How Twitter Can Boost Your Executive Job Search plus 1 more | Career Rocketeer |  |
Posted: 19 Jul 2011 03:25 AM PDT   The whole world of social media is booming like never before. It’s already been established just how beneficial this medium can be for individuals conducting professional job searches, especially when LinkedIn is a priority.Twitter has also been deemed a useful tool for job seeking, especially for entry- and mid-level professional job seekers. But should it be utilized at the executive level? The answer is yes! In fact, you might be surprised by just how beneficial it could be for your search. It may be able to … Strengthen Your Brand There’s no doubt that executives need to work harder than professionals further down the corporate ladder to build and maintain a strong brand. Employers expect you to be highly respected in your field. This can be difficult to prove if your brand doesn’t back you up. In the online world, the first impression recruiters and headhunters will receive when entering your name in a search engine depends highly on what your name is connected to—and even how often your name is mentioned in the engine. By creating a Twitter profile under your name (or your name and executive title), you are making the statement that you and your profession are one—this is how you’re identified. You are creating one more entry in the search engine that ties your expertise in a particular field to your name. Build Your Reputation as an Expert What’s great about creating a Twitter account is that you now have the opportunity to build a following by sharing your expertise. As we all know, the Internet is filled with millions of online users looking for free information. And as an expert in your field, you should have plenty to share. From a recruiting perspective, companies want to know that the executives they headhunt are highly knowledgeable about their fields. Usually, this information has to be acquired via a seeker’s resume, cover letter, and a series of interviews. So just imagine how much more confident they can feel in your ability to deliver when they’re given a front-row seat to your wisdom before they even contact you. Make Yourself Easier to Find by Executive Recruiters As mentioned previously, recruiters and employers are looking for candidates all the time, and Twitter works wonders in making you more visible. But even when you’re not being recruited, you can make yourself known to recruiters by following them. Engage in a conversation, share info, and even send them candidates if you know of any to build great networking relationships that could move beyond Twitter. Twitter seems like a fun land for kids and young adults—nothing that could benefit executive job seekers. But if utilized correctly, this medium could work wonders in improving your job search. For more tips on resume writing and job search follow us on twitter @GreatResume. Author: Jessica Holbrook Hernandez is an expert resume writer, career and personal branding strategist, author, speaker and President/CEO of Great Resumes Fast. She creates high-impact, best-in-class resumes and cover letters that transform job searches into interviews and ultimately job offers. For more information about professional resume writing or to read more career and job search related articles visit http://www.greatresumesfast.com or call 1.800.991.5187. |
Posted: 18 Jul 2011 03:40 AM PDT   Recently I've added another dimension to my practice that I find extremely challenging and rewarding; helping United States military officers, enlisted personnel and those in the reserves with their transition from the armed forces into the business world.What I have found as my main challenge, and theirs as well, is whereas most people I work with have gone through the job search process at least once (if not multiple times) in the past 5-25 years, most men and women transitioning from the military have been steadily working in the service of their country for the past ten to thirty years and are totally unfamiliar with how to write a resume, identify their core business values, network, and search for a job in today's job market. On the bright side, according to what I've read and heard in many business circles is that corporate employers now value the tangible and intangible skills found in veterans above those possessed by job seeking civilians. Although military men and women are trained to perform specific and specialized tasks within a formal structure, which is far different than their civilian counterparts, many companies find this discipline a value rather than a detriment to success on the job, especially in leadership and managerial positions. This is not to say that our veterans have an easy time making this transition, so here are some of the unique challenges they face transitioning into the civilian work force. 1: I have been told by countless members of our armed forces that a major challenge they face is that most people on the corporate side of the job search process have a misconception about what it's like to be in the military and lack knowledge about what most non-combat officers and enlisted personnel do on a day-to-day basis. This is intimidating on both sides of the table, especially for the military men and women who need to prepare a resume and the civilians who screen these resumes and interview them. To some extent the reverse is true as well as many in the military are unaware of the similarities and differences in what they do in the military compared to their counterparts on the corporate world. To this end, as with every career changer it is the transitioning candidate’s responsibility to draw parallels between their military experience and training and how it relates to the positions they are seeking in the civilian work force. They are responsible for the research and finding mentors on the civilian side to help them reach their goals. 2: Another common occurrence with officers and non-coms transitioning out of the military is they tend to use too much military jargon and acronyms into their resume. This is especially true when it comes to listing education and training on the resume and over describing their job responsibilities and leaving out all accomplishments. Another thing that comes to mind personally is the overuse of the word sir when addressing a civilian, this can be very disconcerting. 3: Another issue I constantly face with military personnel is their lack of understanding of civilian social politics, jealousy and pettiness in the non-military workplace. In the service there is a finite social and reporting structure and transitioning military personnel need to learn about how the world operates on the civilian side before rather than after they begin their job search. 4: Managing expectations is another difficulty in transitioning from the military, especially for those soldiers and sailors who do not have extensive contact and/or interaction with the civilian business worlds. Salaries, benefits, raises, reviews etc are all new unknowns and most military personnel need to find out the answers to these and other questions before rather than on a job interview. 5: Networking for civilians is a daunting task, but for most people in the military it is even harder since they know far fewer people in the civilian sector to begin with and this puts them at a distinct disadvantage. This is the biggest challenge I face working with them and I suggest that everyone transitioning into the corporate world gets some professional advice on networking and social media and their importance to a job search 2-6 months before their actual discharge. What I also hope is that we in the civilian world take the time and effort to understand what our veterans have done in the military and how their skills can be utilized in the business world, and that we make an extended effort to help and hire these brave men and women when they are looking for a civilian job. If you are in the military and want to ask a personal question feel free to email me and send me your current resume for a free critique. Author: Perry Newman, CPC CSMS is a nationally recognized executive resume writer, career coach, AIPC certified recruiter and SMMU certified social media strategist known for his ability to help his clients get results. You can view his sample resumes at http://www.perrynewman.com, and email him your resume at perry@perrynewman.com for FREE resume critique. |
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