By Andrew C. Abraham

I was always very ambivalent to the advantages of entering into a sales position upon graduation, but I soon realised how these skills are applicable to all aspects of my life. I remember shortly after being promoted to sales manager, I was training a group of newbies on the sales methodology of our company, citing different non-professional life situations where sales acumen was advantageous to succeed – picking up the opposite sex in a bar, meeting your in-laws for the first time, negotiating a pay rise, pitching to investors…the list is endless. Job hunting is no different, and job-seekers can learn many qualities that successful salespeople possess.

1.   Salespeople create value: If you were to ask many people what they believe to be the most important characteristic of a salesperson, they might say “persuasion” or the “gift of the gab” or “persistence”. While these are important, the fundamental ingredient is creating value for the client. A great salesperson creates a perceived value that justifies purchasing their product or service. Job-seekers need to do the same and demonstrate they can add value to a company that outweighs the cost of purchasing their labor. After all, a position is available so the company can solve a problem, not because they want to increase their headcount.

2.   Salespeople focus on benefits, not features: Creating value therefore switches the focus from yourself to the employer. The product that I used to sell was a media monitoring service that helped companies track press mentions online. The software came with some fancy analysis and distribution tools that were useful also. One of my colleagues was a master salesman. He consistently exceeded his monthly targets and appeared in the top ten list of salespeople within the company globally. If you ever listened to him on the phone, you’d understand why so many clients had bought from him. He never focused on the myriad of great features, but rather the benefits that one or two of them would add to the client’s operation. As a job-seeker it’s important you don’t just list your achievements to future employers, but focus on a specialized skill-set that will unequivocally benefit them.

3.   Salespeople handle objections: I don’t recall one sale I ever made where everything ran completely smoothly and the customer didn’t require any convincing whatsoever – “Yes Sir, your product is great, don’t bother about telling me the rest, I’m sold”. If only life was so simple. The truth is that in every sale and every interview, you’ll face objections. The customer is always looking for reasons not to purchase something and the best salespeople overcome these objections resoundingly. Objections should not be viewed as a negative sign though! Oh no, on the contrary, objections are a “buying signal.” It usually means that the customer is considering your offer but needs to be assured before proceeding. Therefore, if your interviewer ever confronts you about your lack of experience, or apparent job hopping, be ready to smash the objection back over the net!

4.   Salespeople are succinct: They don’t ramble, they articulate value in the fewest words possible. Do I really need to say much more about this one?

5.   Sales people are persuasive: Yes, the power of persuasion works! A great salesperson is able to clinch a deal, just when the customer is about to walk away. Through solid arguments or sound reasoning, they can coax a customer into a purchase at the very last minute or when doubt tops confidence. We used to have job-seekers undertake a little exercise when they were interviewing for our International Management Trainee program. At the end of the personal interview we’d ask candidates to stand up and convince us in thirty seconds why they were the best person for the job. Often, if the candidate was persuasive enough, we would overlook other indiscretions that occurred beforehand.

6.   Salespeople are good story-tellers: Nothing beats anecdotal advice when it comes to convincing others of your argument. If you’re selling skincare products for example, you can praise the effects of clearer, moister skin, or you can tell buyers the story about how one of your regular customers is often confused as her daughter’s older sister. As a job-seeker, telling a hiring manager that you’re a team-player might help your cause, but telling them about the time you worked 28 hours straight with a team to meet a deadline has so much more impact. People don’t just want to hear about what you can do but rather how you’ve done it before. Stories are the best way to communicate your message.

7.   Salespeople are good conversationalists: You might have heard the saying, “People buy People first”, well it’s true when you consider consumer psychology. It doesn’t matter how great your product is, if people don’t like you, they won’t buy from you. Salespeople have a knack for building a rapport with people by getting to know them. There were so many times where I was demonstrating our website on the phone to people and the pages would take ages to load. In these times I needed to be equipped with enough conversational material to get me through to the continuation of the demonstration. A good conversation illustrates that you care about bonding with the person on more than just a business level. Job-seekers should be able to make smalltalk with hiring managers in the same regard, such as immediately prior to and after the interview. Once you leave, the interviewer should be left with a feeling of “Hey I liked that guy!”

