Where Can You Find Your Next Job Using Social Media

Where Can You Find Your Next Job Using Social Media They say looking for a job is a full time job. Thank goodness there is great technology around to help us right? With a few clicks of a button we can engage with employers on social media. Sounds great, but could it be that all this social stuff simply leads to a false sense of achievement? A giant waste of time? Thats the trouble with all things social media, you can easily spend an hour clicking from one profile to another and then realise you havent done anything. Its easy to get lost if you havent got a plan. I would suggest taking a little more structured approach to your job search online. Take a deep breath and analyse your industry Before you wage your 5-front war on social media (by that I mean Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Google Plus and Pinterest), analyse the industry you are in. Its basic marketing think to look at your target audience before steaming into your campaign. By that I mean looking at the people you want to get in touch with, where do they hang out online? How do they behave? Whom do they connect with? What content to they put out? By listening first youll get a feel for what HR folks, recruiters and line managers are up to on social. Then plan your attack and go for the one social network that they seem to use the most. What social networks for what jobs Accountants it will come as no surprise to you that accountants and their friends in a professional services setting like hanging out on the professional network LinkedIn. Yes its strait-laced and dull at times but it is the place to be for anyone doing B2B (business-to-business) marketing and sales. As a result youll find customer facing individuals on here who are open to interact with you. Just the type of people youd want to approach for vacancies as they are happy to chat and will probably refer you to their HR team. Journalists no prizes for guessing that journos, PR folks, media types in general hang out on Twitter, a LOT. I know recruiters in this space that will only talk to candidates that have a Twitter presence and are actively tweeting. I suspect the transparency of Twitter is the main attraction to people in this industry. Twitter has a fantastic search function that you can use to find conversations about your industry and location its ok to jump into these and build relationships from there. Graduates at the moment I would say Facebook is only useful for graduates from a job search perspective. Some companies actively encourage graduates and even young professionals to apply through Facebook. If youve got more career miles on the clock the only way to find jobs on Facebook is to actually look up the company Pages and click on careers tabs. So you might as well look at a companys website and career pages. Graphic designers there is one relatively new social network which has skyrocketed in terms of traffic this year. This is Pinterest, a platform that lets you share (or pin) images and video from around the web on to you personal pin boards. If you are creative and producing content like this, Pinterest is one of the best places to showcase your work. And you can also showcase what inspires you by pinning other peoples work. Now, if you dont work in a creative capacity Pinterest will be a giant waste of time. No finance controller will ever get a job here. Java Developers another newish network is Google Plus. Its Googles 3rd or 4th attempt at social networking and it seems they actually got it right this time. Looking at the demographics we find a big contingent of tech people and companies on here. Could be that tech folks are early adopters in general or that they simply like the clean G+ interface. The fact is that its easy to search for people on Google Plus, its transparent like Twitter but users put down more information about themselves. This is of course useful for proactive job seekers who are able to identify and approach hiring managers. At this stage I wouldnt recommend using Google Plus for job search if youre not a tech person. Bottom line These types of jobs are just to give you an idea where to start. There may be niche networks that are more useful in your industry and location, keep an open mind and see what your peers are up to. Start with ONE social network and do that really well, build strong relationships with people there and you can easily connect with them elsewhere later on. Related: What Job Boards are Most Useful for Applicants? Image: Shutterstock

Writing a Bad Objective Statement in a Resume For Retail

Writing a Bad Objective Statement in a Resume For RetailWriting a bad objective statement in a resume for retail can be a really hard task. But it doesn't have to be, if you know what to do. You will be writing this statement, so it has to be pretty long.The job seeker wants to be as specific as possible when describing the applicant's skills and experiences. They are looking for just one type of person that is going to complete the work for the company. So they want to make sure that they only get one type of person. And the statement has to include everything that is relevant to the job they are recruiting for.They want to include as much detail as possible, but not so much that it is too specific. This is so they can show what they expect from the person they are interviewing. They want them to say what they know. But they don't want them to be so specific that they are not leaving any wiggle room.If the employer puts together a list of all the 'good candidates' that they have, th en they need to be listed in order of preference. The employer wants to interview the highest quality of people.They don't want to take the chance on hiring someone who has never worked in a job that pays more than $10 an hour. This makes the job even harder for the employer because they will be working with a candidate that does not have the necessary skills to make it in the retail industry. They also will be spending more money with a candidate that has no experience working at that company. So you can see how a bad statement in a resume for retail can cost a lot of money.So you can see that a good writing tip when it comes to a bad objective statement in a resume for retail is to make it as concise as possible. You want to leave enough room for the employer to ask a question about your qualifications. But you don't want to mention any skill that is not relevant to the job.If you don't give the employer a very specific job description, then they will have a difficult time figurin g out what they are looking for. If they had asked you a few questions earlier about the basic skills you have, then they would be able to figure out exactly what you need to do to get the job. So don't talk down to them because you can't get it done in two weeks.The employer is a lot smarter than that. They will be working with a person that has zero experience. But if you can show them that you have the experience, then you have shown them why you should be hired for the job.

