5 Ways to Ensure Recruiters Find the Professional You Online

5 Ways to Ensure Recruiters Find the Professional You Online Hiring staff is an important, and potentially expensive decision for employers, particularly when it turns out to be a wrong one. It is therefore not surprising that many employers spend time checking far more than a candidates qualifications and employment history before making a commitment. Your CV may be amazing, and you might have some great references, but chances are if your online presence paints a bad picture of you, you won’t be getting an interview. The good news is that you can influence your online presence by being sensible about what you share, and by making sure your professional self is promoted first and foremost. 1. Google yourself: Around 90% of recruiters will ‘Google’ your name as soon as your CV makes it into the ‘maybe’ pile, so it pays to do your own research in order to see what they might find. ‘Googling’ yourself may seem vain, but it is definitely worth doing, as you could well find some of your less-than-finer moments being displayed for the whole world to see. If you do come across anything unsavoury, you should take action to remove the offending information before it’s spotted. It’s also worth considering that any site which you have contributed to in the past be it leaving a review or posting a comment might show up in search results too, so if you have posted anything that may be seen as inappropriate or rude, you may want to consider removing these. Google has now introduced a way of requesting that information about you is removed from search results. While there is no guarantee such information will be removed, it’s certainly worth a try. 2. Use nameplate sites: A nameplate site is a single page website that acts a bit like a virtual business card. These sites provide a great way of consolidating all of your social profiles and sites (that you actually want potential employers to see) in one place. Nameplate sites are a great, positive addition to your online presence, and can also be listed on your CV. You could use a nameplate site to link to your portfolio, website or blog, or even a specific page on the web on which you have contributed something valuable, such as a forum thread. Some nameplate sites will allow you to categorise who you associate with, or add tags to highlight your main areas of expertise, and sites such as Appearoo will also show a snapshot of how influential you are across social media channels. Most nameplate sites are free, but premium features allow you to fully customise the page, and many provide some form of analytics, so you can keep track of who is viewing your profile. Some popular examples include about.me, flavors.me and re.vu. 3. Keep control of your social media: Privacy controls are there for a reason, and you should be using them. While many recruiters can appreciate that you want to let your hair down at the weekend, entire albums showing how you behave while inebriated, or posts you’ve left telling your friends how you are regretting how much you drank the night before are not going to look good. Make sure you always log out of social media channels if using a shared device, or any device someone else may gain access to. They might find it funny to post a status on your behalf you and your prospective employer may not. Keep your private life just that private. 4. Separate your professional and personal lives completely: As well as making sure you have appropriate privacy controls in place on your social media channels, why not set up social media channels that are used for professional use only? This can be a great way of demonstrating you are passionate and knowledgeable about your industry by associating yourself with the right people, and contributing to the right discussions online. These are the social profiles you’ll want recruiters to find, and by linking them all together, you can use them to build the right kind of personal brand online. 5. Make the most of LinkedIn: Don’t be shy to ask your peers, past employers and clients to endorse or recommend you on LinkedIn. Endorsements show potential employers that you have the right skills to perform the job you are applying for and that people are willing to vouch for this. Recommendations are even better, as they effectively act as a reference. Being actively involved in groups on LinkedIn shows that you know your stuff, and that you possess a genuine interest for your industry. And finally, think before you post anything online: Bear in mind that almost anyone can see what you have published online in a matter of seconds and that once you’ve posted it, it’s much harder to destroy the evidence! Author: Peter Holmes is Director at prime-appointments.co.uk   an independent recruitment agency.