8.   Salespeople can take rejection: Let’s face it, you’re probably not going to get the first job that you applied for. I remember I was rejected from McDonalds when I was 15 (I still don’t know why, but that’s besides the point anyway) and there have been many other instances where I wasn’t the lucky candidate. Salespeople understand that it’s a numbers game, and success will elude us unless we persevere. For every sale you make, you’ll face at least 9 rejections. The odds are just as bad for job-seekers. Staying motivated when every employer so far has declined your candidature is difficult, but necessary. Conveying a sense of desperation comes across as too strong, so it’s important to be resilient and understand rejection is a part of the game.

Overall, sales skills aren’t just useful for job hunting but they transcend to other areas also. Perhaps I should recommend job-seekers to pursue sales positions initially to be armed with these skills for subsequent career moves?

What other skills can we learn from salespeople that also aid job-seekers? Interested to hear your thoughts too. Cheers.

About the author: Andrew is Founder of Gradkin, a Branding and Networking platform to connect Candidates with Employers. Please share your thoughts on his careers blog at http://blog.gradkin.com. He offers a unique perspective on Gen-Y, being one himself and having recruited and managed this generation. His previous positions in Sales, Communications and Human Resources have given him an insight into understanding what truly motivates this new generation of Millennials.

Currently, the U.S. unemployment rate is at 9.5% and thousands of job seekers are in search for jobs.  Even if you currently have a job, you may be thinking that now might be the time to start looking again.  I have been interviewing candidates for the past two years for my company and have seen job applicants do the right things and the wrong things.  Here is my best advice on how to ace your next interview:

1. Prepare: Be early, know exactly how to get to the interview and make sure you allow enough time for traffic.  Arrive calm, relaxed and don’t forget to eat beforehand!  My first interview lasted 4 hours because I had to interview with 5 different groups of people.  I had no idea it would take that long and I was famished at the end!
2. Be Confident: Walk into the interview like you will get the job.  Imagine a scale of a 1-10 and walk in feeling like an 8-10. Show enthusiasm and interest about the job and let them know that you want it.  It is a red flag to the interviewer if you don’t seem interested.
3. Ask: Always come prepared with a few questions to ask at the end of an interview.
4. Practice: Do a google search for sample interview questions and prepare answers for all of the questions.  In one of my classes in college, we had to stand up in front of the class and the Professor randomly picked from the list of sample interview questions.  We had to respond to each of the questions in front of the class.  It is amazing how I can now quickly come up with an example for most questions just because I prepared the answers.  You may not get these exact questions but I guarantee that you will be prepared for any question.  Also, before going to the interview, review the job description and know how your experiences match each qualification. Be prepared to give examples!
5. Have a conversation: Know that not everyone who interviews you will be testing your knowledge and skills.  Some people interview employees for the sole purpose of seeing if the person is a team player and if they can see themselves working with the person in the future.  This is why it is important to think of it as having a conversation.  Also, don’t assume that the person with the highest role will be making the decision. Input from everyone may be taken into consideration as to who will get the job.
6. Relax: Ever had to do a panel interview?  Don’t let them intimidate you!  In my industry, we have a lot of stress and pressure placed on us by the client so a panel interview helps us see how the person will be able to communicate to the client under pressure.  If you think panel interviews are terrible, just think about how much faster you will get out of the interview by doing it as a group rather than an interview with each person answering the same questions over and over!
7. Thank: Ask for business cards at the end so that you can send a thank you email.  I am shocked by how few people actually follow through with this because it is so important.

Good luck to you on your next interview!   You will nail it!  What is your best interview advice?

