Using Facebook for Job Search

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Job seekers often tell me that they prefer to avoid Facebook as a job search tool. I hear about fears of compromised privacy and concerns about how would-be employers might interpret the images, comments and postings on their page.

It’s hard to blame them for being cautious, after hearing all the reports media about job seekers who have lost opportunities because of thoughtless Facebook mistakes. 

How popular is Facebook?

In October 2012, social media history was made when Mark Zuckerberg proudly posted the following status update:

While very impressive, 1 billion users only represent 14 percent of the world population; in North America, however, over 52 percent of ALL Canadians and Americans are Facebook users.

This stunning fact is not missed by employers. An increasing number of them are turning to Facebook to actively recruit or, at least, gather information about candidates. As shown on this Infographic, a study conducted by Reppler (an online service that monitors social media) revealed that 76% of recruiters and hiring managers have screened candidates specifically on Facebook.

Isn’t Facebook risky for job search?

The simple answer is YES. 69% of recruiters surveyed by Reppler admitted that they have rejected a candidate based on something they saw on their social media profile.

These include mistakes such as:

• dishonesty or negative comments about previous employers
• inappropriate photos and comments
• references to drugs or alcohol
• poor communication skills (grammar, spelling)
• making discriminatory comments about others.

So, why use Facebook at all?

Employers are more likely to hire a candidate if they can find positive information about them.

In the struggle faced by job seekers to reveal a more complete picture of themselves to potential employers as likeable, interesting and compatible, job seekers who either choose to make their profile totally private, or opt out of using it at all, are at a disadvantage.

This is backed up by the Reppler study, which also revealed that about most (68%) of potential employers chose to hire a candidate, based on characteristics found on their profile.

These include:

• positive personality traits (optimism, sociability)
• professionalism and respectability
• creativity
• strong communication skills
• being “well rounded” (having a range of various interests).

Facebook offers job seekers a unique opportunity to showcase their personality traits, strengths, professional and personal interests that would make them stand out as unique and impressive to potential employers.

This does not mean that all posts should be publicly visible — Facebook allows for users to choose which posts and photos are public and to keep the others private. Job seekers can selectively share a few key posts which demonstrate the characteristics they chose to share. For example, a job seeker who is looking for work as an Architect may choose to post samples of work, or to discuss newspaper articles about new developments in the city, to show interest in the field.

Employers are increasingly interested in hiring people who know how to use social media well.

Many jobs require people to use social media, or at least understand it well. Facebook, in particular, has become an increasingly popular branding tool for many companies, and these employers might expect staff to be able to use and understand it.

Also, as the Reppler study revealed, companies understand that their employees are using Facebook in their personal lives, and they are interested in making sure that they will not represent the company badly. So a candidate who can demonstrate appropriate behaviour on Facebook would be considered an asset.

Facebook tips for job seekers:

DO:

• Use Facebook. Do it with care, balancing private and public posts.
• Be interesting, thoughtful, sociable.
• Use good grammar and spelling.
• Like and interact with company pages on Facebook.
• Share interesting (and interested) posts that reveal your professional interests.
• Share personal achievements, such as sports, volunteering or causes.

BE CAREFUL:

• Don’t get too comfortable; always be on guard for how you and your friends represent you.
• Remember that employers may be watching — even your most private posts could be made visible.
• Don’t do business on Facebook: if you want to connect with someone regarding your career, rather connect via LinkedIn.
• Use your real name and photo – if you plan to be seen by employers.

After LinkedIn: In-person Networking

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Despite all the on-line chatter about the importance of LinkedIn and social media for job seekers, face to face contact remains the most effective job search activity. If an employer knows a candidate, or they have been referred by someone they know, the likelihood of that candidate being hired is much higher. A recent New York Times article stated that referrals are important both for being called for interviews as well as in making the ultimate hiring decision, suggesting that “Referred candidates are twice as likely to land an interview as other applicants (…) For those who make it to the interview stage, the referred candidates had a 40 percent better chance of being hired than other applicants.”

WHY Network in Person

Having hundreds of LinkedIn contacts is just the first step in this process. It isn’t effective to simply inbox one of those contacts (whom you probably have never met in person) and ask for a referral. Most people will not refer a person who they do not know, even if they are connected on a network such as LinkedIn. Referrals occur when the job seeker is known, liked and respected, and when the referring person feels confident that their reputation will not be negatively impacted by the referral.

