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May 31, 2006

Your Online Presence

I just helped a senior-level client update her profile on Execunet. At which point she also asked me to help her with Netshare, Blue Steps and a number of other online sites requiring profiles. Her profiles were horribly inadequate and I realized that many people are probably losing out on great opportunities because they don't know how to make sure they get noticed.

If that's you, please take some time to navigate your way around these sites and understand what's required, as well as what's on offer (my client had not taken advantage of a free resume review offer, for example). Some tips:

1. Make sure that your headline and experience summary contains lots of keywords that will help to sell you for the type of work you're looking for.

2. Be sure that your headline and summary are focused on the employer's needs and not yours.

3. Be sure to complete all sections of the profile form. My client had omitted to complete the networking section of the profile, which was excluing her from a lot of recruiter contacts, some of which may turn out to be valuable in the future.

4. If you're on a subscription-based site, spend time exploring the site to see what free offers are available. Make sure you're taking advantage of everything that's included in your subscription.

Posted by Louise at 04:01 PM | Permalink

May 27, 2006

Sweeping for Executive Jobs

Over on Career Hub, Billie Sucher points to Job Seeker, a new tool to allow executives to quickly search all $100K+ jobs. The tool was created by Six Figure Jobs, but claims to search all sources. Check it out and see how well it works.

Posted by Louise at 07:24 PM | Permalink

May 10, 2006

Ask Not What Employers Can Do For You ...

Yesterday I spent some time online looking for a consultant. I went to one of those websites where freelancers advertise their services and began to search the profiles.

Each consultant has a headline and about 25 words to make users want to click through and learn more. (This is very similar to what recruiters see when they log on to Monster.com and other online resume databases.)

I looked for 15 minutes and didn't see one headline that made me want to learn more. Not ONE! Think about that.

I have a need for help and I have money to spend and yet no one used that small introduction to show me what they could do for me. Almost all the users had introductions that focused on their experience - things like "25 years experience working with F500 companies" or "expertise in branding, positioning, messaging and advertising." They all blended into one because they all focused on experience rather than on my needs. (The only exception were the people who didn't even bother with an introduction - just posted their name as though that would be enough!)

I'm not even sure what I was looking for, although I would have known it had I see it. Perhaps something like "I help small businesses increase sales by an average of 20% through a proven step-by-step process" or "Are you looking for a marketing consultant who really listens?" Something that acknowledged that MY needs were what mattered to me, not their pedigree.

Of course, experience is important and I would have reviewed that before choosing a consultant, but it wasn't what I was looking for right upfront.

I tell you this because this is exactly what happens when a recruiter logs on to any online database. He or she has a problem or a need and they are looking for a solution. Make sure that your introduction clearly shows that you understand that problem and can solve it. You'll see an exponential increase in responses if you do.

Posted by Louise at 09:47 AM | Permalink

May 02, 2006

Why you're not finding a Job

Over at the excellent Guerilla Marketing blog, David Perry wrote an excellent post about the reasons people struggle to find a job.

What I love about David's blog is that he focuses on ways you can take charge of your job search and your career. Too often the process of job search can make you feel like a victim - don't let it! If you're not finding a job, chances are you're not doing everything possible. Read the post and make a list of changes you can make starting today.

Good luck!

Posted by Louise at 09:36 AM | Permalink