A Checklist for Transition

The Success of Your Job Search Depends on How Well You Do Your Planning

Any trip we take usually starts with planning – and so should your journey to your next job. Unfortunately, I often see individuals attempting to jump straight to the destination without the proper planning and preparation. They rush to update their resumes without taking the time to consider options. They frantically start "dialing for jobs" - calling friends and colleagues to see if anyone knows of a job opening - without a clear message of what they have to offer. Yes, an updated resume will be required. And yes, networking is key to finding a job. But should these be the first activities on a job seeker’s To Do List? I say no, and here’s why.

Reflection

Before rushing out to find the new job, it’s important to take the time to consider your current state. Did you get laid off and are you still in shock or dealing with anger? If you are, this is certainly not the time to be on the phone trying to land an interview. Who knows what an interviewer can get you to say under these emotional conditions?

Have you just learned that your division has been acquired by another firm and your new employer is planning to eliminate your position? Not the best strategy to update your resume with a focus on only looking for a job just like the one you just lost. What’s the market like for this position? Are employers hiring in this area, or should you be considering transitioning your skills and experience to a different industry or line of work?

Job loss comes with a certain degree of trauma and chaos. But it also provides an equally important opportunity to step back, reflect on what you know about yourself, your skills, and your work preferences in order to put together a successful strategy for achieving your purpose: navigating the journey to the right job.

Planning

Proper planning can help you address your job search needs while managing the emotional rollercoaster that usually tags along with the announcement of a job loss. Consider this checklist of To Do’s as you prioritize what to do when:

• Finances – Review your financial situation and consider your options. Do you need to take on a part-time job while you’re looking for your next career position? How can you stretch your savings to supplement your unemployment benefits or severance? How can you fund some of the job search expenses you will have? Clarity about financial needs will also help you determine and orchestrate the intensity required of you in managing your job search activities in order to achieve the necessary results.
• Computer - All job seekers need access to a computer. So if the company’s computer was your primary computer, you’ll need to decide if you can buy a new one or get access through your local library or State Labor Department.
• Phone - The same is true for your phone as your computer. You can live without a mobile phone for a while if you still have a land line. Just make sure that you have reliable phone service and that your recorded message sounds professional and reflects the image you want to transmit.
• Email Address – You need a personal email address that is professional. If you don’t have one, get one. Don’t use the company email system for sending and receiving job inquiries. Take the appropriate steps to establish yourself as a serious job seeker who has planned and implemented a professional job search strategy.
• Self-reflection – While you’re dealing with these technology issues, begin to think about the competencies you have been acquiring over your career. What relevant skills and experiences do you have to offer? How can these talents and skills transfer into a new line of work – opening doors you might not have considered in the past? Don’t assume you want to look for a position just like the one you just left. Focus on what positions the market is seeking and how you can reinvent yourself to fit.
• Image – Do you have an appropriate interview outfit? If not, start looking for sales. Remember, you can’t "redo" your first impression. Make sure your image sends the right message: "I’m professional." You’ll probably need two interview outfits as well as few appropriate "business casual" outfits for networking.
• Business cards – Finding a job is a job! You now have your own company and the product you are selling is YOU! Every salesperson has a business card. You can easily design and print cards from companies such as Vistaprint, or work with a graphics designer at your local office supply store. Your business card should contain all the usual contact information, as well as a few bullets highlighting your key skills, certifications, type of work you’re looking for, etc. They don’t have to be expensive – just professional. Link your card style with your branding.
• Network – The first step in networking is organizing who you know. One way to think about contacts is to think of the people you know by categories: co-workers (present as well as former), neighbors, family members, people you exercise with, the parents of the children your children go to school with, etc. List names along with phone numbers and email addresses. Build this list in WORD or Excel so it will be easy for you to keep notes on who you talked with and what follow up actions you need to take.
• LinkedIn – LinkedIn is certainly recognized as the professional networking site. If you don’t already have a LinkedIn profile, establish one. Again think about how you are branding yourself, and keep the information professional. Utilize the features of LinkedIn to help you connect with others, get introductions, and share appropriate updates. Be careful with what you post and don’t forget about managing your privacy. .Identity theft is a serious and real problem.
• 30-second commercial – Now you’re ready to start reaching out to your friends and colleagues. Develop a brief overview of what you have to offer, what help you’re looking for, and include a request for the names and contact information for others you should contact. Be able to say all of that in about 30-60 seconds. Don’t get too detailed that you lose the interest of your contact, but be specific enough so they understand what you need them to do. Once you have scripted your commercial, and this will probably take a few versions, practice it until you can say it in a conversational style without referring to your notes.
• Research - Now it’s time to consider the geography in which you want to live and commute. Research the job market within your identified radius and consider how your passions, experiences and competencies align with what those employers are looking for.
• Armed with your market research, together with what you’ve learned about yourself through self-reflection exercises you are now ready to update your resume. Once you’ve got a solid draft prepared, it will be appropriate to begin calling your friends and colleagues to let them know you are in transition, that you’d appreciate their feedback on your resume draft, and can they spend some time brainstorming with you about other people they know that you might be able to talk with about your job search. Remember, you want to speak with anyone that might know someone who, on occasion, hires someone with your skill set.

