Posted by ResumeHelp on March 5, 2010
As if the dreaded R-word wasn’t already making the job hunt tough, applying for work online can feel like you’re tossing that carefully crafted cover letter and résumé into an abyss of HTML. After polling experts in human resources and career development, we gathered a few tips for separating yourself from the other online applicants.
1. Use position-relevant keywords: “Most recruiters today do not look at each individual résumé that comes in. They perform searches on electronic résumés by keywords,” says Allison O’Kelly, CEO of staffing firm, Mom Corps. “Therefore, it is critical that you make sure that you have keywords in your résumé that you would expect a recruiter to use in a search.”
2. Label your résumé clearly: “If you are e-mailing your résumé directly to an employer, you can name the document “Full Name’s Résumé for Name of Position Applying to,” says Tara Malone, assistant director of career development at Purchase College.”
3. Use the appropriate subject heading: “If sending via e-mail, the subject line must clearly state “who” you are (for example, sales associate- pharmaceutical industry) or the position for which you are applying,” says career consultant Wendy S. Enelow.
4. Don’t use “helper words”: Jane Goldner, president of the Goldner Group, adds that words like “assisted” and “coordinated” emphasize that you’re less of a doer and more a passive helper.
5. Try the FedEx trick: “A candidate sent FedEx envelopes to each hiring manager with a short note telling us that the best candidate we could hope to see was about to present her résumé and that we should be ready,” says David Lewis, president of a human resources outsourcing firm, OperationsInc. “A few days later, another FedEx arrived with the résumé. She got the interview. She was as advertised, and we hired her.” Click here for more ideas like this that really work!
http://www.metro.us/us/article/2010/02/28/22/4724-82/index.xml
Posted by ResumeHelp on December 23, 2009
Mary Berman, from Farmington Hills, Michigan, had been looking for work since February 2009 before starting a “Guerrilla” job search, in late September.
Up to that point, 20 weeks of job hunting had produced zero job interviews.
Just 7 weeks later, she accepted a job on Thursday, November 12, as a marketing executive assistant.
How did she use Guerrilla job hunting tactics to find work 65% faster?
“I saw a job advertised online and applied by mail. I sent a box with a paper Starbucks coffee cup, my cover letter, and resume inside. On the side of the cup, where it has boxes for the type of coffee, I made my own box that said, ‘Hire Mary’ and checked it with a black marker. I heard back a couple days later to get my first interview,” says Berman.
After her first job interview, which went well, Berman followed up with panache.
“It was Halloween time, so I decided to send them a chocolate covered apple with my hand-written thank-you note in a bag. I had a friend of mine, who was off work that day, take it over and deliver it to [the employer]. That was a big hit — they were thrilled — and I got the second interview out of it.”
Berman’s second job interview was with the executive vice president. Afterwards, she followed up diligently. “When I came home, I wrote a 30-60-90 day plan. I had taken copious notes during the interview and used that information to create suggestions for what I would do in my first 30, 60, and 90 days. I sent that to them via FedEx with another thank-you note. And I got a job offer.”
Now. Let’s break this successful Guerrilla Job Search down …
1. Start smart
The Coffee Cup Caper — a paper Starbucks cup, full-color Guerrilla Resume, and a cover letter (asking to meet for coffee), shipped in a box — gets extraordinary results. By contrast, ordinary resumes and cover letters, sent by email, get ordinary results.
2. Follow up with style
Delivering a Halloween treat with her thank-you note was correct seasonally, if not politically. Use good judgment before sending items that might be perceived as bribes by employers sensitive to such things, such as universities or public-sector organizations.
In Berman’s case, however, it worked like a (chocolate-covered) charm.
And, leaving out the gift, think of the impact a hand-delivered thank-you note can have on an employer, versus standard U.S. Mail or email. Could you arrange to have your thank-you note delivered by a courier, or a friend acting as one? Of course you could!
3. Give employers another reason to hire you
Mary did this in spades after her second interview, when she sent a written plan of action that outlined her first three months on the job.
A 30-60-90 day plan is a way of proving you can do the work — before you’re even on the payroll — by describing how you would learn the job, build rapport with employees/customers, and contribute to the bottom line.
Mary’s plan was 8 pages long and took the better part of a Friday night to prepare. (Before you balk at spending an entire evening at home researching and writing a 30-60-90 day plan, ask yourself if you wouldn’t trade a night out for getting a steady paycheck again.)
4. Score style points with your delivery
Mary’s first follow-up, the chocolate-apple-thank-you note, was delivered by a courier, not by email. Her 30-60-90 day plan was delivered by FedEx, not by email.
Do you not see a pattern? Email should NOT be the delivery method for your career documents. Because you can’t delete a courier, and a FedEx envelope can’t get caught in a spam filter.
Bottom line: This smart Guerrilla had failed to get even one job interview in 20 weeks of job hunting with conventional tactics.
After adopting unconventional Guerrilla tactics, she found work in only 7 weeks.
If Guerrilla job search methods can work in Michigan, where the unemployment rate tops 15%, they can work where you live. The only thing stopping you from thinking and acting like a Guerrilla is you. Why wait another minute? To get started with your own Guerilla search plans here’s where to start!
About Kevin:
Kevin Donlin is contributing co-author of “Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters 2.0.” Since 1996, he has provided job-search help to more than 20,000 people. |
Posted by ResumeHelp on December 15, 2009
Getting a job out of college right now is challenging. Employers may be getting hundreds or thousands of applicants for a job that used to get much fewer. College grads have an advantage but need to research companies to set themselves apart. Follow the tips below to help land a job during the recession.
Recent college grads face a tough job market in today’s recession. Below we have listed five tips that will be helpful in your job search. With the economy as sluggish as it is this may take awhile so be patient. One place where there are jobs however is the entertainment industry. If you don’t know where to find these jobs and how to connect here’s place to start. If you don’t feel comfortable in this industry then here are some tips to help you find work.
1. Be willing to take unpaid work.
College students usually don’t have a mortgage, children and many of the bigger expenses of life yet. Be willing to take extra measures like moving in with parents or friends and taking unpaid jobs for the experience. This could lead to another opportunity but most importantly, gets you experience in your field.
2. Learn to network.
One skill that will serve you best in any job market is your ability to talk to people, develop trust and be likeable. Participate in clubs, associations, groups and events that are available on campus.
3. Read blogs or start one.
One of the quickest ways to become familiar with an industry is to read blogs. Interested in being a chef? Read the top chef blogs. Read the blogs regularly and comment on them to develop relationships.
Some students start a blog of their own focused on the industry they want to work in after graduation. Use it to keep track of research, articles, and events. Just summarize the main points, add a link to the article or information and provide opinion or commentary on the information. Put a link to your blog on your resume. This helps potential employers find you and learn more about you before the interview.
4. Use the Internet.
Use any method at your disposal to see who is hiring. The Internet is a great tool for this.
Use social networking site www.LinkedIn.com to network online. Find people who work at businesses where you hope to work. See if you have any contacts that know someone who works there and ask for an introduction. When you have an interview, spend time on the site researching the people you will meet.
5. Consider alternative industries and careers.
Look at alternative industries that may be hiring for similar skills. One place where there are always openings is the entertainment industry and we have just the source for you. Why do I come back to this? Because there are jobs in this arena. Lots of jobs and they pay well!
