25 Little Known Career & Job Search Tips, Tricks, and Strategies

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Over 25 Little Known Career & Job Search Tips, Tricks, and Strategies.



TIP# - 1: 15 SECONDS TO MAKE YOUR RESUME STAND OUT

You have 15 SECONDS to make your resume STAND OUT

Headline/Subject Line

Professional Summary

Call to Action – Stimulate the employer to open and read your resume

You must understand the process from beginning to end



TIP# - 2: USE OF DESCRIPTIVE ACTION WORDS AND ADJECTIVES

Use Descriptive Action Words and Adjectives in Your Resume

Accelerate Build Developed Illuminated Prepared

Accomplish Capture Discovered Implemented Produced

Achieve Confident Eliminate Improved Reduced

Acquire Conquer Encouraged Increased Retained

Adopt Convert Established Leveraged Segmented

Assess Create Evaluated Managed Simplified

Assure Cultivate Executed Maximized Strengthened

Attain Delivered Focused Motivated Transformed

Boost Demonstrated Generated Persuaded Unleashed

Bridge Deployed Identified Positioned Won



TIP# - 3: WHY YOU NEED A PROFESSIONAL SUMMARY

A Professional Summary will:

Summarize your entire career in 5-10 bullet points

Allow the reader to quickly see important highlights

Entice the reader to open your resume and see more

Ensure that the reader notices those highpoints before skimming and scanning the rest



TIP# - 4: WHICH JOB BOARDS SHOULD I REGISTER ON?

Which Job Boards/Websites Should I Register With?

Linkedin Monster Career Builder Indeed The Ladders Specific International Boards Register on all. Companies will use some but not all Individual Company Websites Company Linkedin Pages Job sections of Linkedin Groups



TIP# - 5: EFFECTIVELY USE THESE JOB BOARDS

The best and highest uses of these Job Boards will:

Ensure that you are found by employers seeking your talents

Notify you of openings as they are posted – both historical & current openings

Even if 100 people have already applied - you still should apply

Generally 95% are not qualified and immediately discarded



TIP# - 6: MATCH YOUR JOB BOARD PROFILES WITH YOUR RESUME

Your Resume and Job Board Profiles Should Match

First step in the process is to Perfect Your Resume

Then replicate it across the different job boards

Don’t upload in PDF – it may not be scanable

Use specific skills/keywords throughout your profile

Use the Create Resume Function wherever possible

Discrepancies cause confusion and may result in your application being discarded



TIP# - 7: COMPANY WEBSITES

How Do I Use Company Websites?

Individual Company Websites

Career Sections

Apply directly – Use your Linkedin Profile or a resume in an MS Word format – no embedded images or PDF’s

You may never get a response

Save all your confirmations



TIP# - 8: CONNECT WITH HUMAN RESOURCE EXECUTIVES

Connect With Human Resources Executives

Many times the name of the person posting is listed in the actual post

Find the person on LinkedIn – Ask to connect – Use no more than 250 characters to explain your reason for connecting

What are your dream employer companies ? Find the HR Manager/Director/Vice Presidents and connect with them through LinkedIn



TIP# - 9: WHERE JOB OPENINGS ARE POSTED

Where Else Can I Look for Job Openings?

Twitter – Follow companies

LinkedIn - Follow companies. They all post new openings on the company page and when you follow them, these new postings will appear in your feed

Hidden section on LinkedIn makes you discretely visible to recruiters and identifies that you are open to opportunities

Facebook

Hashtags

LinkedIn and Facebook Groups



TIP# - 10: PREPARE – DO YOUR HOMEWORK

Before the interview PREPARE PREPARE PREPARE Research the Company

Visit Company Website

Review the Company Pages on LinkedIn

If Company is public, view annual reports, 10Q’s, etc.

Interviewers will ask: What do you know about our company

You must have 5 - 7 facts memorized fully



TIP# - 11: CAN I USE THIS POSITION AS A STEPPING STONE

Will This Position Help Me in the Future? How long do you see yourself in this position ?

Can you see the long term opportunity potential ?

During the interview ask about long term opportunities

When you find yourself no longer learning or blocked from advancement in your current company - it is probably time to leave



TIP# - 12: HOW TO DRESS FOR AN INTERVIEW

Should I Overdress or Underdress?

Always OVERDRESS

Business Attire

Dress appropriately even for Remote/Skype Interviews

You never get a second chance to make a first impression



TIP# - 13: HOW TO PREPARE FOR INTERVIEWS

How do I prepare for my interview?

Company Research Research the person who will be conducting your interview Prepare follow-up questions Mock interview with someone – role play (even by yourself in the mirror)

Practice your responses Enthusiasm, interest, personality



TIP# - 14: HOW TO STAND OUT FROM OTHER APPLICANTS

How do I make sure that I STAND OUT from other applicants?

