The 'What Not To Do' of a Resume Email

Job seekers, learn how to write a proper email cover letter?

Survey Names Top 10 sources of hire

How did you get a job? Weddles releases results of a getting hired survey.

Top ten sources of hire:

31.2% Answered an ad on a job board
10.6% Sent their resume to the company
9.3% Answered an ad in the newspaper
8.5% Responded to a tip from a friend
6.8% Were referred by an employee of the company
6.6% Received a call from a headhunter
5.1% Answered an ad posted on the company?s Web-site
4.9% Attended a career fair
4.8% Used networking at a business event
2.7% Received a call from a staffing firm
2.7% Responded to a tip from a family member

Search jobs online at Job Central.

Spherion Employee Confidence Index Declines

Spherion Employee Confidence Index Declines Two Points in JuneMacroeconomic Confidence Drops to Lowest Level Since November 2005-- Nearly Eight in 10 Workers Feel Their Jobs Are Secure-- Fewer Workers Confident in Their Ability to Find A New Job

Following three months of tepid job creation, U.S. workers were less confident in the economy and their ability to find a job in June. As a result, the Spherion(R) Employee Confidence Index dropped two points to 56.7, a level that is 1.1 points lower than in June 2005. The recent survey of 2,959 employed adults in the U.S., conducted by Harris Interactive(R) on behalf of Spherion Corporation (NYSE:SFN), shows that only 19 percent of workers believe the economy is strengthening (a decrease of four percentage points from May) and 24 percent believe more jobs are available, down from 27 percent in May.

Fewer workers were optimistic about their personal employment situation in June as well. Fifty-six percent of workers reported confidence in their ability to find a new job, a drop of four percentage points from May. The percentage of workers confident in their employers' future was virtually unchanged at 65 percent (a drop of one percentage point from May).

"The latest Employment Report indicates a sizeable decline in worker confidence and it's not surprising given the effect of high energy prices this summer and the tepid job creation over the past few months," said Roy Krause, president and chief executive officer of Spherion. "But the economic picture is not as dreary as some may believe. The upward revision to first quarter GDP and increased job creation in June are signs that the economy has been and continues to be in a growth mode. This growth has resulted in greater corporate spending and a steady demand for skilled workers. Given the current situation, we see further job growth and economic expansion ahead.

"The drop in overall confidence did not affect workers' outlook on their job security and had little impact on their plans to change jobs, however. The survey indicates that 78 percent of workers remain confident in their job security, a number that has shown little change in the past 12 months. In addition, 36 percent of workers said they were likely to change jobs in the next year, down two percentage points from May."One of the most telling signs from this report is that workers' job security remains very high. A high level of job security can be looked at as a sign of stability in corporate America and the economy in general," he said.

Results from the June Spherion Employment Report:Employee Confidence Index:Workers' Confidence Decreases in June The Employee Confidence Index was 56.7 in June, falling two points from May. The Index, which measures workers' confidence in their personal employment situation and the macroeconomic environment, may have decreased primarily because more workers reported doubt in the economy and their ability to find a new job. The Index is 1.1 points lower than the level recorded in June 2005.Macroeconomic Confidence Index Decreases: The Macroeconomic Confidence Index decreased to 40.3 in June, a 1.8-point drop from May, as more workers were pessimistic about the number of jobs available and the strength of the economy.

The Index level is 2.3 points lower than a year ago. Specific findings from the Macroeconomic Confidence Index include:24 percent of U.S. adult workers believe that more jobs are available, down three percentage points from May.

-- Only 19 percent of U.S. adult workers believe the economy is getting stronger, compared to 23 percent in May.

--Personal Confidence Index Drops: The Personal Confidence Index was 73.2 in June, falling 2.1 points from May. A drop in the number of workers reporting confidence in their ability to find a job fueled this decline. The Index level is 0.1 points higher than in June 2005. Specific findings from the Personal Confidence Index include:65 percent of U.S. adult workers feel confident in the future of their employer, compared to 66 percent in May.56 percent of U.S. adult workers have confidence in their own ability to find a new job, down four percentage points from May.

About the Spherion Employment Report

New survey from ExecuNet details 'digital dirt'

In a recent survey of 100 executive recruiters, 35 percent said they dropped a job candidate because of information uncovered online. That is up from 26 percent just one year ago, according to ExecuNet, an executive job search and recruiting network.

Seventy-seven percent of respondents said they use search engines to learn more about prospective employees. Another study showed that 82 percent of executives expect companies and recruiters to enter their name into a search engine during the course of their next job search, yet only 33 percent have ever actually conducted an Internet search on themselves.

"Conducting searches for your own name is something that should be done on a regular basis," Dave Opton, ExecuNet CEO and founder, said in a prepared statement. "Until you're aware of everything that's connected to your name online, it's impossible to try to overcome any potential employer objections."

Read the full article here

The cruel reality of the Hiring Cycle

I wrote this last november... The employers "hiring cycle" is very long. Due to company politcs, poor technology and other unforseen reasons (budgets cuts, hiring freezes, etc.), they drag their heels about filling the position.

Today Jason Alba writes about a job he applied for 2 months ago and they're only now getting back to him. It's a classic example of the corporate HR culture.

The Resume Is Going Away

Is this a sign of the times? I think so.

