How Social Media Can Power Your Job Search

How Social Media Can Power Your Job Search Job seekers find a reliable resource in the Internet. This socially enriched space makes it possible to connect with people far and wide and to unearth viable job leads when looking for work. A survey conducted by  Jobvite  revealed that 92 percent of U.S. companies are using social media networks to recruit talent, up from 78 percent just five years ago. Social job sites have indeed revolutionized the online job space, leaving job seekers who are less technologically inclined and social media savvy with a major gap to mine. The advent of the social-media powered  job search  â€" and the influx in the number of options available to job seekers that followed â€" have changed the way people identify land positions. The Rise Of Referrals In The Job Search Using social media-enriched job sites puts job seekers with well-kept social media presence and massive networks at an advantage.  Research  shows that while only one in 100 general applicants wind up with a seat in the office, one in seven referrals will land a job with a company they apply to. Job sites that leverage online social connections allow job seekers to pinpoint the organizations that they’re already connected to by a few degrees of separation, meaning they increase their likelihood of being hired if they do in fact have someone in their network who has been previously employed or is currently working at the company they’re interested in. Online First Impressions Matter Results of one eye-tracking  study  shows that the average time spent viewing an applicant’s online profile is 5.7 seconds, with most of the attention going to job title and profile picture. While having a personal brand that’s clearly defined and conveyed by up-to-date social media profiles improves your attractiveness as a candidate to employers, the hyperfocus on this job search tool reduces talented candidates and their accomplishments to a photo on a web page and job title that may not adequately portray capabilities. This can be problematic for job seekers who have less time on their hands to devote to maintaining their presence on social networking sites. Now, even the the time-strapped and those who are less technologically inclined must dedicate valuable time to building online profiles that will catch an employer’s attention. Power in Numbers? There are numerous sites available to employers, recruiters, and talent that offer services, software, and job search engines. Job seekers post resumes and while employers supply the job openings and review talent profiles and submissions. The increase in the number of socially powered  job search  sites social means there are far more options available, but do they all stack up? Most engines turn up the same results, and the few that don’t update often lead talent to expired postings, job sites that require a credit card and registration to view, or  scams. Today’s job search space has been changed by the influx of social job search sites and search engines in general. Talent must exercise discretion when using job search sites and employers using these spaces must work to ensure postings are up-to-date, complete, and accurate. The joint effort of every contributor to the online and social job search space bears responsibility for maintaining effectiveness and results for employers and talent alike. Related: How to Use Identified for a Social Job Search. Patrick Richard  is the president and founder of  ShinyNeedle, a job site that allows employers to submit challenges to job candidates and see how they can impact a business from day one, making the hiring process more interactive. You can connect with Patrick and ShinyNeedle on  Twitter.

How Staffing Agencies Grease the Wheels of Recruitment

How Staffing Agencies Grease the Wheels of Recruitment Acting as the middlemen between employers and those seeking employment, staffing agencies promise to make recruitment a lot simpler for the management of any company, regardless of size. They’ve been around for many decades and have pretty much shaped the modern corporate landscape in terms of labor market values. Perhaps the greatest benefit of using these agencies is the relative simplicity of hiring new people to the company at minimal expense. If you want to save time looking through hundreds of portfolios and holding in-numerous interviews then staffing agencies are  the way to go. Initially it was known for providing short term or temporary jobs, it now provides permanent jobs as well. For those who are looking for temporary jobs, staffing agencies give your professional platform a boost. How do staffing agencies work? Staffing agencies are responsible for finding the perfect person to fill the vacant spot in your company. Through advertising for the job vacancy countless resumes are sent. They cut short the competition, by matching the entries skills and qualifications to your required criteria. After conducting a thorough search the perfect individual tailored to match your needs is found. Finding the perfect person to fit the bill can be a long process. The people that are finally picked can be called for a one on one interview or the interview can be conducted over the phone as well. Staffing agencies can also recommend people they feel are right for the job. As they deal with the recruiting and screening of individuals daily, their recommendations are considered equally important. You may also hire an agency that specializes in a particular department as their recommendations would be more specific, suiting the expertise youre looking out for. The growing popularity of recruitment and staffing agencies has seen an increase in them globally. Aerotek Linkedin are just a couple of big names. Syracuse has seen one of the biggest increases in the demand for Staffing Agencies. Accountemps, Officeteam, Modis, C.R Fletcher Associates are all located within a short distance from each other. This tells us that where there is availability of jobs the demand to have organised recruits has increased. Advantages of Staffing Agencies to companies: If theres work to complete and meetings are set up all day long it gets difficult to find time to look through portfolios. Finding the right person for the job can be a daunting task. Staffing agencies ease your recruiting pressure and in turn help you save time. If your company has seasonal projects then hiring a staffing agency is the way to go. As staffing agencies offer temporary placement, providing salaries would only be for the allotted time period. This helps with saving money which can then be utilized in other areas. The possibilities of a company hiring the right person is slimmer in comparison to a staffing agency as their network connections are much broader and wider. If the company offers a temporary placement then they do not necessarily have to offer health and medical benefits. The agency handles all the work from screening, holding interviews even payments of the employees. Advantages to those seeking jobs: As these agencies deal with temporary jobs you can work while continuing your search for a permanent job. The hiring company deals with the agencies payment, so your registering expenses are nil. In some situations a temporary job may turn into a permanent one if the company is pleased with your performance. The ideal job maybe halfway across the world and you may be unaware of it. Whereas searching for the perfect candidate may take hours and days too. Staffing agencies have reached out worldwide making the world a smaller place. Thus, making the impossible, now, possible. Employment agencies can make a lot of difference to businesses in a holistic way. They help to get the right sort of talent out and also help people in the economy get the relevant jobs for their backgrounds. The efficiencies of using staffing or employment agencies are without a doubt. If you are looking for a way to get your CV uploaded onto a staffing agencies database you may have to look around on the internet. While if you are a company looking for the right talent, the staffing agencies are most likely approaching you. You will need to figure out the best fit when it comes to finding the right agency for your company, but once you find a company sticks to it for the long run. Recruiting the best is often what defines the culture and atmosphere at your company. Companies and firms are nothing more than a collection of people and with the best and brightest people you can make your business scale heights like never before. Author:  Sunny Popali works for Staffworks, a staffing agency based in Syracuse. Staffworks believes that companies success lies in experienced industry professionals that manage and staffed offices with the right candidates. We help them to find right people for their workplace and provide various services like temporary staffing to professional placement, payroll and group benefit services.

