I know that another think that frustrates job seekers is the lack of response they receive from HR. I recently encountered a situation with a client that can and will prevent potential employers from contacting you. She had an automated spam blocker and response section on her e-mail. The problem was that the ISP she was using for e-mail did not make the spam blocker user-friendly. I had to input it my information multiple times over the course of a week.

Be advised, employers will not be nearly as patient and will move on to the next candidate. Make yourself accessible. You may say, we’ll if they’re really interested, they will call. Not necessarily, if they want to communicate exclusively through e-mail then that’s how they will communicate. Don’t assume an employer will go out of their way to contact you. In this market, they won’t.

To eliminate the possibility of this, create an e-mail account exclusively for job search. I recommend Google e-mail or gmail. It has excellent spam filter settings on it, is compatible with everything, and doesn’t require an extra step. The only spam I have received on gmail are from the businesses to which I have responded.

Employers rarely send anything by snail mail anymore, so you don’t necessarily need to worry about including your home address on the resume. Including your city, sate, and zip code along with e-mail, cell phone, and possibly home phone is becoming more and more acceptable.

Another issue I tend to occasionally encounter is with voice mail messages. Job seekers, everything you put out there is noticed by employers. I’ll save social networking for another post. Think of your voice mail. Most employers are either going to e-mail you or call. If they encounter your voice mail, ensure that you give a professional presence. Rather than an automated voice mail message where they’re not sure if it’s you or not, leave a short and sweet personal voice mail message. Something like, “This is (state your name). I’m sorry that I missed your call, please be sure to leave your name, number, and a brief message and I will return your call as soon as possible.”  Don’t include messages with music in the background, or with barking dogs, laughter, children crying, or any other noise.

On home phones, leave children off of the answering machine. Again, short and sweet. If you’d like to say, this is the (last name) household, please leave a message and the appropriate family member will return your call as soon as possible.

Keep these tips in mind if you want employers to leave messages. Good luck.

Now that the Great Recession, as I’ve heard it dubbed, is officially over, your job search should be taking off, right? Well that’s what several people are hoping for but I’m still receiving emails and phone calls from frustrated job seekers wondering what is wrong with “those employers.” Ok, let’s think about it…those who are still gainfully employed are totally overwhelmed and probably would love to have extra help, but their own employers are holding off on hiring the extra help they need. Therefore, the vicious cycle continues.

I realize you’re not here to read about the woes of the employed, but to better equip yourself for dealing with your issue, the woes of the frustrated job seeker, whether currently employed or not. So, my next few entries will provide a few tips and strategies that will hopefully help you out. People wonder where I come up with this stuff…my own little noggin based upon what I know from 10 years of industry experience and what I perceive to be helpful from multiple resources. So if you like it, THANK YOU! I’ve had the opportunity to work individually with literally hundreds, probably close to 1000 job seekers over the last 10 years and I’ve always rooted for you. I’ve ALWAYS been on the side with job seekers and NEVER the side screening out job seekers.

Truth - All journeys begin with a travel plan, map, GPS, or something. You’ve got to know where you’re going.   Take a hard look at your individual marketing plan. What I mean is how are you selling yourself. Are you selling yourself as someone who is desperate for anything or confident that you’re the right fit for the next employer? Is your resume targeted toward a specific industry? Have you created a list of companies that you are marketing yourself toward? Have you measured up your qualifications to the job announcement and created a comparison? Have you been networking through both social media networks and face to face networks? Have you begun participating in a local job club in your community? Have you utilized some non-traditional resources? Think of it this way, if you were the latest and greatest new product on the market would people be interested in you based upon your current marketing? Even Apple had to create buzz over the i-phone.

Truth — Your current job title is Sales Director regardless of the industries in which you have worked. Create your targeted sales plan. Review the business journals and industry associations to determine what companies in your area are doing. Target companies, then jobs within the companies. Network with people who have specific contacts within those companies. Get to know what the the companies are about and package your resume and yourself in such a way so as to prove that you are the right fit. Most people work opposite of that, they target jobs and never companies. Change your approach and it will work better for you. Then you’ll begin to start moving in the right direction. Even McDonald’s and Disney know who their target market is, you should too.

