I ran across a great video today by Marty Nemko, career coach and contributing editor for U.S. News and World Report, on writing resumes.  Marty offers some great advice to job seekers on ways to make your resume stand out.  I agree with everything he says.

Below are the highlights, but the video is short and worth the watch.

• Target the employer to which you are sending your resume.  One resume may not work for every situation.
• Use a chronological resume, not a functional resume.
• Tell a couple of good 3-4 sentence success stories in your resume.
• Do a video intro.
• Write a white paper to highlight your ideas.

Labels: branding, careers, Job Hunting, Job Search, Resumes

There are now many great resources now to help job seekers better utilize Twitter in their job search.  I have put together a few of my old favorites and a couple of new ones to help job seekers either get started or take it to the next level. 

The first thing to do after you set up your twitter account is follow some people who regularly post job search advice and job openings on Twitter.  The list below was announced this week by Ryon Harms, The Social Executive, and is a "hand-picked collection of the 100 most influential personal branding gurus, power networkers, resume and interview experts, job boards and fellow executives on Twitter. If you're seeking out resources to assist you with your job search or for career advice, Harms calls his list the "who's who of career management." 

Follow TheCareer100 on Twitter to get assorted posts from all of these resources.  I know or follow many on this list, Ryon did his homework.  For more info about the list check out @TheCareer100 Must-Follow Mavens on Twitter by Ryon Harms, and The Social Executive: @TheCareer100 must-follow mavens on Twitter by Stephanie Lloyd.

Next, go to the Advanced Twitter Search and type in the word jobs in the space next to "This hashtag".  Then type in your zip code next to "Near this place".  Companies and recruiters now regularly attach #jobs to their postings on Twitter to make this a convenient way for job seekers to search.

Hope this is helpful.  Feel free to contact me if you need assistance.  And please follow me on Twitter!  @Fishdogs

Some other good resources to get you going are:

Mashable HOW TO: Find a Job on Twitter

The Wise Job Search: Five Best Ways to Use Twitter for Your Job Search!

Fishdogs: Who Should I Follow on Twitter?

ComputerWorld: Twitter Bible: All You Need To Know About Twitter

The Career 100

Labels: careers, Job Hunting, Job Search, jobs, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter, web2.0

Last week I asked this question on Twitter and LinkedIn, "What should job seekers leave OFF of their resume?"  As of this writing, this question has generated 44 responses from recruiting, career, HR, and resume professionals and hiring managers.  The number one thing that was suggested to leave off of your resume is something that most job seekers simply put on there because that's how it has traditionally been done.  I'm talking about the Objective at the top of your resume. 

These days, if your resume is not laser focused on the job for which you are applying there is a good chance it will not make the cut.  An ambiguous Objective statement right at the top of your resume does nothing for that focus.  Career coach Ann-Marie Ditta suggested leaving off  "An objective that states "looking for a growth oriented opportunity where I can use my skills and experience" So what, it says nothing to the hiring manager other than you are desperate, self focused, or need a career coach. Avoid cutesy email addresses. "

Veteran recruiter Michael Kelemen, (AKA the Recruiting Animal) concurred with nixing the Objective, "I would leave off the OBJECTIVE or SUMMARY if they are just filled with hackneyed stuff like telling me they're results-oriented, time-sensitive workers. I've actually asked people for evidence of these claims. They tend to be shocked and angered by the question - again because they just mindlessly put down what some ancient resume book tells them to."

David Graziano, Darryl Dioso, Michael Keane, Andy Lester, Eric Thomas, Courtney Wunderlich, Tiffany Skoog, and Mike Avillion all agreed on eliminating the Objective.  There were only a couple of respondents who disagreed.  One caveat may be for a new grad for whom it's not obvious what they are seeking in a career.  But in general, I think if you are going to put anything in that top spot, it should be something of a positioning statement that speaks directly to the job description and includes every keyword in the employer's requirements.  If you don't have the background to back that up, you may not be a fit for the job.  Absolutely do not put anything there that is ambiguous.  When in doubt, leave it out.

