Are you marketing yourself as the best candidate?

Aside from the fact that millions are looking for jobs now, there are some tips that will trickle you up to the top of the candidate prospect pile:

• Research companies that are hiring through college career services, LinkedIn and super search job search sites like www.indeed.com or www.simplyhired.com.
• Use a consistent, credible message in all your media including business cards, elevator pitch, online and live networking.
• Actively network with colleagues and at networking events.
• If you need assistance with marketing, branding or promotion, seek help from social media experts, books and workshops.
• Use warm leads to apply for jobs by applying with introductions, a visible Linkedin profile or referrals.
• Plan your marketing with a timeline of events and milestones.  Reward yourself for milestones met.
• Respect others time and reciprocate.  Develop a powerful feature/benefit cover letter or resume with a list of accomplishments and benefits as they relate to the job specification.

Now go show them you are the best candidate for the job!

Copyright 2009 Wise CareerMove LLC, All Rights Reserved, re-printed by  permission only

 

Is the word “over-qualifed” simply “over-rated”?

Now that the unemployed have no statistical consistency, is the word “over-qualified” simply “over-rated”?  In this economy, age or tenure has no merit in the decision of whether you will remain employed.  If we are using the same decision factors on hiring the newest workforce, is this system flawed?  Objectively you can judge an applicant’s suitability based on how well their qualifications meets the job requirements.  However, the decision maker must  be knowledgeable in that particular field or they must pass the “check listed” applicants over to the hiring manager.  Now the hiring manager passes the approved applicants through a series of hoops consummating in one victorious candidate.  Is that the best candidate? 

    Let’s say you are an applicant typecast as “over-qualified”.  How did this label rear its head?  Is there a statistical consistency to the label “over-qualified”?  Objectively, how is one applicant more qualified than another?

What is the basis for this decision? Are the applicants’ skills and experience measured equitably across the board in all companies? For example, are there statistics on the following metrics measured verses years of service or measured against one another?

• Industry or Product Knowledge
• Customer service and interaction skills
• Company training

 How are qualifying factors weighted across the board for all applicants?

At minimum, an interviewer should be prepared to ask categorized questions and tell the applicants in the interview how each category will be weighted in the interview process.  Now the applicant will have a better understanding of what skills to emphasize and how they best qualify for that criteria.

Copyright 2009 Wise Career Move LLC, All Rights Reserved, re-printed by permission only.

 

Are you getting noticed?

Ever wonder why getting the same advice from the same people is not getting you noticed? Think about it, every resume starts with the same format, contact information, summary or objective, experience, education, etc. Most will tell you to use “action” words on your resume. One of the most common action words on a resume is “motivated”. With over 4 million unemployed since the recession began, I would say that at least 3 million of these are “motivated” to find a job. Will this word get you noticed in this market? The last time I bothered to “notice” the number of resumes in Monster, it was 32 million and this was before the recession.

    The world is undergoing a paradigm shift. How are you answering with your own? If you were to create a marketing campaign for your customers, would you follow a form style? At a marketing conference they talked about novel ways to market products or services. They drove the point home by saying that the winner of a nationwide marketing contest was the owner of a men’s suit store, a haberdashery if you want to make it fancier. The owner would corral his customers into his store by sending handwritten doodles and a one hour pre-opening sales announcement to his best customers on a paper napkin or used paper placemat.  And yet, his best customer who is a judge, loved it! Now I wouldn’t recommend writing a resume on a paper napkin although less impressively written business ideas embarked profitable new ventures this way. I would recommend using unconventional ways to get noticed by employers. By the way, whatever happened to singing telegrams?

    According to the science of first impressions: http://tinyurl.com/afoyez, the first 30 seconds of a first encounter center on whether we trust and will benefit from the encounter. Make that first 30 seconds count. Develop your 30 second elevator pitch that centers around how your audience will benefit by the interaction. Here is another small example that will make a big difference: If you had a choice between listing Qualifications or Accomplishments, here is a good tip. Qualifications is what you say about yourself. Accomplishments (awards, sales quotas met/exceeded etc) are what others have acknowledged about you. Feel free to comment on ways that have worked for you in the past, then throw these ideas away and feel free to comment on ways you can rock your world and get the career that you really want. What better way to spend your hmmm extended vacation? OK tell us how you are spending your vacation too.

Diane Rines, copyright Wise Career Move LLC 2009, All rights Reserved, Reprinted by permission only

 

Hablas Español? Are you Bilingual?

If you are multilingual, you will improve your job prospects tremendously.  Now is a great time to take language classes.  Language Immersion classes are especially useful.  One of the top International MBA colleges requires knowledge of multiple languages. 

Are Employers addressing the $870 Billion dollar hispanic market? Why not?  Here is a sample marketing letter sent by Wise Career Move LLC written for a bilingual professional (or listen to the sample audio):

Estimado Profesional de Recursos Humanos,

Quisiéramos introducir un talento bilingüe excepcional para sus operaciones Latinos Américanos. La escuela de negocio de Harvard patrocinó a este candidato para educarse en América Central. Lo educaron como ingeniero industrial, tenía varios postes en el banco, el turismo, y las industrias de la ingeniería. Sus pares lo reconocen como uno del talento superior en las relaciones humanas, las operaciones y las arenas financieras. Las realizaciones del candidato incluyen:

• Maestría en la administración del negocio en el instituto Americano Central patrocinado por la escuela de negocio de Harvard.

• Maestría en la gerencia industrial con beca del gobierno Español

• Bachillerato de la ciencia en la ingeniería industrial del instituto de Georgia de la tecnología

• Los funcionarios del gobierno lo reconocen como uno de habilidades excepcionales en el negocio, con una naturaleza afable, y altamente ética. Referencias confirmadas verbalmente.

