Resume for the 21st century

Today is a very special day—we have a guest blogger writing for My Career today. Pierce Resler, Director of Marketing for VisualCV, talks about moving your CV to the top of the pile.

The idiom “it’s not what you know, it’s who you know” has never been more relevant for job hunters in a global credit crunch. Suddenly your grade point average and summer internships are no longer enough of a point of difference to set you apart from the crowd. Sure you’re probably using social media to network or keep in touch with friends, but as just one of 230 million people on Facebook, 40 million people on LinkedIn and approximately 17 million people on Twitter, how do you cut through the noise?

Certainly today’s economic situation has changed the recruitment landscape for recent graduates. Where as you would normally be fighting for jobs against your peers, suddenly you may be fighting for jobs against experienced professionals already in the workplace and with better networks.

This doesn’t mean it’s hopeless. Far from it. The economic market simply means you need to think smarter and present more professionally.

A study recently commissioned by VisualCV (from Sway, Inc.) showed that by far the majority of job seekers already have an online resume, or a resume posted online somewhere, which is great but it can also mean missing a out because it’s just not joined up to anything. What you need is an online CV which links into the network you’ve worked hard to establish so that people who know you, and with whom you have “cut through” see your skills and know your talents.

VisualCV has just announced updates to its platform which enable job seekers to integrate their VisualCV with popular social networking sites like LinkedIn and Facebook and share their qualifications with friends and colleagues on social networks such as Twitter. Any changes or updates to the VisualCV can be made in one central location and then shared broadly among these social networking sites. New bookmarking features also raise the visibility of a person’s VisualCV on sites like Digg, Delicious and StumbleUpon. VisualCV is providing a free integrated web solution to help you get your foot in the door and create a social networking platform dedicated to job hunting.

If you’re spending a good couple of hours tweeting, updating your Facebook status or updating your LinkedIn profile, why not use those existing networks to launch your social career experience, which will propel your CV to the top of the pile?

People from over 120 countries have registered to use VisualCV to advance their careers.

Join in the revolution today! VisualCV has recently been nominated for a Webby Award and named as a finalist for the American Business Awards for the most innovative company of the year.

Top 10 No Sympathy Lines

Steven Dutch, from the University of Wisconsin’s Natural and Applied Sciences department, gives students a dose of reality with this incredible list of comments he’s heard, with his reactions…

www.uwgb.edu/dutchs/nosymp.htm

When the going gets tough, the tough get government jobs

Recessions suck. We all know it. And many, especially recent graduates looking to enter the job market, feel it firsthand. You’ve perfected your resume. You’ve edited your cover letter to death. And you’ve sent them out so many times that your postage bills match the GDP of a small country.

If you haven’t done so yet, apply to positions available through your governments: municipal, county, provincial/territorial and federal. For the most-part, government jobs are more secure, pay more, and have many additional benefits, compared with a lot of your other choices out there.

Municipal
We’re not going to list them all here because that would take up waaaay too much (of our) time. But the best way to obtain contact information for these sources is to simply Google them. “Toronto, Government, Careers” etc.

County
See above.

Provincial/Territorial
Yukon
Northwest Territories
Nunavut
British Columbia
Alberta
Saskatchewan
Manitoba
Ontario
Quebec
New Brunswick
Nova Scotia
Prince Edward Island
Newfoundland and Labrador

Federal
Canada

15 Common Sense Steps to Finding a New Job

Here at My Career magazine, we see resumes, cover letters, and interviewees quite frequently.

Over the past two years, more than a few dozen resumes have come our way. Out of these, only one – ONE – was written correctly. In today’s harsh economic times, job seekers have to be step up their game.

So, we created this short list of 15 steps that should be common sense for most job seekers, but for whatever reason seemed to have been forgotten in the eternal employability abyss.

1. Set aside eight hours every day to find a new job
PlayStation will not help you find a job. Neither will sleeping in. Those who say that finding a job is a full-time job are right. Waiting for the right job to find you doesn’t work; you need to find it.

2. Exhaust all options with friends and family
A step often forgotten about is first asking friends and family if their organizations require your services. They know you better than any random HR manager, so use this to your advantage.

3. Use free resources available in your community
Although the Internet is a wonderful tool, also seek out your local government’s support. Many cities have employment service centres which post information freely and have teams of individuals itching to help you succeed.

4. Use free resources available online
My Career. Job Bank. Facebook. Twitter. There’s a long list of online resources that can help you improve your job-seeking skills and find available jobs in your city, county, region, province and country.

5. Create a new email address
We’re going to go out on a limb here and say that some HR managers may be turned off by i_luv_beer@hotmail.com. Are you applying for a technologist position at Research in Motion? Consider setting up a new account just for this job opportunity, like: tech_at_RIM@gmail.com

6. Write a cover letter with your resume
We still receive resumes with no cover letter. Come on people. Spend some time on it and let your future employer know why you want to apply to their great organization. If you’re not sure how to do a cover letter, ask someone for help. (Websites, not-for-profit groups, government sources, etc.)

