Social Networking and Hiring
Posted by adminIn: Networking|Personal Branding|Recruiting
31 Aug 2009
By now you have probably looked into all avenues for your job search, including some of the more popular (and visible) social networking sites online as a way to increase your visibility as a viable candidate. But what benefits, if any, do these sites provide in your job search? Which would be the most effective and why? And will there ever come a time when contacting your network becomes too much of a good thing?
Social networking is a term familiar to most people but if you are new to this way of job searching, it can be a wonderful way to connect with colleagues, get leads and do research on companies. There are several sites out there but an industry survey from Jobvite revealed that Linkedin and Search Engines are at the top of the list (76 and 67 % respectively), with Facebook and Twitter not far behind. Linkedin is used primarily as a business networking tool, search engines for finding jobs in certain locations, and Facebook and Twitter are used for both personal and business. Twitter is the most immediate medium of all with instantaneous feedback.
As an advocate of networking in general, I have been using it myself for many years now to find the right talent for an organization. However, the key to networking well is reciprocity. Meaning, networking is not an one-sided effort. If someone offers to help you, you in turn should pay it forward by passing them along to others. This builds not only your corporate brand but your personal brand as well (Check out Manage Your Personal Brand Everyday). As such, it’s important to remember etiquette (and gratitude) when using any social networking medium so that you do not tax your network:
Once you have the “ear” of someone be respectful of their time. Keep the conversation short but sweet by stating what you are looking for and by keeping your replies and responses down to a minimum of two. Include proper salutations and thank the recipient. Offer to help them by providing leads, places to look, or resources. Networking is yet another wonderful tool to help you in your job search. So become a thought leader and share your expertise with your community. Being able to share in the success of all is a great feeling!
What social networking sites or avenues have you found to be successful in your job search? Which have you found to be the most useful and the most fun?
Putting Your Best Foot Forward
Posted by MercedesIn: Interviewing|Recruiting
20 Aug 2009
Let’s face it…interviewing is intimidating. It doesn’t matter if you have a set of individual interviews or meet with a panel of folks, it’s hard not to be nervous. So we’ve put together a few tips on how to survive the interview process with style and grace.
- Show up on time. This one is so basic it hurts, but it’s amazing how many candidates don’t do it. Be smart and get your interview off to a good start. In fact, show up 5 minutes early to signal that you are eager for the job.
- Dress professionally. As my mom always said, you can get away with being overdressed for an occasion but it doesn’t work the other way around. Preferably wear a suit or at a minimum dress business casual. It let’s others know that you take the situation serious and it’s just plain professional.
- Be friendly and outgoing. Your interviews are a chance to get to know future co-workers. As much as they are asking tough questions to assess your fit to the position, interviewers are sizing up what kind of teammate you will be. Most people want to work with someone friendly. Remember to smile. When someone new walks into the room, stand up to shake their hand and introduce yourself. The little things go a long way.
- Watch your body language. What you say is an important but small part of the interview. Research has suggested that 60-70% of all meaning is derived from nonverbal behavior. So pay attention to your body language and posture. Are you too relax and leaning back in your chair? Are you engaged in the conversation and perched forward to catch every word from the interviewer? Were you quick to answer and passionate about what you discussed? These nonverbal clues give away your true interest in the interview and the position.
- Prepare questions. Most interviewers will give you time at the end of the meeting to ask them questions. So don’t be caught off guard without anything to add to the conversation. Take time the day before the interview to review the company’s website. Understand what product or service they sell. Then write down a couple of questions to take with you to the interview. Your questions can vary from corporate culture to job responsibilities or corporate financial stability.Be prepared and have thoughtful questions. It shows you are truly interested in the position and the company. More importantly remember that you are interviewing the company as much as they are interviewing you.
- Ask for business cards. It’s a great closer, shows that you are interested in your interviewers and indicated that you want to establish a relationship with them. It’s also an easy way to get everyone’s contact information so that you can send a thank you for their time. (Check out Why Thank You Notes are Important.)
These are just a few simple tips to help give you an edge during the interview. Do you have any words of advice for other candidates? Send us your favorite interview trick.
