The Work Buzz's Latest News: “7 secrets for a smarter job search” plus 1 more
|
|
Posted: 14 Apr 2011 07:24 AM PDT
Posts here on The Work Buzz are always geared toward you, the job seeker. We know that job seeking is not only tough but also mysterious. You work your hardest to get noticed, but sometimes you never hear back from employers. You never know what they’re thinking. It feels very one-sided. That’s why we have today’s guest post from Kathryn Ullrich, an executive recruiter and author of “Getting to the Top: Strategies for Career Success.” She’s willing to divulge what’s going on in a recruiter’s mind so that you know what you’re dealing with.
Confessions of an Executive Recruiter By Kathryn Ullrich  After three years of economic aches and pains, the employment outlook by companies in the United States has improved to a 12-year high, according to a recent survey by the National Association for Business Economics. If you are an executive or mid-level professional who is looking, or plans to look, for a new job in 2011, that can be pretty encouraging news. But are you really ready for a job search? From a seasoned suffer-no-fools executive recruiter, here are seven secrets to help fire up your search and fuel your success:1. Recruiters spend 10 seconds "reading" your résumé Odds are, you can lose up to a third of the words on your resume without compromising the content. So put your résumé on a word diet and eliminate the bloat. Remove extraneous words and phrases and generic mom-and-apple-pie references ("strong team player") to bring your experience to the forefront. Additionally, bring your résumé alive by branding yourself from beginning to end and by using active verbs to describe accomplishments relevant to your target job. 2. Recruiters look for specialists, not generalists Today, companies want specialists who have done the job before. Develop a personal brand, distinguish your skills and strengths, and design your job search around industries or functions targeted to your background. For inspiration, study real-life job specifications online. Recently, for instance, a well-known software company was seeking a seasoned marketer "skilled in developing online video for B2B marketing." Translation: specialize! 3. Recruiters search for candidates who know where they're going Have a long-term career strategy or, at the very least, a strong sense for where you're headed. Ask yourself, "Where do I see myself in five to 10 to 15 years?" Then figure out what steps you need to take to get there. Having a clear, concise understanding of your career path can demonstrate your leadership maturity to potential employers. 4. Recruiters care about how you present as much as what you present Your communication skills can make — or break — your job search. For every situation, from interviews to networking events, know your key points in advance and be crisp and organized in communicating them. Practice your responses to common interview questions, determining the "just right" length to illustrate your strengths and experience, and using interesting, impactful examples as much as possible. 5. Recruiters anticipate well-crafted exit statements Be well-versed in discussing the movement on your résumé. If you've jumped around a lot, prepare your "exit statement" for every move. Also, if you have gaps between jobs, have an explanation for what you did during that time. 6. Recruiters have finely tuned “BS” detectors Be open, honest, and authentic. If you aren't, you won't fool recruiters or employers, at least not for long. They will sense something isn't adding up and will get to the bottom of it. If you've had a bump or two along the road, personally or professionally, be upfront about them. Also, focus on the facts of any situation, not the emotions surrounding it. 7. Recruiters "watch, look, and listen" on social media Nearly all employers look at your profile online: LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, and other social-media Web sites. Leverage that opportunity and have your online presence tell a story. Sure, you watch the appropriateness of what you post online, but take it a step further: tell your story and tout your brand. Kathryn Ullrich is a Silicon Valley-based executive search consultant and author of the award-winning book “Getting to the Top: Strategies for Career Success” (Silicon Valley Press, 2010, $19.95). She also leads Alumni Career Services at UCLA Anderson School of Management. Contact her at kathrynu@ullrichassociates.com. |
|
Posted: 13 Apr 2011 11:08 AM PDT
 When tax season rolls around, tax payers around the country give a collective eye roll followed by a deep sigh. Something akin to the reaction a teenager might give his mom when she says, "Call me so I know you made it there safely." The response isn't entirely unwarranted, as filing taxes can be a painful process when you start gathering receipts, finding important documents, and meeting with a tax preparer. That's before you even look at your W-2 and think, "This is what I earned all year?"However, the bright side of tax season is that you can end up getting some money back. I've heard financial experts say that if you're getting a return back at the end of the year, you should adjust how much money is taken out of your paycheck so that you get that money throughout the year. That might be sound advice, but I have no idea. Your account would know better than I would. However, I do know that getting a big refund check in the mail is an enjoyable experience, whether it's $15 or $500. (Of course, $500 if much more fun when you go to spend it.) In a new CareerBuilder survey, 46 percent of workers plan to take use those refund checks to pay bills, a 10 percent decrease from last year. Hopefully that's a sign that workers are doing better financially. Bolstering the case is that more workers this year (36 percent) will put some of that money into savings.A little more fun money Although the survey found that financial situations are improved compared to last year, workers are still watching their pennies carefully. This year, 61 percent of workers say they live paycheck to paycheck, which is a better scenario than 2010, when 77 percent of workers a year ago. That said, that means a majority of workers are still struggling to pay their bills. This mix of good and not-so-good news is evident when workers explained what they plan to spend their refunds on. Aside from bills and savings, here are the most common places tax refunds will go:
|
| You are subscribed to email updates from The Work Buzz To stop receiving these emails, you may unsubscribe now. | Email delivery powered by Google |
| Google Inc., 20 West Kinzie, Chicago IL USA 60610 | |
No comments:
Post a Comment