Truth – If you haven’t figured it out by now, sitting at a computer, sending your resume into 50 online job postings (aka “black holes) a day is not going to get you a job. Look hard at your resume to determine what kind of value proposition you can make to a company. True story, I was working with a client making significant career transition. Because we worked together to emphasize his problem solving, team management, and customer service skills over specific job history, he became a very attractive commodity for the right company. He sent out 5 resumes, and got called for an interview. After the first interview for a technician’s position, the company called him back and said they wanted to consider him for a manager’s position. He’s now working as a manager for the one and only company he interviewed with. Five resumes, one company, 4 weeks of hard job search. His resume focused on the key strengths that he brought to a company. Even a princess will kiss a toad if she knows a prince will appear.

False — I should dumb down my resume so that I can get working again.  I strongly discourage that. You should take pride in the strengths and value you bring to a company. Companies will pay good money for top talent in any job market. If your industry is over saturated with talent, then make sure you stand out among the best. I know a few folks who can help you with that. LOL  give me a shout out. Stephen Hawking may have ALS, and he’s still valued for his brilliance.

False — Companies are discriminating against me because I’m over 50.  Again, I disagree. If you haven’t noticed, there are three generations of workers in today’s work place and most of them are over 50. Companies value that talent and experience because they know you’re not going to work forever. If you’re showcasing your talent appropriately and not coming across as a “fuddy duddy” during an interview then they’ll take notice and value it.  What are you selling them on? Your age or your accomplishments?  Accomplishments always win out over age and good looks. I will admit though, having a healthful appearance will be advantageous. Have you ever stopped to think about the fact that Bill Gates is over 50?

Truth – Traditional job search methods still work. I love how everyone says, “job search has changed” or “job search is now easier”. No it’s not…employers have just adopted ways to screen candidates faster. Online job databases, whether company-managed or through major job board search engines are all key word-driven. The resume must play a more strategic role than ever in your job search and must include key words. However, when you boil it all down…it’s still more about who you know over what you know.  That’s one reason LinkedIn is so popular. And my only little “quip” I can come up with is, sing it loud now, TRADITION!

I’ve got more to say, but one of my goals for 2010 is to blog more but say less in each blog. So, I’m sticking to my goal. Tag my site and stand by. I’ll put more out about this soon.

I’m sure that many job seekers are wondering, Should I contact a Professional Resume Writer? Of course, I’m slightly biased on this subject. However, I’ll do my best to give you some unbiased strategies of when and how to contact a resume writer and help you determine whether or not you should contact one.

1. Do I need a Professional Resume Writer?
There are several advantages of working with a professional resume writer. The main reason is, as a professional writer with expertise in branding and marketing job seekers, professional resume writers can look at your career objectively. We’re not as personally invested in your past, we’re more invested in your future. As a best practice method, we will focus on the positive aspects of your past career, minimize the damage of any “shaky” career periods, and partner with you to position you as one of the best candidates available. I consistently get positive comments such as “I never would have thought to do my résumé this way” or “I love how you did _____it really works”. And one of my all time favorites is, “WOW! I love the resume” Essentially, we bring a fresh perspective to your job search campaign and will utilize best practices based upon current career trends and information.

2. When should I contact a Professional Résumé Writer?
A. If you’re going to work with a professional writer, the sooner the better. Many sought-after résumé experts have waiting lists, making it difficult to turn around a project in less than a week. Each résumé writer has his/her own methods and you may have to do some “homework” before being able to even meet with the writer. You may also find that some résumé experts specialize their practices to niche industries, so it’s best to start your search early.

B. Contact a professional résumé writer before you actually NEED the résumé. Often, job seekers will call after they have been doing a job search for several months and get nowhere. At that point, you may or may not have the patience or the money to wait several days more on a new resume. If you try to put a tight timeline on a résumé writer with an already busy schedule, you could potentially find yourself paying a higher price for a rush job or worse yet, working with a subpar organization.

