Job search tweet by barbara safani

Nowhere else can you get concise, practical, and essential strategies to nail EVERY part of your job search.” Liz Lynch, @ liz_lynch , Founder, Center for Networking Excellence and Auth

Paperback Library of Congress Number: 2009942907

eBook ISBN: 978-1-61699-001-5 (1-61699-001-5)

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Warning and Disclaimer

Every eff ort has been made to make this book as complete and as accurate as possible, but no warranty of fi tness is implied The information provided is on an “as is” basis The authors and the publisher shall have neither liability nor responsibility to any person or entity with respect to loss

or damages arising from the information contained in this book.

“Your #JobHunt will be MUCH more eff ective if you follow

@BarbaraSafani’s excellent advice in ‘#JOBSEARCHtweet.’ She’s an expert!”

Susan P Joyce, @ JobHuntOrg , Editor/Publisher, Job-Hunt.org

“Barbara Safani delivers! Nowhere else can you get concise, practical, and essential strategies to nail EVERY part of your job search.”

Liz Lynch, @ liz_lynch , Founder, Center for Networking

Excellence and Author, ‘Smart Networking: Attract a Following

in Person and Online,’ SmartNetworking.com

“This is a terrifi c collection of job search tips from an

acclaimed expert—every tip (tweet) is well founded and can help you make your job search more successful, and maybe even help you land faster!”

Jason Alba, @ jasonalba , CEO, JibberJobber.com, Author of ‘I’m

on LinkedIn—Now What???’ (Second Edition)

Programs and Services, Pace University

“As an executive search fi rm owner and creator of the

WinTheView.com interview presentation tools website, I can tell you that ‘#JOBSEARCHtweet’ is an extremely valuable and concise collection of time-saving tips to help people navigate the critical steps in today’s challenging job market What a great resource!”

Ken Diamond, @ wintheview , President, WinTheView.com

“Nuggets of gold! With the fl urry of advice on social

networking sites, Barbara has found a way to fi ne-tune best practices for job searching and career management.”

Laura Lashbrook Colby, @ ClarityNY , Account Manager, Director

of Training and Development, Clarity

being my cheerleader on this book.

Thanks to Susan Whitcomb, @SusanWhitcomb, for writing the foreword

off er practical tips for promoting your value to a potential employer.

Barbara Safani, @barbarasafani

Susan Whitcomb, @SusanWhitcomb

Founder and CEO of Career Coach Academy, Job Search

Academy, and Leadership Coach Academy, and the author of seven books including,

‘The Twitter Job Search Guide,’

‘Job Search Magic,’ ‘Interview Magic,’

and ‘Resume Magic’ (JIST).

Twitter is changing the way we live, work, communicate, and collaborate Five billion tweets just can’t be ignored

Barbara Safani has mastered the art of the tweet—she’s condensed both the heart, and the meat, of the job search in just 140 tweets The rules of job search have changed in a 6:1 job-seekers-to- jobs economy Barbara knows what works, and what doesn’t

Job search is more than a full-time job This book will save you time and keep you focused, intentional, eff ective, and successful Read, take action, and take more action

If you persevere, you will prosper.

Job search is a process that requires time, patience, and self-refl ection It forces you

to stretch, take risks, be gracious, and often think about others more than you think about yourself It is an emotional experience, but one that can help you grow, gain confi dence, and build a better future for yourself This section focuses on general tips to consider

when embarking on a job search.

If you spend half your time on your job search, it will probably take you twice as long

to fi nd a job.

When you don’t have a job, make job search your full-time job.

Looking for work is a lot more work than working a regular job

3

In job search, you need to hear a lot

of “no’s” in order to get to “yes.”

Job search is like a roller coaster Plan for the up and down days Better yet, bring another job seeker

along for the ride

5

Surfi ng job boards for hours makes you feel busy, but the return on your time investment

is questionable Set up job alerts to save time.

can be a great way to relieve stress and track your progress.