Use of resume may be a thing of the past
The candidate resume, long regarded as the cornerstone of employment search and fulfillment, is dying a slow, painful death, according to recruitment professionals at MRINetwork, one of the world’s largest search and recruitment organizations. Despite candidate shortages and the impending retirement of large numbers of Baby Boomers, the resume is no longer an effective tool for employers seeking to fill critical positions within their companies. Human resources managers and recruiters are getting more resumes than ever before, but a significant percentage of them—perhaps as high as one-third to one-half—are never reviewed. (CCH)

http://hr.cch.com/news/hrm/072406a.asp

New job hunting rule: the subject line must sell

Here's a link to an article from the Globe and Mail but I've pulled out the best part for job seekers...

Sell yourself in the subject line
This will grab the recruiter's attention as he or scrolls through a long list of messages on a PDA. Always state your name in the subject line, advises Paula Rankin, Toronto-based director of human resources for the Americas for Plano, Tex.-based MetaSolv Software Inc..

Putting your name in the subject line allows recruiters to scroll through e-mails quickly in search of your application, she says. As well, specify your sector and title, Mr. Rosin adds. For example, "CFO of industrial public company is ideal," he says. It could pay off in moving an application along: if Mr. Rosin is on the road when he sees that, he can forward the application to the appropriate person.

It's also always worth stating if someone has referred you, he says. "A power referral carries more weight. I will definitely read on."

Thanks for the heads up from Recruiting.com

Coffee, Shock Jocks, and Recruiters

Whenever I get the chance to talk to a recruiter, interesting stories always follow. Today was no different as I sat down for coffee at a Dunkin Donuts with the founder of The McIntyre Group, a mid-size staffing firm located in Norwalk, CT.

Leslie McIntyre-Tavella is a dynamic, vibrant personality who runs one of the best companies to work for in Connecticut. (i.e. she gave one of her employees a car last year) ...We talked about a number of issues from blogging to job seeking and after almost two hours I realized I needed to get back to the office. We literally could have sat there all day and talked about this ever-changing industry.

Most recruiting firms, at least in this part of CT, have always been behind the curve when it comes to integrating technology and the web into their business. The McIntyre Group is probably the leader in this area among the recruiters of Fairfield County, Connecticut. They use the web to promote their postings and communicate with both passive and active candidates via email, newsletters and more. Their "Pay it Forward" program allows anyone to earn referral fees ranging from a few hundred to a few thousand dollars by simply clicking a link below the job posting and filling in a form. Few of McIntyre's competitors can make the same claim.

Anyway as far as candidates go, I asked her what the biggest mistake she sees among today's job seekers. After careful thought she said ..."manners". Whether it's a lame handshake, being distracted by a cell phone or not dressing appropriately she lamented the poor manners many people lack in today's job market. College grads drew her biggest ire by wearing flip flops or writing poor resumes and thank you letters.

She actually had one recent grad who lost out on a job offer after sending a thank you email that was so grammatically incorrect it was embarrassing. Now she requires candidates to show her staff any kind of written communication before it goes to the employer.

Now that's truly sad when you have to get your thank you notes 'pre-approved'. Who's teaching our kids English?

Then she told me a story about a young woman who was interviewing for some Administrative postions. During the initial interview the candidate revealed she had "interned" at the Howard Stern show. Afterwards they googled the candidate and found a large cache of web pages with inappropriate pictures and text. Needless to say there was no way they were going to let her go on any interviews.

So if you're a job seeker reading this, you need to only remember this: if you can be polite, use common courtesy AND communicate effectively with proper english and writing skills...well, you are a step ahead of the rest.

You also might want to leave off any gigs working for shock jocks.

Another Blog Leads to a Job

In yet another case of 21st century job hunting I have discovered another person who used a blog to get a job. Carolynn Duncan, of Utah, created a blog to differentiate herself. The result landed her the job!

According to the CEO who hired her,

She instantly won us over with her creativity and courage. She will be helping Phil get in front of dozens of executives at large companies, including Fortune 500 companies, as he takes Provo Labs Consulting (our web 2.0 consultancy and development company) on the road, so we need a smart communicator with a creative streak who can help Phil open doors wherever he goes. Welcome aboard, Carolynn!

Here's Carolynn's blog, notice one of her posts entitled "A Sampling of the Problems I Could Solve At Provo Labs".

If your'e a job seeker looking to get the job, take a cue from Carolynn.

Thanks to GoodRecruits for pointing this out.

SimplyHired Launches resume distribution service to other job boards

After being on the downlow for a while SimplyHired is making noise today. They just launched a new resume distribution service which lets job seekers upload their CV's to sites like Monster, CareerBuilder and others. It's a free service. Here's the FAQs.

This is good news for jobseekers. At the very least it save you time. Uploading resumes to multiple sites is something I think other verticals/job boards/career sites may follow.

Digital dirt nails intern at Ziggs

Just got my latest copy of Entreprenuer magazine today. There's a small article on how social networking is sparking "unofficial background checks" of employees/prospects. The irony in this story is that the founder of Ziggs (Tim DeMello) which I've blogged about before, recently dug up some dirt on his intern that was on Facebook. He was 'shocked' to learn his intern's workday consisted of "screwing around on IM" and "talking to my friends and getting paid for it". When confronted, the intern confessed and the founder of the social networking site promptly fired him.