C. If you know that there is the potential threat of a company downsizing or a new supervisor has come into the office, get prepared early. New leadership brings change and new ideas. I often talk to job seekers who have successfully worked with a company for a number of years only to find out that they are not the “right fit” for the new supervisor who is now in charge. In that case, a job change is inevitable and it’s better to have something ready to go in advance of an untimely departure.

3. How much should I expect to pay a Professional Résumé Writer?
Most Certified Professionals who manage solo practices vary their pricing depending upon the project and his/her level of expertise. Ask for a project quote. What you can expect is that typically an independent writer with more experience is going to charge significantly more than an internet site that doesn’t have a face to it. Just make sure that you hire someone who is credentialed and participates in continuing education. Verify their credentials! In many cases, the professionals who make their individual livelihood working individually with clients will produce better work than an internet site promising fast turn-around for minimal cost. Experts who INVEST in their careers by earning credentials, joining professional career management organizations, and participating in continuing education are often in high demand, charge more, and produce better results.

Those are the three top questions I can think of in terms of hiring a professional résumé writer. In all honesty, take time to evaluate your career, evaluate your personal marketing strategy, and evaluate your success rate from your current résumé. If it’s not producing at least a 10% return, then perhaps it’s time to INVEST in a professionally credentialed résumé writer.

I thank you for your comments regarding last week’s blog regarding building a consistent online brand. As requested, I’m trying to provide a few more ideas on the topic.

Let’s begin with the question of how do you want to brand yourself?

As a job seeker, what are you trying to stress about your expertise, experience, or accomplishments. If you’re only brand is that you are a job seeker, then there’s nothing about your brand that is distinguishing you from the millions of other currently unemployed people out there. Ask yourself, “what “uniqueness” do you want to highlight? Perhaps I should spell that “YOUniqueness” (copyright 2009, 10/26/2009).

Capture the unique brand everywhere you post online.

Just as Nike includes its classic swoosh, or Under Armour includes its intersecting “U” on every product they sell, you need to brand yourself similarly everywhere online. You could think about creating your own personal branding statement, philosophical quote, personal question, graphic, or alter ego. (Careful about creating an alter ego as you don’t want to present yourself as someone you’re not!) Regardless of what you use, connect that brand to everything you post.

Present yourself as an expert.

The expertise that you share and experience that you bring to the table is what will set you apart from the other job seekers. Business quickly learned that the internet is a powerful and relatively inexpensive marketing tool.  As a job seeker, harness the same power to sell yourself and your skill. You are a commodity and expert in your field and you should realize this.

Do you need a way to get a lot of information out? Why not start a blog? This is a great way to brand yourself and share your information too.

Join or start a public interest group on one of the social networking sites.

Ask questions on Linked In, answer questions on Linked In.

Twitter useful information on a topic.

Read articles, link to articles, and find a site for which to write articles.

If you’ll notice, I even use some of these same suggestions, and in other ways I need to take my own advice and practice it more extensively. So on that note, pick and choose which method will work best for you, because it can and will take up more time than you realize.

Assign a value to your work and experience.

As you leverage your online brand, you will be assigning a value to yourself. For example, if you’re a computer programmer and you’re only discussing basic facts that most any entry level programmer would know, what will people assume about your programming capabilities? They will assume that you know the basics and you won’t bring significant value to anyone looking for a senior level programmer. On the same note, if you’re branding yourself as a senior level programmer then you will bring more value to yourself if you discuss matters of a more senior level technical programming nature.

The same is going to be true for any industry out there. Information and knowledge are valuable. Nobody will ever be able to take away your knowledge…and you can leverage the value of your knowledge as you build your personal brand. Let’s face it, employers aren’t supposed to discriminate on the basis of your weight, race, religion, political affiliations, or evidence of a handicap. What employers discriminate on (or a less harsh phrase) base their hiring decision upon, is the value of the knowledge and experience that you will bring to the company.

