Web2.0 Job Search Tools

Web2.0 Job Search Tools 2 Lacking an official definition, the Web2.0 label means different things to different people regardless of whether they have Israeli startups in mind. At its simplest, we can say that Web2.0 refers to the state of the Internet today as opposed to during the late '90s Internet Bubble. With that in mind, what has changed when it comes to job hunting? Live Search-able Job Listings Many sites now allow you to begin typing in a field, usually the search box, with results being automatically suggested before you've finished typing. Krop.com has implemented this well, and it does save a little time while making for a more pleasurable job search. Change: Evolution. Map Mashups Once Google Maps was launched and shown to be easily mashed up with other websites, it was only a matter of time before the maps started appearing everywhere. Many jobsites are now using the Maps technology such as HOBoJOB and JobMaps, which allow you to search Indeed.com‘s jobs database and plot the results on a Google Map. Jobhunters Online puts a twist on the idea, allowing job seekers to post their location so that recruiters can find them easily. Change: Evolution. Blogs Having an online presence is important when job hunting whether you're a student, aspiring writer, or just looking for your next big adventure. Before blogs, many people had personal websites where they were blogging without it being called that. What has changed is that new blogging technologies have made personal websites of this kind easier to launch, maintain and above all, interact with other bloggers via comments, trackbacks and pingbacks. Change: Revolution. RSS Really Simple Syndication technology is just that. So simple that millions of people are now using RSS feeds to keep track of everything and anything on the Internet, like search results for certain job criteria or updates on favorite job blogs (like this one). Yahoo! Pipes will even let you mix and blend any feeds to your heart's content. In the past, you would have needed to overwhelm your inbox to accomplish the same feats. Change: Revolution.eval Video The proliferation of video sharing sites like YouTube led people to begin posting video resumes of themselves, and there are already dedicated Video CV or VCV-posting sites. A nice idea until you realize that recruiters hate them since recruiters often lack the time to go through all the paper resumes they receive and video takes much longer to sort, assuming they even have the proper tools to do so. Plus, if your video is particularly memorable in a bad way, it could come back to haunt you as Aleksey Vayner found out. On the other hand, more and more companies are using video clips to sell themselves to prospective recruits. Change: Evolution. Podcasts Recorded audio resumes probably generate recruiter anger quicker than video resumes for the same reasons as above, but there are companies putting out audio job listings via sites like Jobs in Pods. Job seekers who spend hours scanning listings will find other Web2.0 innovations more appealing since this idea will only slow them down, but I think enough people will appreciate that they can listen to job podcasts on their cellphones. Change: Evolution.eval Social Networks If there's one concept that has become synonymous with Web2.0, it's social networks. The two kinds that are especially pertinent for job seekers and jobfinders are networks to help people contact each other such as LinkedIn (Guy Kawasaki explains why) and networks that filter the Web's best content- i.e. job search tips and advice â€" like Stumbleupon or Shaveh (Hebrew). Change: Revolution. Conclusion Many of the new Web2.0 technologies represent a significant leap forward, and some of them are so much fun to use that you may become distracted. However, if you stay disciplined you can reap their benefits of making networking simpler, improving your productivity and increasing your reach towards the ever elusive dream job. Early adopter?

Past Mistakes For Resume Writing

Past Mistakes For Resume WritingIn this article I will discuss how to take a look at past mistakes for resume writing to uncover your strengths and weaknesses. It is important to identify yourself as a strong candidate for the job and avoid admitting that you have made mistakes in the past.The number one mistake people make when they are trying to sell themselves to employers is to admit that they have made past mistakes in the past. It is one of the first things employers look for and you want to avoid this because employers want to know that you are a strong and effective candidate for the job.Employers want to know that your past mistakes were for the purpose of selling yourself rather than a conscious choice that you made. They will expect that you will not make the same mistakes again. Many people make the mistake of just writing 'I am bad at...' in the position summary without really exploring the facts and circumstances of the position.If you can admit to past mistakes, your r esume will reflect this honesty and you will come across as a more genuine candidate. Employers will be impressed with this and want to hire you. If you admit to past mistakes, you will also discover that you are now better equipped to avoid making similar mistakes in the future.Next time you write a resume, pay close attention to what you wrote in the opening section. Look at yourself objectively in the opening paragraph and discover how much your past mistakes illustrate the qualities that are necessary for the job.If you are looking for a new employer, the goal is to create a winning impression, not to make the employer regret hiring you. If you admit to past mistakes and you are able to develop a winning attitude in your future job interviews, this will be a highly effective method of improving your chances of being hired.Employers like to hire people who have clearly identified their strengths and weaknesses and this applies to resume writing as well. If you can identify yourse lf as a weak candidate for the job, you are likely to encounter difficulties in the interview process. If you are not able to show that you are a strong and effective candidate, you are unlikely to find a job.Rather than confessing to past mistakes, you can admit that you were not effective at doing the job. This is the appropriate way to become a better and more desirable candidate for employment.

