How to Benefit from the Positive Job Market Outlook

Based on a recent survey by economists, the job market outlook is projecting steady growth in employment. Recruiting consultant CareerXroads reports that new companies find 28 percent of their hires via referrals. Job boards represent one in five applicants, or 20 percent. And career Web sites, about 10 percent. For job seekers or those who contemplate changes in their careers, such statistical information is pertinent so they can know how to spend their time searching for that new gig.

The most efficient way to search is via a job search aggregator such as Indeed.com or SimplyHired.com. Both of those engines search through all jobs in one go, pulling up results from job boards, newspapers’ job sections, companies’ career pages, recruiter sites, and more. Instead of looking via many job boards, these aggregators are huge time savers, but they often display duplicate results. Despite that, they’re still efficient and very helpful. But don’t ignore individual job boards and particularly the specialized ones in your industry. To find those that pertain to your industry, Google them.

As the cliché says, however, “Don’t put all your eggs in one basket.” You need to work your way via multiple channels. Close to a third of jobs are filled via referrals, and a large number of LinkedIn contacts could prove useful for that. Once you’ve targeted a few companies and found an opening, it is imperative that you reach out to the hiring manager. Getting your résumé in front of that person and possibly having a phone chat could make the difference between getting an offer and sending your résumé to nowhere.

But let’s review for a moment the reason for the need to look for a job to start with: because the economy is vastly different from economies we remember from the past. In today’s economic climate, people are expected to change jobs and, occasionally, careers. Job stability is simply no longer guaranteed. So, what to do now? Continuing your education and earning advanced credentials are more important than ever, because in this fast-changing and shifting job market, the only things that stay with you and that you can never lose are your professional experience, newly acquired skills, and credentials.

In summary, the future cannot be expected to remind us of the past but is instead similar to a chameleon by constantly changing and morphing into new norms with new needs. Only those who adapt to that future will succeed. The rest will lag and be left out.

Posted via email from The Landing Expert

5 Tips to Help You Penetrate the Hidden Job Market

Written by Candace Waller as a guest blogger

Speakers Corners: Alex Freund

5 Tips to Help You Penetrate the Hidden Job Market

The rules of finding a job have changed drastically in recent years as many job seekers are finding out. The way you found your job five years ago is very different to the current job market. There is much more reliance on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Google + and Twitter to find and network with those in position to hire. This requires that job applicants understand etiquette when connecting online. The sheer numbers of people looking for work has complicated things further and put the power with companies and not job seekers.

Penetrating the hidden job market has become even more important due to the aforementioned facts especially for those out of work for six month or more. Alex Freund presentation on finding these unpublicized jobs gave participants new insights and ideas into doing this.

#1 Network with smaller companies.

Everyone wants to work for a large company for numerous reasons including better pay and better benefits but in a weakened economy smaller companies hire more.  Large firms may be top heavy and use layoff to restructure and become leaner. Applicants may see job opportunities posted at larger companies that will be given to internal candidates. This can be misleading to candidate who apply thinking they have a shot a job when in reality they are listed to fulfill legal guidelines.

Smaller companies may not offer all the benefits that larger can but they may be understaffed and need to hire. Candidates may also find the progression to higher-level titles move faster.

#2 Take on temp and short-term assignments.

Some applicants feel that short term assignments especially those lasting six month or less is a waste of time. Nothing can be further from the truth.  Approximately 13.5 percent of jobs are contingent meaning they are part-time, temporary or contract. Companies do this because they often want to test out a candidate to see if they will fit with the corporate culture and people they are working with.

These positions often can turn into full time positions. Applicants on these contingent assignments should demonstrate their ability to make positive contributions to the company. This is the time to really show what you can do. These assignments may lead to fulltime or you may gain valuable connections and references that can help you get into other companies.

#3 Learn how to talk with people in person and online

Most jobs are not published because they are filled via referrals.  This is not the time to be shy about letting people know that you are looking for a job. Attending various networking groups, career events and job fairs are good ways to build up your contacts list.

