Ageism as a challenge gets thrown around a lot in the executive recruiting world. There is this false assumption that because you’re a certain age that you won’t get the job. The reality is there are plenty of companies who will hire you for your expertise regardless of your age if you can properly convey your value.

Yet many executives looking for work still cite ageism as their main challenge in landing the job. Pardon the bluntness, but perhaps “ageism” isn’t the real problem here. In fact, it’s very likely that perhaps you’re making some mistakes that portray you as dated, inflexible and victimized – characteristics that are unattractive at any age.

Use our tips to make sure you aren’t coming off this way in your job hunt.

Your resume is outdated.

Resume trends change all the time. What worked 15-20 years ago will not work today. Furthermore, if you’re still working with the resume your college’s career center taught you to write, and have just been adding your jobs as they happen, then you’re in for a very rude awakening. You wouldn’t wear a suit from 1995, so why would you use a resume format from the same era? The days of sending in paper resumes are gone. Objectives have also been thrown out with yesterday’s trash. Additionally, everything has gone digital so if you don’t have a LinkedIn profile or a way to participate in mobile recruiting then you’re going to struggle finding job.

The people you are contacting prefer corresponding via email—and you’re calling.

In the age of smart phones it’s a miracle if anyone uses a phone to actually talk on it anymore. The truth is several people loathe using the phone and prefer using email. It’s quick, easy, doesn’t really interrupt their day and doesn’t take nearly as much time. You may think it’s impersonal, but the reality is you can easily have the same conversation via email as you would on the phone. If you insist on calling (or worse, faxing) when your contacts clearly prefer email then you’re annoying them. It also shows you haven’t gotten with the times. That’s far worse than running the risk of being impersonal, which no one thinks of email anyway.

You don’t understand effective email communication.

The point of email and instant messaging is that it’s quick and to the point. If this is how a prospective employer operates for intercompany communications then you need to make sure you’re with the program. That means you must avoid sending confusing subject lines and emails that are the length of the Old Testament. MindTools has a great guide on how to properly write effective emails for business. Learning how to write catchy email taglines and first email lines is key to increasing the chances of your email getting read.

You make it hard for people to reach you.

Make sure your resume has a mobile number, email address and LinkedIn profile URL listing in the top section easily seen. Put some variation of your contact information in the summary section of your LinkedIn Profile, twitter bio and/or about.me pages. Google your name and see what options come up and see if it is easy to contact you when clicking on those links. Also, evaluate your email provider. Sometimes Verizon.net and aol.com email addresses can over filter emails and bounce emails being sent to you—even if you initially emailed the person. So ask friends to email you and see if messages bounce—and consider moving email to a more universal provider, such as Gmail.com.

You’re focused too much on the past during job interviews.

While it’s good to touch upon past accomplishments during job interviews you must remember to balance it out with some forward thinking conversation. For instance, don’t forget to mention how your skills can help the company with their current issues. You also need to talk about how you can contribute to company goals both now and in the future.

You’re too expensive.

This isn’t to say that companies are trying to get experience for cheap. It just means they have a budget to work with and not every position needs the expense associated with bringing on an experienced person. Think of it this way, you wouldn’t buy a BMW, if a Toyota suffices for what you need. Sometimes the executive role a company needs to fill doesn’t require so much accumulated experience and therefore isn’t worth the cost. This isn’t ageism, it’s just finances. With all of this outlined, know that I do believe ageism exists in hiring and can be a valid issue in preventing an appropriately qualified, within-the-budget executive getting hired. However, often, I see ageism is not the reason and one of the above reasons is the root of the issue. When someone cites the ageism cause without looking at what they can change or other valid business concerns, all they are doing is destroying their own mindset to get positive results from the search.

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

If you are interested in working with Lisa Rangel, an accomplished executive resume writer, social media profile writer and job search consultant, to achieve social media exposure and interviews you want, sign up for an exploratory call now and learn about the Chameleon Resumes services that can help you land your next role.

Sales Engineers are vital to your sales efforts, providing the technical glue that holds deals together. Quality Sales Engineers can be a challenge to find because competition is fierce for effective engineers. Many highly-qualified Sales Engineers are already busy being handsomely rewarded for their efforts and comfortable where they are. For that reason, it’s important to have a nimble recruitment process that’s focused on speed and quality, while being cost-effective.

