“5 Job-Hunting Ideas You Haven’t Tried” plus 1 more |
| 5 Job-Hunting Ideas You Haven’t Tried Posted: 26 Jan 2011 06:09 AM PST  Miriam Salpeter One of the most frustrating aspects of job hunting is believing you're doing everything you can and still finding yourself out of work. That's why it's empowering to realize you haven't tried everything, and that new, assertive approaches will help you expand your network and land a job. Here are five action items to help job seekers land an opportunity: 1. Seek speaking opportunities. Even if you're unemployed, you're likely an expert in some subject, so you should be able to identify organizations interested in hearing you speak. Start locally by finding the Kiwanis and Chamber of Commerce in your area. Identify local chapters of your profession's organizations. Join, attend regular meetings, and volunteer to share what you know about topics that interest the membership. If you don't feel confident in your public speaking skills, Toastmasters groups are terrific places to practice. In addition to improving your communication skills, participating in Toastmasters will naturally expand your professional reach and potentially result in some great contacts. Benefit: Speaking in front of a group automatically gives you credibility. When you deliver useful information or new ideas, you solidify your position as the subject expert. The combination of these could help you find the perfect audience for your job search. 2. Use the Events application on LinkedIn. It's easy to activate this application, and using it may give you some ideas to help find those speaking opportunities we talked about. Edit your LinkedIn profile and select "Add Application." Choose "Events" from the list and add it to your profile. This tool allows you to browse events highlighted by professionals in your network and to share information about conferences, speaking gigs, and programs you plan to attend. [See 6 Ways to Boost Your Job Search on LinkedIn.] Benefit: How often do you find out about a conference or speaker only when it's too late to attend? Instead of hearing about a great event afterwards, this application creates an entire network of information scouts so you have a chance to learn about and attend professional programs where you're likely to meet new contacts. If a member of your network you've been wanting to see or meet is planning to go to a particular event, you may choose to join him or her, creating a chance to talk and learn new information. This app provides a great way to extend your network—and it's a helpful reminder to get out of your home or office. 3. Use Quora.com to demonstrate your expertise. Quora is a social media website where you can ask and answer questions. The site is not as established as LinkedIn, but it's gotten a lot of buzz, especially in the tech community. For example, a recent question asked how to get in touch with someone at a popular blog site, and the founding editor of the site replied to the inquiry. Benefit: If you have a career-related question or are seeking potential networking contacts, it's possible to attract attention from significant players in your targeted field by participating on Quora. Alternatively, if you have expertise to share, you can answer questions and establish yourself as a go-to expert in your industry. 4. Create a website. Use it to showcase your accomplishments and tie together your relevant social networking profiles. Consider blogging on the site to further enhance your reach and opportunities to demonstrate your expertise. [See How Job Seekers Can Build an Online Brand.] Benefit: Registering and building a site at yourname.com helps you rank for your name on search engines and gives you some control over what people learn when they Google your name. 5. Join a new group. Use social media tools or your local resources to find a group or activity that's unrelated to your job-hunting goals. This could be a weekend hiking group, a book club, an industry meet-up, or whatever interests you. Participate actively and enjoy it! Benefit: Job hunting is a full-time job, and it's difficult to know when to take a break. Getting out and doing something different can stimulate new ideas and creativity that constant job hunting often stifles. If you don't have any go-to hobbies, think about expanding your horizons. Is there anything you have always wanted to learn? [For more career advice, visit U.S. News Careers, or find us on Facebook or Twitter.] Use social media tools, including Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter, to search for groups of people interested in the same topics as you. You may be surprised to learn, for example, that LinkedIn hosts close to 1,400 soccer groups. Some are professional, while others are opportunities to share personal interests. Either way, those group offer opportunities to meet a lot of different types of people. Miriam Salpeter is a job search and social media consultant, career coach, author, speaker, resume writer and owner of Keppie Careers. She teaches job seekers and entrepreneurs how to incorporate social media tools along with traditional strategies to empower their success. Connect with her via Twitter @Keppie_Careers. This entry passed through the Full-Text RSS service — if this is your content and you're reading it on someone else's site, please read our FAQ page at fivefilters.org/content-only/faq.php |
| 20 avoidable job search mistakes Posted: 21 Jan 2011 08:41 AM PST In order to network effectively, schedule at least three to five one-on-one meetings per week. STORY HIGHLIGHTS
(CareerBuilder.com) -- The phrase "shoot yourself in the foot" didn't create itself. In fact, job seekers probably coined it. Every day, thousands of people look for a job -- and almost every single one of them makes at lease one mistake (or 10) in the process. The worst part is, many if not all of these blunders are completely avoidable. "It never ceases to amaze me when people make mistakes, then slap themselves on the forehead and say, 'I can't believe I did that.' I feel the need to pop them on the head," says JaLynn Hudnall, of Ravenwood Forest Consulting. Here are 20 dumb job search mistakes that experts say you can avoid with a little thought: 1. Not using a professional e-mail address. "It is wonderful that you are proud of your heritage and cultural roots. However, please don't use 'juicygapeach' as your e-mail address," Hudnall says. "There are enough free e-mail hosts out there that you can set up a plain first.last account that is professional and non-descript." 