Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

The "right" way to look for a job…

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one way440308423_823520a6f8_mWouldn’t it be nice if there were just one “right” way to look for a job? Everyone would be able to look at the manual (it would be free online) and know what font and style to use on a resume, how long it should be, whether or not to list a graduation date, if a cover letter is really necessary, which keywords to use or not use, what online tools to incorporate, how and when to follow up and at what intervals, what answers to prepare for an interview…I could go on and on here!

Well, I’m here to tell you that there is no manual to follow that ensures you’ll appeal to every employer all of the time!

I recently worked with a client whose resume I totally redesigned using a very modern style. Her reply, “I thought it was going to look more like the one I sent…Will this appeal to recruiters, since they read resumes in a Z pattern?”

Not an unexpected question, and also interesting, since I know recruiters who just skip the top section and look for the resume’s “meat!” I explained that the best resume professionals are not writing “your mother’s resume” anymore. Times have changed, and we need to change with them. My client showed her new resume to an (older) recruiter who admitted it wasn’t what she expected to see, but that she liked the format and how it outlined the candidate’s skills and made her stand out! I couldn’t have been more pleased!

But, remember, no one can say, “This is the way to go…It will appeal to EVERYONE and win you the interview every time.” If you meet a professional who has all of the answers and does not acknowledge the fact that there are many shades of gray when it comes to the job hunt, be skeptical. Stay tuned tomorrow for a sardonic, but funny look at why there is no one “best” way to job hunt!

So, are you ready to get in the search? To grab the keys and climb the stairs to your own career bus? Let me help get you started ahead of the pack. Learn more about what I can do for you – and WHY you should hire me to help you.

photo by loopweaver

Career carnival rides again!

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ferriswheel1425942468_868186c527_mIt’s time for the Career Blogging Carnival. This week, Stephanie Lloyd hosts at her blog, Radiant Verocity. Stephanie invited several recruiting professionals to join, so it’s an eclectic mix of great advice for job seekers. Don’t miss it! FOLLOW THIS LINK.

To read previous Career Carnival Blogging Events click here and here.

Stay tuned for the announcement of the next Career Carnival Blogging Event!

photo by _Robert C_

Susan Boyle and why to keep the bar high for your job hunt

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gymnast413289937_c4bc203700_mI resisted writing anything about Susan on my career advice blog when this story first broke. If you have been under a rock or otherwise occupied, HERE is a story to brief you on Susan’s rise to fame. It also shares the results of her efforts to win the reality show, Britain’s Got Talent. In my mind, Susan’s appearance was such a huge part of why her video went viral – the judge’s surprise that her voice was so amazing was magnified by the “unlikely” package delivering it.

I wasn’t in the mood to write about appearance and how important it is for a job seeker…

However, Penelope Trunk recently addressed what she thought were the career lessons we can take from the Susan Boyle affair.

Her points:

  • Everyone loves to be a shepherd of talent. The act of finding a mentor is actually the act of showing someone you have talent and they can help you find it. 
  • You can only shine if you set the bar high. (Susan sang a difficult song for her audition.)
  • Settling for a day job does not destroy you. Susan Boyle did what so many people do who are not getting paid to do what they love. She kept singing, while she worked day jobs. She sang because she loved singing, and she got better and better and better.

I really like her analogy about setting the bar high. Aiming high offers the opportunity to outperform. It also involves risk and weighing risks and rewards. It makes me think of Olympic gymnasts who attempt a “high point value” routine. If they “stick,” they’re golden. If not, they are out of luck and left to wonder if they made the right choice – possibly for the next 4 years or the rest of their lives. Careerists need to know when to take that risk and when to play it safe.

Have you thought about where you are setting your bar? If you are in the midst of a job hunt, have you already decided to start applying for jobs that you consider “less than” what you should qualify to do because you haven’t had any luck in your field? Are you ready to take a big cut in salary because you think it’s too competitive out there to expect to earn what you’d like?

You can only achieve what you set out to do. If a gymnast isn’t willing to do the big stunt, she will never make it to the Olympics. If you give up on your job hunt, you will wind up selling yourself short. DON’T DO IT!

The reason you are not getting the interviews you deserve may NOT be because of your age (too old or too young) or because of the economy or your industry or any one of 100 excuses you have given yourself. If may be because you just don’t know how to look for a job and/or because your resume is not up to snuff. It’s not your fault; most people aren’t very good job hunters.

However, if you stop and move your bar lower before doing everything you can to hit your mark – THAT is when your fate is your fault. Consider – instead of taking a job that isn’t up to your experience level, contract with me to review and revise your resume, update your LinkedIn profile and teach you how to look for a job in today’s difficult market. If you land a job a few DAYS earlier, you can make back your investment (and that applies to most earners – some will regain their investment in the first few HOURS on the job)!

Follow THIS LINK to learn more about me and how I can help you get the job you deserve.

PS – There is more to come in this series on what we can take away from Susan’s story, including a follow-up on the recent news that she came in second in the competition and is reportedly suffering from exhaustion…Stay tuned. Lots to learn!

photo by faeryan

Quoted in ABCnews.com – Biggest mistakes job seekers make

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megaphone2590025080_d5ce7bf163_mI’d like to share a post by Michelle Goodman at ABCnews.com. She recently posted a story about the biggest mistakes job seekers make and quoted several of my comments. 

One tidbit: Provide a context for the information in your resume!


“Increased sales by 12 percent in a depressed market when most sales were down year over year” tells a far more compelling story than “increased sales by 12 percent year over year,” said Miriam Salpeter of Keppie Careers, a resume and job hunting consultancy in Atlanta.

Need personalized advice about how to be competitive in this tough market? Follow THIS LINK to learn more about me and how I can help you land the job you deserve!


Is it important to be happy at work? Lessons from A Night At the Museum-Battle of the Smithsonian

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4522672_night_smithsonian_150Is it just me, or do many movies for young people tend to have a career theme? I first noticed this back when I watched the Bee Movie. (I blogged about this HERE), and then again with Bedtime Stories, a comedy about a hotel handyman (Adam Sandler) whose life changes when the outrageous bedtime stories he tells his niece and nephew start to actually come true. (Am I the only one who thought that movie was a career story?)

Now, it’s Night At the Museum – Battle of the Smithsonian. Larry (Ben Stiller) realizes that running his own business isn’t half as much fun as hanging out with museum objects that come to life at night. Concluding that happiness is the most important thing in life, Larry makes a move.

What about you…Have you thought about the most important things in life? Given any thought to how happy (or unhappy) you are in your current job?

Read the rest on my blog at GreatPlaceJobs...

If you are ready for a change and could use some help with your search, follow THIS LINK to learn more about me and how we can work together!

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