After being acquired by a multinational technology and consulting corporation, a leading

endpoint security vendor needed additional Sales and Engineering staff to support the

release of its new suite of security software. This security software provides cybercrime

prevention against financial fraud and data breaches. Hundreds of millions of end-users

use this software to protect web applications, computers and mobile devices from cyber

threats and attacks. Finding the right salespeople and sales engineers, for a product

that serves such a huge market, required an equally huge commitment to rigorous, yet

efficient recruiting.

Initially, the Human Resources Department of its parent company worked with several

recruiting firms to fill several sales and Sales Engineering roles to satisfy its urgent

staffing needs. That worked to fill the Sales Division positions quickly, but due to the

complexity of its software, it was difficult to fill seven open Sales Engineering roles in

the one-month time they had set.

The right candidates needed to have a strong solution-selling ability and hands-on

installation experience with multiple facets of endpoint security technology. They

needed a conceptual understanding of how these technologies integrate with other

internal systems that their client’s may be using. In addition to their technical skills, they

would also have to possess strong presentation and sales skills, and interact

professionally with c-level executives and decision-makers. This mix of technical and

soft skills can be challenging to find. They needed a way to speed up the process and

still find solid candidates that met their criteria.

The endpoint security vendor enlisted the help of J. Patrick & Associates (JP&A) to help

recruit the additions to its Sales Engineering team. JP&A had the tools and resources to

help source qualified candidates in the company’s limited hiring timeframe. By using

data and number mining software and various social media platforms, JP&A used its

database of over 500,000 candidates and its Information Security referral network to

identify candidates for the initial job screening. It was highly specific as well as labor

and in regards to the time-intensive process. JP&A screened out between 100-200

applicants for every candidate that went on to the next phase of the interview process,

the technical aptitude assessment.

JP&A successfully managed the entire hiring process for the endpoint security vendor.

In filling four of its seven Sales Engineering positions in under three and a half months,

JP&A saved the endpoint security vendor significant time and investment in the

process.

By quickly finding high-quality candidates, JP&A earned the company’s trust and is the

company’s only outsourced recruiting firm, working with the parent company’s on

ongoing recruitment projects.

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Although we may like to think that we are always in control of our careers, sometimes unforeseen circumstances take us for a loop. One such circumstance is that of an executive layoff. The good news is, in most cases, you should know ahead of time that you are on the executive layoff list. This gives you time to plan your next moves as an executive who now finds themselves on the job hunt. The bad news is this presents a set of challenges you were not expecting.

Use our tips on handling a layoff to make this transition as smooth as possible.

Mourn your loss.

No matter which way you slice it, a layoff can seem devastating – especially if you didn’t see it coming…even with advanced notice. Before doing anything, make sure to actually feel any emotions of frustration, sadness or anger. Simply put, you want to get it out sooner rather than later so it doesn’t affect your ability to look for work. Stuffing the feelings down and not honoring your feelings as they happen will cause havoc on your search later in the process, when the feelings escape in an unplanned manner in the form of fear, anxiety and/or gloom. Furthermore, getting the emotions out early makes it easier to answer the “Why are you looking for work?” question. While being a part of a layoff is a perfectly acceptable answer you don’t want to run the risk of showing any negative emotions when on the interview. The interview is not the time for therapy. Lastly, you’ll want to change your mindset. It’s easy to see yourself as a victim in a layoff. Unfortunately that kind of mentality won’t help you find your next job. Instead, try seeing it as a fresh slate for a new adventure. It’s a much more empowering perspective that can lead to major motivation during your new job search.

Update yourself on the latest trends.

If it’s been a while since you’ve looked for a job you may find yourself with a lot of changes. The best thing you can do is prepare yourself and research what has changed since you last looked for work. For instance, you may want to look into new technology services, hop on social media and research the latest trends in job hunting.

Start sending out feelers immediately.

If you know your time at your job is limited you’ll want to start reaching out to your contacts and send out some feelers. By letting people know that you are looking for a new job you open the door for them to help you. In fact, many jobs are found precisely because the candidate had a contact. Start with your more personal contacts, like colleagues you know well. You can then work your way into putting out feelers on LinkedIn and contacting recruiters.

