Job Search

Online social networking helps land interviews!

Wendy Terwelp 3 Comments

Abridged: Reuters.com

AUSTIN, TX — Job seekers should tap into online networking sites to help hunt down potential employers, new surveys suggest. The polls, conducted in Canada and the United States on behalf of California-based recruitment firm Robert Half International, showed that most executives believe that professional networking sites will prove useful over the next three years for job seekers.

Networking sites can be used to identify new career opportunities, create online profiles that highlight one’s skills and experience and build a roster of business contacts over time. Of 100 senior executives interviewed, 67 percent said they thought professional networking sites — such as LinkedIn — were useful for recruiting new employees, and 25 percent said they thought social networking sites like Facebook would be useful.

Although online networking can play a role in helping people to find work, job seekers should continue to use traditional job-hunting methods. In today’s competitive job market, you can’t afford to leave any stone unturned. “Tried and true methods, such as networking at industry events, submitting well-written resumes and cover letters, and diligently following up with hiring managers are still essential to landing the ideal job.

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Want to crank up your online presence the right way – and learn how to use social networking sites like LinkedIn to get hired faster? Check out: http://www.knocks.com/Social_Networking_Course.html.

Networking: Are you begging or building?

Wendy Terwelp 3 Comments

Meeting

Do you feel networking doesn’t work? Here’s how to change those feelings and network with confidence and ease. Networking, after all, is simply having a conversation with friends. 

Networking DOES work. Time and again, my clients land positions using their network. BUT, as others have said, it must be done right. “Hey, know anyone who’s hiring?” is NOT networking done right. And this happens to be the way many people start their search.

One of my clients, a senior programmer, was unemployed 18 months before meeting with me. (She’d been downsized after 25 years working for a company that had been acquired.) She said, “Do NOT tell me to network. It does not work.”

Really? Hmmm. How are you going about it?

She had asked people, “Hey, know anyone who’s hiring?”

She began emails this way, sending out a poorly done resume with each one. And when meeting with friends, her opening line was the “know anyone who’s hiring” line.

So, for 18 months, her network did not work.

What we did: First, revamped all communication pieces – resume, cover letter, email format, etc. Next, identified all of her contacts. (Think BIG people.) Then, we created a sound bite that could be quickly revamped for emails, in-person meetings, and even her bowling league. (To create your own sound bite, check out Chapter 5 in my book, Rock Your Network®.) My client took action.

Guess what? Within three weeks she had a new job at a higher level, project management, despite it being summer and one of the weeks was the Fourth of July, when many people are on vacation.

How did this happen? One of the people on her bowling league said, “Why didn’t you tell me you wanted to work at X company? My son works there!” So, my client gave her friend the new resume, her friend passed it on, and my client landed her dream gig.

This person had been in her network the whole time!

Steve, a six-figure commercial lender (and one of my clients), has landed his last four positions using his network – maintaining it throughout his career. Each position was at a higher level – in title, compensation, perks, etc.

George created his last two positions where no position had been before one of them was as a marketing director. He made the connection at one of my live Rock Your Network® events. Set up a meeting. Shared his ideas and voila! A new gig was created especially for him. His landed other roles by remaining connected with those he met.

Lisa, a human resources manager who had recently relocated, also landed her most recent position through networking – despite having no local network (or so she thought). She too attended one of my Rock Your Network® events and made several connections. Yes, she followed up. She was most amazed by how warm people were and by how much they wanted to help.

Can social media be used for networking? Heck yes! Again, it must be done right. Asking for favors with zero connection is not networking. It’s begging. Networking is about relationships – building them and maintaining them.

Margaret, working in DC politics, wanted a major career change. She jumped on Facebook and reconnected with some friends from high school. One of them had her exact dream job with her dream company. She learned more about the position and her friend got her an interview.

Networking DOES work – offline or on. The important thing to remember is that it is a two-way street. Build and maintain the relationship.

Can they be revived after being dormant for years? Yes! I got a call from a former coworker. It had been years since I had heard from her. She called with an opportunity, not begging for a job. She called to reconnect. She called to ask for help with her husband’s company who is experiencing a downsizing – and she wants to put me in touch with their HR team. Now that is the right way to go about reconnecting.

