It usually takes a lot to get me to change my mind. It’s not that I’m stubborn; I just have to be convinced. And the only way to convince me of anything is by logic and reason. So, when Richard Zeitz, my Manhattan Chamber of Commerce colleague (we are both “Ambassadors” for the Chamber) approached me about his new company, Purzue, he probably did not expect the answer I gave him to his question, “What do you think about video resumes?” We were sitting together at a Chamber event learning about Google+. I dismissed his question out of hand. “A complete waste. I can’t get clients to read resumes; they’re not going to watch videos! And most don’t want to see pictures of candidates because of concerns about discrimination. And no one has the technology to do a keyword search of videos. And who has the hard drive/server space to store them? And who is going to click on a link from a stranger to an unknown website?” He did not let my concerns go unanswered. In fact, he had a concrete response for each and was so convincing that I did something I can’t remember ever doing, agreeing to serve as an unpaid adviser while the company is being setup. (So, for the record, while this is an endorsement of what he is doing, I am not being paid for it. I actually believe in it!) So what were his responses that won me over? On Purzue the foundation of the multimedia resume is a paper resume, in Word and PDF formats, which recruiters and employers will be able to download to their system just as if the candidate had sent it in directly. Recruiters and employers do not have to view videos. They also don’t have to listen to audio files. It’s their choice. Moreover, Purzue is not just an uploading website. Candidate’s paper resumes, videos, audio files, and infographics will be reviewed by Purzue’s team of experts. Before the “multimedia” resume goes live, candidates will be advised as to any necessary changes. If this were not the case, candidates could simply send recruiters and employers Word documents and links to You Tube videos. Recruiters and employers do not need special software to take advantage of the multimedia resumes. As noted, they download the Word and PDF files as they normally would. They use Purzue’s site to search for, view and listen to the multimedia files. None of those files is stored on the recruiters’ or employers’ servers, so no space is required. All they need is a broadband Internet connection. Since everything is viewed on Purzue’s site, there are no concerns about Internet security. If there is a virus, it will be on Purzue’s site, not the recruiter’s or employer’s. But what really impressed me was that, literally with a mouse click, candidates will be able to send their resumes (links to their Purzue multimedia resume) to all recruiters and employers on the Purzue network. One click and eventually the resume will reach thousands. This will free up job seekers from the administrative side of their job search to do what will always be the most important job search activity – networking. All the technology in the world won’t change that! Video resume image from Shutterstock
Is your job search turning into a grind with no end in sight? It may be time to take a step back and reevaluate your entire approach.
In cold weather climates, the beginning of spring is a time to clean the house and get organized—a practice known as spring cleaning. Through the years, spring cleaning has taken on a larger meaning with people using the time to organize and declutter things in their lives.
For professionals on the job hunt, a little spring cleaning (metaphorically speaking) could be a great way to reinvigorate your job search. Here are a few strategies your job search spring cleaning should include.
Reevaluate Your Job Search Approach
BigstockMake a list of the last handful of jobs you applied for and see if you can identify any positive or negative trends. Consider things like:
- How did I learn about this job?
- How did I apply for the job?
- Did I earn an interview?
- What was the ultimate result?
A lot can be learned about your job search approach just by answering these questions and identifying patterns. For example:
Negative Trends
You discovered five jobs through job boards, applied to all of them via the job boards, and never heard back from any of them.
The common pattern here is applying through job boards. This isn't to say that job boards don't serve a purpose in the job search process, but they have their limitations, and you can't run your job search entirely off of them. When you apply through a job board, there's a good chance that your materials will never get past the applicant tracking system (ATS) and never be seen by an actual person.
One simple fix is to research who the hiring manager or recruiter is that posted the position and email your materials to them directly.
The more efficient fix would be to take a proactive approach by putting together a bucket list of companies that you want to work for and start making connections on LinkedIn with people who work at those companies. You may already know some people who work there or have connections that can refer you to some individuals.
This is a great way to network your way onto a company's radar.
