Using LinkedIn to help your job search.

Social media’s influence in the job search process is here to stay. There are daily reminders about how people’s employment or potential employment has been effected by decisions they make regarding broadcasting details of their lives on the numerous social sites. The website LinkedIn is a platform that is designed to promote information that is integral to the job search process and you can stay away from some of the negative material that can sabotage good opportunities.

LinkedIn is becoming the go to tool for employers and job seekers alike within the Kawartha Lakes market. There has been an increase in demand by clients to help access LinkedIn and to use the site as part of their job search. I have helped clients update their profile, modify their security settings and job search on the site – applying directly to positions around the province. Furthermore, my co-workers also say that people are including a link to their profile on the resumes they submit. There should be little doubt that once you have submitted a resume the employer will complete an online search for you anyway; controlling what information they will see is crucial.

LinkedIn allows you to expand the depth of the information provided to employers. The layers of information available to represent your skills, experience and other aspects of your professional profile can help employers choose you when they are searching for new recruits. The profile created allows people to see your background, so the level of detail you include is important. The endorsement process reflects your level of expertise in a skill. Having a larger network can boost the number of endorsements you receive. Your use of the site frequently can also make a difference as you update information and involve yourself in the networking aspect of the site. Being a website that reflects the professional identity of users means it is easier to keep content focused on achievements and other content related to developing your skills. You don’t have to worry about “Digital Dirt” sabotaging prospective employment opportunities.

Overall, given the growth of technology in all aspects of job search LinkedIn can be a powerful tool that you have a high level of control of to help and not hinder your job search. Using it effectively can extend your job search to new areas of interest and prospects.  

Feedback for your Boss…

I was recently meeting with a client that is working casual/part-time hours. More hours were becoming available and yet the client was stunned as to why she was not being asked to step in. As we discussed, and the client shared how much she felt she was contributing at the office I began to understand what might be hindering her ability to become a full time employee. While this client’s organizational skills and attention to detail are superb, it sounded like she was constantly speaking to her supervisor about changes that she felt should be made in the office, everything from inventory placement to the way the lawn was cut outside. Whether you’re the new kid on the block or the most senior employee there is a right way to give feedback and suggestions to your boss.

Here are some tips to keep in mind;

Build the relationship first

In this case my client is a fairly new employee which makes it extremely difficult to judge how receptive your boss is to feedback. Without a good working relationship and trust your feedback will likely be impossible to receive. Get to know them – and let them get to know and trust you.

Wait to be invited to give feedback or ask to be invited

Even if you have a great relationship with your boss, rhyming off a stream of problems that you feel need to be fixed is not recommended. Ideally your boss will ask for your input and provide an environment that is safe to give feedback – so be ready to bring up your issue as well as several suggestions for a solution. If your boss is not one to ask for feedback you can ask if they would like some input. This is especially easy to do when a new project or change occurs at work; you could say something like “Would it be helpful if I gave your feedback from an employee’s perspective during this change?” or even “If you are interested I’d like to discuss some suggestions with you.” Remember that it is important to demonstrate your genuine interest in improving your service or business.

Focus on YOUR observations 

Your feedback should always focus on what you are observing at work - not what you would do if you were the boss. Frame your feedback from your own perspective -tell your boss what you have heard or observed. Example, "I've noticed that clients are annoyed with the new invoicing process...". Also remember that you need to give specifics to back up your points as well as strengthen your suggestions for improvements. 

Understanding the Hiring Process

        

A lot of people who respond to job ads are surprised when they don’t hear back from the employer right away.  It isn’t surprising that many job seekers really don’t understand the hiring cycle and the length of time it takes an employer to get to a new person hired.  In reality it might take 1 – 3 months for an employer to hire the right candidate.

