Project U. Blog

Five Ways to Be a Strong Job Candidate – Despite Long-Term Unemployment

Posted by Catherine Saar on Wed, Feb 15, 2012 @ 02:41 PM

How can you continue to be a strong candidate for employment even when you’ve been outemployed iStock 000018451634XSmall of work for a long time?  New York Times columnist Eileen Zimmerman interviewed several employment consultants and experts to give us some great ideas. Here’s a summary of her main points, or check out the full article here

1) Keep current with what’s happening in your industry.

  • Maintain memberships in relevant industry associations and consider volunteering on related committees.

  • Find ways to give back to the people in your network who are helping you – by sharing relevant articles or knowledge about professional opportunities so that your relationships remain two-sided and win-win.

2) Maintain professional certifications, credentials and licenses and involve yourself
     in activities that use your professional skills
.

  • Take temporary or part-time work in your industry if possible, or do unpaid volunteer work for nonprofits or charitable organizations to make sure you to stay up-to-date professionally.

  • Consider starting your own consulting firm and landing at least a few jobs (large or small) that you can add to your resume and discuss during interviews.

3) Don’t try to hide gaps on your resume, but do emphasize the positive.  

  • While reorganizing your resume in an attempt to hide gaps won’t fool anyone, some tactics will help to accentuate the positive.  For example, using a “Skills Summary” to lead off the resume rather than “Experience” may reduce visual focus on date gaps.

  • Change the header “Work Experience” to “Experience” so it is easier to include volunteer work as well as paid gigs (clarifying which is which) on your resume. 

  • Quantify results and show how you contributed to the growth and success of an organization, regardless of whether the work was volunteer or paid.

4) Be straightforward about the loss of previous employment.

  • When interviewing, be ready to share the story of your job loss, regardless of whether your previous position wasn’t a good fit anymore, or if it was a layoff. Frame the situation in the best light possible without being dishonest.   Remember that fudging the truth and getting caught would not bode well for you.

5) Be specific about the position you are applying for during an interview.

  • To avoid looking like someone who doesn’t know what they want, be clear about what position you are seeking.  According to Elena Bajic, founder and C.E.O. of Ivy Exec, a recruitment service in New York, if you were a marketing manager, for example, rather than saying you want to work in any marketing capacity, it’s better to be more specific. Employers don’t want to hire someone into a job that’s not a good fit and have them leave as soon as something more appropriate comes along.  Ms. Bajic says employers aren’t looking for just any match, “They are looking for the right one.”

Good luck with your job-hunt and keep the faith!

You can access the original NYT’s article here.

Tags: professional, success, results, skills, New York Times, Eileen Zimmerman, volunteer work, up-to-date, interviews, job-hunt, resume, industry associations, credentials, part-time work, nonprofits, jobs, Skills Summary, gaps, employers, candidate, unemployment, long-term, certifications, Experience, Tips, recruitment

How to Benefit by Turning Your Job Search into a Project

Posted by Catherine Saar on Thu, Dec 08, 2011 @ 08:51 AM

Looking for a new job is a project – and it can be a streKozzi man smiles at desk 644x806ssful one, especially if you’re currently unemployed.  To make it better, I suggest you treat your job search as if it were a part-time job.  Being organized and getting dressed everyday – as well as taking time for lunch and getting exercise, can help relieve stress.  My experience is that a healthy, less stressed job seeker is usually more effective and more energetic - and that often translates into better results.  

Here are some tips and guidelines to consider when putting your project plan in place: 

  • Set a goal for daily and weekly hours for working on your job search.  If possible, set regular office hours for yourself. 
  • Don’t overdo it.  Forty hours a week may be too taxing.  Considering starting with 20 to 25 hours a week and adjust as needed.
  • Create an organized, professional workspace for yourself. Sitting in front of the TV with a bowl of cereal in your hand and a notepad on your lap may not be the best strategy for clear thinking.
  • Make yourself presentable.  You’re valuable.  Treat yourself as such.  You don’t have to dress-up in business clothes, but looking good contributes to a positive outlook. 
  • Each week, set goals and create a project plan for what you want to accomplish during your office hours.  Here are some activities to consider:
  • Spend time on your personal brand if you are making a career shift or change.  Take time to take career surveys, do informational interviews and develop a clear awareness of what you want from your next position.
  • Network in-person, on the phone and online.  Online networking is important, but don’t overlook high touch contact.  
  • Develop new contacts by joining groups and attending industry-networking functions.
  • Follow companies and apply for positions using targeted online job sites. There are many to consider, so pick the ones that suit you.
  • Update your resume and cover letters as needed.
  • Volunteer or take classes that improve or increase your marketable skills.

Last but not least, make time outside of your project schedule to connect with friends and share a few laughs.  Because looking for a job is a job, you will benefit by taking time to recharge your batteries. 

Best wishes for a happy, healthy and successful hunt.   By the way, what job search tips have worked well for you?

Tags: professional, network, results, change, goal, skills, part-time job, relieve stress, valuable, career shift, exercise, how to, resume, benefit, successful, unemployed, project plan, marketable, job sites, recharge, cover letters job search tips, happy, project, stressful, job search, online networking, industry

Resume Tip: Highlight Achievements to Get Noticed

Posted by Catherine Saar on Thu, Nov 17, 2011 @ 12:28 PM

better resumeWhich statement is more compelling? 

“Responsible for advertising” or

“Reduced advertising expense 20% using customer data analysis while improving sales by 5%.”

Although both statements may have a place on your resume, using specific examples on your resume to provide concrete proof of how you’ve contributed to the success of past employers is critical.  

Your resume is not a laundry list of all the stuff you have done. It needs to show how well you fit with what the hiring company is looking for. Once you are clear about what skills and accomplishments are needed in the position for which you are applying, determine where and how your achievements match up. Highlight the skills and results that best demonstrate your track record of delivering the kinds of things they expect. 

Think about your experience this way:

  1. What is this company looking for from this position? What situations/problems or goals have you worked on in the past that are similar?

  2. What action did you personally take to improve or ameliorate the issue(s)? 

  3. How did your action(s) positively affect the company?  Were there savings, improvements or increased profits?

Once you have a few examples of how your efforts made a difference in the past, pepper your resume with specific achievements that show how you made a difference.   You can also include results from volunteer positions if they demonstrate your ability in ways that match up to this employer’s needs.   Of course you shouldn’t fabricate, but do think about ways you can measure your contributions. Use numbers or descriptive language when you can.

Here are some examples you might consider:

  • Corrected an internal problem

  • Improved a service or a product

  • Improved the appearance or usability of an item

  • Increased membership or attendance

  • Increased business

  • Reduced errors

  • Innovated new ways to get information, get things done

  • Avoided a problem

  • Saved money or time

  • Increased awareness of the company, a service or a product

  • Created, met or improved standards

  • Devised or streamlined a system

  • Increased customer satisfaction.

Think about it. A company wants to reduce its hiring risk. If you are a candidate who provides proof of your skills by using concrete, targeted examples (like mini case studies), you can increase the likelihood that you will get noticed - and hired.  

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Tags: applying, fit, success, skills, resume, concrete proof, contributions, get hired, goals, hiring, accomplishments, Tips, achievements