| Published by Laura Smith-Proulx of An Expert Resume | www.TheCareerChampion.com | laura@thecareerchampion.com | |||||||||||||||
|
In This Issue
Want to submit a topic or question to be answered in future issues? Send your query to laura@thecareerchampion.com. ** If you know someone who could benefit from this ezine, feel free to forward it to them. |
| ||||||||||||||
| A Personal Note from Laura | |||||||||||||||
 Hello,
WELCOME to the new subscribers since last issue! It's wonderful to see so many professionals taking an interest in sharpening the career marketing and job search techniques that can help them land their next roles. Heard this conversation from any of your friends and colleagues lately?
"I've been job hunting for a while, and this is taking a lot longer than I though it would. I tried to get going right away, and hit the Internet to look for job openings.
It seems like I apply to at least several hundred jobs per week - yet no one will give me a call back! Boy, it's tough out there."
This is the feedback I'm hearing from MANY (hundreds to thousands!) of job hunters who send me messages via email and voice mail.
What might surprise you, though, is that employers ARE hiring and some people DO find their next role quickly. How do they do it?
They start by combing through to find the best sources of advice on how to conduct a job search. (by reading this, you're already ahead of many others!)
Then, they map out a plan for their resume strategy and job search, all the while avoiding the lowest-return activity of all: constantly looking for and applying to Internet jobs.
You see, applying only to posted jobs puts EMPLOYERS in the driver's seat, instead of YOU. By waiting for companies to issue a call for resumes, you're conducting a reactive job search that pits your credentials against thousands of others (and you may never see a great job from the companies where you'd really LIKE to work).
In contrast, networking, contacting your ideal employers, and building an online identity will do more for your career in both the short and long run, by creating an image that is irresistable to employers. These and other methods represent what is commonly called the "hidden" job market (and the basis for How to Get Hired Faster).
Promoting yourself through relationships and expertise, both online and off, is a time-tested way to show others the extent of your knowledge, while marketing yourself with a personal brand, as I do for my clients, WILL catch the attention of hiring managers.
Today's fresh NEW article, "Freshly laid off? What to do first," gives you solid tips on how to save time, aggravation, and investment in your search--with resources that give you MORE expert insight on job search than you'll find anywhere else.
Of course, you're always welcome to share your comments on my blog.
 Dedicated to your career success,
LAURA SMITH-PROULX, CCMC, CPRW, CIC
The Career Champion(TM) EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Triple-Certified, Published Resume Writer, Career Coach, & Interview Coach Six-Time Global Award Honoree, Best Executive & Technical Resumes
Master Resume Writer Candidate | Careers Industry Author & Speaker ======================================================
| |||||||||||||||
| Featured Leadership Career Marketing Tip | |||||||||||||||
|
Freshly laid off? What to do first
Copyright 2009, Laura Smith-Proulx Newly searching for your next opportunity? You'll find plenty of advice, job postings, resume tips, and other tools online, all ready for kicking your job hunt into high gear.
However, there's reasons to let the dust settle on your new situation before taking action.
Like most complex challenges, finding a job is a task best mapped out with a strategic, well-founded plan--the same way you'd approach any business project that is critical to your career success.
So, arm yourself with expert knowledge and steps that can save you abundant time and stress, all precious resources that you'll need in this economy:
1 - Rely only on TOP sources of career information.
Instead of taking every piece of job search advice you hear from other professionals, go straight to reputable sources that provide tips that REALLY work.
Great sources for cutting-edge job hunting tools and advice, with a strong reputation in the careers industry include:
www.job-hunt.org- Job Hunt.org is hands-down, THE bible of career search information, and contains numerous articles from resume and job search experts.
www.weddles.com - Weddles.com is a primary hub for advice to both recruiters and job seekers on best practices, run by industry veteran Petter Weddle.
www.rileyguide.com - The Riley Guide is a comprehensive source for employment opportunities and job search advice.
2 - Get your resume in top form.
This goes without saying in today's hotly competitive market, but nothing LESS than a masterpiece resume will truly launch your job search.
If it's been more than a couple of years since you've created a resume, you'll be surprised at how much has changed. Where objective statements and Times New Roman font used to be resume standards, adhering to these old "rules" will actually drown out your voice among the crowd of candidates.
In addition, personal branding has taken center stage as a strategy to effectively capture and express professional competencies and strengths. By conveying a brand message, you're helping employers get to know you BEFORE the interview.
If you're not sure how to create a compelling resume, or want help from a personal branding expert, you can find one by tapping sources for dedicated resume professionals including the Professional Association of Resume Writers and Career Coaches, Career Directors International, or the National Resume Writers' Association.
I've also provided the steps to extracting and expressing your personal brand on a captivating resume in 21 Insider Resume Secrets to the $100K+ Job of Your Choice, with an inside look at my Resume Strategy process and results for a FRACTION of the investment.
3 - Create a plan of action--one that DOESN'T have you on the computer all day.
It's a fact that plum jobs rarely make it to the Internet, simply because most companies prefer to hire referrals and professionals they know from networking relationships. So how do you become one of "those" people?
First of all, be sure to automate your job search by using a job aggregator website like www.indeed.com, where the data comes from many sources (CareerBuilder, Monster, Dice, and other job boards) for your search. This will free up your search time for more valuable activities.
Next, get out and tap your network--or rebuild one if yours has been eroded over time. Meet new contacts by joining industry associations, or create relationships with company insiders using LinkedIn.
Contact recruiters to find out if they're sourcing candidates with your expertise and credentials. If not, look carefully at whether you can gain additional skills during your job hunt, perhaps by taking a class or enrolling at college to finish that degree. Either way, these steps will add to your marketability.
Remember that a very low percentage (between 4-8%) of job seekers find their next role on the Internet!
In summary, it's up to you to take crucial steps that ensure your success during the job hunt by mapping out a strategy for success and using credible resources that can save you time, effort, and frustration.
WANT TO USE THIS ARTICLE IN YOUR E-ZINE OR WEB SITE? You can, as long as you include this complete blurb with it:
Leadership career search expert Laura Smith-Proulx of An Expert Resume publishes "The Career Champion" bi-weekly ezine. If you're ready to make a key change in your career, get your FREE tips here.
| |||||||||||||||
| Recommended Resources | |||||||||||||||
|
| |||||||||||||||
Struggling to differentiate yourself? Want to get in front of employers--FASTER--for your next role?
Applying to jobs online--and wondering where your resume goes? Confused as to why you don't get a call back?