Wrap Up!

So as the headline states, “Consistent Online Branding Builds Value” As you continue building your online presence to market yourself in this job market, give yourself a value. The next thing to understand is how to take that value from the virtual world and relate it to the person to person world. That will be another article.

Thanks for reading.

While recently sitting in a seminar on social networking, it occurred to me that job seekers have a tool today that didn’t exist a few years ago; Social Networking. With so many opportunities out there to increase your online presence, it’s crucial to make sure that your online presence is consistent.

Let’s face it, employers know about these tools and regularly use them to research candidates as part of the reference check. If you’re on LinkedIn and have a professional presence but have information about you on your Facebook profile that contradicts the professional presence you established on LinkedIn, employers may question your character.

So as to ensure a consistent social presence, try applying these tips:

CHECK YOUR PROFILE ON EACH SOCIAL NETWORKING SITE
Ensure you’re sending the same message about yourself by reviewing your profile and sharing the same information.

SET GOOGLE ALERTS ABOUT YOURSELF
This is one of the easiest and most effective ways to make monitor yourself online. This way if someone else posts something about you, you’ll receive an alert and can take action quickly.

CHECK WHO YOU “FOLLOW”
If you’re on Twitter, who are you following and who is following you? Check to see if you’re following industry experts relative to your field so it will be evident that you stay “in the know.” Also, are others who are considered industry experts following you?

CONTRIBUTE TO GROUP DISCUSSIONS
What kind of information or questions are you posting into various groups? LinkedIn and other web sites offer the opportunity for you to be in groups where you can ask and respond to questions. Build up your professional profile by asking relevant questions and providing helpful responses to questions that others post.

AVOID THE DESPERATION MOVE
I can’t tell you how many posts I have seen that say Professional (fill in job title) seeking job in (fill in area). Are there any jobs left out there and why won’t anyone hire me? I’m not sure if people who do this just don’t know any better, think they’re being funny, or are really that desperate. Let’s face it, whining doesn’t work for most people or in the work place, so avoid making a total desperation move like that. It’s ok to post your credentials and to alert your followers that you are actively seeking work, just be professional about it.

FOLLOWING THESE SIMPLE STRATEGIES will help you maintain a solid and consistent web 2.0 presence. If you don’t have an online presence there are many ways to go about creating one, but that’s another article.

Now that there are more unemployed recruiters out there than gainfully employed ones, they’re taking stabs at Professional Resume Writers. Some unemployed recruiters and HR professionals, and life coaches struggling for clients have even begun to supplement their income by writing resumes. So, in defense of all the negative comments out there, I’m posting my In Defense of Certified and Professional Resume Writers comments.

1. Two Words, Certified and Professional — For those of us who have taken the time to better educate ourselves in the field of job development, recruiting, and career coaching, we have chosen to specialize in a niche market; Resume Writing. Many of us with the words Certified and Professional to our credentials earn a minimum of 10 CEU’s a year, most of us earn triple that, better educating ourselves.  I agree, thanks to a growth in our industry, there are many Certifying organizations, but the good thing is that all of them require a review of the resume writer’s work, and we do meet specific standards. It’s obvious to even the novice professional resume writer whether or not one has used a template, and recognizing such would be an automatic, failure for certification.

2. Pricing: Many people argue that our prices are too high and that $400-$800 dollars is a sham. Well let’s say I make $550 from writing a resume and the job seeker lands a position that pays him $7,000/month. Interesting…I have to continue to seek out new “jobs” at $550 a pop while the job seeker’s job is over.  What’s more interesting is that your typical recruiter would make 20% of that $84,000 a year salary, making their cut $16,800. Why is everyone picking on the resume writer who lives client to client for charging a mere $550.00? If you ask me, we’re the least greedy of them all.