A wrong way? Got a call from another former coworker. He wanted to change careers. What names could I give him? Who do I know in the X field? Hmmm. I had not talked this person in several years and the first thing he wants are my connections.

See the diff?

Challenge: Take a look at how you’ve been networking. Really look. And be honest with yourself. Have you been begging or building?

Want help? Check out Rock Your Network for Job Seekers.

Copyright 2008 – 2016 Wendy Terwelp | All rights reserved.

LinkedIn: 300,000 recruiters are looking for you

Wendy Terwelp 1 Comment

One of the most hopeful and exciting trends in job hunting is the fact that recruiters are now looking for passive candidates online. Recently I attended an Internet Recruiting workshop where presenter, Mark Berger, stated that 300,000 recruiters use LinkedIn regularly to recruit passive candidates. “It’s not who you know, but who knows you,” said Berger. In addition, during the workshop Berger demonstrated how to use Google to find names and top candidates. About 100+ recruiters were in the room, and that was just one workshop.

 

It is key for professionals of all levels to have an online identity that is professional and demonstrates his or her expertise. Since recruiters are searching online – and not necessarily using fee-based job sites, you want to be sure your online identity is crystal clear in how it represents you – and you want to be sure that when someone Googles your name, it is truly you. And that your name is within the first 30 listings (preferably in the top 10).

 

Are you getting the right attention from recruiters? If not, visit:
http://www.knocks.com/Social_Networking_Course.html 

to help you get the most from LinkedIn and other social networking sites.

 

How Technology Tanks an Interview

Wendy Terwelp 1 Comment

Yesterday I met with several direct hire and exec recruiters for a networking / brainstorming meeting. Pet peeves always come up during these talks and here are some direct from the recruiters’ mouths:

“Get this,” said Gary an IT recruiter. “I’m interviewing a guy and he interrupts the interview to take a call from his cell phone!” Gary went on to describe how the candidate told Gary that the call was very important – during the interview. “Needless to say,” said Gary, “the rest of the interview lasted about 5 minutes and I will not place this guy – EVER.”

Think about it, if the interview to get the job wasn’t important enough to put calls on hold for a half hour, what’s going to happen on the job?

“I want to talk about CRACKberrries,” said Gina B. “During an interview a woman is actually holding up her crackberry and typing with her thumbs like this,” she demonstrated. How important is it to answer email during an interview? Truly?

Tips:

1. Take control of your personal technology! You control it – it does not control you.

2. Turn cell phones OFF during an interview or put the ringer on silent (not vibrate).

3. Turn Blackberries off during an interview. You can email AFTER you get to your car. In fact, why not email that interviewer a thank you note when you get to your car? Use technology for good. 🙂

Of course, I do have to say how our meeting ended. As things wound up, Patrick whipped out his Sprint phone that had email, a keypad, phone access, THE WORKS. He starts emailing his candidates and returned some calls. Proudly he said, “Hey, at least I waited until the meeting wrapped up!”

You can do the same.

What to do when an Interviewer Uncovers Your Digital Dirt

Wendy Terwelp 1 Comment

Did you know that 77 percent of recruiters Google candidates? It’s true, according to a 2006 ExecuNet survey. And 35 percent of recruiters eliminate candidates based on what they find on Google.  

As a job seeker, it’s imperative you know what people can see online about you. Do you have digital dirt? You know, that fun party you were at – and the pictures that were posted on your friend’s blog. Oops! 

Two things you can do about digital dirt – bury it or sweep it under the rug. If there are incriminating photos or crazy postings – ask the blogger to remove them. If however, your misdeeds were featured in a major newspaper, say The Wall Street Journal – then you’ll need to take more dramatic action. One quick step – start your own professional blog. Blogs get higher rankings in Google and there is a chance you can quickly bury your dirt.  

However, if your dirt is uncovered by an interviewer, be prepared to explain yourself calmly and BRIEFLY during an interview. 

Challenge: Take action! Google yourself right now – and check out the dirt. Use quotes around your first and last name – so the dirt is all on you. 🙂