Since I was really young, I have always shown a passion for the military. Whether it was watching action-packed war movies or running around with toy guns pretending to be a soldier, this was my lifestyle after school. My dad, along with much of my family heritage, also served in the armed forces. He was…
Category: Workplace
Employee experience can seriously impact your bottom line. The Employer Brand Index gives you insight into what talent really thinks about your company.
LinkedIn has quickly become one of the largest and most accessible professional social networks out there, and because of this, it’s imperative that everyone who wishes to maximize their career potential join LinkedIn, set up a profile, and begin networking.
Of course, as with many other social networks, there are unwritten rules of etiquette that you must first figure out and then abide as you embark on your LinkedIn journey. Unfortunately, figuring out these rules and not making mistakes or breaking these rules is rather hard for those new to LinkedIn or even social networks in general.
Below I’ve tried to list a handful of mistakes that many LinkedIn users make, and I’ve tried to incorporate solutions into each section. Please, if you know LinkedIn well, feel free to add to the information here in the comments section. And, as always, happy job hunting!
The following are mistakes many LinkedIn users make and how you can avoid them:
1. Failing to Understand Social Networking Contexts
The biggest thing many LinkedIn users fail to understand is that LinkedIn is simply one of many social networks out there. No matter how professional you try to make your LinkedIn profile, the fact that a crazy Facebook profile or irreverent Twitter account under your name exists could significantly hurt your career chances. Do not ignore the other social networks you’ve joined, because recruiters, hiring managers, and others within the industry are looking at these other sites too!
Solution: Google yourself constantly. Manage your entire online presence. Edit your Tweets, check your photos on Facebook, untag yourself from unpleasant photos and conversations, and watch what you post on whatever forums you’ve joined. Always assume that your LinkedIn account is merely a portal that a potential employer can enter in order to access your entire online persona.
See more at 10 Ways to Sweep Your Digital Dirt Under the Carpet.
2. Lacking A Good Profile Photo
This is relatively simple. I’ve seen so many people fail to upload a good profile photo. I can understand why people would wish to not upload a photo; however, lacking a photo can seriously hurt your chances of getting clicked. Think about a recruiter. He or she is browsing entries; is he or she more likely to click on a photo or a tiny bit of text in the search results page? An updated photo of yourself will assure the recruiter that you are, indeed, human after all, with all your quirks and faults.
Solution: It’s much easier for someone browsing search results to connect with a human face than a bit of text, so upload a photo as soon as possible!
Further reading at How to Choose a Picture for Your Personal Brand.
3. Filling Out a Vague Headline
How many LinkedIn accounts have you seen with a bland headline beneath the profile? How many ‘Project Managers’ and ‘Sales Executives’ do you see in that headline? Boring, right? This is a big mistake because users see that the majority of LinkedIn accounts simply list a position title in this field, so they put in their own position because they think that’s what it’s for. Well, the more successful profile headlines are those that say something like “I offer my clients a quick and efficient means of incorporating various security systems into their databases.” It doesn’t have to be complicated. Instead, this statement actively states what you do while also giving your voice a chance to shine. Compare that to “Database Security Specialist” and you can see what I mean.
Solution: Market yourself in one sentence. This one sentence should be active, include the word ‘I,’ and concisely state what you can do for a client or employer.
Check out 10 LinkedIn Headline Examples from Recruiters.
4. Not Creating a Personal Narrative
Finally, you’ll see many LinkedIn users stick with the traditional format as suggested by LinkedIn. They basically enter their resume into the form and publish it. Well, how many resumes have you read that you think are incredibly interesting? I’m going to guess you’ve read no interesting resumes, ever. We’re human; we love to hear a story. So why not give others what they want to here: your professional story. Yes, of course, you can still enter your resume; however, you want to be careful in how much you pull from your resume, especially the language of the resume.
Solution: You don’t need to use resume-speak; instead, use longer sentences and active verbs that describe your story. Use the section in your profile that allows you to write a summary to tell your story, the story that isn’t on your resume. That way users can see both aspects of your career resume and aspects of your slightly more personalized professional story.
Related: 7 Pictures You Should Never Use on Your LinkedIn Profile.
