Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Resumes must grab readers' attention

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It’s only recently that I have personally taken advantage of DVR technology. Yes, I watched shows when they were on live AND sat through commercials. We didn’t even have cable (believe it), so using the VCR to record and replay shows wasn’t a good option – the reception was not good enough make it worthwhile.

So, when TV went digital and the converter box for those without cable didn’t give me access to ABC, it was time to enter this century. While I am not a huge TV watcher, I do enjoy certain shows, and being able to view them on my time – on the TV (not via the internet) was pretty cool. (Yes – this is career related – I’m getting there!)

It took me awhile to remember that I could fast-forward through commercials. I usually multitask while viewing, so stopping to skip the commercials actually interrupted my flow. I am getting in a groove, though. Skipping commercials and getting through my favorite shows in less time has become a ritual.

Sometimes, though, a commercial just grabs me before I have time to hit fast forward. In those cases, I actually catch myself watching the commercial. I was thinking about which commercials grab me and why. Usually, it is one of three reasons:

  1. There is a lot of color and/or it is very visually appealing,
  2. It is for a product or service I use or enjoy or
  3. It engages me with a story and I need to watch the whole thing to see what happens!

Since I now often watch with my hand on the remote, if I am going to actually watch a commercial, one of these three must happen right away.

Think about your resume. You have about the same amount of time to grab a person reading it as commercials have to get my attention. What are you doing to immediately attract attention?

Appearance

While looks are not everything, they do mean a lot. Yes, often a resume goes through a computer scan first, but when a real person looks at it, it is important for it to be attractive, easy to read and up-to-date. If your resume looks like the BEFORE versions on my site, you really need to consider a revision. If you are using one of Word’s templates (they certainly did not consult a savvy resume writer for those) – you absolutely need to consider a change.

Did you know that you can even use a little COLOR in your resume? There are a lot of different ways you can visually grab attention – some that are more controversial than others. For example, some people use company logos on resumes. (This is not a practice I favor, but some really think it is great!) The bottom line is that you need an attractive resume if you want to compete.

Are you offering something the reader wants?

If I’ve said it once, I’ve said it 100 times – the resume must speak in the language that an employer will understand. If your targeted job requires someone who knows how to “develop proposals and presentations detailing new implementation process plans implemented by top management,” saying that you have done that is terrific! If the job has nothing to do with developing proposals and presentations, that language might as well be Greek to the hiring manager. Remember – simply stating your ability to do a particular task is not likely going to help your cause. Show, don’t tell.

And – do it in a way that immediately appeals to the reader.

Engage with a story

Just as a good story hook captures my attention when I watch TV, telling a good story on your resume – and in your job hunt – is important. It’s a good idea to think about stories – even collect them – to help improve your ability to catch their attention. Being able to tell your job search story is an incomparable skill. Do you know what you have to offer, and can you tell it in a way that interests people? In a way that makes them want to know more about you?

Learn how to share your story via social media, in person and via your resume. I can help!

photo by danielgreene

3 career lessons from the soccer field

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Have you ever watched small kids play soccer? It can be a real trip! (Pun intended.) While watching a game last weekend, I thought of 3 lessons job seekers can learn…

Do you know which way you should be kicking?

In the game I watched, there is no goalie in the box. So, sometimes it is tough for the kids to remember which way they should be kicking. (This is complicated by the fact that they switch sides during the game.) Every once in a while, a kid scores a goal for the OTHER team. Ooops…But, 9 of 10 times, the kid is so excited to have scored a goal, it doesn’t matter!

A lot of job seekers are like this. They don’t keep track of what direction they are going, where they want to “kick” and which “goal” is their target. The big difference between job seekers and 4-year olds on the soccer field – it is no joke to “score” for the other team.

Think about this – what can you do to be sure you are moving in the right direction for your job hunt? Are there better ways to track your research and information that you have gathered? If you are not organized, all of your hard work may go to waste.