The Road to Me 2.0 Be the Commander of Your Career - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

The Road to Me 2.0 Be the Commander of Your Career - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career [youtube=http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fp_9NmFKjkM] Subscribe to my podcast series Ive been patiently waiting for months to tell you my main message in Me 2.0: Build a Powerful Brand to Achieve Career Success. Ill be speaking about this message for the rest of my life and it flows throughout my entire book, as well as all my forthcoming presentations. The message is plain and simple: In order to be successful in the new world of work, you have to be the commander of your career. I want to take time today to discuss what a commander is, why its important to you and why social media is the key to unlocking the commander within you. What is a career commander? We are all familiar with an army commander, which is a leader who leads infantry into battle, with the objective of being victorious. In order to lead a group of people, this leader must be confident, passionate, intelligent, strategic, and gain the respect of his people. The commander is accountable for both others and him or herself. Why do you need to be a career commander? Its simple: at the end of the day, success lies in your hands. You will need your network of supporters (your infantry) in order to help you win the battle. Despite what your parents, friends, teachers, guidance counselors and coworkers say, you are responsible for your future and your career direction. Your networks job is to open up opportunities, to shield you from threats and to mentor you into a successful businessperson. Why is social media the key to unlocking the commander within you? Social media converts introverts to extroverts. It allows you to build the communication skills you need for now and the future, such as written, verbal and interpersonal. Using social media is empowering. Think about it, with the click of a mouse you can send a message to thousands of people and it can travel to even more. Social media builds internal confidence, leadership and makes you smarter. What Im trying to say is that when you delve into social media, you have the ability to create a brand youll be proud of. Commander U is a mindset Its not the tools, its how you use them. Its not the title, but the experience. To be a commander, you need to want to become a commander first. Everything else is there for you to learn and use to your advantage. This goes back to discovering your brand and how you have to find out what youre passionate about, then how to make money doing it. A commander is a feeling or sensation your body gets when its confident. Commanders arent worried about economic downturns or sudden technology shifts because they are prepared. Final word There is no escape from the world Ive brought you into. If you fail to recognize that youre a brand and implement marketing strategies to your advantage, you will lose. If you fail to use social media tools and claim your name on social networks, you will lose. By not taking time to become this new-age commander, you wont live a fulfilling life. You will end up doing work that doesnt make you happy, not earning your potential income or having a positive attitude when youre with your friends or family. By not investing in your brand now, you are setting yourself up for a life of doubt and turmoil later. As a reader of this blog, I promise you that you will undergo an incredible life changing transformation if you get this single idea into your head: In order to be successful in the new world of work, you have to be the commander of your career. Are you a commander?

