How Grads Can Use Social Media for Job Search

How Grads Can Use Social Media for Job Search Graduate jobs have always been difficult to obtain, but now that employers plan to increase internships hires by 8.5% in 2012, things will get even more difficult and competitive. There will be more applicants for the positions and now more than ever is the time to find a way to stand out in a crowd. This is where social media comes in. Employers are starting to use social profiles as additional indicators of a graduate’s skill-set, and so potential interns should make sure their social media profiles read like job applications. This infographic from onlinecolleges.com  breaks down how employers are using social media to find young talent, and offer some handy tips on how to use your social profiles to impress potential employers. What hiring managers are looking for on social media: 65% see if the candidate presents themselves professionally 51% check out whether the candidate is a good fit for the company culture 45% want to find out more about the candidates qualifications 36% are looking for a well-rounded candidate 12% are looking for reasons not to hire the candidate Which social media sites are employers looking at most? 65% look at Facebook 63% look at LinkedIn 17% look at various social networks 16% look at Twitter Related: How Employers Use Social Media to Screen Applicants.

Free Certifications for Your Resume - Algrim.co

Free Certifications for Your Resume - Algrim.co Certifications can be a great way to communicate with your employer that you’ll go above and beyond the job requirements. It shows that your passion and desire to educate yourself and improve your ability to perform on the job goes beyond simply receiving a university-level degree. But with high costs of tuition, who wants to spend more money on improving their resume? Not many job seekers. So what are free certifications that you can get which can improve your resume? We’re going to cover that and more in this writeup. Before we jump into which free certifications you may want to investigate, let’s talk about why certifications are important. Why Certifications Are Important and Which Certifications to Receive Before you start signing up for all of the free certifications you can get your hands on, it’s important to understand why certifications are important. The first component of why they improve your resume is that they show your commitment towards educating yourself in and out of the job. For example, if you were an Elementary School Teacher, you may want to get a CPR certification. This shows that you care about child safety in the classroom. But CPR training may not always be free (unless received by a YMCA or township). Which brings us to the second point, only receive certifications which are targeted to the job that you want. If you’re a Software Engineer, then receiving PMP training would be applicable. This is a type of project management training. But if you were a Software Engineer and received CPR training, while this is great that you took the initiative to learn this valuable skill; it might not be impactful to your resume. The key takeaway here is, target your certifications to the type of job you have or the type of job you want. Be sure to research which types of certifications might be most applicable to that role and your future responsibilities. Where and How to List Certifications on Your Resume When listing certifications on your resume, don’t place them higher on the page than your prior work experience section or your education section. Both of those are going to be a higher priority in terms of your hiring managers interest than certifications. Be sure that certifications as a section, is listed toward the bottom of the page, near where you might list your soft skills or other accolades that make up your personal and work history. Your certifications should look like the following. Certifications PMP Certification 2012 Human-Computer Interaction Certification 2011 CPR Certification 2010 Be sure to list the dates which you completed the course or certification, as it can be helpful to frame that you decided to further your education after your university-level degrees. Always list your certifications like you do your prior work experience, in reverse chronological order. This means your most recent certifications toward the top of the list. And your oldest certifications toward the bottom of the list. Courses and Certifications This is an important note to make before you start clicking into the opportunities available to you in this list. The difference between courses and certifications. Online courses are often just as impactful as certifications. For example, if you were to take the online free course regarding the history of antibiotics from Stanford, this would be just as impactful as receiving a certification. The way to list this on your certification section is to state the completion of the course. For example, “Completion of The History of Antibiotics from Stanford University”. Don’t ignore courses simply because they don’t say that they are certifications. Any amount of education furthering on your part, as long as it pertains to the job you’re applying for, will be impactful for your future employer. Free Online Certifications TEDEd Ted offers an online education platform with a number of unique courses that are applicable to many job types. Alison Alison is uniquely positioned to be offering free online courses all with certifications. From the “Fundamentals of Virology” to “Fundraising for the Non-Profit”. Alison offers more than 1,300 free online courses all with certifications. MIT Open Courseware MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) offers free online courseware which can be impactful to show on your resume. By simply having MIT as part of your education history, you should be able to increase your employability. Khan Academy Khan Academy offers a number of online free courses in Math, Science, Engineering, Arts and Humanities. These can be great ways to improve your education history for those who may not have traditional education history aligned to the job they are seeking. edX edX is an online platform that specialists in Computer Science, Language, Data Science, Business & Management, Engineering, and Humanities. These online courses are all syndicated through MIT, Harvard, Berkeley, Stanford, and many more prestigious institutions. Coursera x Stanford Coursera can help you find courses offered specifically from Stanford University or many other prestigious universities. For example, courses such as “Stanford Introduction to Food and Health” may be a beneficial course for those looking to go into the Biology field or the farming and agriculture field. Don’t Forget About Safety Training Many positions offer free safety training courses on behalf of your employment. Whether it’s safety training in the workplace that happens after work hours. Or free CPR training and certification that occurs after work hours. Ask your employer if they have any type of free employee benefit programs for providing certifications. This can be a great way to get ahead of your certifications before you leave your place of employment. Meaning, use your current employer as an opportunity to collect more training opportunities and certifications that you can use to build your resume up.