About the author: Classy Career Girl is a consultant at by day and a MBA student by night.  She blogs about her journey through business school while working full time and loves researching and writing about career advice, work-life balance and stress management.  You can read more about journey on her website www.classycareergirl.com

By Phil Rosenberg

Most job seekers leave their recommendations up to chance when careful planning can help you tell the most important parts of your story to a potential employer.

The extent of most candidates’ reference planning stops at asking prior bosses, peers and clients to give a reference. While it’s polite to ask your reference first, it’s just not enough.

Do you know exactly what the reference is going to say to a potential employer? Since this is something you can control, why leave it up to chance?

Why Manage References?

Most candidates leave the content of their references up to chance because they don’t know what their references are saying… placing their faith that it will be something “positive.”

Just because a reference is positive, doesn’t mean it provides the help (or the right type of help) that you may need.

1. ”Positive” references come in many flavors: Will your reference give you just an OK ref, a good ref, or a truly great reference? The difference between these types of “positive” references can be communicated by tone, pacing, enthusiasm, and word choice. Do you know how “positive” of a reference you are being given (may not correlate to the positive reviews you got)?
2. References each tell a part of your story: A “positive” reference may naturally talk about the same aspect of your performance as the rest of your references. On one hand, it’s nice that everyone says the same thing, but it limits the outside corroboration that references provide your personal story. You’re typically better represented if each reference focuses on a different skill that you bring to an employer. Often the references you choose truly want to help, but don’t know what to say that will help you.
3. Reference doesn’t know what’s important to the company: Will your reference choose to talk about what a great team player you were, not realizing you are interviewing for a role where individual contribution is more important than collaboration? Will your well-meaning reference talk about the great job you did as a generalist, when your prospective employer is looking for specific subject matter expertise?

Most candidates leave these types of issues with references up to chance. Since there is so much out of your control in job search, isn’t it in a candidate’s best interest to actively manage the things they can control?

Now that you realize some of the risks of unmanaged references, let’s talk about how to manage your references.

How to manage references:

Managing references can be uncomfortable for many candidates. After all, many of your references are people you used to work for, and who are doing you a favor.

How can you manage your references, without feeling like (or appearing like) you’re telling your former boss what to do?

1. When you ask for the reference: Ask on the phone or in person, not through email. Have a conversation, explain your situation, ask for their advice. Chances are the people you are asking to serve as a reference were at one time mentoring you and taking an active interest in your career. Towards the end of the conversation, after they have agreed to serve as your reference, also ask your reference if they would be so kind as to focus on specific accomplishments or skills you exhibited when you worked for them. This not only serves as a reminder (it may have been a while since you were a direct report), you can also let them know that you have other references covering different areas of your experience.
2. Follow up before each anticipated hiring manager call: When you expect that a specific company will call for a reference, make a call to your reference (an email is acceptable here) reminding them that they agreed to be a reference. Make sure they are available (not out of town), and give them a heads up (so they will know the employer call isn’t a sales call). Take the opportunity here to suggest the reference can help you by fine tuning the message – mention that the company is looking for ways to cut costs, so mentioning some of the process improvement projects that you led and the savings you generated would be a big help.
3. Don’t try to put words into your ref’s mouth: Suggesting topics and areas of hiring manager interest is OK, scripting words for the reference is not. Telling your reference exactly what you want them to say can have unfortunate results – if it comes across as scripted or unnatural to the employer, recruiter, or HR staff, the reference (and therefore you) can lose credibility. Worse, a reference may resent this or may feel it’s unethical, potentially alienating an ally.
4. Make sure you know how they answer the most important question: “If you had a need for someone with X’s skills, would you hire them again?”

By the time an employer or recruiter calls your references, you are being seriously considered for a position, often a finalist… or THE finalist. References that unknowingly change the employer’s perception of you can kill your chances for the job – even if your reference had the best of intentions.

By knowing what your references are likely to say and offering hints of what an employer is seeking can help you guarantee that you’re getting the maximum help from your references.

Do you know exactly what your references are saying about you?