The challenge for job searchers, then, is to establish a personal connection with those people who are well positioned to refer them. The most effective way to establish such a connection, is to meet in person, leave a positive impression and continue to work on maintaining the relationship on an ongoing basis.

HOW to Network in Person

Ultimately, the only way a job seeker can begin to establish a personal connection is to meet face-to-face, even if it is only briefly. It does not need to be a lengthy meeting, and should be regarded as the first step in a long-term process of forging a meaningful connection. The first meeting is simply an opportunity to gather information and develop rapport, with no pressure for a job.

1.  Identify your target. Remember that an effective referral does not have to come from someone in the Human Resources Department. Often, the best referrals come from the person who does the job you would like to do (i.e. a potential colleague) or a manager. LinkedIn’s company pages, or the contact lists of your contacts maybe can be useful to identify your target person. If you don’t have any connection and cannot get an introduction, try joining those LinkedIn groups whose members may be worth meeting.

2. Connect on LinkedIn, if possible.  Try to connect via LinkedIn with your target person. Make sure to send personalised note with your invitation to connect, and thank them, once they agree. Work on establishing rapport, through commenting on their updates once in a while (not too often).

3. Plan your meeting. Think through what you want to discuss. You might want to look through their profile and think about questions regarding their job, company, education or career. Think through how you will introduce yourself and your career path. Prepare a script of your self introduction.

4. Set up the information interview – by Telephone, Inbox or Email:

• Introduce yourself briefly.
• State the purpose of the phone call (or email) – i.e. you are currently researching careers and would like to set a date for a short meeting.
• Explain your reasons for wanting to meet: to gain information about the person’s occupation and benefit from their insights and advice.  State clearly that you do not expect them to have a job for you or to know of any job openings, rather you want to be in a more informed position before you pursue a career direction.
• Ask for 15-20 minutes of their time within the next week for the interview.
• Set a date, time and location of the meeting. (Should the person decline to meet with you, check if he/she has time for some questions on the phone either now or at a later date and ask for additional names you could contact).

5.  Conduct the Meeting

• Arrive ahead of time, dressed neatly (although it does not need to be quite as formal as an interview).
• Bring a folder containing a list of questions and information you have already gathered.
• Have your business card available (if you have one), as well as a copy of your resume. DON’T offer your resume — you may want to ask for feedback about it, if appropriate, as well as provide it IF they request a copy.
• Express appreciation for their time and remind them that 15-20 minutes is all you expect.
• Re-state the purpose of the meeting – information, advice, no expectation of a job.
• Introduce yourself: describe your background, experience, skills, interests, objective.
• Bring the person up to date on your research so far – concisely so that new information will be added.
• Ask three or four essential questions that you have prepared and take notes.
• Ask for suggestions and other areas to be explored.
• Ask for referrals to other persons in specific occupations in the other areas suggested; ask about their background, and request permission to use the referring person’s name when calling.
• Thank them and express your appreciation for their time.

6. Follow up

Send a thank you letter as soon as possible. In the letter, refer to a point of interest from your discussion. Inform them of your next steps.

In the long term, keep in touch with those with whom you connected. Send a holiday greeting card, comment on LinkedIn and update them about your progress.

Developing a life-long practice of networking is useful for all those involved. Successful networkers know that in addition to the rewarding feeling of making a positive impact on others’ careers, the time and effort spent on helping another person will surely benefit them in the future, in return.

Ask the Employment Specialist: Should I Change my “Foreign” Name?

Dear Joanna

I have been living in Toronto for two years. My friends told me that I should change my name when looking for work here. I have a name that is often difficult to pronounce in English and many times, people cannot say or write my name and they make mistakes. I find this very frustrating.

My friends think that hiring managers will look at my name on the resume and in LinkedIn and see that I am a new immigrant and will eliminate me in the first few seconds. I am seriously thinking about changing my name. What do you think? Is this a reason for not getting an interview? Am I being ridiculous?

Signed: Am I being Ridiculous? (AIBR)

Image courtesy of Ambro/ FreeDigitalPhotos.net

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Dear AIBR,

There are many job seekers from around the world who have resettled in Toronto and have found work in their fields. Many used their authentic and original names with which they were born. Indeed, some of our clients do anglicize their name for employment purposes or because people found it foreign or too hard to pronounce.

The latest statistics on the City of Toronto website, show that Toronto, with a population of 2.48 million people (5.5 million in the GTA – Greater Toronto Area) is heralded as one of the most multicultural cities in the world. Over 140 languages and dialects are spoken here, and just over 30 per cent of Toronto residents speak a language other than English or French at home.