Hopefully by the time you get through working on your resume, as well as your checklist, you will find yourself spending more time looking forward to the future, rather than being angry, depressed, or frustrated with the past. This is now the time to start practicing your interview techniques by answering traditional and behavioral interview questions.

The journey to your next job can be thoughtful, enlightening, and purposeful, or it can be an unfocused, chaotic trip. Take the time to do your planning; and then work your plan. Just like any business, you need a strategic plan, systems, supplies and a good product in order to attract customers. Be kind to yourself on this trip. Make sure you are purposeful in setting your daily and weekly goals, but also manage your time by including exercise, fun events, and time for stress relief. Job search can be challenging. Be patient, focused, and look for ways to learn more about yourself with every passing mile. You’ll be a better employee when you reach your destination if you do. Best of luck!

As always, I welcome your comments to my article. Please share your thoughts below. If you found this article helpful, I appreciate you sharing it with others. Have a great week.
　

This article was written by Deborah A King, SPHR, CEO and Career Coach with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are energized about helping individuals plan and navigate their journey to a new career and can help you plan for successful change. Contact Debbie for more information: debbie@evolutionmgt.com or 770.587.9032.
 

What Does Your Digital Footprint Reveal About the Type of Worker You Are?

Whether you’re actively looking for a job or managing your existing career, don’t overlook the power of social media. I always advise my career coaching clients to make it a habit to Google themselves frequently and to take appropriate actions to manage the information revealed.

Now, based on a recent series of studies conducted by Northern Illinois University (NIU), the University of Evansville and Auburn University, I’ll also be suggesting that my clients do a thorough review of their Facebook profile. The studies, led by Donald Kluemper, are important for individuals interested in current or future career development because for the first time we have statistical evidence for what HR professionals have instinctively felt for years: within five to ten minutes of reviewing a candidate’s Facebook postings it’s possible to quite accurately predict the candidate’s probability for successful job performance. Fair or not fair is another question, but for now be aware that this type of review has been happening, and based on these new findings, will be happening more frequently.

The Big Five

In the university study, experienced human resource professionals were asked to rate a sample of 500 individuals in terms of key personality traits, using only the Facebook pages for each sample group participant as a guide. At the same time, members of the sample group were asked to complete a self-assessment and an IQ test. The personality traits both raters and the sample group were assessing are often referred to as the "Big Five"; they include: extroversion, conscientiousness, emotional stability, agreeableness and openness to new experiences. After six months, the researchers followed up with employers to ascertain job performance evaluations.

