Tracking Your Targets with Google!

In your job search, outside of LinkedIn, I believe Google can be your best friend online!

Google has many tools that can make it easy to find and target the jobs and information you need to run ahead of the pack at the companies you want to pursue.

Used wisely, some of these tools can help you find job postings, company news, contact information and many other valuable pieces of information that can help you set yourself above the crowd.

Here are some ideas to consider:

Do an X-Ray! Google allows you to use it’s search engine not only to search the entire internet, but also to do a search on a specific site alone. This is usually referred to as an “X-Ray” search. In your search string in the Google search box, you can simply specify the site you want to search, using a format like:

site:www.linkedin.com

You can then add whatever additional search terms you may want to add. For example, say you don’t have many connections on LinkedIn yourself, so you don’t get many results when you do a search within LinkedIn’s own search tool. Perhaps you are looking for a company contact in your job search… like an Engineering Manager at Seagate Corp. in the Minneapolis area. You could enter:

site:www.linkedin.com “Greater Minneapolis” “Engineering Manager” Seagate

Among many directory pages and others, you will also find the public profiles on LinkedIn of anyone that has “Engineering Manager” and “Seagate” in their profile that’s registered in the “Greater Minneapolis-St Paul” area. With more sophisticated parameters you can eliminate the non-profile results, however, this can get you started.

You can also do an X-Ray search of specific companies you may be interested in pursuing, to find information on their sites that you are seeking… more on that next.

Set up Alerts! Google Alerts are an excellent way to be made aware of new information that gets posted, as it occurs. Perhaps you are a Programmer that specializes in Java development and one of your target companies is United Health Group (UHG) in the Minneapolis area. You can set up Alerts to notify you of any news that gets published about UHG, and Alerts to let you know as soon as a relevant new position is posted on their site.

For news, you can simply set up an Alert searching “United Health”, and anything posted anywhere with that string will trigger a notification to you.

For jobs, you can set up an Alert using an X-Ray search of their site’s career pages. As an example, if you are looking for Java related position that they post on their own site for Minnesota locations you can set up an Alert string like:

site:careers.unitedhealthgroup.com minnesota java

Most companies post positions on their own site before they are posted on any external job boards, and many times they don’t post a position on external job boards at all. The notification you will get of the new posting will make you aware of it before most everyone else!

You can set up as many Alerts as you’d like, for as many companies as you’d like, and with as many variations of search words as you’d like… be creative! You can also choose whether to have them emailed to you (as they happen, or once per day), or have them sent to Google Reader…

Consolidate your information! Google Reader is an excellent way to keep track of all this information, and more. Google Reader allows you to keep track of new postings on sites you’re interested in following… like this blog! (Click on the “Subscribe to…” “Posts” icon in the right column of this page) It’s also a great place to direct all of your Google Alerts so that you can read and follow up on them all from one central place. Google Reader receives and posts information as soon as it’s found by Google and keeps you up to date without filling up your email box.

Efficiently finding information from your target company sites, setting up automatic notifications, and reading all the relevant updates easily in one place makes Google an extremely powerful online resource for your job search that most job seekers don’t use. Be ahead of them all by taking advantage of the power available to you!

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ALWAYS be your best!

Every now and then, I have a job seeker tell me…

“I really wasn’t that interested in that job, and so I didn’t do my best in the interview.”

I always think… what a wasted opportunity!

People often close off the possibility of a hiring process moving further because they decided in a moment that this wasn’t a job they wanted. Perhaps they didn’t like the role, the company, the hiring manager, or some other aspect of it. They get dispassionate, or overly succinct in their answers. They show no further interest in the role at all. The employer judges the response and closes things off.

People forget some basic principles in the process…

You are never obligated to accept an offer! Continuing the process with enthusiasm and commitment can have tremendous benefits for you, as we’ll discuss further shortly. Should you be successful and ultimately get an offer, you are certainly not under any legal, moral, or ethical obligation to accept the position. Why not go for an offer with every opportunity you can?

You can always use more practice! For most job seekers, you don’t get that many opportunities to practice and hone your interview skills under “live fire”. It’s critically important to prepare and practice for interviews prior to meeting the employer. However, it still feels different when you’re actually there, getting asked the questions when it counts. Go through each interview process as far as you can, the best way you can, to help you refine your skills for the interviews your really do want.