Even More About Mentors Marla Gottschalk

Even More About Mentors Marla Gottschalk Much has been said about mentoring, since an early discussion of the construct in the Harvard Business Review. Since that time â€" volumes have been written â€" and the topic has been examined and reexamined, from various vantage points. This has included the functions of mentoring (career-related vs. psycho-social support), intended outcomes (skill attainment, compensation, promotions) and its impact upon work life, in general (job satisfaction, retention). Mentoring is by no means a new concept â€" although it remains one of the most powerful workplace constructs. If you consider the term for a moment (think of Socrates), youll discover that mentoring has existed for ages. Because of the sheer power of the mentoring relationship, mentoring will continue to evolve with changes in both organizational culture and technology. Of course, the basic concept of mentoring is simple and brilliant â€" you spend time with someone who possessed great knowledge or experience about a specific subject   â€" you observe, reflect and absorb information that enhances your work life. There has been evidence that the process may work a bit better for men than women. But whether we are discussing men or women, problems with mentoring may arise because some basic tenets are not followed. Other problems can arise because we are not utilizing newer, more creative applications of the process. Here are some guidelines to help power the process: Are you seeking a mentor, a sponsor (a form of mentorship) or both? Where a mentor may help with a skill set or knowledge base â€" a sponsor might focus on moving you through the organization, helping you to secure challenging assignments or enhance your visibility. Mentoring relationships must be mutual, not assigned. The matching process should be left to ultimately to choice â€" where the mentor and mentee agree to work together. If possible, consider more than one potential mentor to ensure there is potential for a real bond. In an ideal world, formal programs would allow mentees the opportunity to meet a number of possible matches before a choice is made. Define the goals of the relationship. If you feel it is imperative to enter into a mentoring relationship, you should outline a clear picture as to what you really require and where youd like to go.   Set specific long and short-term goals with your mentor or sponsor. Do you want to master a specific skill or knowledge base? Are you seeking increased visibility? Have the goals discussion early and often. Think outside of the box when choosing a mentor. There has been an interesting suggestion to convene a “Board of Directors” for your career â€" a group that would not be entirely left behind if you should change organizations. So, you would not only seek an internal mentor or sponsor, but a group of external experts to help guide you as well. Moreover, don’t rule out less established or younger employees as potential mentors. If an individual is an expert in an area, actively consider them a mentor candidate. Be open. Don’t subscribe to the notion that “dissenting opinions are not allowed”. Strive to embrace constructive criticism (some tips for that here). This can be a challenge, but remember you are in the relationship to learn. What you dont know can hurt your career â€" so be open to whatever honest feedback comes your way. Be respectful. However, don’t trade things running smoothly at the cost of a productive relationship. Ask for what you need and rock the boat just a bit if necessary. Be diplomatic, and voice your concerns if you find that the relationship has reached an impasse. All in all, mentoring should be a positive process, however things can go wrong. If you have a concern that the dynamic is less than stellar â€" you may need to explore moving on. Dr. Marla Gottschalk is a Industrial/Organizational Psychologist. She serves as an adviser at MentorCloud. You can also find her on Twitter and Linkedin.