How to deal with a bad boss

How to deal with a bad boss Heres what a bad boss is: Someone who lies, cheats, steals, or touches you after youve told him, in writing, not to. If you have one of these bosses, quit complaining and start applying for other jobs. All other bosses arent truly bad youre just bad at managing them. A  Boss-Management Decalogue One of the most important parts of being competent at work is managing up: Making sure you give your boss what he or she needs, and then getting what you need in return. Thats no ones responsibility but your own. Here are 10 ways to manage your boss: 1. Understand the person youre dealing with. Is she detail-oriented? Give her detailed reports. Is she a big-picture thinker? Tell her your big ideas. Does he like voicemail? Then leave some, even if you hate using it. Understand her personality strengths and weaknesses, because this is usually the path toward forging a relationship. If you know her weaknesses, you can have empathy for her shortcomings instead of impatience. And whatever you feel will show, so figure out how to feel compassion for your boss, or youll get nowhere with her. 2. Ask for your quarterly goals, in writing. If you dont have goals, how can you even know what your job is? And if you dont know what your job is, you can be sure you wont make your boss happy. If your boss does not know your goals either, write your own. Create a fun job for yourself that will be an integral part of the companys strategy. If your boss doesnt like the goals you create, shell suddenly be able to come up with them herself. 3. Know your bosss biggest worries, and help him address them. Why are you working on projects your boss doesnt care about? Your job is to make your boss love you so he helps you get the skills you need to grow in your career. If you have stuff on your plate that doesnt matter, do it fast, and dont worry about being judged on the quality of this work because your boss doesnt care. Focus on the stuff that matters to your boss, because thats what will make your boss love you. 4. Look at your bosss weaknesses as opportunities. If your boss is great at project management, then surely she doesnt need you to do that. Be great at the stuff your boss is terrible at like people management, maybe and help your boss rally her troops. If shes great at sales but hates the detailed reporting, get great at the reporting and offer to do all the stuff she hates to do. If your boss is terrible at managing meetings, instead of complaining about it, volunteer to do the brunt of the organizing for him. Hell appreciate that way more than you helping with stuff he doesnt worry about. 5. Focus on your own needs by focusing on your bosss needs. You and your boss are a team. You make your boss look great in the organization and in the world, and your boss will help you grow and meet your own goals. To do this, you need to focus more on helping your boss and less on doing work you love. The first act begets the second: A boss who feels indebted to you will give you what you want. 6. See the good in people. Dont tell me your boss doesnt care about you, or that hes only concerned with the bottom line. Its not humanly possible for your boss to not care about you if you understand him, are there for him, support him, and genuinely care. You have to be authentic with your boss to develop a real relationship. Figure out how to care about him deeply as a person whom you can help. If you cant do this for your boss, how can you expect it from him? 7. Get a list of your bosss priorities. When you have too much work, this allows you to tell your boss that you cant do x, y, and z because theyre not high enough priorities to him. In other words, you can say, I could do x, but you said a, b, and c are very important to you, and I dont want to compromise those. This is a great way of saying no to work in a way that makes your boss feel very respected, understood, and taken care of. 8. Prioritize your own work in terms of what matters to your boss. Fit your high-priority items into a reasonable schedule, and dont do low-priority items until the important stuff is done. This allows you to always deliver on what matters to your boss. Keeping your boss happy means being a high performer. People dont care if you perform well on stuff that doesnt matter to them, so dont. 9. Give weekly updates. It doesnt matter if your boss asks for them or not. This is a team report, for you and your boss; youre the team, working on your bosss priorities. This is when you tell your boss how much youve accomplished that will help her. Tell her things you see that might be roadblocks for her, and how you can help her fix them in the next week. Also tell her what youre planning to do thats extremely important to her so shes sure not to ask you to do unimportant work over the next week. 10. Dont get stuck on personality types. We each have preferences for the people we hang out with. But the most successful people can get along with anyone. If you cant get along with the type of person your boss is, its your shortcoming, not his. Read some psychology books about social monitors, and how we can teach ourselves to authentically connect with anyone by practicing empathy. And then do it. After all, why is it your bosss job to adjust to you? Youre the one with the problem. The Choice Is Yours The bottom line: Take responsibility for yourself. No one forces you to have the job you have. You could leave anytime If youre not going to leave, then youre choosing the boss you have. And since you chose your boss, start making her into a good one. Otherwise, why did you choose her?

Is Your Dalhousie University Resume Writing Strategy Working?

Is Your Dalhousie University Resume Writing Strategy Working?If you want to be successful in your attempt to hire a new employee for your Dalhousie University career, there are many aspects of your resume that need to be taken into consideration. These factors range from the most important features of a resume to the least important ones and this article will provide an overview of these aspects to help you determine what type of resume you should be writing.The first part of a resume is the summary, and this portion is not necessary if the job vacancy posting that you received is a university job advertisement. But if it's not, then you should include the job description, the job location, and the duties required for the position as well as any education and work experience. If you don't have these items already included, then you should put them in your summary.In the summary section, you can also add any education that you have had that you think would be helpful for the applicant , or just a little extra information about yourself. The rest of the sections are going to be devoted to details about the past employment that will help you present your skills and abilities to the hiring manager. This section of your resume should contain your education, work experience, awards, professional organizations, volunteer experience, and a summary of any honors that you may have received.Finally, the resume should be formatted properly and be error free. All these documents that you write should be accurate. Be sure to make any necessary corrections before sending the resume along to the employer. Your resume should not only look great, but it should also be easy to read and you should always proofread before sending it.You should also pay attention to the spacing in your resume. When making changes to your resume, make sure that you can retype it so that it's correct. Also, make sure that the resume has enough spacing between the paragraphs.The resume is a document tha t has been approved by the University before it goes out to the world. This means that there is a certain format that is acceptable and that you need to adhere to it in order to have your resume approved. There is no point in submitting a resume that doesn't follow the rules and regulations.It's also important that you don't imitate other resumes that you see out there. Make sure that your resume is different from others that are currently on the market. Also, you should try to find information about specific industry sectors and this will help you understand what is being offered in the job posting you are looking at.Just like with any other written document, your resume needs to be revised on a regular basis. Some of the information that you might have forgotten or that was incorrect on your resume will eventually become apparent as you go through the process of hiring a new employee. The only way to avoid this is to revamp your resume regularly.

