Using Social Media to Find Jobs

You have probably researched everything there is to know about resumes, cover letters, interviews, and all of the other job-searching basics. You might not be as familiar with the newest Social Media techniques for finding jobs.

A high percentage of companies are using social media for hiring. Three out of four hiring managers will check out a candidate’s social profiles, similar to your investigating a companies website for opportunities and employee satisfaction.. 
 
Tap into the power of social media (while avoiding the pitfalls) here.

Send a Thank You Letter

 A professional thank you letter, whether hard copy or email, helps build and maintain relationships in the professional world. It’s important to let colleagues, employers, vendors, networking contacts and other contacts know that you value their time and efforts.

Sending a thank you letter is a good way to build rapport with your network and communicate your future intentions. Situations that warrant an acknowledgement:

Being provided with a new networking contact.
Getting a lead on a good job possibility.
Following an in-person or video interview

See an outline of a typical letter contents here.

Find and Utilize a Mentor Effectively

Regardless of where you are in your career everyone can use a mentor to help guide them. People with mentors get promoted faster, earn a higher salary, and are more satisfied with their careers. While most agree that having a mentor is beneficial, few people - especially early in their careers - know how to find a mentor and make sure it’s a productive and meaningful relationship.

Here are ways to help you figure out what you’re looking for, identify the right mentor for you, and set yourself up for a successful mentorship.

See 10 tips to find the right Mentor here.

Find and Make the Most of a Mentor

Having a career mentor can be the secret sauce to career success. A mentor is someone who’s in your corner and wants to help you succeed professionally. This is most successful when you both spend time coming up with a strategy for success and have a clear understanding of the long-term goals of the relationship.

A career mentor helps you figure out how to achieve your career goals. They can help you make decisions that move your career forward, offer advice and insight when you face challenges, and provide general feedback about your goals and plans.

See how to use a mentor in your job quest here.

Choose Your Professional References Carefully

Job references are one major aspect of job searching. You need to have several available on request. You need to choose people who are the best possible stand-ins for ourselves—people we trust to support us, stand with us, and make us out to be the best possible candidate for the job

Finding people to say good things about you may sound like easy. However, choosing people who can specifically speak to your skills and work ethic on a professional level should be taken seriously. These people are typically held back until the end of a key interview.

Pay attention to the finer details of securing job references here.

Networking Tips for Shy People

Networking is a trial for shy people for whom it feels insincere and manipulative. But avoiding it will undermine their careers and projects. Networks are built on good relationships based on mutual generosity.

Good networks are built on good relationships; you can't build your career or business without them. You need people to help you.

Networking is a set of social skills, find 17 skills here

7 Reasons You’re Not Getting an Interview

It can be frustrating submitting resumes only to receive the silent treatment from prospective employers. Know that you are not alone. Studies show that only 2% of job applicants actually get called in for an interview. You need to be in that 2%. 

There are reasons why you might not get called in for an interview. Have a look at the top seven reasons why you might not be getting an interview here.

Networking Strategies for Busy People:

Networking is an investment worth making and, you don't have to commit an extraordinary amount of time to the process. It is an essential part of career success. Career opportunities don't just appear out of nowhere; they usually come from the people who know, like and trust you.

Initially build your network with those you work with, utilize your current activities, and manage your social network tools. For more details on these three sources see the article here.

Ways to Evaluate Company Culture

Don't wait for the interview to learn about a company. Do your homework before the first interview to make sure you really want to work at the company. 

According to a new study by job search site Indeed, 95 percent of respondents say that if they were considering a new job opportunity, insight into the company's employer reputation would be somewhat or extremely important.

For what and how to research the company see the article here.

Job Hunting Tips for New Grads

How to be savvy when you are looking for your first job after college. There are different approaches for getting your first job out of school.

Graduation can be filled not only with a justifiable sense of accomplishment and high hopes but with a clear angst about how to get your first job and begin a meaningful career.

See 6 tips here.

Have A Career Network

A career network should be in place when you need it, both for job searching and for moving along the career ladder. Since you never know when you might need it, it makes sense to have an active career network, even if you don't need it today.

Career networking, or "professional" networking, involves using personal, professional, academic or familial contacts to assist with a job search, achieve career goals, or learn more about your field, or another field you'd like to work in. 

Networking can be a good way to hear about job opportunities, or get an "in" at the company you'd like to work in.  For 7 tips see the article here.