7. PROOFREAD
Spell the HR manager’s name correctly. Spell your own name correctly. Ensure that every word on your cover letter and resume is correct. We can’t stress this enough!

8. Proofread again.
Even after every sentence is structured correctly, now go through your resume and remove everything that doesn’t relate to the job you’re applying for, or change it so it does.

9. Change the way you answer your phone
“Ya?” makes us cringe every time.

10. Show up for your interview in sensible wear
Jeans? Yes, they’re okay, as long as they look nice and relate to the position you’re applying for. Don’t show up in a suit to a construction site and don’t show up to an office job in a Hawaiian shirt. (Unless of course it’s Hawaiian-shirt Day!)

11. Be polite in the interview
No gum. Say please. Say thank you. Common sense.

12. Listen to the interviewer
We know that the wall of books in the HR manager’s office is very interesting, but please look at her/him. They’re trying to give you important information related to their business and your potential job, so it’s best to stay focused.

13. Thank them for their time and follow up
We’re busy people here at My Career, so we appreciate an email from you thanking us for our time. We also know other (ahem, older) people who insist that an email-thank-you is tacky and the only way is via phone. Either way is fine by us. Just follow up.

14. Don’t freak out.
Sure, some HR managers make an interviewee’s life miserable, and look to draw blood. But remember that most are on your side. They’re the ones who hope that you hit a home run.

15. Wear sunscreen.

Be different.

Speaking with students across Canada, we’re hearing a resounding chorus of individuals who want to improve their lives. A lot of people want to find a way to make their lives better this very instant – most often by scoring a permanent job. Their solution to their challenges: do everything better than other job seekers. Have a longer resume with lengthier words. Dress in a fancier suit to an interview. Or splash an extra intoxicating dose of cologne before walking into your prospective employer’s office.

It’s only natural to want to ‘be better’. Everyone does.

Unfortunately, being better is not always the best approach. Sometimes, it’s best to be different. Instead of dressing in a suit to an interview for a plumber position, consider wearing clean jeans and a button-up shirt. Instead of a longer resume, depending on the business you’re applying for, write a fun, one-page story detailing why you are the best candidate.

My Career loves being different. And we try to be different in everything we do, from magazine design and editorial contributors, to tweating and blogging. And there’s still much more ‘different’ to come. Stay tuned. We’re playing a different game.

In 2009, we challenge you to be different as well, in everything you do – take this spring to renew your strength in Canada and do something wonderful. Be courageous. Be intriguing. Be different.

About to graduate? Now what?

You have spent the last four (or more) years in post-secondary waiting for this day.  You have handed in your last paper, written your last exam, and went to your last university party.  Now what?  While leaving school has been your goal for four years, now that it is here, do you have a plan?  Do you have a job, or are you going to start looking?  Are you going to go back to school?  Are you going to travel before you settle down?  While these are all options, the majority of graduates want to get out into the “real world” and start making money.  While making your “plan”, here are some things that you need to take into consideration (at the very least).

• Where will you live? This may or may not be an easy decision.  If your lease is up in May, or you were in residence, you may need to move home  with mom and dad while you decide your next steps.  Or, you may chose to stick around where you are now and try to find something in the area. Your third choice is to move to a new city altogether.  Whatever your choice, make sure you do your research and prepare yourself for the consequences.
• Start saving up. Even though you may have to work another summer serving in a restaurant or lifeguarding at the pool, these kinds of jobs still make money, which will help you save up enough money to move out, or move away.
• Allow yourself time for a thorough job search. Although you may be making good money at the pool or the bar, remember that you still need to give yourself time to search for a job.  You spent four years in school (not to mention thousands of dollars) to earn your degree, so you probably want to be doing more with your life.
• Make sure your resume is up to date. You need to have an updated, error free resume.  Also remember that you need to update it and change it for EVERY job you apply for.
• Have an interview outfit (or two). You need to have at least one interview outfit.  It needs to be something you are comfortable in, that fits you and you feel confident wearing.  Always have a back-up in mind in case something happens to the first (spills, rips, etc), or you get called in for a second interview.
• Practice your interview skills. You need to be ready at all times for an interview.  You need to know what to do before, during and after.  Your career centre will have lots of great information for you.  However, if you are no longer in the same city as your school, check out their website.
• Build your network. Join your alumni association, join professional organizations and attend networking events.  The more people you know, the easier it will be to find a job!

Transferable skills – Now a HUGE part of your job search

There was a time when having a degree was enough to get you a job with a decent salary.  This is no longer the case.  I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but seems that an undergraduate degree has become a dime a dozen.  You need to have a little extra something to stand out from the thousands of others who are applying for the same jobs you are.

