On his Find a New Job blog, Jose Anes introduces Indeed as one of the smartest ideas for expediting a job search. In the top left of this blog you can try out a job search on Indeed. On any given search, it will additionally provide the latest job postings from unheard of places on the Internet.
Joining the Gadball community provides a free single resource for posting your resume on All the job posting boards. This saves quite a bit of time. Gadball eliminates having to post your resume on Monster and Careerbuilder and Dice etc.
For another smart job search tool using an RSS reader read "Make Jobs or Clients Come to You Using a RSS Reader". It's true you can use the smart searches of Indeed and an RSS Reader.
Tuesday, February 28, 2006
Monday, February 27, 2006
Your Career is Your Business
Can you carry your resume every where you go. Will you remember to carry your resume every where you go?
When you're looking for a job, everyday is a opportunity to market your skills.
- A support group meeting
- The grocery store
- Church
- Community / PTA meeting
- A per chance meeting on the street
- Someone asking for directions
- At the gas station
- In your building
- A nosey neighbor (if you can bruise em, use em)
- Delivery / Repair / Sanitation person
- An early morning run / the gym
- In the park with your children
- At the mall
- at the unemployment office
Having business cards allows you to be prepared, when you don't have your resume. If you have a bad case of "funds are low", Vista Print will allow you to print 250 cards for free. Use the back of the card to print your resume profile.
When you're looking for a job, everyday is a opportunity to market your skills.
- A support group meeting
- The grocery store
- Church
- Community / PTA meeting
- A per chance meeting on the street
- Someone asking for directions
- At the gas station
- In your building
- A nosey neighbor (if you can bruise em, use em)
- Delivery / Repair / Sanitation person
- An early morning run / the gym
- In the park with your children
- At the mall
- at the unemployment office
Having business cards allows you to be prepared, when you don't have your resume. If you have a bad case of "funds are low", Vista Print will allow you to print 250 cards for free. Use the back of the card to print your resume profile.
Sunday, February 26, 2006
Don't Do it Yourself
"Anyone who tries to represent themself in court, has a fool for a lawyer" -unknown
The same holds true for people who use a self written resume, to land an interview. There is too much emotion tied to a resume we create for ourselves. There is no objectivity. It becomes the world according to our own personal view. Even having other people look at it, after writing the resume, still positions us in a certain corner.
I recommend doing whatever it takes to spend the money to have a professional layout your resume. You may have to write the 1st draft, to give the professional resume writer a starting point. That's OK. Then allow them to turn what you wrote into a marketing proposal.
Your resume is a marketing tool, as every Savvy Intrapreneur knows. If formatted properly, your resume can be a powerful tool to get your message across as:
- A Business card
- Having a solidly packaged skill set
- Memorable commercial
- Better positioned candidate who stands out from the pile of resumes
- "In your face" call me right now for an interview
- "I'm the best person for the job out of anyone you have interviewed or will interview"
- Providing a professional marketing image
If money is tight, work out a deal for a payment plan with a seasoned professional. Resume writers are a good resource. Career Coaches who provide a full package that includes writing your resume, is even better.
For goodness sake, do not try to market your skills with a self written resume. If you have been looking for a job for more then 3 months, using a resume you wrote, then I rest my case.
The purpose of a resume is to obtain an INTERVIEW, not a job. Landing a job is up to you during the interview.
The same holds true for people who use a self written resume, to land an interview. There is too much emotion tied to a resume we create for ourselves. There is no objectivity. It becomes the world according to our own personal view. Even having other people look at it, after writing the resume, still positions us in a certain corner.
I recommend doing whatever it takes to spend the money to have a professional layout your resume. You may have to write the 1st draft, to give the professional resume writer a starting point. That's OK. Then allow them to turn what you wrote into a marketing proposal.
Your resume is a marketing tool, as every Savvy Intrapreneur knows. If formatted properly, your resume can be a powerful tool to get your message across as:
- A Business card
- Having a solidly packaged skill set
- Memorable commercial
- Better positioned candidate who stands out from the pile of resumes
- "In your face" call me right now for an interview
- "I'm the best person for the job out of anyone you have interviewed or will interview"
- Providing a professional marketing image
If money is tight, work out a deal for a payment plan with a seasoned professional. Resume writers are a good resource. Career Coaches who provide a full package that includes writing your resume, is even better.
