2014 resume & job search essentials
TRANSCRIPT
Resume & Job Search Essentials
by Stephen Van Vreede
Pittsford Library
January 27, 2014
The Resume
• What is most important element?
– Format?
– Length?
– Keywords?
– All of the above?
– Something else?
• What is purpose of resume?
• How do you achieve that purpose?
Resume Mistakes & Myths
The Resume:
• Is about you
• Must be 1 page
• Must have every job listed
• Must only list the past 10 years
• Simply presents my work history
Resume: No Rules, Just Write
• Blend of art and science
• Document facts and present them in marketing tool called a resume
• Page length as appropriate
– Corporate style (1-2 pages)
– Academic CV (2+ pages)
– Networking Resume (1 page with graphics)
• Job history as appropriate
Resume Key #1
• Resume is not about you (or me)
• Audience
– Who is your audience?
• HR Reps
• Recruiters
• Hiring Authority
– What are their expectations?
– What about the things I find important?
Write for Audience
• HR
– Chronology
• No gaps
• No job hopping
– Job titles and companies
– Education
– Keywords
– File format
Write for Audience
• Recruiters
– Currently employed
– Chronology
– Job titles and companies
– Education and credentials
– More detailed descriptions
– Strong or direct match of current role with existing opportunity
Write for Audience
• Hiring Authority
– Company names
– Job Titles
– Education
– Achievements in chronological context
– Are you trying to hide something?
• Chronology gaps
• Skills in specialty area not recent or fresh
Be a Problem Solver
• Position resume as forward-looking
– How can you solve business issues?
– Prove that you’ve done it before?
– Make past glory reflect evidence of future contributions
– Provide insight into “intangibles” or soft skills to reinforce what you bring to the table
Resume Branding
• Accomplishing this forward-looking approach
– Create “brand statement” or value proposition
– Consider messaging, positioning, and format from audience perspective
– Ask what story audience gets in 20-30 seconds
• Is your offering to prospective employers:
– Clear and concise?
– Effective?
Job Search Sites
• Free National Job Sites & Aggregators
– Monster.com
– CareerBuilder.com
– Indeed.com
– SimplyHired.com
– Job.com
– Beyond.com
Job Search Sites
• Premium & Specialty Sites
– General: TheLadders.com
– Executive: ExecuNet.com, BlueSteps.com
– Industry-specific sites
• IT: Dice.com
• Engineering: EngineeringJobs.com
• Healthcare: HealthJobsUSA.com
• Government: USAjobs.gov
Social Media
• Facebook– Watch your content
– Check “tagged” photos
– Expand your reach
– Don’t alert current employer
• Pinterest– Consider your audience - Great for visual jobs
• Graphic Arts
• Culinary
Social Media
– Most powerful social media engine for jobs
– 96% of recruiters using LinkedIn
– New internal search algorithm all about “reach”
• Number of connections (1st-3rd level)
• Reach through LinkedIn Groups
• Keyword-rich profile
• Social endorsements and recommendations
– Content on-brand with visual appeal
http://www.ittechexec.com
www.linkedin.com/in/stephenvanvreede
@ittechexec
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