About the author: Phil Rosenberg is President of reCareered, a career coaching service and website.  Phil runs the Career Change Central group, one of Linkedins largest groups for job seekers.  An active blogger about social media and career change, Phil’s articles have been republished by Business Week, The Wall Street Journal, AOL, FastCompany, CIO, ZDnet, The Examiner and the leading job/career/recruiting sites.  Phil can be contacted at phil.reCareered@gmail.com.

Every day, millions of Americans feel unhappy and stuck in their present job situation. Are you one of these individuals? It may feel overwhelming at first, but keep your hopes up – there are other job opportunities available for you out there! If you put in the right efforts for your job search, you’ll find the right job. After all, both you AND your employer deserve to be happy! So what can you do to get a start on your new job hunt?

Here are some tips to help you get out of your rut and help you find a job that you really want:

1. Keep your current job and your job search 100% separate of each other. Your current employer is still paying you, so do not look for work while you’re at work. This may sound obvious to some of you, but you’d be surprised how many people spend their time in the office job searching. Instead, use your own time, such as breaks, lunch hours or time at home, to do anything related to your job search. Along those same lines, do not discuss your job search with co-workers. Use your personal e-mail when sending out resumes and applications and if you receive any job search related phone calls while you’re at work, take them away from the office to avoid someone overhearing you.

2. Build up a network. Networking is important when finding a new job. Where can you start? Consider joining professional organizations, attending luncheons or community meetings. You may also want to consider joining professional networking sites like LinkedIn.com, which can provide easy opportunities to network with other professionals in your industry. Be careful what you post online, though. If you’re connected to your co-workers, it’s best to refrain from posting any negative comments about your current job situation or commenting about your job search at all.

3. If you’re worried that avoiding your current employer as a job reference will harm your chances of getting an offer, just explain to the prospective employer that you want to keep your job search confidential. You can always look back to previous employment for references. Remember that a reference does not necessarily have to be a former boss, as well. References can include former coworkers, teachers, mentors, business contacts or a representative involved with any professional organization or volunteer group that you are involved with. As long as your reference can speak about your work ethic, enthusiasm, drive and accomplishments, you will have nothing to worry about.

4. Make it a habit to note daily tasks as you complete them. This will make updating your resume much easier when it comes time to apply. Keeping track of the tasks that you complete as you complete them would be best because they’re still fresh in your mind. To do this, you may want to keep a notebook where you can set aside a short 5-10 minutes during the day to write down these tasks. You’ll also want to keep track of any particular circumstances where you have done exceptionally well. If you’re not sure what that means, it would be things like getting special recognition from an executive level manager, taking on more responsibility or doing something that resulted in higher profit for your organization. These kinds of events are definitely something you’ll want to further discuss with the potential employer, so tracking them as they happen will make it that much easier when the time to interview comes along.

5. Finally, you may want to consider working with a recruiter for a number of reasons. If you’re in a bind for time, working with a recruiter can cut your job search time in half by finding the jobs that would be the best fit for your qualifications and personality. If you find a good fit, a recruiter can line up interview times for you and help prepare you for the actual interview itself. Recruiters also have access to certain positions that are not posted online, so they may be able to find something even better than you would’ve found on your own! To contact one of our SkillStorm recruiters who can help you with your job search, click here.

Sources:

Tips for Job Searching While You are Employed – About.com

Working on Your Executive Resume While Still Working – Buzzle.com

Ah, summer, what power you have to make us suffer and like it.”

–Russell Baker, American journalist and humorist

Monday marked the official start of the summer and while most of us may be concerned with losing a few extra pounds around our midsection or toning up our pecks before hitting the shores this season, this might not be the only shaping up that needs to happen.

This summer, treat your resume like you do your bathing suit bod and you will find much more ease with your job search! You may want to evaluate your current situation and determine the best strategy to boost your chances of getting a call back. Depending on where you stand, you may find yourself bulking up, slimming down or simply just toning up your resume a bit over the summer:

Need to bulk up: Is your resume looking a little bare? Need to beef it up? If you need to add to your resume, you may want to consider doing some volunteer work at local charities, alumni associations, community groups, professional interest groups, etc.