How to go to a meeting when you want to sit home and cry

How to go to a meeting when you want to sit home and cry Heres what last week was like: On Sunday I flew to Detroit and gave a speech at the Public Relations Society of America. Then I flew back to Madison on Tuesday and met with an investor who only wanted to talk about my blog even though I want him to put more money into my company. Then the farmer slept over Tuesday night, and drove me to the airport at 4 a.m. so I could fly to Ft. Lauderdale to give a talk the Electronic Recruiting Exchange. On Thursday morning I woke up at 4 a.m. again and flew to San Francisco and took a car to Sand Hill Road, venture capital mecca of the universe. In the car, I called the farmer for fifteen minutes of fun. I should have been preparing for the venture capital meeting. But I was so tired, and I told myself the call would make me perky for presentation edits. In that car, on that call, the farmer dumped me. He has actually dumped me a lot. Five times in four-and-a-half months. In fact, hes dumped me so often that he has already dumped me once when Ive been on the phone in a car. And he has already dumped me once when I flew to San Francisco. So youd think that maybe this would be familiar and I would just plow through it like the other times. But there is a theme to the dumping. He wants something to be different and instead of telling me, he dumps me. So I convince him that if he asks for something then probably I can give it to him, but he has to ask. So he asks and we go on a few more weeks, and then he dumps me again. This time, I realized that I should not keep convincing him to ask for something instead of dumping me. I think I realized this after I twittered that he keeps dumping me and it was like confessional because I hadnt told anyone before, and the universal tweet response was that I should get out of the relationship. So this time, when he dumped me, I decided it was really the end. I said, Okay, and we hung up. Nothing else. You might think that being together four months would mean we have stuff at each others houses. But the farmer is 38 years old, and hes never been in a relationship longer than four months, so I think we both knew that leaving anything at anyones house was too optimistic. Which means its a clean, no-strings break. Which would have been completely true if it werent that I was so sad. And if it werent that I had to give a big presentation two hours later. And on top of that, I didnt have the sales numbers finished that I would need for the meeting. So I took drastic measures. I could tell I was in shock and I was going to need to cry and I didnt have anywhere to break down. So I got a hotel room, even though I wouldnt be sleeping over. I sat on the bed and stared at the wall and got scared that I would never be in love again in my life. Then I worried that I would not be able to hold my life together. I have too much with the kids, and the divorce and the company and now being dumped. Its too much. But then I realized that I never fall apart. I get through lots of stuff and people always say its so much but really, what else can you do? People get through what they have to. So then I worried that Id get through this but Id be numb. One of those people who is great at work but checked out everywhere else in life. I worried that I wasnt crying. I didnt cry. I opened my computer and realized that I didnt even have the numbers I needed for making a slide. So I called Tim, the guy who helps me with my PowerPoint stuff. And I said, Where are the sales figures? And he said, Where is the email you said youd send so I could do the sales figures? And I said, Crap. So we worked on the slides, and I know my voice sounded like I was trying really hard to hold it together, but I hoped that Tim thought it was because I was nervous that I was missing the slides. I said, I hope the guy at [renowned VC firm] is nice. Tim said, You dont need someone to be nice. You need someone to be direct and honest. And then I started crying. I said, Tim, the farmer dumped me. And Tim said, Again? He dumped you last time you were out here, too. This time Im not trying to convince him, I said. And I do need someone who is nice. Im sick of direct and honest. I want nice. Tim said, Im sorry. He suggested that maybe I should move the slide about my accomplishments to the front of the presentation so I can feel good about myself right away. So I redid my makeup to fix the teary mascara. And I put the slide in the beginning of the deck, and I went to the meeting. I ate three chocolates in the lobby because I remember reading that kids who ate a chocolate bar right before the SAT scored higher. I pitched the company. The guy said he was familiar with my site. You mean you read my blog? Yes, he said. I told him that my company is not my blog. Then we ran through all the company stuff. At the end of the presentation, this is what he asked me: Who was your childhood hero? My first thought was that this was like a classic interview question: What food would you be if you were a food? And I decided that it was important to give an answer that I could talk about in a way that would be consistent with who I am. And who I want him to think I am. I said, Judy Blume. As soon as that came out of my mouth I realize that I was going to have to talk about myself as a writer, and not as a CEO. And all investors want to grill me on my ability to lead a large company. Except the investors who immediately think their friend will run my company because I will be a blogger. Its times like this, paragraphs like that, when I think, what am I doing? How am I ever going to get funding when I write so often and openly about my dark, funding underbelly? I used to tell myself that the investors have no time to read my blog, but in fact, the investors are so enthralled with reading my blog that they have started asking for advice on starting their own blog. And still, I keep writing. Because when I think about how I got though last weekthe too-much travel, and the high-pressure meetings, and being dumped for the fifth timethe only thing I can think of that will make things better is to write about it. All of it. And then I think that the investor is a genius for asking me my childhood hero because it does, in fact, reveal who I am. I just have to keep reminding myself that Judy Blume is not only a writer. She is an empire.