Find an accountability partner during a job search to keep you motivated and moving forward

8

Job search requires managing a lot of information Use an automated job search management tool to

stay organized.

After you land a new job, thank everyone who supported you in your search and give them your updated contact information.

Job loss can be as stressful as the death of a loved one or divorce But job search, unlike the others is a

temporary situation

12

the least, and the “people who barely

know you” help you the most

Frequently, your resume is your fi rst chance to make an impression on a recruiter or hiring manager And you never get a second chance

to make a fi rst impression So the importance

of the resume cannot be underestimated This section off ers tips that will help you craft a top-notch resume that gets noticed by hiring managers and gets your phone ringing.

even your email is part of your brand

(i.e., partygirl7 won’t cut it)

Include a phone number that is attached to a professional voicemail message A goofy voicemail will encourage recruiters to walk away

14

what you want They care about problems you can solve for them.

Create a profi le at the top of your resume to prove your value proposition to a hiring authority

instead of an objective

16

Refrain from using subjective words like loyal or trustworthy to explain your candidacy; you are a job seeker, not

man’s best friend.

Omit phrases such as

“responsible for” or

“duties included” from your resume; opt for stronger language such

as “managed”

or “oversaw.”

you’ve been; your top profi le section

is about where you want to go

Your resume profi le is the

40,000-ft view of what you can do; your experience section is the granular proof of this based on past success

20

List core competencies, keywords or buzzwords for your job function/ industry on the resume

to please recruiters and resume parsing software.

Include months and years on your resume for any positions you were at for less than two years; omitting the months in short-tenured positions is deceptive.

several positions with short tenure due to a downsizing, explain that briefl y right on the resume Transparency

is always better than obscurity.

explain that right on the resume Don’t make the reader guess.

25

Minimize descriptions of job tasks and maximize descriptions of accomplishments Sell it, don’t tell it

Quantify your accomplishments; show numbers, dollars, and percentages to prove

impact in a job.

List hobbies and volunteer experience when relevant to your

job target Leave your passion for stamp collecting off the resume.

and calls more attention to the very thing you are trying to hide.

If you are a recent grad, list a high GPA and relevant coursework, school projects, and internships Unpaid experience still counts

29

Omit “references available upon request.” With Google, references

are available whether you want them to be or not.

picture is worth a thousand words, and a bit of “bling” is not a bad thing.

A longer read that is readable is better than a quick read that is not Pick a font of at least 10 point so the

resume is easy to read

32

For a U.S resume, omit references to age, marital status, or religion Employers cannot request it; off ering it makes you

look clueless.

version of your resume to preserve the formatting when uploading into a company text box Word documents will quickly turn into gibberish when

placed in a text box.

Treat every word

on your resume like expensive New York City real estate Square footage is at

a premium, so make every word count.

For many, cover letters are a topic shrouded in mystery and intrigue When do you send one? Why should you send one? Does anyone read them? These are questions that I hear over and over again This section contains tips designed

to demystify the cover letter.

you never know which half you are dealing with, so always send one

Put your cover letter in the body

of the email to hiring managers Hiring managers appreciate anything that saves them time

Use the cover letter to match your skills to the job spec If the job requires eight skills and you only have two,

don’t apply.

A thank you letter is so simple, yet it can be quite powerful Unfortunately, many job seekers fail to send one and possibly damage their candidacy because they don’t The thank you letter is much more than a gesture of gratitude for the interview

It is a way to remind the hiring manager of your interest in their open position and keep you top

of mind This section focuses on thank you letter

etiquette and strategy.

whenever possible Yes, many hiring managers still expect a thank you.

Always send a customized thank you letter to each person you interview with; you will lose credibility with the

employer if you don’t

40

show your value proposition and connect with the hiring manager.

A letter is a great way to do some

“damage control” to salvage a less

than stellar interview

42

thank you letter needs to be as

perfect as in the resume

An emailed thank you letter is fi ne and easier to archive and share

with others in the offi ce

44

The only thing better than being able to prove your ability to do a job is having an advocate who validates the fact that you are great at what you do Strong references can help tip the scales in your favor when you are competing for an open position This section features tips

for mobilizing your references.

