Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Archives for April 2008

Do You Need More Reasons to Enhance Your Online Profile?

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Because every “bunny’s” doing it?  I couldn’t resist the pun when I found this image on flikr…In all seriousness, I read yet another reason to update your linkedin profile and focus on your social network…

Yesterday, my cyber-friend, Chris Russel at Secrets of the Job Hunt, blogged about a recent survey developed by Robert Half International. An independent research firm interviewed 150 senior executives from the nation’s 1,000 largest companies.  They asked executives:
“Which of the following technology tools do you believe will be most useful in your firm’s recruiting efforts in the next three years?”
The responses:
Professional networking sites (such as Linkedin)………….62%
Social networking sites (such as Facebook or MySpace )……………….35%
Video resumes………………………..20%
Second Life…………………………..7%
None of these………………………..15%
Other/don’t know……………………. 10%
* Multiple responses were allowed.
(For the record, both Chris and I were surprised at the 20% figure for video resumes, as our experience is that they are not widely used.)

Max Messmer, chairman and CEO of Robert Half International and author of Job Hunting For Dummies, noted,

“Tried-and-true methods such as networking at industry events, submitting well-written resumes and cover letters and diligently following up with hiring managers are still essential to landing the ideal job…Combining personal and online networking offers the best of both worlds.”

I love to quote experts who agree with advice I’ve been giving for years!

Follow this link for tips to get your social network going.
For suggestions to improve your linkedin profile, click here.
Follow this link to read our advice regarding networking in general.

Keppie Careers will help you enhance your linkedin.com profile.  Email us at [email protected] for more information about our high quality, affordable services.ÂÂ

10 Reasons Your Job Hunt May Last Too Long

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I came across information about a book by Tony Beshara, The Job Search Solution: The Ultimate System for Finding a Great Job Now! While the book came out in 2006, I thought several of the main points suggesting why you may be having trouble with your job search are relevant for job seekers today. (Points are from Beshara’s book, commentary is my own.)

1. You’re not making finding a job a job itself. Focus, schedule your time and make a committment to finding a job. It isn’t going to just happen on its own.

2. You haven’t developed a system of finding a job. Set goals. Make plans. Follow through. Network.

3. You have an unrealistic idea about the market for your skills. Recognize that there is no perfect job.

4. You aren’t acknowledging the psychological and emotional stress that changing jobs entails. Looking for work can be stressful. Seek support from friends, family or a group. Consider hiring a career coach to guide you 🙂

5. You ignore small businesses. Most people work for small companies. Don’t overlook these potential employers.

6. You don’t recognize the importance of the face-to-face interview. A great resume will get you an interview, but the interview is what will get you the job.

7. You don’t prepare well for interviews. This is a big problem for job seekers and employers. Be prepared and don’t waste an opportunity in front of a decision maker.

8. You’re not selling yourself. It is up to you to let the employer know why you are the one for the job.

9. You have the attitude, “What can you do for me?” Develop your “hire me” strategy around the employer’s needs. They don’t really care what you want them to do for you – explain what you offer the employer for results.

10. You give poor reasons for leaving your job. Be positive and honest, but don’t dwell on the past. Emphasize your future plans as they relate to the potential employer.

If your job hunt is going on too long, consider seeking help. A professionally written resume will save you time and money. Keppie Careers is here to help! www.keppiecareers.com

Is the Personal Professional?

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Today, one of my “read daily” blog writers, Penelope Trunk, wrote about getting on Twitter and used it as a way to talk about doing something that scares you.

For those who don’t know, Twitter is a way to post updates about your daily activities so that your “followers” will know your every move. Some people use it to give details of their day. “Went to the store. No fresh chocolate croissants. Bummer.” You get the idea.

I actually started posting when I update my blog on Twitter. (Feel free to “follow” me. Don’t worry, I won’t let you know what I have for dinner or how many poopy diapers I change in a day!)