Volunteer work gives you a chance to gain important workplace skills and some extra experience. You can take it a step further by getting involved on the leadership level of an organization! Consider an elected or appointed position, the Board of Directors or possibly acting as a community advocate. Getting involved in higher levels of volunteer-based organizations will not only show you are self-motivated but will also let potential employers get to know a little more about what your passions are. Not to mention that volunteering can also lead to good job references and loads of networking opportunities.

Another way you can bulk up your resume would be taking additional courses and certifications. They may require a bit of a time commitment but you’ll be able to attend them at most local community colleges and educational facilities. Listing additional courses and certifications on your resume show you have some initiative, something all employers are looking for in potential employees.

Slim Down: Feel like you’ve got too much weight carried around on your resume? Is it bogging you down? Slimming down your resume may be just the trick, but it can be hard to do. We’ve all felt the need to include as much as possible on our resume, but in fact, you may end up jeopardizing your chances by including too much. The most important thing you can do on your resume is to have clearly described your skills and strengths. If you’ve done this and get asked in for an interview, feel free to go in depth at that time. So make sure you trim the fat. Avoid long lists of duties for jobs you’ve held and keep it to the facts that emphasize your accomplishments and successes. The most important thing you can do to keep a lean, mean resume is to keep it straight forward and concise.

As a rule of thumb for your resume, try to remember that less can actually be more!

Side note: If you are a more experienced job seeker and need to trim down your resume, a good way to do this (as well as prevent any possible age discrimination) could be leaving off the year you graduated from college. You may also leave off older work experience as well.

Just a little tone up: Some of you may only need a few touch-up revisions to your resume. If this is you, congratulations on winning half the battle! As you tone up your resume, you’ll want to make sure to look over your resume for keywords. These keywords will be crucial in grabbing a hiring manager’s and recruiter’s eye. If you want to spark up interest, you’ll want to make sure you’ve got keywords scattered throughout your resume. Take a look at job postings in your field to determine some of the common keywords that you should include in your resume. If you find a job you’d like to apply for and the posting lists certain skills that are required to apply, make sure you include those on your resume, too (as long as they are valid, of course).  You may also want to consider adding a brief “special skills” section in addition to employment history. This can be a collection of the words that best summarize your experience and skills. Lastly, if you’ve trained and worked with certain computer programs (for ex. Adobe Photoshop or Microsoft Excel), particularly if it’s unique and/or relevant to your profession, make sure you detail them as well.

Follow these tips and you’ll find yourself ready to beat the summer heat and feel your best throughout your entire job seeking process!

Sources:

Want to land an interview? Bulk up your resume with keywords! – ExecuSearch group

How to bulk up your resume – ehow

Opportunities to add keywords to your resume – Quintessential Resume Resumes and Cover Letters Tips

With the onset of the 2010 World Cup quickly approaching, many of us will find ourselves glued to the TV as we watch and cheer on our favorite soccer teams from around the globe. Players will bring fierce competition to the pitch as they strive to beat out international opponents for the coveted gold cup.

In many ways, the job seeking process can be compared to our favorite World Cup soccer teams. In the job hunt, the job seeker can take on the positions of various players as each represents a different stage of the process.  Let’s take a moment to go through the different team positions and how they represent the levels of your job search, and what you should be doing at each stage you follow through:

Step 1 of the job hunt: You are the Goalkeeper

As a goalkeeper, you’re somewhat safe in home territory. Being in this position can be helpful at the beginning of your job search, because you’re at a point where you can step back and assess the current situation right in front of your eyes. This is the best spot to be in when you’re doing research and working on your hiring materials, such as writing your cover letter, updating your resume or filling out an application. It is also a good time to consider devising a strategy or some tactics to make the most of your job search.

