Monday, August 29, 2011

Job Search & Marketing Yourself in a Virtual World - Part 3

Placing Articles Online allows you to demonstrate your expertise by providing useful information that members of your industry’s community are actively seeking out. Online articles position you as an expert in your field and convey a level of authority that establishes trust and sets the stage for future career opportunities. 

When high-traffic, high-credibility Web sites and newsletters publish your articles, you ride on the coattails of their loyal relationships with readers. Your articles are seen by visitors as referrals from trusted friends.

The prime "real estate" in the virtual world is at the top of the search engine listings. You should know that the most widely used search engines rank Web sites by the quantity of other Web sites that link to them. What this means for you, as a job seeker, is that every article you publish and thoughtful comment you make on the websites of others can improve your search engine rankings.

Build On-line Relationships
Most business networking used to happen when we recommended an associate, swapped business cards, or connected with colleagues over lunch. But increasingly, social networking is migrating to the Internet.
Through social networking Web sites and online discussion lists, both job seekers and potential employers can access virtual communities of associates while developing virtual "platforms" to establish themselves as recognized experts.
If you are just beginning your online marketing strategy the top 5 list below will get you started on a plan that has worked for many:
  • Start with a self-promotion plan and an effective development strategy
  • Learn and practice good Search Optimization Techniques
  • Strive to get ranked at the top in major search engines
  • Learn to use E-mail effectively and use email auto-responders and handle your e-mail efficiently and effectively
  • Write and publish on-line articles or get listed in news stories
By following the tips listed above, you will be on your way to creating a concrete Internet self- marketing strategy, boost your credibility substantially and increase the probability of being found by potential employers.



Copyright © 2011, Career Matters. All Rights Reserved. Permission to Reprint: This article may be reprinted, provided it appears in its entirety with the following attribution: Copyright © 2011, Career Matters. Reprinted by permission of the author, Mary Salvino. “Career Matters” is a blog hosted by Mary Salvino, Senior Consultant for SMART Career Planning.com. This blog is dedicated to those who are seeking advice on managing their career and future job opportunities. We welcome readers to share their experiences, post their comments or ask questions about career related matters. For any questions or comments that are better addressed privately, please feel free to e-mail Mary directly at Mary.Salvino@shaw.ca

Monday, August 22, 2011

Job Search & Marketing Yourself in a Virtual World - Part 2

 One of the easiest ways to market yourself in a virtual world is to become an on-line centre of influence. 

We all know people who command rapt attention whenever they speak. Others want to listen to, learn from, and emulate them. These people are centres of influence and you can earn this distinction on-line by developing the following qualities:
  • Share inside knowledge with your target market;
  • Participate, listen, contemplate, and offer thoughtful responses;
  • Be willing to voice an opinion;
  • Assume leadership positions in your industry
Certainly, experience counts. However, this is not the only prerequisite to becoming an on-line centre of influence that will earn you the distinction of 'trusted advisor' within your target market. 

Start by making yourself a resource for your industry. If you haven’t done so already, create profiles on all of the major social media sites [LinkedIn, a Google Profile, and websites related to your industry.] Be sure to feature lots of useful information, including articles, links, downloadable files, resources, and anything else of use to your target market. Be generous and give, give, give! 

Create a Virtual Podium with Tele-classes
Tele-classes, YouTube broadcasts, Podcasts, and PowerPoint presentations on you social media profiles are all great ways to develop a virtual reputation. They can be promoted easily by email, and provide information to prospects all over the world, with minimal cost and effort.
Also, consider that it may be just as effective and less effort to participate as a guest lecturer in another professional's class rather than producing your own tele-class. 

I hope these ideas help!  If you have others, please let me know.



Copyright © 2011, Career Matters. All Rights Reserved. Permission to Reprint: This article may be reprinted, provided it appears in its entirety with the following attribution: Copyright © 2011, Career Matters. Reprinted by permission of the author, Mary Salvino. “Career Matters” is a blog hosted by Mary Salvino, Senior Consultant for SMART Career Planning.com. This blog is dedicated to those who are seeking advice on managing their career and future job opportunities. We welcome readers to share their experiences, post their comments or ask questions about career related matters. For any questions or comments that are better addressed privately, please feel free to e-mail Mary directly at Mary.Salvino@shaw.ca

Monday, August 15, 2011

Job Search & Marketing Yourself in a Virtual World - Part 1

Before the Internet, job seekers were usually limited to a local market.  Job seekers were left to scour local newspapers, do some cold calling and attending local networking events in the hopes of making that key contact that will lead them to their next career opportunity. 

