Daily Career Connection

Post by Teena Rose, ResumeToReferral.com

Invited to an interview, you step into the room and unload that heavy photo album you’ve been clinging to onto the conference table. In addition to a resume and brag book, you have pictures on your iPhone of your dogs and the neighbor’s cat stalking the birds enjoying your new bird feeder. The interview progresses by you opening and flipping through the pages of your album, pointing to your family and friends. You gladly draw the interviewer’s attention to those older pictures taken during your college days … and to the many of your drunk, sleeping positions your friends encapsulated forever through one click of a camera.

Eeerrrk!!!

What? Personal items presented during an interview?

Why not? Isn’t that basically what hiring companies are doing rummaging through your public social media accounts, learning more about you and your online activities?

The next few years are certainly gray, unchartered waters for jobseekers. The issue of whether a person’s personal life and involvement online should have any place in the hiring realm is definitely a topic that will be battled over for years — maybe even decades. Some might unexpectedly find themselves entangled in lawsuits, as privacy experts grow increasingly concerned that disqualifying a candidate based on information gained online can introduce certain forms of discrimination into the hiring process.

Jobseekers have every right to be concerned about protecting their online identities from prying eyes, but where should the line be drawn? Employers shouldn’t be given uninhibited access to a jobseeker’s private life, should they?

Interestingly, a recent study released at Microsoft’s 4th Annual Data Privacy Day identified that 70% of those surveyed in the US indicated they had disqualified a candidate based on online information. What was the incriminating online information that caused the disqualification? Of course this was not made public … and behind the curtain of hiring, only HR managers and recruiters seem privy to such information.

The deeper issue is whether employers should be allowed to open that flood gate by bringing social media activities into the hiring world in the first place. I’m reminded of a line from the movie Jurassic Park. When referring to scientists, Jeff Goldblum’s character says, “Yeah, but your scientists were so preoccupied with whether or not they could, they didn’t stop to think if they should.” Maybe employers poking through a jobseeker’s online activities are so preoccupied with the fact that they could that they never stopped to think whether they should.

Ahh, but hiring companies won’t find my online activities. Think again. Technology giants have only just begun leveraging the social media phenomena; and not surprisingly, for financial gain.

Microsoft announced the integration of Social Connector software, which will be released mid-2010. The add-on software is designed to let someone like me readily see the online communications from those who send me email. Microsoft’s Group Product Manager, Dev Balasubramanian, was quoted as saying: “As you communicate you can see their social activities; you can see all the folks in your social network and it updates as you are reading your e-mail.” Certainly it appears to offer great benefits to the masses, but for jobseekers, it just might leave an unpleasant sour aftertaste.

No doubt, employers will soon be given a larger spy glass — and unfortunate for jobseekers, Microsoft isn’t the only company abuzz with developing new applications that will take public social media data and translate it into something that can be researched and used, for good and evil.

Regardless, employers need to take a long look at their current hiring practices to determine whether a drunken party photo showing Joe Jobseeker has anything to do with the value Joe brings to the table professionally, and how well he performs while on the job.
About the Author

Teena Rose is a professional speaker, career coach, book author, former columnist, and top-endorsed resume writer and job strategist. She leverages job-search collateral (i.e. resume, cover letter, executive bios), applying new social networking, personal branding, online portfolios, and new technologies/tools to further benefit the careers of her clientele. She’s your first choice during a job or career change. Contact Teena Rose at (937) 325-2149 or at her website; http://www.resumebycprw.com

Guest Post by T. Murray, www.PersonalityOnaPage.com

As you progress through college ultimately you will begin to think about your future, more specifically, the type of career you want to pursue. When you have narrowed down the professional track, trade or industry where you want to get your feet wet consider finding a mentor in that field. Seeking out an adult already in the field you are interested in may seem like an impossible task. However, you have more access to career advisors than you think. Leverage the following outlets to put together your short list of possible college mentors.

Alumni Organizations
All colleges and universities have some form of outreach to former students. Many schools depend on graduates to donate funds back to support programming and traditional activities, such as homecoming. There are often opportunities for students to work with the school to reach back to alumni and connect with them through current events on campus. Your alumni organization is an excellent way to meet an established individual in your field. You have the perfect ice breaker once you are in a situation to interact with alumni. Let them know you are a current student and you are interested in knowing what they’ve been up to since they left college.

Professors/Instructors
Talk to professors and course instructors in your major area of study about resources for finding mentors. Some of them may have availability to guide you during your time in school or they may know of a colleague in the field looking to forge a mentor/mentee relationship with a student.

