Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

How to get an internal transfer

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file0001269421632You may want to move on from your current job, but perhaps you are not aware that your best chance for a new job is to apply for an internal position. Many companies prefer to hire from within. Doing so not only means keeping an employee they like, it helps ensure any investment in training provided that individual stays at the organization and doesn’t benefit a competitor.

What’s the best way to apply to a job inside your company?

Find opportunities.

Your company likely posts positions on its website, but it may also list opportunities internally before advertising to outsiders. If you don’t already know exactly how positions are posted, finding out should be your first priority. In this exploratory stage, you may not want to announce your intentions to everyone in the office, or to your boss, but a quick search on your company’s website or a review of the employee handbook should provide the information you need about how to identify internal opportunities.

Don’t forget to follow your own company on LinkedIn if it maintains a presence there, as it can be a great way to find out information about new job opportunities you may have missed.

Research your organization.

What kind of people does your company seem to like? You can learn a lot by talking to others who have worked in the organization a long time. What have their career paths been? Ask about their moves from one job to the next. Were they promoted? Did they take lateral moves to other departments? How supportive (or not) were their supervisors? Were there programs at the company they tapped into to help them plan and navigate their careers? Asking these and other questions can help you understand your organization’s approach to internal transfers.

Prepare to explain your goals.

When you’re seeking a promotion, it’s easy to explain why you want to move from the job you have to the better opportunity. However, you may be considering a lateral move that doesn’t come with more money or prestige. If that’s the case, be ready to explain your motivations. Realistically, your goal may be to move away from a difficult boss, or perhaps you’re hoping a new department won’t expect you to work so many hours. Neither of these reasons are compelling from the institution’s perspective, so be sure you plan a reasonable explanation that seems like a win-win. For example, you may explain that you want your skills to be more well rounded to enhance your ability to work with clients. Or, you have a very strong interest inmarketing and believe your customer service background and skills provide a good foundation for being successful in the new department.

Talk to your supervisor.

Once you identify why you are motivated to look for a different position inside the company, and have seen at least one position that interests you, it’s time to speak to your supervisor. Explain your goals and ask your boss to support your career plans. Keep the conversation very positive; do not indicate your desire to move reflects poorly on his or her leadership. Even if it does, it is not likely to help your case by sharing your feelings.

Apply for the job.

Yes, you can use your company email to apply for an internal position. Depending on the process, it may be the only thing that differentiates you from other applicants and will alert hiring managers that you’re applying from within.

Even though you should have an advantage, don’t rely on your internal candidacy to make the case for winning the job. Compose well-written and thought out application materials that describe why you are a good fit and how your accomplishments support your ability to do a great job in the proposed role. From the point of applying on, prepare and act as you would if you were seeking an external job. Take the process very seriously and plan ahead what you will say in an interview. Since you’re an internal candidate, there’s even more pressure on you to be able to describe how you can help the organization in the new role. Use every resource at your disposal to make a great case, and you could be moving offices before you know it.

Originally appeared on AOLjobs.com.

Use social media to get a job

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Screen Shot 2014-07-03 at 10.08.10 PMAre you discounting social media as a way to land a job? Or are you relying 100 percent on LinkedIn to help you create your digital footprint? If so, you’re making a mistake. Research shows employers benefit from using social media to attract candidates. The Society for Human Resource Management’s 2013 survey, Social Networking Websites and Recruiting/Selection, found 77 percent of organizations use social networking sites to recruit potential job candidates. They also found 69 percent of organizations use social networking tools to target and recruit candidates with specific skill sets, 67 percent use social networking to increase employer brand and recognition and 57 percent use it to allow potential candidates to easily contact their organization about employment.

The study further indicated that while a majority (92 percent) of employer respondents used LinkedIn, 58 percent also tapped Facebook, 31 percent use Twitter and 25 percent use Google+. Less than 10 percent of employers used sites such as YouTube, Pinterest, Myspace and Foursquare.

Candidates can take advantage of employers’ interest in reaching out to them via social media to find their next jobs. Stéphane Le Viet, founder and CEO of Work4, has worked with companies of all sizes, industries and locations to implement hiring strategies on social media. He offers the following tips to job seekers on best practices to leverage social media tools during job search.

Use every network that makes sense for you. Don’t limit yourself to “professional” social networks. As SHRM research notes, employers are not only looking at LinkedIn. “At a minimum, most companies today use Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to reach job seekers,” Le Viet notes. “At the very least, job seekers can follow companies and brands through these channels to stay updated on new employment opportunities directly within the social networks where they already spend a lot of time.”

Does this mean every job seeker should actively post on all of these networks? Not necessarily. While you can use the various networks to follow information and insights from different companies, if you’re not capable of sending out short messages, you probably shouldn’t tweet.

Find the networks that take advantage of your best skills and become active there. If you like to create short updates, use Twitter. If you are a talented writer, blog on LinkedIn’s platform or start your own blog. Are you in a visual field? Did you know you can create photo collages on Twitter to post via tweets when you use the mobile application? Or upload your photos on Facebook and be sure to make those posts public and searchable. If you’re capable of posting great content on all of the major social media networks, by all means, do so. However, only participate where you’re showing off your best professional content.