These days, people can choose to work in the virtual world, be available to work as or with a consultant, a financial planner, or a career or business coach across the country just as easily as working with someone across town. This is the age when prospective clients and employers find you rather than of the other way around.  But, working in the virtual world at your virtual office isn’t for everyone and with that in mind, as a job seeker, you need to know that regardless of your desire to work in a virtual world, you still need a ‘presence’ on the Internet.

Today, the Internet has made it perfectly reasonable to land a major career opportunity with someone you have never met in-person.  The Internet has also created new expectations among recruiters and hiring managers. 

Not only do employers use the Internet to find candidates with your skill set, they also expect you to make a good virtual first impression.  Moreover, the only way to be truly successful at marketing yourself in this virtual world is by establishing a good reputation.

Your Virtual First Impression
Even Internet Luddites, i.e. those who are opposed to technological advancements, now form "first impressions" of people and companies via Internet browsers. From the moment a name or business appears in a Web browser to the moment a Web site loads, your first impression often means the difference between a shot at a career opportunity, or being shut out. 

Given that you have probably used the Internet to do some research on a company or a person you will be interviewing with, it should not surprise you that potential employers are checking you out on-line, as well. 

Know that almost all of the potential employers that you have yet to meet in-person are forming opinions about you at the click of a mouse. Internet first impressions are not just influenced by your web presence, but also by how often you appear in a web browser and also the people you are associated with, i.e. those who show up as ‘friends’ on Facebook, ‘professional contacts’ on LinkedIn and those in your ‘circles’ on Google+.


Copyright © 2011, Career Matters. All Rights Reserved. Permission to Reprint: This article may be reprinted, provided it appears in its entirety with the following attribution: Copyright © 2011, Career Matters. Reprinted by permission of the author, Mary Salvino. “Career Matters” is a blog hosted by Mary Salvino, Senior Consultant for SMART Career Planning.com. This blog is dedicated to those who are seeking advice on managing their career and future job opportunities. We welcome readers to share their experiences, post their comments or ask questions about career related matters. For any questions or comments that are better addressed privately, please feel free to e-mail Mary directly at Mary.Salvino@shaw.ca

Monday, August 8, 2011

Job Seekers: Stop Working So Hard!

 Job-hunting is a numbers game.  It takes more that one application to secure an interview.  Whether you choose to work with a recruiter or go the route of scouring the job boards for suitable employment all by yourself, there are some things that you should be doing to remain productive:

·       Read each job description

·       Make an assessment with regard to how your qualifications and skill set meet the requirements outlined in the published job description

·       Follow the instructions listed in the ad - If the receiver of the application wants both the cover letter and résumé embedded in the body of the e-mail, do so.  The rationale for special requests could be related to the company’s Applicant Tracking System [ATS] or simply to assess if the potential employee is capable of following simple directions.

·       Don’t waste your time applying for opportunities when you are not qualified  

·       Take the time to customize both your cover letter and your résumé to the job description

·       Rediscover the telephone - Make a call to the company to find out the name of the person that will be receiving your documents. [My pet peeve: Nix “To Whom it May Concern” and replace it with a name and/or, “Dear Search Committee”.

·       Find and use a résumé application tracking system and take the time to follow-up on the applications you have sent out

·       Check and respond to messages in your e-mail inbox only at specific times of the day

·       Clean out your e-mail inbox at the end of each day

·       Accept and prepare for all interview requests - Hiring manager may not have a position available at the moment, but they may know of upcoming opportunities and projects.  Interviews, regardless of whether you get a job offer or not, it will give you the opportunity to hone your interview skills.

·       Consider taking a position as a volunteer - This action will get you out of the house, give you the opportunity to meet members of your community and help you fill your soul


As a job seeker, you should treat your job search like any other job.  Take breaks at scheduled times and avoid burnout by taking 2 days off [away from your job searching tasks] per week and turn your computer off completely on all statutory holidays.  You will be doing yourself and your new boss great disservice when you start your new job exhausted.