This guest contribution was submitted by Pamelia Brown, who specializes in writing about associates degree. She enjoys films by Sergei Eisenstein and drinking Carling lager.
Categories
How to Find Jobs for College Graduates
As college seniors approach the end of the semester, they have a lot more to think about besides final exams and graduation parties. What they’re planning to do after college life is still a question left unanswered for many.
For those soon-to-be graduates seeking employment, Beyond.com conducted a poll through February and March, asking college seniors how many jobs they have applied to so far. Faced with continued reports on the tough job market, the class of 2011 is clearly taking some initiative. Here’s what the results showed:
• More than 33 percent reported they have already applied for over 40 jobs
• Just about 21 percent of respondents have applied for somewhere between 10 and 20 jobs
• Almost 20 percent have applied for 21 to 40 jobs
• 17 percent have applied for less than 10 jobs
• The smallest percentage, 8.5 percent, have applied for no jobs at all
While the economy is looking much brighter for recent college graduates than it has the past couple years, it still takes that extra something to help young job seekers stand out among the other applicants. Here are some tips to help college graduates be at the top of their games and score entry-level jobs in their fields.
1. Clean up your online image
Yes, employers do Google applicants. Make sure there’s nothing out there you wouldn’t want an employer to see. This includes ensuring your Facebook and Twitter privacy settings are intact and/or change your accounts to be employer-friendly to ensure you’re only viewed as a professional.
2. Start applying now…if you haven’t already
The earlier the better. Many employers start looking for candidates months before graduation, so they are ready to fill the positions in May or June. Try to get ahead of the flood of Spring resumes by applying early and often.
3. Don’t be afraid to network – in person and online
Every opportunity is an opportunity to network! Whether it’s chatting with a professor, staying in touch with an internship coordinator or creating a LinkedIn profile – don’t be afraid to put yourself out there professionally. The worst thing that can happen is nothing. Many people say landing a job is “all about who you know.” Well, the more people you are connected with virtually and in-person, the more chances you have of hearing about an employment opportunity.
4. Target your job search
While not every opportunity is going to be your dream job, you can target what you want if you find job postings in a niche job board or LinkedIn group. For example, if you’re looking for finance jobs, find a place where these types of jobs are posted specifically. Niche job boards offer more targeted job search results and a greater variety of relevant job opportunities.
5. Download mobile job search apps
Everyone is attached to their Smartphone these days, so why not receive job alerts and do some job-searching on the go?
Check out the 20 Best Career-Enhancing iPhone Apps for more ideas.
6. Utilize your school’s career services
It’s likely that your college or university has a career services office. While you’re still a student, make use of these services by making an appointment to have your resume critiqued or do a mock interview. Also, join a professional student organization or participate in groups/activities on campus that are good resume builders. For example, if you’re an advertising major, you could join American Advertising Federation (AAF).
7. Prepare for interviews – homework & “thank you’s”
If you’ve received a call back after applying for a job, you need to be prepared and on top of your game. To stand out from the other interviewees, research the company beforehand. Have questions to ask – this will show you are interested. Also, send a hand-written thank you note or an email thank you at the very least.
Check out How To Prepare for Your Job Interview for more tips.
8. Gain experience while job-searching
If you have some spare time while applying for jobs, take on an internship in your desired field. This will give you extra experience to put on your resume and show that you took the initiative to advance your skill-set instead of waiting around or taking an irrelevant job.
9. Attend career fairs
Career fairs are a great way to get in front of multiple employers looking to hire and network face-to-face. It provides the opportunity to showcase your communication skills and personality while participating in mini-interviews. It can help move your resume to the top of the pile.
10. Create an online career portfolio
Distinguish yourself from other candidates and create a powerful web page that will display your skills and experiences to show employers that you’re willing to go the extra mile and are committed to your job search.
Rich Milgram is the Founder and CEO of Beyond.com, Inc. Since January 1998, Rich has developed and grown the company as a highly niche-specific web community, consisting of more than 15,000 sites providing services to business professionals and corporations to promote growth in career, business and life.
