3 Tips to Fire Up Your 2012 Job Search
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in job search, leadership resumes, linkedin profile writer on December 31, 2011
Looking forward to your 2012 job hunt – or dreading more of the same old, same old?
If you’ve spent time job searching in 2011, or are facing a pending layoff, the start of a New Year might not seem exciting or even particularly inspiring.
However, there’s good reasons to reconsider what you might have read or experienced in 2011 – plus ways to drive your job search forward and stay focused on your goal for the coming year:
1 – Realize that companies ARE hiring.
As badly as you want to find the perfect fit in your next job, companies want to find YOU.
Don’t believe this? Run a Google search on the phrase “How to find candidates on LinkedIn.” Out of the 14 million or so results, you’ll see thousands of articles on recruiting.
What this tells you is that there are plenty of companies searching for your talent. Therefore, if you haven’t already optimized your LinkedIn Profile for key search terms, it’s time to get going. Read the rest of this entry »
Reconsider Saying No to LinkedIn Invitations
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in job search, linkedin, linkedin profile writer on December 15, 2011
In the midst of job hunting—but still refusing LinkedIn invites from others you don’t know? You could be hurting your job search (or even your career future) by doing so.
Here’s why: LinkedIn is built on the premise that we are each separated by just a connection or two. Nearly every invitation you accept can put you closer to someone you really want to know.
But there’s another twist as well. Outside of sending InMail (LinkedIn’s internal email), recruiters and employers aren’t able to reach out to you unless you belong to the same Group.
Only a limited number of InMails are included with every account type, which means that power users, such as recruiters, are continually trying to find ways of contacting you for free. Don’t you want to make it easy for them?
Besides, what’s worse about limiting your network is that you’ll encounter situations where YOU need THEM. If you’ve tried to run a closed network, but find that you now need an introduction to facilitate your job search, you’ll be forced to hunt through potential contacts to string together a chain of forwarding InMails (not the most efficient use of your time).
Proponents of using LinkedIn for real-world connections often argue that, unless you’re a declared Open Networker (accepting all invitations), it makes better business sense to restrain your volume of connections.
However, refusing to add someone to your LinkedIn network when you’re job searching can be downright foolish… especially if this person has a wide circle of influence themselves.
So, forget about the implications that seem to come with taking on a new connection (it isn’t “friending,” after all).
Unless you have a very good reason to ignore that new invitation, it’s possible that clicking Accept might put you closer to your career goals.
- Dedicated to Mark
Yes, Virginia, you can use color on your resume
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in cio resumes, Engineering resumes, leadership resume writing on December 7, 2011
As long as job hunters have tried to stand out (and feel they need new tricks to do so), there’s been the question of color for a resume.
Way back in the Stone Age when I was a candidate, the big no-no was colored paper. Now, it seems that the concept of color ON a resume is still catching on.
My recent Careerealism post on resume trends brought this to light very quickly.
While I mentioned several up-and-coming techniques that have helped my resume clients immensely, one hot button seemed to be color.
Should you or shouldn’t you? Here’s what I’ve found to be true:
IF you’re in a field that is reasonably cutting-edge (say, technology), IF you’re wanting to spark interest and intrigue among employers, and IF you’re open to trying new things, then resume color is for you.
However, if your idea of novelty is using borders for the first time, then it might be best to hold off on color and rely on shades of gray to spice up your resume. Read the rest of this entry »
Why Just Joining LinkedIn Is Not Enough
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin, linkedin profile writing services on November 28, 2011
If you’re like many job hunters today, you’ve heard the buzz about LinkedIn as a must-use job hunting tool that can help land your next gig.
Yet, you might have signed up for a Profile at the site, looked around a bit, and then wondered, “What am I missing?”
The truth is, if you’ve only just joined and are standing back at a distance to observe, what’s missing is YOU. Your personality, value in building relationships, and online identity are still not fully formed if all you’ve done is merely join LinkedIn.
So, even if you’re late to the LinkedIn party, here are some steps you can take on the way from novice user to super-connected, job-hunting expert: Read the rest of this entry »
The Magic of An Executive Biography for Your Job Search
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in executive job search on November 15, 2011
If you’re an executive or rising leader looking for your next choice opportunity, you’ve probably shined up your resume in anticipation of calls from recruiters, and taken the time to prepare a targeted cover letter.
But have you considered using a biography as well?
A narrative of your career designed as a short, yet powerful summary of your accomplishments, a career biography can help different members of your target audience (such as CEOs, networking contacts, or Boards of Directors) grasp your value proposition and personal brand.
In fact, you’ll find that some interviewers will react more positively to an executive biography than they will to your resume, favoring the bio because of its brevity and narrative flow.
Here are some reasons to wrap an executive biography – as well as your resume – into your leadership job hunting portfolio: Read the rest of this entry »
The #1 Way to Stand Out on Your Resume
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in resume writing on November 7, 2011
Worried that your resume won’t stand out for that perfect job when compared to hundreds of eager job hunters?