Think outside of the box.

While layoffs may be a sign of a shaky economy the good news is that there is always someone looking to hire. However, this may require you to think outside of the box a bit. For instance, maybe you’ve been a sales executive for a software company for 15 years and really enjoy the art of selling. Rather than limiting yourself to only software companies try asking yourself which industry currently needs someone with your particular skill set. The reality is you can bring a lot of value to a new industry as an outsider so why not broaden the job search?

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

Right now, there are two industries targeted for tremendous growth over the coming year: data centers and Infrastructure-as-a-Service (IaaS) providers.  Why exactly are these two infrastructure solutions thriving?  The answer lies in the demand for insatiable access to information and big data.  More than ever before, large enterprises are now focusing on collecting, storing and transferring information.  This information needs to be transported and housed in data centers, on equipment that is scalable, optimized and efficient.  What started solely as ‘server farms’ or simple storage facilities has grown into a fixture of enterprise organizations across the globe – spurring companies to invest heavily in their physical infrastructure as well as the professionals that design, implement and manage these solutions now and in the years to come.

Take Amazon Web Services (AWS) for example, a global company serving hundreds of thousands of customers in over 190 countries.  AWS is currently “expanding its global infrastructure to help customers achieve lower latency and higher throughput.”  Additionally, Google and Oracle, two other global companies, are also experiencing rapid growth.  During the second quarter of 2013, for instance, Google invested a record $1.6 billion on its own data centers.  And Oracle has hired more than 200 employees over the past year as cloud computing continues to spread into the Middle East.

Due to the unprecedented amount of growth in data centers and IaaS, J. Patrick and Associates, a leader in telecom and IT executive recruiting, has seen a drastic rise in organizations looking for highly-skilled professionals with specialties in the physical infrastructure space such as data centers and IaaS.  Here is a look at the specific jobs that are now in demand:

Data Center Operational Managers:  As more and more data centers open up, Operational Managers are needed to oversee and manage servers and storage platforms.  Project Managers are also highly in demand for specific operations.

Cloud Experts:  Cloud migration is one of the top demands for IT executives in 2014. As more and more companies migrate to the cloud, experts are needed that can minimize backend costs and implement strong, secure cloud systems.

Experienced Open Stack Users: All signs indicate that Oracle is committed to OpenStack, as it became a sponsor of the OpenStack Foundation in December.  As more IaaS services are released, companies like Oracle will be looking for experienced users capable of managing OpenStack software and providing essential services for clients.

Network Engineers: This specifically pertains to the Network Operations Center (NOC), in charge of ensuring networks remain up and running at all times.  Network Engineers perform real-time maintenance tasks to ensure that data flows uninterrupted throughout the enterprise.

Data Analysts: Raw data is all but worthless to a company.  Analysts are therefore needed to transform raw data into quality metrics that can be interpreted to support profit-generating endeavors.

J. Patrick and Associates is committed to helping IT professionals with specialized skills find the positions they need.  For almost two decades, J. Patrick and Associates has been leveraging our unique insight and market intelligence to place candidates the right places.  

For more information about how J. Patrick and Associates can help get you where you need to be, please click here. 

Despite it being a new year, many job seekers have been looking for a job already…in some cases, conducting that job search for a while and are burnt out.

While some job seekers have new inspiration to start a search, I know some of you may be tired and burnt out on your search and need a renewed source of perspective. Well, you have come to the right place.

When you are burnt out on your job search, you may need a mental break. Rest to rejuvenate is crucial, but what I think can be equally as effective is to give a good, hard look at the job search activities that you have been doing.

Are you setting yourself up for disappointment and job search burnout? 

Here are 5 Questions to Ask yourself

1. Have you submitted to more than 10 – 20 online job postings per week?

If yes, then you may be spending too much time on job boards and not enough time engaging actual people. You should not be spending more than 10% of your job search time on job boards. Set up Google Alerts and job alerts within notable job boards to have applicable jobs emailed to you and stop wasting time mining for jobs on the boards. 

2. Are you Reaching Out Directly to Hiring managers?

Of the job applications you applied online, how many did you find someone at the company and reach out directly to connect about your application?

