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Why is LinkedIn Important When I Already Have a Resume?

Peggy McKee — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 00:00:40 +0000

There are plenty of people who think that a LinkedIn account replaces traditional methods of job-hunting. While this might work for a few, this is not really the concept that propels the existence of this professional networking site.

The purpose of LinkedIn is to provide a means of connecting with other people in the context of career opportunities…that’s why there are groups to join, Q&A sections, testimonials, and more.

LinkedIn can be a valuable tool even when a resume is already in place. In fact, these two concepts should be used in conjunction with each other to produce the best results. It is a misconception to think that they are mutually exclusive. One of the ways to view this is to consider the differences and purposes of LinkedIn and resumes.

First, LinkedIn provides a way to establish connections. Your LinkedIn profile is not expected to contain all your work responsibilities and past employment experience. In fact, the best profiles are the ones that contain only the highlights. Just like with other things over the internet, people tend to scan over profiles instead of examining them carefully. Your goal should be to make it easy for them to skim and still catch your best or most unique qualities.

It’s a general outline. On the other hand, a resume is more comprehensive and includes references that can be of interest to the company. Although resumes should be no longer than two pages, there is enough space to provide more than just a snapshot.

Also, LinkedIn is important even when there is an existing resume because they are useful in different environments. LinkedIn allows you an additional venue (the internet) in which you can showcase your career accomplishments. Access to it is greater compared to resumes, which should only be sent to a specific set of people-a targeted audience for specific circumstances, like a job opening. In essence, LinkedIn can appear to a larger audience compared to a resume, which should be customized to fit a specific company or position.

Your LinkedIn profile has it’s own purpose, just like your resume, your 30/60/90-day plans, or your brag book. Each document tells different parts of your story in a unique way, and each have an intended use they are best fit for.

When they are all honed and polished to a shine, they will combine to give you the best possible results as a candidate, and in your career.

Author: Peggy McKee

Job Search Engines: An Effective Job-hunting Tool

Dave Poon — Wed, 20 Jan 2010 09:05:53 +0000

Nowadays, looking for a job is easy; this is because of the tools available online. One effective tool for job hunting is job search engine. It allows you to look for job vacancies on a certain area or even globally. What these job search engines do is create a bank of jobs, which came from different companies. Then, they categorized the collected data so that job seekers can easily locate a job appropriate for them.

This also provide convenience to job seekers since the search process has been narrowed down into just job listings instead of using a regular search engine that may provide you a long list of results and some may not even be associated with the job you are looking for.

Another advantage of using job search engines is their large job bank. If you are looking for job and does not have restrictions on the job location, then using job search engines is good for you.

Unlike the job ads in newspapers, which can only provide you limited search ads and you cannot go back to the ads posted the other day, job search engines provides a wide range of selection and are searchable as long as the job is still offered by the company. However, some job search engines are limited only to certain regions or countries so you may want to check the services offered before choosing a job search engine.

Job search engines are also easy to use because all you have to do is using the search box. They even list the job per category so you can also view all job listings for a specific job position. Some job search engine also great features offered by, which will make your job-hunting much easier. These include:

Free resume posting. Job search engines often allow you to post your resume. Then, the job search engine will use this information so it can identify which job is right for you. Instead of looking for a job yourself, the job search engine will send you an email with the list of new job posting which matches your preferred job, credentials and work experience (based on the resume you posted).

View company profile. Knowing the background of the company that you are applying for is important so that you know if you share the same vision with what the company has. Also, from the profile, you can see what the company can offer to you. This can help you decide if you really would like to be part of the company before even applying to them. You can also make comparison among companies if ever they posted same job openings. Thus, you can first collect and just select the best later on.

Customizable search. If you would like to narrow your search and would view only job openings that meet your preset criteria, utilizing the customizable search can do this. Criteria can be job location, expected salary, schedule preference, category search or employment type.

Get job advice. Some search engine sites even extend their help by providing tips and advice about your job or job hunting. You can look up for articles about resume writing, preparing for an interview, etc. You may even send an email to them or chat with their agent about a problem you are having with your job or if you are having difficulty looking for a job.

With the many services and features of job search engines, they can effectively help you in landing to your dream job.

Author: Dave Poon

Tips For Successful Job Hunting: How To Get A Job Without A Resume

Thei Zervaki — Mon, 18 Jan 2010 09:50:32 +0000

I am in my mid-thirties, and, as you can imagine, I have changed and looked for jobs many times in my life. No matter how successful was in my job hunting research, I realized that there are certain ground rules that need to be respected; otherwise, we will not get what we want from our careers.

