content related to your profession or career on your Facebook pageand make those posts public. Share content you find in industry publications, traditional media, and blogs. Comment thoughtfully on the content. Post inspirational quotes from business leaders and relevant facts, figures, and infographics. Keep in mind, however, the golden rule in posting any information online: If you dont want your mom (or grandmother or sister) to see it, dont post it. Anyone who has access to your private profile can take a screenshot and post it publicly. In addition, some employers are asking for access to Facebook accounts. They ask the job seeker to log in to his account and then peek over his shoulder as he scrolls through the account. In this instance, if you change post settings to Only Me, those will still be visible if you are logged in to your account, and the hiring manager will be able to see them on your page. You are better off deleting controversial contentor not posting it in the first place. As the old saying goes, Sometimes the best offense is a best defense.
of that photo. If, however, the unwanted content resides on a website or page you dont control, you can request that it be removed. Note: Google wont remove the content for you. Googles company policy is that they will not change search results to cater to individual people. (If, however, the site in question is publishing your confidential personal information, Google will intervene. This includes your social security or government ID number, bank account or credit card number, an image of your handwritten signature, or your name if it is associated with a porn site.) To get an item removed, you need to first contact the websites owner to get them to change it. You want the information removed at the source because if it isnt removed from the original website, people will still be able to see it, even if it doesnt appear in Googles search results. And remember, removing content from Googles search results doesnt remove it from other search engines (e.g., Bing, Yahoo). After the webmaster has made the change, the negative result will still show up in Google for some time until Google updates their index. Note: If the content has not been removed from the website, the content will reappear in Googles search results when that site is indexed again in the future. If youve removed a negative item and need Googles index to reflect that immediately, you can go through Googles removal procedures to have that item taken out of the index. Heres how. Start by going to the removal request page: http://www.google.com/webmasters/tools/removals Click New removal request.
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Finally, select the reason you want it removed and hit the Request button. Make sure you choose the right reason for your situation.
People search sites make money by selling your personal information online, which means they dont like to remove that information. You can often find instructions for submitting your request for removal on the website (sometimes its hidden under Privacy or Terms of Service at the bottom of the website), but they may make you jump through hoops to do so, requiring you to fax a request or send a copy of your identification. Requesting removal once also wont guarantee that the information wont reappear in the future. Because many of these companies acquire their data from a variety of public sources, its likely that your name will reappear when they re-index their database. Other Ways to Create Content Postings on blogs and news sites often appear in search results. Writing constructive comments can be a good way to create new content for Google to associate with your name. An extremely powerful way to create new content for your Google search results is by blogging. A personal or business blogif you are committed to itcan provide a solid online presence. If you dont like to write, you can shoot videos and publish it on your blog. Posting content on these sites will also show up prominently in search results: YouTube Twitter LinkedIn Flickr Google+ About.me bigsight Reviews you post on Amazon.com will also show up in your Google search results. Also, while were at it, ensure that your LinkedIn profile aligns with your resume. Many recruiting managers and hiring managers compare the two.
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one hundred employees (29%) to more than five thousand employees (4%) in the following categories: business and professional services (23%); manufacturing (20%); finance, insurance, and real estate (13%); nonprofit (9%); and health services (6%). Below are responses that will help you shape more effective resumes and letters. How long should a resume be? One page . . . 20% Two pages . . . 30% Depends on the level of the position . . . 60% No preference . . . 0% Which resume format or style do you prefer? Traditional (reverse chronological) . . . 40% Functional (skills based) . . . 10% Some combination of the above . . . 50% No preference . . . 0% How do you prefer to receive resumes? By mail . . . 10% By attachment as a Microsoft Word document to an e-mail . . . 60% By text in the body of an e-mail . . . 20% By fax . . . 10% No preference . . . 20% Do you want a cover letter? Not necessarily . . . 20% Personalized cover letters only . . . 60% Form letters are acceptable . . . 20% No preference . . .10% How many years of related background would you like to see in a resume? Zero to five years . . . 30% Six to ten years . . . 40% Eleven to twenty years . . . 10% More than twenty years . . . 20% Should applicants explain gaps in employment or job-hopping? Valid explanations of employment gaps or job-hopping are welcome . . . 74% Dont trust explanations of employment gaps . . . 22% Unsure . . . 4% What single item is most valuable in a resume? Verifiable accomplishments . . . 88% There is no single item that is most valuable . . . 12% Does proofing and format count? Managers who remove an application if they find typos or grammatical errors . . . 76% Managers who prefer reverse chronological resumes . . . 75% Managers who prefer white or off-whitecolored paper . . . 83%
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How long does your organization keep resumes on file? Zero to one month . . . 0% One to three months . . . 0% Three to six months . . . 30% More than six months . . . 70% Does your organization use a scanning or database system to manage resumes? Yes . . . 50% No . . . 50% What do you wish job seekers to do that they do not seem to be doing now? Typical comments included: Send a cover letter telling me what they really want to do and follow up. Call me if they take another position and are no longer available. I would like them all to be really definite about what they do and dont want to do in their job/career. Dont be wishy-washy! New grads are the worst offenders in this respect. If you want to start at the bottom and eventually work your way up in sales, marketing, finance, IT, or any field, say so! Research the companyknow something about a companys type of business. Send detailed resumes, with dates and current information.
The design and format of your resume needs to convey a professional look and feel. Good design does more than create Meg Guiseppi a pretty page; it creates a positive first impression (before anyone reads one word), guides readers through the document, and draws attention to the most important information. The font should be a reasonable size, never smaller than 10 point or larger than 12 point in the general text. Variation in type size (e.g., larger font point for headings) is okay, and other variations are helpful to emphasize
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points for the quick skim resumes receive. Boldface type emphasizes titles and key strengths. There should be plenty of white space between bulleted statements and sections.
Styles
There are three types of resume styles commonly used. The overall tone and style need to match your personality, your industry, and your culture. Chronological/Traditional Traditional-style resumes have been around a long time. Typically, this style of resume starts with Contact Information, then Experience, Education, and miscellaneous other sections such as Honors and Awards, Publications, Associations, Community Activities, etc. In the Experience section, the listings are presented in reverse chronological order and show company, position title, dates worked, a summary of responsibilities, and then a bulleted area that highlights accomplishments.
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