Source at least fi ve people to be references

for you: bosses, colleagues, customers, vendors, or anyone who

can vouch for your candidacy.

person’s name, contact info, job title, and explanation of your relationship to the person.

Generally, hiring managers only contact your references when they are close to making you an off er or immediately following an off er

47

Many companies won’t allow current employees to give personal references; ask HR to confi rm what information they will disclose about you.

After the interview process is underway,

call references to explain the job you are applying for and the value proposition

you are pitching.

The role of a recruiter may be one of the most misunderstood aspects of job search This can often lead to frustration for both the job seeker and the recruiter This section contains tips to help you better manage your relationships with recruiters

during a job search.

their loyalty is to the company asking them to fi ll the job.

Recruiters can only expose you to the jobs from the companies who are willing to pay a recruiter to fi ll them

51

Most recruiters will tell you that you are more likely to get your next job through a contact than through them.

If you are not the right fi t for a recruiter’s open position, try to help them fi nd someone who is and you will be remembered

53

and the cultivation of productive and authentic relationships Some people would rather go to the dentist than go to a networking meeting or event Many avoid

it altogether throughout their careers and

fi nd themselves in a bind when they are in

a job search and aren’t connected to anyone who can help Flossing your teeth daily

is proactive and preventative dental care Networking on a regular basis is a proactive career management strategy that keeps you connected to people who can potentially infl uence and accelerate your job search Neglect your teeth and you end up with a lot

of pain and a huge dental bill Neglect your network and you end up with an extended job search and months of lost income This section off ers tips for keeping your network

healthy and strong.

Networking is about asking for information, not asking for favors.

When requesting a networking meeting, always stress that you understand how busy the person is and that you just want to meet briefl y

55

When requesting a networking meeting, arrange everything on the other person’s terms; time and location must

be convenient for them.

While face-to-face networking is always best, graciously accept

an opportunity to chat

by phone if that is what’s off ered to you.

church, and even in line at the bank Everyone is a potential connection.

When networking, expect to give more than you get, and soon you will be getting a lot

59

of your job search time networking for optimal results.

Find natural touch points like holidays and birthdays to reconnect with your network

61

Networking is a lot

of work and if your networking is not working you may not

be doing enough.

affi nity groups such

as professional organizations, corporate or school alumni groups, and community groups to

build a network.

diff erent than you: older, younger, diff erent ethnicities, diff erent geographies, diff erent industries, etc.

Create business cards with your name, contact information, and professional identity, and bring them

with you wherever you go

65

Add a signature line with your name and contact information

to all of your emails to make you more memorable.

networking events to make each

person more memorable

You can’t build a network overnight; try to build your network before you need it

68

Create a list of companies you are interested in to share with your network, and ask if they can refer you to anyone

at these companies.

in large groups, ask a more outgoing

friend to accompany you

To optimize networking events,

go with a friend and network in diff erent circles, then compare notes and leads at the end of the event

71

of trying to meet everyone to collect

hundreds of business cards

If you are shy, arrive at networking events early, when the setting is more intimate and the crowds aren’t as overwhelming

73

great conversationalist when you let them do most of the talking.

75

Don’t pass on fee-based networking events in favor of free ones Assess each opportunity based on the value

you think it will off er

Online networking has revolutionized the way people build and maintain relationships and search for jobs Imagine being able to go into the offi ces of everyone you know and search through their Rolodex or have a conversation with dozens of people from all over the world, all from the comfort of your keyboard That is the power of online networking This section contains tips on how to maximize your online presence, build meaningful relationships, and connect with people who may be able to help

you in your search.

Create profi les on business and social networking and online identity sites to make

it easier to be found by

hiring managers.

With traditional networking you can only

be in one place at a time; with online networking you can interact with multiple communities

simultaneously.