3. Personal Branding: Let’s face it, not everyone works at a Fortune 500 company. The majority of the employers in this wonderful country of ours are entrepreneurs who had an idea, developed it, and turned it into profit. I’ve worked with clients who had incredible talent and accomplishments but didn’t work for a “household name” company. Does this mean they have anything less to offer? Should I slight them because they don’t fit into a specific box?  I was recently working with an HR Executive who’s resume screamed strategic development, even contained the words strategic development in the top 1/3 of the first page, and a recruiter who didn’t bother READING anything other than the bold print, had the audacity to tell this client that they didn’t see any strategic development in the resume. My client was exasperated with this recruiter who actually called himself a professional.  How many CEU’s have they earned in their field in the last year? I bet, less than 25!  To all recruiters out there who only look at resumes for 5 seconds, be proud that I’ve made your job easy. I’ve put all the key information where you’ll see it.

4. Let’s call a truce: Look, I like recruiters. I have several friends and professional contacts who are recruiters. What their real gripe with Certified Professional Resume Writers is that we leave out all the negative stuff in an individual’s career. We’ve learned how to strategically hide the bad stuff and accentuate the positive. Recruiters should be thankful that Certified Professional Resume Writers can actually help them effectively market a candidate from an unknown company to a client. Why dump on us? We’re not the one’s charging 20% of an annual salary.

5. Recruiters and Professional Resume Writers should develop strategic partnerships rather than slam each other. I’ve developed several within my community. Recruiters could cut their candidate selection process time in half by talking with a local Professional Resume Writer and seeing if there’s anyone who meets their qualifications. Resume Writers love to see their clients get jobs, and I do everything I can to personally help mine. I actually network more for clients at a networking meeting than I do for my own business! How’s that for value add?

6. The competition: The competition on the internet for resume writing services is fierce. There are several frauds out there and I even went out of my way, for free, to try to assist someone who got ripped off by a company that profits millions off producing crap work. It made me angry that this firm charged her three times what I would have. Any search online regarding that particular company was listed in fraud and rip off reports.  That’s why when someone is considering have a resume written professionally, they should always look for minimum qualifications. I’ll even provide a few tips.

A. Check for CREDENTIALS and MEMBERSHIP from reputable non-profit organizations such as Career Directors International, National Resume Writing Association, Career Management Alliance, or Professional Association of Resume Writers. These are the most reputable and legitimate organizations. If your resume writer is not a member or credentialed from at least one of these organizations, keep looking. If a company says that they have certified professionals on staff, but requires exorbitant deposits and up front fees, keep looking. In defense of this, most Professional Resume Writers do require fees up front, however, you should be talking directly to the resume writer and you should have an idea of the strategy and process they use for the resume development. Are they personable, will you have an interview or telephone meeting with the writer, will they provide revisions as part of the initial service? Those are the kinds of things you should ask.

B. What kind of response do you get? I’ll admit, I can’t always answer my phone, but I do return my calls. Most of us in this industry are sole proprietors and we live by our reputation, service, and word. Ask us questions about the kinds of clients we work with, what are our specialties, and turn around time. Please don’t expect a turn around of 48 hours, it’s just not possible. Those of us who take our craft seriously take time, gather as much information about you as possible, and work several hours on your project. It doesn’t happen in 20 minutes, not by the kinds of resume writers I’m talking about.

C. Ask if they have works that are published. Please don’t think that if they haven’t been published in resume writing books, that they’re no good. I know many colleagues who are great resume writers, they just haven’t been able to find the time to submit works for books when people are soliciting for materials. Sometimes there are very tight deadlines for book submission and when our focus in on our clients, we just can’t meet them. I know that personally, I missed two deadlines last year because I had such a huge client load.

D. Ask when their last professional development was. If the resume writer you are talking to hasn’t participated in recent online training or at least a convention within the last 16 months, then find someone who has. Those of us who are Certified, Professional, and have thriving resume writing businesses take our education and training seriously.

So in defense of Certified Professional Resume Writers, understand that we are practitioners in a rapidly growing professional careers industry. We get lumped in with life coaches, executive coaches, recruiters, and fake resume writers. We are not magicians, we’re not super hero’s, but we do sometimes work magic and leap multiple barriers to employment. Our primary goal is to further advance individuals careers and if we have to charge between $400-800, or even more to do it, then so be it. Be thankful that we’re not asking for 20% of your annual salary.

