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:

Image courtesy of institutechildrenslit.net

You ask most people if the cause of their stress is email and they’d say yes, but the cause is not so much the amount of email or the work it can lead to, but the culture that has been created around email.  According to Boston University Associate Professor Stine Grodal, email causes stress because of the following issues:

• Time over volume: It isn’t necessarily the amount of email we receive that overwhelms us, but the time it takes to read and respond to dense, cryptic or outright incoherent messages.
• Nebulous rules: Because emails don’t interrupt us like phone calls do, there are no rules around appropriate and inappropriate times to send emails. In this way, “email begins to blur the lines between work life and home life,” says Grodal. “It comes at all times of day — late at night and early in the morning.”
• Response time: Further complicating the rules, most senders have come to expect a reply within two hours, explains Grodal. “That puts a lot of pressure on people to respond to email outside of the work day,” she adds.

By this reasoning, this stress can only continue as our business world relies more and more on emails and social networking and our personal lives adds text messaging and further social networking to the mix.

So, how do you manage that stress?

• Start a new culture. Pick up the phone and you might be encouraging others to call you instead of emailing. Response time will be cut down and hearing the intonation in voices will also cut down on your time spent decoding those “cryptic” emails.
• Schedule your emails. Read your emails and respond at set times of the day. Turn off the message alarms on your phone or Outlook/Entourage.
• Don’t double messages. If you send an email, leave it at that. Don’t then instant message, text message and/ or call as a follow up. If you’re in a hurry, start with a phone call.
• Avoid the cc. As a boss, I hate being cc’d on messages just to make a point. It acts as a silly threat; everybody knows why you’re doing the cc and everyone resents it. The risk is also that, if you continue to cc unnecessarily, the boss will ignore your more important messages.
• Same as above for bcc, read receipts and flagged messages. Don’t cry wolf.

I’ve often heard that interviews are won or lost in the first five minutes. In the last week I have conducted a slew of interviews for an entry-level communications specialist. The position requires excellent communication skills, both written and verbal, organizational skills, a strong “get it done” attitude, and a journalism or public relations background. I can honestly confirm that, while the job may not be given, the job is often lost in the first five minutes.

You already know that you need to arrive on time, dress professionally and give a firm handshake, but did you know that the way you present your resume matters? I recently watched as one candidate spent several minutes looking through a stack of papers for what was a dog-eared copy of her resume and list of references. Note that organizational skills were integral for this job.

Another thing that will lose an interview is showing a lack of confidence, so act confident, even if you’re not.*
How?
Watch your body language. Sit up straight, don’t fidget and maintain eye contact.
Don’t be afraid of silence. This is difficult, but it’s the easiest way to trip someone up; just ask lawyers or journalists!

One that some people may not think about is showing that you take direction well. You may think that you need to prove you can take control, but there is a level of respect that should be adhered to within an interview.  Let the interviewer lead the interview. I once interviewed a graphic designer that brought his laptop to show some of his sites. What transpired next was twenty minutes of him leading me around the Internet. I didn’t want to be rude as he was clearly excited about his work, but it was unnecessary and I felt he lacked focus as a result.

Do your research. I’ll never forget asking a candidate, “What do you know about StormStaff?” and the response was, “Well, I was hoping you could tell me more about StormStaff. What is it that you guys do?”  Clearly the journalism skills haven’t led her to research us! Plus, how passionate could she possibly be if she doesn’t know what we do?

If you need further interview help, download our Interviewing Tips Whitepaper

* When acting confident, don’t act cocky. It’s ok to admit if you haven’t done something that may be expected of you, but are a fast learner and excited to take on new challenges.

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

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

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.

How can you shine like an Olympian during your job search in 2010? Olympic athletes may have four years to prepare for the intense competitions they face during the Olympic Games, but you only need these four steps to go for the gold in your job search and beat out the competition!

© VANOC/COVAN

How can you prepare yourself to top the competition during your job search? In order to succeed, you need to create a strategy that works for you.

Do your research. Research encompasses all aspects of the job hunt. Know the industry you are trying to enter. Are companies in that industry hiring? Do you have experience and the skills necessary? If you don’t know much about the industry you are attempting to enter, now is the time to educate yourself as much as possible.