Every impression counts! It really is a small world. It amazes me how many times prior contacts come back around and reconnect weeks, months, or years later. We also live in a time when people move to new jobs regularly. Any impression you create with someone today, may help or hurt you when you might encounter them again someday. A hiring manager at a company you are interviewing for today for a job you don’t want, may be a hiring manager, or potential networking contact at another company months or years from now for a job you do want. It happens all the time, and the impression you left with them the first time will impact their interest in you the next time as well. Make every impression your best.

Other opportunities can result from the process! Similarly, you never know what other opportunities may come out of a good interview process if you stick with it. It’s not unusual for someone to go through an entire hiring process for a position, and find out at the offer stage that the company decided that the candidate actually fits another role better. They make an offer for an entirely different position that may be an ideal fit for that person. If you didn’t do your best throughout the process, or “exited” too early, that prospect can never happen.

It’s great to get a boost of affirmation! As I often say… One of the most important, and most difficult things to do in a job search, is to maintain a positive mental attitude! As time goes on, there are plenty of things to get discouraged about. Finding ways to boost your attitude and feel good about charging forward is key to a successful outcome. Even if you decide not to accept a particular offer, it sure feels good to receive one! It proves you’re employable, and an attractive candidate to some employer. That affirmation can provide a great bump to your confidence as you continue your search!

Don’t ever present less than your very best in any interview process. Regardless of how you feel about a particular position, always follow through to its conclusion. The benefits can be tremendous!

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Filling out job applications… Why and How?

In an age of online application processes, and emailed resumes, why do so many companies still have you fill out a paper job application when you arrive for an interview or before they make you an offer?

You would think they have all the information they need from you already, why is it necessary to have you fill out the paper form?

Is it necessary to duplicate everything on your resume onto the application? What exactly, are you signing?

These are common questions I get. The process of completing and returning the application to the potential employer can have consequences in your job search. Here are some things to consider when it’s presented to you:

They want your signature, EEOC information, and references. The primary reasons employers have candidates fill out an application in the hiring process is to get information that isn’t normally presented with a resume. Typically, an application includes fine print that states you are giving them permission to do a background check, including criminal checks, credit checks, drug tests, and reference checks. By signing the application, you are stating your approval.

Secondly, an application typically includes a section or a separate form that asks your race, sex, and other demographic information. Most companies are legally required to report the numbers of applicants by demographics and so they gather this for those statistical purposes. You are not required to fill this out, however, companies have strict rules as to how that information can be handled, so you can be assured it’s not used in the decision making process.

The application usually asks for references along with contact information to reach them.

Finally, the fine print also usually states that the information you’ve provided is true. The application often asks for prior convictions, dates of prior employment, titles, education, prior salaries, etc. Should it be found later that the information you’ve provided is false, it provides the company stronger legal ground to fire you.

These are the reasons you’re asked to submit the application… so how should you handle it?

Provide information selectively. In most cases, you will find that the employer does not have an objection if you ask to exclude, or delay, providing some of the information. The prior conviction information, signature to testify to the truth of the information you’ve provided and giving them permission for the background checks is generally not negotiable. They will likely require that from you and it will raise “red flags” if you decline.

However, they will often allow you to simply attach your resume and not require you to fill in all the job history information. The EEOC information is always your choice. And if you explain that you are happy to provide reference information at the time of a pending offer but would like to protect your references beforehand, you will generally find the employer agreeable to those terms. Certainly there may be exceptions, however, most employers tend to be flexible on those items.

Generally less information is to your advantage, but be smart! Not providing your prior salary, and reference information until further down the road is better for you in the hiring process. It enables you to be more in control. While I recommend you delay providing that kind of information early in the process, I would also caution against creating an adversarial relationship that might harm your chances of being considered further. There is no harm in asking if it would be OK to provide that information later. However, if the response is that they want it now, it only creates antagonism for you to object further. Use good judgment in deciding how far to push your objections.

Even in this age of computerized processing, it is very common for an employer to ask for a paper application. Consider the reasons, your objectives in the process, and be wise!

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Finding your targets with LinkedIn

Anyone who’s been using LinkedIn for their job search for a while understands the great value it can be. It’s tremendous for creating a profile in order to be found, for finding contacts at companies you are pursuing, and for preparing for an interview by learning about your interviewer and others at the organization.