The HR raters were generally in agreement about the traits identified through the review of the Facebook pages, which correlated strongly with self-rated personality traits of the sample group. More importantly though, they also found the Facebook ratings were a more accurate way of predicting a person’s job performance than an IQ test.

Based on the study findings, a prospective employer might surmise the following types of impressions from a Facebook profile review:

• openness to new experiences could be gained by a review of comments or pictures about vacations taken and the type and frequency of initiating new hobbies
• emotional stability might be assessed by evaluating postings to determine if they indicate the individual is self-motivated and grounded, or the frequency friends are offering words of support and comfort
• agreeableness could be assessed by evaluating the balance between postings indicating cooperation and collaboration with others, versus arguing

Surprisingly, photos of partying didn’t necessarily count against a candidate, as the rater may have perceived the candidate as extroverted and/or friendly. However, I would caution that this is not permission to post karaoke performances or "spring break" type drinking poses.

Time for Action

The takeaways from the NIU study for job seekers, as well as employed individuals interested in career advancements, include:

• Conduct a thorough review of your active profiles for sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn and Twitter including postings and settings and make appropriate changes to limit the data available about you.
• Delete old social sites you no longer use. Yes, I realize this is time consuming and boring, but it’s worth it. When’s the last time you visited your MySpace page? Technology companies might still maintain a record on you, but you’ll leave fewer online traces for others to find.
• Check out what’s out there now about you through Pipl.
• Set up an automatic notification through Google Alerts on your name, nicknames or personal business name.
• Establish and share a standard of care with friends asking them to respect your privacy in posting information and/or pictures about you on their sites.
• Be diligent and think twice about comments and information you are posting on social media sites – you never know who is viewing the information and what impressions you’re sharing.

These steps may not seem important to you today, but now’s the time to consider the future.  Under different circumstances, you don’t want inappropriate content to make the difference between being invited for an interview or not.

HR professionals know there is information available on sites such as Facebook which is illegal to ask about in an interview; i.e., gender, race, disabilities. And, the waters are murky at this time regarding employer liability for using social media information to screen applicants. However, with more and more access to internet information, individuals should be aware of the potential impact of "conversations," postings, and photos being freely uploaded for the world to see.

Reputable employers use more than one measuring stick when it comes to the hiring process. For example, a hiring decision would not be made strictly on a Myers-Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI) profile; however, it would be a reasonable element for consideration in the entire hiring process. I see the review of social media information in the same light. According to a 2011 study by Reppler, a social media service, 90% of recruiters and hiring managers look at an applicant’s Facebook page. You know what they say, "a word to the wise is sufficient."

As always, I welcome your comments to my posting. Please click below to share your thoughts. If you found this article helpful, I’m very happy for you to pass it along to others. Have a great week.


This article was written by Deborah A. King, SPHR, CEO and Executive and Career Coach with Evolution Management, Inc. Debbie and her team are energized about changing workplace practices and can help you navigate your career development and job search. Contact Debbie for more information; debbie@evolutionmgt.com; 770.587.9032.

Job Seeker Questions & Answers

I’ve been out of work for over a year and I’m finding it harder and harder to motivate myself to search for a job. Any advice for kick starting a new campaign?

Samantha

Check out Dear Jobseeker for my answer to Samantha's question.

Working for Uncle Sam

Job seekers and individuals in career transition often overlook a great source of jobs – the United States government! That’s right; Uncle Sam wants you on his team!

According to a report from the Partnership for Public Service, government agencies will be filing 270,000 “mission critical” jobs by the end of 2012. These jobs will be in a variety of fields, with a majority of the opportunities in medical and public health, security and protection, compliance and enforcement, and legal. Just like with any job search avenue, the savvy candidate must do the appropriate research, know the organization, and properly engage in the appropriate hiring process.

