April is in full bloom.  The trees are budding. The flowers are blooming. Allergy season has kicked in. I LOVE this time of year! One of the things I love most about Spring is the opportunity to go through my closets and drawers and do some spring cleaning. I find it rewarding and energizing to get rid of the old and make room for the new.

If you’ve been unemployed for longer than 4 months you probably need to do some spring cleaning on your job search. The resume you wrote months ago has probably become stale. Your LinkedIn profile is probably showing some gaps that you will turn off potential employers. It’s time to revise your resume, update your LinkedIn status and get back into gear.

Recruiters are predicting a hiring tsunami sometime around Q3 or Q4 this year. Are YOU ready?  Here are 3 things you can do to spring clean your resume:

1. Add in any volunteer activities you have been doing since you wrote that resume a few months ago. You want potential employers to see that you haven’t been idle during your unemployment. Go ahed and list the duties accomplishments you’ve had while working at the Children’s museum, leading a fund raiser for your local church, or grading papers in your son’s 3rd grade classroom. (Haven’t done any volunteering?  Well guess what should be on you “To Do” list for today!)
2. Include books you have been reading into your LinkedIn Profile. LinkedIn has an app entitled “Reading List by Amazon.”  This is a great way to show potential employers you are an expert in your field.
3. Revitalize your network.  How long has it been since you talked to the people in your network who have actual jobs?  If it’s been more than a month, you need to “ping” them soon.  You want to keep your name on the top of their mind for when something opens up in their company.  Reach out to them with a pertinent article or website you have found that will help them in their business.  Let them know you are still around!

These three steps are so simple we can ALL do them today.  With the weather changing and the flowers blooming, it’s time to reinvigorate your job search.  Clean up your resume and get back in touch with your contacts.  You will be surprised with the results!

Like the article? Check out these related posts

• How To Write a Professional Summary Statement for Your Resume
• How Effective Is Your Resume?
• 3 Different Types of Resumes You Need To Know About
• Why a GREAT Resume is Not as Important as a DECENT Network
• Resume Writing Tips

One of the most common mistakes people make when they go looking for a job is to cast the broadest net possible hoping that “something will come along.”  I hear it all the time: “What kind of work are you looking for?”  “Oh, I will do ANYTHING!”  Really?  You will do anything?  Then why aren’t you sweeping the sidewalk or washing windows for a living?  Since you are willing to do ANYTHING, maybe you should apply for this gal’s job:

It’s not just job seekers! Small business owners are quite similar to job seekers in this regard.  When asked who their perfect client is, many small business owners will say, “anyone with a checkbook”, or “I can work with anyone.”   The truth is, you can’t work with just anyone.  Business is done between people. People don’t hire companies, they hire other people who can help them accomplish their goals. Businesses don’t do business with other businesses, they work with people within the business no matter how large or small your company is.

Contemporary wisdom tells us to use a “shotgun approach” to finding a job or clients–firing off resumes or business flyers in every direction. Truth is, this approach is expensive and unproductive.  It’s one of the major sources of pain for every job seeker and every small business owner.  One thing we know to be CERTAIN is that if you aim at nothing, you are very likely to hit it.  In order to be successful, you MUST focus your market.

Here are three reasons why focusing your target is a good thing:

1. Focusing your target helps you get crystal clear about what you have to offer. What do you have to offer that nobody else does?  What makes you unique?  Focus on that and you will shine.
2. Focusing your target allows your networking partners to think of specific people to introduce you to. Networking (or word of mouth) is the most effective marketing tool around. Whether you are  looking for a job or trying to find new clients, your best shot is to empower your network.  Using the shotgun approach just confuses your network because they don’t know how to refer people to you.
3. Focusing your target will help you set goals for your marketing campaign.  If you know WHO you are looking for, you can leverage your time and energy.  Every call, every resume, every cover letter, every flyer, and every conversation moves you in the direction of your goal! When you are moving in the right direction, you can measure you progress.

