Quick Hits - Some Things to Remember

The 20/20/60 Rule

The 20/20/60 Rule As a general rule, allocate your search effort using a 20/20/60 guideline. That is, 20% of your effort should be on researching and applying for jobs, 20% on optimizing your resume and online (social networking) profile, and making them easy to find, and 60% on networking.

Manage your "Online Persona"

Manage your Online Persona Your personal profile is the heart and soul of your social media presence. It’s where you express who you are and what topics you are interested in exploring. The most popular sites make it easy to establish and refine your online profile. Your career interests and your desire to network with others in your profession or industry are key elements of your personal profile.

Pass the 10-Second Test

Pass the 10-Second Test Due to the volume of resumes employers receive, they may spend as little as five to ten seconds reviewing a resume before discarding it. Your resume must be so focused that it grabs the reviewer’s attention in as little as five or ten seconds. When you view your resume in the context of the job you are applying for, keep the five-to-ten seconds review in mind.

Make Networking a Priority

Make Networking a Priority Networking doesn’t have to be painful, or even look like networking. You can invite people to coffee, get to know them, participate in activities with them, share common interests, and generally socialize. The only difference is you are also inquiring about ideas to support your job search. Use LinkedIn and other social networking sites to expand your reach and get the attention of recruiters.

Get Interviews and Do Well in Interviews

Get Interviews and Do Well in Interviews If you break down a job search into its most basic components, there are two fundamental things that must be accomplished: 1) get interviews, and 2) do well in those interviews. Granted, there are lots of things that go into making those two things happen. However; if you keep your focus on those fundamental components, the rest will make a lot more sense.

Ask Questions During the Interview

Ask Questions During the Interview Prepare in advance for questions you want to ask the interviewer. This shows you are interested and provides opportunities to add additional information about your background. Since some questions will naturally be answered during the course of the interview, have several questions in mind.

Highlight Accomplishments

Highlight Accomplishments Few things resonate better with interviewers and hiring managers than a proven track record. Highlighting notable accomplishments will go a long way toward convincing an interviewer that you have the skills they need. Think about problems you've solved, ways you've improved work processes, costs you've reduced, and similar ideas.

Be Prepared for Likely Interview Questions

Be Prepared for Likely Interview Questions Think about important elements of the job, challenges in your industry segment, preferred skills and abilities, etc. These are all things that you are likely to be asked during an interview. Prepare for potential behavioral questions such as "Give me an example of how you have ..." Effective preparation will boost your confidence during an interview and help you excel.

Match Your Resume to the Job Description

Match Your Resume to the Job Description Recruiters usually start with a job description or list of job specifications when looking for qualified candidates. Any information you can gather from job descriptions or postings can provide good clues about what the recruiter will be looking for. Examine those documents carefully and look for key words or concepts you can incorporate into your resume.

First Impressions are Critical

Be Prepared for Likely Interview Questions You never know what kinds of things a recruiter, interviewer or hiring manager will notice. Sometimes it's the little things like basic grooming, style of dress, a hand shake and the like that can separate you from other job candidates. Before you go into an interview or meet a networking contact, think about all the things that can make a difference and plan accordingly.

Focus on Benefits to the Employer

Be Prepared for Likely Interview Questions Its always nice to have the background, education, experience, skills, etc. that an employer is looking for. But it is far more important to be able show how you can apply all of those factors to the job. When discussing your background or credentials, think about the kinds of things that would benefit the employer. Show how you would use your skills to increase productivity, lower costs, enhance customer service, etc.

Match Resume Titles to the Job

Be Prepared for Likely Interview Questions Generally, the closer your former job titles match the title of the job you are applying for, the more likely a recruiter will pay attention to your resume. If a former employer used obscure or odd titles, translate those titles to ones that make more sense and are a better match to the job. For example, if you were called an Analyst IV, but your role was identical to the job description, use the job description title and explain the odd former title during the interview.

Check for Key Words and Phrases

Be Prepared for Likely Interview Questions Job descriptions and posting information provide excellent clues about the kinds of skills a recruiter will be seeking. Carefully review these documents for relevant terms and phrases. To the extent you can, use similar terms and phrases in your resume. Since initial candidate screening is often done electronically via candidate sourcing programs, having matching terms will help you come up in the result set.

Have Your 30-Second Introduction Ready

Be Prepared for Likely Interview Questions You never know when you're going to run into a potential networking contact, be asked into an interview on short notice, and the like. Having your 30-second introduction ready and well-rehearsed can turn chance encounters or ad hoc interviews into job offers. The same applies to having copies of your resume handy and personal business cards at the ready.

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Some Things to Remember

There's a wide range of important points which apply to every job search. Because there are so many components to think about, we sometimes miss or forget some of the details. This handy Quick Hits topic brings some of those important details back into focus. See the Job Hunter Pro eBook, Quick Start and other tools for additional details.