Although President Obama signed a Presidential Memorandum on May 11, 2011 entitled, Improving the Federal Recruitment and Hiring Process, job seekers wishing to be successful landing a federal government job will need to understand and participate in a slightly different process than the one encountered when seeking a position in the private sector. Here’s what you need to be aware of:

Federal Job Search 101

Focus
Similar to a private sector job search, it’s critical to know yourself and to be focused. USAJOBS.gov is the official site for posting government job announcements. On average they post about 30,000 job notices a day. That can be very overwhelming and intimidating to a job seeker with an “I’ll take anything” attitude.

Mirroring the requirements for success with a private sector search, take the time to explore and discover who you are, what you like to do, what competencies you have to offer, and what tasks and responsibilities you want to avoid since past performance has demonstrated those not to be your strengths. This journey and the time it takes to get to know yourself will lead to:
• a more targeted approach
• identification of job postings that align with your qualifications
• a resume that addresses required and specific competencies with the job posting
• greater probability of success

To improve their knowledge of strengths, interests, and qualifications, job seekers often find it helpful to work with a career coach who can administer a variety of assessments to engage them in exploration and discussion about accomplishments, successes and developmental interests. They often will administer the
HBDI and Myers Briggs Type Indicator to solicit further exploration and determine work style preferences.

Networking
Every job seeker looking in the public or private sector needs to network! Your network may not be able to actually get you the job, but they will be able to share with you:

• information about what’s going on in a particular agency
• when jobs are being posted
• when part-time opportunities are available (a great way to get your foot in the door)
• required qualifications and skills
• introduction to the hiring manager

Be sure you are organizing and building your network. Utilize social media tools such as LinkedIn to assist your networking efforts.

Resume and KSAs
All job seekers have to develop an accurate resume that speaks directly to the needs outlined in the job posting. However, the resume acceptable in the private sector is not usually detailed enough for consideration in the public sector.

Think about it this way: Until the President mandated changes to the hiring process effective November, 2010, the responsibility for reviewing resumes and presenting three possible candidates to the hiring manager was totally the responsibility of someone within the agency’s Human Resources Department. Since all candidate resumes were not viewed by the hiring manager, the resume had to detail every qualification in order to “prove” to HR that the candidate had the required skill set for further consideration. In addition to a resume that often would be 6-8 pages, the candidate was also required to write out detailed statements (usually a paragraph or more) referred to as KSAs (knowledge, skills and abilities) to further demonstrate past performance, knowledge, experience and alignment with job posting requirements.

Although the changes President Obama is looking for were to be implemented through the Office of Personnel Management (OPM), it appears that not all agencies have updated their hiring procedures. Until all agencies are on board, job seekers may encounter requirements for the comprehensive resume with all the details as well as KSA requirements, or the new format that incorporates the KSAs into the resume and is accompanied by a cover letter. The newly formatted resume will still be longer than a private sector resume, usually by 1-2 pages.

In addition to Career Transition Consulting Services that specialize in Outplacement Services and Federal Resume Writing, resources such as USAJOBS.gov provide help with resume preparation and the application process.

Follow Up
With a private sector job search, if you don’t follow up you will probably be overlooked, or deemed to not be too interested, and therefore eliminated from the process. In the public sector follow up is also important and although it may be more difficult to do, you should seek ways to do it. If you applied on-line, the electronic application system may provide an option for you to check on status. If you applied with a paper application package, after waiting approximately 45 days (the time OPM is trying to reduce the hiring process to), it is acceptable to contact the person listed in the job announcement to inquire about the status of your package and the process.

Be mindful, especially if you are new to the federal job search process, that the process does take longer than in the private sector. The President’s mandate is all about shortening that cycle in order to facilitate the hiring manager capturing the best qualified candidates before another agency or private sector company makes them an offer. But, as I’m hearing from many agencies, we’re not there yet. It’s not uncommon that the process may take 3-6 months. Be patient, but persistent. And of course, always be courteous.

Interviewing
Interviewing for a federal government position is similar to the process used in the private sector. Many agencies and companies alike have moved to phone screening and video conferencing as interview options, in order to reduce the cost associated with out-of-town candidates coming in for face-to-face interviews.