10 Best Executive Resume Services in Chicago, IL

10 Best Executive Resume Services in Chicago, IL If you are a senior-level job seeker in Chicagoland, it is important that you look like a big fish on paper. The way resumes are scrutinized today, having a strong marketing message is critical.That may seem like a tall order when you have to condense ten, twenty, or thirty years of accomplishments onto one or two pieces of paper. The solution?Hire a professional executive resume writer.There are dozens of executive resume writing services in Chicago that can help you create not just a compelling job history, but a refined personal brand. To make finding a writer easier, use this list of the top ten best executive resume services.Best Executive Resume Services in ChicagoIf you are in a hurry and don't want to read our detailed reviews below, here is a list of the Best Executive Resume Services in Chicago:Find My Profession (that's us!) JobStars Jody Michael Associates A Better Resume Service Resume Target Employment BOOST Career Canvas Weeks Career Services Vocamotive e.g. EditorsAnd now for the detailed reviews...1. Find My ProfessionFind My Professionis not just a top-notch executive resume service available in Chicago. We are a global company headquartered in the US on a mission to master effective, ATS compatible resumes that convert into offers.A major perk of Find My Profession is that we are not a one-person shop.Collectively, our team of elite resume writers has experience in 85+ unique industries/professions. This allows us to assign you a professional writer (in the United States) based on your unique background and experience.We are also not a resume factory. We will never use “ghostwriters”. You will have your resume writer’s name, email, and phone number for direct communication.With 100+ 5-star reviews and a 60-day interview guarantee thatspeaks for itself, you can sleep easy knowing that your satisfaction is our #1 priority.Pros:Find My Profession commits to working with each client until they are completely satisfied. Don’t worry about h aving a limited number of edits, or a set amount of time with your writer.Cons:Find My Profession is a virtual/online company. While we provide services in your city, we don’t have a physical office.Also, with a focus on more senior positions, our entry-level resume service may be a bit pricey for recent graduates.Turnaround: 3-5 business days. Can expedite to 2 business days.Cost: $695-$895Phone: (831) 888-0967Don't take our word for it, check out some of our 5-star reviews.Trustpilot2. JobStarsJobStars builds resumes with an emphasis on substance and presentation. They will generously invest time in you to make sure they understand your focus, selling points, and goals. If you think you would benefit from career coaching, this company can provide that for you in tandem with resume services.Pros: If you are ecstatic about your resume, you might want to spring for their interview preparation or job search services as well.Cons: The timeframe for revisions is a little long, especia lly if multiple revisions are needed.Turnaround: 5 business days for the first draft. Allow 3 business days for each round of revisions. Two-day rush service is available.Cost: $895â€"1295.Phone: (888) 307-00103. Jody Michael AssociatesJody Michael Associatescomes in at #5 on our list of best executive resume services in Chicago. That’s thanks to an impressive mix of price, service, and staff. They’ve helped dozens of executive clients find jobs at companies like Pepsi, Accenture, and Mayer Brown. Can they put you in the frunchroom? Yep. One of their clients is the COO of PayPal.Pros:Most of this firm’s resume writers are certified career coaches. They can also give you tips to ace that job interview.Cons:No posted sample resumes, prices, process, or turnaround times.Turnaround:Not stated.Cost:Not stated.Phone:(773) 275-55664. A Better Resume ServiceA Better Resume Service writes resumes for Fortune 500C-suite executives daily. Among their clients have been senior-level execut ives from companies like Microsoft, Amazon, and SONY. They have over 25 years’ experience in the resume writing industry and eight locations in the Chicago Metropolitan Area.Pros: You can start with a free in-person consultation.Cons: There are no executive resume samples on the website. However, you can go into one of their 8 offices to see samples.Turnaround: 3-5 business days with expedited service available.Cost: $450+Phone: (800) 730-32445. Resume