Your Linkedin profile is your shop window to recruiters and potential employers and the first place in which potential recruiters will look when they are considering contacting you. Here are our top twelve tips to make sure your Linkedin profile is found by the RIGHT people: 1. Consider your job-seeking objectives Like any social networking…
As someone who has read, researched, and written various articles on career advice, I’ve noticed that there is a common lingo that many career advice blogs and websites share. It’s the same lingo you see in corporate management books, the same stuff you hear on TV shows in which talking heads give their own advice to would-be job-seekers. “Personal branding” is one such example of the business nomenclature, and if you really want a job, you better learn to understand and interpret these buzzwords.
At the same time, however, “personal branding” has always struck me as a somewhat vulgar way of describe a human being. Aren’t brands what we affix to objects in grocery store aisles? Aren’t brands for marking cows by searing of their flesh with a molten-hot piece of metal? All I can say is ouch. Personal branding is nonetheless a useful strategy, and here are a few ways to employ the term’s more meaningful concepts, chuck the corporate jargon, and avoid the pitfalls.
1. Your brand is all about who you truly are
Personal branding is a metaphor, nothing more, nothing less. You are a human, not a brand. Be yourself.
The term “personal branding” obviously comes from the marketing strategies that companies used to get people to recognize and value their products and services. This product branding is accomplished using various methods, which have become more complex with the rise of the Internet. But translating product branding directly into personal branding that is, taking the metaphor too seriously runs the risk of you thinking you need to completely transform yourself into a self-marketing machine by whatever means possible. Good personal branding always starts with understanding who you truly are and making that known to the right people.
2. Actions speak louder than words
Presentation is important, but there has to be a man behind the microphone. Doing a Wizard of Oz is the wrong way of approaching personal branding.
Actions, as the saying goes, always speak louder than words. You can have the flashiest presentation, but if you don’t have substantive tasks, actions, and projects you have accomplished, then all the self-promotion in the world isn’t going to get you anywhere. I challenge job-seekers to accomplish, in the real world, tangible goals that help other people, before even starting on personal branding.
3. Make it a team effort
Standing out is important, but standing out by promoting and motivating the work of others is even better.
There is a tendency within many who hew to zealously to personal branding strategies to make it all about ME. When you become too motivated by the self-marketing methods that some personal branding strategies promote, you often do so at the expense of becoming really involved with a team effort by trying too hard to outshine others. But, consider this a true leader is someone who can inspire others to believe in themselves, not just the leader. If you want to develop leadership skills and work with a successful team, you will have to put the philosophy of “standing out” to the side.
4. Know your personal brand channels
Online personal branding doesn’t have to be flashy. Don’t participate in certain things unless it’s genuine.
Of course, personal branding online is highly participatory in nature, and keeping up a blog, and a presence through various social networks like Personal Branding Workshops running in the UK and further afield.
Mariana Ashley is a freelance writer who particularly enjoys writing about online colleges. She enjoys strong coffee, a Russian accent and a well groomed moustache.
Before you jump into the interview, it is crucial that we first take a step backward and try to see the interview purely from the interviewer’s point of view.
What is he looking for? What does he want? What qualities, skills and experience is he looking for?
If you can discover what he really wants – and match those requirements one-by-one, you’ll be amazed at how smooth and successful the interview can be.
KEY REQUIREMENTS:
Ability
Let’s not kid ourselves.
You can know all the tricks of the trade. Be an expert in every aspect of interview psychology. And even have the prettiest, hand-printed resumes – it really won’t make the slightest difference unless you have the actual skills and ability to do the job advertised.
This is any interviewer’s first objective: to ascertain if you have the ability to successfully carry out the functions you will be given if you get the job.
But during the interview, it is not only essential that you inform the interviewer of your qualifications to do the job, but that you can prove it to him there and then.
It is one thing being able to actually do the job – but quite another thing being able to convince the interviewer of this reality in a positive and enthusiastic manner during the brief span of an interview.
In fact, this ability is the key difference that separates the winners from the losers.
Let’s take an example.
Mr. Joe Ordinary is going for an interview for the position of computer programmer. The company is looking for a hardworking computer programmer who will help them develop a new software program.
The interviewer asks Mr. Ordinary, “Can you do the job?”
Joe Ordinary smiles: “Yes I can…….. It should be good……very interesting….looking forward to it……”
Now notice the difference when Mr. Joe Winner is asked the same question.