The other main suggestion that was conveyed by the respondents is that job seekers should leave anything off of their resume that does not directly relate to the job at hand.  I think that is clear enough and covers quite a bit.  Less is more.  Bill Vick, author, and founder of ExtremeRecruiting.TV, suggests even that the resume itself is one of the smaller tools in a successful job search.    

"I think what should be included is as important to look at as what should be left off.

Too often smart, brainy and talented people forget what brought them to the party in the first place and spend so much time dinking around with their resume they seem to forget people hire people - not resumes.

Like driving your car glance in back of you as you drive down that road to your next job but concentrate on what's ahead and tell 'future' stories of what you can do - not what you have done. Telling is not selling and ultimately over 70% of all hires are done because of a reference or relationship. Focus on those, not your resume."

Thank you to all those who responded to this question, making this great list possible.

The top 10 things to leave OFF of your resume. 

10. Religious or Political Affiliations

9. Toastmasters

8. Hobbies

7. Photos

6. MENSA

5. Compensation

4. Family Info (Marital Status, Children, Pets)

3. References Available Upon Request

2. Anything not relevant to the position for which you are applying

1. Objective

View the full list of responses here.  What's your opinion?  Would love to hear your comments.

 

View additional comments at the RecruitingBlogs.com posting of this article:  http://www.recruitingblogs.com/top-10-things-to-leave-off-of-your-resume

Labels: careers, Hiring, interview tips, Job Hunting, jobs, LinkedIn, Recruiting, Resumes, Social Media, Twitter

This is how a highly skilled recruiter tackles an opportunity to land a dream job. 

I got to know Karla Porter through various recruiting networks over the last year or so, and more closely through Twitter over the last several months.  I have grown to respect her opinions, ideas, and her straight forward generosity.  So when she sent me a note on Twitter that said basically, "We are supposed to be the experts at this and I have a job interview pending that is making me very nervous", I immediately sent her some info to reassure her and offered heaps encouragement.  I asked her to keep me updated, and we kept digital fingers crossed through direct messages on Twitter for the next few weeks.

I didn't realize quite what Karla was going through until she told me one day that the finger crossing had worked and that she was offered this very high profile position.  I asked her to email me the details and she did.  But what she sent me was a lesson in expert preparation, interview strategy, and follow-up worthy of review by anyone pursuing a new job opportunity.

"I was a high volume, full-cycle Recruiter for entry through executive level positions in a fast-paced call center. I was there for 7.5 years and was so busy and entrenched I really never looked for another job in all that time. I was very comfortable there, live 5 minutes away and had a good amount of autonomy which I liked. For the past year or so I had toyed with the idea of independent recruiting and the dream of working from home but I know it's a tough market to break into and I never moved on it. I did join an on line staffing service that sucks $68. a month out of my bank account for backend services which I have never used. I think it is wrong I should have to pay a monthly fee and a sizeable cut of the commission too. Something about lifetime residual income doesn't sit right with me. Joining must have been some kind of psychological plea because I could be giving that money to charity each month and it would have a purpose, and I know better. I need to cancel my account.

About a month ago I received a call to ask if I would be interested in interviewing for the Director of Workforce Development position that was recently made vacant by a person who had been in the position for many years. I know this person and she liked the job very much but she had moved on to another chapter of her life. I figured I should give it a shot after I read the job description and it sounded about 85% like me. The other 15% I had no clue about but I scanned for the word algebra and it wasn't there so I assumed it would be safe.

The interview was a 6 person panel and really very conversational. It wasn't the stiff corporate interview I expected or the kind I am used to conducting myself. They said they were looking for "fit" and that they had narrowed down a flood of resumes to 6 very qualified candidates. All the interviews were conducted the same day and I was the last person scheduled. I decided that after a day of interviewing the panel would probably be ready to go to sleep from exhaustion so I strategized to wake them up and engage them.

I went prepared with a flash drive of work examples. They didn't want to see any of it. They said they were familiar with both my professional work and service to the community and my skills were not in question. The interview was scheduled for 45 minutes but they talked with me for 1.5 hours.  I would be kidding myself and you too if I said I didn't have some butterflies behind my rib cage the first few minutes. it had been a very long time since I was on the other side of the table. I took the approach to interview them; asking questions that I knew would set me up for success. Questions like, "Are you looking for someone to maintain the functions of the position status quo or move it to the next level?" and "How important is it that the candidate of choice understand the changing demographic of our local workforce?" These were questions that I knew the answers to and that I asked to further cement my skills, talents and experience in their minds. The interview was full of thoughtful, passionate, dynamic conversation with a sprinkle of humor. I left with a really good feeling.