Campus Organizations
Campus organizations and clubs that are aligned with certain professions or majors are likely to host events that attract speakers and presenters who have attained some level of success. As you attend club sponsored events don’t be afraid to reach out to a campus visitor or speaker who may strike a chord with you professionally or personally. Find out if they are open to a correspondence in which you can ask them career oriented questions as you progress through your major. These types of contacts can be essential when it comes time to look for summer internships or jobs after graduation.

Conferences
While attending large conferences may mean incurring cost, the networking opportunities they present may help you reap the benefits in the end. Conferences that are directly tied to your profession or interests are excellent places to meet mentors. When it comes to registration, many of these events offer student discounts and sometimes you may even find scholarships are available to attend certain events that require travel and lodging. Get a conference program book while you are there, especially if you are only able to attend a portion of the event. Typically the names and biographies of all the presenters are in these books. You can later try to reach out to presenters to ask questions or inquire about mentor/mentee opportunities with them as individuals or with organizations they may be active in.

Summer Jobs
Internships are one of the easiest places to make contact with potential mentors. If you enjoy your summer experience working with a particular individual who has made a career out of the things you are interested in, chances are you might also mesh well in a mentor/mentee arrangement. Make sure to keep communication open after the summer or co-op period has ended. Working relationships between mentors and their mentees grow over time. If you work at the same company for a series of summers or semesters, chances are you will find that the mentor takes an increasing interest in your studies and future, especially if it looks like you may become a full time addition to the company.

Social Networking
This is a good way to meet people working in your chosen field thanks to internet and site searching capabilities. You can leverage sites like LinkedIn, Twitter or Facebook to find a mentor. Post a status to let others know you are looking to speak to established professionals in a certain job or industry. Reach out through groups or find out about offline events posted on the web. With Social Networking you should be careful to validate sources you meet that are not via a friend connection or recommendation. Start an email correspondence and ask some of the questions on your mind and ask chosen individuals if they have mentored before. In today’s technology age it is easy to have a long distance mentor as well.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

Guest Post by Deborah A. Bailey www.dbaileycoach.com

Growing frustrated by your job search? Or are you procrastinating because starting the process seems too daunting? If you want your search to yield results, don’t make these mistakes!

Mistake #1: Not Spending Time on Networking

In spite of the popularity of online job boards, most jobs are found through networking. When you network you can find out about jobs before they are posted – or connect with jobs that never find their way to the job boards. You’ll increase your chances of success by letting everyone in your network know that you’re looking.

Don’t think that you know enough people? Then grow your network by attending business and social networking events. In addition, non-business social events are also a great way to connect with people. The point is to connect and build relationships. As people get to know you (and you get to know them) you will increase the likelihood that you will find out about opportunities. While you are going out and meeting new people, don’t forget that you can also network from your computer by joining online groups such as LinkedIn and Facebook.  No matter how you do it, just make sure to get out there.

Mistake #2: Being Too Scattered in Your Search

Sometimes job seekers are reluctant to narrow their search by committing to a specific job. They think they will increase their chances by applying for many different types of positions. However, it’s not a good idea to apply for any job that comes along because it sounds like it might be a fit. Employers are looking for candidates who have proven skills that are in line with the requirements. The more you scatter your efforts across the board, the more time you’ll waste applying for positions that aren’t a good match for you.

Focus on positions that are in line with your skills and your career direction. You want to be seen as an expert – someone who will be an asset to a prospective employer. It will be hard to be seen as someone with a high level of expertise (and decrease your chances of being called in for an interview) if you apply for positions that have little or nothing to do with what’s on your resume.

Mistake #3: Not Doing Your Research

Take the time to find out about the job you want. For instance, does it require specialized training or certifications? Are the jobs based in your geographic location or will you have to move? What is the salary range? Whether you are looking for a position within your current industry or looking at positions in related fields, you will reduce your chances of success if you aren’t prepared before you begin submitting resumes.

Knowing the details about the position will help you when you update your resume. If you know what specific skills are required, you can play up those points on your resume and in your cover letter.

In addition, if on an interview you can mention facts you’ve learned about the company, or show that you have stayed up to date on trends, it will make you stand out. Not to mention that doing your research up front will also assist you if you decide to look for a job in a new industry. Get your facts first and lessen the chance you’ll regret your job choice later.

Mistake #4: Not Having Your Resume Updated

Does your resume have the right keywords? Did you include details about your present (or last) position?  Does your resume include the job title you’re applying for? Look at job ads for the position you want and note what is mentioned in the job requirements. Use those phrases and keywords in your resume to increase the possibility that your resume will be found in database searches.

