Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Monster’s BeKnown adds to the mix of professional Facebook uses

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If you have an ear to Twitter or the career/HR blogosphere, you already know Monster just launched a new social network for job seekers via a new Facebook application called “BeKnown.” Along with many, many of my colleagues, I joined a preview conference call to learn about BeKnown.

Many on the call were thinking, “This sounds an awful lot like another Facebook app, Branchout.” (I know I was thinking it!) In fact, I’ve written about Branchout, which Mashable notes has more than 800,000 users (compared to LinkedIn, with more than 100 million members). Both Branchout and BeKnown try to leverage Facebook’s more than 750 million (!) members and hope to provide a go-to, “professional” space within Facebook. Since statistics show so many more people use and spend time on (in) Facebook, I’ve been advising job seekers to clean up their Facebook profiles for job-hunting purposes for some time now. I devoted an entire chapter to Facebook in Social Networking for Career Success, because I believe it’s important to “go where the people are” when it comes to networking online, and the people are on Facebook!

Having a professional profile on Facebook helps allow job seekers to connect with companies hosting Facebook pages and helps make it easier to connect with recruiters on Facebook.

While a professional online profile is a good idea, Monster makes a point to note its app allows Facebook users to:

·         Easily invite contacts from other social networks to expand their BeKnown network beyond their existing Facebook friends

·         Keep social activity with friends and family separate from work-related activity with professional contacts

·         See who among their professional contacts on BeKnown is connected to a company or job opportunity of interest

·         Connect professional networking to Monster’s job search and browse tools and import their Monster profile to BeKnown from right within the app

For companies, Monster explains that BeKnown:

·         Opens up a vast source of potential global talent on Facebook – Facebook’s estimated 750 million members span ages, income levels and ethnic groups

·         Creates new recruitment-focused visibility opportunities and extends job posting reach in a high engagement environment

·         Increases engagement opportunities with so-called passive job seekers, as BeKnown users follow company job and network activity

·         Activates recruiter and employee networks as referral sources

What’s especially unique about BeKnown compared to other apps?

Monster explains it will include a “Social Referral Program (SRP), which encourages BeKnown users to pass along specific jobs through their BeKnown network.  The Social Referral Program amplifies a company’s employee referral network and extends reach to passive candidates.  Currently in beta, the referral program will be rolled out to select Monster customers.”

I had a chance to ask a few questions I thought would be important for readers to know.

My first question: “Is this an application marketed for job seekers, since it’s from a company best known for its job board?”

The answer was “No, it’s for anyone who wants to build a network.” In particular, it aims to offer a tool to people who have not already grown their LinkedIn network, for example.

My second question related to the jobs that will be posted on the site. I was concerned about verifying the companies and avoiding scam artists from moving in to collect information from unsuspecting job seekers. I understand there will be some verification. (We’ll see how this all plays out.)

I started using BeKnown, and, so far, I like it! Stay tuned for my first impressions. In the meantime, if you’d like to try it out:

For more information, follow these links to join BeKnown (http://www.beknown.com/landing) and to learn more about how it works (http://www.beknown.com/landing/howitworks). And, feel free to connect with me there. I’m planning to have an “open” network on BeKnown.

How to incorporate keywords in your job search materials

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Well-informed job seekers know that companies typically screen resumes using software that searches for key words. That’s why your resume should be targeted/personalized for each job. Re-writing even a section  of your resume can help scanning software (or Applicant Tracking Systems) mark your resume as one to review further.

I recently presented a webinar for The Career Summit about how to build a bridge to your next employer, and keywords (how to find them and how to USE them) play a huge role in paving the way to a new employer.

It is crucial for job seekers to identify the words that employers are using to look for them and to use those in their resumes, LinkedIn profiles, Twitter bios and Facebook bio.

You don’t want to waste any words on your resume. Earlier this week, I asked, “are you a job seeker or a French fry?,” making the point that job seekers need to select words carefully to be sure they make sense and will attract employers.

The best place to find keywords that are most relevant for your targeted organization is in job descriptions. Study job descriptions on job boards, via LinkedIn and any place that employers advertise opportunities. The descriptions don’t need to be for jobs you’d actually apply to do. For example, maybe the job is in Omaha, and you plan to stay in Miami. If the description itself is relevant to what you want to do, that information can be useful to inform your materials.

Review job descriptions and identify the nouns and noun phrases. (Remember from grade school — a noun is a person, place or thing.) Focus on being as specific as possible. For example, assistant (a noun) is not as specific as administrative assistant, or executive administrative assistant (noun phrases). Technical skills (including software), degrees and other specifics related to the job may all be keywords.