Personal Brand Related Posts

• What is a Personal Brand and Why Do You Need One?
• Your Personal Brand – Tips From A Branding Expert
• Important Personal Branding Links
• 7 Key Ways to Promote Your Personal Brand
• Use LinkedIn to Promote Your Personal Brand
• What Everybody Needs To Know About Writing A Blog To Promote Your Personal Brand
• What YOU Can Learn From Leonardo Da Vinci’s Resume

Leonardo DaVinci was the ORIGINAL Renaissance Man.  Below is a copy of a  letter Leonardo sent over 600 years ago to the House of Sforza. Look closely, it’s his resume!  Modern day job seekers can learn a lot from Leonardo!

“Most illustrious Lord, having now sufficiently seen and considered the proofs of all those who count themselves master and inventors of instruments of war, and finding that their invention and use of the said instruments does not differ in any respect from those in common practice, I am emboldened without prejudice to anyone else to put myself in communication with your Excellency, in order to acquaint you with my secrets, thereafter offering myself at your pleasure effectually to demonstrate at any convenient time all those matters which are in part briefly recorded below,

1. I have plans for bridges, very light and strong and suitable for carrying very easily…
2. When a place is besieged I know how to cut off water from the trenches, and how to construct an infinite number of…scaling ladders and other instruments…
3. If because of the height of the embankment, and the strength of the place of its site, it should be impossible to reduce it by bombardment, I know methods of destroying any citadel or fortress, even if it is built on rock.
4. I have plans for making cannon, very convenient and easy of transport, with which to hurl small stones in the manner almost of hail…
5. And it is should happen that the engagement is at sea, I have plans for construction many engines most suitable for attack or defense, and ships which can resist the fire of all the heaviest cannon, and powder and smoke.
6. Also I have ways of arriving at a certain fixed spot by caverns and secret winding passages made without any noise even though it may be necessary to pass underneath…a river.
7. Also I can make covered cards, safe and unassailable, which will enter the serried ranks of the enemy with artillery, and there is no company of men at arms so great as not to be broken by it. And behind these the infantry will be able to follow quite unharmed and without any opposition.
8. Also, if need shall arise, I can make cannon, mortars and light ordnance, of very beautiful and useful shapes, quite different from those in common use.
9. Where it is not possible to employ cannon, I can supply catapults, mangonels, traps and other engines of wonderful efficacy not in general issue. In short, as the variety of circumstances shall necessitate, I can supply an infinite number of different engines of attack and defense.
10. In time of peace I believe that I can give you as complete satisfaction as anyone else in architecture, in the construction of buildings both public and private, and in conducting water from one place to another.
11. Also I can execute sculpture in marble, bronze, or clay and also painting, in which my work will stand comparison with that of anyone else whoever he may be.
12. Moreover, I would undertake the work of the bronze horse, which shall endure with immortal glory and eternal honor the auspicious memory of the Prince of your father and of the illustrious house of Sforza”

What strikes me as most impressive (and perhaps most instructive for job seekers) is the way in which Leonardo highlighted his talents to meet the needs of his potential employer(s).  Leonardo most enjoyed painting and scupting — it’s what he is MOST known for these days (think of the “Mona Lisa” and “The Last Supper.”)  However, he doesn’t mention that until # 11 in his list!  That’s because he knew Sforza was looking for someone who could provide assistance with his military and building affairs.

Did it work?  Go to Milan, Italy and you will see that Leo did indeed get the job!  What can YOU learn about your job search from Leonardo DaVinci?

Personal Brand Related Posts

• What is a Personal Brand and Why Do You Need One?
• Your Personal Brand – Tips From A Branding Expert
• Important Personal Branding Links
• 7 Key Ways to Promote Your Personal Brand
• Use LinkedIn to Promote Your Personal Brand
• What Everybody Needs To Know About Writing A Blog To Promote Your Personal Brand

One of the things I hear the most from job seekers is how difficult it is to quantify results form their past work experience. Everyone agrees that doing so is helpful, if not critical, to the job search. However, most find it difficult to show a measurement for something they have done in the past. They didn’t keep track of the numbers, or they cant remember them now, or they “were just doing their job” and don’t really know what measurable impact their impact had on the end result. Or, and this is really most often the case, they are confused and scared as to how to do this important work.