TargetResume Targetwrites compelling resumes for executives from a wide variety of industries. You can see a range of samples on their website, and can even compare and contrast senior-level resumes from a variety of industries. Those in or seeking C-level positions can expect the process to kick off with an in-depth, 1â€"2-hour phone interview. Their turnaround time is quite fast for the resume writing industry.Pros: If you are not interviewed in 90 days, you will get a free resume rewrite. They are comfortable offering that becaus e 97% of their clients get multiple interviews in that timeframe.Cons: The samples are succinct and tidy but don’t have a ton of visual appeal.Turnaround: First draft in 3 business days.Cost: $549â€"849.Phone: (312) 579-06326. Employment BOOSTEmployment BOOST, located downtown, has been featured in CareerBuilder, U.S. News, and Investopedia. Their deluxe package includes a resume, cover letter, a LinkedIn profile, and one hour of coaching. Each resume is reviewed by an executive recruiter.Pros: Employment BOOST has excellent scheduling flexibility. You can call them 7 days a week from 7 am to 10 pm. They offer a 90-day satisfaction guarantee.Cons: It would have been nice to see some executive resume samples on their website.Turnaround: 3â€"5 business days with rush service available.Cost: $599.Phone: (888) 468-64957. Career CanvasCareer Canvas is a career counseling service with a writer on staff who specializes in VP and C-level executive resumes. Before becoming a resume writer, she worked for Apple and Intel and excels at making senior-level candidates shine on paper.Pros: If you purchase their executive resume service, you can create a video version of your resume for just $10.Cons: The $1000 price is for the resume only, so bundling in LinkedIn will get expensive. That said, the executive service includes four versions of your resume and a cover letter.Turnaround: 5 business days with 24-48 hour expedited options available.Cost: $1000.Phone: (872) 221-45918. Weeks Career ServicesWeeks Career Services is an all-around resume writing, career coaching, and outplacement service dedicated to helping senior-level professionals find meaning in their work and advance in their careers. Owner Charlotte Weeks is an expert who has been featured in The Wall Street Journal and TIME, and by numerous Chicago-area media outlets.Pros: This is a thorough service that includes access to a trusted career coach. In addition, a third-party proofreader reviews each document.Co ns: A long FAQ section is dedicated to why the price is so high. So when you call, be prepared for potential sticker shock.Turnaround: 10â€"14 days.Cost: Not stated.Phone: (312) 662-14109. VocamotiveVocamotive has clients from the director level through C-level executives and offers a full range of resume and LinkedIn services. They have a gallery full of attractive resume samples waiting for you to peruse. Reviewers speak highly of the company’s certified resume writers, Adam Zajac and Brittney Beck.Pros: Vocamotive also provides executive recruitment concierge services, if you think that is something you need.Cons: This company recently moved out to Lombard, which might be a hike for you. However, if you prefer working virtually, that won’t be a problem.Turnaround: Not stated.Cost: Not stated.Phone: (630) 487-587910. e.g. Editorse.g. Editors is a professional writing and editing service that includes a certified professional resume writer. Elisa (the “E” in e.g.) has writt en numerous resumes for executives. By all accounts, her clients end up being very happy with the way they are portrayed on paper. You can expect an in-depth, collaborative process with e.g. Editors.Pros: Don’t make the mistake of thinking Elisa is just a writer without experience in the business world. She has worked both in marketing and human resources.Cons: The cost below isn’t exact. It had to be estimated from several “and up” statements. If you are a top exec, this is probably the price you will pay for a resume. Don’t be shy about calling for a quote.Turnaround: Not stated.Cost: $500+Phone: (312) 834-3733This List Serves The Following Areas Near Chicago, Illinois:Evanston, Joliet, Rockford, Elgin, Aurora, Kankakee, Sterling, Ottawa, Marseilles, Des Plaines, Waukegan, Crystal Lake, McHenry, St. Charles, WheatonBest Executive Resume Services In AmericaNot worried about finding a local company? Want to work with the best of the best? Check out the Best Executive Resum e Services.