When talking to clients on the initial front I can always tell who has done their homework and who hasn’t.  For instance, one client may say, “I may need a generic resume that I can use for sales, consulting, medical billing work, and launching a pet grooming business.”  Obviously, this makes no sense. Why would someone want to use the same résumé for sales, consulting, medical billing, and launching a pet grooming business?  Those are four completely separate types of work. 

On the same hand, if you’re talking to an experienced financial advisor and you say, “I’d like to participate in as many short term investment plans as possible. What kinds of get rich quick schemes can I get involved in?”  A typical response from your financial advisor would be, “There is no such thing as ‘short term’ investments and you’ll only get burned with ‘get rich quick’ schemes.” 

Typically, you’re going to listen to your financial advisor and decide he knows best and let him talk you out of doing anything stupid. Eventually you’ll come to the conclusion that get “get rich quick” schemes don’t work and that there is no such thing as real short-term investments.  So, now, as your professional résumé writer, I’m going to tell you, there is no such thing as generic résumés. 

So to answer my question – What do generic resumes and short term investments have in common? Nothing, because there’s no such thing.

Generic résumés equate to one thing; bad résumés with no clear target.  Résumé writers and career coaches will always tell their clients that the résumé needs to have focus, just as your job search must have focus.  It’s certainly possible to target a few closely related industries and create a résumé that can be targeted to those industries, but a “one size fits all résumé” will not be effective.  Even when clients are targeting a few different industries, I’m still going to advise changing the professional profile or summary, at the very least.

A credentialed professional résumé writer who is an industry professional will help educate you in the process of what an effective résumé should include and what kind of strategic approach will make the most sense for you personally.  All résumés will contain the basics, a professional profile or summary, accomplishments, and job history.  The writer can take many different angles in determining what the best course of action should be, for example, whether a chronological or combined résumé should be used and what kind of information to include in the résumé, but the result should be the same; a strong résumé targeted toward a specific profession or industry. Many writers today are even including branding statements or at least ensuring the résumé is branded for a particular industry. 

Why should we be branding résumés and targeting specific industries?  For the same reason some people drink Coca-Cola and some people drink Pepsi.  Different industries require different flavors.  Let’s go back to the scenario of using one résumé to target jobs in sales, consulting, medical billing, and pet grooming.  On a cognitive level, there are similar skill sets involved in all of these jobs such as communication, problem solving, and creating a course of action.  However, I don’t want a medical billing professional trying to sell me a mutual fund. I want a financial advisor to sell me a mutual fund.  On the same note, I don’t want a sales professional to groom my dog; I want a pet groomer to groom my dog.  We are looking for highly sophisticated skill sets and accomplishments within specific industries.  This is what distinguishes one professional from another. This is another reason why there is no such thing as a generic résumé. 

Let’s take the dog groomer for instance:  Here are some questions I would ask of the dog groomer, “Have you won any awards for your pet grooming? What percentage of your clientele are repeat customers? How many referrals do you get from existing customers? In what ways do you educate you customers about how to care for their pets?”

Again looking at the sales professional I would ask: “Have you won any awards for sales? What percentage of your clientele are repeat customers? How many referrals do you get from existing customers? In what ways do you educate your customers about the products you sell and compete against?” 

I realize these are the same questions, but I’m looking for very different answers from the job applicant. Also, the employer, or the person reading this résumé is looking for something specific from each answer. 

An award, regardless of industry shows a level of expertise that only few people achieve.

Repeat business shows that people like you and the product or service you provide.

Referrals show that others value and appreciate your products or services.

Educating customers shows a certain level of passion and expertise in your field and provides a value added service.  Résumé writers strive for the exact same thing.   

Typically, a generic résumé, which really doesn’t exist, can’t capture expertise in a specific industry, client appreciation, client value, or passion for what you do as a professional. 