2. Jumping into the fire without your fireproof undies. "[Don't start] your search without a plan or much thought as to where you want to go and how you plan to get there," says Julie Bauke, author of "Stop Peeing On Your Shoes- Avoiding the 7 Mistakes that Screw up your Job Search." Also, make sure you can answer these three key questions: Why are you in the job market? Tell me about yourself. What are you looking to do next? 3. Not checking yourself in the mirror before walking into an interview. "I once interviewed someone who had a giant piece of lettuce hanging off his mustache," says Mario Schulzke, founder of CareerSparx.com. "I should have said something to him, but it was just too awkward and instead I spent 30 minutes staring at the guy's upper lip." CareerBuilder.com: Keep your eyes on solar companies 4. Falling into the 'black hole.' Many job seekers misunderstand the role of the Internet in their job search, Bauke says. "It is good for research and connections," she says, but "you are not most likely to get a job that way." 5. Being forgetful. "One mistake that I have seen a number of times over the years is people using a cover letter template and forgetting to change the company and name to who it is addressed," says Paul Peterson, MA, MBA, national talent resource manager, human resources. "Your cover letter should always be customized to the company and position to which you are applying." 6. Going to networking events -- but not really networking. "Real networking is building mutually beneficial relationships," Bauke says. That can be hard to do in a group setting. "Make sure you are having at least three to five one-on-one meetings per week." 7. Omitting a signature block in your e-mail. "A signature block is a perfect place to give a brief 20-word teaser and include a link to your online résumé," Hudnall says. For example, "Georgia Environmental Engineer with 7 years experience, seeking job in new locale, click here for full résumé." 8. Casting your net too widely. "You are not a fit everywhere and you are not good at everything," Bauke reminds. "Your search will be much more effective if you focus on exactly what kind of work you want to do and where you want to do it." 9. Not paying attention. "Job seekers aren't reading the job description carefully and following the specific directions provided by the employer, recruiter or hiring manager," says Eddy Salomon, founder of Workathomenoscams.com and Workathomecareers.com. "The job description may state 'please apply by visiting x site. Please do not send a résumé.' But many job seekers are guilty of scanning the information provided and will end up doing the opposite of what has been described and send a résumé. Employers can't help but disqualify these candidates because it shows a lack of attention to detail and the failure to follow directions." CareerBuilder.com: Get the most from a fall-back job 10. Overlooking the interviewing "gimme" questions. Prepare to answer the basics questions: What are your strengths and weaknesses? Tell me about yourself. Why should we hire you? "You know they are coming. Be prepared!" Bauke says. 11. Not joining your local Chamber of Commerce. "Every Chamber across the United States has a monthly get together usually called something like 'Business After Hours,' and many even have young professionals associations," Hudnall says. "Not using this an as opportunity to network and meet others in your field is a missed opportunity." 12. Having grammar or spelling errors on your résumé or cover letter. "No matter how many résumés you send out, each customized to fit one job description, you must review each one closely for grammar and spelling errors," says Rick Saia, CPRW, content writer for Pongo Résumé . "Even the tiniest error will cast a bad impression on the hiring manager, especially if you write 'attentive to detail' as a strength. It's good practice to have a trusted friend or relative read through your documents before you send them." 13. Not being mindful of social media presence. "Job seekers need to be mindful of social profiles and pictures they may have out on the Web that may be deemed inappropriate. In some cases employers may secretly try to 'friend' you on a given social network so they can have access to your wall and photos," Salomon says. Before applying to any job, one should search for his or her own name to ensure there isn't anything out there that would be deemed inappropriate. 14. Trying to turn an informational interview into a job interview. "This is probably the worst form of abusing your network contacts. An informational interview is to get information, not an offer," says Ron Katz, author of "Someone's Gonna Get Hired ... It Might As Well Be You!" "When people start peppering the contact to see if there are any openings or jobs available, the person with whom they are meeting feels duped, taken advantage of, and at worst, angry and resentful." 15. Not having a LinkedIn profile. "Many employers and HR professionals use LinkedIn as their go-to resource for more information about a candidate," Schulzke says. "If you don't have a LinkedIn profile, you are missing out on a critical opportunity to showcase your skills and experience." CareerBuilder.com: 7 things you should never say in an interview 16. Failing to research the company. "At least take some time to review the company's website and use some of that knowledge in your résumé and cover letter," Saia says. "When you get to the interview, you'll need to know much more, especially to show how your skills and experience match up with the demands of the job and how your skills and experience can benefit the company." 17. Not following up after applying for a job. "Following up is critical to set you apart from other applicants. Job seekers often neglect this key step because, for example, they applied online and don't have a name to follow up with," says Amy Olmscheid, manager of the Career Center at Capella University. "But if you don't have a name of a person to follow up with, find one. Use the Internet or use your network. Get the name of a contact in human resources or a manager in the department you want to work in and then follow up with a call or e-mail." 18. Neglecting to follow up after an interview. "Always send a thank you note to the interviewer," Olmscheid says. "Sending your note by e-mail is perfectly acceptable, but a handwritten note is a nice extra touch." 19. Failing to ask questions at the interview. "Remember that you want to find out about the company and hiring manager as much as you want to tell them about you," Saia says. "By passing on the opportunity to ask questions, you're sending a message that you're not that interested in the job. And employers want candidates who are interested." 20. Relying on a single job-hunt strategy. "Some job seekers will declare that they are only using online job boards and those individuals may miss excellent opportunities," Olmscheid says. "Job seekers typically identify more jobs and make more connections that can lead to jobs when they use a multi-pronged approach. Amp up your job search with job boards, face-to-face meetings, networking at professional development meetings, phone networking and other search strategies." © CareerBuilder.com 2010. All rights reserved. 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