4 Things You Should Do Before Applying to Any Job

4 Things You Should Do Before Applying to Any Job Finding the perfect job for you can be a chore. There are all sorts of postings out there, most of them asking for overqualified people to be underpaid. But, then you come across one that really piques your interest. The company sounds great. The pay looks reasonable, and the job description is right up your alley. You may feel as though you need to apply immediately, so that no one else snatches up this golden unicorn of a job. However, it’s always better to pause for a moment and ensure your plan of attack is bulletproof. Below are 4 things you should do before applying to any job. Research the Company Job postings are carefully crafted pieces of marketing materials, written by the companies looking for qualified candidates. That means what goes on the posting is solely up to the discretion of the hiring company. Do you think they would be totally honest in describing their company’s culture, including faults and weaknesses? Probably not. Always make sure to do your own research on any company before you consider applying to an open position. Check reviews on sites such as Glassdoor and Indeed. Glassdoor especially, as it has public reviews from previous employees that are usually spot on. Have (or Get) the Experience If you’re staring down a job posting that appears to be your dream job, you better make sure you have the experience the hiring manager is looking for. After all, that’s the most important thing the hiring company wants to know â€" do you have the experience necessary to carry out the job’s core functions? For example, you wouldn’t hire somebody like Tim Sykes, a guy who’s made millions on penny stocks, to install a rock fountain in your backyard. He might know a thing or two about landscaping, but he’s likely much more versed in the stock market. You want to be darn sure that you have the experience to tackle whatever job you’re applying for. If you don’t, start looking for ways within your current position, or even on your own time, to gain that experience. Custom Tailor Your Resume With the company thoroughly researched and your experience gathered, now it’s time to show the hiring manager why you’re fit for the position. You should always custom tailor your resume to each job you apply for. It may be extra work on your part, but it speaks volumes to the people weeding through potential applicants. Your resume should come across as the perfect solution to all of the hiring company’s problems, and you will definitely want to list your experience from tip #2 front and center. Find the Hiring Manager’s Contact Information If at all possible, you want to make sure your resume doesn’t go into the black hole that is submitting an online application. Usually, there are hundreds of other job seekers sending in their resumes and even though you might be the most qualified, sometimes your resume can get lost. One way to get around this is to find the hiring manager’s contact information (name and email address) and then send your resume directly to them. Craft a well-written, abridged cover letter in the body of the email and explain to him or her why you’re the best fit for the position. This will definitely help you stand out amongst the crowd. Conclusion Before submitting any job application, be sure to pause and properly plan out how you want to appear to the hiring manager. Use the tips you just learned above to beat the system and potentially land your dream job. ….

Emotions and the Job Search - Creating a Blank Slate - Career Pivot

Emotions and the Job Search - Creating a Blank Slate - Career Pivot Emotions and the Job Search Managing your emotions is key in the job search as it is in negotiations. It is important to become a blank slate! This is the 6th post in the Negotiator Job Search series. The rest of the series can be found here. Blank Slate In Jim Camp’s book, Start with NO…The Negotiating Tools that the Pros Don’t Want You to Know, he writes: In my system, “blank slate” is a verb. As negotiators, we actively blank slate in order to create a blank slate in our own minds, which then sits ready and waiting to receive any new information, new attitudes, new emotions, or new anything that our adversary wittingly or unwittingly beams our way. It is through blank slating that we learn what’s really going on in this negotiationâ€" what’s really holding things up, what the adversary really needs. Maintaining a blank slate or keeping your emotions in check is key in the job search. Managing Positive Emotions During a recent interview, a client of mine was told, “We needed you in this job yesterday!” It would have been easy for her to think she basically had this job! She could have let down her guard and not listened with the same level of attention. She could have stopped asking probing questions. Instead, she said thank you and moved on to the next question. You have to remember to not get caught up in your positive euphoria. You need to stay focused and not let your positive emotions get you to lose sight of the goal. Remember your Mission and Purpose of the job search. Managing Negative Emotions Many of you have encountered a situation wherein the recruiter calls you and starts to discuss money very early on. They throw out a low ball number, and you think: Listen to the most recent episode Oh crap! I can’t work for that amount of money. What the heck should I do now? It would be easy to lose your excitement for the position. In late 2007, I was called by a recruiter from a sexy startup. They had a newly created training position and wanted to know if I was interested. We got into a discussion of compensation, and I asked her what she had budgeted for the position. She gave me a really low number. At this point, I could have easily said I was not interested. Instead, I responded that they will not get anyone with any real experience at that price. They really needed someone with a fair amount of experience for this position. She asked me about my current salary. My current salary was not relevant because I was working for a non-profit. I gave her an approximate number of what I made when I left high tech sector four years earlier (which was double what she had budgeted!). She asked me if I was still interested. I told her we should keep talking. I could have easily become negative, and it would have come out in our conversation. Instead, I maintained a blank slate. They eventually made me an offer that was close to my previous compensation. Have you been able to maintain a blank slate and control your emotions? Can you tell us about your experiences? Marc Miller Like what you just read? Share it with your friends using the buttons above. Like What You Read? Get Career Pivot Insights! Check out the Repurpose Your Career Podcast Do You Need Help With ...