If the answer is less than 50%, you are depending on the computer/database gods to get you an interview, when you need to be talking to people. You need human discussion (phone and email) and contact (in person meetings) throughout this process to stay energized and get hired. “A computer hired me,” said no one ever.

3. How Many People are you Talking to?

I suggest keeping a log of how many conversations you are having with people. If it is less than 10-15 people per week, you need to step it up. Again, people hire people–so talk to people. Computers do not hire people, so do not spend time submitting to electronic job applications for most of your time. 

4. Do You Say "I'm Open to Anything"?

If this is exactly how you ask them, I ask you: Do they know what you do, really? Do they know specifically what you want? It is much better to say, “I am looking for an accounting manager position with a mid-sized company in manufacturing” or “I am seeking a customer service position with a technology firm” than say “Hey, let me know if you hear of any job openings” — Specific is so much better than general each and every time! Specific also breeds confidence. 

5. Are you speaking to the right people in your industry?

How many new contacts are you adding to your contacts list each week–or are you circling back to the same 50 – 200 people each month? Add new people by attending industry and profession-related networking events, alumni get-togethers, former co-worker get-togethers and events in your community. Be sure your business card markets you in a memorable way.

Generally speaking, if you are not speaking to people about your job search, not speaking in specifics to people about your job search and/or not speaking to the right people, you could be spinning your wheels a bit, which will contribute to your burn out. It is important to rest and have fun to recharge…but it is also important to do the right activities suggested above to help support your success and preserve your mindset. Good luck!!

Originally posted at: Chameleon Resumes on Job Search Burn Out - Lisa Rangle

Make no mistake--being found by the right job is not a passive job search tactic. Eliminate the vision of sipping margaritas on the deck waiting for recruiters to call. Today’s job seeker must put a lot of thought and hard work into ensuring she/he is a part of communities where hiring managers source for viable candidates.

There is much written about how to find the right job.  However, one of the most overlooked items in a strategic job search plan is how to ensure the job seeker is searchable—or how to have the right job find you.  With the prolific rise of the internet to source candidates by corporate and search firm recruiters, it is paramount that job seekers take steps to ensure they can be located and sourced for the positions they seek.

Recruiting for an open position by posting an ad is one of the last tactics a recruiter wants to utilize. It is a waste of their time to wade through a flood of resumes, which often contains many poorly-qualified candidates.  So it is not very effective for job seekers to apply through a job board posting. Recruiters source and recruit--and candidates that are present and active in those pools get attention. So how do you become that candidate? 

How to Be Found by the Right Job 

Why is it important to take control of your job search?

It can be extremely frustrating and demoralizing to not get any response from search firm recruiters after you have submitted your resume to them. You may feel you’re perfect for the job posted and know you can succeed at it, however you never hear back.  It is hard not to take things personally.  However, there are some easy solutions to keep you upbeat about your job search, and get better results! 

1. Set Yourself Up for Success

Know your background and see if it matches what recruiters are looking for.  If you are missing even one piece of what is being sought, they won’t be sending your resume to their client. If you know you have a background that is lacking what the recruiter needs, no matter how well-qualified you are, you are wasting your time.  Stop approaching recruiters and instead find other channels to present and market yourself and your experience.  Network, apply directly on company websites, and update social media to ensure you are active and top of mind. 

2. Put Skin in the Game

Commit to doing the work YOURSELF needed to execute an effective job search plan. There are no short cuts. Do not pay someone to do the dirty work. If you need help, pay someone to show YOU how to do it correctly. But the key is to do it yourself.  If you need to update your credentials, learn about what is going on in the industry you want to be in, or grow your network, do it.  There is no time like the present!

3. Be Creative

Be Creative In Your Job Search. Use venues that increase your chances of being reviewed and called for a particular job.  If you have a background that is not going to be attractive to search firms, then choose other venues: Use target company lists, industry-focused job boards and networking groups.  Utilize LinkedIn and other social media sites.  Check out company websites, career fairs, and even volunteer in relevant fields. 

4. Quality over quantity

Better to create a target list of companies and do research. It is more effective to mindfully pursue 30 leads directly than to send a mass, impersonalized, poorly-targeted email to 3,000 people.  The less effort you put in, the less results you get back.