Interviews can take place in a setting where the candidate is meeting one-on-one with an individual on the hiring team, or with a panel where the entire hiring team is participating at the same time. Usually the stress level for the candidate is higher during the panel interview. As a Career Coach, I advise candidates facing this type of interview to practice visualizing the panel process, and getting comfortable providing good body language across a team of four or five interviewers.

The focus of the interviews in both sectors can take on a behavioral or competency style or a technical style. The private sector has been utilizing the behavioral-based interview process for about 15 years. This is a relatively new process in the public sector. With this style of interview, the candidate will be asked to describe a time when … and the rest of the question will be linked to a specific requirement, response, outcome, competency or situation related to the job the candidate is interviewing for. As you would expect, technical interviewing questions will be targeted towards confirming understanding of technical or functional skills required for the position.

Regardless of the style, it’s important to practice possible questions and answers, linked to your accomplishments of course, since even the most competent speakers often get intimidated speaking about themselves. There are many sources for sample interview questions on-line and in books such as Ron Fry’s 101 Great Answers to the Toughest Interview Questions.

So What’s Next?
There are jobs available in the public sector. Many agencies are preparing for the retirement of Baby Boomers that will be occurring over the next few years. Don’t overlook this avenue.

The pay and benefits for government jobs has often been assumed to be lower than the private sector. However, I think broader communications by agency recruitment campaigns is getting the word out that public sector pay and benefits are equal to or greater than the private sector. And along with that, it’s a wonderful opportunity to make a difference in the lives of the people your agency impacts, as well as the opportunity to serve your country.


Job seekers exploring the public sector should be aware of job search resources available at my website www.evolutionmgt.com and other resources available through Outplacement Career Coaches and Resume Writers, www.USAJOBS.gov and www.clearancejobs.com (a site specifically for job seekers holding security clearances).

What experiences have you had with public sector job search vs. private sector? I’m curious about what similarities and differences you would highlight to help someone else navigate their path to a public sector job. Please click on the comment box below and share your thoughts. If you know of someone active in a job search, please feel free to share this blog article with them.

Q&A
I received a notice for a government agency Job Fair. Do you think this is worth my time, and if you do, how should I prepare?
Nancy

Check out Dear Job Seeker... to see my response to Nancy's question.

Social Media – A Differentiator for Job Seekers

A recent question poised by About.com asked, “What do Microsoft, Ebay, Netflix and Target have in common?” The answer, “All these companies (and many more) have used LinkedIn to recruit candidates for employment;” an answer you wouldn’t have expected four or five years ago. Technology has definitely changed the process for finding a job.

Sure, we all know the job market is still very slow. There are millions of people out of work; most of them actively looking for a job. Add to them a percentage of the employed population who are also actively pursuing opportunities to change jobs. And top that combination with the passive seekers who will change jobs, if the right one is offered, and I think we all can agree it’s also a crowded market! Serious job seekers have to do whatever they can to differentiate themselves from the masses and get noticed. Using social media effectively can help.

Social Media with a Professional Twist

My blog this month was inspired by four individuals who contacted me during these past two weeks asking for help with their social media job search efforts. To my surprise, three of the job seekers were under the age of 30; an age where I would have thought they would be teaching me something about social media. But as it turns out, they’re comfortable using social media for “chatting”, sharing pictures, and posting random comments about their day. They are at a loss when it comes to utilizing these tools for professional postings, networking and job search. Wonderful, we can all learn something.

As it just so happened, I had the pleasure of speaking last week at the DeVry University’s College to Career Boot Camp. At this fabulous event for DeVry/Keller students, I presented 10 Tips for Improving Your Job Search Results which included Tip #2 – develop a Strategic Career Communications Portfolio. No longer can a job seeker be successful with just a traditional resume and a networking spiel. In this competitive market job seekers have to commit to doing their homework and spending time on preparation and self-reflection (Tip #1) in order to create a powerful portfolio of communication tools that are branded and aligned with the job seekers’ values and goals.