Almost every student has worked before, whether it was a part time job while in school (university or even high school), a summer job, a co-op/internship or even volunteer work.  Use these past experiences to your advantage!  Almost every sector looks for job skills that transfer over from one job to another, including jobs in fields such as accounting and IT.  Traditionally these kinds of positions did not require skills such as communication or people skills, but employers are now looking for more than just technical knowledge, and it is becoming more important to have the whole package.

No matter what kinds of positions you are applying for, sit down and think about all of the jobs you have ever had.  Even if you are not including them on your resume, think abut the tasks you completed and what you did day to day. Also, remember what school taught you…research, writing, editing, presentations, group work, etc, etc.  These are GREAT skills that many employers look for.  You are probable more qualified than you think you are!

Here are just some of the skills that hiring managers look for in candidate for almost any position:

• communication skills (actually probably one of THE most important skills to have!)
• customer service/working with others
• presentation skills
• problem solving
• leadership
• writing skills (again, very important in many fields)
• computer applications
• time management
• multi-tasking
• organization

Twitter your way to a new job

The traditional job search as we knew it no longer exists.  With the internet changing the way we do just about everything — banking, shopping, dating, interacting with others, etc, etc — it should come as no surprise that finding a job has moved this way as well.  While there are MANY different social networking sites available, such as Facebook and Linked In, Twitter has taken over as the new and exciting kid on the block.  Job searching has even moved to Twitter.    Check out www.twitterjobsearch.com for a “tweeted” list of jobs.

Here are a few reasons why you should start using Twitter for your job search:

• Networking. A great place to meet new people and expand your network.
  
• Follow industry leaders.  This gives you a chance to “talk” to the leaders in your field.  Chances are you wouldn’t have this opportunity at any other time, so take advantage of it!
• Meet recruiters. Almost everyone is on Twitter, including recruiters and head hunters.
• Link to Facebook, Linked In or your personal blog. You can link your tweets to other forms of social media to further build your brand.

However, there are a few things to keep in mind before you begin:

• Remain professional. If you are using Twitter for your job search, be sure that you remain professional AT ALL TIMES!  Consider starting a personal Twitter account as well if you feel that your tweets may be unprofessional.
• Remember it is about building relationships. Don’t overtly ask someone for a job.  You are simply putting yourself out there to expand your network and connect with those in your field.
• Be respectful. Remember to “retweet” any posts that you find interesting, and eventually others will do the same.

My Career is now on Twitter.  Check us out!

A great way to boost your resume and get experience

Next week, April 19 – 25, is National Volunteer Week, which pays homage to the 12 million volunteers across Canada (roughly 37% of the population!).  This week also aims to encourage those who don’t volunteer to get out there and do some good in your community.   Here are some great reasons you should get out and volunteer!

• Helping those who need it. There are currently 160,000 not-for-profit organizations in Canada. Any one of these organizations would be glad to have you volunteer.  Many of these aim at helping those in need, such as your local food bank, Cancer society or humane society.
• Feel good factor. Not only does volunteering help others, but it helps you too.  There is something fulfilling about knowing that you are doing something that makes a difference.
• Boost your resume. Volunteering is a great way to get that much needed experience on your resume.  This may be especially important for students and recent grads who have little to no experience in their field.
• Make new contacts. You never know who you will meet while you are volunteering.  This could be the start of your network or just adding to it.

We are fortunate to live in one of the wealthiest countries in the world.  Often we take for granted the things that we have.  Take some time out of your busy schedule and give back…it will be worth it!

Going where the jobs are

Recently, while at the National Job Fair in Toronto, I was asked by numerous job seekers what kinds of advice I could give them.  After finding out a little bit about them (education level, what kind of jobs they were looking for, etc), my next question was whether or not they were willing to relocate.  The majority of them said that moving was not an option.  I was extremely surprised by this.  Don’t get me wrong, Toronto is a great city, but when Ontario has an unemployment rate of 8.7% (one of the highest in Canada), and layoffs happening daily, maybe it is time to consider moving.

Here are three places in Canada that you should consider moving to and why.

• Saskatchewan (I feel like I am this province’s #1 cheerleader, and I have never even been there, haha)
  • Unemployment rate of 4.7% (lowest in Canada)
  • Lower cost of living
  • Tuition rebate program (maximum of $20,000 over 7 years)
  • Jobs in every sector
• Manitoba
  • Unemployment rate of 5.1% (second lowest in Canada)
  • Tuition rebate program (to a maximum of $25,000 over six years)
  • Lower cost of living
• New Brunswick
  • Lower taxes
  • Lower cost of living
  • Employment available in many different sectors

To me, it’s simple…you have to go where the jobs are.  A few years ago, many people made the move to Alberta, now this has shifted to Saskatchewan, Manitoba and New Brunswick.  I am not saying that moving is the only option, and of course it isn’t for everyone, but if I was faced with unemployment, I think that it would be one of the options I would seriously consider.  For some tips on moving for that new job, see “Relocating for a job” or “Moving for that new job“.