Let me spell it out for you.  An employer has a job vacancy arise.  It is either expected or unexpected.  In reality an unexpected opening can occur when an employee suddenly informs you that they are leaving for another position.  In reality most employees are only required to give 2 weeks’ notice.  During the 2 week notice period (usually 10 business days) an employer has to deal with some basic realities.  The first steps are deciding who can take over that person’s work load in the interim and secondly deciding if that person will be replaced?

In weeks 2 - 3, the usual process is to get an ad together.  In addition the job description needs to be reviewed and updated.  Depending upon how many staff are involved in this process it can often take a few days.  Once the ad is ready, it is sent off to the newspaper and on-line job sites etc.  Postings put onto on- line sites are usually posted within 24 hours but newspaper insertions are expensive so timing is important.  Certain days of the week can get more exposure than others and there are often a variety of papers to consider.  Deadlines for desired dates may have passed.

It is common to allow a week or two for job seekers to respond to an ad.  We are now in week 4 - 5. 

By week 6 the resumes are in and someone has to go through them all and make a short list.  Keep in mind not every employer has an HR department.  There may be over 100 applicants to your position. Usually the short list is sent to a second person.  Job interviews are scheduled and interviewees contacted.

Week7 is when the interviews are held.  If you decide to interview a number of candidates the interviews can take 2 days.  If you need to do some testing prior to the interview it can take 4 days.

Week 8 can be used for 2^nd interviews or reference checking.  Often the references of the top 2 candidates are checked.  Some references are easy to contact and others may take several days to return calls.

Week 9 is often when the final decisions made.  The successful candidate is contacted.  Often they need a day or two to think it over.  If they accept, they may need to give 2 weeks’ notice to their employer.  If they decline, the employer may go to the second candidate or start over. 

If all goes well the successful employee arrives for their first day of work in week 11. 

The bottom line for job seekers is to realize that hiring takes time. Don’t put all your hopes in one position and wait for the results.   Keep networking, keep talking with employers and your key contacts.  Keep job searching until you get that call to say that you have been the successful candidate.

Steps to organizing your Job Search!

What I find really interesting about meeting many different job seekers is learning about how different people organize their job search! Some job seekers don’t organize at all which can create confusion and this can be easily transparent to an employer! It is really important to write down what jobs you applied for, the contact of the employer and if there was a job advertisement print it off because if it was found online, it won't always be readily available.

One client in specific came to a first appointment with me this week highly organized and this helps in accessing employers faster, which typically leads to finding a job faster! She came with a book outlining 5 pages of employers in her field that she was interested in contacting. Not all of these employers were necessarily hiring but this list was a good standpoint for us to cold call to ask if they would be hiring in the near future. In one day over 15 calls were made to these local employers. Out of these 15 calls we had 4 interested employers for her to meet with! If it wasn’t for the client being prepared with this list of employers we would still be researching employers to contact. This made the workload very time efficient and organized!

What I would suggest next is a tip that comes from another client. This client is exceptionally good at organizing advertised work. He comes to each appointment with a USB that has a worksheet of all the places he has applied for, the job titles and how the application was sent. In individual folders on the USB he has a copy of the job advertisement, a copy of the cover letter sent, a copy of the resume sent and sometimes even a copy of the e-mail sent and any further online correspondence. Now I understand that this can be too computer heavy for some individuals and if so, I would adopt the same method but print a copy of the job you applied for, and make copies of the resumes and cover letters sent and put them in a folder. A VCCS we have our clients fill out a job lead log to help track what you apply for and these are available in our resources room!

I would highly suggest adopting the first method of organizing the non-advertised jobs you apply to and adopt the second method of organizing the advertised jobs you apply to. Remember, these organizational skills are easily assessed by employers and the more organized you are now, the less stressful your job search will be!

If you have any questions or would like help in learning more about organizing your job search visit VCCS today!

How to get the most out of a Job Fair

Last week at VCCS, we hosted a job fair for TSC. We had a great turn out, with almost 90 people showing up to find out more about the jobs that were available at this popular country hardware store. Job fairs can vary depending on how they are organized, where they are taking place and what jobs are being advertised. I would like to take this opportunity to highlight a few key points to help you get the most out of your next job fair.