What to wear at work or for interview to make the right impression University of Manchester Careers Blog

What to wear at work or for interview to make the right impression University of Manchester Careers Blog I read this article the other day about how what your wear can affect what people believe your role is.  https://about.me/dbakevlar People are biased, have preconceptions and a whole load of baggage that affects the way they react to you before you even open your mouth.     You cant change them but you can decide what you want them to see. When you arrive for an interview or meet new people, say in a new job or at a meeting  they will decide who you are from what you look like. So What job do you want people to assume that you do (or can do)? You need to understand what people in different roles and levels of seniority tend to wear in the industry  and sometimes the individual organisation you are working in or meeting with. Look on their website, try to attend an employer event or go past their workplace / offices  and look. At interview its difficult to reflect the industry too exactly because you are busy looking smart. Find out what people normally wear in your role if you can. If they normally have a dress down policy find out what they would wear to an important meeting with clients. You want to aim for smarter than normal work wear and if its a role where you could be meeting clients then Id go for the business attire. ( It proves you have it anyway!) On your first day. Id aim to make a good impression  (you  may be introduced to senior managers) but you could observe or ask what normal office attire is.   E.g. you could say its my first day so I thought I better dress to impress but what would you suggest is normal office attire. At work You may decide you want people to react to you in a certain way. If the dress code is fairly casual it may be hard for customers or external clients to spot that you work there. How will you stand out? If you dont want to be treated like the office junior (even if you are) you may need to smarten up a little. How about a   smart jacket, or a more formal shirt? In meetings you may want people to realise that you are the expert or are in charge, so dress for the role. It might not mean a power suit it could just be adopting the norms for that role. Do people in technical creative roles dress differently to those  in sales  or finance? Tattoos, piercings and funky hair They are part of who you are and Im not going to say you should tone it down or cover up.   BUT just be aware of other people views and how that may make them react to you. If you have a snake tattooed on your head ( yes I know someone who does) then its likely that you may not be the type to want to go into a more conservative profession. Again you need to judge the industry norms.   Its about the face the company or organisation wants to present to the world. For some jobs a cool,  edgy look might be just the thing for others they will expect you to keep that for the weekend So  to take a less extreme example you could decide that for an interview you might remove a few piercings and  style your hair differently. Im not saying go bland and boring there is a middle road you could take; once you get into the job you may find you can show your style more.   Its just getting a foot in the door.   But its your door you choose whats right for you. See also http://www.monster.com/blog/b/what-to-wear-job-interview BBC News Should tattoo discrimination be illegal To Beard Or Not To Beard? That Is The [Interview] Question. All Applications and interviews Graduate Undergraduate-highlighted Applications and interviews Interviews job hunting