Do you go, go, go – and then stop?

I can’t tell you how many times I saw even the best players (a relative term when it comes to 4-year olds on the soccer field) take the ball down the field – go, go, go and then, just as it seemed a goal was inevitable – come to an abrupt STOP. On the sidelines, parents had their hands on their heads…WHY STOP? “Keep going! Take it in!,” they shouted. But, it was too late. Stopping allowed another player to take the ball off in the opposite direction. Opportunity wasted.

I’m sure you can envision how this relates to job seekers. Everything is in forward motion, going great. Then, maybe an unexpected obstacle or maybe just nerves forces a stop – just enough to allow things to turn around and put an end to an opportunity.

How can you make sure that you don’t allow (or cause) an abrupt end to your positive, forward motion? Being prepared helps. Why waste all that energy you expended landing an interview if you are not going to give it your all? You need to take the ball into the goal – not stop just as you are planning to boot it in. Think about this when you are in the midst of your search. What can you do to keep moving? Maybe it is networking more (or better). Using social networking tools to expand your loose network? Coming up with a better, more succinct pitch for you and your skills. A better resume – one that helps you open doors AND helps you identify what you have to offer? Obviously, there are a lot of ways to help you stay in forward motion…Take advantage now, before you bring the ball to a stop.

Don’t take the ball from your own teammate

Kids are so focused on getting the ball, they have a tendency to steal it from their own teammates! This is another wasted opportunity, as someone’s forward motion comes to an abrupt stop at the hands (um – feet) of a teammate who should be helping.

Does this happen to you in the job search? People who should be helping you are inadvertently throwing roadblocks in the way? This happens when well-meaning friends or family members think they have something to add to your job search, advice about your resume, or stop to offer information that turns out to hurt more than help? Or, maybe you are facing stressed out family members who are less than supportive of some of the techniques you may be trying to fuel your job hunt. (These are the people who think you should be staying home applying for jobs online all day long and get annoyed when you explain that isn’t the best approach.)

Picture these folks as the kid who takes the ball from his own teammate. The soccer player just needs a little educating, some practice and some self-control. Similarly, your friend who isn’t helping you needs you to explain how he or she can help you succeed. Take the time to do the educating. Share an article about job hunting that proves your point or explains your methodology. Most importantly, though – be sure you are doing everything right. If you are the player kicking the ball in the wrong direction, you shouldn’t be surprised when a team member takes it from you!

photo by burienundressed

Evidence that Twitter is important for job seekers

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Last week, I attended (and spoke) at the Career Management Alliance conference in New Orleans. It’s always great getting together with colleagues and meeting new friends, but one of my favorite things about conferences is that I come home with several blog post ideas!

One tidbit I found very share-worthy was from Paul Forster, CEO and Co-Founder of Indeed.com. Did you know that the word  “Twitter” is the fastest growing term to appear in job postings appearing in job boards? Take a look at this chart:

These were the top ten words found in job postings, per Indeed.com’s research:

1. Twitter
2. Cloud Computing
3. iPhone
4. Facebook
5. Corporate Social Responsibility
6. Blogger
7. Pediatrician
8. Hospitalist
9. Social Media
10. Speech Language Pathologist

To clarify, this does not indicate the number of jobs working FOR Twitter, but reminds us that companies who are seeking experience using Twitter (based on the fact that they include that word in their online job postings) has grown exponentially.

This list might lead you to believe that if you want a job, social media and the medical profession are two hot topics! You may also find industry trends, unemployed per job posting (by location), and job posting per capita via Indeed.com’s job trends section.

So, if you are hesitating to dive into Twitter or other social media tools because you think they are insignificant to your job hunt, you may want to reconsider.

Stay tuned for more advice and information from the conference!

photo from FactoryJoe

Altruistic Tuesdays: Can volunteering win you a job?

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In a competitive job environment, I have often advised that clients and readers consider volunteering and/or interning for free in order to gain some valuable experience and/or to bridge a gap (in experience/in time since last worked for pay, etc.)