New Staffing Report Details Job Seeker Frustrations

Ok recruiters and hiring managers, Staffing.org has a new report out that details job seeker frustrations. Christy Risser-Milne, Managing Director of Staffing.org was kind enough to give me a deeper look into the Staffing Performance Report.

Here's a quick list of a few things that job seekers are unhappy about as they enter the interview process. These job seekers were not asked which industries they were part of, so this is across the board information.

1. Nearly half (47%) of respondents were frustrated with a distinct lack of communication and appropriate follow-up from organizations. It's theclassic, "I thought I had a great interview, but they never called back orresponded to my queries about the process" situation.

2. Nearly two-thirds (62.7%) of respondents found the clarity of the job requirements and descriptions sorely lacking and labeled themselvesDissatisfied. An additional 16.3% were Very dissatisfied by thosedescriptions and requirements.

3. 16% of respondents found the interview experience to be lacking overall. More specifically, 62.8% were either Dissatisfied or VeryDissatisfied with the scheduling and processing of their interview. Only4.8% said they were Very Satisfied with the interview scheduling andprocessing.

4. The recruiting function as a whole came off badly for most Job Seekers.More than two-thirds (69.7%) were Dissatisfied or Very Dissatisfied with the recruiting function. Suggestions for Recruiters and Organizations included:

A. Communicate what you're looking for and what goes with it.
B. Stay in touch
C. Be honest - candidates can deal with rejection
D. Stop hiding behind technology

Christy adds, "As you can see, there's much room for improvement, but part of the purpose of the surveys and reports we construct and create, is to inform employers and recruiters in order to encourage and empower them to do better. In a perfect world, our organization would become obsolete because every employer, recruiter, job seeker, and employee out there is working to his orher best potential."

About the report: The Staffing Performance Report breaks out 13 industry specific reports containing the latest information to help organizations compare their performance data with their competitors. Hundreds of employees and job seekers also lent their experiences, positive and negative, to provide a fuller snapshot of surviving the work-a-day world. According to the report, 40% of organizations surveyed, measure New Hire Quality – a drastic improvement from seven years ago when less than 2% measured their performance. That number is expected to increase as quality remains the top priority for over half of organizations surveyed.

The report is 69 pages and is available for purchase here;

http://www.staffing.org/Store/estore/SearchResult.aspx?CategoryID=380

You'll find jobs in Australia at Recruit.net.

Direct Employers Taking Over Americas Job Bank

From Jason Whitman. Following up on the news from earlier this year that America's Job Bank (AJB) will be discontinued in mid-2007, the DirectEmployers Association has announced to its membership that it will take over the capabilities and duties of AJB with its JobCentral Web site and job search engine. The JobCentral National Labor Exchange will make jobs available to state representatives via FTP and an API, as well as by simply linking to JobCentral or including a job search form on state Web sites. DirectEmployers is doing a lot to push its members' jobs out to other Web sites (such as Google Base, SimplyHired, Indeed, Jobster and others) for added visibility, and this news is yet another reason for employers to consider joining the association.

Writing skills key to career success

I've blogged about how job candidates writing/communication skills are declining. Now here's proof it could hurt your career.

A new survey conducted by the National Commission on Writing affirms that no matter your field or position, your ability to communicate using the written word plays a major role in career success.

Other findings include;

- In a survey of executives by Robert Half International, more than one-third cited typos and grammatical mistakes as the most common resume errors.

- Strong writing skills are even more important for higher-level positions: In a poll by The Wall Street Journal and Harris Interactive, the top complaint about MBA students among recruiters was inferior communication skills.

- In a separate Robert Half International survey, 71 percent of executives said they use e-mail as their primary mode of interaction, underscoring that more people are communicating via the keyboard than ever before.

Here's the article

JibberJobber To Help Returning Troops Ease Back Into the Job Market

Here's a nice gesture from a cool new job search tool.

JibberJobber.com is offering free premium access to job seeker tools and strategies for veterans returning from war and transitioning back into the workplace.

Salt Lake City, UT (PRWEB) July 20, 2006 --Effective immediately, JibberJobber.com is extending a special offer to servicemen to help alleviate the transition back into a new job or career by formally offering free access to the Premium subscription. This offer will allow servicemen all of the best-practice tools during the entire time that they are stationed overseas as well as twelve months after they return home. JibberJobber is used in conjunction with other tools (like job boards) and resources (like counselors and recruiters).

JibberJobber allows job seekers to track the companies that they are interested in, recruiters they work with and job boards they post on. It also allows job seekers to keep track of job applications and the status of each one, as well as important network contacts. There are various worksheets for preparing for an interview as well as a library where job seekers can share their own ideas, tips, advice and stories.

JibberJobber is used throughout the world by job seekers that are frustrated trying to keep track of where they apply, who their contacts are and all of the other information gathered in a job search. Extending this free access is a show of support to returning troops. They already have enough to worry about coming back home - hopefully using all of JibberJobber's features will ease the transition.

While many features of JibberJobber are free forever, there are many conveniences that are only found in the Premium subscription. These are conveniences that career experts preach and teach, and they make a job search more efficient and effective. This special offer allows our veterans to use these high-end tools and conveniences to more effectively manage their job search.