Top performers leaving in droves - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Top performers leaving in droves - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog One large company finds that many of their top performers are absconding: Its like clockwork. Every year a portion of our top talent decides its time to move on. Once those bonus or holiday checks are cashed, the flood gates open and the resignation letters start flowing in. Theyve done an exit survey among the top performing employees leaving the company: Of the 178 files, 83 people listed money as a reason for leaving. 62 listed it as the only reason. Their conclusion: They must adjust salaries and compensation. My conclusion: Theyre wrong. Heres why. Theyve been asking employees who have already taken new jobs, and the reason they took those jobs may well be a higher salary. But theres a more pressing question: Why were these top performers looking for a new job in the first place? Take a closer look at that, and I bet youll find that money doesnt matter much. Many of the truly great workplaces who enjoy extremely low employee turnover rates, set salaries at about market-average. Most of their top employees could switch jobs tomorrow and get 25% more at a different company. They dont because they really, really like their jobs. When I asked the readers of this blog what makes them happy or unhappy at work, salary only cropped up once, and that was a too low salary making someone unhappy. My alternative conclusion: This company needs to focus less on salaries and more on making people happy at work. Theres more here: What does not make people happy at work (but lots of people think it does) Think a raise will make you happy? Think again! Happiness leads to success Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Resume and CV Writing Services - Helping You Get a Job Fast

Resume and CV Writing Services - Helping You Get a Job FastWhen you need help with your resume and CV writing services, you can rest assured that the companies out there who offer this kind of service are highly professional. This is because when you hire a good professional to do this for you, you will be able to improve your chances of getting a job or even landing a better job in the first place.If you are applying for a job as a trained medical professional, then perhaps the one that you want to hire is going to be able to write a resume and CV that will allow the employer to easily identify you as one of their trained medical professionals. If you are an educator who is looking for a job at a university, then perhaps you should consider a professional resume and CV writer.To find a professional who will help you with your resume and CV writing services, you should first research what is available out there. You can find out about these services by checking the websites of variou s companies who specialize in this field. In addition, you can also find out about these services on the internet by doing a search using keywords like 'resume and CV writing services'cv writing services'.If you think that you can't write a resume by yourself, then you can hire a professional writer to do it for you. These types of writers are experienced in writing resumes and CV's, and they are fully aware of the things that potential employers look for when evaluating someone for a position.Resume and CV writing services are very helpful when it comes to showing potential employers your skills and abilities, as well as your enthusiasm for the work that you are seeking. These services can make sure that you have all of the information that you need in order to be able to present yourself in the best possible light when you are applying for a job.Theservices that you should use when hiring resume and CV writing services include proofreading, copywriting, style, spelling, grammar, a nd organization. When you hire a professional, you will be able to get a resume and CV that is well written and easy to read.Resume and CV writing services are particularly helpful when you are applying for a job as a medical professional. If you are an educator, then perhaps you should check into the services of a professional writer who specializes in curriculum vitae writing.Regardless, of what you want, when you hire resume and CV writing services, you will be able to get a job quickly. When you hire a professional to do this for you, you will be able to get the job that you are hoping for.