Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Video resumes – more popular, but use with caution

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video77430740_80140b845e_mVideo resumes. They are all the rage in the personal branding community, but the jury is still out as far as the majority of recruiters go. A recent post in the New York Times is headlined “Video Resumes Get More Popular.” However, if you read the article, there are many caveats. (In other words, just because they are popular with the job seekers does not mean they are popular on the hiring side!)

When Serene Buckley received her first video resume from an applicant, she was interested and reviewed it, it seems more out of curiosity than anything else! She noted that it would be important for the video to be accompanied by a strong, traditional resume.

As candidates attempt to “stand out” in a tight job market, more and more applicants are turning to video. However, there are many concerns that are important to consider before directing “Resume You.”

  • Recruiters and hiring managers don’t have time to review videos. You only get 8-10 seconds for a resume!
  • Most companies use computer software to scan resumes and are not equipped to review video resumes.
  • The obvious emphasis on the candidate’s appearance could lead to racial discrimination.
  • The video could actually hurt a candidate who is not attractive.
  • A non-professionally produced video could highlight negative qualities.

The Times article quotes Don Straits, CEO of Corporate Warriors, an executive placement firm in Auburn, CA, ”...The only way that video resumes are really effective is when they’re used in context with supporting documents.” That means combining a video with a strong written resume and information about a person’s past performance.

”When video resumes are not used properly, they are worthless,” Straits said. ”And in fact, may do more harm than good.”

Not surprisingly, the article highlights the importance of production quality. Job seekers who know how to produce and edit a quality video (or hire someone to do it) have a strong advantage. It would be a shame to send a video that actually detracts from your search.

Before you start sending out a video of yourself, you want to really study what image you present. Look at your appearance, mannerisms, listen to how you sound.

Assume that your video (even if is well done and appropriate for your industry) is unlikely to help you unless your written materials catch the hiring manager’s eye first! In most cases, you must attract attention by communicating your value via traditional means that are easy to scan and assess, which usually means a strong written resume.

I can help you create a strong resume and online presence.  Learn more about how I can help with your job hunt.

photo by ezalis

Seven Days to Online Networking – a review

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seven days to online networkingJ5502If you want to stay competitive in today’s job market, it is crucial to incorporate today’s social networking tools into your job search. Not necessarily to find more job postings (although that is certainly possible), but to connect and interact with people you might not ever have another opportunity to “know” online or meet in person.

I first meet Ellen Sautter and Diane Crompton, co-authors of the book, Seven Days to Online Networking, last April, and wrote about their presentation sharing some details from the book. I have since had the opportunity to get to know Ellen by attending a weekly networking event with her. Anyone looking forward to reading the book should know that Ellen really lives by the philosophy of helping job seekers connect and goes out of her way to be generous and helpful to anyone who requests her advice and assistance.

Ellen and Diane’s book really does cut down the clutter to help job seekers and others dive into social networking in a short amount of time. By first explaining WHY you would want to network with millions of people (!), exploring the issue of how to find the time and identifying the importance of social networking, they bring the reader to the “guts” of the book – How to Stand Out in the Cyberspace Crowd.

With a market flooded with profiles, blogs and digital dirt, can one person really make inroads and “be someone” online? The answer is yes – if you know what you are doing and how to get there! Ellen and Diane offer an easy to understand and digest tutorial to help even the most resistant networker join the fun online.

Readers will learn the “do’s and don’ts” of online networking, how to optimize their use of blogs (their own or others’), various professional networking sites to explore (such as XING and Ryze) and how to start thinking about a “webfolio” – information on a website identifying skills and accomplishments.

I highly recommend Seven Days to Online Networking to anyone who is overwhelmed at the prospect of jumping online, but recognizes how important it is for career success. WIN a copy! Leave a comment here and at my other blogs for a chance in a random drawing!

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Secrets of the Job Hunt

Sometimes, it pays to  hire a coach to teach you everything you need to know! Need some help getting your job search jump started? Not sure you can put all of the great tools at your disposal to good use? Need a great resume? Learn how I can help you propel your job hunt forward.

How long should your answer to an interview question last?

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dracula.1897732142_1079d06cf9_mThis week, a mock interview client  – let’s call her Meg – reminded me of an important lesson in interview-ology that I thought I’d share. Meg was the first mock interview-ee I’ve ever had who was extremely concerned about the length of her responses! Usually, I have to explain the fact that employers (everyone, really) have very short attention spans and are not likely to continue to focus if the response drags on and on.

Meg had the opposite problem. Her replies were very short. Unfortunately, at the risk of leaving OUT key information that would help convince the interviewer to hire her.

Interviewing Meg, someone so focused on “how long she should talk” highlighted the fact that encouraging clients to keep answers short is just part of the story, and one that can be taken too literally, at the expense of a high-quality interview!

(Indulge me here a minute…)

Have you ever listened to a professional storyteller? (If not, you’re missing out, but I digress…) Usually, the story itself will be longer than the typical “listening span” we naturally have. However, the forward motion of the story, the storyteller’s investment in the tale and the intriguing details all combine to propel listeners forward. They stay with the story for a pretty simple reason – they want to KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!

Need help telling YOUR career story?
Check out my new book: 100 Conversations for Career Success

So, when you respond to interview questions, there is no need to time your answer with a stopwatch or worry how many seconds you have to reply as long as you are telling a compelling story that ANSWERS THE QUESTION. Think about it – if a child asks you to relay the Dracula story and you start out discussing Snow White – you’re going to have mutiny on your hands! Similarly, focusing on actually addressing the question at hand is the most important factor in an interview.

Your interviewer is listening for the answer to the question. If you make it clear that you are addressing the question from the get-go, you have a much better chance of maintaining his or her attention level and interest.