With this information on our city, I cannot imagine that changing your name would make a difference, although I have seen the occasional newcomer change their first name to a more colloquial name or a nickname. In fact, over the past seven years working with internationally trained professionals who are newcomers to Canada from literally around the world, I have yet to see any evidence to suggest that if people change their name, it improves their chances to gain work or opens up more opportunities in the labour market in Toronto.

I can only speak for the scene at the Greater Toronto Area (GTA). According to Karin Lewis, our expert Employment Counsellor at JVS Toronto, a big percentage of the employers in the local labour market are immigrants themselves. Most companies are multi-cultural workplaces with employees who represent talent from all over the world, recruited from across our diverse city.

If you research companies and employees in the GTA (and even across Canada) on LinkedIn, you will find many immigrants, with a wide range of names and pronunciations, working in the local labour market. Sadly, it seems that there will always be racism and discrimination, no matter where you go. Then again, would you want to work for a prejudiced employer like that?!

Karin Lewis goes one step further by emphasizing how “job seekers are not hired because of a name; they are hired because the employer thinks they can do the job; if the applicant cannot demonstrate that they have the skills, experience and education required to do the job, there will probably not be a job offer”.

Changing one’s name to become more “Canadian” or anglicized is old school thinking, and is not relevant for today’s knowledge based economy, adds Karin. In this economy, it’s all about what you can do on the job, and what you can learn to help the company grow and prosper. It’s about knowing what employers expect and marketing yourself to them as the most suitable candidate for the job.

My recommendation is to do the best job search possible:

• work on a professional, relevant and targeted resume and cover letters
• use LinkedIn and other social media tools
• focus on your networking; build up your contacts in your field
• volunteer in your field, if you can
• increase your exposure to the labour market, by joining associations, attending events, workshops, conferences, trade show and related activities

Karin also confirms the usefulness of setting up a complete LinkedIn profile and joining as many LinkedIn groups as possible.

Do all this and the you will see an increase in your job applications being noticed by employers, while still keeping your wonderful, special and authentic name.

Also — Keep in mind that JVS Employment Source Centres can help you with enhancing your job search.

Signed,

Joanna

To submit your questions for this column IN CONFIDENCE, please email dearjoanna@jvstoronto.org.

 

Get Employers to Notice your Emails

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Whether emails are sent to apply for an advertised job, or to network with a potential employer, job searchers tell me that it is a struggle to get their message noticed among the floods of emails arriving in the inbox of employers.

I have always contended that, in many ways, job search is an entrepreneurial activity; job searchers are often called on to market their skills to employers in the same way a salesperson would market a product to a customer. I was reminded of this recently,  as I was reading Get Customers to Read Emails: 7 Tricks in Inc., one of my favourite websites for entrepreneurs and business owners. The tips offered by the author are similar to those I offer job searchers.

Just as entrepreneurs struggle to get their product to stand out in a crowded marketplace, one of the biggest challenges facing job searchers is to be noticed among the dozens (sometime hundreds) of other applicants for the same job. With an economy that has resulted in massive increases in the ratio of job searchers to jobs, employers have told me that they struggle to sort through all the applications they receive, and often don’t even get to see them all. Job searchers are well aware of this; they know that even though they might have the skills and background that perfectly match the required qualifications for a particular job, they don’t necessarily get called for an interview. 

These days, getting any email noticed is a challenge. The Radicati Group, a technology market research firm, reported in April 2012 that “Most of the world’s email traffic comes from the corporate world. In 2012, the number of businesses emails sent and received per day total 89 billion. This figure is expected to grow at an average annual rate of 13% over the next four years, reaching over 143 billion by year-end 2016.”  People tend to respond to the flood of emails arriving in their inbox by skimming, prioritising and deleting. This means that you have to present your email to employers in such a way that they attract and keep their attention long enough for them to open the attached resume and cover letter. 

Some tips for getting your emails noticed:

1.  Make sure to send the email to the correct person

If it’s a job application to an advertised position, follow the instructions as provided in the posting. If it is unsolicited, do your utmost to identify the best person (remember that the HR department is not always the best target; hiring decisions often happen at middle management level).  Keep in mind that it is unlikely that an email which is sent to the wrong person will be forwarded to the correct person, especially if it is from someone who the intended person does not know.

2.  Try to approach the employer through a referral

A person is more likely to open an email from someone they know. So, if you have a contact who is willing to refer you to a potential employer, ask them to forward your email to them on your behalf (and to “cc” you).