Step 2 of the job hunt: Moving on to the Defensive Level

The next thing you’ll want to do is take on the role of defense. As a defender, your main task is to show that you’re willing to beat out the competition, why you’re the best fit for the employer and that you really, really want the job. Sure, there may be other good candidates out there, but at this stage, you should be able to defend your value and prove that YOU are the best choice. You can do this in a number of ways, including simply taking a proactive approach by contacting and introducing yourself to recruiters or hiring personnel to show your interest. Many job seekers wait it out for a job opening or wait for recruiters to seek them out, but taking this first step will give you an extra edge over those candidates who remain passive.

Step 3 of the job hunt: The most important level at Midfield

Just like in any actual soccer game, the midfield level often involves the most work because they play both offense and defense. The most important role you will play on your job seeking process will be at this level. The midfield (middle ground) is the link between all of your efforts and the best stage to set up the scoring opportunities that will later result in scoring the goal.

This is probably the stage where your interview will happen. The interview can be one of the most crucial parts to the entire process. You may have already given some reading material to the interviewer, but the actual interview itself can help a hiring manager determine and solidify their decision. This includes any personality assessments, determining your fit in a particular work environment, answering any outstanding questions, etc.

Final Step of the job hunt: Bringing it home as a Forward

Imagine this: the game is tied at Nil on the 89^th minute and you’ve got one chance to make the shot. You’ll want to make sure you’ve set yourself up on the pitch and created the best opportunity to score, right? Same thing goes for the job seeking process. When your interview is over, try to find a way to stand out over other prospective employees so that you know you’ve given yourself the absolute best chance at landing the job. Make sure you have the best contact information and send a thank you letter to the interviewer. This small gesture can make a world of a difference. Even if you don’t get the job you interviewed for, this kind of good etiquette could actually end up opening other doors and leading to other potential opportunities down the line!

Wherever you are in the job search, remember that you need to maintain your focus on the end goal. Just as in soccer, there is no such thing as a fixed space or exact timeline, so keep in mind that you may interchange positions and roles according to the flow of the game (or in this case, the job seeking process). That being said, good luck job seeking and enjoy the 2010 World Cup!

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.

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)

Looking for a job can be tiresome and is pretty much a job within itself! Between applying to jobs, networking and getting on the radar of hiring managers – all while still trying to maintain your personal life – it can be overwhelming. What happens when you’re feeling low on energy? What can you do to boost it up? Here are some tips we’ve gathered to help you bring up your energy any time you’re feeling a little sluggish:

Change your diet. Eat snacks containing protein and a complex carbohydrate. You may look to candy bars or sodas for a sugar boost but those will only provide you with a temporary fix. Sugary foods will take you on a roller coast, making you feel good at the beginning, but sluggish later. Make sure to stay hydrated by drinking plenty of water.

Take breaks. If you take short breaks every now and then, it can actually help you overcome fatigue and get more done in the day. If you take one break of five to ten minutes (or even less), it’ll keep your energy up. Studies have shown that schedules allowing brief, frequent breaks are best in terms of fighting fatigue and increasing productivity.

Move around. Contrary to a belief that exercise may cause tiredness, it actually serves as a great way to bring up your energy! You don’t have to run a half marathon every day, but consider taking a brisk walk for 15 to 30 minutes. This can be done through a number of ways: maybe at the mall, while doing groceries, parking further away from your car, etc. Even a small amount of exercise will send oxygen to the brain, improve circulation and get feel good endorphins running through the body!

Surround yourself with positive energy and avoid the negative individuals that may be around you. These people can drain your energy, so if you have a bad feeling, you’re probably better off just ignoring them. Instead, try to surround yourself with positive people whenever possible. If you’re not sure if someone’s negative enough to affect your levels, think about how you feel around them. What kinds of emotions do they stir up?

Following these tips will bring your energy levels up during the times you need it most! However, don’t forget to keep your mind on the big picture during your job hunt. If you focus on the end result, it will help motivate you towards your goal.