If you are applying for more than one position, you should have a resume tailored to each one. For instance, if you are applying for a technical writer position and a business analyst position, be sure that you have two versions of your resume. Those two types of positions require related types of skills; however you may want to play up certain accomplishments in one version or the other.

Do not include jobs that you had over ten years ago. Employers are more interested in what you’ve done lately. If your resume is geared to internal company job searching, make sure to revise it before you send it out. Don’t include acronyms and abbreviations that no one outside of your current company (or industry) will understand.

Mistake #5: Not Being Consistent in Your Search

If you’re stopping and starting your job search, your results will be equally inconsistent. Set up daily and weekly tasks in your calendar to insure that you are on track. Have a vision for where you want to go, and don’t be discouraged if it takes longer than you expect. With more people out in the market looking for jobs, there’s increased competition.

Follow up with leads and contacts, and set up a schedule so that you can be sure to follow through. In all honesty, looking for a job is a job, and you have to bring the same commitment to it as you would to your job responsibilities.

Consistent and steady work towards your goal will get you where you want to go!

Copyright © 2009 Deborah A. Bailey

Guest Post by Dorothy Tannahill-Moran, www.nextchapternewlife.com

You made a decision to change careers but you’re feeling REALLY uneasy. You can’t tell if you’re coming down with the flu or if that sinking feeling is your decision. Big decisions are always kind of gut wrenching but there are some things you can do to test your situation.

1- Did you make this decision for the right reasons? Making a career decision is a big life changer and it requires some quality think time from you. If you have made this decision quickly because you had a fight with the boss or got a bad assignment, you do want to slow things down and think through the situation. We all have work we don’t always love to do every day. We all have days that you can’t stand the boss. Of course you don’t want to do something you hate or work with bad people but the question(s) is: How long is this situation apt to continue? Can you work on your relationships? What can you do to make this better? If you have made the decision in haste put the actions on hold. Pick a point out in the future to revisit the decision. Allow time to present the potential of improvement. If it doesn’t, then move on.

2- Transitions always have a level of anxiety. Even when we have wonderful things like marriage, there is still transition that goes with it. Like it or not in those quiet moments with ourselves we all question our decisions. It’s not unusual to feel some concern about your career decision. The way to sort through this is to use some cold, cool logic. Sit down with your concerns and list them out. Examine them for reality. Do you have “what if” issues? Fine, build a solution for your various “what-ifs”. Once you have listed your issues you will need to problem solve and possibly do some research. Go find the answers to your issues. My observation is that sometimes we do have true concerns but don’t do anything to address them. We tend to just pile the issues up like fire wood.

3- Circumstances have forced a career change. If you have become unemployed and are using this time to change careers, I say: Go for it! It doesn’t mean you are off the hook for doing your due diligence for researching your options. You always have to do your research work when making a career change. You can’t go to a catalogue and point to a new career; it requires self examination and work. If you’re unemployed, it’s an opportunity.

4- You might not be done with your previous career. I believe every career has a cycle:
a. 1- you are in growth mode
b. 2- you hit a career high point
c. 3- you are in decline
If you’re in stage two, you probably need to continue in that career until you have hit stage three. If this is your situation you have a good reason to push back on the decision. The work still holds some juice for you and you have more contributions to make. To leave it prematurely will be leaving something undone in your life.

5- What if I hate the work? I’m giving this “what if” question its own focus. I think one of the biggest concerns people have with changing careers is the unknown. The biggest unknown is the work itself. All the other unknowns might be: - not knowing if you will like the boss, the environment and a list of many new things you will face. There are two ways to answer this question. 1: If you have done your homework on your career selection you should have knowledge about the nature of the work and its appeal to your values. If you have done that work and are solid about that aspect then 2: get over yourself. You’re starting to sound like a kid whose parents are about to move. Of course there are unknowns. Everything will be different and you will adjust. Attitude is the most important quality you can have when making a big career change.

The bottom-line to this situation is that if you have done your work to make this decision, then most likely you are facing some natural transition reactions. If they are transition reactions then they will pass. You can sort through them to help the process along and while doing that look at what you’re doing as an adventure.

About the Author

Want to reprint this article? You can reprint this article as long as you use the following: Dorothy Tannahill-Moran is a Career Coach and expert on helping her clients achieve their goals. Want to discover specific career change strategies that get results? Discover how to by claiming your FREE gift, Career Makeover Toolkit at: CareerMakeoverToolKit.

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.