First of all, forget about your resume.

A resume cant get you a job. A resume wont get you a job. Research proved that for 1,400 resumes sent out, there is only ONE job offer! The percentage is very low so instead of worrying too much about the structure, the layout and the type of fonts you will use to create a fantastic resume, do the following:

Find what you really want to do in life.

By saying that, I dont only imply a job title. Yes, you would like to be a marketing executive, an editor, an IT consultant or a flying attendant; however, its the nature of the job you will have to think of, in the first place. Do you like nine-to-five roles, well structured and in an office? Do you prefer to work in the outdoors? Do you mind getting up at dawn to work and taking afternoons off? Would you mind being on a plane or ship, or do you think that is a fun way to get a pay check? If you feel that you do not have the answer to these questions, think twice.

Make lists with things you enjoy in life: your interests, your hobbies, your passions. Then ask your friends or family. What do they think about you? Very often, we do not have a very clear idea of what we like in life, as we are very much into it. Our closest people, though, can help us by identifying areas, hang-ups or paths we ignore or are unable to see. Just give it a go, play around, ask people and move on. By the end of your research, you will know, for example, that you are the person who enjoys working on his own, prefers the unstructured life style, and works well at night. Then, a career in writing or painting might not sound like a bad idea.

Identify the industries you are attracted to.

This is a funny task. Very often, we think we like everything. We like the movies, books, planes, hotels, schools and restaurants. Yes, we do. This does not imply that we would like to work for these industries. Enjoying a nice meal at your local restaurant, does not necessarily make you a successful cook. Your love for children does not make you a happy and wise teacher, either.

Finding the industry of your choice is a long term process, and it will require constant research and clarity on your part. I remember I had a huge crush on the film industry five years ago. I worked for a film festival that didnt last more than two months. I kept applying for jobs in the film industry, unsuccessfully. The problem was that I did not exactly know what type of job I wanted to do. Was it script writing, producing, PR, acting or what? Then I started to take classes on film writing. It was when I finished the third class of script writing that I understood that going to the movies was a fun hobby, but that this was not my industry. After that, I gave up sending resumes and I concentrated on my real needs and desires. I finally found a job for a different industry that I enjoyed.

Have a real project.

For two weeks, buy all the newspapers and magazines you can find in your local area and/or nationally. Then clip job ads you feel attracted to. Keep them in a folder on a daily basis. Each morning, find out the main elements of the job ad. Was it an intellectual job, a creative role, an analytical position or something that involved adventure and taking risks? Do you prefer management roles or travel, editing or calculating, speaking or thinking? If you do that consistently for two weeks, you will have a very clear idea of the roles/jobs you like. I experimented myself, and I found out that when looking for nine-to-five roles, I liked all management positions because they offered flexibility, travel, high profile contacts and decision making. My client, Helen, who is an editor in a publishing house loves her job although she admits that it can be repetitive sometimes. I could not imagine Helen managing, as she is the type of person who thrives on independent, analytical and writing jobs. On the other hand, my friend John, who is a lecturer at the local college, enjoys research and teaching.

Last but not least: the most important element for successful job hunting is to find out who you are, not just what you want to do. Are you a leader, a writer, a speaker, a motivator? An explorer, a risk-taker, an analyst, an artist or a priest? As an identity, you are unique. Just recognize your uniqueness and authenticity, and move on. Finding the job you want is the first step. Then you have to do this job for forty hours a week for a whole life. It is important that you deserve to express your being while doing it?

There are many other tips and strategies that will help us all to find what we want to do for a living. These four strategies form, in my opinion, the foundation to success for a first, second or fifth job. Maybe you will find a new job that will fit your personality better, because you found out who you are. Happy Hunting!

Author: Thei Zervaki

9 Tips to Help You Find a Job

Mark — Tue, 01 Dec 2009 07:40:57 +0000

There are numerous things you can do to help you find your dream job. Some of these things are pure common sense, others may require you to think a little more outside the box!

Below we present 9 Tips to help you find your new job!

Network

Think of all the people you know — relatives, friends, teachers, classmates, old co-workers, and others. Now you have to start to make more of an effort to meet with people, and use these conversations to ask their advice and to make them mindful of your job search. Ask them about their job and their organizations. Try to get the names of others who might be useful in connecting the dots in your job search.

Targeted job search and Resume

Make sure your resume is targeted to the employers who are receiving it. Make sure that your resume is easy to read and the most important details stand out on the page. Always have more than one resume ready and available if you’re applying to different industries for a job. Don’t apply to different industries with the same resume. Tailor each resume to a specific industry.