He knows he must not only tell his interviewer that he can do the job but prove it in such a way that the interviewer will not believe him but be excited by his potential.
But how?
The secret is, in fact very simple: for every skill you list, always recall an incident in which you successfully used that skill.
Paint a picture in words for the interviewers so that they can actually see you using this skill in their mind’s eye.
Before we get back to our computer programmer, let me give you this example:
Anne Malone desperately wanted the job of manager at her local florist shop. During the interview, the owner said she was looking for someone who was hardworking and very ambitious to look after and build up the business.
Most applicants would have said, “Yes, I’m determined and will definitely strive to increase your turnover and profits. Yes I can do it…..definitely.”
Anne, however not only made a similar statement, but she backed it up with a real-life practical example.
She brought her statement to life.
She recalled her part-time summer job in a florist shop when she was a student. She told the story of how when she started the job, she noticed that the shop looked ‘run-down – that it lacked ‘sparkle’ and a sense of ‘freshness’
So she told the interviewer how she went to the shop’s owner and how she managed to get her to agree that when she worked in the shop over the weekend, she would get an extra commission for all the extra customers she could attract to the shop.
So the following weekend Anne used her own money and managed to persuade her family and friends to help her re-paint and re-fashion the shop and deliver a single fresh free flower to every house in the surrounding area. And the shop’s sales blossomed.
Can you now see the difference between just saying to an interviewer ” I can do the job” to actually bringing such a statement to life.
And that’s how Mr. Joe Winner answers his questions. When he is asked can he do the job -he not only confirms his ability but he backs it up with personal examples of how, for example he programmed similar software for other High-Tec companies. In fact for every skill he lists he backs it up with personal examples. He paints vivid word pictures.
Yes, this seem simple.
Yet in the thousands and thousands of interviews, I have sat through the vast majority of people will simply answer such questions with a bland ..”Yes, I’m confident I can do the job… and leave it at that hoping the interviewer will be happy with that.
He may be happy but will he be impressed? After the interview will you stand out from the other candidates?
Remember: every time you detail a specific skill that you can contribute to the business don’t just make a bland statement, “I can do this and I can do that” – always back it up with personal real-life examples. Paint a picture of yourself putting these skills into practical and profitable use so that the interviewer can see this picture in his/her mind.
And, of course, always bring with you any documentation (neatly assembled in a smart folder) that will add weight and substance to your claims. Extra references, awards or prizes, for example you may have won or articles and reports that you may have written that stand out.
Proving that you can do the job is the essential first step of the interview and the interviewer’s first and main concern. Before he proceeds to the next stage of the interview, he will want to be sure in his own mind you are capable of doing the job. It is your job to convince him.
Suitability
The interview proceeds.
The tone has changed. It has become more open, more relaxed. The original awkwardness you felt is beginning to dissipate. The interviewer is now happy that you at least have the necessary ability to carry out the basic requirements of the job. Now he’ll want to know more about you. After all, he and his fellow colleagues may be spending a lot of their lives working with you.
So he will now try to find out if you are personally suitable for the job. He’ll start to focus on trying to ascertain what type of person you are.
To do this, most interviewers will try to see how you measure up under the following headings.
Desire / energy: Do you seem energetic? A person who gets up and does things with enthusiasm. Do you seem the type of person who wants to get ahead – who’ll make a real difference?
Confidence / determination: Do you seem a relaxed, friendly yet confident person? Someone who’ll be able to get on with others? Also someone who’ll stick to a task until it is done.
Independent. What the interviewer is looking for here is someone who can be a team player and follow the directions of his supervisor but yet still have the maturity to be able to work unsupervised and direct and motivate herself. The employer is looking to see if you have this balance.
Motivation: Are you the type of person who wants to do well. To get ahead. To impress with your professionalism. To innovate. To build.
Power of communication: Have you the ability to mix and get on with people by communicating clearly and effectively. Will you be able to take extra responsibility in the future and be able to lead and motivate people through effective communication skills?
Likeability: Do you seem a friendly, OK person. This does not mean that you have to be perfect or the most popular person around. They just want to know if you are a friendly and easy person to get along with. Someone who will add to their existing team and not disrupt it.
How Professional Are You?
A new stage of the interview now starts to emerge.