If you are one of the people who has had trouble quantifying results, then I’d like to invite you to join me in this week’s challenge – “One CAR Statement per day.” Writing one a day will help you get past the fear and confusion to take a giant leap forward in your career search. Here’s how it works.

1) Go to the section on “Writing CARS” in Careers 2.0. Here’s a link (you will have to log in to Careers 2.0)
2) Work on one (just one) CAR Statement each day.
3) Post it here in the comments of this blog post to share with others and get their feedback.

You can use these on your resume, in your networking, as part of an interview, and in negotiating for a higher salary! It’s simple. I’ll start.

CONDITION: In the fall of 2001 five denominations were planning their joint summer camp curriculum for the next summer.

ACTIVITY: They brought a group of us together to brainstorm themes and activities based on a topic that would be used nationwide by more than 200 camp programs. I was assigned to write the curriculum for the older children (grades 4-6). I had to research both the topic and the learning styles/needs of this age group.

RESULT: I wrote a curriculum and it was well received. I turned in my curriculum on time. One Camp Director even said that it was the best in the series (in her opinion). Curriculum titled: “Under God’s Roof: Daily Discoveries for Older Children”, Summer Camp Curriculum, published by the Cooperative Publication Association, March 2002.

STATEMENT: Researched topic and learning needs and wrote a curriculum that was used by over 200 summer camp programs nationwide in 2002.

Will you join me in this week’s challenge? Post your CARS Statements in the comments and let us all know what you have accomplished.

Andy wrote an interesting and challenging response to our post on writing an effective resume (http://careeradvice4u.com/effective-resume/).  I LOVE it when a reader challenges us!  So in response to all of the Andy’s out there who are frustrated with your job search, here are some examples that have actually worked for clients of ours. Hopefully they are not too full of BS!

Example 1: HR Generalist I

Human Resource professional with progressive hands on experience in diverse organizations from start-ups to industry leader with revenues of $8 billion including multi-state U.S. and global locations.

Resourceful, organized team player able to provide business partnership and HR guidance to both management team and employees. Recognized for being ethical and approachable with a focus on the big picture. Strong hands-on approach, can manage diverse projects simultaneously and with excellent communication skills.

Experience working with HR and Business partners in Europe and Asia as well as multiple locations in the US.

Example 2: HR Generalist II

Broad knowledge of HR principles and services. Exceptional proficiency in Employee Relations and Leave/Workers’ Compensation coordination. Effective at building relationships with employees and managers at all levels within an organization to support the business strategy, resolve communications issues and motivate individuals to optimal performance. Conscientious and resourceful advisor with a reputation for sound judgment and achieving positive results.

Specialties include:

Employee Relations FMLA/OFLA/ADA Coordination OSHA/WC Management
Policy & Procedure Writing Building & Leading Teams Staff Planning & Recruitment

Example 3: Software Developer

Experienced Software Implementation Manager with 11 years of extensive enterprise resource planning implementation experience
• Successful implementations of PeopleSoft, SAP, Lawson and other applications at more than 14 public and private sector clients and corporations across a wide range of industries and locations
• 9 years of consulting experience with a major international consulting firm earning performance ratings consistently above my peers and an executive promotion to Senior Manager
• 8 years of project management and team lead experience with a PMP certification
• Solid reputation for meeting aggressive deadlines and providing high quality deliverables within budget
• Mature leadership and communication skills with an exceptional ability to plan and organize work efforts and excel in a team environment. Core competencies include:

Project Management Application Development Application Security
Configuration and Conversion Testing and Validation Implementation and Cutover
Production Support Sales and Business Development Software Selection

Example 4: Engineer/Engineering Manager

Demonstrated ability to lead multi-disciplinary teams of engineers delivering high performance, low cost product technologies from research to market on time and on budget. A leader in defining methodologies to use to turn more research elements into products faster. Strong technical design, modeling, and statistical background; excellent leadership vision, systematic planning, and two-way communication skills. Over 20 years of research and development experience, including 10 years progressively responsible management experience. Extensive experience managing international development teams/suppliers in Malaysia, Japan, Taiwan, and Korea, including 3 years working in Japan. Ph.D., M.S., Engineering Mechanics.