For goodness sake, do not try to market your skills with a self written resume. If you have been looking for a job for more then 3 months, using a resume you wrote, then I rest my case.
The purpose of a resume is to obtain an INTERVIEW, not a job. Landing a job is up to you during the interview.
Saturday, February 04, 2006
Get a Referral from the President
"Nothing ventured, nothing gained. And venture belongs to the adventurous." -Navjot Singh Sidhu
Wouldn't it be cool to have the President of a company refer you? Wouldn't that cut down on time spent on your job search? Imagine introducing yourself to the company President or a high level executive. You give them your resume. The next thing you know you're getting a call for an interview.
Identify which companies where you wish to work. The next time you read an article about the CEO, President or another executive at one of your target companies, that's your window of opportunity. Maybe they received a promotion or were acknowledged or quoted in the article .
Purchase a box of blank invitation size greeting cards. Write a friendly note congratulating the executive. If you agree with what they said or accomplished in the article, then say so in your hand written note. Be genuine in what you write. End your note with "I am at your service, should XYZ company have a requirement for my skills". Insert your business card, Not Your Resume. Send it off via postal snail mail.
Repeat this process at least once a week. You're reading the newspaper everyday anyway. Why not make your reading even more worthwhile now?
Wouldn't it be cool to have the President of a company refer you? Wouldn't that cut down on time spent on your job search? Imagine introducing yourself to the company President or a high level executive. You give them your resume. The next thing you know you're getting a call for an interview.
Identify which companies where you wish to work. The next time you read an article about the CEO, President or another executive at one of your target companies, that's your window of opportunity. Maybe they received a promotion or were acknowledged or quoted in the article .
Purchase a box of blank invitation size greeting cards. Write a friendly note congratulating the executive. If you agree with what they said or accomplished in the article, then say so in your hand written note. Be genuine in what you write. End your note with "I am at your service, should XYZ company have a requirement for my skills". Insert your business card, Not Your Resume. Send it off via postal snail mail.
Repeat this process at least once a week. You're reading the newspaper everyday anyway. Why not make your reading even more worthwhile now?
Friday, February 03, 2006
One Resume for Many Opporuntities
I recently heard a sad story from an associate. He was willing to help a person land a job through his network of 8,000+ people. The person being helped said" I don't change my resume", while wondering why they hadn't landed a job in over a year.
You don't create different versions of your resume. When you come across an opporuinity you know you are qualified for, you sprinkle the appropriate sections of your resume where you utlized those skills listed in the job requirements.
You're running a business with your carreer. Marketing 101 dictates you meet a client at their need. Adjusting your resume to fill a job requirement, will greatly improve the chances of obtaining the result you seek.
So you have one (1) resume you will adjust to the many opporunities that come your way. This increases your chances of landing an interview.
You don't create different versions of your resume. When you come across an opporuinity you know you are qualified for, you sprinkle the appropriate sections of your resume where you utlized those skills listed in the job requirements.
You're running a business with your carreer. Marketing 101 dictates you meet a client at their need. Adjusting your resume to fill a job requirement, will greatly improve the chances of obtaining the result you seek.
So you have one (1) resume you will adjust to the many opporunities that come your way. This increases your chances of landing an interview.
The purpose of a resume is to land an interview, not a job. Landing a job is up to you during the interview.
Thursday, February 02, 2006
Show, Don't Tell
Laura Morsch recently published an excellent article "25 words that hurt your resume". Certain over used words should be eliminated from your resume. Show hiring managers what you have accommplished with more concrete wording . This makes a more powerful impact, then using words that vaguely tell people what you have done. Laura further explains how to use specific words to show off your experience in your resume.
For further coverage of this topic read an article on Tech Republic's web site entitled " Nineteen Words That Don't Belong in Your Resume". You will have to create a free Tech Republic account to access the article.
For further coverage of this topic read an article on Tech Republic's web site entitled " Nineteen Words That Don't Belong in Your Resume". You will have to create a free Tech Republic account to access the article.
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