On the Ledge - Job Search Have You Feeling Down? | CareerAlley

“You’re never beaten until you admit it.” – George S. Patton

You are on the ledge, inching forward one tiny step at a time. It took a lot of courage to get up here, now you just need to step off. You know that once you step off there is no turning back, but you hesitate yet again. It’s a beautiful day, sunny and no clouds in the sky, a great day to be out here. You finally find the courage to move to the end and you step off. You drop quickly and look up at the brilliant blue sky before you hit. Your journey ends and you plunge into the water, the pool water is not as cold as you thought and, now that you think about it, the diving board is not really that high.

Social Media & Your Job Search: Act Like a Company, Not a Person | Tim's Strategy

A guest post by author and social media strategist Neal Schaffer

You’re in transition.  Fine.  We are all, at multiple times in our lives, in between jobs and conducting a job search.  And we all land jobs and don’t remain a job seeker forever.  But the situation in 2010 is not like it was when you graduated from college in 1990 or even 2000.  Now, you truly are your own company, and those that have been in transition during this recession realize it.  If this is the case then, why don’t more people act like a company would?

Two Words that Characterize Your Personal Brand | Brand-Yourself.com Blog

Words frequently have more than one meaning. No big surprise: you knew that. But did you know that a two-word pairing can have a whole different meaning, depending on the order in which those same two words are presented? That is perhaps much more interesting–and valuable–when you know how this two-word test can be a powerful indicator for your personal brand.

More Resume Bloopers and Blunders - Careers Articles

Readers had so much fun with our recent article Resume Mistakes That Keep Hiring Managers Amused But Cost You the Interview, that we decided to do a sequel. These blunders are courtesy of Robert Half International's Resumania.

"SKILLS: Committed to meeting deadline."

Just one?

"HOBBIES: Michael Bolton."

That's a first.

"SKILLS: I'm try-lingual."

She either speaks three languages or has trouble with just one.

"COVER LETTER: I host a superlative proficiency for resolving complex systematic problems. I have pedagogic expertise conducting sales, and I can be quickly utilized as an assiduous, visceral and proactive problem solver."

Easy for you to say.

-- Are you applying for jobs? Find out what they pay.

"EQUIPMENT: Human brain 1.0."

We'll wait for the upgrade.

"POSITION DESIRED: Profreader."

It doesn't look good...

"DATE OF EMPLOYMENT: 2002-9999."

She's earned her gold watch!

"EDUCATIONAL ACHIEVEMENTS: Maintained a 2.0 GPA."

We can't "C" why you highlighted this fact.

"REFERENCES: Scott."

We'll need a little more to go on.

"EXPERIENCE: Demonstrated ability in multi-tasting."

You'll love our vending machine.

"EXPERIENCE: Only employee of a small distribution company."

Can't get much smaller than that.

"APPLICATION: Q: How large was the department you worked in with your last company? "A: 3 stories."

OK ... Then, approximately how many people sat on each floor?

"PERSONAL: I can describe myself in three words: committed, hard working, and very strategic thinking."

That's seven words.

"REASON FOR LEAVING: Pushed aside so the vice president's girlfriend could steal my job."

We're glad you're not bitter.

"OFFICE EQUIPMENT: Stapler."

Did you find it tough to master?

"EXPERIENCE: "Responsibilities included recruiting, screening, interviewing and executing final candidates."

Seems kind of harsh ...

"EXPERIENCE: I was brought in as a turnaround consultant to help turn the company around."

Sounds like you may be going in circles.

"COMPENSATION: My compensation should be at least equal to my age."

And bonuses "tied to" your shoe size?

"WORK EXPERIENCE: Responsibilities included checking customers out."

And then did you rank them on a scale of 1-to-10?

"CURRENT SALARY: $36,000. Salary desired: $250,000."

Nothing ventured, nothing gained.

via jobs.aol.com

Posted via email from AndyWergedal

The 15 Most Deadly Resume Mistakes to Avoid | EmploymentDigest.net

One of the most frequent question I receive is about CVs. More specifically, how to write a winning CV and what mistakes to avoid. So here I gathered the 15 most common mistakes to avoid.

Treating your CV as your life’s story and not as a sales document – although its title (Curriculum Vitae) literally means that, it is a false illusion. Your CV is not a book on your life, it is your marketing tool, so handle it accordingly.

Resume Help & Career Advice by Career Expert Laura Labovich : CAREEREALISM

By CAREEREALISM-Approved Expert, Laura Labovich

Resumes that incorporate graphics and color are not simply for creative professionals anymore. A purely textual resume is often not enough to stand out in a crowd of candidates, so if your resume is finding its way to the black hole again and again, it may be time to spice it up. Tasteful and professional visual accessories (note: no clip art or cheap graphics) can add value—and charm—to your resume and can be helpful in grabbing attention, creating interest, and increasing attractiveness to employers.

What Your Company Should Know Before Hiring A Social Media Analyst | Brand-Yourself.com Blog

For most companies, social media is still an emerging platform.  Yes, many brands are visible, however, while some brands are faster to the social media market than others, everyone recognizes the importance of having a presence on at least a few social media sites.  But who will run such a campaign?

Marketing (or Public Relations) is typically the group that makes the most sense to manage such a role within an organization.  After all, Marketing has all sorts of tools, technologies and propaganda to be in a position to effectively disseminate the content.

As a company explores the idea of either hiring a new employee to manage the activity or moving an internal employee into this role, there are a few key criteria that must be addressed when identifying the right candidate.