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out Online

How to Make Your Resume Stand Out Online There’s a sea of online resume postings out there, and with the huge number of resumes submitted via e-mail or online forms that the employers have to scrutinize, they may all start to look the same. When you’re competing with hundreds of other equally qualified applicants, you have to establish yourself as the front-runner from the get go! So how do you ensure that your online resume will stand out from the crowd and not get lost in the black hole that many of the resume databases have become? Read on; you just might find the answers in the following tips: 1) Make your resume keyword-rich: Recruiters and company resume databases search for resumes using keywords. Think of it as similar to the way you’d search for a restaurant on Google; you enter your key criteria for a place to eat, right? If your resume doesn’t have those keywords embedded, it won’t be included in the results. It’s crucial to identify the right terminology in the industry you’re applying for. Take time to research the company, look at the job requirements and highlight all the keywords and key phrases. Don’t get too crazy with the keywords, though. Just put enough to help employers find you faster. Remember this equation: Excellent Resume + Keywords = Job Opportunities. 2) Get your resume branded: While employers care about your address, mobile number and e-mail address, what’s more important to them is how you do things differently; what makes you unique and what your bottom-line impact is in the organization. Ask yourself what you consistently do really well that is of value to the prospective employer. Once you identify it, turn it into a branding statement of three to four sentences, max. 3) Make it easy for employers: Avoid the likelihood of conversion mistakes during upload and keep formatting as simple as possible; make it aesthetically pleasing and easy to follow. Use a different font â€" legible and not too fancy, but somewhat diverse from the usual Times New Roman or Arial fonts that everybody uses; this may just make a big enough difference to the eyes of the worn-out employer that has probably browsed through hundreds of resumes with the same fonts. Now there’s a good chance to give them â€" and yourself â€" a break! 4) Add a link: Face it, social and professional networking sites are becoming hubs for job seekers and recruiters. Among the popular ones that most recruiters employ are LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook and MySpace. Add links to your profiles. Likewise, if you have a website, a blog or if you are featured on somebody else’s website, add those links to your resume, too. Be sure that they contain information that will impress the reader. 5) Pitch a positive personality: Just because you’re listing facts doesn’t mean you can’t make them sound pretty. Use positive language in all instances to give the employer an upbeat positive attitude when they’re done reading your resume. These ostensibly little differences in the choice of words can have a major impact on how your resume is perceived. Make sure your online resume is dressed to impress and “speaks” loud and clear. Above all, don’t miss out on being found online! Use as many resources as you can to ensure that your resume stands out and get noticed online. Related: How To Design an Alternative Prezi Resume.

Why Employers Should Use Professional Resume Writing Services

Why Employers Should Use Professional Resume Writing ServicesEmployers, especially those who want to employ the help of professional resume writing services, will find that they have many reasons to consider using the services of professional service providers in this business. Most employers would agree that employers would like to have an employer who is able to produce a professional resume that would inspire confidence in the employer and should attract the attention of a potential employee. And, when someone has confidence in the applicant, there is no reason for the hiring manager to be intimidated by the work place environment.The professional resume should also be able to portray the work experience, qualifications, and skills of the applicant. That is why it is important to select the service provider that can provide a professional resume that will meet the requirements of the employer. If the company offering the service is unable to meet the requirements of the job postin g, it would show the employer that the service provider may not be a professional. Even if the employer was willing to use the service provider, he or she should be aware of the company's past record of quality work and is qualified to write a professional resume.While using a resume service may help employers to acquire the services of a professional that will bring the required quality to the job, the resume writing service would not be able to achieve the goal of getting the desired job if the applicants were provided with quality work. It is for that reason that hiring employees that are capable of producing professional resumes is important for the employer and should not be taken lightly. With that being said, a resume that is written by an incompetent writer could do more harm than good to an employer.Resume writing services are able to assist with the selection of suitable resumes. Professional resume writing services can provide the required professional expertise in creati ng a resume that would best showcase the work and abilities of the applicant. It is common for companies to have several positions open for which the requirements are not well defined. To meet the requirements of each opening, resume writing services may need to review the resumes to determine the resume of the most appropriate candidate.A resume of an individual that is created by the resume writing service that offers the service can highlight the abilities and work history of the applicant that includes the employment history. It is for that reason that a resume is considered the key to an employer's success in getting the applicant hired. Even if the resume is not intended to be used in the interview process, it should be in writing and include the necessary information about the applicant to show the employer that he or she is a professional.The resume can have all of the information about the individual including educational details that show what the applicant has accomplishe d and what he or she has learned. Employers can expect the best that the resume writing service has to offer. This is because there are many professionals that are skilled in creating resumes. In this case, it is possible to have one that does not contain errors and is written with the specific skills required by the employer.An employer will be able to get the most accurate and professional resume for their company from a resume writing service. That is because when the resume is created by the resume writing service, it is usually done by a professional. When the resume is sent to the employer, it will be evaluated by the professional resume writing service to ensure that it meets the requirements of the company. The resume writing service will make certain that the resume is accurate, concise, and can be easily understood by the employer.Using professional resume writing services to prepare the resume of an applicant will ensure that the resume is written with the appropriate ski lls that the employer is looking for. That is the main reason that hiring a professional to do the job can be a profitable investment in your business. There are many quality resume writing services that can produce a resume that will be professional and will be able to create a good impression on the hiring manager.