For example, a job description for a sales manager position for a fitness company includes the following keywords (among others):

  • Personal sales,
  • Model for team members,
  • Weekend production,
  • Sales Department Head,
  • Sales team,
  • College degree,
  • Member adviser

One way to be sure you are targeting keywords is to highlight all of the keywords in a variety of similar job descriptions and then incorporate all of them into your resume. Include acronyms (for example IT) as well as complete words (information technology). You should probably have at least 25 targeted keywords or phrases included in your resume.

Some fun tools I suggested during the webinar to help you visualize your keywords are Wordle — (http://www.wordle.net/) and Tag Crowd (http://tagcrowd.com). The picture accompanying this post is a Wordle representation of that sales manager position description.

You can see in the Wordle that words such as team, success, sales, benefit and healthy are highlighted. (Yes, I know that healthy is an adjective!) That would suggest those words should appear (among the others) in your resume. The bigger the word appears in the word cloud, the more significant Wordle considers it. Consider creating a word cloud of your job descriptions and comparing it to one of your resume. It’s not scientific, but it does offer a visual way to identify if you are including the details you need to land the job.

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

What pretzels have to do with your job search (or) why job seekers should focus on helping others

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Today, I was at Target. This is nothing all that unusual, to tell the truth. This morning, I was looking for individually wrapped snack packages. Perusing the aisle, I stopped in front of a man and his boxes. It seemed that they were right where my targeted snacks would be. He was stocking the shelves and quickly moved his boxes so I could find what I wanted.

No, it wasn’t there. So, I asked him if he knew where to find them. He explained that he was the “Frito-Lay guy,” and gestured to his array of chips and snacks on the shelf on the opposite side. “Hmmm…,” I said, looking at the chips – none individually wrapped. “Thanks, but I was really looking for something in small packages.” He stopped what he was doing, stood up and walked down the lane, noting that what I wanted was probably there. I was impressed that he was being so helpful, especially since I wasn’t looking for “his” stuff.

I thanked him, picked out some snacks, and then remembered that I needed pretzels! Usually, I find what is on sale. Today, there was no question that I was going to choose Frito-Lay snacks. (Sometimes, there is more to your choice than price!) Laughing, I told the man that he had sold three bags of his pretzels by helping me find his competitors’ treats! I have a feeling that I’ll remember my little encounter with the Frito-Lay man whenever I am looking for snacks. Will I always choose that brand? Maybe not, but this story will most likely cross my mind every time.

Turning back down the lane, I said to myself, “I guess I know what I am blogging about today!”

If you are a regular reader, you already know the career connection…If you are looking for a job, have you considered focusing more on how you can help other people? Small acts of kindness not only help you engage and connect with your community (whether it is online or in person), they also may remind you of your valuable skills that you can use to impact others.

I’ve written about the value of volunteering during a job search, but just reaching out to your immediate community and making an effort to extend yourself and help people who ask (or even those who do not ask) can have a real impact. You never know what might result from focusing part of your job-search strategy on helping other people.

What do you think? Has helping other people helped you in your job search? Do you think making an effort to think more of others has the potential to improve your mood – and maybe your prospects? Share your ideas in the comments!

Some takeaways for job seekers

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takeaways342261936_7ada1a750b_mEarlier this week, I was interviewed for the Career Success Radio show with Andy and Carrie Robinson. I love doing interviews, because they always inspire me to write about something that came up in the discussion.

In this case, Andy and Carrie asked me for some closing thoughts for their job seeking listeners to consider. How to sum up things for a job seeker in just a few minutes? For someone who writes (and tweets) about the topic daily, it’s a challenge to choose just a few topics.

There are jobs. If you optimize your search and your materials, “the economy” will not keep you from finding a job. It is easy to think that the situation is out of your control as a job seeker. However, I believe that job seekers control a lot more than they realize. I like to suggest that my clients “drive their own career bus.”

Do not ignore the power of social networking – the connections you can make online are only limited by the amount of time you have to pursue them. You may be surprised to learn that people you hardly know are willing to connect and provide you with information and contacts that are key to landing your next opportunity. Job seekers who shrug off LinkedIn and Twitter do so at their own risk.

Don’t underestimate the importance of a positive attitude and planning your search. Job seekers must take the reigns and be focused and purposeful. In my experience working with clients, those who plan are successful and those who leave things to chance experience a much longer than necessary search period. 

Finally, it’s important to ensure that your job search materials are up-to-date and optimized. If your resume isn’t targeted and packed with skills and accomplishments, it’s no wonder that you aren’t getting interviews! Does your LinkedIn profile match what you are saying on your resume? Are you taking advantage of all of LinkedIn’s features? If not, you are missing opportunities left and right!

Do you need help getting your search in gear? I can write your resume and teach you how to optimize your social networking to help you land the job you want. Contact me to see how I can help!

photo by artisan shooting