Regular old resumes appear to be for the birds these days. According to Colorado Tech University, the resume you choose needs to include your social networking savvy as well as your standard experience. Their own infographic walks a resume writer through the necessary steps:

Cover letters can be a great way to get your foot in the door at a company that you want to work for.  A cover letter is usually sent in the body of your email with an attached resume when applying for a job.  They tend to be of great importance in this stage of your job search because it highlights your qualifications, skills, and why you would be an asset for the company.  Career Columnist Eve Tahmincioglu, says that cover letters are even more important for social media and tech job seekers. “Today companies want tech employees who are critical thinkers, well-rounded and do more than just tech speak, these things are hard to convey in a résumé.” 

Hiring managers prefer a customized cover letter for a position, because it shows that you are actually applying for thatposition.  Often, job seekers blindly send their resumes out , so taking the time to write a cover letter specific to the job you are applying for shows that you are truly interested in that position!  Also, a lot of times, the first person to see your application is a human resources manager, who may not know much about the computer programs and technical projects on your résumé.  The cover letter can be an opportunity to draw them in with a personal touch.

Cover letters are more important now than ever before because of all the social media platforms out there.  A study shows that 45% of employers are screening social media profiles, and another 11% plan to do the same in the near future.  According to this study, roughly 35% of candidates have not been hired due to content found on their social networking sites.  Due to these statistics, many career experts think sending a cover letter is a crucial step in landing a job these days. 

Mark O’Connor, staffing manager at oil company Tesoro, says he doesn’t read much into cover letters, particularly for tech jobs — but adds that it doesn’t mean applicants shouldn’t bother to send them. “They should be short functional summaries of their relevant experience,” he says.  O’Connor’s team of recruiters focuses on developing relationships with candidates via social networks.  From there, they’re more concerned about the details that lie within the résumé and try to learn more about their past experience.

Here are a few cover letter tips:

• Make sure it’s brief and to the point
• Tell all about your accomplishments
• Be creative and don’t just summarize your resume
• Your letter should serve as an introduction to your resume

In my opinion for all you job seekers, whether you are looking to get a job doing Social Media, IT, or in any other industry, it is important to set yourself apart from everyone else.  Although it’s not necessary to send a cover letter, I do think that is important that you sell yourself by sending a cover letter and tailor it to the specific job you are applying for.  A cover letter is still valuable and can help you by setting you apart from everyone else trying to get an interview for the same position.  Make sure you take the time to research writing a cover letter and do it the right way! 

 If you are interested in career opportunities, make sure to check out our website.

Sources:  http://mashable.com/2011/02/05/cover-letter-tech-jobs/#

                  http://mashable.com/2009/01/05/job-search-secrets/#

What are the qualities of a best friend? Someone who’s always there to help you? Someone who shares your interests? How about someone who can land you a job and help you make lots of money?! Well, your best friend may not be able to do that last one, but I know someone who can…. look no further than the recruiter who’s just a phone call away!

Now I’m not talking about a replacement for that lifetime comrade of yours, what I mean is your best career friend. Joining forces with a recruiter can make your chances of finding your next career opportunity grow by leaps and bounds. That’s because when you choose to work with a recruiter, you’re actually choosing your new best friend for your career! How so?

First off, recruiters can act as your inside source. These individuals stay informed and “on top of their game” because part of their job is to keep up on all of the latest hiring and industry trends and happenings. What’s more, another part of their job is to be directly connected to hiring managers. Recruiters know of positions and openings that aren’t even posted anywhere, so they’ve got the inside scoop and a foot in the door.

Just like your best friend may tell you that one size does not actually fit all, recruiters will pretty much do the same for your career. A recruiter will be straightforward on what kinds of positions are available to you, based especially on your skills and experience. Just remember, they first need to have a clear idea of the details such as what you are looking for, how far you will travel for work, what you are willing to do, etc. Once they’ve got this information, you will find that the recruiter can be your best ally. This is one reason why it’s so important to keep the lines of communication with your recruiter open.  These individuals are willing to do everything in their power to find you the best position out there, so the more details you provide them, the better their search for your perfect position will be.

After recruiters know what you want, then it’s their turn to get you a place with the “in” crowd. Who might that be? Hiring managers galore! You see, recruiters have the connections you need to succeed. Giving you a direct line to hiring managers can save you time and stress. If you’re looking to beat out stiff competition for your dream job, a recruiter is the perfect wingman for getting you noticed.

