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How to Leverage Social Media in Your Job Search

Are you using social media to help you during your job search? Social media can have a big impact on getting a new job if you know how to leverage it properly.

Using Social Media in Your Job Search

 

Using Social Media as Part of Your Job Search Strategy…

When you think about using social media for career purposes, LinkedIn is likely the first thing to come to mind, with good reason. LinkedIn provides a platform to find new job opportunities and to present yourself as an ideal candidate while networking with others in your field and in the companies you would love to join. So, as you begin your job search, updating your LinkedIn profile should go hand-in-hand with updating your resume. To maximize the value of this social media platform, make sure that your profile is filled out as completely as possible. Include a professional-looking photo of yourself as well because profiles with a photo gain significantly more traffic from recruiters than those without photos. After all, social media is about connecting with people and putting a face with a name is a powerful way to do this. Don’t forget to let recruiters know you are open to job offers. This setting is not visible to your current employer, so no need to worry.

Beyond LinkedIn…

LinkedIn isn’t the only social media platform that can help you during your job search. Recruiters also routinely look at Facebook profiles to get a sense of what candidates are like. If you are actively looking for a new job, join groups in your industry. Recruiters use Facebook groups to find potential job candidates.

On Twitter, Instagram, and Google+, following companies that you would be interested in working for is a good way to stay informed about job postings and changes in the company. Following other professionals in your industry is also a good idea. This gives you a chance to stay on top of industry trends and connect with industry leaders and companies in your field. Those connections can help you later on in your job search.

Social Media Rules to Follow…

Regardless of what platform you are on, be aware of who might be looking at what you post. Before posting, ask yourself, “Would I want my boss to see this?” Keeping your professional life and your private life separate on social media is harder than ever. It is always better to play it safe than to regret posting something damaging.

Keeping your social media professional is the first step, but you can go beyond that to increase your chances of getting a job. Post content that is relevant to your field to help establish yourself as an expert or a thought leader in your industry. This will help you stand out to recruiters, which can lead to more job offers.

If you want to be certain your LinkedIn profile is getting the attention you want, we can help! Check out our packages that include a LinkedIn profile makeover.

5 Benefits of Hiring Professional Resume Writer

Professional Resume Writer

Hiring a professional resume writer might seem like a big expense, but the rewards are worth it (and, in many cases, it’s a tax write off).

Professional Resume Writers Write Resume For a Living

This might seem like a “no-brainer” kind of statement, but think about it for a moment. If you want someone to fix your pipes, you hire a plumber because that’s what they do for a living. The same thing goes when you want someone to prepare your taxes, or fix the wiring in your house. You hire a professional who has spent years learning how to do what they do, and who spends every day using those skills. You hire these people because they know more about their trade than you do.

In many cases, professional resume writers know more about writing resumes than most people. It is their business to know the current industry standards. They know which formats look professional and make it through applicant tracking system (ATS) scans. They know how to help you get hired faster.

So, let’s take a look at the benefits that these writers provide:

Job Search Expertise

Professional resume writers help you identify jobs that you are well-qualified related to your career interests. Many job seekers often take the approach of applying for “every job under the sun.” Casting a wide net may seem like a good idea, but, as with many things in life, quality matters more than quantity in your job search. The first step is to find the right job postings. It always helps to have someone with a fresh perspective look at your qualifications and compare them to your target job to make sure you aren’t setting yourself up for failure by applying to jobs you are significantly under-qualified for.

Identifying Your Greatest Value

Resume writers help uncover your true value as an employee so that it can shine through on your resume. They go over your experience with a fine-toothed comb and ask probing questions about things you have done. This process helps identify your accomplishments, even when you’re not in an “accomplishment-driven” field like sales. Finding the key contributions you have made in your previous jobs makes it possible to highlight them properly on your resume.

Targeting Your Resume to the Job Description

Professional resume writers are masters at targeting your resume so that it is not overlooked by hiring managers. They help position you as a top candidate by highlighting your most relevant experience and accomplishments. They will make sure that every detail of your resume is focused on the goal.

Eliminating “Red Flags”

Resume writers know what to include and what NOT to include on your resume. They are aware of all of the “red flags” that cause hiring managers to pass over job candidates. They know how to minimize the damage of things like job hopping and employment gaps while highlighting your value as an employee.

Writing Expertise

Often, how you say something is just as important as what you say. Professional resume writers, first and foremost, are professional writers. Writing is what they do for a living, so they know how to make your job history come alive. They also stay current with industry standards and ensure that your resume is as professional as possible. Error-free writing is essential if you want to be taken seriously by a hiring manager, so they proofread all of your documents for you. That means you can send your resume out with complete confidence.

Are you ready to hire a professional resume writer to help you get more interviews? Check out the resume packages we have available, or email us with any questions you have about the process!

How to Make A Career Shift

You’re in a career that just isn’t for you and you’re looking for a change, but you don’t know where to begin. Sound familiar?

 

Making a Career ShiftShifting careers can be tricky business. Where do you begin looking? How do you find jobs you’re qualified for in a new field or industry? Can any of the skills and experience you gained in previous positions help you in a new career? Trying to find answers to all of those questions can be overwhelming. But, don’t worry, here’s a guide to help you move forward.

Identify transferable skills…

First, begin by assessing your transferable skills. How do you identify your transferable skills? Start by looking at your job experience. Make a list of the duties and responsibilities that you have had in each job you have held. Now ask yourself what value each of these things brought to your employer. Why were you being paid to do these things? What did they accomplish for the company or organization you worked for? For example, working as a cashier seems pretty mundane, but the value a cashier provides to their employer is in the form of customer loyalty, revenue from repeat business, and minimal revenue loss from accurately charging customers and making change. So, what skills are needed to provide this value? Customer loyalty and revenue from repeat business come from providing good customer service, and minimizing revenue loss comes from being detail-oriented, honest, and having basic math skills. When you break down your previous work experience in this way, you can start to see the underlying skills that were used. Many of those skills can be valuable in other positions as well.

Use that list of skills to help find jobs you qualify for…

After you have identified your valuable skills, make a list of careers you are interested in. Then take a look at internet job boards and find some job descriptions of positions that you might be interested in. For your first search, don’t worry too much about location, just find descriptions of jobs you think you would enjoy. After finding a couple, look at the skills and qualifications needed for these positions and compare this with the list of skills that you made earlier to determine if you are qualified. If you can give clear examples of at least 75% of the skills required in the job description, and you meet any specific qualifications listed (education, certifications, etc.) then you can apply for the job. If you don’t meet the qualifications, determine what you need to get those qualifications and then decide if it is something you want to pursue. It might mean returning to school or pursuing certifications. If this is your dream job, then taking those steps could be worth it. If you don’t have the necessary experience for those jobs you found, go back to your list of careers you are interested in and choose another area. Look for jobs in this new area and follow the same steps as before. Continue in this way until you find jobs that you are qualified for.

If there is a significant gap between the experience you have and the types of jobs you want, you may have to find some middle ground. What lower-level jobs could help you gain experience towards the career you want? Keep in mind that you may need to take an entry-level position in your new industry to start on your new career path, but if it leads you to your dream job, it is well worth it.

Are you ready to create a resume to help you make your career shift? We’re here to help!