Growing Your Career (for new grads)
Posted by adminIn: Personal Branding
6 Aug 2009
We had an earlier discussion for those with a broad background and many years of experience on how they can get their resume considered in this current hiring climate and some of the frustrations associated with that. But what about those who either have less than 4 years out of college and or are newly graduated?
Because of the nature of our company and the complexity of our products we typically hire only senior level candidates; individuals who have over 5 years of real world experience in a related industry. But we continue to see candidates submitting resumes seeking entry level positions of which we have no openings. So how can they survive in these recessionary times when companies are not expanding their headcount to include junior level individuals?
Throwing your resume at every posting will not get you the result you desire. Knowing how companies are structured and hire will help you target the right opportunity for getting the needed experience to grow your career. Typically, a larger public company targets hiring junior level candidates as they prefer to “grow from within.” They often have a college hiring program in place and attend career fairs and/or have an university recruiter on staff. So seek out these places as an excellent way to start your search. But here are a few other avenues to investigate:
First, take full advantage of your college’s career services department who help current students and alumni. They are there to provide guidance and resources on everything from resume tips to interviewing to companies that are hiring. Be sure to check their job listings page because companies seeking your profile will post there. There is also a wealth of information on the Internet from many of the nationwide job boards which offer tips and tricks on finding the right job. Do your homework. Consider looking for a job to be a job in and of itself and put dedicated time toward this endeavor.
Second, carefully review job postings and see what is required. If a company states needing a minimum of 5 years of experience, they are asking for work skills outside of college research projects, teaching assistant, or internships. Although these are vital areas to gain experience, their application is in an academic environment which varies greatly from a product lifecycle environment so may not apply. See if the posting requests an advanced degree or specific area of study. Most likely these jobs are the ones needing your knowledge.
If you were to plant multiple seeds in the same spot none would have a good chance to spring up. Instead, like the seedling, help your career to flourish by taking the time to find the right environment in which it can grab hold and grow.
- (2) Comments
- Tags: career, entry level, new grads
What Does Your Resume Say About You?
Posted by MercedesIn: Recruiting
23 Jul 2009
I reviewed about 120 resumes today for a couple of new jobs we recently posted. Interestingly enough, I am surprised by how many candidates sink their own battleship before leaving the pier and it all starts with their resumes.
This is your first chance to make an impression, so think about what you want your resume to say about you. The content is extremely important, but don’t forget about the overall presentation. In today’s tough job market, this is even more essential and may make the difference in whether your resume is quickly scanned or if it’s thoughtfully evaluated.
Work on making your resume compelling. It should be concise, well written, and demonstrate how your skills are applicable to the position for which you applied. Here’s a quick list of a few tips for making your masterpiece shine:
- Your name should stand out at the top in large font or bold print or a combo of the two.
- List your contact info – full address, numbers, and email address – near your name and near the top. Burying it in the footer just makes it hard to find.
- Follow a clean format that clearly distinguishes the different sections of your resume (Objective, Work Experience, Education, etc.) as well as the different groupings within each section (each company, title or multiple degrees, for example). You can accentuate sections with all capitals or bold lettering in a larger size font. Maybe you want to highlight your job titles in italics to make them stand out. I would recommend using smaller font for the details associated with each job and advise choosing black ink rather than overwhelming your reader with multiple colors.
- Limit your passive verb choices including am, is, are, and be. Instead use action verbs like manage, direct, build, or develop.
- Tailor your resume to the job you are applying. (See our previous post Tailor Your Resume for Best Results.)
- Provide specific examples of your accomplishments under each position. This is the real gold in your resume that demonstrates how you made a positive impact and added value in previous jobs.
- Stick to 2-3 pages. More than that and most recruiters or hiring managers lose interest.
Once you have completed your resume, have a friend review it for a second opinion. They might catch something you missed. And remember, you can always continue tweaking it as you apply to more positions. It’s a living document that should be a positive reflection of you. Don’t blow it with typos, messy formatting, or meaningless bullet points that lack substance. Fluff is overrated and silly mistakes will sink your resume to the bottom of the pile.
