How to Focus Your Job Search Efforts & Land Your Ideal Job in 2011

How to Focus Your Job Search Efforts & Land Your Ideal Job in 2011 Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com

Today’s Outline: Create a Job Search Plan• Focus on your online presence – Search engine results, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.• Get your “marketing materials” in shape – Resume, cover letter, business cards, website/blog• Build mutually beneficial relationships through networking – Both on- and offline• Search for available opportunities Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 2

Your Online Presence: The Statistics• 79 percent of employers now conduct an online search of applicants• 70% have turned down applicants by what they found online• Only 7% of job applicants were concerned about their online reputation Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 3

Your Online Presence• Search for yourself on Google, Bing, Yahoo, etc. – What comes up? – Are the results positive? Negative? – Do results about you show up in the first 2-3 pages?• Analyze your social networking profiles – Take down anything unprofessional • Photos, videos, swear words, etc. • Yes, even if your profile is private Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 4

Your Online Presence• Set up e-mail or RSS alerts on your name – Monitor new content as it’s published• Recommended resources: – Vizibility • Free GoogleMe button for career professionals • Create an optimal Google search for yourself & verify your results – MyWebCareer • Free service that evaluates your social & online footprint Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 5

Your Job Search Documents• In order to land a job, you need to spend time working on your cover letter & resume• Think of these as marketing documents• Ultimately, you’re marketing yourself to potential employers• Carefully read through the job description before crafting your cover letter & resume – Each application should have a tailored cover letter & resume based on desired qualifications, experience, skills, etc. Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 6

Your Cover Letter• First thing a hiring manager will read• If it’s unimpressive, they likely won’t move on to your resume• This is your chance to tell a story about yourself & relay why you’re the best fit for the position Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 7

Your Cover Letter• General tips: – Use the same letterhead or font/style on your cover letter & resume – Conclude with a call to action • State you will follow-up within one week – If possible, address it to an actual person – If you’re applying at an organization not located near your permanent address, indicate you are willing to relocate – Don’t forget to sign the letter! Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 8

Your Cover Letter• Follow this recommended outline: – Paragraph one, sentence one: • Explain why you admire the organization & why you’re applying • If someone referred you to the opening, mention it here – Paragraph one, sentence two: • As such, please consider me for the [position title] position at [company name] advertised on [where you saw the job ad]. Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 9

Your Cover Letter• Recommended outline (con’t): – Paragraph one, sentence three: • My [list about 3 characteristics/skills], and [B.A./B.S.] in [major] from [school] make me an ideal candidate. – Paragraphs 2 & 3 should be about accomplishment stories • Connect each story’s importance to the position or organization – Paragraph four: • Indicate you’ve included all appropriate information and strong interest in and availability for discussing your fit further Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 10

Your Resume• Driving force behind landing an interview• Don’t include anything and everything – Only include experience relevant to the position for which you’re applying• Do not include an objective statement – Instead, use a professional profile• Do not include information about high school – Additionally, leave off coursework altogether Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 11

Your Resume• Follow this outline: – Professional profile • Showcase the value you bring to the organization – Education • Include your college or university’s name, location, anticipated/actual graduation date, degree, major/minor & GPA (if 3.0 or above) – Experience • Include volunteer work, leadership roles, research, starting your own business, etc. Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 12

Your Resume• Outline (con’t): – Experience • Include up to three bullets for each position, beginning with an action word & describing an accomplishment – Additional experience • List only position titles, organization names, locations & dates – Skills & accomplishments • List related awards, computer programs, languages, etc. Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 13

Build Relationships Through Networking• The key to networking is to focus on building mutually beneficial relationships with other individuals – Give before you receive – Provide value just as you hope they’ll provide value to you• Where to start – Attend networking, alumni & industry events – Join online discussions & groups – Participate in Twitter chats Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 14

Search For Available Opportunities• See what’s available in your field – Comb job boards, social networking sites, company career pages & job aggregators – Analyze the job descriptions to determine what type of experience, qualifications & education is necessary – Don’t spend all of your time looking for openings • In competitive job markets, many opportunities are not published and instead filled through referrals or networking Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 15

How to Discover Your Ideal Job• Consider your experience, education & skills – What are you passionate about? – What previous experience(s) did you enjoy?• Determine the location(s) where you’d like to live• Identify 5-10 ideal organizations you’d like to work at – Take into account the culture, mission, values & beliefs of the organization and its employees – Are you a good fit for this company? Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 16

How to Discover Your Ideal Job• Reach out to key personnel at these organizations & request an informational interview – If you’re able to land an informational interview, come prepared & create a list of questions for the hiring manager – Make a note of the organization’s culture while you’re there • Is it someplace you can picture yourself working? – Follow-up with anyone you meet during the day in order to add them to your network for future opportunities Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 17

Strategies & Tactics• Become an expert in your field – Brand yourself as an expert on social networking sites – Start a blog to share your expertise & network with other industry thought leaders – Inquire about guest blogging on other prominent blogs in your field• Create an online portfolio – Include the link on your business cards & e-mail signature for employers to look at Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 18

Strategies & Tactics• Be visible – Optimize your search results through SEO – Have a presence on social networking sites • Share relevant content • Participate in conversations Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 19

Strategies & Tactics• Stay active – No longer does a college degree guarantee you a job after graduation or several years of experience put you at the top of the pile – You must continue to gain experience and showcase expertise in your field while job seeking • Consider taking on a volunteer position or internship opportunity to get a foot in the door • Work on your personal brand both on- and off-line – Continue building your network & reaching out to contacts Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com 20

Thank you! Join us for our next job seeker webinar on:March 10, 2011: Still Job Searching? Tips forUpdating Your Resume & Online Profiles in Order to Get Noticed Contact Heather at heather@comerecommended.com

http://blog.cachinko.com	757
http://paper.li	1
http://translate.googleusercontent.com	1

How to Focus Your Job Search Efforts & Land Your Ideal Job in 2011

by Cachinko

Accessibility

Categories

Upload Details

Usage Rights

3 Embeds 759

Statistics

How to Focus Your Job Search Efforts & Land Your Ideal Job in 2011 Presentation Transcript