Adult internships are not new. In fact, in a New York Times article from two years ago, Elizabeth Pope wrote that:

Adult internships emerged about 10 years ago as the concept of “golden years” retirement expanded to include paid work, volunteering or pursuing a life passion, said Mark Oldman, a co-founder of the career site Vault.com.

A more recent piece by Tory Johnson reminds readers that an unpaid internship can be a great way to get experience that is directly related to your target job. It’s a good idea for people changing careers or planning to go back to school. Kind of a “try before you buy” approach.

Eve Tahmincioglu explored the legal ramifications of for-profit organizations working with unpaid interns in a story for Time Magazine this month. (Hat tip @heymarci.) Eve notes,  “Michael Schmidt, an employment attorney in New York City, has seen an uptick in recent months in private employers calling him to find out if they can bring in unpaid interns as a way to cut costs. His answer: volunteering at for-profit companies is, legally, a no-no. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) has spelled out several criteria with the goal of ensuring that internships not only provide real training but also can’t be used by companies to displace regular employees.”

This is really the month for focusing on legal issues for unpaid interns. Steven Greenhouse wrote a piece for the April 2nd New York Times exploring the fact that “Leading federal and state regulators…worry that more employers are illegally using such internships for free labor.” The piece notes, “The rules for unpaid interns are less strict for non-profit groups like charities because people are allowed to do volunteer work for non-profits.” (Thanks @workinggirl for sharing the link.)

Clearly, this is a tricky issue, but nonprofit organizations may not be so concerned, as they are allowed to work with volunteers. So, especially if you are considering working for a nonprofit, it may make sense to log some valuable volunteer hours to indicate your strong interest in the organization. In some cases, your hard work and hours as a volunteer may help put you first in line for a job should one become available.

Encore.org has a very useful (and free) ebook on the subject of how to turn volunteering into a job. They suggest:

  • Find volunteer work in an organization whose mission you share.
  • Offer your expertise.
  • Show your range.
  • Make yourself indispensable.
  • Identify an organizational need.
  • Incorporate your volunteer work into your resume.

The ebook (available to download HERE) offers practical tips and resources and reminds careerists to focus on the experience and its usefulness rather than expect that it will lead to a job .

Be sure to visit Encore.org for many resources to help transitioning professionals.

photo by SanJose library

One way to empower yourself as a job seeker

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Under the “you never know what will inspire you to blog” category, I was listening to a local radio show last week – The Bert Show in Atlanta. They were interviewing Chilli (Rozonda Thomas) from TLC – @officialchilli on Twitter. You’re waiting for the career connection?

Chilli shared that she has a “list” when it comes to looking for Mr. Right. She explained that she has two categories – needs and wants. (Disclosure – I am paraphrasing here, as I was in the car listening and the audio isn’t posted online as of this writing!)

Needs according to Chilli include things that are “must haves.” Chilli’s needs for a life partner included “family man and Christian,” among others. Wants? “A six-pack” (she’s willing to date someone who has a 4-pack!) and a man who doesn’t eat pork (she can compromise), among a few other desires. Everyone on the show seemed to think it was great to have a list; they commented that it was empowering to know what you are looking for and to be able to quantify it clearly. It obviously helps Chilli to zone in on how to spend her time and energy when it comes to dating.

Job seekers – think about your needs and wants. Since this isn’t a relationship advice blog, let’s take this concept to your job hunt. Do you have a list? What are YOUR needs/must-havea? A certain salary? Flexibility? Type of organization? What about your “wants?” Close to home? Ability to telecommute?

Have you narrowed down what you are looking for? If not, it’s a lot harder to find it!

Take some time today to make your list if you have not already clarified this for yourself. I’ve talked about searching for a company instead of a job, but it’s tough to choose a company before you really narrow down what YOU want. Empower yourself with a list. You deserve it!

photo by tinybanquet