Complimentary Training Call on Aug 28th - Is NOW the Right Time For a Career Change

Complimentary Training Call on Aug 28th - Is NOW the Right Time For a Career Change I am really excited that I will be holding a complimentary training call on August 28th!  This call is for you if you are wondering if NOW is the right time for you to make a career change in order to be a successful executive someday.  If you are tired of a career that isnt going anywhere and are sick of letting others pass you by, you better be marking your calendar and joining me on August 28th!! Click here to sign up. Join Anna Runyan’s complimentary training on August 28th at 8:30pm EST to learn the simple system to find personal fulfillment, excitement, challenge and happiness in your career! You can also download and listen to the recording if you cant make it live but I highly encourage you to listen live and ask me your questions! This powerful complimentary call will help you: Figure out the career you were born to do Get hired where you will be most successful Stop searching for a new career the wrong way Start having new opportunities come to you with ease Avoid stress, anxiety and unhappiness Have a new career and life you LOVE! Click here to sign up. See you on the live call! ??

Writing a Sample Resume For College Students

Writing a Sample Resume For College StudentsIt's not all that easy to find a sample resume to make when you're in college. You may have to do a lot of surfing, and compare your job search with others. If you want to be successful, you'll have to write a sample resume for every employer you talk to.College student resume samples can help you stand out from the rest of the pack. You can find resume samples online, but the chances are you won't be able to find one that suits your specific situation. You'll need to find a sample that matches your personality and education level.There are a lot of important things to consider when finding a sample resume. For example, don't choose a resume that's too generic. That will make it hard to convince any employer that you really were looking for a job. On the other hand, if you pick a resume based on where you work, it won't show that you were looking for a job.Also, choose a resume that's made for common search terms you're likely to use. Emplo yers don't really want a resume that's full of keywords. In other words, you'll have to be careful not to send an entry-level college student resume through the regular channels to the 'big boy' companies.When choosing a resume, choose one that has a professional look. This may mean using a less formal font, or using something a little fancier to enhance your education. Choose a resume with a professional, professional feel.Don't include information about your school or professors in your resume. Also, avoid the temptation to use your work experience as a selling point. If a resume looks like it was made just for you, chances are that it was probably written by someone else.If you've been out of school for a while, you might want to update your old school resume. Look for samples that include your old work experience. Those will be more accurate than a fresh sample.A sample resume is a great way to keep your options open. Instead of sitting around waiting for a company to call you, you can create a resume that includes information about you that you can make appealing to your potential employers. You'll have to look for samples that fit your particular situation, but you should find a sample resume that will get you started on the right foot.