With this special offer, war veterans will have access to auto-emailed reminders so they don't miss important follow-up, expense tracker to keep track of possible tax deductions, importing and exporting of their data to interface with Outlook, a PDA and other programs, and many more features.This offer is available to any serviceman or servicewoman that is overseas and is concerned about career or job issues when they return. Wives or others that are involved in helping these military personnel transition back can actively participate in helping find a job and use JibberJobber along with the serviceman they are helping.

For more information on how to get the free premium account, visit http://www.JibberJobber.com/?r=8.

You can't teach an old flipdog new tricks

Monster has revived the old vertical job search site flipdog.

After doing a couple dozen searches, it appears that flipdog is nothing more than a shell over the Monster database. I can find nothing 'vertical' about it. Other than a pretty interface it appears no different than their other site: jobs.com. I'd say they are just using the flipdog domain to drive extra traffic to their site. My question is why did they wait so long?

If it were truly vertical it would have jobs from other sources.

Resume Headlines - Headhunter Tips for Getting found on Monster

The Marketing Headhunter has a great post on refining your resume titles on Monster. But really his advice would work for anyone on any job board. The gist of the post is this:

"Candidates: You can get found a lot more easily if you know how to post your resume on Monster."

Every day he gets an email from the Monster resume database with a list of candidates. That list contains not your name, but the "title" of the resume the candidate wrote. And frankly, most people dont write good headlines.

It gets better;

"The Horrible Truth about Recruiters: If your Monster resume headline stinks, I won't open your resume. No recruiter will."

He gives some examples of bad titles;

Technical Director/Sales Engineer - Too vague. Director of of technical what?

Direct Marketing/Sales - Too broad. Marketing taxonomies included B2B, B2C, domestic and international -- just for starters.

Vice President Supply Chain - What industry? It makes a difference.

His advice to candidates: Change your headline to tell us what we need to know:

Function / Company / Industry / Salary / Relocation preference.

Like this: Email Marketing / Land's End / Multichannel Retail / $85K / Will Relo

Read the entire post here. If you do, he promises your "open rates will skyrocket".

Isabont: a new job search management tool

A few days ago, Simon Clay Michael the founder of isabont sent me an email introducing his new job search product.

According to Clay, Isabont was born from his frustration in his own job search... "though my frustration was with the lack of integrated tools to help a job seeker. After speaking with other jobseekers who also said they had the same frustrations I decided I would do something about it", he adds.

The job search tool is called isabont and provides:

* Everything you need to conduct an efficient and effective job search campaign - all in one place.

* An organized approach that links together your contacts, documents, events, and targeted positions.

* The right letter, resume or thank-you note - at the right time.

* Support to keep you on track and moving forward.

The tool is available for free but the premium features will cost you $9.95/mo

Other features include;

* document creator for resumes, cover letters, thankyou letters etc. and output in either doc, html, pdf, txt, odt or rtf formats

* create portfolios of information on companies or positions, save the job description with where and when it was advertized, track where each one is in the application process and link your contacts as either a connection or an employee.

* get unlimited reminders (premium level only) sent to your email or cellphone (US Cell phones only).

So will it help your job hunt? In short, anything that can organize your efforts will help you find a job more efficiently. Isabont does a good job of keeping you focused and up-to-date. Among the suite of new job search tools, it does as well as any.

Ten Best Paying Blue Collar Jobs

Times have been tough for America's blue-collar workforce. Union membership has been falling for years and factory jobs producing everything from textiles to cars have either been shipped abroad or disappeared in downsizing after downsizing. Brickmasters and Stonemen are one of several non-executive jobs where the average worker makes close to $60,000 per year, almost double the national average.

But despite all that, there are still some great, high-paying jobs for those who are more apt to wear hard hats and work boots than don pinstripes or tote a briefcase. While services may indeed make up 80% of today's economy, there are always going to be buildings that need constructing, air conditioners and refrigerators that need fixing, and goods that need to be delivered to department stores and supermarkets.

And for those with the skills to work creatively with their hands, there's good money to be made in electrical work, carpentry and other trades. A job as a diesel mechanic, repairing the engines that power transportation equipment like heavy trucks and busses, starts at $20 per hour in the South and pays even more in more expensive areas like New York. As with other lucrative blue-collar occupations, these trades take training, but they promise steady work and better-than-average wages.

Source: Fortune Magazine

More on Emurse: Q&A with CEO Alex Rudloff

I recently reached out to the Co-Founder & CEO of the new online resume tool Emurse.com, below are some interesting details on the new job search tool.

1. What is your background and why did you decide to start Emurse.com?

Vocationally I'm a Software Engineer, educationally I have a business degree. I was working as a software consultant on a government contract. It wasn't the most thrilling thing in the world, and to stay sharp I started taking classes again and doing some hobby software development. My big focus was (is) on information systems in the work place, specifically human resources.

Around that time, my business partner Gavin Hall was starting a job hunt, my brother was job hunting and my girlfriend was job hunting. Witnessing how painful it was to manage the whole process, and knowing how many resumes I had been asked to review for people that were truly awful, there just seemed like there had to be a better, simpler, way.