Many colleges have career centers that can be accessed by alumni. Reaching out to alumni that graduated from the same school is a great way to build contacts.  Send out emails asking for information and follow-up with a phone call. People want to be helpful and love talking about themselves.

#4 Put more time into your job search.

Most applicants only dedicate 6-10 hours a week to their job search.  The successful job candidate spends about 40 hours a week searching for work. This includes attending career fairs, networking meetings and job programs, applying for positions online, networking online and volunteers. Applicants can also take advantage of classes given by the Department of Labor, public libraries and career networking groups to improve their skills.

It takes several contacts in a company to get positions. Many job seekers become discouraged if one person says no. There are other people at a company that could be your advocates so don’t give up if one person says no.

#5 Generate more job leads.

Applicants must attend different job networking events and careers fairs so that they can meet and network with other people; The Landing Expert Lists most of the networking clubs and events in the tri-state area.  Go to different groups and locations to find a group that fits your needs.

Other ways to generate leads include

Checking out listing in the newspapers and online to find out that is hiring.

Job fairs

Search engine searches

Religious organizations

Alumni Groups/College Career Centers

Clubs, (Sororities and Fraternities)

Volunteer Organizations

Former Employees/Colleagues

Family and Friends

#Bonus Tip
Ignore that little voice in your head that says discouraging things.

Applicants may be their own worst enemy believing the negative thoughts in their minds.  You must believe in yourself and your abilities. The more positive you are feeling and acting the more likely others will want to help you with your job search.

You may feel like no one will help you and that may be confirmed if the first you speak to isn’t helpful. However you must keep going and not give up. Eventually you will find a job and that process will go much faster if you look for jobs in the hidden job market.

Alex Freund is a career coach who volunteers his time to speak with various groups sharing tips on how to find a job. His website landingexpert.com features tips, resources and the Landing Expert List providing 70 plus pages of information on where career groups meet in the tri-state area.

Posted via email from The Landing Expert

5 Tips to Help You Penetrate the Hidden Job Market

Written by Candace Waller as a guest blogger

Speakers Corners: Alex Freund

5 Tips to Help You Penetrate the Hidden Job Market

The rules of finding a job have changed drastically in recent years as many job seekers are finding out. The way you found your job five years ago is very different to the current job market. There is much more reliance on social media sites such as LinkedIn, Google + and Twitter to find and network with those in position to hire. This requires that job applicants understand etiquette when connecting online. The sheer numbers of people looking for work has complicated things further and put the power with companies and not job seekers.

Penetrating the hidden job market has become even more important due to the aforementioned facts especially for those out of work for six month or more. Alex Freund presentation on finding these unpublicized jobs gave participants new insights and ideas into doing this.

#1 Network with smaller companies.

Everyone wants to work for a large company for numerous reasons including better pay and better benefits but in a weakened economy smaller companies hire more.  Large firms may be top heavy and use layoff to restructure and become leaner. Applicants may see job opportunities posted at larger companies that will be given to internal candidates. This can be misleading to candidate who apply thinking they have a shot a job when in reality they are listed to fulfill legal guidelines.

Smaller companies may not offer all the benefits that larger can but they may be understaffed and need to hire. Candidates may also find the progression to higher-level titles move faster.

#2 Take on temp and short-term assignments.

Some applicants feel that short term assignments especially those lasting six month or less is a waste of time. Nothing can be further from the truth.  Approximately 13.5 percent of jobs are contingent meaning they are part-time, temporary or contract. Companies do this because they often want to test out a candidate to see if they will fit with the corporate culture and people they are working with.

These positions often can turn into full time positions. Applicants on these contingent assignments should demonstrate their ability to make positive contributions to the company. This is the time to really show what you can do. These assignments may lead to fulltime or you may gain valuable connections and references that can help you get into other companies.