While I am not advocating for 20-minute, fully fleshed out tales a la a professional storyteller in the interview (lest hiring managers and recruiters try to pelt my website with tomatoes!), I do want to answer the question, “How long should your answer to an interview question be?” this way:

DO keep your answers relatively succinct. If you want to know how long it takes to answer a question, time yourself…You can probably get a lot of words into just 30 or 45 seconds. BUT – remember that it is even more important to actually answer the question with details that will support your ability to DO THE JOB! Don’t start with a lot of excessive background information that does not seem to relate to the question itself.

Get to the point – include details that will hook the reader, and be sure to actually answer the question. In the long run, as long as you don’t go on and on, the length matters less than the content.

For more on interviewing:

How to tell a STAR story.

Tips to turn your interviewer into a fan

The most important interview questions

My mock interview clients improve their interviewing skills exponentially! Could you use a job search jump start? Not sure you can put all of the great tools at your disposal to good use? Need a great resume? Learn how I can help you propel your job hunt forward.

photo by HCM Hitchhiker

30-Day Job Promotion – a review. Win a copy!

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30.day job promotionJ4475I am a big proponent of “driving your own career bus.” I believe that each individual maintains responsibility for his or her career path. Sometimes, driving your own career bus means identifying red flags at work that indicate a potential lay-off, sometimes it means finding a new job because you really hate the current position or because there are no growth opportunities. However, sometimes, driving your own career bus means purposefully seeking a promotion at your current job.

Some may ask, “Can I really work on getting a promotion? Isn’t it more about waiting for the good news from my boss?” If that is your approach, RUN, don’t walk to get a copy of 30-Day Job Promotion by Susan Britton Whitcomb. So much about your career is in your hands, and you need to have good information and advice to empower yourself to drive to the next stop in your career plan!

Susan takes the reader, step-by-step through a series of tasks and considerations. First stop? Figure out what the promotion will really do for you? Are you sure that is the job you want? The fact is, while you may have a more prestigious title and earn more money, it is important to consider how a promotion will impact your life and day-to-day happiness.

There are many important factors when considering seeking a promotion. A few covered in the book: timing and your promotability. With detailed charts, checklists and explanations, the author helps the reader uncover key issues and outline a game plan.

Susan reminds readers that being promoted is “all about value” (p. 132). You need to know it AND you must be able to communicate it well if you expect a positive result. Suggestions of what to research, sample scripts and success stories round out this useful book for anyone thinking about taking the next step in his or her career.

Win a copy of 30-Day Job Promotion by commenting here or on these blogs. Comment on all of the posts to improve your chances  in the random drawing!

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GreatPlaceJobs
Secrets of the Job Hunt

If you’re thinking a new job is a better idea than a promotion, you may need some help getting your job search jump started! Not sure you can put all of the great tools at your disposal to good use? Need a great resume? Learn how I can help you propel your job hunt forward.

Looking for a job? Use old-fashioned marketing techniques – be where they are!

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deli meat.3387838463_c25c1b844fThe other day, I was in our local Target Super Store…School starts today where I live in Atlanta, so the store was packed with school-supply shopping parents and kids. Clearly, the area with the most traffic was in the back corner, with bins of Elmer’s glue, Crayola crayons and a slew of other “must haves” for school kids.

While rummaging through 6-for-a-dollar bins of glue sticks, I was surprised by a rolling food cart. The woman from the deli was bringing her wares to the back of the store – samples of deli meat. If you bought something, you received a free package of cheese.

Since it seems as if every experience I have turns into a lesson for job seekers, it struck me that the lesson of the deli cart is simple: Go where the people are! The majority of shoppers that day were tending to spend time in the back of the store, maybe skipping the deli counter. Bringing the deli counter to the people was a great idea, and I am sure many people bought something they might not have considered as a result.

So, if you are looking for a job, are you going where you are likely to encounter people who can positively influence your search? Some ideas:

Regular readers know I love to suggest using Twitter for the job hunt. If you’re on Twitter, you are in a space full of others like you, CEOs, coaches and a slew of people who may have common interests. It’s a place where there is a community for everyone. Even cat lovers! Everyone is a potential contact. If you are not there, you miss out.

LinkedIn. This is a given. If you don’t have an optimized LinkedIn profile, it’s going to be tough for all of those recruiters who are sourcing there to find you!

In-person meetings. Have you joined the local chapters of professional development groups in your field? (And do you attend their meetings?) Have you looked up Meetup.com in your area? How about your alumni organization? Don’t discount social groups that have nothing to do with your job hunt or professional interest. You never know who you might meet at a backyard barbeque or at the local swimming pool. Go where people you DON’T think can help you go!

What ideas do you have for meeting people where they are? It’s just as important for people marketing their skills and accomplishments to be in the right place at the right time as it is for merchants to target their customers with their products.

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Sometimes, it pays to  hire a coach to help you fuel your search! Need some help getting your job search jump started? Not sure you can put all of the great tools at your disposal to good use? Need a great resume? Learn how I can help you propel your job hunt forward.
In Atlanta? GA is expecting > 10.7% unemployment. Get ahead of the game so you will be prepared to search for your next opportunity with local job search interventions: http://youneedajob.org/.


Sometimes, it pays to  hire a coach to help you fuel your search! Need some help getting your job search jump started? Not sure you can put all of the great tools at your disposal to good use? Need a great resume? Learn how I can help you propel your job hunt forward.

In Atlanta? GA is expecting > 10.7% unemployment. Get ahead of the game so you will be prepared to search for your next opportunity with local job search interventions: http://youneedajob.org/.



photo by Johnswilliamsphd