The objectives of using social media tools in your portfolio are two-fold: (1) create a professional and interesting on-line presence of your skills, experience, and career goals, and (2) provide an inviting and collaborative environment to connect with a network of friends and colleagues who are interested in what you are doing and how they can help you achieve your career goals. To accomplish these objectives a job seeker will want to utilize technologies offered through:

LinkedIn
Facebook
Twitter
VisualCV

What’s Appropriate?

If you haven’t been using these social media tools up until now, or if your only experience has been with friends and family and social interactions, you may want to start slowly. I would suggest you begin by setting up your LinkedIn account with some basic information and then begin your process to invite a few professional friends to join your network. As you have the opportunity to view the profiles of others, look at them as if you were a recruiter or hiring manager. You’ll begin to get a feel for what is being shared that you like, and what you consider not appropriate for an employer to view. Consider your profile a work-in-progress and modify as appropriate.

Here are a few tips on each of the sections of the LinkedIn Profile that will help you get started:

Name: I know you know your name – but I want you to think about it differently. Think about how you want to brand yourself. List your name the way you think it will be easier for others find you; full name rather than nickname, middle initial if there are a lot of people that come up when you Google your name; or perhaps adding some distinction of educational degree or certification. Since my name is so common, there are nearly 400 Deborah (Debbie) King’s listed in LinkedIn, I decided to brand myself as Deborah A. King, SPHR and listed my name that way as well. Everything I put out through my social media accounts are listed the same way for consistency

Headline: Here’s a place to catch someone’s attention - declare your key skills or the position you desire. Use this space wisely. What do you want to be known for?

Photo: Remember, you want the viewer to see you as a possible fit for their company team, so the photo should match the “brand” you are trying to create to distinguish yourself from others who may have similar backgrounds and experience. This “brand” should include some of your personality and personal characteristics. I’m not suggesting your photo has to be serious; but make it a photo that says “I’m talented, smart, and a good team player – I’ll fit with your workplace culture!” This is not the place for a photo of you and your dog – unless your field involves animals.

Resume Data: With any of your on-line information you’ll want to be careful to protect your privacy. You have a choice here: (1) list primary information with bulleted key words and save your full resume as something to share with interested, qualified recruiters, or (2) list your full resume. Be aware that viewers of your profile are really just looking for the highlights, so focus on those key buzzwords.

Recommendations: Although an employer is going to check your references before offering you a job, it certainly is helpful to have a few comments shared by colleagues that will speak to the qualities and talents you bring to the relationship. I know you’ll want to build recommendations right away, but give it time. As you are networking and someone asks what they can do to help you, this might be one of the requests you ask for their help with. Also, it’s nice for you to write recommendations for others – perhaps they will return the favor.

Reading List: Sharing what you are reading is a positive way to influence others about your interest in staying current with what’s being written and talked about in general, as well as your career interests and areas of expertise. Don’t overlook this opportunity to suggest a book, or share a book review. Utilizing all the capabilities of your social media tools helps to show your professional and personal “well-roundedness”.

Your Activities: Yes, this is an area where you can mention that you are planning to attend a Job Fair, or a professional conference, but don’t forget to also use this area of your profile to share articles or videos that you think might be interesting to people you are trying to influence. Naturally keep it career-focused and good natured. Not too much personal information, and stay away from information that may involve political, religious, or controversial topics that could not be talked about in an interview. Be careful with humor – just like in an interview, you never know what is going to offend someone. This is a section you should update as often as you can, but at least once a week.

Files: Have you presented at a conference or an association meeting recently? Well, showcasing and sharing that PPT file or video through your LinkedIn profile might be a great way to demonstrate your areas of expertise. Naturally you would not post company proprietary materials without receiving the appropriate permission to do so.