- (9) Comments
- Tags: personality, Resume
Do You Want a Job or a Career?
Posted by MercedesIn: Employment Branding|Personal Branding|Recruiting
17 Jul 2009
We received some great comments from last week’s post about Finding Your Tribe which encouraged candidates to go beyond just applying for a job, but to also consider in which type of company and corporate culture they want to work.
It’s a critical aspect when starting your job search and most candidates overlook it. If you don’t understand what you want in your next job opportunity, how can you find the right position? Instead you will end up with the first decent job that comes along, but it probably won’t be a great career move.
So start your search off on the right foot. Think about what you want in your next move. Is it a mentor? To grow your skills to the next level? Remember that you’re in the job search to find a position that you can be passionate about and enjoy. Be prepared to discuss what your ideal job looks like. Go a step further and add it to your resume as an objective so that hiring managers understand what you want. Even better, tailor your resume to highlight what responsibilities you had in previous roles that relate to this new position. (Check out our previous post, Tailor your Resume for Best Results, for more info on this topic).
Don’t dread the job search or procrastinate rebuilding your resume to reflect recent accomplishments. Take this opportunity to polish your resume and think about how your next career move adds value to your profession and life. Ask the hiring manager or recruiter the tough questions that will help you determine if this is the right job for you. It’s ok to interview your future employer as much as they interview you. You’re looking for the job that you enjoy going to on Monday morning. Because if it’s only the about paycheck, then you chose the wrong job and you need to start looking for the next one now. Life is too short. Wouldn’t you agree?
- (2) Comments
- Tags: Hiring, Interviewing, Objective, Resume, resume writing
Finding Your Tribe
Posted by adminIn: Recruiting
10 Jul 2009
Wanting to get right back into the work force after being laid-off is a common quest. It isn’t any fun losing a job and your first thought after being let go is to get right back to the search with earnest. You have family obligations and/or are not used to sitting around by the phone waiting for a call. So your inclination is to send your resume out to every company and every open position.
But have you given thought to where you really want to work, what you really want to do?
We all need an income but as I have said previously in a comment, nothing kills your chances of finding of job when all you want is just a JOB. I have seen many candidates come by my desk “pleading” to be considered even though they aren’t right for the position. I recall early on, before my career as a recruiter, saying the very same thing to a company “I can do the job, just give me a chance!” The truth was, I probably could have done the job if given the opportunity. But did they consider me? Of course not. I didn’t understand until much later that a company is a business first. They are out there to make an excellent product or service and make money doing so. Because of this they’ll hire the best people to perform the functions that will help them reach that goal. Internal teams often don’t have time to train so will gravitate first to those that can “hit the ground running” and make an immediate impact.
Companies are also made up of individuals not only with similar industry experience and skill but ones who share a similar philosophy. Each corporate culture and work environment is unique. As such, internal teams look for like-minded individuals who share their vision and will get along well with them. This cohesiveness allows the company to flourish and grow. As Seth Godin, author of Tribes, states “Tribes are about [a] belief in an idea and in a community…they are grounded in respect and admiration for the leader of the tribe and for other members as well.”
So if you are thinking about that next job, think about the company and the work environment that best suits you. This is really important. Are you interested in their product or service, enough to believe in what you are creating? Does the job sound interesting enough to challenge you and one which you can do daily? Is it somewhere you can learn and build upon your skills which will in turn make you more marketable and valuable? Does it fit your area of expertise and career goals? Because there is nothing worse than working at something which lacks passion.
Be just as selective about who you’ll work with, as a company is about you as a candidate. Assess your strengths and disposition – do you like smaller companies or larger, do you like to work alone or with a team, do you want to move up in a company or happy staying in one function – essentially, what is your comfort level? Because if you take the time to take a realistic inventory of yourself it will translate in finding the right circumstance for you, and ultimately, this passion will come through in the job application.
I know our company is wonderful, but even we get turned down. So ask yourself, do you really want to work for just anyone?
About Us
The Recruiting Department at LifeSize Communications started this blog to share information with our talent community. It's a great resource for anyone interested in learning more about working at LifeSize.
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