Copyright © 2011, Career Matters. All Rights Reserved. Permission to Reprint: This article may be reprinted, provided it appears in its entirety with the following attribution: Copyright © 2011, Career Matters. Reprinted by permission of the author, Mary Salvino. “Career Matters” is a blog hosted by Mary Salvino, Senior Consultant for SMART Career Planning.com. This blog is dedicated to those who are seeking advice on managing their career and future job opportunities. We welcome readers to share their experiences, post their comments or ask questions about career related matters. For any questions or comments that are better addressed privately, please feel free to e-mail Mary directly at Mary.Salvino@shaw.ca

Monday, August 1, 2011

Social Media and You

 As a job seeker, it would be foolish not to acknowledge the power of social media and how it affects your ability to secure future employment.  With 45% of companies ALWAYS searching the Internet before they consider calling a candidate in for an interview, it is best that you pay attention to the following information with regard to what companies are now doing in order to find suitable candidates.

A recent survey commissioned by Jobvite, a recruiting platform for the social web, reported the following:

  • 89% of companies will recruit via social networks this year
  • 64% of those surveyed will use 2 or more networks for recruiting [40% will use 3 or more - LinkedIn? Facebook? Twitter? Blog? You Tube? ]
  •  78% of those who responded to the survey expect increased competition for talent
  •  35% of those companies who have yet to embrace recruiting via social media will start to do so
  •  58% have successfully hired from social networks in 2010 - 95% report that they have hired through LinkedI

The quality of candidates from a variety of sources can be summarized as follows [N.B. ‘10’ represents candidates of the highest quality]:

  •   8.6 - Referrals

  • 8.2 - Internal Transfers 

  • 7.8 - Direct Sourcing 

  • 7.0 - Social Networking 

  • 6.8 - Corporate Career Websites 

  • 6.4 - 3rd Party Recruiters or Executive Search Firms 

  • 6.4 - Campus Recruiting 

  • 6.1 - Job Boards 

  • 6.1 - Search Engine Optimization


When it comes to managing your social media profile, you should be cognizant of the following:


  1. Quality Matters.  Given that potential employers will be reviewing your social media profile, it behoves you to pay attention to the things you ‘Tweet”, the pictures you post, and the people you choose to socialize with. 
  1. Size matters.  Do you have a large social network?  Has anyone chosen to give you a recommendation on LinkedIn?  Do you have a lot of ‘followers’ on your blog?  How many people have chosen to view your You Tube video  and share the content with their friends?  Hiring managers and recruiters may or may not know what they are even looking for when they search for you on the Internet, but it is absolutely critical that they only find flattering, or at the very least, inoffensive information.
     
  2. The medium is the message. Just because it is LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, or some other newfangled online or mobile-powered platform, the message still carries more weight than the medium. It is not about the platform or the technology; it is and has always been about the message. The technology is just a tool, and just because younger people were the first to use Twitter and Facebook, don't think for a moment that as an older candidate that you can’t effectively use them just as well as anyone else.  Consider becoming more social media savvy as part of your personal commitment to life-long learning.
     
  3. Social media gurus really do not exist.  When you run across someone positioning himself or herself as a "social media guru" or expert, run for the exit. The reality is that everyone who is working in this field is practicing on the job training.
     
  4. Social media is 'new' media. No, it isn't. Media is media. At one point or another, newspapers, radio, television and the Internet were considered new forms of media and now the are labelled as "traditional" media. So "new" media does not mean that only "experts" or young hotshots can successfully operate your social media efforts. Nothing replaces knowledge of the basics of marketing, combined with knowledge of your personal goals and the need for authenticity and transparency in your socially laden communications.
     
  5. You social media presence can be outsourced effectively. Nobody knows you and the qualities and skill set that you bring to the table as well as you do.  Job seekers can and should consider working with a professional, when it comes to creating personal marketing collateral [résumé, cover letter, business cards, e-mail signatures, and social media presence] to set up and implement your social media job search related efforts.  However, when it comes to communicating messages on a daily basis [job searching is a full-time job when you are unemployed], your ‘people’ may not be in the best position to keep you ‘in the face’ of your community of potential employers.


Copyright © 2011, Career Matters. All Rights Reserved. Permission to Reprint: This article may be reprinted, provided it appears in its entirety with the following attribution: Copyright © 2011, Career Matters. Reprinted by permission of the author, Mary Salvino. “Career Matters” is a blog hosted by Mary Salvino, Senior Consultant for SMART Career Planning.com. This blog is dedicated to those who are seeking advice on managing their career and future job opportunities. We welcome readers to share their experiences, post their comments or ask questions about career related matters. For any questions or comments that are better addressed privately, please feel free to e-mail Mary directly at Mary.Salvino@shaw.ca