3.  Use the subject line of the email to attract attention

When a person is scrolling through a whole lot of emails, they are going to make a quick decision based on the subject line. This means that you have to pay careful attention to what you say in that one line:

• If you were referred to the job by someone the employer knows, mention their name in the subject line
• If your email is in response to a job posting, put job title in the subject line
• If you were not referred and there’s no specific job, use the subject line to introduce yourself in a way that may be relevant to employer; e.g. “a highly experienced Accounting Clerk seeking new opportunity with (company name)”. Or you could specify a skill you think that employer values; e.g. “Fluently bilingual speaker, seeking challenging new customer service position”.

5.  Remember email previews

Keep in mind that email programs often show the first few lines of an email. Make sure to write your email to that your first few lines capture the reader’s interest.

4.  Write concise and pointed emails

There are many perspectives about whether a cover letter needs to be attached to an email, or simply included in the body of the email. Personally, I recommend that you write a cover letter and attach it to the email, with your resume. This means that you still need to write a brief note in the body of the email to encourage the reader to open the attachments. Keep it brief and focused: “Please find attached, my resume and cover letter, in response to your posting for a _____ position on __________. As you will note on my resume, I am a highly skilled _____________ with a background in _________, and solid skills in ________, _________ and __________” (insert your brief bio/7 second elevator speech here).”

Thank them for their attention and offer them your phone number, in case your attachments do not open.

Until a more effective tool is invented, email continues to be a popular form of communication and a useful way to make connections.This does mean that every email you send to a busy person is at risk of not being noticed. All you can do is your best to make it noticeable, using the above tips, and to remember that you need to use as many tools as are available in your job search tool box, including voicemail, email, LinkedIn and in person networking opportunities.

Ask an Employment Specialist: The Myth of The Internet Job Search

Dear Joanna,

I’ve been out of work for six months. I was laid off from a manufacturing company where I was employed for 10 years solid, as a Shipper and Receiver. I got my foot in the door of the company as a driver and then moved my way up the ladder. I’ve been dedicated to my job search and applying for tons of jobs online, registering with all of the usual websites including Workopolis, Monster and on specific company websites. I have not had one phone call. I am on the computer and Internet all day, five days a week, seven hours a day. What am I doing wrong?

Signed: On the Computer All Day 

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Image courtesy of Stuart Miles / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Dear On the Computer All Day,

According to Raffi Toughlouian, Division Director of Accountemps (a division of Robert Half International), job seekers should spend only 10 to 15 percent of their time online applying for jobs. Otherwise, he adds, it’s merely “surfing the web”. This leading recruiter stresses that you are competing with millions of people online at one time, and you may have no accurate idea of where your resume and/or application is going to. In essence, this technique may not be the best use of your time.

Karin Lewis, JVS’s Employment Counsellor and Social Media Specialist, highly recommends that you use all the tools in your toolbox for your job search. While you should still apply for jobs online, consider other techniques and strategies to look for work in your field.  Toughlouian adds that a more productive use of your time with your job search would be to research the top five companies that have departments in the industry in which you have experience. A good idea would be to locate the hiring manager of the position you are interested in, and get their telephone number. Try to call the hiring manager and be sure to sell your experience, expertise, skills and abilities by preparing a brief 30-second “elevator pitch” to present over the phone or for a voicemail message. Practice the pitch as well. Calling the hiring manager either just before or after work hours might prove to be beneficial, especially if you are having a tougher time trying to get a hold of them.

LinkedIn is a great tool to use when researching potential companies and contacts of interest, though I would not recommend asking to connect with strangers on LinkedIn. Many job searchers seem to forget that utilizing your own live personal network is very important; those individuals with whom you interact with on a daily basis (whether it be in an elevator, at the grocery store, etc.) may know someone who is in the same field or industry in which you are interested. Always remember to be in “interview mode” when coming across these people, as you never know when they will recommend you to someone else in their professional network.

In addition, Toughlouian recommends “knocking on doors” as a great “old-fashioned” technique that job seekers rarely use these days, with the rapid growth of technology in our society. Just drop in to those companies that you have researched with your resume, dressed for an interview and ask to speak with the manager of the department or area you want to work. Maintain a professional appearance and be courteous all the time.

Do not be discouraged; the effort that you put into your job search will determine what you get out of it, continues Toughlouian.  To conclude, instead of relying on the Internet as your sole job search tool, get a bigger bang for your time by picking up the phone, dropping into relevant companies and attend events that are geared towards your field or industry of choice. Volunteering is another great networking strategy.