For me, Penelope’s post brought to mind an issue that is important for all professionals. Where do we draw the line between the personal and the professional? We already know that recruiters review FaceBook and “Google” potential employees to see if there is any “dirt” that would make them undesirable.

I met a woman this month who told me the story of a son’s friend (new college grad) who showed up for an interview at a big firm only to be shown all of the unflattering materials they had found about him online. They used it as an opportunity to let him know why they wouldn’t be following through with the interview.

Social media is here to stay, though. In fact, it becomes more and more necessary to understand and participate in it. (For example, if you’re not linkedin, you may be missing out on great professional opportunities.)

Where do we draw the line between the personal and the professional?

Keith Ferrazzi says something pertinent in his book, Never Eat Alone…

“Power, today comes from sharing information, not withholding it. More than ever, the lines demarcating the personal and the professional have blurred. We’re an open-source society, and that calls for open-source behavior.” (p.146)

It seems that Twitter and other social media encourage this openness and offer vehicles to link personal and professional interests. As “the personal is political,” maybe “the personal is professional.”

Something to think about…

Keppie Careers will help you use social media to your advantage. www.keppiecareers.com

Work Getting Lonely?

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Feeling lonely at work?  Work by yourself or from home and miss all of that great office banter?  The exchange of ideas?  The politics?

Keith Ferrazzi suggests seeking out a peer for support and camaraderie.  It’s a great idea to find a colleague who is in your field or a complementary field (a realtor and a mortgage broker is a classic example) to get together, shoot the breeze and share ideas.  I make a point to get together with other career coaches as much as possible.  There’s only so much online networking you can do before you want to actually speak to someone in person!

Another great idea is to find a mentor.  Coincidentally, the folks over at brazencareerist.com are highlighting how to get and keep a mentor.  Check out blogs by Caitlin Weaver and Ben Casnocha for thoughts on another way to network and avoid a lonely work life. ÂÂ

Remember – it’s up to you to drive your own career bus.ÂÂ

Don’t be lonely during your job hunt.  Keppie Careers is here to help.  www.keppiecareers.com

Liven Up Your Job Hunt – Tips for When Things Look Bleak

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Yesterday, I wrote about some unfortunate job hunting misteps that characterized desperate job seekers. Since it’s never a good idea to tell people what NOT to do without following up with some helpful suggestions, today’s blog offers some things to consider if you are really getting tired of looking for a job.

If your job hunt makes you feel like Ms. Allie (pictured above), read on for tips to get a jump start:

Click here for some suggestions to get you started. I also thought you’d like to consider these additional suggestions from Penelope Trunk for when you think all is lost and you feel like crawling back into bed and watching reruns instead of looking for work. (Summaries are my own):

Check your attitude.
If you let yourself wallow in the “down and out,” you’ll hurt your chances to find a job. The power of positive thinking is real. Penelope suggests actually writing a list of things that are going well in your life and a list of your positive personality traits.

Check your focus.
Rethink your resume and the type of job you are applying to get. Maybe you need to readjust your focus for success. Penelope always recommends hiring a professional to write your resume. I agree 🙂 I wouldn’t suggest waiting until you are desperate, though.

Check your pace.
Focus your networking efforts and set attainable (push yourself a little) goals. Meet people you DON’T think will be able to help you. You’ll be surprised.

Check your personal life.
Don’t forget to see your friends. Have a life. Don’t spend all your time networking externally at the expense of your honest-to-goodness support system. Avoid spending time with negative people.

Check your spending.
Be mindful of your expenses. Don’t deny yourself, but do you really need that new (insert frivilous item that in no way assists with your search)? Purchase what you’ll need to conduct a successful search – clothing, shoes, a nice haircut, professional career advice…Keep your other spending to a minimum so you won’t run out of money!

Turn off the TV and read.
You never know where you’ll find inspiration! Read fun things and books that make you think. Personally, I love going to the bookstore to find all the new books and then going to the library to check them out!

Keppie Careers will help you with your search. Need a great resume? Cover letter? Don’t know how to network? www.keppiecareers.com