The interviewer has now got to know you even more. There is a definite softening in the atmosphere.
An embryonic personal relationship seems to be developing between you and your fellow interviewers and you notice most of your pre-interview tension seems to have gone. You begin to allow yourself to relax a bit more.
The interviewer, too seems ‘more human’. At this stage, he is convinced you have the skills to do the job; he likes you; he feels you are personally suitable and he finds it easy to communicate with you.
In his own mind, he is now beginning to see you not as an interviewee but as a potential employee.
For the interviewer, this is an important turning point. And he’ll now want to take an even closer look at you from a professional business point of view.
He’ll want to make sure that you’ll be an asset to the firm, that you’ll act in a professional manner and be loyal, reliable and trustworthy and be committed to the company.
As you speak and answer his questions, he’ll now be trying to evaluate you under the following main headings.
Reliability: Do you seem honest, reliable. Someone who will do an honest day’s work? Someone who is straightforward and has enough respect and pride in themselves to always want to do a good job.
Honesty: Do you seem an honest, trustworthy person? Someone whom they can have full confidence in? Someone they could leave the keys to lock up at the end of the day?
Dedication? Do you seem hardworking and dedicated? Someone who starts a project and finishes it? A starter and a finisher? Someone who does not look for excuses to cover up failings and moans about everything?
Communication: As discussed earlier under personal suitability, are you the type of person who can get on with and communicate with all levels of the company from the tea lady to the M.D.?
Commitment: The interviewer is trying to judge if you got the job would you commit yourself fully to it?
For example, what would you say if you were going for the job as a middle- manager and the interviewer asked you: “As an employee, would you clean the floors?” What the interviewer really wants to find out here is how committed you would be to the team – how willing you would be to roll up your sleeves and do whatever is necessary to help your team get the job done.
Don’t only answer yes, but make sure you also give a personal example of a similar situation where you helped out to back up your answer.
The Last Check?
Let’s see how the interviewer’s thought processes are operating now.
He’s happy you can do the job and that you are personally suitable. He’s also confident that you’ll get on with most of the staff and that you have all the necessary professional commercial qualities that he requires from his employees.
You almost have the job!
The interviewer is now beginning to visualize you as a future colleague. Someone who he will be working with and someone he will possibly be responsible for managing.
Manageability
All during the interview, this question will be at the back of the interviewer’s mind. How manageable will you be? The last thing a manager wants is an employee who he thinks might cause trouble in the future and cause him sleepless nights!
And so a lot of his questions will be aimed at helping him come to a considered judgment on your ability not only to work alone unsupervised but also on your ability to work with others. He will also want to judge your ability to take direction and criticism not only when it is honestly given but also when you may be treated unfairly.
The interviewer/manager knows that a lot of the time, in the real business world things go wrong, people make mistakes, deadlines and commitments are broken and tempers are ignited. The interviewer wants to consider how you might react to such circumstances?
So be aware of these questions when they arise and the real motivation behind them. Also when you sense such questions are being asked treat it as a positive sign that the interviewer is seriously considering you for the position.
Last thoughts
What we have presented here is only a very general outline of the interviewer’s possible thought processes as the interview progresses.
Each interview is unique and it’s structure and tempo will change and adopt to accommodate the different personalities involved.
However, it is very helpful to be aware of the key stages of your interview and to have a deepening understanding of what your interviewer is really looking for when he asks you certain questions.
For a book with professional answers to all those difficult job interview questions together with interactive mock interviews and IQ tests, check out the Ultimate Interview Guide now.
Advancing your career isn’t just about your next promotion or salary adjustment. Career advancement requires thoughtful investment in your personal development. If you want to move up in your organization or to take your career in a new direction, you need to be proactive about it. With that in mind, here are seven resources your…
Categories
Top 5 Job Search Blunders to Avoid
Most of us will know or have an understanding that when looking for a new job and a new role, networking can be of huge value and importance. However, for many of us, there may be a difference in the definition of what ‘networking’ really means. I received a few emails on this recently which…
One of the decisions I made early on in online networking was to become an “open networker” on LinkedIn. For those of you who don’t use LinkedIn, becoming an open networker is where you join a group and are added to a list of people who are open to connecting up with people. Other networkers…