Simply Hired Blog

How To Work With Social Media for a Successful Job Search

2013-05-24T10:20:06-07:00

Having a working knowledge of social media is an important skill to have if you want to succeed in your job search.

The key word there is “working.”

A lot of us play with social media. It’s a quick, fun way to entertain and be entertained, even when it bends toward embarrassing. Posting a picture on Facebook from the Cinco De Mayo party that shows you wearing a lampshade and saluting the camera with a bottle of tequila is cute and likely to get a laugh from your friends — none of whom are hiring at the moment.

That’s playing. When you’re job hunting, it’s better to work with social media.

Working with social media means taking advantage of the great communication tools available on the Internet to help you find the right job, at the right salary, in the right place. That could mean 1) writing blogs, 2) participating in online discussion groups or 3) posting videos that demonstrate you have a talent that an employer would want.

“If you know how to use social media, there really are no restrictions in your job search anymore,” Tom Gresosky, Executive Recruiter for FalconSearch, Inc., told Debt.org. “It used to be that you were lucky if you knew 100 people around town, or maybe around the state, who could help you find a job. Now, you can reach two million people anywhere in the country or even in the world, if that’s what you want. All it takes is a click of a mouse.”

The encouraging news is that employers and recruiters are literally sitting by their computers, waiting to hear from you.

Gresosky says joining discussions about your field of interest, and answering or asking questions that contribute to the discussion, is the best use of these sites. For example, if you are an accountant, your Facebook page could show discussions related to filing income taxes, as well as news and other points of view from different sources.

“There are a number of ways people exchange information and collaborate on issues via social media,” Gresosky said. “Recruiters know about those sites and they go there to make lists of prospective candidates and give them a value.

Another way to make an impression is to post a video using YouTube, particularly if your skill set shows up better in video or audio form. It’s often hard to convey personality in text form, but very easy to project on video as are communication skills in dealing with people.

“I’m definitely in favor of a short video clip being part of the overall social media strategy,” Gresosky said. “But there are limits. Make sure the skills you’re showing off are appropriate to the job you’re seeking.”

In other words, make sure the form of social media you choose works for you. Keep the playing part private, or save it for another time.

Bill Fay is a writer for Debt.org, focused mainly on news stories about the spending habits of families and government. He spent 21 years in the newspaper business and eight more in television and radio, dealing with college and professional sports, then seven forgettable years writing speeches and marketing materials for a government agency.

The Hidden Benefits of Volunteering Your Time

2013-05-23T11:02:20-07:00

As a founding partner of my firm, I always have plenty of qualified applicants to choose from when it's time to expand my workforce. Sometimes I have hundreds of resumes to choose from, and of those who make the cut and actually land an interview, many of them will have equally stellar resumes with very similar accomplishments. Invariably, I'm put in the position of having to single out the cream of the crop for interviews, and that often means cutting many well-qualified people.

How does a 4.0 GPA, graduating with honors, and a stellar work record set you apart from the pack? The sad truth is, quite often, it simply doesn't. While a solid education and strong work history are the bedrock of any good resume, they aren't good enough to stand out on their own. When looking for new hires, I add one more criteria to the list. I look for those who give back to their community through charity or volunteer work.

Our firm prioritizes charity work and community outreach. Many companies I know do the same. Community involvement at a company level is becoming more commonplace. Volunteer work shows character and demonstrates an ability to think beyond oneself and one's own accomplishments. Not only does it look great on a resume, but it helps make the world a better place for everyone -- an ambition we try to live up to every day.

So if you're looking for a way to distinguish yourself from the masses, consider giving back.

Charity Work Shows Dedication and Consistency

Putting in time with a charity that reflects your values, whether they directly correlate with your chosen career path or not, shows character that employers respect. By finding time to help with mailings, walk dogs, or help out with that bake sale, you show prospective employers that you have a dedicated interest in helping others, and that you're a team player. Even if your volunteer work is far removed from your career skill set, it will also introduce you to new people, and you never know who might be hiring. That nice lady that you worked with on the public radio fund drive may be hiring at her marketing firm.

If you are lucky enough to find a volunteer outlet that allows you to stay within your field and use skills that you would typically put in a resume, even better! That way you'll show employers that you are interested in maintaining and building your particular skill set, even if you happen to be underemployed or looking for work at the moment.

I especially look for people who volunteer on a regular and ongoing basis, not just once or twice on isolated occasions -- this shows dedication and consistency, two things that are always important in new hires.

Nonprofit Work Expands Your Skills

When sifting through the stacks of resumes for potential interviews, people who have experience working at or volunteering with a nonprofit stand out. Sitting on the board of directors or helping with a nonprofit committee is ideal, but any nonprofit experience is invaluable. Nonprofits come with their own unique challenges and obstacles, and successfully running a nonprofit takes leadership, creative thinking, and aggressive problem-solving.

Any work with a non-profit can set your resume apart from others. Working with nonprofits frequently requires employees to wear many different "hats" in their daily work, and showing that kind of versatility and flexibility is a great asset. So when I see someone who's been involved with a nonprofit, I know that not only do they have an interest in helping others and helping make the world a better place, they probably have the skills to make it in our firm.

Pro-Bono Work Expands Your Network and Reputation

If you're stalled in your current career path, but want a way to build your resume, consider doing freelance pro-bono work for an organization you believe in. I know several lawyers who have taken on cases or have been legal advisors for nonprofits and small businesses that matter to them. In the long term these efforts have the added benefit of giving them experience in an area that they may not have had the time to focus on previously, and creating a favorable reputation in the community for them.