I also let people I have a solid history with that I would want to use as references know I was interviewing. I called them the day before the interview to let them know of my intent, to let them know of my excitement at the opportunity and to ask for advice. Without having to ask for support they offered to make phone calls to let the organization's leaders know I would be a valuable asset to have on board. I was thrilled!

I did everything that I would expect a top candidate to do; down to the handwritten thank you notes promptly sent the day after the interview, etc. I focused on accomplishments not a laundry list of responsibilities in my resume. I talked to a couple of Recruiters I respect and a friend who is a marketing genius about the opportunity and my interview strategy. I never acted interested in salary during the interview and of course didn't bring it up. When asked why I was interested in the position I said it was my desire to serve my community that compelled me to apply and that I was not an active job seeker. I told them I was perfectly happy with my job but that the opportunity to use my talents for the greater good of the community was more attractive than using them for just one organization.

A week later I got a call asking if I was still interested. There was discussion of salary and benefits and I found out I was one of two final candidates. I offered to come for a second interview or to be assigned a project of their choosing. I was told it wouldn't be necessary but it was putting me over the edge in a good way to offer and that my energy was impressive and to just sit tight. The next week I got the offer call. Though I had very positive feelings the entire time, I was concerned politics might get in my way because I am not politically connected and I didn't know who the other candidate was. I feel really good that wasn't the case, that I was offered the position based on merit and that they were savvy enough to recognize the best person for the job.

My boss claimed shock when I called to give my resignation notice. Other senior staff was surprised too.  But honestly, they shouldn't have been. For years I had worked outside of my job description, stretching it and pushing the boundary of it into other areas. I developed business cases and did presentations on the use of new recruiting technologies and employer brand management, educated my peers at other sites and superiors on Gen Y and effective strategies for multiple generations to work together, driven attract and retain initiatives, developed relationships with Area Agency on Aging for older workers, local technical schools and colleges. I was selected to serve on committees with Directors and VPs regarding HR and other areas like the integration of emerging technologies, for example. This in addition to 185 hires last year alone (The Generalist and I shared an admin assistant but it is a one Recruiter site). The hours were often marathon like.

These were things that my peers at other sites and our HR VP's were not versed on; they all just rely on internet job boards, newspaper classifieds and job fairs. I openly asked for opportunity which was often given but rarely recognized for in the way I had hoped. My hope had turned out to be an unrealistic one, that the company would recognize my contributions with a promotion or the creation of a specialized position. Senior leaders through the highest level expressed that they were sad to lose me but happy for my opportunity. I felt weird about it because I would have stayed with them had they allowed me to grow formally within the organization. Instead, it took an outside organization to recognize my value.

I'm overjoyed to have accepted a wonderful opportunity and high profile position in the community with what I see as endless possibility. I start April 10^th, wish me luck...."

Karla Porter can be found on major social networking sites. She welcomes you to follow her on Twitter @karla_porter .  I highly recommend that you do.  -CF

Labels: careers, interview tips, Job Hunting, Recruiting, Twitter

This week I had the dubious honor of being the featured guest on the Recruiting Animal Show on Blog Talk Radio.  The Recruiting Animal is sort of a Jim Rome type of interviewer.  His shtick is to be bombastic, throw curve balls, cut people off if they don't answer quickly or interestingly enough.  But he is smart and thoroughly researches his subjects who he enjoys picking apart.  So it was, with not so slight trepidation, that I joined him on his show on possibly the worst day for doing so, April Fools Day! 

Well it turned out that some friends called in to support me when the talk turned to searching for job candidates on Twitter.  And we ended up with a very informative show.  I didn't have to talk nearly as much as I feared I would have to for a one hour show.  Some listeners even complained that they didn't get to hear enough from me.  But I was fine with that.  And to Animal's credit, he expertly edited the audio to create an 18 minute file that clearly shows, step by step, how you can use Twitter to identify and contact prospective job candidates.