Be prepared

You should always have a copy of your resume on you at all times! You never know who you are going to run into while you’re out. It is also a good idea to have a fresh copy of your resume prepared in case you are called to an interview at the last minute. Always bring a copy of your resume with you to the interview along with a couple of questions to ask the employer.

Create a contact database

Write down all the employers that you contact along with the ones that contacted you. Write down or make note of, the date that you sent your resume, any contact made, people you talked to, and any important info. Keep a notepad with you at all times — take notes any time you hear about an opportunity or when you leave an interview.

Learn how to talk about yourself

I know for some of you this is a hard concept, but you have to get comfortable with it, if you are going to land a job. Throughout your job search you will be speaking with many people in many different positions at different levels. You must be comfortable having conversations about yourself with others. Keep in mind that you never know what or who may end up being useful to you in your job hunt.

Prepare a speech

You never know who you’ll meet in an elevator, in line at the coffee shop, or on the street. Know what your skills are and how to communicate them to others. You should be able to talk to prospective employers along with others you meet about what you can offer there company or industry. You should also be able to talk about how your skills will relate to the industries that you’re interested in.

Find out all there is about the employers in your field

This means research! Try to remain current on all the issues or developments in your field, read trade journals, professional publications, or the newspaper. You can always jump on the Internet and Google it. It is extremely impressive to employers during an interview if you know all about the latest merger or industry updates and news.

Follow-up with leads immediately

I cannot stress this enough. If you find out about a position late in the day, call right then. Don’t wait until the next day. You have to jump on any lead that you find when you find it. And if all possible get a phone number and call them directly to get them on the phone.

Stay confident and positive Job hunting is going to take time and energy.

Remain confident, but prepare yourself for all the challenges ahead. Don’t get disgruntled if you are still looking for a job and it seems like everyone you know has an offer. You will find something if you keep positive and keep moving forward.

Article contributed by http://www.JobBrite.com

Top tips for staying Optimistic During your job search

Mark — Sun, 26 Apr 2009 04:39:51 +0000

If you’ve just lost your job or unexpectedly find yourself out of work it can hit you very hard.

It’s very difficult to stay motivated when you’re looking for work, whether you’ve been made redundant or are looking while still employed. These 8 great tips will help you through your job search.

1 Maintain a Routine

It’s very important to maintain a routine while you’re job hunting. For example, in the mornings take the dog for a walk or do a work out and aim to be sitting at your desk at home by 10am scanning recruitment websites.

2 Put on a Happy Face

It’s hard to keep it all in perspective sometimes, but keeping a positive outlook is crucial. The last thing you want is to go into an interview feeling down and irritable.

3 Phone a friend

Speak to a friend on a regular basis, suggests Laura Berman Fortgang, author of Take Yourself to the Top. Tell him or her about your search and what kind of feedback you’ve gotten. Make sure you have a designated time, whether at the end of the day or once a week, to talk with your trusted advisor

4 Keep Notes

Staying organised about where and when you’ve sent your CV will make the follow-up easier. Keep notes of all phone calls and correspondence as well as your research.

5 Set aside time

Be realistic about how much time you need to spend on your job search so you won’t overestimate what you can get done or get discouraged when you never finish your to-do list. Schedule website job searches in your appointment book, says Fortgang. By telling yourself it’s important to spend two hours a night, five days a week, on the search, you’ll feel good about accomplishing that task.

6 Establish objectives

What motivates us is achievement, so keep your goals realistic and stick to them, suggests DeAnne Rosenberg, author of A Manager’s Guide to Hiring the Best Person for Every Job. For example, avoid planning 27 calls in one day – you’ll get depressed if you don’t achieve that goal. Instead, set realistic objectives, make lists and take a red pen and draw a line through every goal you reach during the day.

7 Strengthen your confidence

Don’t put your life on hold during this transition time. If a new suit, an indulgent dessert or a massage keeps you feeling good, don’t deny yourself. This doesn’t mean you have to spend a lot of money, says Rosenberg, but do what it takes to feel good about yourself. You’ll walk into interviews that much more confident and at ease.

8 Socialise

Get together with friends once a week or once a month to update each other on your job search and cheer each other on. This doesn’t have to cost you a lot of money. Anyway you should have money in the bank, so you don’t just take the first thing that comes to you. And remember, looking for a job may be a full-time job but remember that no one can job search 24-7.

Contributed by Debbie O’Hallaran
Career Columnist, www.irishjobs.ie