Resume Advice Related Posts

• Writing An Effective Resume
• How To Write a Professional Summary Statement for Your Resume
• 3 Different Types of Resumes You Need To Know About
• Why a GREAT Resume is Not as Important as a DECENT Network
• Resume Writing Tips

You will only have about 8 seconds to get the attention of the person reading your resume.  That’s nearly impossible, UNLESS you have a clear and concise Professional Summary Statement.  Here are some tips for writing that concise Professional Summary:

1. You Professional Summary needs to be built around your own personal brand.  What do people think about when they hear your name?  What do you WANT them to think?  Tom Peters has written the classic article on ‘Brand You’ — and you can find it at Fast Company (here).
2. Keep it short — 10-15 words is best.  At MOST it should be only 2 sentences.  You want the reader to know what you can do for them — without putting you in a box. Your goal for the Professional Summary is to get them to read the rest of the resume. Period.
3. Don’t put yourself in a box — don’t use a title unless you are applying for a specific job.  Think about what you do for a company.  What kind of ROI (Return on Investment) will their organization get from hiring you?  If you say, “Accountant” they will put you in the “Accountant” box in their mind.  If you say “Save a company money by organizing key financial data” they will actually want to read on.
4. Get them to read further and make EVERYTHING on the rest of the resume point to your Professional Summary.  If you have done things in your past that don’t relate to your summary, you probably want to leave them off.  The resume should be a FOCUSED document.
5. Remember that the point of the Resume is to get an interview.  The Professional Summary should get them to read the resume, so that they will want to interview you.

With only 8 seconds to grab the attention of your potential employer, you better have a clear Professional Summary.  A good Summary will help them see that you are a person they want to learn more about. . . and ultimately that’s what it takes to get the job!

Need more?  If you want some samples of professional resume summary’s please shoot me an email – info@orcms.com

Resume Advice Related Posts

• How Effective Is Your Resume?
• 3 Different Types of Resumes You Need To Know About
• Why a GREAT Resume is Not as Important as a DECENT Network
• Resume Writing Tips

As a job seeker, you have a resume and you send it to every possible job opening you can find.  You make sure every recruiter in town has at least one copy on her desk. It’s posted in 6 places on Monster.com and 4 places on CareerBuilder.com. You hand it out like those guys hocking strip-show fliers on 5th Avenue in New York City.  You even sent one to your best friend’s mother, simply because she seems to know everybody!  But how effective is your resume, really?

Are you getting the results you want from it?  Are you getting enough interviews?  Do you even KNOW what “good results” would look like?

Have no fear, my friends, we are here to take the pain and confusion out of writing an effective resume.  Here’s the inside scoop on getting the most out of your resume:

1. Define expected results. The first thing you need to do is determine what purpose your resume will play in your job search efforts.  Do you want to use it to get a foot in the door?  Do you want it to help you “close the sale?”  Or, do you want your resume to simply be something that your prospective employer has in their hands to help them rest assured that they have made the right decision by hiring you?  Any of these are legitimate uses for a resume, but you need to know how yo intend to use this important document in order to be able to craft it to effectively achieve your goals.
2. Begin with a clear Professional Summary. If you are lucky you will get 8 seconds worth of attention from the person reading your resume.  You have got to grab their attention so they will read further.  A banal, boring, or uninteresting summary will send them on to the next person.  I see way too many resume’s that begin with some kind of “objective statement” to the effect, “desire a challenging career that utilizes my strengths.”  BFD.  I bet the hiring manager who reads this will get 500 or more with the same objective.  What in that statement will make you stand out from the others? More importantly, what do you have to offer a potential employer?  Your resume is a marketing tool similar to a newspaper ad.  If you want to grab the attention of the reader you’ve got to have a compelling headline.  Otherwise, they will move on to the next one without giving you a second thought.
3. Give proof. Once you have their attention you need to back up your statement with credible, verifiable results to prove that you are capable of doing what you say you can do.  Use CAR Statements in the body of your resume to demonstrate your capabilities. Don’t just state responsibilities.  Give specific examples of how your actions have helped previous employers make or save money.  For example, every Office Manager could put on their resume that they “order, organize and monitor office supply cabinet.”  Big deal.  Nothing in that statement would be enough to get you an interview.  Just think of what might happen if, instead, you put down something like: “saved previous employer $12,000 per year by developing a process to effectively order and manage office supplies.”  I can tell you what happened, because one of my clients put that on her resume and got several interviews because of it. Show “proof” and you will stand out from the competition.
4. Develop an effective follow up strategy. You probably have figured out that using a shotgun approach in your job search is not very effective.  It’s a bit counter-intuitive, but a narrowly focused, laser-beam strategy will produce much better results. If you don’t have a strategy for your job search you may want to check out the Careers 2.0 ARMS process.  It has helped hundreds of other job seekers find their perfect job in half the time, and Basic Membership is free!