One of the BEST ways to distinguish yourself is to measure and document your performance against that of peers (or previous incumbents).
Competitive intelligence isn’t new. Anyone who sells solutions is constantly positioning their product for a win against similar offerings. And guess what? In a job search, YOU are the product.
Therefore, your resume must explain the reasons you’ll continue to outperform others in your next job.
Here are 3 tips to help gauge your work against others, and then add the results to your resume: Read the rest of this entry »
Does Your Executive Resume Miss Out On the Latest Trends?
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in executive resume writing, executive resumes, leadership resume writing, leadership resumes, resume trends, resume updates on November 2, 2011
Putting together your resume for the first time in years? Believe it or not, resume trends have changed substantially in just a short period of time, due to intense competition in the job market.
You’ll soon find that you’re up against other executives with custom-designed, focused documents. Therefore, you’ll need to ensure that your resume is in line with cutting-edge changes in format and style.
What’s changed? Besides the fact that an objective isn’t workable anymore, many executive resumes now contain a splash of color, a branding headline, or a metrics- and detail-packed summary that replaces tired, overused phrases.
Consider implementing these trends into your executive resume as a way to stand out:
A touch of color.
While color can seem like a huge stretch for a resume, it can also be a valuable tool that makes certain elements stand out. Read the rest of this entry »
3 Strategies for Writing a Bold, Branded Executive Resume
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in executive job search, executive resume writing, leadership resumes, personal branding, resume writing on October 26, 2011
Launching a strategic executive job search – and hoping to make a splash?
In previous years, listing the size of budgets managed, divisions run, or revenue generated might have been enough for a recruiter to hunt you down.
However, in today’s economic climate, executives are being asked to deliver more and brand themselves as well-rounded leaders prepared to tackle industry challenges and obstacles to growth.
Your executive resume will be judged much differently than in the job markets of years past, due to intense competition and the fact that employers can be much more selective.
It’s important to look at your executive resume with a fresh perspective. Have you missed opportunities to market yourself?
Do hiring authorities fail to understand what you bring to the table? Are you being passed over for jobs, even though you’re well-qualified?
If so, these 3 strategies can help you reassess the strength of your executive resume – with ideas for powerful content and leadership storytelling:
1 – Demonstrate strategic, not tactical, value.
Employers are not only looking for your leadership skills – they’re intent on finding a leader that will impact growth, retain top talent, and impress their competitors.
Therefore, your executive resume has to take your brand message a step further than just listing results, and talk about the situations encountered in your career.
Consider whether the following scenarios apply to your background: Read the rest of this entry »
How to Ace The Panel Interview
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in executive job search, interview tips, job search on October 16, 2011
Facing a panel interview? Prepare by anticipating the mix of personalities and questions you'll face
Had a call for a panel or group interview recently?
While you might be thrilled to make it to this stage of the hiring process, the mere thought of fielding not just one, but a whole TEAM of interviewers can be enough to put your stomach in knots.
However, the reason most employers conduct panel interviews isn’t to intimidate you; rather, it’s a time-saving way to meet with people that will likely interact with you in the new job, and gather their impressions all at once.
So, when you stride into that group interview, remember that the team is there to learn about you and your value-add, NOT to interrogate you or make you uncomfortable.
These 5 tips can help you feel more in control of the process while facing a group of interviewers—with a professional, enthusiastic demeanor that helps win the job: Read the rest of this entry »
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Writing Your LinkedIn Profile Headline for Searchability & Branding
Posted by Laura Smith-Proulx, Executive Resume Writer in linkedin, linkedin profile writer, personal branding, social media on October 9, 2011
Like any other announcement, your LinkedIn Profile Headline can deliver a powerful first impression
Using LinkedIn for your job search? You might have assumed, as many others do, that your mere presence on the site is enough to make your Profile findable by employers and recruiters.
However, the key information used in some LinkedIn Profile fields can actually make a huge difference in the way employers become aware of your qualifications.
Specifically, your Headline is prime LinkedIn real estate—critical to the marketing and search optimization methods that might be used by recruiters to locate you when they search for candidates.
Here’s how it works: As a quick identifier, your Headline should be tuned to not only your job level, but your goal, enabling LinkedIn’s internal search engine to do its job more efficiently.
When you first populate your Profile, LinkedIn will ask if you’d prefer to use your current job title as the Headline. Even if you respond with “Yes,” you can (and should) take the time to update your Headline to a branded representation of your job target and value to employers—filling up as many of the 120 characters allowed as possible.
To change your Headline, click on the Profile option at the top of your Home Page, then choose Edit Profile. In the area that lists your name, select Edit to change your Headline.
Consider the following examples when tuning your Headline for greater searchability and relevance to your job goals: Read the rest of this entry »
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