Gavin and I exchanged a few e-mails back in forth regarding what we thought a solution needed to do, and we just hashed it out then and there. Once we had defined our mission, we were able to create a series of tools to help us all out.

We kept it in private beta for a long time. Mainly because we both found exciting positions we wanted to pursue elsewhere, notably Weblogs, Inc. and the new Netscape project. I should note that we found these positions using the Emurse system, which makes it even more of a personal success for us. We grew the user base by an invite system only. A few weeks back we decided to open up the system publicly, and next thing you know it's all over the place.

2. What are your goals for the site?

Our mission is to improve people's job hunt. I think that while technology has done a great deal for job seekers, it's also complicated things. I think there are better applications of technology that can really aid job seekers and we want to be the folks who create them.

People, especially people starting out their careers, are particularly intimidated by resumes. They are a reflection of the owner, they're largely subjective, and they are hard to keep up to date. We want to help people create a resume that suits them and we want to help them keep it updated. Along the way, we can give them tried and true tips for success and help guide them into becoming their own experts. Really, that's where the job hunt starts. It's square one. Once you have the confidence in your resume and in your presentation, it gets easier. When it's no longer intimidating and you have a higher degree of confidence, that's when you can really focus on finding your perfect career.

3. What's the public response been like so far?

Incredible. A few of our users orchestrated our first series of reviews, which took us somewhat by surprise. Once the word got out that we were publicly accepting sign ups, things just exploded. We're looking at 500% growth week over week. Obviously that's not sustainable, but our daily traffic numbers are climbing, which is a great sign.

Another great sign is the sheer amount of passion some of our users have shown towards the service. I answered e-mails for over 4.5 hours on Saturday, a great deal of it simply people thanking us for the service. It really feels good to know that we're helping people.

4. I see you use indeed.com for recommending jobs, what's your relationship with them (if any) Do you just use their API?

We wrote it in a way that allows us to use any API we'd like to plug in. Indeed's just happened to be the one we picked, it could have just as easily been SimplyHired's.

Both are great sites, both provide excellent service. We're in talks now with a few different groups looking to display their results, so we'll see what the options are. It's all about displaying the best, most relevant results for our users though.

5. When will SYNC work with job boards? What job boards will you allow people to sync with?

We have a number of really cool features in the works and some are available in private testing already. It just depends on ensuring the quality of our new features, and with something like Sync, making sure that we've explored the different relationships that are possible. I'm really excited about it though.

6. How do you see Emurse evolving? What kind of new features, etc?

We've announced an upcoming resume review service recently, and it's already available in private testing. We've added, and will continue to add, more sections that users can use. We will soon have more customization options available to make things a bit more flexible, which will be great.

I think in terms of evolution, it will come down to the users. We read every e-mail that comes in and we catalog the requests. We try to gear our road map based on what people are actually pining for.

7. There are a number of online resume tools out there, who do you consider your biggest competitor?

Being that we developed this service to solve our own needs, we didn't initially search out the market. I really think the biggest competing factor we face is people settling for jobs that they aren't happy with. We spend the majority of our life, especially here in the United States, working jobs that many of us don't like. If we can help people be prepared for that random opportunity that comes up when they least expect it, we'll be in good shape.

8. How do you plan on making money?

The resume review service will be a revenue outlet. We're planning on doing a "plus" level account that allows for hosting multiple resumes, has more templates, access to more features like fax (something else that's currently available in private testing). There are also a handful of other exciting things that we haven't announced yet, all of which are designed to generate revenue, and all of which are things that our users will really enjoy.

Job Seeker Misfits: the Voicemail

Occasionally I get voicemails from misguided job seekers. Here's the transcript of my most recent one.

CALLER: "Yes my name is ___________. I'm calling in regards to the Outside Sales Rep position listed on your web site. Please give me a call at __________. Thank you very much."

Click.

Thats it? Thats supposed to impress me? Lets forget the fact that I run a job board not a recruiting firm, so I can't help him with the job anyway. It's hard to have sympathy for these 'misfit' job seekers. With the amount of job hunting advice now available online and offline there's really no excuse for not educating oneself on the latest job search tips and tricks.

My friends, there are rules for leaving a voicemail for a hiring manager. First you need to figure out who the right person is and then you need to sell them on why they should call you back.

Here's a few resources I found (with the click of my mouse in 1 minute) about voicemail etiquette.

Use a CALL-WRITE-CALL model for contacting employers

How to Leave a Good Phone Message - eHow.com

Leaving Good Voicemail Messages

10 tips for effective voice-mail messages

Voice Mail Tips To Get Mega-Call Backs

12 Tips for Leaving Great Voice Mail

NVJobSearch provides Las Vegas jobs for workers hoping to relocate to Nevada.

Top 25 cities for entry level job seekers released

CollegeGrad.com: CollegeGrad.com, a leading entry level job site, has announced the top 25 cities for entry level job seekers. New York and Chicago top the list, followed by Dallas, San Francisco, and Los Angeles. The complete list, which includes links to job postings for each city, is available at the site.

Emurse Your Resume

Wow, the job search tool market is really heating up. In addition to sites like JibberJobber, MyJobTips, and MyResumeSpace, a new resume hosting service has emerged. Its called Emurse.