It’s, well…generic.  According to The Merriam Webster Dictionary, generic means “not specific”.  If your résumé is “not specific” then the reader will be “not impressed”.  If the reader is “not impressed” then you will be “not a good candidate” and if you’re “not a good candidate” then you will be “unemployed”. 

Hopefully, I’ve convinced you to give up the idea of a generic résumé, which doesn’t exist, but let’s take it one step further. First, what kind of job do you think you will be applying for with a generic résumé (which doesn’t exist)?  Let’s say you look in the classified job listings under generic job and apply.  What will you do in this generic job?  Let’s take it a step further and try negotiating your salary for this generic job. What kind of salary do you think you’ll be able to command?  Perhaps just…generic.  I imagine that the salary negotiation will go something like this:

Employer: So what kind of salary are you looking for?

Applicant: I was thinking of something along the lines between generic and generic.

Employer: Hmm, I’m not sure we’re capable of doing that. How about generic?

Applicant: Can we throw in a generic signing bonus and generic benefits?

Employer: I’ll have to double check, but I think the generic pay, generic bonus, and generic benefits could work.

Applicant: Email me a generic offer and I’ll sign it on generic paper.

Employer and Applicant shake hands

Here’s a formula to highlight the point: Generic résumés = Generic jobs = Generic pay.

Is that what you REALLY want?  

Just because the job market is a bit tight right now, it’s important to keep your salary demands where they should be once you start negotiating the offer. Employers who are hiring, need to hire good people. It’s important to remember, that employers know what they can pay, and they wouldn’t be talking to you if they didn’t know what you were worth.

Don’t low ball yourself, just because you think that they company can’t pay. If you feel that their offer is low, ask how much room there is to negotiate, and find out where they can negotiate. I have had numerous conversations with clients who will accept a salary at a lower level because they’re afraid to ask for more because they think the company will go to the next person. It’s important to establish your needs too.

I’ve worked with many clients who feel like they’re caught between a rock and a hard place. They’re in a position where they desperately need a job, but stuck with an offer that’s too low. Other times they consider taking a position that might not be the best opportunity, or even yet, a career demotion. Remember this, if it’s right, you’ll know it. If the job offer isn’t right, you’ll only be second guessing yourself within a matter of months.  Perhaps you won’t be able to fully dedicate yourself to the position and will continue looking for another job. You’ve got to be fair to yourself as well as the employer. In some cases, you may find yourself unemployed again within six months due to unsatisfactory performance or voluntary resignation.

Ok, so I guess you need a solution, that’s what I always try to provide. The solution here is to perform an individual assessment of your career goals, determine the hard core values and strenghts that you bring to an employer, and place a fair dollar amount on yourself. Then you assess the company’s goals, how you fit into the picture, determine if the core values of the company match yours, and see if there’s a match. I’m not trying to over simplify this, I realize that there are many things that factor in to that; it’s not a black and white issue. The point to remember is that you need to know what you are worth, set your standards, and command the salary that you require for your level of experience. In a nut shell, keep your salary demands where they should be.

Thanks for reading,

Beth Colley, Chesapeake Resume Writing Service

Thank You Notes are a crucial part to the interview process that far too many people overlook.  Writing a proper thank you note following the interview can provide a much needed boost in positioning you over another candidate for a position. Some of the most often asked questions that I receive include What do I say in a Thank You letter? and How do I send it?

Let’s start with what should you say.