You may also find yourself needing some reassurance during the job hunt, and that’s okay. Recruiters can provide this in the form of proofreading your resume and other hiring materials. Another set of eyes will ensure your resume and the cover letter are error-free. Of course, it is always recommended that you give your recruiter application materials that have minimal errors to begin with. That way, the recruiter will be able to pick up on any small snags and not necessarily rewrite all of your information.

Now imagine if your best friend got you the chance to interview for the job of your dreams and THEN went a step further and helped you prep for your interview too? This is the goal of the recruiter – to help you with every step of the way! Recruiters work with their candidates to go over things like possible interview questions, wardrobe options, company research and plenty of tips and tricks prior to an interview. That’s because they want to make sure the candidate is as prepared as possible when interview time comes around. Some recruiters (such as those who work at StormStaff) even personally walk candidates in to interviews to make sure the first impression and meeting go seamlessly. Then, recruiters go a step further by calling after the interview to see how everything went!

In the end, recruiters want to build a long-lasting and meaningful relationship with all of their candidates. These individuals want to help their candidates reach their career goals and find positions they will thrive in. Just like a best friend, these recruiters just want to make their candidates happy and put their needs first!

If you’re interested in learning more about working with our recruiters, visit our careers page here.

Age is nothing but another number in the job seeking game!

It seems older job seekers are in limbo during the current economic and hiring landscape. Recent reports from the U.S. Labor Department earlier this month show that unemployment rates are lower for older workers than other age groups. However, that being said, the same report shows that it actually takes these individuals longer to find a new job than any other age group. What does it all mean for the older job seeker in today’s employment landscape?

Older, mature professionals are now job seekers for a number of reasons. Some older job seekers may get discouraged and lose confidence because of their age. However, if you are an older job seeker, stay positive! In today’s evolving job market, not only have the types of jobs out there changed, but so have the individuals who make up the current workforce. Remember that as seasoned professionals, older job seekers are great resources for any company, filled with loads of information and experience!

There are several steps an older job seeker can take to make the most of their job search. First and foremost, take a career inventory. Make a list of all the positions previously held. What tasks were completed? What accomplishments were made? One of the biggest obstacles for older workers is that they may be overqualified for jobs they’re applying to, so try to narrow down experience to what’s really important. Completing this exercise will help get your job search in gear by identifying potential opportunities and serving as a reminder of accomplishments achieved over the years.

As an older job seeker, keep in mind that resume writing may be slightly different. The résumé is a vital tool in the job search and can help any worker articulate the qualifications and experience they can bring to a potential position. Career consultants and advisors suggest that resumes for more mature job seekers tell a story and not just the last job title. What does that mean? Instead of simply listing the last role within the organization, list the promotions along the way. Another consideration to take into account is making the résumé skill-driven and results-oriented, instead of merely providing dates, titles and responsibilities from past positions.

A great way to keep an edge and stay fresh and vibrant in today’s fast paced job hunt is to take advantage of any learning opportunities that are available. Join professional associations, subscribe to trade journals and keep up with innovations and developments in your field as much as possible. Hone your skills or learn new ones. One of the biggest employment obstacles older workers may face is the concern that their skills are outdated and they aren’t willing to learn new ones. So, stress your willingness to learn. If you’ve taken courses and attended workshops, seminars, conferences and other professional development events throughout your career, be sure to tell your prospective employer.

Using these simple tips in your job hunt will not only help you get a better idea of what you want as an older, more mature job seeker but it will also help you better understand what employers are looking for as well. If you would like additional resume tips for more experienced job seekers, along with other advice for your entire job search from start to finish, check out our free Job Seeker’s Guide. Click here to get your copy.

Sources:

SecondAct.com

CNNMoney.com

Syracuse.com

Msnbc.msn.com

I’ll admit it: I’m probably somewhere in the running to becoming LinkedIn’s #1 Fan. I’ve even been known to call LinkedIn “my new best friend” from time to time. Why? In the professional world, LinkedIn can open up a wide range of opportunities. Whether you want to make new connections or just get your name out there, LinkedIn seems to be the best place to do it.