By the way, JVS Toronto offers job search workshops that may help you, specifically the Social Media Networking workshop, which will show you how to use LinkedIn in your job search. You may also be able to work with an employment counsellor and employment consultant to prepare and practice your elevator pitches. There is a lot of great help out there, if you take the initiative to seek it out.

Best regards,

Joanna

To submit your questions for this column IN CONFIDENCE, please email dearjoanna@jvstoronto.org.

Maximize your LinkedIn Profile for Job Search

When I talk to participants at my Social Media Skills for Employment workshops at JVS Toronto, it seems that more and more job searchers have already signed up with LinkedIn and have begun to set up a profile. This observation is borne out in the data offered by LinkedIn, who report that they presently have 175 million worldwide members, with two new members signing up per second. However, when I ask job searchers about whether LinkedIn has made a difference to their job search, some complain that even though they created a profile, ”nothing is happening”. When I evaluate their profiles, it is clear that certain common mistakes are made, many of which are easily corrected. After correcting these and learning to use the tool properly, many have reported a huge difference in the effectiveness of LinkedIn, leading to increased attention to their profile, and — even more importantly — job leads and even invitations to interviews and offers of employment.

The common mistakes made by job searchers on LinkedIn can be divided into those related to profile completeness and mistakes related to the ways the profiles are used:

Complete your profile:

LinkedIn emphasizes the importance of a complete profile as a way to maximize visibility and make users more easily found by others. If you have an up-to-date resume, a simple professional photo and a few people with whom to connect, 100% completeness is relatively easy complete.

I have outlined the criteria for profile completeness on our blog, which can be summarised as:

• A current position, with a description
• Two more positions
• A photo
• Education
• 5 skills, at least
• A profile summary
• 50 connections, at least
• Industry and postal code

The challenge for unemployed job searchers is the expectation of a current position. One good way to address this issue is to include a volunteer position (make sure to clearly indicate in the job title that it is volunteer work, though). Job searchers could also include freelance or an interim survival job, by way of completing this requirement.

Another challenge for the unemployed job searcher is finding 50 connections. The best strategy for maximizing connections is to connect with all of the people you know on LinkedIn, as well as begin actively identifying new possible contacts through groups and networks of previous employers and schools. Try to personalize each invitation and don’t be shy to reach out broadly. You’ll be surprised to find that most people are happy to connect.

Be an active user:

Whether a profile is complete or not, there are many ways job searchers can use LinkedIn to raise their profile, meet new contacts and maximise their existing network. This includes (but is not limited to) joining Groups, searching through the Jobs, following Companies, and providing Answers to questions:

1. LinkedIn reports more than one million Groups of various sizes, from two members to over a quarter of a million. It is worth joining a few, to start. Usefully, LinkedIn actually recommends groups that match your profile (“Groups You May Like“). Read the comments and questions, offer your own feedback and ask intelligent questions. Keep in mind that LinkedIn is designed so that you can more easily connect with a person with whom you share a group.
2. Job search is quite easy on LinkedIn. It follows the same process as many job boards, and allows candidates to save a search, narrow the criteria and even receive emails that alert job searchers about jobs that match their requirements. It also recommends “Jobs you may be interested in“, based on the content of your profile. Jobs are often described in great detail, and job searchers may be able to apply directly on the site, using their profile.
3. The number of company pages on LinkedIn has grown, with over two million recently reported. Follow local employers for whom you would like to work. This is an excellent source of data for job searchers, as well as an opportunity to interact with companies, as well as receive notification whenever they post a job on the site.
4. Answering questions is an excellent opportunity to raise your profile and show off your expertise; this option is not used by enough LinkedIn members (which is exactly why YOU should take on this opportunity!). You can answer questions posed on the site, share your ideas or ask your own (thoughtful) questions. You will find this section on the “More” section of the main menu, under ”Answers”.

If you face any difficulties implementing these suggestions, check with the LinkedIn Help Centre, which be found on the “More” section of the menu, under ”Help Centre”.

I recommend to job searchers to spend at least a third of their job search time (2 hours per day, perhaps) on LinkedIn, to job search, follow companies, network in groups, share their expertise and to expand their contacts.

Of course, take any opportunity you can to meet new contacts in real life and strengthen your existing relationships. This always has been the key to a successful job search, and will continue to be so, as long as hiring is done by people rather than computers.

Ask the Employment Specialist: Gaps in your work history

Dear Joanna,

Before I was married and had my three children, I had a successful career as a Project Manager with a large construction company for 10 years. It’s been about three years that I have been out of the industry and now I need to go back to work for financial reasons.