1. For starters “Thank you for taking the time to interview me for the (fill in the blank) position on (fill in the date).  Hiring managers are very busy people. When they are down a person or two they may be required to pick up the slack. Their time is extremely valuable.
2. Reiterate your understanding of the requirements of the position. This shows that you have a clear understanding of their expectations.
3. Show how you can meet their expectations while providing solid examples of how you have exhibited those particular skills and knowledge in real life situations; ideally professional situations.  Career changers should list examples of how they have demonstrated these skills in other leadership scenarios.
4. Draw on a connection made during the interview. Whatever connection you were able to make during an interview, whether it was a mutual friend, a reoccuring technical problem related to the job, former employer, alma mater, interest in a sport/favorite team, social organization…whatever; just draw attention to that connection or common interest.
5. Indicate level of interest — Caution, be original. Don’t just say you are very interested in the position…indicate why you would be a strong fit for the position. Show your level of experience and interest in the position by giving valid reasons as to why you are a good fit citing company culture, business motto, work ethic, or other valid reasons for your enthusiasm.
6. Keep it Brief — there’s no clear written rule on this, but in my opinion, 8 sentences should suffice.  They already should know all about you…you are simply showing gratitude for their interest in you as a candidate.

The next question I typically encounter is, How do I send it?  With so many methods of communication available to us today, what form is the most acceptible means of communication?? 

1.  Hand-written notes win the points with more experienced (i.e. the over 50 crowd) decision-makers. That’s not to say that managers under 50 don’t appreciate the hand-written note; I’m just saying, it’s a generational thing. The feeling is, people rarely actually take time to hand-write a note today because we have conditioned ourselves to using email for business purposes. However proper and more formal etiquette tout the hand-written note as always being best. *Note* Make sure the note arrives within 1-2 business days of the interview.
2. Email thank you notes are certainly faster. If you know the decision is being made within 24-48 hours my personal feeling is that time is of the essence. A well-written thank-you email is acceptible in any case, but if time is crucial, any kind of heart-felt thankyou is better than none arriving at all.
3. What about a faxed note? In my opinion, the fax could work, but it could look sloppy or not get delivered. I would say Email rather than fax, because at least with email, you can request a read receipt and in some cases, you might get a response back.

Hopefully, these nine suggestions for Post-interview Thank You Notes have provided some kind of clarification as to the process.  As always, thanks for reading.

I had the opportunity to share some advice with job seekers on a local cable access station in my area today. The last question in the interview was what kind of advice would I give to serious job seekers. The first thing that came to mind was to tell job seekers to build their network.

Today, more than ever, we have new ways to build a professional network. Professional organizations hold regular mixers, there are coffee shops on every corner for brief one-on-one meetings, and we have numerous online opportunities through social networking. I strongly recommend building your network utilizing these tools on all fronts.

In my opinion, personal one-on-one, face-to-face networking is always the best way to go. It allows people to get a true sense of who you are, how you behave in certain circumstances, and how candid you are during a conversation. If your job search is primarily local, I would be working diligently to get out on foot and meet people face to face.

On the other hand, if you’re doing a national job search, the online social networking front is going to be just as crticial as the face-to-face. My advice though, is to reach out and create as many personal contacts as possible. Use the resources that are available to you to improve your presence. I would recommend going ahead and using that telephone and reaching out to someone on a personal level. Schedule getting to know you conference calls with people whom you can contact in your online network just as you would schedule a one-on-one meeting at your local coffee shop. Heck, share a virtual cup of coffee while you’re sitting at your desk on the telephone. If you have a reliable web cam, microphone, and internet connection, why not schedule a virtual meeting using SKYPE or another online web conferencing service?

One of the reasons the virtual networking sites have taken off is because it allows people to get a deeper sense of someone that they don’t really know. If you want to leverage your linkedin network, see if it’s possible to schedule a telephone call with someone at a company on your “A” list for career prospects. I can’t imagine someone being able to provide a strong referral for a candidate that they haven’t even had a personal conversation with. You see, there’s still a sense of safety and distance in relying on a virtual network. There is still a disconnect. Sure they are real people and contacts, and yes, they might help you, but building a network is still about building contacts and relationships. Your network is still about who you KNOW. In my opinion, it’s still easier to get to know someone through face-to-face meetings and telephone calls.

So as I wrap up this post today, please understand that I AM advocating building your personal and professional network on as many fronts as possible. What I am EMPHASIZING is that a virtual contact is still very different from a live contact. Utilize ALL the skills and communication systems available to you today to continue to build your network so that you can make it a viable network.