#3 Learn how to talk with people in person and online

Most jobs are not published because they are filled via referrals.  This is not the time to be shy about letting people know that you are looking for a job. Attending various networking groups, career events and job fairs are good ways to build up your contacts list.

Many colleges have career centers that can be accessed by alumni. Reaching out to alumni that graduated from the same school is a great way to build contacts.  Send out emails asking for information and follow-up with a phone call. People want to be helpful and love talking about themselves.

#4 Put more time into your job search.

Most applicants only dedicate 6-10 hours a week to their job search.  The successful job candidate spends about 40 hours a week searching for work. This includes attending career fairs, networking meetings and job programs, applying for positions online, networking online and volunteers. Applicants can also take advantage of classes given by the Department of Labor, public libraries and career networking groups to improve their skills.

It takes several contacts in a company to get positions. Many job seekers become discouraged if one person says no. There are other people at a company that could be your advocates so don’t give up if one person says no.

#5 Generate more job leads.

Applicants must attend different job networking events and careers fairs so that they can meet and network with other people, The landingexpert.com lists most of the networking clubs and events in the tri-state area.  Go to different groups and locations to find a group that fits your needs.

Other ways to generate leads include

Checking out listing in the newspapers and online to find out that is hiring.

Job fairs

Search engine searches

Religious organizations

Alumni Groups/College Career Centers

Clubs, (Sororities and Fraternities)

Volunteer Organizations

Former Employees/Colleagues

Family and Friends

#Bonus Tip
Ignore that little voice in your head that says discouraging things.

Applicants may be their own worst enemy believing the negative thoughts in their minds.  You must believe in yourself and your abilities. The more positive you are feeling and acting the more likely others will want to help you with your job search.

You may feel like no one will help you and that may be confirmed if the first you speak to isn’t helpful. However you must keep going and not give up. Eventually you will find a job and that process will go much faster if you look for jobs in the hidden job market.

Alex Freund is a career coach who volunteers his time to speak with various groups sharing tips on how to find a job. His website landingexpert.com features tips, resources and the Landing Expert List providing 70 plus pages of information on where career groups meet in the tri-state area.

Posted via email from The Landing Expert

The Art and Science of the Face-to-Face Interview

Consider yourself very lucky for being considered for a face-to-face interview. It just means that you survived the first phase of the competition; your résumé projected you as someone deserving of further exploration; and you outshone the vast majority of your competition. The most critical test, however, is still ahead of you. You are at this point electrified, thrilled, and exuberant, but if you don’t convince the interviewer(s) that you’re the ideal candidate, then the offer goes to someone else and you’ll feel defeated, deflated, and depressed. That’s why an understanding of the dynamics that get played out during the interview could potentially tilt the decision in your favor.

So, what is it that drives the interview—from the interviewer’s perspective? A large survey that was conducted among hiring managers, human resources people, and recruiters shockingly revealed that 100 percent of interviewers are looking for “fit with their culture,” and about 82 percent are looking for “passion and excitement.” All the rest of the questions scored below the 40th percentile. So, from that survey, we’ve learned decisively how interview decisions are being made. And now you can prepare because no longer is the interview a pure guessing game.

Of course, it’s impossible to predict the interviewer’s questions, but it’s reasonable to expect that the conversation will focus on job duties and responsibilities as well as the pertinent skills, experience level, and personality traits preferred for the job. So, then, how do we correlate that focus on “fit with their culture”? The answer comes from (1) the candidate’s ability to sleuth into the company via internal connections, which can be acquired via LinkedIn connections, and (2) by thoroughly researching the company not only for hard facts but also for information in articles about the company or communications written by insiders.

Another subjective side of the “fit” factor involves things you’ll never find in print. For example, does this company embrace diversity? Is age discrimination evident? For example, many start-ups hire primarily young people, expecting to pay them less than they’d have to pay very experienced people. Is gender discrimination evident? Certain industries hire primarily women, and others, primarily men—for example, firefighters and airline pilots.

