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.

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Workplace

7 Ways to Accelerate Your Job Search

Considering the tough competition of the job market, jobseekers need to be smart enough to perform their job search smoothly. A slow start to your job search may increase the period of unemployment. Many times, jobseekers also get stuck with their job hunting process. While searching for jobs, it is important to save time and speed up the process of finding jobs as much as possible.
 
To expedite the process of job hunt, you need to be equipped with some essential pieces of advice. Given below are eight essential tips to help you.
 

#1. Get Prepared

If you are starting a job search, you need to set up a couple of things. Make sure you are ready with a professional email address, a telephone answering machine or voice messaging system. Always remember to put your cellular phone number in the job resume, so that you are easily contactable by the employers. There are various job search toolkits available online as well to prepare yourself for searching jobs.
 

More tips at How to Create a Professional Email for Your Career or Job Search.

 

#2. Keep Your Resume Up-to-date

Nothing can be more frustrating than not having an up-to-date resume when it comes to finding a new job. You never know when an opportunity will strike. So, you should always keep your resume current and updated. Continue including new skills and experience in your resume as soon as your acquire them.
 

More at Top 10 Signs Your Resume Needs Updating.

 

#3. Keep Templates Ready to Edit

Have multiple copies of your job resume and cover letter ready to edit. If you are ready with the templates, you can immediately tailor the same according to the job application requirements. You won’t need to change the contact information, opening and closing paragraphs for applying to different job positions. Rest of the content can be optimized according to the requirements.
 

Also check out the LinkedIn Resume Builder for a quick way to send a resume.

 

#4. Use Job Search Engines

There are plenty of useful job search engines available on the internet. There are many job search engines that are global while there are other job boards that are regional. Prepare a list of all the major job boards, company websites and associations that you want to use. Use a number of job search engines and job banks to speed up the process of searching jobs.
 

Check out the Top 5 Job Search Aggregators out there.

 

#5. Let Job Information Come to You

There are several job banks and job sites that will send you job listings by email. Find out such job search agents that can send you current job information. There are various websites that specialize in sending job opening announcement to jobseekers. This step is very useful for speeding up the process of job hunting.
 

Read more at How to Use Google Alerts for a Live Job Search.

 

#6. Time Saver Tips

If you want to speed up the process even more, you can take help from resume writing and resume editing services online. There are plenty of online resume posting services that can immediately post your job resume to multiple job boards at one. This can save you ample time.
 

And in the meantime you can watch Speedy Gonzales Cannery Woe.

 

#7. Keep Your References Ready

Another most important job search tip is to be ready with the references that you want to include in your resume or want to send to the interviewers. Make sure you have complete informational details of the references you want to send. While creating the list of references, remember to include their full name, job title, company name, phone number and email address where they can be contacted.
 

See more at References Available Upon Request.

 

#8. Leverage Your Network

Jobseekers should be advised that not all job vacancies are advertised. Most of the job openings are filled through networking. Ensure that everyone in your professional networking loop is aware that you are searching for a job. Ask your contacts if they can provide your some valuable job information. Keep expanding your professional network as well.
  

Check out 7 Brilliant Ways to Use Your Network to Get a New Job.
 
 
James Tomerson writes regularly on career, education and latest job trends. To read more from him, you can visit Jobdiagnosis.com, which also offers jobseekers a free career test to choose a career which is in tune with their career, aptitude and skills.

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Workplace

4 Ways Freelancers Can Promote Themselves on Social

The freelance life is really catching on these days. From workplace-weary professionals to recent college graduates, many are excited by the prospect of setting their own schedule and working from the comfort of home.

 

In the past, the best ways for freelancers to get their names in front of potential clients were non-digital. Cold calls, query letters, and in-person networking were all ways the would-be freelancer could try and land a gig. Those methods worked, and they still can – sometimes.

 

But social media is shaking things up. Freelancers like me are now finding new business without making nerve-wracking phone calls or even leaving the house. Whether you are looking to freelance full-time or just want a few projects you can tackle on the side, the following tips will help you market yourself through social networks, build connections, and get new clients.

 

1. Make time for social networking.

 

If there’s one thing all freelancers know, it’s that they can spend just as much time marketing their services as they can practicing their craft, especially when they’re starting out. Work social networking into your regular marketing regimen. For every query letter you write, for example, you might reach out to two new contacts on Twitter. This alone can get you hundreds of contacts every year, and it takes very little effort.

 

For those worried about the time investment needed to utilize social media, consider how much time is spent attending face-to-face networking events and banking phone numbers for cold call lists. Setting a goal of just one new contact per day via Twitter or LinkedIn takes much less time and energy than either of those traditional marketing methods, and it’s a much less intrusive way to reach your audience.

 

2. Know your audience.

 

Who are you trying to reach? Answering that question should tell you who you need to target on the social networks. It’s certainly possible to start following as many people as possible on Twitter, get several to follow back, and breathe a sigh of relief at all the “social proof” provided by your new arsenal of Twitter followers.