Things Entrepreneurs Should Know When Speaking to the Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Things Entrepreneurs Should Know When Speaking to the Media - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career Whats one important personal branding lesson that every entrepreneur needs to learn before talking to the media? The following answers are provided by the Young Entrepreneur Council (YEC) is an invite-only organization comprised of the worlds most promising young entrepreneurs. In partnership with Citi, YEC recently launched StartupCollective, a free virtual mentorship program that helps millions of entrepreneurs start and grow businesses. 1. Keep it short You get 29 words, nine seconds and three key points. Its the 29-9-3 rule. This is a concept that originated with the legal profession, but it holds true for PR. If you cant get out the most important aspects of your product or business using this rule, then youve got work to do. Particularly in todays fast-paced, attention deficit-driven environment, keep it short, informative and sweet! Sharam Fouladgar-Mercer, AirPR 2. Be quotable The media is always looking for that one quote that will grab the readers attention. Before your interview, think of three to four quotes that represent your brand; practice them, and find a way to work them in. This approach lets you stay in control of the story and your brand. Bhavin Parikh, Magoosh Inc 3. Tell a story Something journalists are looking for is a unique story. The fact that you launched isn’t enough. What’s unique about your company compared to competitors? If you’re going to say that you are disrupting an industry, you better be able to prove it. So ask yourself, what’s special about your company? Always have a unique story to tell. Antonio Neves, THINQACTION 4. Be the expert When youre talking to the media, you are the expert and a source of information. Reporters are not looking for a pitch fest. Offer helpful information, and in return, the reporter will cite you as the source. This strategy helps to position you as an expert and authority to the reader. Answer your customers question, Why should I listen to you? Charles Gaudet, Predictable Profits 5. Know your stuff You must know about your business. Sometimes entrepreneurs only focus on certain aspects of a business. If you are talking to the media, you must be an expert at what you do. Alfredo Atanacio, Uassist.ME 6. Develop your identity Before talking to the media, take the time to develop your identity. Think about how you want to portray yourself and how you would like others to view you both as a person and as an entrepreneur. Create personal guidelines that keep you in check to ensure you represent yourself in the best light. Kevin Tighe II, WeBRAND 7. Smile Every entrepreneur needs to remember to smile when talking to the media. Smiling sends a subliminal message to your body that you are safe, happy and above all, calm. Whether it is on camera or off, your voice changes when you speak with a smile, making you look more at ease while also sounding confident. Besides, no media outlet wants a deadpan entrepreneur on screen, so show off those teeth! Kim Kaupe, ZinePak 8. Slow down If youre set to communicate with the media and you start to speed up, your nonverbal communication states that youre actually apologizing for what youre saying. Slow down. Choose your words carefully. Articulate your message. Say it slower but better. Joe Apfelbaum, Ajax Union 9. Practice Loosen up beforehand by doing a trial run. You can record yourself doing a mock interview or record a conversation with someone you haven’t talked to in a while. Then, listen to the recording to see how you sound. No doubt you’ll find opportunities to improve before doing the real thing. Phil Dumontet, DASHED 10. Have an objective in mind First off, every time you speak to the media, have one specific objective. What is the end result you expect to get? Have the end result in mind, and then work backwards. Second, you have to learn to speak in sound bites, which are short and memorable statements that convey your key messages while also adding value to the audience. This increases the sound bite’s likelihood of being shared. Sean Kelly, HUMAN 11. Be authentic Dont worry about being right. Worry about being true. Everyone responds best to authenticity, even if its controversial. Be authentic and everything else flows. Alexis Wolfer, The Beauty Bean 12. Be succinct Give short, targeted and powerful answers in as few words as possible to open up more room for questions and engagement from your interviewer. To do this effectively, its helpful to pause for a few seconds before answering to give yourself time to come up with a thoughtful reply. That way, you dont end up talking out loud down a winding road before ending up at your more important punchy point. Jenny Blake, Jenny Blake Featured Photo Attribution

Pathways What we learnt University of Manchester Careers Blog

Pathways What we learnt University of Manchester Careers Blog I love Pathways, our annual PhD careers options mega-event and it turns out Im not the only one. Heres a great guest post from Chris Manley, Senior Careers Consultant at Warwick University who visited Pathways this year, gratefully reproduced from The Careers Blog at Warwick. Life after the PhD by Chris Manley The annual ‘PhD Pathways’ event at Manchester University attracts 500 delegates and dozens of speakers, all former PhDs. It covers both academic and non-academic careers  across  twenty different workshops.  I have recently taken up the reins of PGR lead within our careers team [at Warwick University], and decided to  pop along to this year’s event to find out about life beyond the PhD… There was far too much (engaging!) content to cover in a single blog post, and I don’t think I could possibly do justice to the scale of the event. Instead, I’ve summarised my experience â€" and thoughts â€" in the following QA: What distinguishes those who find it easier to find work which satisfies them at the end of their studies? They: Explore and are curious Connect â€" with each other, and with potential employers Communicate Reflect Bounce back if things go wrong What they don’t do is sit back and wait for success to happen. Aside from their technical skills, do PhDs have skills which they don’t show? Yes! Resilience (see above). Commitment. Writing to a high standard. Self-starters. Problem solvers. People who are willing to take responsibility. Flexibility and ability to think laterally. PhD students are more than the subject they are studying. When PhD students go for roles outside academia,  what are the potential tripwires? (Perceived) Lack of business acumen (Perceived) Lack of teamwork skills. Failure to appreciate the need to prove yourself before you move on and up. All is far from lost, however. If you have  previous business experience which you  can articulate (and re-frame if necessary) then you won’t fall foul of the “commercial or business awareness” requirement. Similarly PhD applicants who can anticipate concerns around team working and collaboration will find evidence to counteract this assumption. Don’t limit your horizons by thinking about your experience in narrow terms. Sometimes, it’s just a case of semantics. Yes, the two worlds may be divided by language, but there’s considerable overlap when it comes to skills and competencies â€" you just have to divorce yourself from  an entrenched mindset. There  are a myriad  examples of former PhDs whose rewards came not so much from the initial position they gained directly post-doctorate, but because they utilised their skills and capabilities within the professional workplace to good effect, persuading employers to give them additional projects, promotions and other opportunities for career development. As a PhD graduate you may have to start at a fairly modest level in the non-academic environment (or certainly more modest than you might hope after three years’ hard slog) but once ensconced in the workplace, progression and promotion can happen at a rapid rate. Does the corporate world have a forced positivity which doesn’t exist in academia? Answer: Yes! In a sense. Managers are not paid to not know, whereas not knowing is the starting point for a PhD and academic research. Shareholders want as close to certainty as possible, not the opposite! But seeing how your  skills (and knowledge) can make a  clear and demonstrable contribution to the success and profitability of an organisation may make the corporate world an attractive option. And for those seeking a stimulating environment, there’s the chance to use your intellectual agility and resourcefulness to solve new problems and learn new skills. (Although it wasn’t mentioned specifically, the fact that there are far more PhD students than academic positions was an additional reason to be reassured by the many contributors who absolutely loved the roles they found themselves in) How do I best market my skills? Story-telling, including telling stories about (and to make sense of) ourselves, is something we all do â€" so marketing yourself  should be about telling your  story in a powerful and compelling manner. Tell your story in a way which is interesting to your intended audience, and in a way which reflects the person you want to be. Marketing is about authentic communication, not contrived superficiality.  â€˜Making connections’ and ‘Sharing Stories’ are in fact close â€" arguably more satisfying â€" synonyms to marketing. As with any story, it’s important to find a clear narrative arc and use this to hook and engage your audience. So â€" a question for you â€" what story are you going to tell? All Postgrad-highlighted Postgraduate academia career planning commercial awareness employers Options postgraduate