If you aren’t seeing the results you want from your current resume, perhaps it’s time to try something different.  These 4 tips have been time tested and will definitely produce results, I guarantee it!

Resume Advice Related Posts

• How To Write a Professional Summary Statement for Your Resume
• 4 Examples of A Professional Summary Statement
• 3 Different Types of Resumes You Need To Know About
• Why a GREAT Resume is Not as Important as a DECENT Network
• Resume Writing Tips

By now you understand that finding the perfect job requires more than simply writing a resume and posting it online. In fact, if you are going to take the “apply-on-line” approach you should spend NO MORE than 2 hours per week at it. Less than 5% of jobs are ever posted online, so if you are going to find your next job fast you need to spend your time elsewhere. The successful and savvy job seeker will develop a compelling personal brand and spend 75% of their time (or more) promoting it. Here are 7 key ways to promote your personal brand.

1) BUY PRINTED BUSINESS CARDS. I am consistently shocked by the number of job seekers who have absolutely NO way of letting other people know how to contact them other than by shoving a resume in their face. And no, the one’s yo print at home on your own computer are NOT good enough! Business cards are inexpensive. Sometimes you can even get free business cards from places like Prints Made Easy or free shipping from stores like Office Max. As for what to put on your card? I recommend the minimalist approach. Put your name, email address, phone, and LinkedIn profile address. You don’t need a title or a cute picture. Get a non-glossy finish and leave the back empty so people can jot down notes about you.

2) DEVELOP A CONCISE ELEVATOR PITCH. Give just enough information to make people want to ask you to tell them more. Don’t focus on your past, instead focus on your future. Nobody cares that you have 15 years experience in micro-processors. They want to know what you can do for THEM now! Be memorable, but not flippant or “cutesy”. Lastly, rehearse it at least 100 times out loud BEFORE you use it in a group. You want it to be polished, but not too formulaic. For more help on developing your Elevator Pitch, see my post on Jim Nudelman’s 4 Step Process.

3) SHOW UP. You have business cards and a concise elevator pitch, but what good are they if you sit all day at the computer? Plan a strategy to show up in places where your target audience is (i.e. potential employers in key companies within your target industries) or where the people who know them will be.

4) LISTEN AND BUILD TRUST. Networking is NOT about you. It’s about building a relationship. It’s about helping people in your network of friends and colleagues connect for mutual benefit. It’s about finding out what someone else needs and helping them

5) COMPLETE YOUR LINKEDIN PROFILE. This is one of the most important online tools you will have. A great resource for learning more about how to beef up your LinkeIn account is from Joshua Waldman with Career Enlightenment. Check him out. He’s is THE premiere professional on this topic!

6) FOLLOW UP. Develop a press kit that you can send if asked. Better yet, develop an online press kit using Visual CV or create a blog (I like wordpress). Online you can store video clips, pdf files, work examples and much more.