As mentioned earlier, “passion and excitement” are critical. The interviewee must see himself as an actor onstage. I know this is difficult for some, especially when they’re tense and under pressure. A good way to show the passion and excitement interviewers seek is in your answer to the question, Why do you want to work for us? If your body language does not show the appropriate level of excitement, then your words by themselves will not be convincing.

In this particular case, as well as in the general preparation for an interview, practice is a must: that is, lots of practice, and preferably with someone who can critique you honestly and guide you toward excellence in interview skills.

Posted via email from The Landing Expert

Elements of the Perfect Resume

This article was written by Evelyn Robinson and she is a guest on my blog
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Constructing a good resume can be a difficult and frustrating process. Many people feel uncomfortable with the idea of selling their positive qualities and others find it difficult to even identify those qualities in the first place. However, the entire process becomes a lot easier if you understand the different elements which combine to make up the perfect resume.

Recruiters can often be faced with hundreds or even thousands of resumes to work their way through and, as a result, landing the job requires you to make your resume jump out from the pack, catch the eye of the HR representative who is dealing with that process and ensure that it contains the information necessary to earn you an interview.

The Importance of Formatting

When a recruiter makes the decision to advertise a job, they will almost certainly already have a vision in mind of their ideal candidate; the qualities they will have and the content they hope to see on that person's resume. Yet, before it even gets to that stage, your resume has to stand out enough to catch the eye of the HR department. Research shows that, on average, just one interview is granted for every 200 resumes received and, because the eye is naturally drawn to the top half of a page, that section of your resume will either make you or break you before they even get to reading the content included.

The top of your resume should clearly contain your full name and several contact details, so that the employer can get in touch either by phone, email or through the post. Additionally, the page should be structured in clear sections; a personal statement, an outline of your previous work experience, your academic qualifications and your key skills. A clear, consistent structure to the resume will make it more instantly pleasing on the eye and thereby increase the chances of the content actually being read.

Whether your resume should be one page or two is the matter of some debate, though general opinion holds that, unless you are applying for a job, it is best to keep your resume to one page. This shows consideration for the person sorting through the pile of resumes and also forces you to reduce the contents to the best and most essential information.

Key Points for Quality Content

The content is ultimately what is going to land you an interview, or land your resume in the garbage and there are several key points to keep in mind when writing it.

Firstly, your resume should not be general. You need to amend it to suit the job description of the role you are applying for and, with the ideal resume being just one page long, you need to make sure it is concise and only contains relevant information.

Most employers are going to be interested in your previous work experience, as this is the information which will tell them whether you have a proven track record of being able to work in similar companies, similar roles and with similar pressures and expectations.

It is important that you do not simply write your job description and think the recruiter will understand everything involved in it. Be specific. List your personal, individual responsibilities and express the things which you can personally bring to the table. Remember, you are selling yourself, not your previous employer, so simply explaining what your previous company saw your role as being is not enough. Seeing as work experience is important to most employers, it would be sensible to include it in the top half of the resume, where research shows that people's eyes are instantly drawn.

Finally, try not to take up too much valuable space on your resume with your academic qualifications. Highlight the highest level of qualification you have, list the core subjects and your grades, as well as any qualifications which are specifically relevant to the role you are applying for. After that, your academic qualifications become much less important than your previous work experience and the specific skills you can offer.

Avoid Using Too Many 'Buzzwords'

It can be tempting to use key 'buzzwords' to try and catch the eye of the recruitment team, and to an extent it's fine, but it is important not to over-do it. Highlighting your communication skills is fine, but try to give examples of what makes you a better communicator than the average person.

Personal statements which simply read like a list of key phrases are a huge turn-off to employers. If you write that you are "hard-working, enthusiastic, with excellent communication skills" you need to be able to back those things up on the resume, or else you're just like the other 200 applicants, who probably used the same descriptions of themselves.

Keep in mind, you are competing with other people just to get an interview. Make yourself seem different enough from them to warrant one.

Posted via email from The Landing Expert