I started to apply for work in my field, but have not had any responses. I was recommended by countless friends to register and use social media, especially LinkedIn. My former colleagues and managers are no longer with the company; many have moved on to other jobs and other companies. I have lost track. I feel frustrated and confused regarding this gap in my employment history, as well as feeling isolated that I no longer have the professional network that I used to have.

Do you have any suggestions as to how to overcome this gap in my work history?

Signed: Silvia

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Dear Silvia,

You are not alone. Do not despair. You could bring a wealth of valuable skills, strengths and experience to any employer’s table. The issue is as to how you fit into today’s labour market with all that you have to offer.

Let’s start with your resume. According to my colleagues at JVS Toronto, if your unemployment covers two calendar years of more, employers will start taking notice of the gap and you need to explain it. Consider all the things you were doing that time (volunteer work, school activities, internships, schooling, travel, and so on) and present it in a way that’s relevant to your job objective, if possible. Explain what you were doing in a way that is honest and feels comfortable to you.

Here are some suggestions as to how to put this in your resume to cover the gaps in a section titled Other Experience, which you can add after you list your Relevant Professional Experience. In your case, you might include phrases with the dates such as Full-Time Parent, Home Management, Family Management, to name a few.

Did you volunteer during the time you were not working? Volunteering gives you recent experience to add to the resume — just make sure to identify it as Unpaid Work,Volunteer or Community Work. Employers love this! Volunteering also offers you a chance to develop experience and skills which may be relevant to Project Management or Project Coordination, and may be a source for a more recent reference.

Keep in mind that you might have to start at the beginning again. A Project Coordinator position could be a start and then you can build your career back up to where you left it over two years ago.

Next, research, research and research the local labour market, as if you are starting a new career. Target companies where you would like to work, visit their websites, examine the job openings that are advertised, identify job postings that you are interested in. Try to get a sense of what jobs are out there for you. I highly recommend you post a thorough profile on LinkedIn and leverage this site to see who is currently working in your field, learn more about your sector. You may even find your long lost colleagues. Try to reconnect with them on LinkedIn (or even Facebook might work for your situation).

I would also target professionals in your field and cold call to arrange information interviews. Get an idea of how the market looks, who is hiring and what they are hiring for. It’s time to start building your professional network once again and preparing a relevant, targeted resume and cover letter appropriate for your career goal; and start applying for jobs.

Volunteering at a non profit such as Habitat for Humanity might be a good starting point as this is in your field of construction. Perhaps volunteer at the professional association, attend trade shows, conferences and workshops, some of which are at no cost. You could contact the organizers and see if you can volunteer (maybe even apply for a job!).

All of this can be researched on Google. You can also arrange a tour of the Toronto Reference Library on how to conduct research for your job search.

If you notice that many of the job postings require certain certification, it’s time to start looking into professional development and education opportunities in the community which are recognized by your industry. Although this costs money, if you note in your cover letter that you are registering for a course in, for example, Project Management, you will demonstrate that you are serious about this profession and that you are a lifelong learner too!

These are just some tips based on my experiences working with other job seekers in a similar situation. Do not do this alone. It is an overwhelming process. I recommend you connect with an Employment Counsellor to discuss my feedback and start the ball rolling, with one step at a time!

Signed,
Joanna

To submit your questions for this column IN CONFIDENCE, please email dearjoanna@jvstoronto.org.

Ask the Employment Specialist: Voicemail etiquette

Dear Joanna

I hope you accept inquiries from businesses looking to hire and am rolling the dice in hopes of your help! I’m an employer who is looking to hire a Java Developer for my growing IT company. I have a couple of JVS Job Developers sourcing qualified candidates for me, and have also posted the job online on the Job Bank. My office manager and I have selected the five top candidates from about 100 resumes that I have received from these sources.

My office manager started to call each of the selected candidates to administer a pre-screening phone interview. She has reported to me that she left voicemail messages for all five potentials and gave me the following feedback. One candidate did not have a voicemail at all – the phone kept ringing and ringing, one candidate’s voicemail was impossible to hear because of crying babies in the background of the greeting and one candidate had a bizarre greeting as if he was going to a party. The final two candidates had professional sounding voicemails; the office manager left messages and will follow-up with these individuals. The other three candidates have been disqualified from the running.

Please could you let me know your advice regarding the voicemail etiquette. Hopefully job seekers reading your advice will adhere to it.

