If you’re not on Google, do you exist? What if your name is on Google – only there are hundreds or thousands of listings – and not one of them is you. With the majority of employers now Googling candidates and candidates Googling employers, it is essential to create a positive online identity – and personal brand.
Check out this article in the Wall Street Journal on the impact of a “non-Google” existance. Enjoy!
Does your resume immedidately answer the “why should I hire you” question? In today’s market you’ve got to be able to compete and stand out – in a good way. Based on these stats, it’s essential to have a personal brand and communicate your value on a resume. Liz Harvey, a Careerbuilder.com exec said she reviews resumes on her Blackberry! Would your resume grab attention on a 2-inch screen?
Here are some quick stats from Careerbuilder.com’s survey of 360 human resources professionals.
Twenty-seven percent of human resource (HR) managers say they receive more than 50 resumes, on average, for each open position. More than one-in-ten (13 percent) HR managers receive more than 100 resumes per job opening. The survey, “Resumes 2007,” was conducted from November 17 to December 11, 2006 and included 360 HR managers.
When evaluating candidates’ applications, 77 percent of HR managers surveyed say they look for relevant experience. They also frequently consider a candidate’s ability to demonstrate specific accomplishments (48 percent) and whether the resumes are customized to the open position (41 percent).
HR managers also frequently search for keywords when screening resumes. Top-searched keywords include:
– Problem-solving/decision making (56 percent)
– Leadership (44 percent)
– Oral/written communications (40 percent)
– Team-building (33 percent)
– Performance and productivity improvement (31 percent)
“In today’s competitive job market, it’s essential for a candidate’s resume to be flawless,” said Richard Castellini, vice president of consumer marketing for CareerBuilder.com. “Still, 33 percent of HR managers say more than half of the resumes they receive through online sources have formatting errors. To ensure your resume is error-free, be sure to proofread, proofread, proofread.”
Sixty-three percent of HR managers report that spelling errors are the most annoying mistakes they see on resumes. Other top mistakes include:
– Resumes not customized to the position (30 percent)
– Lies (23 percent)
– Including too many insignificant details on job responsibilities (21 percent)
– Resumes that are more than two pages long (21 percent)
Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the United States by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder.com between November 17 and December 11, 2006 among 360 hiring managers (employed full-time; not self employed; with at least significant or full responsibility in hiring decisions), ages 18 and over. Weighting for employers was adjusted by company size to bring them more in line with their actual proportions in the population.
With a pure probability sample of 360, one could say with a ninety-five percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/-5 percentage points, respectively. Sampling error for data from subsamples may be higher and may vary. However that does not take other sources of error into account. This online survey is not based on a probability sample and therefore no theoretical sampling error can be calculated.
By George Blomgren, Milwaukeejobs.com
Identity theft is on the rise, and computers and the internet are often involved in this crime. Meanwhile, computers and the internet have also become the tools of choice for job seekers. As periodically reported in the media, job seekers can be vulnerable to scams and identity theft. After all, volunteering a certain amount of personal information is a necessary part of any job search. Fortunately, the following common sense guidelines can help protect you when using the internet for your job search.
A few posts back we talked about lying on your resume. What happens? MIT dean of admissions resigns for just this thing. Hear what personal branding guru William Arruda has to say.
Discussion: Lying on your resume
(4/30/07 4:20 p.m.) MIT dean of admissions was forced to resign last week after admitting she lied on her resume 28-years-ago. Why did it take so long for MIT to figure it out? William Arruda comes to NECN to talk about it.
By the way, Arruda’s personal branding program Reach is a global leader. Check out our Reach certified branding programs.
And here’s our previous post on resume fibs.
Want a nice place to work? Check out this information from Fast Company:
The Center for Companies that Care, a not-for-profit organization, strives to make businesses more conscious of the human toll of their decisions and recognizes companies that have put in the extra effort for their employees. Marci Koblenz, the Center’s co-founder and president, says, “There were a few things that emerged as very clear differences among companies. Some employers were concerned about the well being of their employees and it permeated everything they did.”
The Ten Characteristics of a Caring Company:
1. Sustains a work environment founded on dignity and respect for all employees 2. Makes employees feel their jobs are important 3. Cultivates the full potential of all employees 4. Encourages individual pursuit of work/life balance 5. Enables the well-being of individuals and their families through compensation, benefits, policies and practices 6. Develops great leaders, at all levels, who excel at managing people as well as results 7. Appreciates and recognize the contributions of people who work there 8. Establishes and communicate standards for ethical behavior and integrity 9. Gets involved in community endeavors and/or public policy 10. Considers the human toll when making business decisions
Read the article for the list of 35 companies on the 2007 Center for Companies that Care Honor Roll:
http://www.fastcompany.com/articles/2007/03/companies-that-care.html
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