Recruitment Wired to Be Hired:
14 Dos and Don’ts for the 21st Century Job Search (No Matter What Your Age Group)
By Maribeth Kuzmeski
ver been easier. (Our connected world has seen to that.) However, make one techno- logy misstep and your resume could end up in a potential employer’s trash (virtual or actual). Whether you’re a fresh-faced 20-something or a member of the “I don’t talk about my age” club, you’ll do well to heed these 21st and don’ts.
D century job search dos
DO build your online resume using LinkedIn. According to
Jobvite.com’s survey
of 440 human resource professionals, 72 percent plan to spend more time recruiting via social media this year and 66 percent have successfully hired a candidate identi- fied or introduced through an online social network. If you aren’t already on business- focused social media sites like LinkedIn, take the time to set up a profile. LinkedIn is especially important becau-
se it is the most commonly viewed source for job seekers and employers. Setting up a profile is simple: Just go to
www.linke-
din.com, add your picture and a summary of your past job responsibilities, and state what you’re looking for. As a LinkedIn member, you can also join groups, review books, and proactively connect with po- tential employers. Think of it as creating your own living resume and a great way for people to connect with you!
DO keep your social media profiles professional. To find out about the “real” side of po-
tential employees, some employers are Googling them as well as checking out their Facebook and Twitter pages. Before you kick off your job search, make sure your Facebook page and other social me- dia profiles are clean and professional. If
48
espite the overcrowded job market, finding and applying for jobs has ne-
is (HerName)@
yahoo.com. Even if it me- ans opening up a completely new email account, be sure you have an email add- ress to use in your job search and on your resume that is professional and clear.
DON’T be too wordy or use excessive punctuation in emails. In an attempt to seem more profes-
you have any embarrassing or inappro- priate material on your profile, it could be quite off-putting to your potential em- ployer. Do yourself a favor and remove those materials. And if you think that simply making
your profiles private will solve the pro- blem, beware! “A 20-something job sear- cher recently told me about a new tactic that some employers are using,” says Kuz- meski. “The interviewer asked the candi- date to pull up his Facebook page—right there in the interview, leaving him no time to clean anything up! Yes, social media is a lot of fun, but make sure if you’re loo- king for a job that your social media sites help, not hurt, your cause.”
DO make sure you have a sensible e-mail address. Bottom line, someone who emails from
the email address HotStuff2001@yahoo. com will probably not have her email ope- ned over that of someone whose address
www.blackeoejournal.com
sional, job searchers sometimes provide too much detail in emails. Remember, the people you are emailing about job oppor- tunities are extremely busy. They cannot and will not read overly long emails. So keep them short! And when you do send emails, make sure they are carefully punc- tuated. That means not including four exclamation marks after describing how creative you are or how much you sold at your last job. So before you hit the “send” button, read, re-read, and edit your email to make sure you are saying what you want as concisely as possible.
DO use clear and concise subject lines. Emails with clear subject lines get ope-
ned more quickly and avoid being directed into SPAM folders. When sending an in- quiry about a job, use a clear and concise subject line such as “Candidate for Open Sales Position” or “Experienced Salesper- son Seeks Position.” Avoid overly lengthy subject lines or subject lines that will be overlooked by the receiver.
DO be careful what you at- tach.
Many people are reluctant to open at- tachments sent from unfamiliar email addresses for fear they may get a virus. To avoid having to attach your resume, after you’ve carefully crafted your introductory email to send to your potential employer,
The Black E.O.E. Journal
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