Let me start by saying that there are over 65 MILLION people on LinkedIn. That number includes job seekers, recruiters, hiring managers, executives and regular ol’ joe schmoe’s like me and you. There are tons, and tons, AND TONS of amazing professional opportunities and resources available on LinkedIn.

So, I’ve written this blog post and I dedicate it to all of you out there who may not know, or understand, the power behind a LinkedIn account in your job search. Whether you’re new to the site or a self-proclaimed LinkedIn aficionado, this post is for you.

I’ve compiled a list of my favorite features on LinkedIn that will immediately ease your job search by leaps and bounds, and how you can use them in your job hunt right away:

1. Answers: This is a forum where you can ask questions about any industry or subject and browse questions and answers that others have submitted. You can browse business-related questions from both your network and the greater LinkedIn network. If you want to try posting a question, start off by asking one related to your job search and see what answers you get!
2. Search: Want to be found by recruiters and hiring managers who are searching for people with the required skills, experience and qualifications listed for the jobs they need to fill? Then make sure you’ve created a keyword rich, well-developed profile! Take a moment to look over your resume and pick out keywords that will make your LinkedIn POP out to recruiters and hiring managers. Do you have any certifications? Include those as well. You can also look at other LinkedIn profiles of individuals in your industry for some ideas. What skills, talents and qualifications do they have listed?
3. Status Updates: Status updates go directly to each of your connections’ homepages. If you’re looking for a job, make it your status update! If you’ve done something great in your professional career, write a status update about it too! That way, your connections will have a clear understanding of what you’re looking for and what you’ve been doing lately in your professional career. You can also increase the impact of your status updates by syncing your LinkedIn and Twitter accounts.
4. Connections: On LinkedIn, anytime is a good time to build your network and the opportunities are endless. Try connecting with recruiters and hiring managers immediately after you speak with them so they’ll have you in their network. Stay in touch with former, valued and trusted colleagues for potential future employment relationships. Connecting with other members and building your network can help you increase your visibility, which could lead to several business and job opportunities down the line.
5. Groups: Joining groups on LinkedIn gives you access to view job postings, ask questions, form a dialogue with other group members, etc. Groups can be a powerful medium to find peers in your respective industries that you’d like to network with. Why is this helpful? Not only is it free, but also effective – you’ll get responses from members of the group who already share a similar interest or background element with you. Keep in mind, your messages on these groups can lead to hundreds and thousands of potential opportunities! Find relevant groups to network, including industry-related, local, job seeking/career-related, alumni and recruiting/staffing groups.
6. Inbox/Messaging: I work in the marketing department at my company and I’ll tell you, I get at least a few messages a week from job seekers who ask about positions with our company. What do I do next? I point them in the best direction possible and I let our recruiters know they reached out to me. How is this helpful to the job seeker? If I tell a recruiter someone has contacted me about a job opening, I’ve planted the seed. A recruiter would much rather offer a position to someone who is genuinely interested in the job and shows a little extra initiative. And in today’s economy, you SHOULD be showing some sort of initiative. Getting a job isn’t easy, and if you’re not willing to put in the extra effort, there are thousands of job seekers out there who are.
7. People You May Know: “People you may know” helps you discover potential professional relationships that may be right under your nose! LinkedIn makes it really easy to do this. According to the LinkedIn blog, staying in touch with your current contacts and reconnecting with old or lost ones is a critical part of establishing your professional identity and “People you may know” is a powerful way to find those connections. You can even break down the connections further into a list of people you may know by companies and schools. Make it a habit to page through all of your suggestions on the landing page, and quickly filter them by company or school. If you decide to connect, you may want to add a personal note referencing your history with the contact.
8. Follow companies: LinkedIn recently launched a “follow companies” option, which allows you to keep track of key developments at companies that interest you. This feature allows you to stay in the loop on the latest updates, potential business opportunities and job opportunities by following companies you like. You can even personalize the volume of updates you receive and determine the type, frequency and format of updates for the companies you are following.

So now that you’ve got this list of great LinkedIn features that can make a world of a difference in your job search – use them! The truth is, if you ain’t using LinkedIn for all it’s worth, you ain’t making the most of that job hunt of yours, my friend.

If you want to learn more about what you can do with your LinkedIn profile, you can also check out a nice little one page LinkedIn tutorial we’ve included in our online Job Seeker’s Guide. It’s free and you can get a copy of it here.