7) SEND A THANK YOU CARD. Every career coach from here to Katmandu tells their clients to do this. It’s an inexpensive way to keep you on the top of someone’s mind. Personal, hand written cards get past the usual gate keepers and are absolutely read by their intended recipient. If these things are true, then why is it that so few job seekers actually do it?! I must meet with 10-15 people per week. You would think my mailman and I would be on a first name basis after that. The reality is, only about 1 in 100 send a written thank you card. Does it make an impression? You bet it does! True, I don’t have any job openings. However, I do get calls and emails all the time from people who have openings. If I have a handwritten thank you note on my desk from YOU when I get the cal, how much more likely do you think I will be to pass along your name to a prospective Click on this Office Depot link RIGHT NOW and order some Thank You cards. While you are at it, click on this link and buy some stamps online. Keep them at your desk within arms reach, and write thank you notes to EVERYONE you talked to that day – in person or on the phone. DO THIS EVERY NIGHT before you go to bed! Include another business card along with a note as to how much you appreciated their time. Trust me, it will make a HUGE difference!

I hope you can see that these things aren’t difficult. They aren’t hard to remember. They don’t require an advanced degree to implement. They are easy, and there are only 7 of them. You can implement this strategy in just one week by doing just one each day. Have fun, and happy hunting!

30 Day Blogging Challenge – day 18. Tomorrow’s post: “The Top 3 Mistakes Job Seekers Make On LinkedIn” (A guest post written by Joshua Waldman)

Welcome December!  This month I am participating in a 30 Day Blogging Challenge with some other bloggers.  As you know, this blog is all about helping people find a new job. Not just any new job, mind you, but rather, the perfect career. That’s why we write about acing the interview, cutting time off your job search, and using Internet job boards (like LinkedIn, Monster.com, and Twitter).

This 30 day blog challenge will allow me to develop some new material to use in the Careers 2.0 website.  That means two things for you: 1) you get the opportunity to add your 2 cents to the conversation, and 2) you get it for free before everyone else! This blog is all about offering free job advice, free job resources, free resume examples, and much more. We deal with topics such as networking, building a personal brand, working with recruiters, unemployment, interviewing and salary negotiation. What would YOU like to see us cover during the 30 day challenge? I hope you will participate by adding your thoughts to the conversation.  Actually, it won’t be much fun without you! Oh, and don’t forget to pass the links along to your fellow job seekers.

While the long term goal of this blog is to help everyone in America find the perfect career for this time in their life, my short term goals are a bit more attainable. Here are my goals for 30 day blog challenge:

1. create 5 posts on Personal Branding as it relates to the job search.
2. create 5 posts on interviewing and interviewing tips for job seekers.
3. add 50 followers to Facebook blog list.
4. add 200 people to newsletter mailing list.
5. get 3 posts to get picked up by a national venue.

Thank you for joining (and encouraging) me on this 30 day blogging journey.  And don’t forget, happy hunting!

30 Day Blogging Challenge – day 1.  Tomorrow’s post: “Do You Have A Professional Photo?”

Tomorrow I will offer the closing remarks at the Engineer Employment Symposium in Beaverton, Oregon.  In preparation for that event I want to offer these “Top 10 Job Search Tips for Engineers.”

1. State your accomplishments in specific terms using quantifiable results. (See: http://cmscareerblog.com/on-your-resume-use-cars-for-maximum-impact/)
2. Compose 3 effective versions of your Elevator Pitch: a 10-word version, a 30 second version, and a 90 second version
3. Subscribe to RSS feeds for the following blogs: http://careeradvice4u.com/blog/ and http://careerenlightenment.net/
4. Update your LinkedIn profile and set a goal of adding 25 new contacts within the next 2 weeks
5. Get a professional headshot photo taken to use on your LinkedIn and Visual CV profile pages
6. Sign up for your FREE Careers 2.0 membership at www.CareerAdvice4U.com
7. Create a FREE Visual CV at: http://www.visualcv.com/www/indexc.html
8. Develop a strategic plan for getting the most out of your networking activities
9. Be prepared to answer the question: “What makes YOU different than all of the other Engineers I’ve interviewed?”
10. Hire a Career Coach (See our SPECIAL OFFER for EES participants)