Websites and Blogs: Are you interested in creating a blog where you can share insights and knowledge while demonstrating your experience? If you have a passion for writing this might be an option you’d like to explore. I’m not suggesting a blog where you post random reactions to everyday life. I’m suggesting a blog that would be of interest to people who might be looking for candidates with your background and expertise. This would be an option if you can commit to the following: (1) Will you enjoy creating interesting content to share with your community? (2) Are you disciplined to write and publish on a consistent schedule? Check out sites such as blogspot to see what’s involved with getting started.

Join Groups: If you’re looking for a way to fill up your email inbox quickly, join a few too many groups. Only join those that are aligned to your career interests and that you are truly interested in participating with. And, once you join, start participating – are their questions you can answer, dialogues you can contribute to? I do not recommend you use these groups as a way to post “I’m looking for a job – do you need me?” Let them first realize that you have something to share, and then let them know about your career interests.

As you can see, just one tool like LinkedIn provides a lot of opportunities for you to get your messages out while building a network that will be interwoven with the personal, face-to-face network connections you will also be building. Starting out with LinkedIn will give you plenty of experience to then move on to Facebook, Twitter and VisualVC. It may also help you modify your Facebook profile if you now realize that what you’ve got posted is a little to “friendly” for recruiters to see.

Wrapping It Up

Just a few more tips:

1. Be consistent within and across the various medias.
2. Don’t get fired – be aware that employers are checking out these sites as well. Someone will read whatyou post – so be careful. 
3. Monitor your internet presence daily through Google. You can easily set up automatic “Google Alerts” so that you know when something about you has been posted. 
4. Be careful with your Facebook privacy settings – don’t let others send photos of you to their friends. You never know where those photos are going to be shared. 
5. Network before you need to – if you have a job, great! LinkedIn is for everyone, with and without a job. Getting started while you have a job will make it easier if you ever need to use it for job search. 
6. Help others and they will help you. It’s not all about you – make it about your network, and you will be amazed at what the universe brings back to you. 
7. Lots of folks are into the numbers. I suggest you think about the quality of your relationships rather than the volume. Consider what you have in common and what the relationship can bring for both of you – if it’s not a fit – pass. 
8. Social media tools can keep you on-line for hours. Make sure you are doing this when you are off the clock. Be aware that employers are monitoring the sites you visit and how long you stay on those sites. Don’t let this activity lead to disciplinary actions or worse! 
9. Never, never stop thinking about privacy – don’t list any account numbers, birthdates, mother’s maiden name, etc. Job seekers are often targeted for identity theft because they naively list so much information about themselves. Be aware of what you are sharing and why. Remember you can’t control who will see what you post once you hit the submit button. In addition, most times you cannot delete something that has been posted. 

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Looking for a Job - Know the Language

Have you heard, there’s a new language in the job search world? It’s the language of social media.

The language includes new words, along with familiar old words that have been given new meanings. Consider the following: oversharing, Twittersphere, retweets, LinkedIn, unfollow, blog, Facebook, friend, digg, wink, YouTube, video resume; and abbreviations such as: “LOL”, “ADIP”, and “JLMK”. So all I have to say is “OMG! Job Search isn’t w@ it used to be. IYKWIM”. So what’s needed to succeed?

Unless you’ve been living under a rock, you have to have noticed that everyone is turning their attention to social media experts to learn how to use the newest technologies to connect and share information. Workshops, webinars, key note speakers - you name it and most groups and associations are actively trying to educate their members about what social media is and how it can help them do whatever it is they do – marketing a product/ service, selling something, engaging a community of people interested in a particular topic, networking, recruiting, hiring, or searching for a job.

Yes, even HR is on the bandwagon of social media – so if you’re looking to change the job you are in, or seeking employment – understanding the new language and protocols of social media is a must. In fact, even business schools are introducing curriculum to teach students how to navigate the social media world after graduation. This is not a fad, it’s the thing that’s happening now, and still growing. Don’t get left behind.