What does hiring the wrong person really cost you? More than you think. The U.S. Department of Labor estimates that hiring the wrong entry-level employee costs between $5,000 and $7,000 after three months. Mis-hiring a supervisor that makes $20,000 per year will cost you about $40,000.  Hire the wrong $100,000 per year manager and you’re out about $300,000. Add to this a decrease in employee morale, lost business and dissatisfied customers and you’ve got every hiring manager’s nightmare. So how can you find the right person for the right job? Staffing agencies can get the job done when it comes to meeting your hiring needs. Staffing agencies dedicate all their resources to finding your perfect fit– after all, this is what they do, 100% of the time.

“We know our clients’ time is valuable,” says Kelly Strukoff, Associate Vice President of StormStaff, a San Diego-based staffing firm. “We make it our priority to ensure that our clients get the hiring resources they need on time without sacrificing quality.”

In an economy where time is money and money is scarce, hiring managers can’t afford to make the wrong hiring decisions.  They need to be confident that the position will be filled by the right person the first time around. Working with a staffing firm can save companies time and money and can offer peace of mind, but how do staffing firms guarantee they have the right candidates for your open position?

While some staffing firms take a “one size fits all” approach, many firms work diligently on building long-term relationships with their customers. This allows them to learn the ins and outs of their customers’ businesses and fully understand their hiring needs, down to the smallest details. “At StormStaff, we personalize every aspect of our service because no two clients are the same,” says Strukoff. “We want to know as much as we possibly can about the client – their specific needs, work environment, business goals, everything. This helps us find the right candidate for them instead of just sending over piles of wrong-fit resumes. It’s always quality versus quantity for us.”

In-depth recruiting is also an essential function of staffing firms. Finding the right candidate for a client’s open position means screening, interviewing and evaluating a pool of candidates based on the needs of the client to find a mutually beneficial match. “Candidates are our clients too,” says Alex Silva, a StormStaff Account Manager based in Fort Lauderdale. “We do our best to market their skills and try to find their next career step, not just a job.” Not all staffing agencies invest a high-level of time and energy into the careers of their candidates, but those that do have no doubts that their customers will be fully satisfied with their services. Strukoff adds, “At StormStaff, we are so confident in our candidates that if there is any performance issue at any time, we’ll make a replacement without charging the client for the first week of the transition.” That’s a guarantee that any hiring manager will be happy to hear.

The first half of 2010 has certainly presented a challenging market for job seekers. Recruiters and hiring managers continue to receive hundreds of resumes every day from a large number of qualified and talented individuals applying to a very limited number of openings.  At a time like this, you really need to make yourself stand out if you even want to get noticed. Companies may not be hiring in mass amounts, but they are certainly open to looking for the talent out there. So how can you differentiate yourself among the other candidates? Let your talent shine! Being able to showcase your skills can be extremely important to today’s job seeker. If you’re good at something and you really want the job – push that modesty to the wayside and let your talent be known!

According to a Q2 Job Forecast released by CareerBuilder, more than a quarter of companies surveyed reported they are considering the option of replacing lower-performing employees for top talent. According to the report, more than one quarter (28 percent) of companies said they plan to replace lower-performing employees with higher-performers in the second quarter. This means that candidates who can really show their worth will stick around, but those who can’t cut it may fall on the chopping block. If you think you can fill in those open gaps and spaces as they gradually open up, go for it and do it confidently. That means you need to describe those things about yourself that will showcase your talents, skills and determination. Tailor your application materials to highlight your relevant skills for each opportunity, based on the job description. Employers want to understand why you are the best fit for a particular position, so be ready to provide reasons.

It’s your job to tell recruiters and hiring managers why you are a match for the position. Use facts and examples that support your case. Show them that you not only understand the responsibilities of the position, but how your skills are transferrable. Reference your background and explain how you’ve gained valuable insight that will help you perform that role exceptionally well. You’ll need to convince the recruiter or hiring manager that having you take on this role is the best choice they can make and that you would be a great addition to the organization.

In the end, it will be up to you to clearly show your skills, talents and competencies if you want to land the job. If you would like to learn more about the job hunt, including tips on cover letters and resumes, social networking pages, building your personal brand and more, sign up to receive our free StormStaff Job Seekers Kit by clicking here.

(Photo courtesy of http://www.bnifitzwilliam.com/news.html)