Keppie Careers

Social media speaker, social media consultant, job search coach

Fight Age Discrimination in Your Job Hunt – Manage Your Digital Footprint

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You thought social media was for the “kids?” Blogging, Twitter, Facebook…You don’t have time to engage online with a bunch of people – you’re busy with your job hunt! Think again!

Yesterday, I posted about the value of social networking for the job seeker. Then, as I usually do, I went through my blogroll to see what’s out there in the career space. Coincidentally, Marci Alboher’s blog for the New York Times, Shifting Careers, reminded readers of another great benefit of getting involved with social media such as blogging, Twitter, Facebook, linkedin, etc. It can help keep you looking young in a job market with a tendency to discriminate against older workers.

If you haven’t looked for a job in a while and/or aren’t tuned in to managing your “digital footprint” – what comes up when someone “Googles” your name – it’s time for a quick lesson in social media. The long and the short of it is this: an online presence is key to how people will perceive you. Especially if you are in a “young” industry that discriminates against workers over 40, appearing connected to new ways of presenting yourself (your brand, as it were), may help you open doors that seemed closed.

Take a look at Marci’s blog…It tells the story of a 49-year old entertainment reporter who remade her image by freshening up her appearance and wardrobe and creating a hip online presence that made her seem younger than would belie her 20 years of industry experience. She hired people to help her, which is a great idea, but Marci points out that asking fashion conscious friends and teenagers (your children or others’) for advice and information about trends and technology is another option.

The key factor is, no matter how much experience you have, it is important to keep up with what is going on in today’s job market. Video resumes, Wikis, video conferencing, Second Life, podcasts…Job seekers should be aware of these technologies and willing to use them! Be resourceful and aware – you may be surprised to learn that Web 2.0tools can be a lot of fun and helpful beyond networking and job seeking. (Be sure to let me know when you start using a Wiki to plan your next potluck!)

Facing discrimination in your job hunt? We can write your resume to make you look younger. Need help navigating social media and online networking? Keppie Careers is here for you!

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

photo by Sarah Camp

No Time! (Like the Present)

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I recently attended a networking event with other business owners. Typically, I pitch Keppie Careers and let everyone know that I write resumes and how I can help those seeking jobs gain clarity and confidence about the job search process.

In addition, to take my own advice to always let networking contacts know how I can help THEM (networking should always be a two-way street), I mention that I am very involved in social networking, blogging and Twitter and that I’m happy to talk about linkedin.com and ways to grow a business using online tools.

When I share this information, inevitably, someone comes up to me to inquire about the TIME it takes to get involved in social networking. Yes, there is a time commitment. Yes, it is worth it!

The same advice applies to job seekers as entrepreneurs:

There are many ways to invest in your career. Investing time to discover and use the most effective online resources is key to success. Once you determine the right tools for you, you want to optimize those tools and leverage them to help you achieve your goals. Writing a half-baked linkedin profile with typos isn’t going to get you far, but putting together a top-notch summary of your skills and accomplishments has the potential to really propel your search to the next level!

Let Keppie Careers help you with your job hunt. Need a great resume? A top-of-the-line linkedin profile? We can help! www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by Toni VC

Cover Letter Follow-Up

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To conclude this week’s posts about cover letters, a few points about following up…

What About Follow Up?
Follow up of your letters is essential! The success of your job search will be directly related to how well you do this. Employers simply do not have enough time to respond to every letter they receive. Consider preparing a script to help you make your calls. Try to make your calls between Tuesday and Thursday and either first thing in the morning (8:30-9:00) or at the end of the day (4:30-5:00). These are times you will catch more people at their desks.

Try to avoid leaving a message on an answering machine if possible. If you do not leave a message, you have the option of calling a few more times and thereby keeping the “ball” in your court. However, if you call at various times and never reach a person, leave a message with your name, that you are following up on correspondence, request a return call, and leave contact information. If you do not hear from them within a week, try again. Your persistence should pay off.

If you do not have any luck reaching someone via the telephone, it is not a bad idea to touch base via email. Explain that you are following up regarding applying for a position and that you will continue to try to reach them by phone.

Be persistent without harassing the recipient and you will make an impact.

Keppie Careers is here to guide you in your job hunt: www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by Mark Witton

Mo' Cover Letter Tips

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Since I’m on a roll this week with cover letter tips, I thought I’d continue the series with some obvious, but still overlooked things to consider!

Personalize each letter. You should make every attempt to be able to address each letter to a specific individual. This may require that you contact the organization to get the name and title of the appropriate person.

Use non-sexist language. If you are answering a blind ad with no way of obtaining a specific person to whom you can direct your letter, do not use “Dear Sir” or “Dear Madam.” “To whom it may concern” is appropriate, but only do this when it is impossible to get a specific name.

Limit your letter to one page. Clear concise writing will ensure that you say everything you need to say in as few words as possible. Cover letters should never be more than one page and usually not more than 3-4 paragraphs.

Avoid overusing the word “I”. For example, instead of saying, “I have enclosed a copy of my resume” you can restructure sentences to use “you” more often. The result would be “Enclosed you will find a copy of my resume.” A rule of thumb is to try not to use “I” more than twice per paragraph.

Vary your writing. Variety makes your letters more interesting and easier to read. Try to offset long sentences with short ones. Use transitional words and phrases to help your ideas flow together more easily.

Use attention-getting action verbs and adjectives. When describing yourself and your qualifications, use adjectives and action verbs to add flavor and arouse interest. Check out our “Skills List” for examples.

Proofread, proofread, proofread. Check and check again for spelling errors. Don’t rely on your spell check alone. Read your letter backward to catch your spelling errors and typos. Check for grammatical errors by reading your letter out loud carefully from beginning to end. Have other people check for errors as well. Nothing shatters a good first impression faster than work that appears carelessly done.

“Sincerely” is a good way to close your letter. Never forget to sign it if you are mailing it.

If you want to receive free up-to-date tips to help with your job hunt, Click here to subscribe to receive future blogs sent directly to you!

Keppie Careers – we’ll write your resume, compose your cover letters and walk you through every step of your job hunt: www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by Clearly Ambiguous

Cover Letter Inspiration…So Be It!

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Are you suffering writer’s block when it comes to your cover letters?

Your first inspiration should come directly from the job description. This is your best source of information about what the employer is seeking. In addition, be sure to visit their website and take advantage of any information that helps connect you to the organization. Finally, if you have been networking well, you may have personal information directly from employees of the targeted company. USE IT to help you draw the lines between what you offer and what they want.

How Can You Describe Your Qualifications and Strengths?

Resources that might be helpful include:

  1. Phrases from prior performance appraisals, letters of commendation and letters of recommendation.
  2. Current and past job descriptions and standards of performance that clearly express job expectations and responsibilities.
  3. Desirable characteristics and requested skills for similar advertised jobs.
  4. Newspaper editorials and business sections to help write paragraphs about your industry, occupation or the economy.

More Tips to Make My Cover Letters Effective

  • Keep a copy of every letter you send as part of your job search file. Besides providing you with a record of your search, you can use portions of these letters in future ones.
  • To be efficient, develop two or three basic paragraphs and modify them slightly to personalize each letter.

Read more about cover letters from Keppie Careers:

Don’t Skip the Cover Letter
Cover Letter Tips

Don’t want to write a cover letter? We’ll do it for you! www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by Eva the Weaver