Positive Trends
You applied to three jobs via referral, were invited to two job interviews, and made it through multiple rounds of interviews for one of the jobs before being passed over for someone with a little more experience.
The pattern here is that getting referred to a job by a professional acquaintance is a great way to land a job interview. This indicates that you're leveraging your network well and you should continue to focus on your networking efforts.
The next step is to review the interview process and determine what went well and what needs to be improved. Sometimes the interviewer will provide feedback, and that feedback can be valuable. However, not everyone is comfortable with giving feedback.
Chances are you probably have a good idea about areas of improvement and the skills you need to gain. Put together a plan for addressing those shortfalls.
The good news in making it deep into any interview process is that it indicates that the company likes you as a potential employee (even if the timing just wasn't right) and the experience could be a roadmap to a job with that company at a later date, or another similar opportunity elsewhere.
Give Your Resume & Cover Letter Some Much-Needed Attention
BigstockAre you continuously sending similar resumes and cover letters to each job opening with only minor adjustments? If so, your strategy needs some serious spring cleaning.
Let's start with resumes!
Every resume should be tailored to the position in order for it to stand out to recruiters and hiring managers. It may seem like a lot of work, but it's actually less work than submitting the same resume over and over again and never hearing back.
The reason why it's so important to tailor your resume is that throughout your career, you acquire numerous skills, but the job you're applying for may only be focusing on 6-8 of those skills. In that case, those skills must rise to the top of the resume with quantifiable examples of how you successfully used those skills at previous jobs.
Remember, recruiters go through hundreds of resumes. They need to be able to tell from a quick glance whether or not you're a potential candidate for the position.
While updating your resume, you could also spruce up your LinkedIn profile by highlighting the skill sets that you want to be noticed for by recruiters.
As for writing a good cover letter, the key to success is writing a disruptive cover letter. When you write a disruptive cover letter, you're basically telling a story. The story should focus on how you connect with the particular company and job position. The story could also focus on your personal journey, and how you got to where you currently are in your career.
If your resumes and cover letters aren't unique, now is the time to clean things up and get on track.
Build Your Personal Brand
Just because you're looking for work doesn't mean that you don't have anything to offer. Use previous career experiences and passions to build your personal brand.
Ask yourself, "How do I want other professionals to view me?"
Pick an area of expertise and start sharing your knowledge and experience with your professional network by pushing out content on your LinkedIn and social media accounts. Good content can include blogs, social media posts, and videos.
By sharing content about your experiences and passions, you slowly build your personal brand, and others will start to notice. The content could lead to good discussions with others in your network. It could also lead to reconnecting with connections that you haven't spoken to in years, or making new connections.
You never know when one of these connections could turn into a job lead or referral. The trick is to get on people's radars. So, when you're cleaning up your job search, be sure to build a plan for personal branding.
Maintain Healthy Habits During Your Job Search
BigstockYour job search is important, but it's even more important to know when to pull back and focus on personal health and spending time with family and friends.
There are actually things that you can do for your own enjoyment that could help your job search in the long run, such as:
- Grab coffee with a friend - It's good to engage in light conversation with friends during challenging times. And if your job search does come up, remember that most people have been through it themselves and you never know when a friend may provide you with a good idea or lead on a job.
- Volunteer - Volunteering is a great way to get involved in the community and help others. In addition, if you develop a little bit of a career gap while looking for a job, you can always talk about how you filled that time volunteering, if you're asked about it during a job interview.
- Continue to focus on other passions - Are you a fitness nut? Blogger? Crafter? Continue to do the things that bring you happiness. And if you're in a position to profit from your passion through a freelance job or side hustle, even better!
Spring is the perfect time to clean up and improve your job search so you can land the job you want. If you're struggling to find a job, follow the tips above to reinvigorate your job search—and watch your career blossom!
Need more help with your job search?
Become a member to learn how to land a job and UNLEASH your true potential to get what you want from work!
This article was originally published at an earlier date.