We asked a recruiter for their 6 top tips for video interviews

We asked a recruiter for their 6 top tips for video interviews This article was written in collaboration with Capgemini Consulting. Find out more about roles and opportunities available at Capgemini Consulting by downloading the Debut app. Its the part of the recruitment process that takes most of us by surprise. Video interviews?! We live in the world of Snapchat and Instagram Stories Ive got this in the bag, many of us may think but actually video interviews seem so much easier than they really are. Unfortunately, video interviews arent for everyone; we cant all be stars of the screen after all. Even in this age of social media and YouTube influencers, there are some fundamentals to bossing a video interview we all need to know. Well, fear not, because weve searched high and low for somebody who can save video from killing the interview star, and his name is Christopher Baird a Management Consultant at Capgemini. We asked him if he could reveal the mystic ways of the video interview, and he very kindly obliged. Why do employers use video interviews? Well, because bodies talk, as they say. Body language, hand gestures and facial expressions are really important in communication, and you don’t get any of these with a telephone interview, Christopher says. And its true, video interviewing does give you that extra element of human contact with an employer you wouldnt get without being there face-to-face. A video interview is your chance to really convey what youre passionate about, at your own pace, and without the thousand-yard piercing stare of a recruiter on you. The Dos Do a test run The whole itll be alright on the night mentality? Yeah, it doesnt really fly for video interviews. There are a lot of different moving parts your background, your lighting, your microphone and camera. Its not as simple as it seems. Christopher says: This applies both to the technology and your general interview preparation. Make sure the technology (webcam, microphone etc.) works and that it all looks good in the final recording. Look at the camera, not the screen If there was ever a golden rule for a video interview situation, its this: resist the temptation to look at yourself on the screen. Youll look like youre staring at the ground and thats not a strong look. Looking directly into the webcam may feel weird, but it gives the illusion of eye contact, so make sure you keep it at eye-level. It might seem unnatural, so take the time to practice answering questions whilst looking at the camera, not the screen, Christopher recommends. Be yourself They say in Hollywood you need to fake it till you make it. For video interviews, you should really keep it honest. Doing a video interview is not an excuse to put across a fake version of you just because you have rehearsal time. Present yourself honestly, warts and all. Christopher notes:  Capgemini places a lot of importance on the people it recruits, and we want to get to know the real you. We’re generally pretty good at spotting where candidates are forcing themselves to come across in a certain way, and if you get through to the face-to-face interviews, we’ll definitely be able to spot any anomalies. The Donts Talking quietly or mumbling Video interviewing is about content as much as it is about visuals. Make sure youre speaking with clear diction and at a volume that people can actually hear you. It might be tough with your housemates still asleep at 11am, but dont worry, you can handle it. In a telephone or face-to-face interview, the interviewer has the opportunity to ask the candidate to speak up or to clarify a point they have made, but video interviews don’t allow for this correction. If the person reviewing the video interview has difficulty hearing you, you’ll have less chance of a successful outcome, Christopher points out. Getting too comfortable Its your house, so your rules, right? Wrong. Laying back on your bed or getting dressed only above the waist can spell disaster in a video interview. Pick a professional looking setting and dress smart from head to toe. Its all about having the right mindset, and this will help you get there. Christophers advises: Doing a video interview from your living room or bedroom might make it tempting to forget that you’re taking part in a formal interview process. If possible, I’d recommend that you sit at a table or a desk with a fairly neutral background and good lighting. Getting interrupted We all saw what happened with this poor guy on the BBC. Dont be the next victim; make sure everyone you live with is aware of whats going on when youre doing your video interview, lest one of your housemates appears half-dressed in the background Christopher concludes: If you’re living with someone else, let them know in advance when you’re going to be doing the interview, and ask them if they can leave you undisturbed for the duration of the interview. And there you have it, you are red carpet-ready for your next interview. Now get out there, and make yourself a star, kid. Download Debut  and keep an eye out on the app this September for details on upcoming roles at Capgemini Consulting in their Consulting Development Community including the Core Management Consulting programme, Analytics Consulting Academy, Financial Services Consulting Academy and Business and Technology Innovation Academy. And dont forget to connect with us on  Facebook,  Twitter  and  LinkedIn  for more careers insights!