However, people often miss another way LinkedIn can be used to help them greatly in pursuing their job search with a more laser-like focus… finding and defining your target companies and positions!

In a job search, many people have difficulty articulating the type of position they are looking for, a title, or specific companies they are interested in pursuing.  LinkedIn can be a terrific resource for researching roles and finding companies to pursue that may have those types of roles.

Here are some tips that may help…

Search keywords to find job titles! If you are looking for positions that might utilize skills you have, however, aren’t sure of all the roles out there that might use those skills… use the “Advanced Search” function of LinkedIn. In order to find positions where those skills are used, do a keyword search of those skills. Start broad and narrow your search if your results are overwhelming. Start without narrowing your location in order to get a broad swath of results. The people that come up in your search are people with skills listed that you search. Browse through those results to see the job titles and types of roles those people do. Read how they describe their jobs to see which ones look appropriate, realistic, and interesting to you. That helps you begin to define the types of positions you would like to target.

Search titles to find companies! Once you’ve narrowed the titles of positions you are pursuing, you can find companies that have employees with those titles. Simply do a search, within your geographic area, or more broadly of those titles. The people that come up each currently work, or previously worked at companies that hire those backgrounds. You will likely find large companies, small and mid-size companies, companies that are well known, and companies you’ve likely never heard of. That helps you begin to define your target list of companies you may like to pursue.

Use combinations to narrow your search. If you are pursuing a broadly used title (i.e. Business Analyst), you will likely need to narrow your results by using combinations of keywords of skills, title, and location. Even then, depending on the number of connections you have, you may get hundreds or thousands of results. However, by scrolling through quickly, you should be able to find the relevant information you are looking for.

Use the contact names you find as well. The results you find will help you define the target jobs, titles, and companies you would like to pursue, and will also provide you potential contact names at those companies! Each of the people you find could be a good contact at their organization, and may be able to point you to the best contact for you to present your resume or “Elevator Speech”. You can find multiple ways to connect to them. You can find some help by reading “I got a contact name… how do I reach them?”

Pursuing specific companies whether they have a position open or not is often the best way to gain a new job rather than competing with the hoards that are all responding to job postings and ads. You can gain more insight and help to do it well here and here.

Defining your target positions and companies well, will help you become far more successful in your search. LinkedIn is an ideal tool to help you do it effectively.

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Degrees and Expectations

As recent college graduates hit the job market, and time goes by for some of them without any prospects, I often hear the expressions of “shock and awe” that they spent four or more years earning a degree and now they can’t seem to find a job! For many, they are surprised that they are not being considered for jobs when they thought that coveted sheepskin was the ticket to success and prosperity. What happened?

Certainly there are many varying opinions on this topic, however, as I observe the job market in today’s economy, as well as in boom times, the issue is often clear to me.

For some, it’s simply a function of the current economy. For some, it’s a matter of approaching their job search more diligently, professionally, and wisely. However, for others, it’s a matter of having spent their time and money on a degree that makes them virtually unmarketable!

As someone’s career progresses, the fact that they have a degree, any degree, often continues to be important to open doors to new opportunities. However, after a while, what discipline the degree was in becomes less and less relevant compared to the actual work experience obtained (with obvious exceptions in certain fields like medicine).

As a new grad, however, the job seekers’ major has everything to do with their likelihood of being considered for a job. Without a significant relevant work history, the degree is the only indicator of whether someone is qualified and prepared to do a specific job.

I often encounter young men or women who graduated with a degree in African Studies, Russian Literature, Political Science, or another academic endeavor that may have been of interest to them, however, generate little or no interest outside of academia. If they are interested in pursuing a career in academia, in government, or in politics there may be potential, yet few opportunities. However, very often graduates from those, or similar, majors are trying to pursue opportunities in business and are surprised when they are not gaining traction in their search.

I am a strong proponent of education. If someone chooses to gain an education in a subject that may not be marketable for the sake of that education in and of itself, or for their own enjoyment and betterment, I’m supportive of it if they are able to afford it without tax subsidies. If they are pursuing such a degree without the expectation of it qualifying them for a wide variety of careers, they are pursuing their degree with a realistic perspective.