Tips For UW Madison Resume Writing

Tips For UW Madison Resume WritingUW Madison is a well-known University that offers a variety of degrees. In order to get the job you want at this esteemed institution, your resume should be top notch. If you need help with your UW Madison resume writing, hire a professional writer to create your most impressive resume ever. This article will provide some tips for creating a successful UW Madison resumes.Be prepared: UW Madison has many different types of degree programs. If you do not have the required background or experience to get into one of these programs, do not fret. There are options out there for students just like you. If you are not sure what program to apply to, ask around. Colleges, universities, and trade schools all need resume that can be filled out quickly and effectively.Be organized: Before you begin to write your resume, make sure you have completed the form and cover letter. You should keep track of every document so that you know where everything is at all time s. Your resume and cover letter should be in a coherent and organized fashion. Your resume should look professional and the outline should be straight forward and easy to read.Always keep track of the format of your resume: you want to make sure your resume looks professional and is arranged correctly. Your resume should consist of two to three different sections. Make sure you highlight each section of your resume to make it appear professional.Focus on one thing: The first thing you should focus on when writing your resume is to make sure it is short and concise. Keep it under two pages in length. Write about one specific skill or experience you have that could apply to the position. Make sure you are able to use your skills, abilities, and abilities to explain what you can offer the school.Give an overview of yourself: it is a good idea to describe your academic experience and highlight your extracurricular activities in your cover letter. Show how you have participated in many d ifferent things and it is something you enjoy doing. Your cover letter should tell a potential employer what makes you unique and then give them a sense of who you are.Know what you want: Whether you have a list of requirements or just want to know what you want, you must know what it is you want before you begin your resume writing. An extensive list of requirements may seem necessary, but it can also discourage a potential employer. Write down exactly what you want, and then follow up with how your expectations match up with the opportunity.You will want to be sure you follow these tips for writing a UW Madison resumes. Once you have a professional resume to show potential employers, they will be impressed with your resume. When you know what you want to include, you will be in a better position to make the most of your resume.

