If you’re not receiving the right kind of attention through Social Media, you should change your strategy. You must be able to connect with your Social Media peers. It’s not as simple as it seems and you must be diligent.

Learning on the fly can be hard, but these tips will help you on your way:

1. Update your LinkedIn profile with the most accurate, up-to-date information.

I cannot advocate this enough – you need to a strong representation of your talents, skills and experience in order to have a fully functional LinkedIn account. Review your Summary and Specialties areas with appropriate keywords, phrases and any information prospective employers look for. Have past coworkers give you quality recommendations. Return the favor with similar recommendations from people who have helped you. Build your network by inviting past colleagues and friends who you want to stay connected with.

2. Post your resume to the right online job board.

You want to be highly visible on job sites so that HR managers can find your resume. Some HR managers search job boards, LinkedIn and niche job sites – you need to have your resume in the right place so that when the opportunity comes along you have your resume where people can find it.

3. Update LinkedIn status bar along with your job board resumes.

LinkedIn sends weekly emails to your connections which gives a summary of the activities their connections are involved in. Updating your status allows these connections to know that you are actively looking for a new position.

Recruiters who browse job sites also get weekly updated resume notifications. Whenever you update your resume or save a new one, it gets posted to the job board, allowing HR managers to see your resume more often. Get your name out there!

4. Network!

Talk to your family, friends, colleagues, or anyone. Talk to anyone who might know of an open position with a company you like. You can have them make introductions through LinkedIn to the appropriate person within their company. Many people find their jobs through networking situations, so it’s always a good idea to talk to people and explain that you are interested in their company or open position. Don’t rely on email. You want to be able to actually speak with the right person – putting a face to a voice or an ear to words will go a lot further than simply emailing someone.

5. Create your professional online identity.

This is a combined effort of Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook and Google+ in a coordinated effort to showcase your talents, skills and expertise. Building yourself up online gives you credibility beyond simply seeing a resume. If HR managers can find out pertinent information about you online, it will improve your chances.

Is your current contract about to end?

Your career obviously has options if you’re working on a contract basis, so start searching for the options that fit with your skill set. How many working professionals actually have a clear-cut set path that they would like to follow? How many options do your coworkers have after their job ends?

If you do not have any options once your contract ends, then you need to start developing some career options quick.

Why do you need career options? The job market is tough, but there are still other things that you can do to broaden your horizons. When you have a long-term contract it seems like you don’t need a long list of options, but if you’re working on short-term jobs, then you always have to keep an eye open for something new.

Your career is like a long winding road trip. You may not know the destination but you know where you started from, you know where you want to go, sure there may be detours along the way, but eventually you will want to have a clear destination. If you don’t have all of your options mapped out, then that should be your top goal. So, what are some of your options after your short-term job ends?

1. You could get another short-term contract

If you’ve always had short stays at companies for contract work, then you might be more comfortable working in this manner. This can be a great way to make money and still have your freedom…if you have the stomach for it. And sometimes it can be hard to find another job if your contract ends quickly.

2. Go for a long-term company

If you’re tired of looking for work every 6 months, then why not find a traditional 9 to 5 job? Depending on your chosen field, you could have many different options in a lot of different companies. If you have an accounting degree you’re basically set to work at any company, as long as they need someone to do their taxes, then you’re their person.

3. Try a different profession

What if you feel stagnant during your current work? It doesn’t mean you have to swear off that type of work forever, but you might want to consider a change of scenery. Moving to a different position within your short-term contract employer may provide other options.

4. Extending your contract

If you and your contract employer have a solid working relationship and you like where you’re at, then why not stay there? They obviously could use your talents, so talk to the HR manager about what can be done.

Having many interviews with nothing to show for it can be one of the most frustrating things to have to go through.

You might need to take some time and evaluate your job interviewing process – from everything to your preparation to following up. How much effort do you put into preparing for your job interviews? Do you do your research before the interview and review questions that you might be asked? Your interviewing skills are important, you have to make a good impression when you first meet the interviewer. You have to have a solid connection – with a strong handshake, solid eye contact, and an inviting smile.

One thing to do is bring in samples of your previous work. A portfolio, with supporting documentation, is an excellent way to sell yourself to an interviewer. Make sure to ask questions about the company and the position, you have to be interested in the position or it will show through to the interviewer. There is a lot of gray area when interviewing. You don’t want to overstep your bounds but you also want to show that you have a personality to match your resume. What about after the interview? Do you thank the interviewer or send out a thank you letter afterwards? Following up was once the key to landing a job – now there are many different factors at play.

There are companies that will call all of your references and there are some that will not think twice to hire your without references. If you think your references are holding you back from finding a job, then evaluate your references and see how you can beef them up. Make sure that you ask someone before you put them down as a reference, the last thing you want is having a supervisor from 3 years ago get a call about you and have no idea who you were. If you have references that are not related to the job you’re applying for, you need to update them to match your desired position. Many of these companies will not hire someone if they have old references or if their references don’t match the desired position. Having your McDonalds manager from college as a reference will probably not do much for you when you’re trying to get that CPA job.

Be smart about your references and only use the ones that will benefit you the most. Think about who’s on your references; would any of them have a difficult time explaining you or your past duties? Your references may be holding you back, so evaluate them and see if you can come up with references who will make you shine.

We’ve all worked with really talented people we thought would never leave the company – not because they didn’t want to leave – some do.

Some job seekers do not want to overstate their accomplishments or qualifications or seem boastful, so they paint a picture to prospective employers that they are not as amazing at their job as they really are.

Instead of being one of those people who’s afraid of change, you can use power words in your resume to take ownership of the many successes you’ve had at your past jobs. It’s not like you’re lying on your resume – far from it – you’re just highlighting (in a profound way) your accomplishments in order for them to sound more appealing to the reader.

It’s time to stop taking the backseat to your insecurities and fix your resume so that you can take your career to that next level.

One way is to use more descriptive words when describing your past accomplishments. Instead of saying on your resume, “I organized the file cabinet.”, say something like, “Devised a system of organization which led to increased worker awareness, reduced downtime and saved XYZ Company over $200,000 a year.” Both sentences are true, but the revised one really showcases what you did, how it benefited the company and the employees. Plus, it just sounds more impressive!

It’s also very important to use quantifiable statements and numbers about the contributions you made at your previous employers. These statements lend an air of credibility to your resume and give the HR Manager a glimpse into what types of budgets, figures and time frames you’re capable of succeeding with. These statements could involve how your job efforts:
■increased revenue for the 3Q by XXX dollars or percentage
■helped the company reduce costs and saved them XX dollars as a result of improved processes
■trained XX employees in a new programming language, which resulted in the company saving XX dollars, improved customer service, etc…

But, how can adding power words and quantifiable statements on your resume contribute to your job search?

It’s not just about showing how you saved the company money, improved processes, or trained new employees. It’s about putting value in yourself as an employee and showcasing what you’ve done in a way that allows HR Managers to quickly see how you could benefit their company.

If you want to improve your resumes vocabulary, go to www.thesaurus.com and spice up your resume with stronger words. Just be sure not to overdo it. You want to sound professional, not like you just tossed in some “2-dollar” words to sound smart.

Your goal is to sell yourself –and your resume is your best tool for making sure you succeed in your job search.

Instead of getting discouraged by the lack of response to your resume….get busy!

There are a myriad of tactics and tools you can use to improve your resume and not all are painful or require a lot of redo to your resume. The thing is – they can help you get a job and isn’t that what you want?

So how do you go about fixing your resume quickly?

1. Delete your objective.  Many companies do not care what you want. It’s a sad truth but one that have to live with. Removing your objective gives more space for you to focus on skills that the employer craves.
2. Add a straightforward statement that explains why you are uniquely qualified for the position.  Such as:Proven Marketing Leader with Far Reaching Corporate ExperienceMake sure that your statement is true and matches your job description. The last thing you want to do is make yourself out to be something that you’re not. HR Managers hate this, especially if you use a headline in your resume. But, if done correctly a statement helps recruiters immediately see that you are what they’re looking for in a candidate.
3. Include a summary of skills (keyword bulleted list) -especially if you have skills related to the open position. But, also include things like certifications, features you have, language skills and any technical abilities that would set you apart from your peers. Do you understand Linux or can you program C++? Then add that on your resume. Any skills that you possess should be showcased because it gives you extra value to the employer. You may not need those skills but it’s good to have them on your resume.
4. Look through job descriptions in order to identify keywords companies are looking for on your resume. This sounds trickier than it actually is but there’s a site called www.wordle.net. There you can copy and paste the job description and it will give you a simple, easy to read explanation about the keywords that your prospective employer is looking for. Keywords help your resume stand out and if a company sees that your resume has the needed keywords, you stand a better chance of landing the job. Adjust your resume according to the keywords and to match the description of the job.
5. Replace weak words and statements with Power Words. Instead of saying “Contributed to the company newsletter,” write, “Managed the award winning Vista monthly publication, the flagship magazine of Made-Up Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of silicon diodes.” Both statements may be true but the second one carries a lot more weight and showcases your talents. Make sure your statements are said with power.

The job market is tough right now, so you have to take advantage of any opportunity. Do not let one slip by because your resume is not up to par. Next month check out more tips on how to improve your resume and get noticed!

Leaving an interview knowing that you did not do everything in your power to get it can be demoralizing.

There are some things you should examine about your resume and how you showcase yourself. Here are some tips to updating your resume and getting that job interview to go in your favor.

1. Include your contact information whenever you send out emails. A quick fix, adding an email signature.

2. Forgetting to attach your resume or documents to your emails. As soon as you write, “attached” make sure you attach the document. Gmail actually has a function that asks if you want to attach something when you write “attach”.

3. Sending an email before you’re ready. Try sending it to yourself before sending it to HR managers. This way you can proof your email and make sure that it’s exactly what you want to send.

4. Leaving odd, incomplete or incoherent phone messages. Nothing sounds worse than being rushed or fumbling through your words as you leave a message, “”Umm, Hi. What? Oh, Hi, this is John…” What if the voicemail server doesn’t have a redo function? Now you look a little silly. Speak slowly so that you can gather your words and leave a smart, coherent message. Leave your name at the beginning and end with your name and phone number.

5. Lying on your LinkedIn or Facebook profiles. Saying that you’re a consultant when you’ve been out of work for 2 years does not look good. People will think you’re employed and look over you for prospective positions. Instead, say that you’re looking for “new opportunities” or “a change of pace”.

6. Not telling people that you are looking for a job. Send an email to your friends and family and let them know that you’re actively seeking a job. You would be surprised at the amount of people who will come to you with new opportunities. Update your LinkedIn profile to let people know that you are looking for a job. The more people who know that you’re looking, the higher your chances of landing a job.

7. Forgetting to use your most current email address. Many people leave older email address on their resume and fail to check their mail as they move on to new servers. You can solve this problem by email all of your contacts from your new email address, as well as updating your resume with the most up-to-date information. Make sure your online profiles include your email address as well.

8. Check your email messages for grammar or spelling errors. Nothing is worse than crafting a thought out email, sending it and then realizing that you’ve misspelled “Marketnig”. It’s a dead giveaway that you do not possess the eye for detail you claim. Spell check before you send that message.

Retooling your job search can be a daunting experience.

So, how do you retool your resume? You have a lot of options, so before you start changing your resume try out a few other options first. One thing you can do is go back to school or get more training. But, you should do a self-assessment and see if this would actually be beneficial to you, work with a career counselor and let them help you to the right path. Look around and see what kind of options you have, don’t panic and just try to examine your situation. Then you can begin to retool your job search.

1. Start with what you enjoy

Do you have a long lost passion that you wish you had embarked on? Maybe it was teaching skiing lessons in Colorado, who knows, but just start with what you enjoy. Perhaps there’s a job related to your hobby that you would enjoy. It could be a completely different field than what you’ve ever worked in, so take a look around and don’t limit yourself. Maybe it’s time to get out there and try your luck.

2. Find a list of potential employers

There are always options out there, especially if you’re in a large city. You can find a multitude of positions that would fit your job search choice. But, try to reach out a little past your current job and find something that is different or that would excite you. Put this list together because you’re going to need it.

3. Start retooling your resume

This is definitely key. Start creating your resume to send to these potential employers, but make sure that you emphasize different aspects of your career that would be beneficial to your prospective employer. You should consider getting some help from a professional resume writer, they can take a drab old resume and create the right blend of personality and accomplishments.

4. Send out your resume to your list of employers

Starting sending that new resume out! You have to get your name out there right? So what are you waiting for, you all ready have a list of potential employers, so what’s stopping you? It’s time to get the word out about you!

5. Starting calling people back

After sending out your resume, hit the phones hard. Don’t just sit back and wait for the employer to call you, be aggressive, show them that you want this position and that you are right for it. If you’ve tooled your resume correctly towards your new career path and showed the desire to learn, then you can have the job that you want.

We had a recent blog post that asked the question, “What type of resume gets a better response – a chronological resume (that lists out accomplishments from each position) or a hybrid resume (that places accomplishments in one place and list positions under a separate headline–or a mix of that)?”

What do you think? What’s your opinion on the matter and do you have any tips for maximizing your resume?

We can look at statistics to see that the average HR manager looks over a resume in about 10-15 seconds. So, a hybrid resume where your accomplishments are listed in one area and job listings in another may work to draw attention since the reader can skim your highlights and skills right upfront. If they like what they see, then your chances of them reading further increase. But, if they have to browse to find your qualifications, they will move on to the next resume. Your choice of resume could change depending on what you type of position you’re applying for. Does your field deal heavily in accomplishments or with experience? Look and see what type of requirements are involved before sending your resume.

Of course there are pros and cons to both. One person responded that they found chronological resumes to be the most requested type by companies hiring, and basing their decision off of that, they believe that it’s the most effective form (this is what I hear often as well). If it’s what the company wants, then that’s what you should give them. Also, they believe that a capabilities resume does not do enough to showcase, specifically, what type of work (or the experience level) you had with your past jobs. Some point to chronological resumes being a little to heavy on text, making it hard to get a clear picture of your past. You want to showcase what you’re qualified to do, so find a way that works with your skills. It’s not a bad thing to combine resume types as well.

The important thing is finding a job. That’s the bottom line. Whatever resume type you choose to use, recruiters will see that you are the most complete choice for the position. A great resume can make it easier to find a job.

Resume Best Practices (at a glance)

Hybrid Resume
• Make sure to mention which company you achieve great results – “Reduced overhead by $X for McDonalds Worldwide, LLC.” It frustrates readers if they don’t know where you did what.
• When you make mention of past companies, include information so that they can get a sense of the company’s size and scale, including how your position affected the company, assuring that your involvement was really meaningful.

Chronological Resume
• If you’ve had a lot of jobs, you may want to summarize your earlier info. You don’t need to put work history from the 1980′s and early 90′s on it. Too many jobs looks like you can’t sit still, plus summarizing some of your earlier stuff adds interest and breaks the monotony of job after job after job.
• Add key accomplishments to grab HR manager’s interest.

Many job seekers stress over cover letters more than they do their own resumes

When you first enter the job market (most of us at around 21 years of age) don’t know how important cover letters are for you, much less how to write one that sells you. Many people are not aware of the benefits that a simple, well-crafted cover letter to a prospective employer can have. They introduce you to your prospective employer, but also they give a glimpse of your personality.

Just a few weeks into your job search, you will realize that a well-crafted cover letter is not an option, it’s a necessity. Through the support of a professional resume and cover letter writer, you can finally have the cover letter that sells your individual personality and traits. If you have a cover letter, it could always use another eye on it in order to see where you can make changes or additions. You want to sell yourself in your cover letter, your resume speaks to what type of experience and qualifications you have, that’s why it’s important to have a cover letter that sets you apart.

But, just having one is usually not enough. After a few weeks or months of unanswered applications and fruitless job searches, you begin to come to a final conclusion.

When you, or your cover letter writer, writes your first letter, the primary focus is on presentation and the format. How long should the cover letter be? Where to assign the date? What type of font is right for my cover letter? But, throughout you want to focus on one thing – quality content. If your cover letter is full of buzz words or just inane babble, then it’s not worth the paper it’s printed on.

It’s always important to remember, before you start writing, that content is king. It’s fairly easy to lose sight of what’s important and lose focus instead of paying attention to what’s important. That doesn’t mean that there are not guidelines to follow, but your cover letter writer can help you deal with the details. You do not want to have spelling or grammatical errors in your cover letter. That’s an instant turn off to any prospective employer. Remember that the main point of your cover letter is to get noticed and sell yourself.

I couldn’t believe my eyes when I read this post from Resume Bear, “20 Things Job Seekers Shouldn’t Say on Twitter”.

Not sure what people are thinking these days, but one thing is crystal clear to me, they will be polishing off their resumes soon. Do they think that no one in their company is on Twitter or Facebook? That no one else has any online savvy? Sheesh! People are listening. We hear stories of people getting fired all the time for what they write on social networking sites. Maybe some are saying it as a joke, or to impress friends, but whatever the reason, their boss is FOR SURE going to find it and reprimand them (embarrassing!) or fire them (good luck!).

So, even if you have heard it time and again from friends, colleagues, the news, whatever, you better think twice before you post on Facebook or Twitter how you stole from the company, are still hungover from last night, or are reading your boss’ mail. Because it’s not going to have a happy ending.