Many students enter college with a clear goal of the type of career they would like to pursue and so pursue a relevant degree. Perhaps it’s in medicine, engineering, computer science, accounting, finance, marketing, teaching, or many others. In many cases, however, when students enter college, they have no idea what their goals or career interests are. So they pursue a degree program that may be of interest to them academically, however, without giving thought to what the resulting marketability of that degree may be.

When in doubt of the type of specific career one hopes to ultimately pursue, it is much more fruitful to pursue a degree that may be more applicable in the mainstream job market. Perhaps a degree in Business Administration, Math, or Communications. Each of those programs are more generalized, however, much more accepted as useful in a business environment.

Once someone has a few years of work experience in a particular field, the degree they once gained is less relevant. However, in order to get that first, or second job after graduation the specific major is critically important. With college costs continuing to rise so much faster than inflation, it does not seem wise to spend many tens of thousands of dollars or more on a piece of paper that may be of interest, however, cannot help you gain an income when you need one.

If you are making a post-secondary education decision, make sure your degree is capable of helping you achieve your expectations, or that your expectations are appropriate for your degree!

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You won’t hire me because I’m unemployed? REALLY???

CNN.com posted an article titled “In the job hunt, the stigma of being laid off is hard to erase”. In it, Stephanie Chen, writes:

“As if securing work in a jobless recovery isn't tricky enough, being labeled unemployed brings additional obstacles.”

I was privileged to be interviewed by Stephanie for this article and quoted briefly:

“Many companies will consider hiring jobless applicants, said Harry Urschel, an independent recruiter at e-Executives for more than two decades. He thinks many employers have become more understanding because job cuts are so widespread.”

While I can attest to the fact that there are some companies that do look more critically at candidates that are unemployed, I can also say…

That there are many others that view this time in the market as an opportunity to pick talent that might otherwise be hard to attract.

Can being unemployed be an obstacle? Certainly. Just as being “too old” can be an obstacle, being “too young”, having had too many jobs, having worked at one job too long, being a minority, not being a minority, being over-qualified, being under-qualified, being under-educated, being over-educated… and on and on. Depending on the organization, and the individual looking at your background, any of those factors may be an issue… or none of them might be. Regardless of professional background, or personal circumstances, anyone can find external reasons they are not getting the calls and job offers they are hoping for. My experience tells me that people are usually not selected for jobs for different reasons than they think. It’s usually easier to believe a bias than the reality of the situation.

Your objective in pursuing any opportunity is to show you are the best person for the job… despite any perceived shortcomings. As I’ve written about before… “For every person that says they can’t get a job because of a particular challenge, there is someone else with the same situation that did get a job.” It may take some additional thought, persistence, or creative approach, however, virtually any objection can be overcome when handled appropriately. Everyone can find some reason that is hindering their job hunt if they look hard enough. Don’t focus on why you may not be considered, focus on the unique value you bring to the potential employer!

In this market, when employers are receiving dozens, or hundreds of applicants for every opening, it’s not good enough to submit an application online, or send an email, and wait for a call. That’s all the vast majority of applicants do, and it does nothing to distinguish you from all the others. Even if you’re a “perfect” fit, it’s difficult for your resume to be noticed among the sea of others. Taking extra initiative to find a contact at the organization, proactively call and reach out in additional ways is the only way to stand out from the crowd.

If you’re not getting calls from your applications, it’s likely that it has nothing to do with the fact that you’re unemployed, or “too old”, or under-qualified, or anything else. It’s more likely that you are just getting lost in the crowd.

Apply some more effort to get noticed and you will make far greater progress in your job hunt!

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Are You a Resistor???

Over the past 5 years, having taught over 20 – 8 week classes on job transition skills, I’ve consistently seen many people resist applying the ideas and techniques I talk about.

Although they nod in agreement in class, they rarely, if ever, change any of their activities throughout the week. They continue doing the same things they’ve always done and expect different results (isn’t that a definition of insanity?).

Why do they do that? And how do you change if that’s been you? Do you know if you have been resisting? How can you tell and what can you do?

Here are some points that can help…

In one of my recent classes, one of the participants came had an epiphany about half way through. She said she realized that she had been resisting anything new so strongly that it was certainly hindering her from getting a new job she so desperately needed. For her, it was simply a matter of coming to the realization of how much she was fighting it that finally caused her to decide to apply some of the ideas we had been discussing.