I have personally had good success recruiting with Twitter.  There are plenty of job seekers there, with good reason (there are lots of good recruiters there)  And I love technology.  And Twitter (as beautifully simple as it is) is still a bit of a technical wonder.  I think we converted some skeptics, and presented some great info for the recruiting community's collective tool belt.  One of these days I'll have time to do a written version of these tips.  But for now, here is the audio:

Here is the short version MP3 file of the edited Audio, How to recruit on Twitter

Here is the link to the show and the full-length audio

And here is Animal's post of the show on RecruitingBlogs.com

As to Animal (@animal on Twitter), I appreciate the work he puts into his show.  He wants it to be entertaining.  And guests are expected to help make that happen.  So I can't fault him for jumping in where he thinks it is warranted.  After all, its his show.  I had listened to it a few times before and winced along with the rest of the audience when he would pounce on an unresponsive guest.  But my experience with him was great.  Not always comfortable, but still great.  Sort of like when a comedian picks you out of the audience. 

Now I have to emphasize again that I had HELP!  Animal had a couple of sidekicks along (ostensibly ready to refute my stance that Twitter is a good recruiting tool) when I called in, recruiters Jerry Albright (@jerry_albright) and Harry Joiner (@ecommercejobs).  Maureen Sharib (@MaureenSharib) acts as producer and is always on hand.  Karla Porter (@karla_porter), David Graziano (@davegraziano), and Jason Davis (@recruitingblogs aka Slouch, creator of RecruitingBlogs.com) all called in for the discussion.  Everyone had something instructive to add and it really made for a good exchange. 

Here is a bit of what I wrote to Animal after the show:

"The only person I didn't know before the show was Harry Joiner.  And he played a great role.  Karla and Dave are pretty good Twitter friends of mine (damn it still sounds weird to say "twiiter friends").  And I kind of know Maureen, Jerry, and JD through Twitter. Recruitingblogs.com, TalentBar.com, etc.  Everyone did well and chipped in, which was quite a relief for me."

Thanks to all.  And a special shout out to Susan Kang Nam (@pinkolivefamily) who connected me with Animal in the first place. 

So, my friends, if you dare square off with Animal, my advice is to be sure you get to the point quickly.  And be sure the point is worth getting to.  Or have your friends ready to prop you up with some great subject matter. 

Good show Animal!

Labels: branding, careers, Hiring, Job Hunting, Recruiting, Recruiting Animal Show, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter, web2.0

Personal Branding.  Do those words make you cringe?  Let's choose something else like, Name Equity.  Whatever term you use, it's really all the same thing.  Mitch Joel posted a great article today on his blog that clearly illustrates the current need to take control of your online persona.  No matter who you are, or what you do, with today's technology there is no excuse for not having a good handle on your personal brand, and a substantial contact network to back it up.  I'm not just talking about people in the technology industry, or in marketing, or any of the industries you might associate with social media, networking, etc.  I am talking about you: manager, college student, stay at home mom or dad, accountant, fireman.

Can you conceive of a situation where you might actually have to ask people for help?  Or want to promote something?  Anything?  Garage sale?  Sell your house?  Help your spouse or kid find a job?  Raise money for a sick friend or relative?  You can certainly get on the phone and call people, or send out a group email to all your friends and contacts.  But most people, without the benefit of a social network, don't have the network power to make the kind of difference that can be made with a healthy group of online contacts.

If you have an established brand that people can find on Google, your chances of building a substantial network, getting a better job, getting venture capital, whatever, are increased exponentially.  People online will network with people they can "check out".  Employers will hire or recruit people who "check out" in a Google search.  People will offer assistance to you if you are active on social networks and have a trustworthy "brand".  But if someone goes online to Google you and all they turn up are some old high school photos that someone posted of you on MySpace or Facebook, well...

Here is a quick tip.  It's sort of the essence of branding.  Many of us have common names, or names that would compete with more famous or prominent folks of the same name online.  So find your niche (a word, or two words) and associate it with your name wherever you choose to place your brand.  My name, for instance, is pretty common.  There are hundreds or maybe thousands of people online with the same name, many of whom are more famous or more public a figure than I.  So everywhere I put my name online, every social media spot, blog post, directory, whatever, I always put what I do and list my web sites. 