5. Build a Brand

Commit to have the best branding presentation ever. So many cover letters and resumes are poorly written, formatted in an amateur manner or simply do not do the candidate any justice.  Make sure your communication documents (resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, networking communications, and blogs) help put your best foot forward.  This will ensure you are not automatically disqualified due to careless errors or omissions. 

Using these 5 suggestions may not be a guarantee that you will get a call back for every position you apply for.  However, being proactive and using all the opportunities out there will help you remain upbeat and in control of your job search!

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

Frustrated by search firm recruiters not calling you back after you have submitted your resume to them?  Feel you’re perfect for the job posted and baffled by the fact that you haven’t heard back?  Here are some answers as to why you haven’t heard back, and some things you can do to better optimize your job search. 

1. YOU may think you’re qualified, but that does not mean THEY think you’re qualified!

Search firms are paid a significant fee to evaluate candidates that the client company cannot find on their own. They are charged with having to determine if a candidate will exceed expectations for that client in the given job. The client company gives the search firm a series of parameters to meet that justify paying a fee to the search firm if the candidate embodies those requirements.

Frankly, it just does not matter that you think you can do the job. The search firm has to ensure you have ALL of what their client's expects:  the proper years of experience, company caliber exposure, demonstrated track record of results, culture fit potential, professional training and educational credentials. If you are missing even just one piece of it, typically you will not be considered by the search firm and your resume will never be submitted for the job. 

As long as you have not been contacted by the search firm or submitted to the company by them, apply through a different venue (networking, applying directly to the company website, etc) that does not add a fee to your head if hired.

2. Search firms are not paid by you, and therefore, do not work for you.

Reputable search firms are only paid by their client company. The company is their client--not you, and they do not exist to find you a job. Credible search firms do not accept fees from candidates for representation to companies, and only get paid when they actually make a placement for a company.  If your background will ensure that they get that placement fee, rest assured that they will contact you.

3. You paid a firm to send your resume to 1,000 recruiters…and it shows.

If you are doing a mass emailing, you cannot expect personalized response results. Even a very successful direct email campaign has a response rate of just 1-2%.  If you have a properly targeted, well-written direct campaign to 1,000 contacts, you will get 10-20 quality calls. If you have a well-written campaign sent to a random sampling of recruiters, you may get 5-15 calls from recruiters who may not place what you do.  And if it is a non-targeted, poorly written campaign, no one will call—or you will receive calls to sell you job search services since you clearly need some help!

4. Search firms don’t place what you do.

You are a Medical Director of a Big Pharma Firm and the recruiter places digital media experts within advertising agencies. You live in Wyoming and the recruiter works with companies in Illinois and Texas.  No matter how great you are and how good your experience and achievements are, you are not getting the call. It is important to know the capacity of the search firm before you send your resume.

5. The search firm has no idea what you do.

Your resume is filled with so much corporate-speak and fluff that they have no idea what you do.  Saying “Leader in the industry” does not help anyone understand what you do. What kind of leader? What level of leader? What industry?   What did you achieve? If the recruiter has to work at figuring out what you do, you are not going to hear from them.

6. They do not have the right job for you.

The search firm actually thinks your background is amazing. They know what you do and are impressed where you do it and how you have done it. But they simply do not have the right job for you. Given that recruiters need to focus on finding candidates that can fill their jobs to make a living, they most likely will not have time to call you. 

7. Your background is not worth a company paying a fee.

This may sound harsh, but it is true.  If you are unemployed or you have too many jobs in a short period of time, you may fall into this category.  If you do not have a series of promotions or you have an eclectic group of varied experiences, you are in this boat, too. This is a simple economics issue.  The supply of these types of candidates is too great right now and companies will not pay a fee unless your background is worth it.

Accepting this fact about yourself does not mean you are doomed to not find a great job. It just means you will probably not find one through a search firm. This really is not that bad of a situation. Search firms account for a very small percentage of hires in the US.  Most hires are made through networking!  So companies will hire you, just through other venues without the price tag attached—so go to those venues!

8. The search firm is overwhelmed and, unfortunately, cannot get back to every applicant with the “Thanks, but no thanks” email.