Come Prepared

A job fair can host anywhere from one employer with several available jobs, to hundreds of employers with any number of available jobs. As a prospective employee, you may be going to just see what’s available or you may be attending with a specific job in mind. Either way, it’s always a good idea to arrive prepared, with an updated resume in hand. Make sure your address, phone numbers and email address are current, along with your most recent employment experiences written down. At this point you do not need to have your references prepared, as they are something you bring to your interview. If you have several different resumes (such as a sales/retail resume, a labour resume and an administrative resume) you might want to bring multiple copies of all of them, in case you’re interested in applying to different positions.

Know Yourself

Have a short summary about yourself mentally prepared. You’ll be speaking to prospective employers and you want to be able to express your skills and qualifications in an intelligent and polished manner. It’s best to not memorize complete sentences; simply focus on key points you wish to highlight, such as education, your strongest professional skills, any outstanding accomplishments or projects you’re proud of, and very importantly; what your future goals are. If you have these key points comfortably under your belt you will express yourself with confidence; something that every employer seeks in an employee.

Put in the Effort

Be sure to look your best when attending a job fair. Take the time to plan your wardrobe in advance; have your clothes washed, ironed and make sure they fit you just right and go well together. Have a shower that morning and perform all personal hygiene duties so that you present well. Remember that a first impression is made in the first 5-10 seconds-it’s absolutely worth it to look your best!

Follow the Leader

After introducing yourself, learning about the company and the jobs they have available, follow the lead of the employer; if they are very busy and have lots of people circulating around, they are probably distracted and it wouldn’t be the best time to ask a lot of questions. If it’s quiet and they seem to have time to chat, it could be a good opportunity to ask a few key questions. Follow their lead so the flow of conversation is comfortable and appropriate. It’s always a good idea to get their business card so you’ll have a record of what companies you were interested in pursuing. Definitely shake their hand in a warm and confident way, making sure you make good eye contact. You don’t just want to make a good first impression; strive to make a lasting impression.

If any of this advice reminds you of a job interview- you’re right on the mark! Treat a job fair just like a regular interview in terms of resume and question preparedness, and appearance. If a particular company or job is of particular interest to you, don’t hesitate to ask the employer if you can contact them to request further information, or an interview. That shows interest and initiative, and your follow up just might make the difference in you getting the job. If you have any questions with regards to resumes, interviews or anything else, don’t hesitate to contact us at VCCS where our goal is to help you succeed in your job search.

What employers really think?

What Do Employers Really Think?

Have you ever wondered about what really matters to employers when going in for that interview?  As a job developer working with both clients who are looking for employment and employers looking for new staff, I have the opportunity to hear a lot of helpful information.

Over the last few weeks it seems like the universe has cooperated in providing me with interesting fodder to share with readers. 

The first step is contact

When presenting your resume to an employer or your counsellor who is presenting on your behalf, make sure your contact information is correct.  Check your email and voice mail regularly as employers only have one opportunity to get you before they move on to the next candidate. Have things in place so that you can attend an interview that suits the employer’s schedule not yours, and if you are not sure, become sure quickly and make arrangements without providing the employer with the details. And consider your answering machine recording, does it sound professional or are you sounding like a prankster with too much time on their hands.  Another key piece of advice from an employer who was attempting to set up an interview was; who is answering your phone when you are not home…..this feedback from a recent employer trying to get an individual in for an interview…..

When I finally got through, I spoke to her brother.  He sounded young and unsure about her whereabouts. When I finally connected with the candidate she was unable to attend the interview I suggested as it did not suit her schedule when picking up her son. She may be unreliable, I am not sure if this is the right job for her.

First impression matters

So you have the interview and now you have received some great tips from your counsellor and the valuable employment counsellors in the resource room.  The rest is up to you and part of your responsibility is to apply what we are encouraging you to practise when you are in an actual interview situation.  Consider your attitude and the small talk that can flow freely from our lips….some more feedback from one of our employers….