Many people don't like to write anything about their work on social media sites because it is supposed to be social, right?  Wrong.  If you don't associate your name with the things you want to be known for, something that is specific and not too generic, you are doing yourself a disservice.  Google Craig Fisher and you will find me.  But I'm not right up there at the top.  However I'm in the recruiting business.  And I help companies and people to brand themselves better online so that I can more easily match them up together.  And my web sites where I write about all this are Fishdogs.com and AListSolutions.com.  So Google Craig Fisher and Recruiting, or Craig Fisher and branding, or Craig Fisher and Fishdogs or Craig fisher and A-List, and the results are much more satisfactory.

This exercise is not only an ingenious way to get people to Google me, it also demonstrates that if you, Jane Jones of knitting fame, pair your name continuously with something online that you would like to be known for, you are well on your way to creating a brand for yourself.  Now don't forget to be consistent, and genuine, and helpful, and informative, and creative, and knowledgeable...

Personal Branding Is Not An Option - It's Crucial To Success

March 26, 2009 5:58 AM

Posted by Mitch Joel

More layoffs. Giving back bonuses. Fewer work days to save the company from firing people. Doing the job of the three people that were let go in your department. Not hiring the five people you were thinking about hiring. Trying to find a job in this climate.

Whether you are an employee in a big, medium or small business, or an entrepreneur, or about to enter the workforce, never has it been more important to understand the power of having, maintaining and developing a strong personal brand. Never before has there been more ways for you to connect and build your personal brand through digital channels.

Never has a simple search on Google been able to tell us more about a person, who they are, what they do, and why they matter.

What does Google say about you?

If brands matter more than ever (and they do, just ask Apple, Starbucks and Twitter), then the ability for individuals to build a personal brand has never been more important. Maybe the idea of "branding yourself" seems ridiculous. It's not. It's a subject that famed management guru and author of the best-selling business book, In Search of Excellence, Tom Peters, first tackled in 1997 for an article in Fast Company magazine titled, The Brand Called You.

"Regardless of age, regardless of position, regardless of the business we happen to be in, all of us need to understand the importance of branding. We are CEOs of our own companies: Me Inc. To be in business today, our most important job is to be head marketer for the brand called You. ... You're every bit as much a brand as Nike, Coke, Pepsi, or the Body Shop. To start thinking like your own favourite brand manager, ask yourself the same question the brand managers at Nike, Coke, Pepsi, or the Body Shop ask themselves: What is it that my product or service does that makes it different? Give yourself the traditional 15-words-or-less contest challenge. Take the time to write down your answer. And then take the time to read it. Several times."

Peters gave us the beginning of an insight: like big corporate brands, all of the people we connect with have some kind of similar emotions and thoughts when they think about us as people. That mental tattoo that our personas and reputations create in their mind's eye is the essence of our personal brand.

But Peters wrote this in a world where individuals were limited by how they could spread their personal brands - the Internet was just taking its commercial shape in 1997. Now, in a world of Blogs, Twitter, Facebook and LinkedIn, our personal brands are resonating 24-hours-a-day, and the content we put in there and link to says more about who we are, as individuals than any one-page resum� ever could.

There's a small caution.

People working on their personal brand sometimes seem a little snake-oil salesy-like. They would state that they were working on their personal brand in a way that made it look like they were trying too hard. They were the same kind of people who manoeuvred through the local chamber of commerce event dumping business cards in any available and open hand No need to be that person.

The amazing thing about developing your personal brand online in social networks and by blogging, is that you can hone in on connecting with those that have shared values and similar interests.

One of the best places to get started is a search engine. Start looking for blogs in your industry, and start following some of the more notable people on Twitter. After you get a feel for the type of content people are publishing, you can dip you toes into the personal branding waters by leaving comments on those blogs or spaces. You can even go neck deep and start your own blog to demonstrate your own, unique, perspective.

