LinkedIn gives you an incredible platform to share information to millions of LinkedIn users accross the world. This is important as a job seeker because it reaffirms your knowledge and involvement in your field and also boost your Search Engine Optimization (SEO) results in LinkedIn. Both are important in creating VISIBILITY and CREDIBILITY to hiring managers, recruiters and HR professionals!
Recently I was asked by a job hunter why they if they should send thank you letters to the people that interviewed them. They thought that this was an outdated practice. ABSOLUTELY – you should email thank you notes to everyone that interviewed you.
If you’ve yet to find the perfect job, it’s maybe because it’s not posted anywhere. You might be thinking “how this is possible?”, but it’s actually something that’s practiced in today’s business climate and it’s called the “Hidden Job Market”. This consists of jobs that have never been posted on either job boards or the company’s own website. These positions are never get formally posted anywhere, yet accounts for up to 70+% of hiring activity in the US based on many credible estimates, including the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
Some sobering numbers from recent career experts: 45 – 3 – 4 – 6 – 9. What do these numbers mean?
General Dwight D. Eisenhower is famously quoted: “In preparing for battle I have always found that plans are useless, but planning is indispensable.”
Based on my experience as a Job Hunter, Recruiter and now Job Search Coach, I know that when you are a job hunter both the PLANNING and the PLAN are critically important. Here’s why:
When I attend networking events with others, I tell them that we should all be “Lone Wolves” not “Pack Animals”. What I mean by this is that we naturally navigate to our comfort zones, which includes hanging out with those we know… normally okay, but bad when you are networking and trying to meet new people. You came in a pack… disburse and be a lone wolf meeting new people one-on-one.
If you must, in the last 10 or 15 minutes you can start to mingle with those you know and still meet new people as a small group. Always network as a lone wolf… you will build your networking communication skills and make significantly more personal connections!
I was cleaning out my office files recently (you know the manila folders in hanging files that you put something valuable in then forget about it) and came across a dogged eared copy of a FORTUNE article from 2009 titled “Secrets of the Resume Gatekeeper”. I recognized it immediately and decided to read it again because it is applicable now more than ever!
Looking for a new job, whether you are employed or not, can be a daunting challenge. Job hunting, like buying a car or home, is only done occasionally and things can change dramatically from the last time you undertook this task. Whether you are new to the job market or an experienced job hunter, crafting a well-written resume is a key part of presenting yourself in a professional manner and impressing hiring authorities. I have reviewed thousands of resumes, both as a recruiter/owner of a franchised recruiting firm and also as a hiring manager in industry. I am shocked and dismayed at how many resumes I review that have errors and are poorly written. As a job hunter you need to avoid these five common errors: