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How to Network Your Way to Hiring Managers

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With multiple changes to LinkedIn, one thing that hasn’t changed is the ability to message fellow Group members directly even if they are 2nd or 3rd-degree contacts. It will also get you around the InMail requirement. This is a great tip for networking your way to hiring managers within your industry.

If you are a member of a LinkedIn Group with the person you’re trying to contact, you can directly send a Message instead of having to send an InMail. But you can only do it from within the Group. When you are within the Group, click on the member’s name and you will see a “Message” button.
If, however, you just search for the same person’s profile (outside the Group), you will see an “InMail” button instead. So if there is someone you want to connect with, first search your Groups and see if you are both members of the same Group.
Speaking of Groups, the link to the Groups page is now harder to find. There used to be an Interests tab on the main menu, and Companies and Groups were under that.
Now, Groups are in the “More” section on the main navigation bar.
The main Search bar is now the “easiest” way to find Companies and Groups, but it’s definitely not as intuitive.
You can also use the direct URL for the Groups page:
Because the “More” tab includes things like “Learning” and “Post a Job,” most casual users are likely to overlook the “Groups” button there.
Have an amazing day.

How To Fix Common Resume Problems And Increase Your Job Search Opportunities

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fix-Microsoft-problems1Due to differences between computer systems and software compatibility issues, you will likely experience formatting issues that cause your Microsoft Word résumé to look different from the Adobe Acrobat PDF file of your résumé.

This is normal in Microsoft Word as the software adapts to the printer and formatting settings on the recipient’s system. Most employers and recruiters are equipped to make the necessary changes to get your file to work with their systems. (If they express formatting concerns to you, you can offer to send them an Acrobat Adobe PDF instead.) Because each user’s system is different, I cannot provide technical support.

I recommend copying the files onto your hard disk and also creating a backup (on CD, DVD, or flash drive). For confidentiality reasons, do not copy these files onto your employer’s computer system.

Using Your Adobe PDF File

You will not be able to make changes from this file; however, if you open it, you will be able to print a copy of your résumé that can be used as an “original” and printed on résumé paper, or the PDF can be used for producing high-quality photocopies, if printed on a laser printer. Double-click on the PDF file. If you do not have Adobe Acrobat Reader, you can download it for FREE from www.adobe.com.

Using Your Microsoft Word Résumé

First, open Microsoft Word on your computer. Then, choose “Open” from the “File” menu and locate the file. Make any changes necessary to correct font substitution and line spacing problems. (See below.) Note: You must have the Microsoft Word software application installed on your computer to manipulate the Word file.

Common Fixes to Problems with Your Word Résumé

  1. After saving the file to your hard drive, open Microsoft Word FIRST. From the “File” menu, choose “Open,” and select the file from where you saved it on your computer.
  2. For font substitutions, highlight the affected text and choose a font from your computer system to use instead. If the font that was substituted is too big (for example, your one-page résumé now runs 1-1/2 pages), go to the “Edit” menu and choose “Select all.” Then choose a smaller font (for example, Times New Roman). See if that fixes the issue.
  3. If the résumé is running just a couple lines onto an additional page (or pages), adjust the document margins. (If the existing margin is 1 inch, change it to 0.9 inches and see if that makes a difference.) If that doesn’t work, change the margins again or choose a smaller font.

Sending Your Résumé as a Microsoft Word E-mail Attachment

Open your e-mail program. Address an e-mail and indicate in the body of the e-mail “Attached is my résumé, prepared in Microsoft Word. If you would prefer to receive my résumé as a text-only file, please contact me.”

Click on the icon to “attach file” and select the file.

Using Your ASCII (Text-Only) Résumé

This is the version of your résumé you should use when you are using a career website that asks you to paste in a copy of your résumé. Have your text-only file open (first open your word processing program or text editor, then choose “open” from the “file” menu). Copy the text from your résumé and paste it into the space provided on the website.

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5 Keys To Help You Prepare for Your Job Search

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growthPreparing for your job search is essential in promoting and supporting your career goals. Here are 5 tips to help you be more successful.
 
The first thing to do is figure out what you want to do next! Define your ideal job. If you don’t know what your dream job looks like, how will you find it?
 
Create a target list of companies you’d like to work for. Figure out what kind of organization you want as your employer. Once you’ve made your list, look for companies that fit your criteria.
 
Update your résumé. Once you know what kind of job you want and what kind of companies you’re targeting, you can focus your résumé on the specific type of position you want.
 
Develop or update your LinkedIn profile. Someone looking for a candidate with your skills and experience might conduct a search on LinkedIn and find your profile. Or someone in your network might be interested in recommending you, and forward your LinkedIn profile URL.
 
Work to build your network — online and off. It’s estimated that 40-80 percent of jobs are found through networking. Grow your network personally and professionally. You never know who will be the person to introduce you to your next job opportunity.
 
Let’s chat about your marketing documents and interview coaching so that you can get the results you’re looking for. Just click here for your free strategy session today!

Applying Online? 5 Tips For A Successful Application

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ATSWhen I was still recruiting the ATS system came out, and man was I glad to have some help scanning the hundreds of resumes that were landing in my inbox! But, as time went on, not all resumes were making it through the system which meant I was potentially losing some great candidates.

Here are tips to make sure you not only make it through the system, but to an actual human.

  • If you are applying online, know that your résumé/application may go through an Applicant Tracking System. More than a fourth of all companies use some kind of ATS. When in doubt, submit an ATS-friendly résumé.
  • When given the choice to upload your résumé or copy-and-paste as part of the online application process, upload a Word file (make sure it’s an ATS-compliant résumé format).
  • Check to see if the online submission form has a character limit before uploading. (For example: “Submissions are limited to 20,000 characters.”)
  • Make sure you’ve customized your résumé for the position, including relevant keywords. A “one-size-fits-all” approach does not work when the company uses an ATS for résumé screening.
  • Be sure to check your email after applying for a position online. Some applicant tracking system software will automatically acknowledge your submission; however, because these are automated responses, the message may be diverted to your spam folder.

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Want the Job? Do These 4 Things Before Your Interview

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successWhat you do before, during, and after the job interview can significantly affect whether you are offered the job. This post is designed to help you maximize your chances of being offered the job you want.

Just like the purpose of the résumé is to get you an interview, the purpose of a job interview is to get you a job offer. The interview helps the decision-maker identify your qualifications for the position, but also assess things like personality, cultural fit, and your ability to do the job.

Before the Interview

First, let’s examine things you can do before the interview to improve your chances of securing a job offer.

Research The Company

Before you apply for a position, you should research the company. Not only will this help you tailor your résumé and cover letter for the job, it will also help you identify the real hiring decision-maker(s) — especially if the job posting directs you to apply to the human resources department.

At a minimum, you should:

  • Review the company’s website.Pay particular attention to the “About Us” page — and, if it’s a publicly-traded company, look at the information for investors. You’ll find a wealth of information about the company’s people, performance, and plans in the company’s reports.
  • Google the company.Conduct both a regular Google search as well as a search on Google News (http://news.google.com/). The Google News search will identify any recent news articles featuring the company. You can also set up a Google Alert (http://www.google.com/alerts) for the company so that you will be notified via email when there is something new about the company online.
  • Assess the company’s social media presence.Check out their Facebook business page, company page on LinkedIn, and/or Twitter account. They may also have a company Google+ page, Instagram account, or Pinterest boards. Take the time to look at what the company posts on its social media accounts. This will help you get an idea of the company culture, and may give you a clue as to how the employees dress, as well as what kind of community involvement the company supports.
  • Check out the company on Glassdoor.com.On Glassdoor, you’ll be able to get “inside” company information from employees and folks who have interviewed at the company. There is no charge to join the site, but the site uses “crowdsourcing” to collect data, so you will be asked to provide information on previous or current employers to add (anonymously) to the Glassdoor database.

Once you have been contacted for an interview, ask for the name of the person who will be interviewing you (if it’s not the person who contacted you to set up the interview).  An easy way to do this is to ask, “Who will be conducting the interview?” You can also ask, “Will anyone else be participating in the interview?”

Make sure you get the correct spelling of the interviewer’s name. Conduct a Google search on this person, and look them up on LinkedIn. If you are going to be interviewed by a committee or group, ask for the names of all participants if possible.This will also give you a list for thank you notes afterwards.
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About Jennifer

Hi, I'm Jennifer Owenby and I'm the founder of ONB Professional Resume Services. A few years ago I was introduced to Dr. Sheri Kay Hoff, a life coach. She continually talked about finding your passion and loving what you do. If you love your work, you're full of passion for life, more energetic and Continue Reading »

F.A.Q.

FAQ's Why do I see a difference in resume prices? Lower cost resume services often outsource your resume and all of your personal information to ghost writers overseas. Unfortunately, the resume results include verbiage that is not consistent with our standard English. The final resumes are cluttered with incorrect words, misspellings, and Continue Reading »

Free Resources

FREE! Get my best-selling EBook concerning salary negotiation FREE! This guide gives you insider information concerning how to answer that pesky salary question "What is your current salary?", how to ask for a raise and get results and much more. Don't back yourself into a corner for lower pay than Continue Reading »