Listen Like You Mean It

Listen Like You Mean It We all have opinions and we’re entitled to them, right? But when was the last time your really listened to an opposing view? Were you listening to understand?   Over the course of a single week, I encountered differing opinions several times and was reminded how important, yet difficult, it is to try and understand other view points. The saying “you’ll have to walk a mile in someone else’s shoes” comes to mind, but that’s not quite it. Going through the motions of walking in the  shoes of someone I didnt see eye to eye with didn’t seem like enough to help me understand what was going on inside their head, or the deep logic or motivation behind the decision. How could putting myself in their shoes help me to understand all the factors that influenced their decision? So the best I can do is listen, which is fairly hard to do. My brain automatically filters what I hear and how I process that information. The voice inside my head screams, “but, but, but What about… Are you kidding… That doesn’t make sense.” In order to understand, I had to step back and block that voice out because, I honestly  did want to understand. I find the older I get, the more quirky and set in my ways I become. But I don’t want to be that crotchety old person who complains when kids walk on my lawn. I don’t want to dig my heels in on an issue, just because. Or rely on my wisdom or previous experience. I want to state my opinion with conviction backed by facts. I also want to explain why I made the choice. But even more than this, I want to be open to seeing things in new ways. I love it when my ideas and beliefs are swayed. Love may be too strong a word, but it is refreshing to embrace a new reality or a compelling argument and justification based on research. A  new data or a different perspective can spin me around and allowing me to abandon old beliefs that may no longer serve me well. When was the last time you really listened to someone’s opposing views? Did you understand?

Wear Your Resume Well

Wear Your Resume Well Almost every job seeker I meet has some sort of special circumstance that they feel needs to be addressed in their resume. For some, its accounting for the dotcom they worked for that went bust after 9 months or the year they took off from work to care for an aging parent or newborn. For others its that what the heck was I thinking when I took that job faux pas or the my boss was a raging lunatic and I had to get out fast scenario. Almost everyone has at least one of these special circumstances and so they really arent that specialthey are a part of life and part of most peoples career journey. When crafting a compelling resume, the trick is to tell the story of your career path in a way that focuses on your best assets and makes you shine.When we purchase clothing, we make decisions on what to buy based on what we think will best complement our greatest assets. We dont say My thighs are huge, so let me find a pair of pants that accentuates that.But most of the resumes job seekers wr ite for themselves seem to do just that. They often scream look at my mistakes or yell I know its hard to figure out why I took this job, but here it is. They give equal blocks of information about each of the positions they have held regardless of the importance each position has to their target audience or the relevance of that position to their overall career strategy.   When information is questionable or missing, employers come to their own conclusions about what really happened. And this bias could cost you the interview.It doesnt have to be that way. I advocate for full disclosure on a resumelisting all positions and explaining moves and leaves of absence when appropriate. It is perfectly acceptable to explain that you left a position to care for a family member (yes, right on the resume) or to explain that your position was terminated due to a layoff, company closing, etc. And while you wouldnt explain the my boss was evil scenario on a resume, there are ways to focus on you r contributions in the position and call less attention to the short tenure.We have one body and we make decisions every day on how to dress it in an effort to put our best foot forward. Doesnt it make sense to take your career story and dress it well to put your best foot forward in your job search?