What jobs are you applying for? What do you know about the companies or organizations you want to join? Do you know what they’re looking for in a hire? How will you convince them you’re the best fit for the job you’ve applied for?

After you research the industry or company, don’t forget to research yourself, too! Here’s a question for you: have you ever Googled your name? If not, you may want to take a moment to type it into the search bar and see what comes up! Many hiring managers and recruiters do this, so you’ll want to make sure positive and professional content appears under your name before a hiring manager may find something you won’t want to be seen.

Expand your Job Search Resources. Job boards and networks can be extremely helpful with your job search. Many companies have their own job boards that are easy to search (for ex., we have a job board on our page). You can try contacting your alumni office or career resource center at your college/university and use industry associations and professional organizations which can all be great resources for your job search. You can also use your social networking pages like LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook to reach contacts and connections that can provide potential leads for your job search.

Use Your Cover Letter and Resume to Your Advantage. A well-written cover letter is extremely important to your job search. Use it to your advantage by writing to show the potential employer that your skills and experience match the position you desire. An effective, targeted, customized resume is equally important. Consider these documents as the tools in your “job search kit.” These will be essential to help the hiring manager assess your fit for the job and the culture of the company.

Make a good presentation during and after your interview. Once you’re on track and an interview is scheduled, make sure you are ready. Since your physical appearance is the first thing an employer sees, it really matters. Remember that your clothing, hair, makeup and jewelry make an immediate impression. For presentation tips, check out our previous blog post on how to present yourself at your interview.

Have other tips for a Gold Medal Job Hunt? Follow us on Twitter at @StormStaff and tell us what you think!

What advice do you have that can help job seekers out there? Send us your responses and we’ll post them!

Some of our most recent blog posts have given you tips for your next interview. But what happens after you leave the interview? Should you follow up? And if so, what’s the best way to do it? The answer to the first question is yes, always follow up. You may have finished the interview already, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t still selling yourself. The best way to follow up would be sending a thank you letter to your interviewer. If you’re not sure what to write in the letter, here are some tips to help:

- Plan to send out your thank you letters as soon as possible (preferably within twenty-four hours) after your interview.  Keep the tone courteous and thankful.

- The letter can be typed up into an e-mail or handwritten, as long as you send one!

- Use your letter as a way to stand out from the crowd and make a good impression. Ask yourself – did anything stand out? What would the interviewer remember about me?

- If there is something you didn’t get a chance to mention during the interview, say it by including it in your thank you letter.

- Keep your thank you letters short and simple. Edit the letter so it reflects your personality and your interest in the new job. Remember to show your enthusiasm for the company and to sell yourself as the ideal candidate.

- Finally, spell check and proof your thank you letter. Then ask someone else to proof it for you.

If you are interested in learning more about the job seeking process, sign up to order a free StormStaff Job Seeker’s Guide. The kit includes all of the information you need from building your resume to scoring the perfect interview! Sign up by clicking here.

A recent article featured on Yahoo!hotjobs titled   “10 Ways to Be Liked in Your Job Interview” lists 10 ways to increase success for your next job interview. The list goes over various interviewing don’ts: from avoiding excessive smiling and off-target questions to keeping small-talk and jokes to a minimum. While the list can be comical, the advice is beneficial to all job seekers.

10 mistakes to avoid for interview success:

1. Don’t be a “smiley face” - excessive smiling can also be seen as nervousness
2. Don’t be a small-talker – be knowledgeable about the company you’re interviewing with and avoid random facts
3. Don’t sweat – it can be seen as a sign of weakness and nervousness and will not impress
4. Don’t be a road block – interviewers are seeking eager candidates
5. Don’t be petty - avoid asking questions about routine elements of a company
6. Don’t be a liar - even a slight exaggeration is lying
7. Don’t be a bad comedian – humor tends to be subjective, so be careful
8. Don’t be high-maintenance - interviewers will not be interested in someone who’s finicky about their workspace
9. Don’t be a time-waster – make questions intelligent and to the point, otherwise you’re wasting time
10. Don’t be a switchblade – avoid bashing former employers

You can read the entire article by clicking here.