A question for ya New boss gets the cold shoulder - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

A question for ya New boss gets the cold shoulder - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Ive written a lot about bad bosses and what you should do if you work for one but sometimes its the other way around. I recently got this email from a reader: Dear Alexander, I hope you dont mind me off-loading on you, but I could really do with your advice. I have just started a new job as the Director of a department that has undergone significant restructuring. I do not have a predecessor as my role is brand new. However, I have inherited a team of 4, all older than me, with clear loyalties to the person who did a similar role before and left in very unpleasant circumstances. She had about 50% of my role, but only managed 2 of them. I am now responsible for the over-seeing of all 4 posts. The office that previously was independent is my biggest challenge. I am being given the complete cold shoulder. They dont speak to me, make conversation, keep me informed and trying to get information from them is like trying to get blood from a stone. There are 3 women and 1 man. I am a woman, and my problems are with the women! What can I do? I feel miserable and scared I wont be able to perform. I have the feeling Im being set up for failure I would really appreciate your advice. Interesting question and something Im sure a lot of new managers face. What would you do? 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

6 signs you should start your own business -

6 signs you should start your own business - Youve been having a tough time finding a job, and the longer it takes, the more obstacles you face. Your last jobs end date has become more distant, and you arent seeing any reason to be optimistic about landing something permanent anytime soon. Should you start a business? If this describes you, it could be time to shift gears and stop looking for a job in favor of starting your own consulting firm or business. Is the writing on the wall, but you arent seeing it? Consider the following signs that you should re-focus your energies and start thinking about working for yourself. Why to start a business? 1. Hiring independents is on the rise. Independent workers (people working 15 or more hours per week as freelancers, contractors, or business owners) are part of a fast-growing sector of our workforce. The Harvard Business Review (HBR) frequently shares research showcasing these trends. For example, Author and Workplace Researcher Tammy Ericksons HBR post highlights data from the temporary placement service provider Adecco, illustrating that contingent (temporary) workers will grow at three to four times the rate of the traditional workforce in the future. Whitney L. Johnson, author of Dare, Dream, Do: Remarkable Things Happen When You Dare to Dream, had a recent post on HBR noting there are currently around 17 million independent workers, which is expected to rise to 23 million by 2017. When you start a business, you join this group. On her blog, Workplace author and Columnist Alexandra Levit recently shared data from technology firm Mavenlink that shows the number of self-employed, independent service firms, solopreneurs, and temporary workers grew by an estimated 4.3 million workers since 1995. The contingent workforce is expected to grow to 40 percent, or 64.9 million, by 2020. While its not always a good idea to follow the crowd when it comes to your career, these data suggest it may be time to think about how to market yourself as a business of one and start a business. 2. A lack of jobs or hiring freezes in your field. Its tough to land a job in the midst of hiring freezes. If your industry is hard hit by the economy or in a state of flux, its likely hiring freezes will affect your ability to land a new jobâ€"or even a promotion. 3. Projects are going to contractors. Most trends dont manifest overnight, but sometimes employees dont notice them until its too late to respond. Look around: Is your organization contracting with freelancers to get things done? 4. You need a new challenge. Not all signs suggesting its time to start a business come from your industry. Take a good, hard look at your own goals, skills, and what you want to accomplish in your career. 5. Controlling your work environment is important to you. The recent news from Yahoo! demanding that employees who work from home report to the office highlights how tides can turn. The only way to be sure you maintain control over your work environment is to work for yourself. 6. Working for yourself is the new job security. With millions of workers serving as employees at will, subject to layoffs and reductions in force at the drop of a hat, traditional, or corporate jobs no longer offer the type of income security that people once though. Dont be the last one to the entrepreneur party. Whether starting a business is something youve always wanted to do, or youre thinking of going that route because youre having trouble finding work, you should start planning now to prepare yourself to succeed in the new economy. Read the whole post at U.S. News World Report. photo by karindalziel