 

But lots of connections might not a happy freelancer make. It’s important to focus your efforts on those people and industries that are likely to generate new leads for you. Following the tweets of 200 professionals in your niche is much more valuable than following just anybody.

 

Freelancers who know their audience are able to forge relevant business relationships through social media, and one high-quality contact is worth far more than a million who will never bring you any business.

 

3. Build your brand.

 

If you’re a full-time or part-time freelancer, you’re also a small business owner. While creating and maintaining a personal brand is necessary for every professional, remember that freelancers who market through social media also have a professional brand – their business – which is inseparable from their personal brand.

 

When you freelance, you are your business and your business is you.

 

Does that mean you’re not free to “be yourself” when using social media? Of course not! On the contrary, you will have the opportunity to display your business to the world with every digital interaction – no matter how “personal” that interaction is. Just be sure the message you send to friends, family, and professional contacts on the social web is one you’re not afraid to associate with your freelance efforts.

 

4. Utilize multiple channels.

 

If your results from Twitter are so-so at best, add another network to your social media repertoire. You might be the type of freelancer whose audience is less active on Twitter than LinkedIn, Facebook, or another network. What’s more, you may find your style is more suited to one network than it is to another. The only way to know which ones are best is to try several.

 

But before you decide one network isn’t best for your business, make sure you’re using it to its fullest potential. Don’t discount LinkedIn, for instance, if you haven’t asked for recommendations and haven’t mingled in several group discussions over an extended period of time. If you’re not taking advantage of what each network offers, you’re unlikely to see results.

 

Whether it’s full-time or part-time, freelancing has always held professional advantages. Doing great work on behalf of a variety of organizations allows you to connect with scores of contacts who could be helpful down the line. Social media, when properly utilized, lets us freelancers turn our networking up a notch.

Related: 7 Reasons Personal Branding is Important for Freelancers.

 

Adam Green is a freelance copywriter and

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Workplace

7 Ways College Students Can Benefit from LinkedIn

Considering the excellent benefits that connecting with professionals on LinkedIn brings, college students can never ignore this social networking platform. In fact, your networking on LinkedIn should begin as early as possible. LinkedIn can help you find jobs as soon as you graduate from college.

 

However, it’s a regret that college students spend very little time on this professional social networking platform, as compared to the time spent on other popular social networking websites like Facebook, MySpace and Twitter.

 

Given below are some key tips on how college students should use LinkedIn and how they can reap maximum benefits by connecting with professionals on this social networking website.

 

1. Getting Job Email Alerts
 

Once you have created your professional profile on LinkedIn, you can set email alerts to receive notifications of recommended jobs. Students and jobseekers will be able to see the notifications on their homepage as soon as they log into their LinkedIn accounts.

 

2. Connecting with Professionals

  

If you have a look at LinkedIn, you’ll be surprised to find out the large number of professionals who choose to connect here. In fact, you can find your friends, co-workers, colleagues, classmates and family members on this platform. And it’s never a tough job connecting with them all. What’s more, you can even import your email list to find out who among your friends is present on LinkedIn.

Related: How To Build a Brilliant Professional Network in College.

 

3. Conducting Company Research

   

One of the biggest benefits LinkedIn offers college students and jobseekers is that they can check out the pages of their targeted employers. By visiting company, pages, you can conduct a research on the whereabouts of the company, the hiring process and what people have to say about that organization. This kind of company research on LinkedIn can always keep a stay ahead of your competition and increases your employability.

 

4. Getting Recommendations

 

LinkedIn also offers a feature through which you can get other people to recommend you. People with a maximum number of recommendations have a great chance of attracting the employers’ attention. College students too can try to get as many recommendations as possible to increase their employability.

Be sure to check out How to Get More LinkedIn Recommendations as well.

 

5. Letting Companies Find You

 

Today, a large number of organizations look for talented candidates on social networking platforms like LinkedIn. If you have created a good and detailed professional profile, chances are you will attract employer’s attention. And it would really be nice to be invited by companies for your job position you always wanted to occupy.

 

6. Connecting with Other Students

 

College students can also use LinkedIn to network with other students. This type of networking gives you a wonderful opportunity to find out how other college graduates found a job or got hired by an employer.

 

7. Landing International Jobs

 

Well, LinkedIn is a global networking platform. If you are interested in landing jobs overseas, you can get a lot of benefits by networking on this social media website. You can connect with all the major international employers and find jobs in foreign countries. 

  

Conclusion

 

It’s about time that college students too created their profiles on LinkedIn and started to use this social media platform for connecting with professionals. If you prepare yourself as early as possible, you can easily stay ahead of your competition when it comes to landing a job of your interest.

To learn how some people are using LinkedIn to attract employers, get called to interview, and get hired, see the Guerilla LinkedIn Makeover!
 

James Tomerson writes regularly on career, education and latest job trends. To read more from him, you can visit Jobdiagnosis.com, which also offers jobseekers a free career test to choose a career which is in tune with their career, aptitude and skills.

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Workplace

5 Skills Taught in the Armed Forces to Help You Secure a Job

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…

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Talent Acquisition Workplace

4 LinkedIn Mistakes You Don’t Want to Make


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.