Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

How transparent should you be?

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fish253323619_eb37d646b9_mWhen I was in New York last month, I was lucky to be able to spend time with Marci Alboher, freelance writer, journalist, author and speaker who focuses on career and workplace trends. Marci is an authority on “slash careers” (about “custom blending” different, sometimes divergent occupations and passions). She is the author of One Person/Multiple Careers, and someone whose work I have admired and followed for a long time.

In our conversation during a walk around Marci’s Greenwich Village neighborhood (where she seemed to know everyone!), we discussed a topic that is often on my mind – how much should we reveal about ourselves online? It’s a topic that is salient for job seekers using social networking sites and blogging to get their name out as an authority in their subject, and it is just as relevant for entrepreneurs, coaches and anyone engaging in the sphere known as Web 2.0.

Marci wrote about our conversation and raised some important questions about this topic on her blog today…be sure to click through to read more about our conversations and learn about “the illusion of transparency,” which may be just the ticket for job seekers!

There is no “one size fits all” career advice. Don’t you deserve the best, personalized information and help? Learn how I can help you with your search.

Frustrated that your search isn’t resulting in a job? In Atlanta? Join me and Stephanie A. Lloyd, CEO of Radiant Veracity for our series of in-person job search interventions. Read more about how to propel your search and sign up here.


photo by atrotskyite

My, how tastes (and resumes) have changed!

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suit of armor101043722_8b4ae7064f_mI’ve been sharing career related epiphanies resulting from my recent sojourn in New York City. Specifically,  from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Today’s focus: My, how our tastes and trends have changed!

Opinions about what is beautiful and what are useful ways to spend our time certainly have changed over the centuries! (When was the last time you donned a suit of armor to challenge a foe? Or slept in a Versailles-era inspired bed?) The same is true of resume conventions.

My friend and colleague Erin Kennedy recently pointed out a modern resume writing trend – adding color to resumes! As she notes, this is not an idea most professional resume writers would have entertained several years ago, but is something job seekers can consider today. Similarly, I find myself explaining to clients that I don’t write “your father’s resume.”

Yes – there are many things about resumes that are similar to those 20 years ago, but a lot has changed! Who would have thought that resumes would actually include online profiles, “social resumes” and blogs? Just as women don’t walk around corseted with big bustles, you want to be sure that your resume doesn’t look like something that belongs in a musuem because it is out of date!

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?”

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!

One of my twitter friends, Vicki, suggested I update this post to provide some visual examples of dated and modern resumes. So – follow this link to review my resume transformations – for some examples of the way resumes look today compared to old-fashioned versions. Thanks, Vicki!

What job search trends confuse or interest you?

There is no “one size fits all” career advice. Don’t you deserve the best, personalized information and help? Learn how I can help you with your search.

Frustrated that your search isn’t resulting in a job? In Atlanta? Join me and Stephanie A. Lloyd, CEO of Radiant Veracity for our series of in-person job search interventions. Read more about how to propel your search and sign up here.

Art – and the "right" way to job search – are in the eye of the beholder

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met246896968_6dc95bda71_mThere’s a reason, I think, that so many artists and creative people live in New York City (and other big cities). There is so much going on there, it is almost impossible NOT to be inspired in some way – just in walking down the street. Having recently come back from a visit to the Big Apple, I decided to take a lesson from one of my blogging mentors, Anita Bruzzese, whom I admire, among other reasons, for the fact that she never has writer’s block!

Anita suggested that I should take inspiration from what is all around me. So, some NYC inspired thoughts for the job seeker…

One of the highlights of our trip was a visit to the Metropolitan Museum of Art. A few thoughts the museum inspired in me…

Forgive me for saying so, but am I the only one who thinks, “Art is in the eye of the beholder” whenever I visit a museum? Of course, the halls were full of masterpieces, but when I visit their famous collection, there is always something I walk by and say “hmm…THAT’s in the Met?”

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To a certain extent, the same concept – art is in the eye of the beholder – applies to the job search.