According to their website: "Emurse allows you to easily create and update your resumes. You can download them in any format instantly from anywhere in the world. You can easily distribute your resume directly from the site, keeping track of all the destinations. We also allow you to instantly turn your resume into an attractive web page. "

Features include:

~Access your resume from anywhere

~Edit your resume online

~Convert to DOC, PDF, ODT, HTML, Text

~Get customized personal assistance

~Fine-tune multiple resumes for different goals

~Send and track your resume

~Share your resume on the web

I tried it quickly and love their interface for entering your info. You can view my resume here. It was pretty easy to create, although the ability to add hyperlinks does not work well. They need to make it easier for users to add links.

Emurse is a more traditional looking resume as opposed to MyResumeSpace which is much more visual in appearance. Emurse focuses their templates on text which is the best way to be "search engine friendly". It looks like print but its online.

Tools like these are truly reinventing how people create and share resumes. Online résumés are slowly becoming the defacto way to catalog your work experience.

Thanks to recruiting.com for the heads up.

A new Jobster

Jobster has announced a new version of its recruiting/job search service.

Read their CEO's recent post describing the new features. The coolest part to me is a social networking feature that will let you learn about company cultures from employees who work there.

The 4 P's of the Job Search: Promotion

Promoting yourself in the job market involves a mix of online and offline opportunities. Your friends, family, professional contacts and the Internet will all play a role in this stage.
Your résumé becomes a primary promotional tool through which you will advertise your availability. Therefore, it must be a visually appealing document that is well written with persuasive copy.

Paul Slezak, a manager for the staffing firm AQUENT says it best;

"In the world of marketing, the power of any brand will (either physically or subliminally) affect consumers’ purchasing decisions. Brands are created to predispose consumers’ thoughts as to the quality and price they should expect from a particular product or service.

Interestingly, the situation is exactly the same in the world of career marketing—and careers in general for that matter. In today’s ever-changing employment market, the most successful candidates are the ones who understand the true value of branding and positioning themselves. Those currently in or looking to move into a marketing career need to realize the importance of applying the traditional key marketing principles and concepts to better position themselves in the marketplace.

The competition out there is fierce and creating your own self-promotional brand is by no means an easy task. Everything you say and do during your search for a new job or new career will impact the value of the brand you create.

It’s all about you—so it's time to decide who you want to be."

FBI Warns Job Hunters Of Online Scams

Be extra careful when looking for work in cyberspace. The FBI is investigating some cases that involve fake job interviews and offers of employment that are actually ways to lure people into helping crime rings. Job candidates should be cautious when seeking employment online, according to the FBI. The FBI has released a warning, saying it is investigating several "online employment scams. The FBI outlined several schemes and told candidates to protect their information and be skeptical of some prospective employers. Some of the cases under investigation involve fake job interviews or offers of employment that are actually ways to lure people into helping crime rings. According to the warning, fake recruiters are pretending to do background checks or set up bank accounts for direct deposit. Instead of getting a job, the candidates become victims of identity theft or owners of empty bank accounts. (Information Week)

The 4 P's of the Job Search: Persistence

Persistence is an intangible aspect of any job search. How much effort you put in directly affects how many interviews and job offers you will get. The one thing you cannot do in your job search is give up. A winning attitude and the ability to keep yourself motivated is paramount to finding and landing the job you want.

Persistence takes on many forms. These include sending your résumé via e-mail and as a hard copy, then following up with a phone call. It is checking back with target companies every few months to see if they are hiring again. It is dedicating yourself to finding a job not just for a few hours a week, but for at least twenty to thirty hours per week.

Consider the case of Gina Salwicki of Roxbury, Massachusetts. After being laid off, the 58-year-old woman targeted a new retirement community being built nearby as the place where she wanted to work next.

She applied for and was offered a role in customer service, but she declined the offer because she thought it didn't pay enough. A few days later she was invited back to interview for another position but did not get that one because she was too inexperienced. Some weeks later she applied for two other positions and was again rejected.

But she didn't give up. She applied yet again for a facilities coordinator position. The company was impressed by her attitude after she became a fixture in the firm's waiting room. She finally got a job. She has now been there for over three years and was recently promoted. Persistence does pay.

$100k Job Board Giveaway

Saw this on the wires today: GettingHired.com a new job board is giving away $100k in a marketing promotion. I've been waiting for some new job sites to start implementing the "eHarmony.com" approach to the job hunt (see also Mkt10). Fill out a long profile and 'match' the candidate to the employer. Will it work? Remains to be seen.

Perhaps it is a good recruiting solution (this part sounds cool - Both the job seeker and employer receive a report each morning summarizing their RightMatch(TM) activity), but to make it worthwhile from an employer perspective they are going to need a lot of job seekers to sign up. And with an already overcrowded field, they may find it tough to break through. A site like Market10 took the local approach first by going into the Wash DC market. I'm not sure how much critical mass they'll be able to achieve as a nation-wide job board.

Hey, maybe they can giveaway $100k a day! ...that will surely attract a crowd.


GettingHired, LLC Announces $100,000 Sweepstake For Registered Job Seekers

BEDMINSTER, N.J.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--July 11, 2006--GettingHired, LLC announces a $100,000 sweepstake for job seekers that register on the GettingHired.com job board. GettingHired offers employers and job seekers a revolutionary method for online career placement that utilizes their RightMatch(TM) Workplace Compatibility Assessments to scientifically match job seekers and employers, thereby ensuring the right hire for both parties.