How to write an achievement-based resume - Margaret Buj - Interview Coach

How to write an achievement-based resume Many resumes I receive in my recruitment job are very “duty-oriented” â€" job seekers have long lists of what they’ve done but not enough tangible achievements. If you want to increase your chances of being called in for an interview, you need to give concrete examples of what you’ve done in a current/previous job, which will be relevant to your potential employer. Related:  How To Create Effective Achievements On Your Resume Use My Tips To Create Your Achievement-Based Bullet Points On Your Resume: Focus On CAR And STAR Formats I’ve written about  STAR format  many times, mostly in the context of answering competency based interview questions but using this technique can help your resume writing process as well. STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) or CAR (Context/Challenge, Action, Result) will help you introduce a problem you’ve solved in your job and highlight your contribution. Of course you wouldn’t be able to go through an entire story on your resume (save that for the interview!) â€" but it will help you illustrate your achievements, which in turn will make you stand out. Let’s suppose you’ve done something to increase customer satisfaction from 75% to 90% â€" put that on your resume. Try to  quantify  your experience as much as you can. Numbers easily impress people so think of something you’ve done that has increased sales, or saved time/money. Ask Yourself “How Do I Know I’ve Done A Good Job?” Whenever you prepare a resume, for any bullet point you write, ask yourself “How do I know I’ve done a good job?” This will help you focus on the results you’ve achieved and will help you get called for an interview as well. When you quantify your resume, the numbers don’t have to be focused just on revenue. Perhaps you’ve trained over 200 people on a particular system at work â€" mention that on your resume. Also, be specific with business situations when describing your responsibilities. If you’ve managed a team of 25, mention that, or if you’ve managed a budget of £3m, you might want to put that number on your CV as well. Don’t ever think you didn’t make an impact just because you weren’t in a sales role. There are other ways you might have made contribution to your employer, for example: Increasing the loyalty or satisfaction of existing customers Solving a problem or challenge Saving money, e.g., negotiating a better deal from suppliers Saving time, e.g., suggesting a new time-saving process, streamlining procedures Developing an idea your employer acted on Increasing the company press coverage or market recognition Hope you’ve found these tips useful! If you want some help in preparing for competency-based interviews, you’ll love my FREE 3-day e-course  â€˜How to win at job interviews’  which contains a  wealth of other interview tips, too.

Turning Your Long-Standing Chronic Illness Into an Asset on Your Resume - Sterling Career Concepts

Turning Your Long-Standing Chronic Illness Into an Asset on Your Resume Turning Your Long-Standing Chronic Illness Into an Asset on Your Resume Gaps in your employment  are often seen as a major obstacle to securing future work. Yet, when you live with a chronic illness, these interruptions to the flow of your career are common. Fortunately, these days, you are not alone.  Almost half of American adults are affected  by a chronic condition. Companies are much more understanding and accommodating of job seekers because of this. Here is what you need to know when crafting a resume after an extended absence from the workforce due to a chronic illness. Explain What You Did During Your Time Away Work is not life’s most important aspect of despite what we are conditioned to believe. Putting health first is perfectly understandable. After all, it will make you a better worker. Therefore, there is no shame in taking time to improve your wellness after finding out about your illness or when recovering from the debilitating stages. As a matter of fact, you will demonstrate that you can deal with adversity and persevere, have problem-solving skills, take personal responsibility, and are well-balanced when you take time to heal. Yet, a gap in the chronology of your resume may leave employers curious. Without masking the truth, you can showcase skill development and activity by  highlighting alternative work  you performed when you were not employed full-time due to your illness. This might include full-time parenting, training and education, project work, part-time employment, freelance work, or volunteer activities. Consider Using a Hybrid Resume Style When you are trying to display the progress of your career path, the traditional chronological resume makes a lot of sense. But, gaps due to years when you were unable to work because of your disability or illness can appear glaring to both you and the potential employer. Thankfully, a hybrid resume style is a perfectly suitable alternative. Rather than looking at the progressive nature of your career, the hybrid resume style sheds more light on your overall qualities, education, experience, and skills. This style includes a section that highlights your accomplishments and skill sets followed by a short chronological listing of positions. Job seekers can focus their attention on their professional attributes and direct the attention of the employer to how qualified you are for the job, which is whats most important. Address Your Ability to Hold a Position with Your Illness You may be concerned that a recruiter will doubt your ability to keep a position down the road as you  find methods of pain relief  and ways to deal with your illness. If this sounds familiar, you might not want to address this in the resume. Instead, use the cover letter to show how you are a good fit. You can keep the specifics of your illness private. However, you should talk about  how the experience helped you grow. This will exhibit to an employer that you are full of drive and confidence rather than wallowing in your situation. For instance, in your cover letter, you might say that your poor health has given you the chance to develop coping mechanisms that help you take on challenges from a position of strength. The job market is incredibly competitive, but with the above tips, you will be well on your way to turning your chronic illness into a positive for securing employment. This guest post was written by Jackie Edwards.