Traditional Activities Still Required

Two years ago, when I wrote the book, Position Your Next Move for a Successful Job Search, I was primarily focused on traditional job search skills (branding, resume, networking, interviewing, negotiating, etc.) and only mentioned the importance of understanding and using new technologies, such as LinkedIn. But what an explosion we’ve had in the capabilities technologies are providing for social networking and information sharing about job openings! And as a result, adjusting what you’re doing to find a job, and how much time you’re spending in the different job search avenues has to be re-examined and properly balanced.

However, let me make it clear that there are still some very important activities that you still need to do that we would consider traditional:

• Take the time to understand what you really enjoy doing and what transferrable skills you have to offer. Remember, don’t just think about Job Titles – most people are working in jobs that weren’t identified 5 years ago.
• Be prepared to quickly tell someone what you’d like to do and why you’re passionate and qualified to do it. This is your 30-second commercial, and you will use it often (networking face-to-face, creating your online profile, participating in an online Group). Rehearsing in front of a mirror will make this come more naturally which will make it even more convincing. 
• Have a concise and targeted resume that highlights your talents and clearly defines what you bring to the table. 
• Establish and grow your network of contacts and participate in as many face-to-face meetings and events as is productive and practical. 
• Be prepared and skilled at the art of conversation and be ready to engage in an interview that highlights your top 5 talents and how you are prepared to work with the future world of business. Practice with a family member or friend by role-playing. 
• Participate in a variety of job search avenues, but properly manage your time to correlate with the return from each avenue. 90% of your time should be focused on networking activities – face-to-face and through social media. 
• Follow up with everyone you have come in contact with. Thank them for their help, advice, time, suggestions, next steps, introductions, etc. Follow up is still key to getting the interview. Pull something from your conversation and write it down – this personalizes your “thank you” and demonstrates that you are genuine.

New Social Media Requirements

• Google your name on a daily basis to make sure you’re not somehow associated with anything inappropriate.
• Take the approach that anything you publish on the Internet, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc. will be read by your current boss or your future boss. The concept of “it’s my personal space” has been redesigned by the growing number of individuals, companies, and groups that are mining the data that is out there for viewing. Be careful what you say, the photos that you post, and the permission you give to others about posting things about you. 
• LinkedIn is viewed as a professional network source, so if you’re only participating in Facebook, build a LinkedIn profile as well with your core competencies and transferrable skills. Most recruiters use LinkedIn as one of the primary sites for sourcing candidate. 
• Build your network by conducting people searches and reaching out to individuals you may or may not know. Be sure to tailor your message to state who you are and what your interest is. Don’t ask for a job, ask for information or advice. 
• Create a Twitter account and begin to connect with recruiters, employers, and your network to build trust, credibility and relationships. Don’t waste their time with the fact that you just washed your hair. Although you may think it’s all about you – it’s not. They want to see what you have to offer to help solve their problems and make their companies profitable 
• Although having an electronic/paper resume is important, depending on your industry and/or position creating a video resume may help to differentiate you from the many candidates only providing a traditional resume. Click here for some tips on creating a video resume. 
• Subscribe to blogs that have job listings. 
• Consider publishing a blog to demonstrate your expertise and build your credibility. 
• Don’t forget your manners. As I stated earlier, assume your boss or future boss is reading everything you are putting out there, and business protocol is still mandatory; even though you’re using the same technology you use in a very informal way with friends. 
• Be aware of privacy issues and don’t broadcast information about someone else looking for a position without first asking permission.

The job search world has been revolutionized as a result of how businesses are integrating technologies into all their systems. Be aware and savvy about what’s required. To gain an edge over your competition you must have a social media presence. At the moment there may not be a lot of jobs available, so what better time to set up your profiles, define who you are, and start to build your network so you are prepared and in the game as positions do become available.

I’m curious, what job search tips can you share about what’s working and not working for you using social media to complement your traditional search activities? I’m looking forward to hearing from you.

CLICK HERE to review job search questions and answers.