Thomas Triumph, GettingHired, LLC Senior Vice President of Marketing states, "GettingHired is excited about providing job seekers the chance to win $100,000! Job seekers need only spend a few minutes to register on the site to be eligible. Most importantly, job seekers that complete a Workplace Compatibility Assessment and post a resume will be capable of being RightMatched(TM) to a job that truly fits their background and behavioral characteristics. From a career perspective, having the right job can make all the difference in the world."

You'll find accounting jobs in the UK online at AccountantCareers.co.uk.

The 4 P's of the Job Search: Postioning

This classic marketing term is perhaps the single most important element of your marketing campaign. Positioning yourself means identifying how employers see you as a potential employee.

If you do not come up with your own positioning statement, then the employer has no idea how hiring you will benefit them. This is perhaps the number one mistake job seekers make today. They have no idea how to position themselves in the marketplace. Their résumés are merely a listing of jobs rather than a list of accomplishments. In interviews, their responses are dull and convey no relationship to the job in question.

Well, here's some ideas that will help you craft your Positioning Statement

Take a moment to answer these questions.

~ How will you differ?
~ What makes you unique?
~ What value will you bring to the company?

Use your answers to create a two to three sentence positioning statement. Focus it on how you will help the company solve problems or make money. This will help the recruiter to quickly understand how you can fill the company's needs.

Basic guidelines for creating a positioning statement include;

~ Relate your statement to the position you are seeking.

~ Limit your statement to 10 seconds for a short version, 1 minute for a longer version.

~ Speak in the present tense & state your interests clearly. Don't generalize your career goals.

~ Include names of organizations for which you have worked, honors or scholarships you received, schools attended, etc. if they serve to distinguish you.

~ Summarize the types of organizations or environments in which you have employed your talents.

Where to use your statement?

~ On your resume in the Summary/Profile section

~ At networking events: receptions, dinners, and pre-interview gatherings when meeting people for the first time

~ When introducing yourself to company representatives over the phone

Examples

Example Positioning Statement for a Technical Support Specialist
"My value to [insert company name] is my five years of information technology experience. I am adept at technical support and troubleshooting computer problems. My technical knowledge will help reduce call waiting times and improve the efficiency of your technical support center."

Example Positioning Statement for a Sales Manager
"I will increase your revenues by mentoring your sales staff in effective selling techniques and by forging relationships with key decision makers in your target market."

Example Positioning Statement for an Advertising professional
"With five years' experience in account management at Campbell Mithun, one of the largest regional ad agencies in the US, I am interested in a career in brand management. I have a background in consumer lifestyle market research, positioning, and consumer product launches, including the successful introduction of Purina Lite Paw Prints to the dog food market. I am currently president of the Heathrow Marketing Network and I am focusing my studies in strategic management and marketing."

Tomorrow's P: Persistence

The 4 P's of the Job Search: Personal

Just like marketing, job hunting has its own version of the 4 P's.

The first of our P's has to do with defining yourself and your goals. Answering these kind of questions is an essential step to beginning your job search marketing plan. The answers will shape how you promote yourself on your résumé, in the interview and beyond.

-What are your skills and abilities?
-What are your career goals?
-What kind of work do you want to do?
-What kind of company do you want to work for?
-What are your passions?

Answering these questions is essential to the rest of your job search. You must define who you are before you can tell an employer what you'll do for them.

As a personal exercise write answers to each of the questions above. Be exhaustive in your efforts. Think of every skill you possess. Map out your career in 5 years, 10 years, etc. Define the type of company you want to work for. Identify the traits of a company that you find attractive. Then integrate the answers into your job search documents.

Related Web Resources
~ http://www.quintcareers.com/career_assessment
~ http://www.livecareer.com/
~ http://www.careertest.us/
~ http://www.assessment.com
~ http://www.careerdna.net/

Tomorrow's P: Positioning

CanaryWharfJobs.com provides London jobs online.

Networking means different things to different people

I came across the following article from Monster that really shows the differences between job seekers when it comes to networking. It's interesting to see how each person tackles the 'N' word. If you're a senior executive you are more likely to use networking to find a job. If you are an Admin Assistant you are less likely to use it. The bottom line however is everyone needs it in their job search toolkit.

Here are their responses about networking from the article...

A Fact of Life
Networking is a fact, a reality, even for the most isolated worker/seeker. If you see anything besides your reflection, if you link to anyone for aid, you are networking. Anonymous resumes and job screeners use filters to identify people and to explore what you can do for each other. When mutual interests are involved, it is a network, and it is not a one-way deal. I think most everyone helps others to feel better about their future and to make connections that work. Life is widened for everyone. Some people express goodwill in return, and other times they are too enmeshed in their circumstances to reciprocate, but that's life.

A Way to Build a Career Outside Corporate America
When I finished my master's degree at age 54, I knew I wasn't material for the corporate environment, because the stress would most likely exacerbate my lupus. I decided I would use my degrees in English to develop a freelance/contract career in editing and writing. Until recently, the only method of advertising I used was networking. I gave everyone I could think of my business cards, even strangers whom I thought might remotely be interested in an editor or a writer. I gave my business cards to several department secretaries at the university where I graduated, asking them to pass them on to business students -- people who might inquire about an editor. Amazingly, I've been able to cultivate an adequate amount of work solely through networking that has supported me for the past nine years.