Ask yourself some questions! Examine your attitude and your activities. When you hear or read an idea that might be helpful in your job search, how do you respond? Do you…

• …immediately think it wouldn’t work in your situation?
• …think it’s a good idea, but you don’t do anything with it?
• …immediately judge it to be a dumb, or impractical idea?
• …think it’s interesting but doesn’t fit your “style”?

If those are your responses, you may be resisting. If so, ask yourself “Why?” If you are getting exposed to potentially helpful techniques, why wouldn’t you try them? Examine whether you have fears, anger, bitterness, or stubbornness that are keeping you from stepping outside your box!

Seek out and learn effective techniques! You can’t apply any new ideas if you don’t know what they are. The internet, your local library, state job service office, and local networking groups are full of good ideas, advice, and help. Check them out. Find things that have worked for others. Learn how to apply them in your situation, and practice. The first step in breaking out of your rut, is to learn new ways to do it.

Give it a try! Particularly if you’ve been in a job search for a while, what have you got to lose by trying something new? What you have been doing so far hasn’t worked, so what is likely to be worse by applying a different approach? Don’t try something once and assume it’s not effective because it didn’t produce immediate results. Virtually nothing does. But take a new approach or technique and try it over and over again for a period of time. If it then still doesn’t produce improved results, try something else. You have nothing to lose and everything to gain by trying something new.

Don’t sit still! One of the biggest obstacles to gaining positive results in your job search is inaction! Often, when people don’t make progress in their search it’s because they have mentally or emotionally frozen up. They are frustrated with the lack of progress, and unconsciously decide that nothing works for them so they won’t even try. The best way to overcome the problem is motion! Regardless of your emotions, keep doing things necessary to keep the job search process going. Often, one of the best ways to keep hope alive is to try something new. Keep moving and don’t allow yourself to become stagnant in your daily activities.

A job search, especially in this economy, can be a frustrating and draining activity. The more deliberate you are about keeping it fresh, being flexible and open to new ideas, the more likely you will land in your new job faster.

Don’t be a resistor! Find and apply new ideas throughout your search!

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Dealing With Inappropriate Interview Questions

In your job search, if you are interviewing regularly, it’s highly likely that sooner or later you will be asked a question that may seem inappropriate or legally dubious.  How you view that question, and how you respond will very likely have a great impact on your success.

I recently had someone in my job search class tell me about an interview he had at a small company. The hiring manager asked what year he graduated from college, as it wasn’t on the resume. The candidate told him it was an inappropriate question to ask.

The interviewer said he was curious, and really wanted to know. And for a couple of very uncomfortable minutes the two of them argued back-and-forth about the legitimacy of the question.

The candidate assumed it was an effort to determine his age, and make a judgment on his suitability for the job accordingly. I have no idea if that was the intent or not, however, questions like that do occur often. So how should you react? Here are some ideas that may help:

Most hiring managers are not HR and Legal experts! Although direct questions about age, race, family, and other topics are not supposed to be asked or considered in an interview process, they often get asked innocently. Certainly someone in HR ought to be very aware and conscious of inappropriate questions, however, a direct hiring manager may not be. Often they are simply getting to know someone and are not looking for ways to discriminate. It may not be possible to know if the question was asked out of ignorance or not, but the way you react may determine your fate anyway.

Getting to know you and small talk are not necessarily forms of discrimination. If the question was asked simply as a means to get to know you better, or as a form of small talk during the interview, an over-reaction can create a very negative impression if no discrimination was intended. Yes, an interviewer should know better than to ask inappropriate questions, however, when they come about from casual conversation, they often had no ill intent behind them. Your reaction generally has more to do with whether they move forward or not than the actual answer to the question.

You’re never obligated to take a job offer! While others may have differing opinions, my perspective is that candidates are generally best off not making large waves during the process and reserving their judgment and response for afterward. If an inappropriate question was asked. Answering directly, respectfully, and minimizing the negative response enables the process to continue.

If you ultimately receive an offer, it’s likely no discrimination was ever intended or took place. An offer will generally be the proof. If you still aren’t convinced though, you certainly don’t have to take the position and you can decide whether to pursue the matter with them further then.