Don’t take it personally when recruiters do not call to tell you that you are not right for the job. Do not cause yourself added stress by thinking it is personal—it is simply a logistics issue regarding limited resources.  With the volume of resumes that third party and corporate recruiters receive in today’s market, it is physically impossible to get back to everyone. To help ease the rejection you might feel, set goals for outbound activity each week, knowing that only a certain percentage will reap results. It is all a numbers game.

9. Your resume has been posted on all the job boards for a long time.

Companies pay recruiters to find candidates they cannot find themselves. If your resume is posted on many job boards for any significant length of time, you are not exclusive. You are readily available and easily found. When I recruited, I had company clients tell me I could not submit candidates that were found on the job boards--even if I sourced that candidate myself or the candidate was referred to me!  As frustrating as it was, I understood.  Why would they pay a recruiter for someone they could easily find on their own? 

Does this mean you should not be on the boards? Not necessarily. It depends on your story.  If you are not working or know that your company is going to be laying you off and you cannot be without a job, do what you have to do to get that next job.  If you know you will not be well served by recruiters, then you must use other means.  But consider being selective and not post yourself everywhere. Or consider submitting to job postings only. The best option is to commit to networking within the target company list you create and approach contacts directly.

10. You are looking to switch careers or start your career.

You are a successful pharmaceutical sales manager, who just recently graduated with a bachelors in accounting. Now you are looking to get an entry-level position in accounting.  The best option is to contact companies directly for a position in your new career. A recruiter cannot help new college graduates or individuals who want to change careers. Why? Remember, recruiters get paid by clients to find candidates who have had prior success in a job similar to the one they need to fill. A company is not going to pay a recruiter to hire someone to start a new line of work with no proven track record in the field.

11. Don’t test the waters on the recruiter’s time.

On paper, you may appear too comfortable in your job.  Recruiters want to work with candidates who want to make a move.  If it seems you may be shopping or comfortable, but not serious about a new position, your resume will be passed over. Reformat your resume to show career progression, achievements and promotions.  If you present yourself as someone out looking for the next ripe opportunity and who gets results, you increase your chances of getting the call. 

You may find that you identify with a few of the reasons and fall in a few categories above.  Does this mean you are not destined to find a job?  Absolutely not!!  This is a lesson in marketing and economics.  Instead of expecting results from recruiters, you need to present your background in venues where you will be reviewed and perceived as a valuable candidate that should be hired!

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

How Being Private can Negatively Affect Your Job Search

A high-level executive is eager to find a new job.  He uses Facebook for personal things, is present on Linkedin but barely uses it, and sees no value in Twitter.  He states he is looking diligently at job boards and networking strategically but has gotten nowhere in his search. He believes it is vital to maintain his online privacy, and it seems to be working:  he is so private, no one can find him!  It is impossible in this day and age to conduct a job search without using these social media tools in a robust and proactive way. 

There is one thing most people looking for a job may not realize:

Recruiters automatically filter out the less technically savvy from their applicant pools by using these tools. So make sure you are present in these mediums, or consider yourself filtered!

There are certainly legitimate safety reasons for some to remain under the radar and off the grid. I am not advocating publishing your social security number or the answers to your banking security questions on public domain. However, with the exception of a select few individuals, both passive and active job seekers need to have a branded presence on the web to ensure the other aspect of their search strategy can be effective. Everyone must have a vibrant online presence in order to be found by the right people--those who can lead to the next opportunity.

Have at least 250 LinkedIn connections. 

You are already on LinkedIn, so make it work for you. If you consider people on all levels from many different aspects of your life (professional employment, education, childhood, family, friends, neighbors, vendors, clients, service partners, personal services, hobby enthusiasts, extracurricular activities…you get the idea.), you can reach this connection threshold. This will improve your qualitative search result dramatically to yield you better job search leads.

Side consideration: If you are thinking, “LinkedIn never really worked for me.”, ask yourself, “Do I REALLY work it?”  Would you walk into a networking event, not speak to anyone, and then come out and say “Wow, what a waste of time…no one spoke to me and I did not receive one lead!” Of course not!  You need to think of LinkedIn in the same way--use it to proactively reach out to others to make it work for you.

Strategically use Facebook contacts to help your boost your job search network. 

Using Facebook for mostly personal stuff is okay, but consider contacting certain people offline to connect with them and determine if you can help each other out in a professional and meaningful manner.  You won’t be able to help everyone and everyone will not be able to help you, but all you need is a few key contacts to help bring you to the next level in your search.