Show your knowledge of the company

Don’t just list your qualifications, give examples

Be prepared to recap at the end of the 5-10 bullet points of your Professional history – make a lasting impression

Communicate your uniqueness

Ask questions

Make An Impression – Don’t Be Forgettable



TIP# - 15: PREPARE FOLLOW-UP QUESTIONS

ALWAYS, ALWAYS, ALWAYS Ask Additional Questions

At the end of the interview, if the interviewer asks “Do you have any additional questions?” always have 3 -5 questions prepared. Even if you know the answers – show your interest

Even if the interviewer doesn’t ask if you have questions – STOP and Say – “I have some additional questions”

Never arrive to an interview without questions prepared



TIP# - 16: THANK YOU MESSAGES

After The Interview ALWAYS Send Thank You Message

When the interview is over – Make sure you ask: “What are the next steps?” or “What is the process ?”

Always send a thank you message within 24 hours – hand written is best, but email is ok.

Your Thank You is NOT just to offer thanks for the interview – it is yet another opportunity to sell yourself

Your THANK YOU should include the following:1. Appreciation for the interview2. Confirm your interest (or non-interest in the position)3. Restate why you are a good candidate4. Looking forward to hearing from you



TIP# - 17: FOLLOW-UP AFTER THE INTERVIEW

When and How Should I Follow-Up After The Interview?

Make a note of the process/timeline indicated by the interviewer If you do not hear from the interviewer by the date indicated,

send a friendly reminder It is best to get to either a YES or NO as quickly as possible Normally candidates who are of interest are the ones contacted

first If you are not contacted, it is usually a sign that you are no longer in the running



TIP# - 18: BE AVAILABLE – SHORT RESPONSE TIME

When Looking For a Job – Always Be Available and RESPOND QUICKLY

Based on the email address and phone # you provide, you MUST be available to receive these messages

There is NO EXCUSE for not responding quickly When you are applying to a position, you MUST check your

messages and email - regularly Don’t let more than a few hours go by without responding

Failure to respond quickly may cause the company to move on to the next candidate



TIP# - 19: ENTREPRENEURSHIP VS. LOOKING FOR A JOB

Entrepreneurship Start a company Buy a company Buy a Franchise No Security – No safety net Global Opportunities Could go broke and lose it all Unlimited earnings potential No Work/life balance Most will fail

Looking For a Job Gain Experience Training Security Benefits Work/life balance Income potential may be

limited You will always work for

someone else Company Politics and

Bureaucracy



TIP# - 20: INTERNSHIPS

What is the value of working as an Intern?

Gain experience in your industry

Show potential employers what you can do

Paid versus Unpaid – Experience is more important than money

Determine if your chosen profession is a right fit Employers will choose those with relevant experience over

those who don’t have any Virtual internships – www.internships.com

http://www.internships.com/



TIP# - 21: IMPORTANCE OF CONTINUING EDUCATION

How are you keeping up to date in your industry? Wall Street Journal Entrepreneur, Inc. Magazine, Fortune, Fast Company Blogs Industry Specific Magazines Industry Specific Newsletters Business Books CNBC/Fox Business News Biographies of Great Leaders Webinars – Workshops Education does not stop after school ends



TIP# - 22: REMOTE JOB OPPORTUNITIES

Have You Considered Remote Job Opportunities?

In no other time in history are there more remote/virtual job opportunities (hundreds of thousands of jobs around the world available today)

These are no longer just lower level jobs but also senior executive positions

Working remotely greatly opens up your potential opportunities.

No longer limiting opportunities by geography

Better work life balance. Eliminate commuting

Search on Remote Jobs or Virtual Jobs



TIP# - 23: NEGOTIATING YOUR EMPLOYMENT CONTRACT

Are you negotiating the best Employment Contract? Everything must be in writing – if not, be careful of accepting Are you accepting the terms and conditions as is or are you

negotiating? Your should always ask, always try to negotiate (within

reason) Employers have more respect for those who try to negotiate The worst thing that can happens is that the answer is no Things open to negotiation:

Salary Benefits Bonuses/Commissions Stock Vacation Signing bonus Monthly expenses Technology Relocation Assistance



TIP# - 24: RELOCATING – SHOULD YOU MOVE

Should you move for that new job?

Are you limiting your search to jobs in your city?

Will you relocate for the right job?

Will the company assist with relocation expenses?

Can you afford to pay your own moving expenses?

Should you move or keep looking locally?

How will this impact your family?



TIP# - 25: COMPETITION – WHO AM I COMPETING WITH

Who is my competition for this job?

People out of work

Passive job seekers

Recent graduates Internal candidates Freelancers People around the world Temporary workers The economy