Identify your target audience, “like” and engage with them. “Social networks are no longer just about connecting with friends,” Le Viet says. “Both Facebook and Twitter have evolved into an ecosystem of individuals, brands and employers. Companies are investing in their social media presence, giving job seekers plenty of options for interesting content to like and follow.”

Don’t underestimate how interested hiring managers are in finding you online. Many of them believe they can connect with the best candidates using social media. If you want to be considered in that group, you need to be sure to spend your time in networks where you’ll be able to connect with them.

Even if you don’t spend a lot of time posting content to various networks, be sure you visit, “like” or “follow” the companies that interest you – especially if you’re not in a confidential job search. “Hiring managers are always looking for good cultural fit, so the fact that a candidate is already a fan is a good start. You can take it a step further and show a prospective employer you’re really engaged and interested in working for them, simply by commenting on and sharing company posts,” Le Viet says.

Be searchable. Make sure to optimize your online profiles by identifying keywords that employers will use to search for someone like you. Don’t forget to add professional skills to your Facebook profile and make those sections public. “With the introduction of Graph Search, recruiters are turning to Facebook to search for individuals whose profile details match open jobs,” Le Viet says. “Additionally, companies are using Facebook ads to target people by location, interests and other criteria.” You can keep friends, photos and other aspects of your timeline private while making other profile details like job history, skills and location visible to the public and to your next potential employer.

Originally appeared on U.S. News & World Report

How to get a job when you work the night shift

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Night ShiftDo you work two jobs or odd hours? Are you a freelancer, but you’d prefer a more traditional job? Perhaps you’re sick and tired of your unconventional schedule and hours, but you can’t figure out how to break out of your current work situation.

You’ve heard that networking is the key to landing a new job, but you don’t have any time to attend events or hob nob with people who may be able to influence your job opportunities. Is there hope for you?

There is, if you’re willing to take a few key steps to manage your career. If you continue on your current path, you may eventually luck into a new opportunity. However, finding a new job that fits your best-case scenario isn’t likely if you don’t make a concerted effort.

How can you find a new job when you’re so busy keeping up with the odd hours or inconvenient oddities of the job you have?

Make a plan

You’re never going to get anywhere if you don’t know where you are going. Having a general idea that you’d like “better hours” or a “different” job is a first step, but it’s not specific enough to help you make a change. Write down exactly what type of job you want. Include target companies, hours you’d like to work and what you want to do. Don’t be afraid to be very specific. Once you specify your goals, it is much easier to reach them.

Research people

Even if you work odd hours, you can turn to Google or LinkedIn at any time of the day or night to research people who work in places where you want a job. If you’re already using LinkedIn, see if the company has a page there and determine if you have any contacts that connect you to people who work there. Look in LinkedIn’s advanced search to find possible contacts, and investigate the “Education” section to see if you should connect with fellow alumni. Don’t forget to check out Groups. This is a great place to meet new people, and your odd schedule doesn’t prevent you from connecting with new people who may be able to refer you to job opportunities.

Expand your network on your own time frame

One thing a lot of people don’t realize: even if you can’t meet people in person, when you connect online and share information and resources, you can win friends who may open their networks to you and help connect you with opportunities. No matter what type of work you do, there is likely to be a community online of people who can help you along the way.

For some professions, it’s most obvious to turn to LinkedIn’s groups to connect, but what if your profession doesn’t have an obvious professional arena? Look for interest groups unrelated to work. Do you have a hobby or interests that could help you connect with people you don’t know online? Search Facebook or Google+ for an interest group. Maybe you like to cook or are passionate about ultimate Frisbee. Even if you can’t participate with in-person groups, you can still extend your network. Look on Twitter to see if there is a chat about something you like to do. Even if you can’t attend a Twitter chat “live,” you can still connect with the people who participate and get to know them online.

Network everywhere

The best networkers look for opportunities to meet new people wherever they go. In the grocery store at 2 a.m? You probably have something in common with the person in the line behind you. At the gym in the wee hours of the morning? Say hello to people working out beside you. You never know how a smile and a hello can influence your future.

Don’t ask for a job

Even if your primary purpose for using social media may be to increase your network for job opportunities, avoid telling people you’re looking for a job when you first meet them. Even though you’ve heard you should let everyone you meet know you are looking for work, it’s better to get to know people first and share your professional goals later. If you play your cards right, you could be quitting that job before you know it.

Originally appeared on AOLJobs.com.

 

How to work with a clueless co-worker

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cluelessDo you work with someone you could only generously refer to as “dumb as a post?” Do you have a clueless co-worker? You have no idea how this person finagled a job in your department or company, but it’s clear focusing on the task at hand is not his or her strong suit? There are a lot of difficult personality types in the office, but it’s possible the colleague who just doesn’t seem to ever “get it” can be one of the most challenging to manage – especially if patience is not one of your virtues.

Take these tips into consideration if this hits home for you.

Put yourself in the other person’s shoes.

