Executive Career Insights

Job Searching In The Dark - Bad Idea!

Well, hello world...I spent last week grinding away with several client projects and did not come up for air until early Saturday morning...phew! I ended up with very happy clients, so my hard work was not in vain. However, I felt so disconnected from everyone else...no blogs, Twitter, Linkedin or Facebook activities...in today's world, a technology blackout is pretty scary.

So, it brings me to today's topic on online/technology-driven job search activities. I received a call today for an active job seeker who had not looked for a job in a LONG time and who did not have an email address. At first, I thought I misunderstood her response, so I asked the question again for clarity.

If you are reading this, I am going to trust you are not among the "disconnected" in the today's world...I recognize that they are many uninformed people or those who try to avoid technology because they are overwhelmed by the everchanging features. Reality check - technology plays a critical part in everything that we do..so encourage everyone you know to get onboard before it's too late.

It's natural that a part of your job search will include online-based activities, so what do you need in your e-job search portfolio? For starters, here are a few things to consider:

1) Job search email address - Separate the personal from the job search related emails to avoid missing important updates and interview requests. Look at at this way - everytime you log into that email account, every email will be about your job search - no need to scan or filter your inbox.

2) Branded email signature - Don't miss out opportunities to sell yourself even when sending out general emails or networking requests. Consider something like this with links to your LinkedIn and Google profile.

SENIOR MANUFACTURING EXECUTIVE
Engaging cutting-edge technologies expedite manufacturing processes and achieve aggressive revenue growth and cost-cutting objectives for global companies.

3) Complete LinkedIn profile - With 40+ million global members including top Fortune 500 executives and recruiters, maintain a robust, active LinkedIn profile to help you nurture your professional network and attract unadvertised job opportunities.

4) Skype account - Are you surprised by this one? A lot of companies are leveraging Skype  technology to pre-screen clients and hold first interviews before calling in highly qualified candidates for second round or face-to-face interviews.

5) Google voice number - One of my absolute favorites! Use this phone number for your job search telephone communications - the best part is that you can sync the number to your cell phone and have a separate voicemail...pretty cool, huh? Use the Google voice number for incoming and outgoing calls. Keep your personal cell phone number for close friends and family and use the Google voice for professional purposes.

6) ASCII/text resume - While more online applications or company portals can accept a Word document, it is always handy to have a text version of your professional resume - especially when copying and pasting the document.

I know this list is not all inclusive, what are some other shortcuts and technology tools that you find invaluable in your job search?

 

Conduct A Targeted, But Smart Job Search

It's Friday! The weather in DC has decided to give us a break, it was close 60 degrees today...tonight it drops the 34 degrees, but in the winter you have to live for the moment, right:)

After reading the WSJ article about how an employee believes he was fired because he took his job search public on LinkedIn...while the real reasons are up for debate, the issue still remains. How do you conduct an effective job search while you are employed?

It goes without saying that unless you are unemployed, your company is going out of business or you have been served a layoff notice, your executive job search should be kept confidential at all times.

In the end, your boss and colleagues may be supportive of your new job once you have submitted an official resignation, however in the interim, if your job search is exposed - well, that's never good.

So how do you maximize your visibility to employers, hiring managers and recruiters without spilling the beans? Well, I wrote a blog on the same topic last year and it still applies today, so I decided to recycle it.

Here's good food for thought as you consider your 2012 job search.

1) Don't Get Addicted to Online Applications

Take your left hand and slap your right hand - go ahead, do it now. That is your reminder to to avoid sending your resume everytime an online job opportunity looks good. Save your online activities to researching companies, identifying key contacts, and locating relevant professional networking events.

2) Use Social Media Tools Wisely

I swear that Facebook and Twitter have become the online diary for too many people. A hard day at work, an unbearable boss, a difficult client, a tiresome co-worker, disobedient children..you name it, they all end up on social media status updates.

What you need to remember is that the Internet creates digital footprints and it stays out there for a LONG time.

Now, you may not be guilty of outrageous status updates, but sharing private information or even mentioning that you are looking for a new job can show up in Google searches despite the "security" settings in these social media tools and keep in mind that Tweets are real-time data...if it's out there, it's easy to go viral.

3) Don't Broadcast Your LinkedIn Profile Updates

Okay, picture this. You are finally ready and going full steam ahead with your job search. You recognize that your LI profile needs improvement and you start making dramatic changes. Great move for your online brand, bad move for confidential job searches.

See, there is a feature on LI (which can be turned off) that announces all your updates and changes to your connections - these activities can send signals to people that you are in or preparing for a job search.

If you are like me, you might have forgotten who you are connected to on LI - most likely all your colleagues or even your boss...hmmm...think about it.

4) Screen Executive Recruiters Before Trusting Them With Your Job Search

Now before you get the wrong idea, understand that I highly respect executive recruiters and refer my clients to them all the time - HOWEVER, I have heard some horror stories from jobseekers - imagine your resume being accidentally sent to your own boss from a recruiter! Trust me, it happens.

You will get legitimate emails and calls from recruiters who are seeking candidates with your background - take the extra time to do your due diligence. Find out the recruiters' specialty areas, top clients, industry expertise, geographical markets and even ask for references.

 5) Increase Privacy On Your Resume Without "Hiding" Your Identity

There are subtle ways to avoid mentioning your current employer on your resume, but still have a career marketing document that works in your favor. For example:

1) Create an email address specifically for job search - so your personal email address used for FB, Twitter or even LI should be different.

2) Contact information: Simply list your name, (or first initial and last name, first initial, middle name and last name) email address and your cell phone number or explore getting a Google voice number that syncs with your cell phone (it works, I use it all the time)

3) Say so - at the top of resume, indicate "Confidential Search"

4) Try these techniques to address high-profile companies or top degrees

Before: SVP, Business Development, North America - Microsoft Company, Seattle, WA

After: SVP, Business Development, Confidential Company, USA or

SVP, Business Development, Global Technology Leader, USA

EDUCATION

Before: BA / MBA, Harvard University

After: BA / MBA, Ivy League University

Note: I am not suggesting that you play down your degree or where you work, but when have a strong, updated online brand, it is not hard for people to link your name, degrees, email address, phone number or even one company name to determine it's you.

Maximize your job search efforts effectively and aggressively, but just be smart about where and who you are sharing information with...you never know who may see it.

 

About Abby, Executive Career Architect, Job Search Expert, Master Resume Writer

Ask yourself these questions:

-- Does your executive resume accurately describe your management style and leadership capabilities?

-- Is your executive resume rich with compelling Challenge-Action-Results success stories that indicate your value contribution?

-- Does your executive resume convey enthusiasm or energy motivating employers to contact you?

-- Has your executive resume been generating a stream of employer responses for the right jobs?

If you have answered no to any of these questions, you should be talking to Abby Locke. She is an executive resume writer helps senior-level executives to achieve career success through cutting-edge, brand-focused career documents and proactive career management strategies.

Her distinctive executive resume samples have been published in 14 national career publications...click here to schedule a resume consultation.