Call us!  Llámenos! Diane (Diana) Rines, Copyright 2009 Wise Career Move LLC, All Rights Reserved.  Re-printed by permission only.

 

And your name was?

How many times have you spoken like a pro at a networking session only to realize that you don’t have the person’s business card and worse yet, you don’t recall their name? The best business method I have seen for memory like a champ comes from the Japanese. In a business meeting, the Japanese sit in seniority order so there is no mistake whom the boss is. They treat their business card as an extension of their soul, so what is on their card is extremely important and handled with care. Better yet, they place their colleagues’ business cards on the table in front of them in order of how they sit in the room, so they always address the person respectfully and by name. Wouldn’t it be nice if we could cut to the chase and have the place setting tell us who the hiring manager is? If you don’t get a business card, use a paper or napkin to jot down their names in order of how they appear in the room while they introduce themselves. Listen for their company name. If you are at a conference, use your internet enabled phone, laptop or hotel computer to look up some press releases, stock value or other useful information so you can score with a winning conversation opener. You’re the champ, now you’re in the ring!

 

Is your resume within wavelength?

Let’s bring it down to earth with some helpful tips to help you get noticed. Well written cover letters relay much information such as:    

• Communication/Soft skills – Is the cover letter gratuitous rather than enhancing the resume?
• Negotiation skills – just like a good marketing letter, it should have a “call to action”.
• How well do your skills/experience meet the specific job specifications?
• How easily will you will be found on the internet? – It is advantageous to use a professional resume writer who will help you with your cover letters also. Appropriate Keywords well sprinkled will get you noticed.
• What do you say about yourself verses what others have acknowledged about you? – A lot of recruiters will tell you they don’t have time to read the cover letter after all it is what you say about yourself. So feel free to include accomplishments and quotes from your references.
• Links to your public profile – Ask your references if they will be a good reference for you and provide their endorsement on LinkedIn. If they hedge or say no, you have some work to do.
• Flexibility – If you include your resume when you apply online, don’t put the date in the letter, but on the filename or other file property information. Generally it is not the best idea to include the cover letter with the resume when you apply online because you may be type cast for a given role rather than open to opportunities.
• Preparation – Always research the company to place some product or company specific information that indicates you are a great fit for the position. It also indicates interest in the specific company.
• Enthusiasm – Always be enthusiastic about opportunities at the company and about your experience in general. If it comes down to the wire between 2 candidates, they will choose the one that best matches the company goals and culture.

Now Houston, do we have liftoff? Here are some ways to fire up your resume:

1. In place of Summary or Qualifications, use stronger headers like Expertise or Accomplishments.
2. Instead of action words that everyone uses, like motivated, and driven, use industry keywords.
3. Use statistics or your written references’ comments to corroborate the resume information, like awards, certifications, designations, sales quotas achieved/exceeded etc.
4. Use the header section to put your name and a brief, powerful description of your interests and skills. Then use the footer section to put your contact information.
5. If you are open to many different industries, first evaluate your interests, then search www.indeed.com for these keywords to see if you feel you would like to transition to these careers. If so, get some information on the companies that offer these careers. Research the companies and develop contacts there so you can network directly and through other contacts.
6. By scientific research, the first 30 seconds is when people precipitate value from your first impression. So, create powerful 30 second elevator pitches and ice breakers. Set a timer and read the first 30 seconds of your resume. If you don’t like it , re-write it until you do.
7. Ask your colleagues to critique your resume and offer suggestions. After all they know your work and can offer perceptive advice.

So what is your direction? What are your pain points? What do you need to know about making your next career move?

 

”Building Business Relationships with Twitter and Linkedin”

The  seminar will be held in Phoenix area on 11/21/09 from 9 – 11 AM. 

Agenda: 9:00 – 9:40 Building Business Relationships with Twitter and Linkedin  — Diane Rines

 9:40 – 10:00 Beverages and Informal Question and Answer

10:00 – 10:40 CFP® presentation 10:40 – 11:00 Open for Question and Answer

Time: 9 – 11 AM Date: Saturday, November 21st Place: 10429 S. 51st, Street, 2nd Floor Conference Room (Awatukee side, Just north of I-10 and Elliot)

The seminar is provided free of charge with no obligation whatsoever.

There is limited seating so RSVP is required if you plan to attend!

 

Getting conflicting advice on networking?

Join the crowd!  You have heard everything from bring your resume to don’t bring your resume with you when you network. Here is some more wacky advice:

• Butt into a conversation.
• Smile at everyone like a politician.
• Don’t ask if they have any openings.
• Don’t act like you are desperate for a job.
• Practice your elevator pitch until it sounds rote.
• Don’t stand by the bar and drink till you are blue.
• Spend money and create some glossy pamphlets.
• Don’t stand by the appetizer table and gorge yourself.
• Take a photo at a networking event which serves cocktails.
• Put your laundry list of accomplishments on a cocktail napkin.
• Create an artwork business card, one that has pop up figures maybe.
• Just move into a group and listen to the conversation. Only jump in when you are comfortable.
• Don’t bring your friends because you will end up talking to them instead of meeting new people. 

Besides the obvious advice, these offer little assistance.  It is a good idea to be calm, confident and use warm introductions.  Research the people attending the event and target those that will give you the best knowledge about the industries, companies or people you want to work for.  Casually introduce yourself or ask a colleague to give you a warm introduction.  If you are a little shy, invite other colleagues who know each other’s skills and will recommend one another.  Separately talk to each other’s targeted contacts.  If the person is amenable to an introduction, make the warm introduction to your colleague.  Now do your homework and relax and enjoy the party!