If you do not receive an offer. It still may have had nothing to do with discriminatory practices, but rather that they had another, better qualified candidate. If you have doubts, you can decide at that point whether to pursue the matter or not.

Getting into a verbal battle with them during the interview process, however, virtually guarantees they will not want to consider you further for the role… not because of discrimination, but because they are not interested in hiring a combative employee.

An appropriate response to a potentially inappropriate question might be:

“I’m very interested in this position and would gladly answer all appropriate questions you may have for me in order to determine if I’m the right fit. However, an answer to that question doesn’t necessarily shed any light on my relevant qualifications, so if you don’t mind, I’d prefer not to answer it. Can we move on to other more relevant topics?”

Many interviewers are likely to get the hint and move on. Some, however, may not. If they continue to press for an answer, in my opinion, it is often best to give them a quick, straight-forward answer rather than continue to challenge them on the appropriateness of the question. You can certainly determine later in the hiring process whether a further response on your part is warranted.

 

In the case of the person from my job search class… he actually did receive a follow-up interview. The hiring manager simply knew someone that went to the same college and was interested whether they might have graduated at the same time. He shouldn’t have pressed the matter, and he should have been more upfront with his reason for asking. However, no discrimination was intended in any way. The candidate was fortunate that the process continued on, however, certainly may not have in most cases.

Don’t assume every inappropriate question has dark motives behind it. It may have been asked innocently, or because of a lack of knowledge. How you react, however, can determine if a good opportunity progresses for you or not.

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Resume vs. Online Profile: What’s the Difference???

I was recently asked about the difference between a resume and an online career profile. Is there a difference? Should there be a difference? Are they considered in different ways? What should be included or avoided?

Good question… short answer… YES! They are different.

There are a number of things to consider when creating a professional profile online vs. creating a resume to email or present to a company, or when applying for a specific role.

Here are some thoughts that can help…

When creating a resume for a specific company or position you are pursuing, it’s critical that you tailor it for the specific recipient. Emphasize the experience you’ve had that would be most important to that particular company or position. Although your experience may be very broad, if they don’t very quickly see the direct related experience for the role, it’s unlikely you will be considered further. Using words from their job description, their terminology, and giving special attention to the skills you have that are directly applicable to their requirements is key. The extra effort involved in customizing your resume for each individual application will pay off in a greater chance at a response.

When creating an online profile, whether it be a LinkedIn profile, your personal professional website, a Visual CV, a job board, or any number of other venues online to post your information… it has to appeal to a broader audience. You won’t know who will see it, or what kind of role they have in mind when they’re looking.

Although you may be interested in a variety of opportunities when you are applying, the viewer generally only has one role they are looking to fill. Your online profile should help them understand all your experience and see the fit for multiple roles. 

~ An online profile isn’t limited to two printed pages! While it’s usually not a good idea to create a submitted resume that’s more than 2 pages long, you don’t have that kind of restriction with an online profile. You can include much more information, more detail, more accomplishments, more strengths, and more keywords. Keywords are important, as that’s the most likely way they will find you. Include as many keywords as you can think of that someone might use to find someone with your background. With more detail, the likelihood of being found in a search rises, and it gives the viewer a greater chance of finding what they are looking for.

In an online profile, just as in a resume, it’s important that your information is written in short, substantive, sentences and/or bullet points. When someone is scanning your information, short lines will get read, paragraphs will not. It’s important that they grasp your experience quickly and easily, in order to gain their further interest.

~ An online profile can include testimonials! A submitted resume doesn’t generally have the space, and it’s not the best venue to include third party comments. However, an online profile can be a great place to include reference information and comments to “back up” the assertions you make about yourself in your profile. It’s great to express your strengths and accomplishments, it’s even better when someone else confirms them as well.

~ Consistency is key! It’s critically important that a resume you submit to a company, and your online profile agree with each other! Nothing will torpedo your chances for an opportunity faster than the appearance of an attempt to deceive. Although the resume you present may not give the entire picture of your full responsibilities in a particular position, it should never contradict the more detailed description. If your role was as an Office Manager of a small business, and your responsibilities included accounting, your resume should never make it appear as if your entire role was as an Accountant.