Thanks so much.

Signed: The Voicemail King (TVK)

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Dear TVK,

Your comments regarding the voicemail of potential candidates is a regular complaint I have from employers looking to hire. It is absolutely necessary that all job seekers have a voicemail service on the phone number which they include on their resumes and cover letters, with a professional sounding greeting. Employers are very busy and will probably not call back if they do not like or cannot understand the voicemail greeting. I cannot tell you how many job seekers I have worked with have missed opportunities for interviews because of a lack of a voicemail with a suitable, relevant message.

Here are some tips for voicemail messaging and etiquette, that all individuals looking for work ought to consider, according to International Talent Placements Inc, as well as my own experience:

1. Don’t babble; messages (voicemail or email) should be concise and to the point. No one wants to listen to or read a long-winded message. Keep it short and easy to read.
2. Speak loudly, clearly and slowly; don’t leave a voicemail message from a speaker phone; your message may not come through clearly
3. Mention your name and telephone number for all those phone calls from potential interviewers who do not know you well
4.  Before recording your greeting, write it out and make sure you practice it; take care to record the message in a quiet space so only your voice can be heard
5. Make a good impression; the job search process is about building relationships with the people who may one day, be your team member or manager; voicemail is their first point of contact with you so it is imperative that you present yourself, as part of your self marketing, as a professional from the get-go!
6. If you find a voicemail from an employer, return the call as soon as possible; do not delay — the labour market is competitive and jobs get filled fast. Call the person back, but make sure you prepare a professional script, in case you get the employer’s voicemail (I, too, hate telephone tag) and leave a message giving the employer times when you are available, as well as a telephone number where you can be reached. Try to give as much information as possible without talking endlessly in the message. Leave a message with your name and phone number with a little bit of information for the reason of your call just in case you need to refresh the interviewer who probably has made hundreds of calls and sent countless emails. Again, don’t babble. Be prepared, concise and direct in the return voicemail.
7. Whenever leaving voicemail, try to use a positive, enthusiastic and upbeat tone, which can help you stand out in the crowd of applicants

As with the voicemail etiquette, the email communications has its own set of rules and standards of what is accepted and not. This is a great topic for another time.

Have a great summer and good luck with finding a suitable Java Developer job match for your company.

Signed,
Joanna

To submit your questions for this column IN CONFIDENCE, please email dearjoanna@jvstoronto.org.

Ask the Employment Specialist: New graduate looking for work

Dear Joanna,

I just graduated with a Masters in Environment Studies from a local leading university and am looking for work.

I am in serious debt because my tuition was steep, and I have outstanding debts from my Bachelors’ program at the same university in history and political science. I am so well educated, but cannot seem to find work or a place for myself in the labour market.My work experience boils down to a part-time job at one of the local malls at a retail store which I have held since high school.  I live with my parents and desperately want to start building a meaningful career in Environmental Studies and being self-sufficient, i.e. to become an adult.  The university’s career centre as well as the program offers the occasional job posting, but it’s so competitive out there.

I just started to apply for opportunities with my resume and cover letter, but have not received any phone calls for interviews.  Please could you help me figure out how I can obtain work in my field?

Signed: New Grad in Debt (NGID).

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Dear NGID,

You are not alone; I worked on behalf of JVS Toronto at this year’s National Job Fair and met countless new grads from Masters and Bachelors programs from local universities and colleges, who were struggling to figure out how to fit into this competitive labour market with their education.  The reality of the working world is quite daunting.  As Kathryn Blaze Carlson illustrates about a recent chemical engineering graduate in her poignant article in The National Post on this topic, “The chemical engineering graduate, who has a second degree in bio-chemistry, was supposed to graduate from the University of Ottawa and begin a fulfilling career straight out of the academic gate — or so she hoped, expected, even. But her first professional job search has instead marked the first major false start of her adult life, ushering a painful reality check and a severe blow to her self-esteem.”

Further, the journalist points out a cultural shift, advising new graduates and their parents that “they should no longer expect a seamless school-to-work transition because a university degree is no longer the promised one-way ticket to a career. The on-ramp to adulthood is longer and twistier. Thirty is the new 25.”