Effectiveness Depends on Circumstances and Location
Networking is always a good thing, but I think the word networking is overused. We all make professional acquaintances during our careers; it's whether we are able to use them to our advantage during a job search. Unfortunately, most of the people you know don't know much about your work ethic or true KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities), because they don't work with you on a daily basis. In my job search, I can cite only two hires that actually came from my network, and I know A LOT of people in various industries. I think it depends on your location, too. Some towns/cities are more difficult than others, because they are overpopulated with professionals like you, and they aren't going anywhere anytime soon. My suggestion is to network outside your comfort zone as well as with like-minded colleagues to broaden your choices in case that dreaded job search happens to you. And always keep your resume current!

An Unfair Advantage?
I do not believe that networking is overrated. However, I strongly believe too much emphasis is placed on networking, putting people who do not have the strings to pull them through at a serious disadvantage. When a prospective employee is referred, employers tend to feel more assured they are hiring someone who is competent and this judgment is based on the referrer's credibility. What employers are striving to do is retain workers, reduce a high turnover rate and increase productivity. However, I believe even when people are not referred by someone else, they too should be given a fair fighting chance.

From my perspective, networking could lead to someone being hired because of who they know and not what they know, which leads to unqualified and undereducated people getting great jobs by wiping the right person's nose.

Not a Cure-All
Networking is powerful, BUT only if you've preceded it with hard work, careful planning, integrity and in a fair and comfortable manner. Networking is most successful used in conjunction with a good reputation.

Know Your Network
Networking is a successful and beneficial endeavor, depending primarily on where you live within the US. It depends on the atmosphere and mentality of the people with whom you must relate. Acceptance is crucial. Who are those by whom you wish to be accepted? What do you want? What will you present? What do you hope will be the result? Can you be yourself and still be assisted by others? Those are questions as diverse and complicated as people are. Your hopes, your dreams and aspirations cannot be shared with everyone, every time. Some dreams are deep, some dreams are somber, many dreams are hopeful, and even more are expansive. What you share and what you retain hinges on whether someone will help you along the way or stop you at every entrance.

The Role of Gender
The most difficult part of networking has been the male/female thing. I have encountered several roadblocks, including "the ol' boys club," the gentleman who thinks networking is foreplay, and the women who are engaged in an affair with the boss and think you are a threat. I entered an all-male industry 25 years ago, and it took a few interactions before the men started to trust my counsel and starting calling me first when they were stuck. I gained their respect, but they never stopped making advances. I can think of only one woman over the course of my career [who was] in a higher position and who I respect and was not involved sexually with the company president.

Both a Must and Overrated
It's a career must, because you need to keep a network of people active so you can hear of job openings. On the other hand, it's overrated, because sometimes the networking itself can be completely phony. The basic trick is to network without appearing that you are networking. In other words, be genuine! Your network must include people you communicate with (email, snail mail, telephone, other) on a regular basis (and the frequency is up to you). Networking just to network is phony, and that's when it's overrated.

No Help
Networking? Maybe I never figured out how to do it well, but it didn't help me at all. My connections just gave me names of others in management whom I didn't know. Few of them ever responded to my inquiries, and those who did respond really weren't of any significant help. I landed my current position by responding to an advertisement in the newspaper. The old-fashioned way worked for me. Next time I'm looking, I'll need to improve my networking skills, I guess!

Free Resume Advice from 'Your HR Guy'

The mysterious 'Your HR Guy' is offering free resume critiques if anyone is interested. I say 'mysterious' because no where on his blog does he identify himself. But his posts are pretty good and free is always the best price.

Free eBook to Finding Jobs in Springfield MA & Western Mass

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Independence Day

There probably aren't a lot of people thinking about job hunting today.

After all, the 4th of July is a time when most of us attend barbecues or go on vacation. But as you eat your hot dogs and burgers today, think about the fact that over 230 years ago American Citizens risked everything for the Independence that we enjoy today.

Think about our founding fathers who would have been hanged if they were caught by the British. Think about the soldiers of the Continental Army who fought bravely and in some of the worst conditions ever, stood firm against the Redcoats. Think about 1776 - a year that was the most important year in the most important war in American History.

I'm a huge fan of American History. Lately I've been reading Washington's Crossing which details the incredible struggles of the early years of the revolution. It is truly amazing how close we came to losing the war in 1776. I'm so obsessed with the revolution these days I even started a pet project that offers revolutionary war tshirts.

So as you pop open a beer today raise a toast to the men and women of the revolution. Without them, there would be no July 4th.

1 Year of Job Hunting Secrets

Well, I did it.

With the end of June I've been blogging about job hunting for exactly 1 year now. When I started this endeavor, I had no idea what to expect. But the results have been extremely gratifying while I make a name for myself in the career advice industry.

As the stats below show, traffic to Secrets of the Job Hunt has been doubling every quarter.

As for the future, I plan on continuing my daily posts about job hunting and the job search world. I also may be covering some industry events of note. Job hunting has become more complex than ever and I promise to keep you informed and alert through my Secrets of the Job Hunt!

~C.M.