In today’s job market, and with easy access to search engines, it’s HIGHLY likely that somewhere in the hiring process someone at the organization you are pursuing will Google you and find your profile online. If the information you have posted there contradicts what they received from you directly, it’s unlikely they will proceed with you further. The resume and online profile can complement each other, but be consistent.

~ Links! When presenting a resume, it’s not usually easy, or necessarily appropriate to include links to websites online. An online profile is ideal for this though and can often enhance your presentation and credibility. You can include links to other professional sites where you have information posted. Link all of your relevant online presence together… LinkedIn, personal professional website, Visual CV, etc.  You might also link to a professional blog you write, articles you’ve been published in, online recognition you’ve received, etc.

Be very conscious, and careful of your overall online presence. A racy Facebook or MySpace page can be harmful to your online reputation. Comments or less than professional pictures or articles attributed to you can damage your chances of being considered for a position further. Be sure everything you link to only shows you in the best and most professional light possible, and try to clean up anything else that may be found by Google that might hurt.

Working together, a resume and a professional online presence can be a powerful combination. However, manage them carefully!

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Your American Idol “moment” in your job interview!

My family and I have been ‘American Idol’ fans the last couple of years, watching the contestants try to give their best performances week after week. It’s been fun to watch, but enlightening as well to see the work and effort they have to put in to try to become the winner.

Often, the judges will talk about the importance of having a “moment”. They are referring to having a performance that rises above the others by connecting with the listeners, or being unique in a way that transcends all of the other performances.

In a singing competition, as in a job interview, it can be difficult to make yourself stand out as something special when compared to several other very capable “contestants”. However, if you don’t set yourself apart somehow… if you don’t have your ”moment”, you will be easily forgotten.

Especially in today’s intensely competitive job market, if you can’t show an employer something that makes you unique or special for the open position, you are not likely to be the one that gets the job. You have to have your “moment”.

How do you do that? Here are some ideas:

~ Know yourself! Before you can explain to someone else what it is that makes you uniquely qualified, you have to know the answer yourself! You have to be self-aware of your strengths, weaknesses, and accomplishments. You can get some help by reading: Know Yourself! Take the time to figure out what makes you, you, and what makes you unique.

~ Know them! Their primary objective is to find someone that fits the requirements of the position, the culture of the organization, and has a drive to succeed in the role. If you don’t know specifics of what the requirements of the role are, or what their culture is like, it will be impossible for you to demonstrate how you fit. Do your research. Read their website, talk to people in the organization before your interview, ask others at networking groups or professional association meetings or anywhere else what they know about the company and what it’s like to work there. The more you know what they are looking for, the better you will be able to articulate the fit.

~ Connect the dots! If, by the time you are done with the interview, they don’t clearly see how you fit the role and their culture, you will not get a job. It’s that simple. It’s your responsibility in the interview, not theirs, to make sure they got the key information to connect those dots. If you think they aren’t asking questions that give you the chance to express that to them, find a way to interject it in the discussion yourself.

You might say something like: “If I understand the role correctly, key experience that would help the person be productive quickly would be having worked with ______. Can I tell you a little of my background in that area?”

~ Be prepared! On American Idol as in a job interview, the “contestant” that is well prepared comes across so much better than someone that is winging it. And the person most prepared will do the best. An old saying goes: “An amateur practices till they get it right. A professional practices until they can’t get it wrong!” Determine that you will be THE professional that they will interview. Write out answers to potential questions, hone them, and practice them until you feel like you will nail it when you’re asked. Thorough preparation sets you apart.

~ Put a cherry on top! A great ice cream sundae looks even better with a cherry on top! It’s that little extra something that sets it apart from most. It’s the one thing that might make someone choose this sundae over all the others. In American Idol it’s the “moment”. In your job interview, it’s something that makes you unique and memorable. It might be a strong accomplishment, or award. It might be a personality trait that’s rare to find. It might be relating to them in a way no one else does. It might be a level of professionalism that’s a cut above the norm. Or it can be something else that’s unique to you. You’re the one that has to figure it out and then convey it to them in the interview process.

In any hiring process, it’s not always the most technically qualified person that gets the job. Rather, it’s the one that they see as bringing something extra or special to the organization. Know yourself. Know them. Connect the dots. Be prepared. And put a cherry on top! Have your “moment” when it’s your turn to take the stage!

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