I am not sure about him; he seemed to complain about a lot.  He commented about the government and how they were such a money grabber.  I have a feeling that he might not have the attitude that we are looking for here at our facility.

Dress for the interview in a professional, suitable to the workplace manner. Our first impression and how we present ourselves is critical and you only have one chance to leave that impression.  I give you once again direct feedback from one of our employers….

Client showed up for his interview wearing a maple leaf jersey/jeans.  The other two candidates we interviewed on that day showed up wearing a casual dress shirt and khaki pants.  He did not provide us with an overall good first impression. Jeans would have been acceptable but I’m suggesting that he purchase an inexpensive golf shirt or something. 

Prepare for your interview

Think of yourself from an employer’s perspective, when you look at your work story how would you market yourself favourably and authentically.  Employers are humans as well, they understand that we have events in our life that prohibit us from keeping a job but preparing a reasonable explanation with some humble insights are required to show growth.  The wise employer speaks authentically….

One of our biggest concerns was ambition and initiative.   He informed us that he was fired from Company ABC after returning from an illness/injury and stated that he was not informed why nor did his union back him up.  Being fired we appreciate can happen to anyone.  He would benefit from being coached as to how to answer this question.   His response left us feeling that there was likely more than what he disclosed and raised some red flags and did not provide us with any confidence that he learned anything from this experience.   

Our biggest concern was his responses regarding what he has been doing or rather not doing since 2010 to find employment which gave us an overall impression that he really was not taking active steps to secure employment (casual, part-time or full time) or develop himself.

So keep applying those great techniques that your Employment Counselors and Job Developers promote in your interview preparation.  Realize that they play a big part in creating a culture of fit with that potential employer, as an interviewee you have the ability to set a great tone and the key to your success.

References – There are better options than Yo’ Mama!

Here at VCCS we do something called a first appointment summary with each client. One of the questions that frequently cause clients stress is “Do you have references?”

The usual responses include;

“Its been so long – I wouldn’t have any idea how to contact them.”

“They wouldn’t have any idea who I am.”

“Only family members – some of them have different last names.”

“You could call my mom.”

References are very valuable, yet most people don’t seem to spend as much time arranging and coordinating with their references as they should. References are important because they give potential employers an idea of what they are getting into by hiring you – a glimpse of your work ethic and personality from someone who has already had experience with you.

There are 2 types of references; PROFESSIONAL AND PERSONAL. Both can be equally valuable.

Professional references are people that can attest to your skills, qualifications and abilities at work. Professional references can include; Managers, Supervisors, colleagues, clients and business contacts.

Personal references, sometimes referred to as character references, are people that can attest to characteristics that would benefit you are work, such as; reliability, taking initiative and being result-oriented. Personal references can include; teachers, pastors, someone that as supervised you volunteering or that you’ve volunteered with, coaches, members of the community and the list goes on. That’s the great thing about personal references – you can use anyone!

And now I hear you saying “Well what’s wrong with my mom then?” The important thing to remember about any reference is that the employer wants a legitimate opinion of your past work and personality. Having your mom or similar references on your list will make the employer wonder if their opinion of you is clouded by the fact that you are family or how much they would like you to get the job.

There are several keys to having good references:

1. Contact your references early and often. Don’t wait until you’ve been asked for an interview and then arrange your references. You should have a list of references that you are regularly in contact with. Consider holidays and special events as a great time to get back in touch.
2. Make sure your references know what type of work you are applying for. When you get a call for an interview and are asked to bring references with you, call your references, and discuss the qualifications of the position and what skills and experience you are depending on them to be speaking about. You could even go as far as sending the job description to them.
3. Let your reference know when your interview is and who the employer is.

If you still have questions about references…  “How do I ask people to be references for me?”….  “How do I format a references page correctly?”…Come into VCCS and our staff would be happy to help you!