These Three Companies Are Far Better To Work For Than You Might Expect! - CareerAlley

These Three Companies Are Far Better To Work For Than You Might Expect! - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. One of the toughest things about it for a lot of people is the fact that they dont know who to apply to in the first place. Often youve got to make a pretty tough decision between somewhere you really want to work and the kind of jobs that youre currently qualified for. It often feels as though entry-level employment is going to leave you working for companies that arent going to provide you the kind of enjoyable and supportive work environment that everyone deserves. However, here are three companies that are surprisingly great to work for, whether thats because of the benefits that they provide, the environment they create, or the possibilities for moving further in your career. McDonalds People have a lot of preconceived ideas about this incredibly famous and popular fast food chain. But it turns out that working for Mcdonalds is pretty perfect for a lot of people who are looking for an entry level employment position. The fact that you are able to be entirely flexible with your work hours which means that you can work around things like family and college, as well as a consistent and fair salary, make this an ideal job for young people and those just getting out into the world of work. If youre interested, check out https://jobapplicationcenter.com/fast-food-job-applications/mcdonalds-application/ for help with an application. The application form can be a little complex, so its good to take some time to absorb it all before filling it out. Costco Finding work where the pay is truly competitive can be a real challenge, but Costco offers an incredibly competitive salary for their employees, as well as a whole range of benefits. With their cashier salaries ranging from $11.74 to $16.07 per hour depending on the position and level of responsibility. Not only that but they offer medical and sick pay, vacation pay and bonuses for extra hours worked. Not only that but they even offer raises to their employees based on how many hours they work, making this one of the most competitive workplaces for both students and full-time workers. Bed Bath Beyond If youre looking for somewhere that is really enjoyable to work for then Bed Bath Beyond may well be the perfect choice. With an incredibly friendly atmosphere, this company offers the perfect employment opportunity for students and people looking for entry-level employment thanks to flexible working hours and supportive training from management. The salary is competitive from the very start, and there is a lot of incentive to stay with the company and work hard in order to achieve new status within it. Whether its full or part-time work, there are few companies that are quite so supportive of their employees as Bed Bath Beyond. What's next? Ready to take action? Choose the right tools to help you build your career. Looking for related topics? Find out how to find the opportunities that help you grow your best career. Subscribe and make meaningful progress on your career. It’s about time you focused on your career. Get Educated Contact Us Advertise Copyright 2020 CareerAlley. All Rights Reserved. Privacy Policy + Disclosure home popular resources subscribe search

The 5 Tenets of Career Enlightenment - CareerEnlightenment.com

3. Its not the tool, its how you use itWhen my daughter was learning tennis, she would blame her racket for missing the ball. So we got her a better racked and she still missed the ball. Eventually, she learned that it wasnt the racket at all, it was how she was using it.You can read all the books and blog posts you want about LinkedIn, Twitter or even generic career books and resume books. But you need to learn how to really use them so that you can focus on more important things, like getting a job.Get familiar with the various social media tools at your free disposal. Learn to use them correctly and then move on. Social media is NOT a fad, its a rising trend just like email was in 1999. Better get used to it.4. Social Media is a feature, not a paradigm shiftTwitter, Facebook and LinkedIn are features of a much larger thing. Wouldnt it be silly to write an essay in MS Word, then use a separate software to correct your spelling?Use the internet tools together in a single career stra tegy. Dont think of the different social media tools as separate. Yes, they are their own companies. But they serve a single function in your life, connection.For example, why not apply to a job on a job board, follow up using LinkedIn for an info interview and then thank the person for their time on Twitter?Generic how to use social media for the job search articles just dont cut it any more. Focus on your strategy, rather than the tactics and tools. Eventually, I hope, the use of social media will become so familiar that any mention of them will simply recede into background noise.5. If at first you dont succeed, do something differentThe definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results each time.In Seth Godins, The Dip, he talks about knowing when its time to quit something or when you should stick to it. One of the factors of knowing when to quit is when youve used up every alternative to pursuing the goal.If youve been running your jo b search the same way over and over again without success, rather than feeling like you should give up, try changing one of the variables.If a particular networking group doesnt seem to pan out, choose another one. If your LinkedIn profile isnt getting people to write back to you, change it. If your time allocation is spent too much on research and not enough time in talking with actual people, change it.You may not always be in control of your time, but you are always in control of your energy.