I have written about the fact that there is no ONE right way to look for a job. If someone tells you that they offer the holy grail of job search, be wary. The fact is, just as certain art appeals to some more than others, resumes, job search techniques and approaches for the hunt can only be evaluated individually. Everyone brings a unique set of circumstances to the table – biases and personal preferences are an undeniable aspect of job hunting.

My colleague Louise Fletcher recently addressed the issue of including something on the resume that may not appeal to 100% of readers. Her client was concerned, but she argued that doing something that is  “calibrated to appeal to your target audience” has the potential to appeal to more people than not.

There are many nuances in job hunting…How you write your resume, what you say in your LinkedIn profile…If you should write a “social resume.” It’s not a “one size fits all” or a “come as you are” job market. Everyone has an opinion, and you want to be sure that you are listening to someone who is an expert to advise you.

Stay tuned for more thoughts…Feel free to share your insights!

There is no “one size fits all” career advice. Don’t you deserve the best, personalized information and help? Learn how I can help you with your search.

Frustrated that your search isn’t resulting in a job? In Atlanta? Join me and Stephanie A. Lloyd, CEO of Radiant Veracity for our series of in-person job search interventions. Read more about how to propel your search and sign up here.

Photo credits:  wallyg


How to overcome the "overqualified" label

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WXIA, the Atlanta NBC affiliate's present logo
Image via Wikipedia

Chris Sweigart from Atlanta’s local NBC affiliate station, 11 Alive, interviewed me for a piece that aired on the 6:00 pm newscast about how job seekers can address the issue of being considered “overqualified” for the job.

I suggested that it is important for job seekers to realize why employers are concerned about hiring “overqualified” applicants.

Some reasons:

– They worry the candidate will be “too expensive.”

– Concern the overqualified applicant will leave at the first sign of a better opportunity.

– A desire to avoid hiring a potential “grumpy Gus” or “sad Sally” if the job does not meet the candidate’s needs.

So, how should job seekers address these concerns?

Take salary off the table. Explain that, at this stage of your career, you recognize there are more important things than a high salary. Identify positives, such as work-life balance (if appropriate), the opportunity to work for an organization with a good reputation and/or with a set of talented colleagues. Give good reasons for wanting the job that don’t make you sound desperate for a paycheck.

Make a time commitment. Offer to stay for one or two years – make it clear that this job is a destination, not a jumping off point for you.

Make a convincing case for why the job is a good match. The onus is on the candidate to point out what skills and tasks involved in the job resonate with him or her and explain why those are a good fit. The fact is, while job seekers might have been doing higher level, high powered jobs with a lot of responsibility, those tasks may not necessarily be the things they really enjoy doing. Make the case that this job, at this stage of your career, is what you know you’d like to do and convince the employer of that.

Watch the clip here:

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Unemployment in the state of Georgia is now at 10.7% and predicted to go even higher. If you are looking for a job, or thinking you should be, join me and Stephanie A. Lloyd of Radiant Veracity for a series of job search interventions. Save time, money and YOUR SANITY by learning optimum job hunting tips and tricks. Learn more about our program how you can be better at job seeking HERE.

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Are you in Atlanta? Join us for the #ATLMix Tweetup

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lenox_frontI want to “personally” invite you to join me and Stephanie A. Lloyd for the first #ATLMix Tweetup on Tuesday, August 4 beginning at 6 pm Pizzeria Venti on Lenox Road in Buckhead. Pizzeria Venti’s owners, Brian and Jaime Lackey and their staff are so hospitable, and we appreciate their sponsorship of our event! If you’re on Twitter, follow the hashtag #ATLMix for information and to connect with other people who plan to attend.

Even if you are not using Twitter (yet!), feel free to join us! I invited a non-tweeting colleague who asked, “What is the advantage of a tweetup?” Let me count the ways! For the uninitiated, a tweetup is just the Twitter term for a get-together/opportunity to network with all different types of people. It’s amazing what synergies there are between professionals in very different fields.

Networking is important for job seekers and non-job seekers alike. This tweetup (free to attend – you purchase your food and beverages) – is a great way to connect with people you would probably never otherwise meet! I hope to see you there, and feel free to invite your friends! You can RSVP by clicking HERE, but feel free to come, even at the last minute!