Start using Twitter, even if you don’t tweet!

If you are not sure what to say in the 140 character limit, then don’t say anything!  Instead, create an account to follow recruiters in your industry and/or discipline that post positions in which you have an interest. You can be a silent presence on Twitter until you are ready to tweet—which may be never. But until then, do not let this goldmine of opportunity pass you by.

Create a searchable webpage housing your resume, achievements and means of contact.

This page only needs to include your general location, phone and email. Specific identifying information does not need to be listed. Even general location does not matter if you are open to relocation or are looking for virtual positions or jobs that naturally require significant travel.  You can even create an email address for your public page that is different from your personal email address.  As hiring managers run searches for what you do, doing this ensures you can be more easily found by them.

With many cases of identity theft occurring every year, online privacy is obviously extremely important.  But when you need to advance your career, get out of a dysfunctional company or end your time in transition, there is a way to prudently advance your online professional profile that doesn’t risk your security.   Otherwise, you have to consider the consequences of staying hidden and determine if it is a cost you are willing to pay in the form of stagnant career or unemployment.

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer

The most effective resume is a branding document showcases a job seeker’s previous experience in a way where a prospective employer can see how the job seeker’s expertise can work within their organization. When this happens, the prospective employer sees how the job seeker’s experience can help their organization achieve results and will call the job seeker in for an interview.  A traditional resume, that only houses job duties, does not outline achievements and is visually boring cannot stand up to a well-branded resume.  

There are three things that differentiate a branded, contemporary resume from a more traditional one

Searchability

Can your resume ensure that you are found in an online search by a prospective employer, whether that resume resides in an applicant tracking system (ATS) or is the basis of your keyword optimized LinkedIn profile? A successful job search in today’s times has two active components.  The first component is to perform the actions that help you find the right job. The second is to include the activities needed to enable the right job to find you. A keyword-optimized resume that is searchable enables hiring managers and recruiters to find you when looking for talent with your skill set.

In this digital age of LinkedIn, Facebook, and online resume pages, finding the perfect candidate is driven by various search engines.  It is absolutely vital for your resume to house keywords and phrases used by hiring managers in searches so your resume can be found. If your resume can’t be found, it won’t be read and you will not land an interview; it’s that simple. 

If you don’t know what terms to include, use an employment website or job board to look for positions in which you are interested.  Including the phrases and words from these postings naturally in your resume, alongside your achievements for each of those functions will improve the likelihood that your resume will be found in employer searches.  

Results

Every job seeker out there today needs quantifiable results on their resume. Results are what employers want, and in order to sell yourself, you need to demonstrate what you were able to achieve.  Here are some examples of questions you might ask yourself to help define your results:

• If you upgraded software, what were the labor cost savings?  How much employee payroll time was saved by the conversion?   
• If you launched a marketing campaign for a major consumer products firm, what was the ROI on the marketing dollars spent for the product launch? In what time frame was the profit/revenue realized? 
• If you managed a pharmaceutical drug development department, how many drugs did you bring to market? What revenues did those products generate? How long was the process?

Size and Scope

Understanding the size and scope of your previous companies helps the hiring manager determine how you can fit into their organization. Saying you did something without the context to support the statement leaves a gap in understanding. Tell your prospective employer about the environment in which you performed these tasks.  Here are some examples of how to put size and scope into each point on your resume:

• Did you manage an IT department of three, thirty or one hundred and thirty employees?
• What was the technology budget that you were accountable for--$10,000, $100,000 or $1,000,000?
• How much savings did your last three IT initiatives generate?
• How many new employees did the 10-person team you supervised get promoted in the past twelve months?

There is no right or wrong answer to any of these questions, but it starts to flesh out the details of the types of environments in which you have performed, and paint a picture for the prospective employer. 

Your resume is part of your employment brand and it needs to tell the story of your experience, achievements, and include information about the environments in which you worked.  Additionally, what it says about you should be reflected in a consistent manner on your LinkedIn profile, Facebook page, and online resume page.  This ensures that you are found in job searches, can demonstrate that you achieved measurable results, and that you are the excellent fit that the hiring managers are seeking. 

Written by Lisa Rangel, Executive Resume Writer