Regardless of what your skill set is, you can find someone in need of your help. If you have experience with graphic design, you could volunteer your services to a nonprofit committee in need of gala invitations. If you have experience with web development, maybe you could offer to create a site for that restaurant around the corner. The efforts don't have to be huge, but by helping others you have an outlet to showcase your skills while giving back. Not only will you have a project to add to your resume, but choosing to make use of your valuable time by helping others shows a willingness to go above and beyond in the workplace.

Will adding charitable giving and volunteer work to your resume guarantee you a job? Unfortunately, it won't. It's often said that giving back to the community is its own reward -- but donating your time, energy and money to a good cause can have some very beneficial side effects when pursuing your career.

Noble McIntyre is a founding partner of the McIntyre Law Firm in Oklahoma City, a firm dedicated to giving back to the community.

3 Reasons Your Resume Objective Isn’t Doing You Any Favors

2013-05-22T10:00:40-07:00

One of the most prevalent and misguided advice we see every day at Crafted Resume is the insistence on including a resume objective. If you look at sample resumes across the internet, a large majority have an objective. We believe that using an objective is not only outdated, but it can hurt your chances at getting a job.

Here are three distinct reasons why adding a resume objective can be a big mistake.

Resumes Need Substance, Not Fluff

A resume objective does not offer substance; it is merely a statement about what you want. Employers these days want to know about your accomplishments and how you are going to benefit them as a potential hire. The resume objective is a relic of a previous era when job switching wasn’t as widespread and employers were expecting you to make a career out of your move to their company. These days, employers understand that you may not work at their company forever—they’d rather know what you can do for them in the next year or two to benefit them. Therefore, you can ditch the resume objective and focus on your achievements.

Resume Objectives Increase Difficulty of Applying to Many Jobs

In most people’s job search, they usually have a three tiers of jobs they apply to: 1. Dream job. 2. Lateral job similar to current position. 3. “Safety” job possibly unrelated to current field. In the process of applying to jobs, you may be sending out your resume to 100 employers. However, your career objective may not match each and every one of these employers and it’s going to be a huge pain to change the objective for every job you apply to. We aren’t averse to adapting your resume for each type of employer you are sending your resume to. However, we would rather leave less room for mistakes and eliminating a resume objective is one way to do so. So do yourself a favor: scratch the resume objective and put in another line or two of substantive accomplishments under your work history.

Take An Example From The Experts

Top business and law schools have some of the best candidates in the world. At most of these schools, they have standardized resume formats to help employers read through large resume books and find the right hire for their firm or company. So what is consistent about the resumes created by the top schools in the country? None of them have resume objectives. Since these schools are consistently at the vanguard of the job market, you should take it as an example that objectives no longer have an impact with employers.

Sometimes a vintage look is good, but on your resume it is something to be avoided altogether. So try not to look like grandpa and instead jump into the 21^st century of resume best practices. You'll certainly increase your chances of landing that dream job.

Harrison Smith is co-founder of Crafted Resume. He is passionate about helping others with their job search and offers expert resume advice for those in need. Visit Crafted Resume's website at www.crafted-resume.com .

New Grads: How to Succeed in Your New Job

2013-05-21T10:23:29-07:00

You’ve graduated from school (congratulations!), and now it’s time to start your first real job. Beginning a new position can strike terror into the heart of even the strongest person. As one of my career coaches commented, “It’s like the adult version of your first day of school. In most cases, you don’t know anyone, you’re not sure if the other ‘kids’ will play nice or be mean, you don’t know the layout of the new workplace or even where to find the bathroom, and you’re not sure if you’ll fit in.”

The easiest way to ensure success in a new job is to avoid common pitfalls that stem from a lack of a plan, a poor understanding of the manager’s work style, and lack of knowledge about the company. Prevent these typical new employee mistakes by:

1. Creating a 30/60/90 day game plan. Create a document that is broken into 30-day time increments and captures what you plan to accomplish. Your 30/60/90 game plan should include the key tasks, projects, and initiatives you need to complete, and key people you need to meet, prioritized over your first 90 days on the job. Meet with your manager to ensure he/she shares the same performance expectations and relevant timelines/deadlines.

2. Asking your boss, “How can we best work together?” Establish a positive working relationship by learning your manager’s leadership style and preferred method of working and communicating - then adjust yourself to work with his/her style.

3. Asking for key information about the company. Sit down with your manager and have him/her explain the company and department’s strategic plans along with goals and objectives. Also ask for the department’s organization chart, including the roles and responsibilities of each person, and a breakdown of the most important projects.

It’s important to realize not all companies have a formalized onboarding or training process. If you’re left to fend for yourself as a new employee, you must take the necessary actions to set yourself up for success. For more on succeeding in a new position, including how to set up your 30/60/90 day game plan, earning respect at work and dressing the part, check out my e-book Starting a New Job: What You Need to Know to Succeed.

Lisa Quast is a frequently sought after woman’s career expert and founder of Career Woman, Inc., a consulting agency that helps women reach their professional goals. She’s also the author of the award-winning book Your Career, Your Way and a regular contributor to Forbes.com.

The Top 10 Cities With Green Job Openings

2013-05-20T10:47:25-07:00

Forbes recently published an article regarding the best cities to find Green jobs in the U.S. Based on Simply Hired's hiring data, the article discusses a fast-growing and dynamic Green industry.

Today, there are 83,000 Green jobs on Simply Hired, compared to 45,000 a year ago. The continuous growth of Green jobs suggests this is definitely a new career path worth pursuing.

With that in mind, here are today's top cities hiring for Green jobs. Click on the cities below to search jobs available now. Also, search for Green jobs in your area with Simply Hired's Green Job Search Filter.

1. San Francisco, CA

2. Houston, TX

3. New York, New York

6. Chicago, Il

9. Denver, CO

10. Dallas, TX