Many job seekers, especially mature workers, struggle to understand the role social media can play in a successful job search. Back in the day, resumes were printed and sent by mail and jobs were found in the local paper. Today it’s Twitter, LinkedIn and more. Ignoring these “new fangled” methods can greatly hinder a job search. So, for those of us born before 1970 (and some of you born after) here’s a quick rundown of the most important social media channels for your job search.
Video Friday: The Art of Follow-Up
A common question among job seekers is when to follow-up. In today’s Video Friday vlog, Jobfully CEO Mei Lu explains best practices for follow-up.
Making the Most of Hiring Ebs and Flows
Have you ever heard that no one gets hired in August? That’s not really true, of course, but there are seasonal recruitment cycles including peak and slow periods. Understanding them can give you an edge and improve your chances of getting hired. By knowing which months of the year are the most popular hiring periods in specific companies and industries, you can plan your job search process more efficiently. During the months of slow hiring, prepare yourself for the busy hiring period.
The Introvert’s Guide to Networking
If the idea of walking into a room full of people and talking to any of them makes you want to crawl back into bed for a week, this post is for you. And the advice is coming from someone like you (me). Many people (extroverts) say that to be successful in business or with your career, you have to suck in your entire personality and just “become an extrovert” for the ten, fifteen, or fifty minutes it takes to do some successful networking. They are, of course, incorrect. Introverts just need to prepare in their own way.
The Math Behind the Networking Claim
“According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, 70 percent of all jobs are found through networking.”
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What Makes a Good LinkedIn Contact?
During the sign up process, LinkedIn will ask for a peek at your e-mail contact list. This is one of the easiest ways to see the public profiles of everyone you know on LinkedIn and if you feel comfortable with their privacy statement, you should do it. It the fastest way to populate your network. It also brings up an important area for caution with LinkedIn: who you network with.
Jump-start Your Digital Job Search
I just came across an interesting article on College Aftermath about some best tactics for the modern job search. The article is right on about today’s job search – in the digital age, your job search is completely different than even ten years ago and it should absolutely begin online. The tips for applying to jobs over the Internet are fine – if you are applying through the classic job portal online. But before you do that, remember to check your network:
Action Items for New College Grads Looking for Work
In our last blog, we went over some food for thoughts for new college graduates to identify a clear and focused entry into the job market. Today, we will talk about what actions new college graduate can take once they have a good idea on what they are looking for in today’s job market.
Sanitize web image. Potential employers are increasingly Goggling candidates, looking at their Facebook pages and LinkedIn profile. College students are particularly vulnerable to getting a bad “web reputation”. As job seekers, they must do everything possible to clean up their web image, removing or privatizing photos and other content and also creating a positive web presence through a LinkedIn Profile, a professional blog or a professional web page.
Using Facebook In Your Job Search
To use Facebook in your job search, you must first define your Facebook presence and page as personal, professional or both. Beyond that critical decision, there are several important ways you can use Facebook to advance your job search.
Your Friends, Your Network
If you are using Facebook as a personal social network, your Facebook friends are your inner-circle network. As such, they care about your success and are likely to want to help you. To use this resource in a respectful way:
Facebook and the Job Search: Personal, Professional, or Both?
For many, Facebook is a social Mecca. It’s a fun, easy way to share photos, news, party invitations and birthday greetings. And it certainly has no place in a professional job search, right? Yet with the job market tight, job seekers can’t afford to ignore the world’s most trafficked website as a road to a new job.