Networking for Introverts

You have probably heard you should spend some portion of your time networking. This includes even when you have job. So with networking being essential, now is the time to start.

You will most likely find yourself at an event of some kind event  (networking?) or mingling before the event starts (networking?). This is a natural opportunity for networking to take place.  For the recent college graduate,and for the unemployed, networking is really about any room you are in that contains other people too!

Some people are naturals at the art of networking while for others, perhaps the more shy or introverted among us, networking can be a stressful experience.

Find eight tips which will provide some help in relieving that stress here.

Build Your Career Network

The most effective method for finding a new job is through networking. Networking calls on a network of contacts and enlists their help in uncovering job leads.

The problem for many job-seekers is in the execution of networking. Job-seekers wonder, where do all these networking contacts come from — and how can I get people to be part of my network? The key point to remember is that networking is relationship-building. Your network consists of people you’ve met (either in person or online) — and you build your network by going out and meeting more people.

The question then becomes, how do I meet people to add to my network?  See 10 proven techniques for building your career network here.

Have a Career Network

A career network should be in place when you need it, both for job searching and for moving along the career ladder. Since you never know when you might need it, it makes sense to have an active career network, even if you don't need it today.

Career networking, or "professional" networking, involves using personal, professional, academic or familial contacts to assist with a job search, achieve career goals, or learn more about your field, or another field you'd like to work in. 

Networking can be a good way to hear about job opportunities, or get an "in" at the company you'd like to work in.  For 7 tips see the article here.

Your Elevator Speech

The 30 second summary, often referred to as “the elevator speech” is a simple concept; it’s how you present yourself to others in 30 seconds, whether it is a person with whom you are networking, or perhaps an old friend who you actually do meet in the elevator!

Crafting that perfect elevator speech is not so simple. Most people experience some degree of difficulty in deciding what information to include in their summary.  Many are fearful about their ability to deliver their summary in a smooth, conversational tone.  Although 30 seconds does not seem like a long time, think about a 30 second commercial on television; you can convey a tremendous amount of information in 30 seconds!

A 30 second summary must be compelling and leave the listener wanting more.  For considerations to accomplish this see the full article here.

Networking Tips for Job Seekers

As many job seekers have often heard, it's all about who you know. When it comes to finding a job, your industry connections can often prove to be as important as the practical skills and work experience you have, if not more so.

College students, career changers and other newcomers to their chosen field can and should use networking events and job fairs to meet key industry players who could put them on the path to employment.

For seven tips to make the most of time at these events, see the full article here

12 Networking ‘Need to Knows’

Not only are jobs scarce, but those that do exist are highly competitive. Networking is the key, whether you are just entering the workforce and trying to land your first job, or whether you want to continue to successfully climb the ladder, successful job search networking can give you a leg up on your competitors.

Explore 12 tips designed to help you become a more effective networker here.

Example Career Changes after 50

Reinventing your career; it’s not easy but it’s never too late. That’s the message from people who made life-altering career changes in their 40s, 50s, 60s or even older.

Some second acts aren’t by choice, some have described being forced into midlife career changes after losing their jobs and failing to find similar work because of the economy, their age, a disability or discrimination.  Some people start a second or third career because they can’t afford to stop working after retirement. Some discover they’re happier working, even if they can afford to retire.

See six examples of later-in-life changes here.

Impress anyone in under 30 seconds

Experts estimate that 85% of your financial success comes not from your skills or knowledge, but from your ability to connect with other people and engender their trust and respect.

Within seconds, everyone you meet forms an impression that largely determines whether they’ll like, trust, and and respect you. Making a good impression is absolutely critical.

Whether you are raising money for your company, or you are managing your team or leading your business, connecting to people and making a great impression is very important.

For some tips to help win hearts and minds in 30 seconds see the article here.

When it pays to work for free

Some people will tell you it’s never, ever worth it to work for free.  But it’s perfectly acceptable to do career-related work without pay – IF you derive some other career-related benefit from it.

It could be keeping up a skill, or having the opportunity to work for your potential dream client, or flexing a creative muscle you haven’t been able to use in a while.

Working for free is something to consider, especially if you’re out of the workforce, looking to go back after a long break, or contemplating switching careers. It could benefit anyone else who lacks the relevant experience or current skills they need for the job they want. For further ideas, see the article here.