Personal branding and the new media space creates a unique and mutually beneficial relationship. Anyone can express who they are to the world. And, if you're not sure what you have to say that is unique and different, just remember the immortal words of Oscar Wilde: "Be yourself, everyone else is already taken."

Labels: branding, careers, FACEBOOK, Job Hunting, LinkedIn, marketing, Social Media, Social Networking, Twitter, web2.0

Penelope Trunk  recently wrote a great article with some take-action suggestions for anyone who is laid off or otherwise out of work.  She suggests spending time creating projects for yourself that will lead to increased productivity and networking.  This is very good advice that anyone can use to get moving in the right direction while on the job hunt.

5 Things to do when you're unemployed. Hint: It's not job hunting. | By Penelope Trunk

Let's say you get fired, or laid off, or you quit because after two weeks you know you're at the worst company on the planet. In all of those cases, you will face the interview question: What happened at your last job?

Here's the answer you should always give: "I left to do x." And you fill in for x.

Which brings me to what you should be really focusing on when you are unemployed: Learning and growing. Because this is what you are going to talk about in job interviews.

Most people require about six months to get another job. This is a big chunk of time that you can piss away sending resumes to Monster and wondering why no one responds. But you cannot job hunt for eight hours a day. Really. You'll go nuts. (Wait. Here's a time-saving job hunt tip from my mom.)

So spend the time creating projects for yourself and executing on them. This is good for you mentally - because you are doing something meaningful with your time and that will keep your spirits up.

But this is also good for you in your job hunt. Because when you talk about why you left the last company, you spin it in a positive light by talking about how you are excited about doing what you are doing. Your interview should include you telling a good story about focused personal growth, and no one will get stuck on why you left your last job. Here are five ways to set that story up:

1. Create a job for yourself. These projects can be wide ranging, but they have to show that you are driven, ambitious and focused. During one stint of unemployment, I worked for free for my boyfriend's company for a couple of hours a day. That way I didn't actually have a gap in my resume; a resume doesn't show part-time or full-time and it doesn't show pay or no pay. So volunteering at my boyfriend's company for a couple of hours a day ended up looking like a full-time job on my resume.

2. Focus on ambition and execution and not so much on work per se. Another time I got laid off I spent my days learning to swing dance. I took one or two lessons a day and practiced at night, and after my six months of job hunting, I was good enough to teach dancing just off Broadway. I didn't put that on my resume, but when people asked me why I left my job, I told them about how I gave myself time to fulfill lofty goals as a swing dancer.

3. Start a blog about the industry you want to go into. Blogging is a great way to keep up in your industry, network without looking desperate, and leverage the fact that you have more time on your hands that people who have jobs. Everyone who is unemployed should be blogging as a way to get their next job. Put your ideas out into the world and connect with people that way. This is why you want to be hired, right? For your ideas. So show them. The reason that people who blog have great careers is that bloggers are always thinking about issues in their industry. Show that side of yourself to people. Blogging takes a lot of time, sure. But you have a lot of time. So use it. Here's my guide for how to start a blog.

4. Start a company. Do you have a company idea? Try it now. During unemployment. There's nothing stopping you. You have time, and you can try ideas to see which one sticks. Also, whether or not your company does well, you'll be able to talk about it in an interview as a huge learning moment that will deflect from any problems at your last job. The company that never got out of your parent's basement can sit on your resume as professionally as a stint in the Fortune 500. It's all about how you write the bullet points: talk about accomplishments and learning.

5. Practice talking about yourself with everyone. High performers practice for interviews. So now you know what you're aiming for, but you need to talk about it with everyone - parties, at the gym, on the phone with friends. When they ask how you're doing, talk about what you're doing like you are in the job interview. And the good news is that the better you get at talking like that, the more you will actually believe your story, the story that being unemployed is lucky because you have learning opportunities.

What's important to remember here is that no one can tell you what experience you can gain and what you can't. You don't need a job in order to learn cool stuff and be on cool projects. You control what you do with your time and you can make it useful. Talk about that. There is no reason to talk about why the last job didn't work when you can talk about the great things that leaving opened up to you.

Labels: branding, careers, Job Hunting, jobs, Productivity, Self Improvement, Social Media, Social Networking, web2.0