Maybe you’ve already decided your co-worker is clueless, but try to stop and think about what may be confusing him or her. If the job is new or the job description recently changed, it is possible your colleague is experiencing overwhelm and maybe isn’t as dumb as you think! Instead of getting angry or annoyed, take a deep breath and try, try again to explain things, or co-opt another colleague to take a shot at helping make things clear.

Is it you? 

Maybe you don’t realize how intimidating you are at work. Do you have a tone of voice that makes it clear you think the other person is clueless when alerted to a mistake? Do you raise an eyebrow a little too quickly or let out an exasperated sigh? If so, you could be contributing to the problem. Try to take a long look at how you are handling the co-worker and make a change.

Extend yourself. 

Perhaps a little special attention from you can make a difference in helping get things on track. Don’t underestimate the power of spending a little extra time explaining things and offering support and help. Some people would rather make mistakes than ask a question. If you offer to respond to inquiries – even though you’ve already explained things – you could save yourself a lot of grief later.

Seek assistance. 

Depending on your company, there may be external resources available to help manage a problem employee. In some cases, he or she may be offered formal training. In other cases, it will be up to you (or a supervisor) to carefully document problems in order to counsel him or her into a more appropriate position elsewhere.

Problem solve.

If the problem isn’t a matter of a new employee, and it’s clear you’re stuck working with someone who is more likely to cause a problem than to solve one, do what you can to circle the wagons and avoid handing important projects to the sub-standard colleague. It may mean more work for you and others in your team, but if you can avoid cleaning up problems later, it could be worth it. (Consider trying for a promotion yourself while you are at it.)

Be a friend.

If nothing else works, and it looks like your clueless colleague is there to stay, consider how you can help him or her find a different job. Share information about networking events and talk up the value of social networking to move ahead, career-wise. While you won’t want to give a strong work recommendation to someone who clearly can’t perform, maybe you can mentor the person into a role more appropriate – and out of your department.

Originally appeared on AolJobs.com.

 

How to use a video cover letter to get a job

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Screen Shot 2014-07-03 at 10.30.02 PMYou may be surprised the next time you apply for a job to have the opportunity to include a video in your application, or to be invited to send in a video after you apply. Many employers, seeking an efficient and effective way to evaluate applicants, are investigating ways to incorporate video technology into their hiring practices. Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer at iCIMS, a provider of innovative Software-as-a-Service talent acquisition solutions, says that 65 percent of employers are adding video technology to learn about job seekers’ personality and professionalism before scheduling on-site or phone interviews. “The adoption of video technology in the hiring process is growing as employers put more emphasis on understanding motivations and previous experience during the interview process,.” she notes.

For job seekers, this can be a great opportunity to incorporate a video cover letter as a bonus to their application. If your target employer prompts you to include a video aspect to your application, consider the following tips from Vitale to create a job-winning video cover letter.

1. Do your research. As a job seeker, it’s up to you to assess your audience and target all of your materials to appeal to the employer. “Job seekers must find out what the employer wants and how they think,” Vitale says, adding that she believes the best way to do this is to research the company and identify what makes it tick. Items to consider: the company’s value proposition (what it offers) and its mission statement. Don’t forget to review the company’s press kits if they’re shared online; they can provide a lot of insightful information. Read everything you can about the organization and the people in the department where you’d like to work. Tap LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter and Google+ to access information other candidates may not bother to find.

2. Expand your channels. If you really want to be creative and targeted, include on-screen text and other types of visual imagery that add more depth and meaning to your video. “Using information uncovered via research, job seekers can tap into a particular need the employer may have and apply this knowledge to create the right style video for the job,” Vitale says. “Understanding the company’s tone in its communication materials will help job seekers speak in a similar voice when recording video cover letter.”

3. Learn from others. You don’t need to reinvent the wheel. Get ideas from what other people have done and make them your own. According to Vitale, YouTube can be a great reference tool. “The site has tons of video cover letters to source ideas, from the super high-tech to low-tech as well as from straight-laced professional to very casual and creative.” Keep in mind there’s no right or wrong way to create your video, but you do want to be sure to create it in the style and content most applicable to the organization where you are applying.

4. Practice makes perfect. Don’t plan to create your video in one sitting. You want to be sure to appear confident, natural and relaxed, and that takes practice. “The goal of video technology is to allow the job seeker to clearly and concisely state their value proposition to the employer as it relates to the specific job for which they are applying,” Vitale says. “While writing the script, reference the specific items in the job description and knowledge of the company.”

5. Be concise. There is a reason why television advertisements are generally short: most people have limited attention spans and hiring executives who are in active need of new hires are extremely busy. “Obviously, job seekers should follow any time requirements indicated by the employer who requests a video, if applicable,” Vitale says. “However, if the company doesn’t provide any time guidelines, it is best to keep video cover letters under two minutes. This will provide a sufficient amount of time to tell a story in a concise manner without the risk of losing the audience’s attention.”

If your target employer requests you provide a video as part of your application, take these steps and use all the technology available to you (including your smartphone, desktop mounted webcam or tablet) to help you create a positive first impression. You’ll stand out from the other applicants.

Originally appeared on U.S. News & World Report.