Please do not despair. Here are several tips and strategies to consider applying in order to start the process to building your career in your field (notice that I use the term process because this search requires the same amount, if not more time, effort, dedication, and commitment which you engaged in your education, with its papers, exams, studying and hard work):

• Research the labour market in your field. Identify current job descriptions which look interesting to you – ones which are appealing to you and to which you would love to apply, but are not yet qualified because you lack the experience required.  Simultaneously identify the companies and departments where you would like to work one day. (we discussed labour market research in previous blog posts, such as this one)
• Analyze the data collected. What are the skills, experience, qualifications and education required in these job orders? What kinds of departments in companies are involved in your sector? Notice the language used in the job postings. Notice the language in the content of the company’s websites. Notice the hard skills and experience required. Highlight all these information.
• Now that you understand the jobs out there and the companies to target, I recommend that you start doing the following:
  1. Information Interviews – identify managers/executives in the companies which would likely hire you if you had the experience required. Try to select those professionals who graduated from your university if possible. Cold call them and ask for an information session. To learn how to engage in an information session, please connect with an employment counsellor.  This technique helps build your network, gather sector-specific information required for your resume and cover letter and you never know where this contact can lead you – maybe a job opportunity? Maybe a mentor?
  2. Volunteering – Unfortunately, it sounds like your course didn’t have an unpaid coop placement internship. So, now you must go and get this hard experience on your own. All those job postings, companies and departments which you identified in your research stages are potential volunteer placements for you, especially in the non-profit sector. (CharityVillage is a great web-based job board of all the jobs in the non-profit sector). Cold call the company’s President. Ask to see if you can volunteer. In a non-profit organization, call the volunteer department. Ask to volunteer in the department related to your field.  Tell the volunteer coordinator that you will do the jobs which no one likes to do – Cold Calling (this will win every time – because nobody likes cold calling!), filing, photocopying, making coffee, or whatever they need help with. This is no time to be proud. Do whatever it takes to get your foot in the door and start building a reputation that you are a go-to person. Get noticed by your volunteering! You would be surprised how word spreads quickly. Once you prove yourself to your supervisor and team where you volunteer, you can start asking for more related work in your field. .Be flexible with the volunteer tasks This is a great strategy to network, secure some concrete and relevant experience on your resume, learn about your field, gain some references and be engaged in your field of choice and start building your career. (For tips on finding volunteering check out our past blog posts on the topic).
  3. Networking — Associations, clubs, sector-specific groups are great places to network in your field. Membership to many of the associations cost a lot of money. Research the ones which are appropriate for your sector and industry. Call the Executive Director or the Volunteer Coordinator at a suitable professional association and ask to volunteer. Again, as with volunteering, once you prove yourself, learn more about your field of choice, you can gain references, solid and relevant experience for your resume, expand your network in  your sector and perhaps volunteer at the industry conferences and trade shows with professionals and experts in your field! 
  4. Internships — There are programs and services that can help new grads secure Internships: One example of such a non-profit organisation is Career Edge, through which new grads apply for a paid internships. It’s highly competitive and only if the job developers at this non-profit organization have secured a placement available in your field will you have an opportunity. It’s still worthwhile to apply because you never know. Also, the provincial government has The Ontario Internship Program (OIP) student placement program – same story applies with Career Edge: way more applicants than opportunities, but you should still apply.
  5. Social Media — this a great forum to network and have access to the hidden job market. Get registered and complete your profile in LinkedIn and join its sector-specific groups. If you don’t see a suitable LinkedIn group, then start your own. Keep active in the groups.  Prepare and maintain a professional profile in Facebook and if you are so inspired, create and monitor a Twitter account, too.
  6. Industry and sector-specific job boards – for example, for the environmental sector, I am familiar with Good Work Canada; you can Google other relevant job boards online, as well as check out our list. Register, subscribe, request job alerts to keep these jobs coming into your email bin.
  7. Keeping busy — keep a structure in your daily life while you look for work; participate in job search workshops, do something active or a hobby that you enjoy. This will keep you motivated and able to give your ‘all’ to the next opportunity that you come across.

I hope this is helpful. I really feel for you and your situation. You are bright, accomplished and lucky to have had the opportunity to have a fantastic education. However, education alone no longer gets people work; it’s icing on the cake. This misunderstanding of the labour market gets many job seekers in trouble. Notice that ‘Education’ is on the last page of the resume. ‘Relevant Professional Experience’ comes first – this is the priority in today’s labour market.

All the best,

Joanna

The challenge of networking: it’s not who you know – it’s WHO KNOWS YOU (and WHAT they know)

So, you have written your resume, prepared a cover letter, identified job search sites, and even set up a complete profile on LinkedIn. Now, all that’s needed is for you to begin sending your resume out to the hundreds of suitable jobs out there, right? Wrong; as job searchers quickly discover, job search is much more complicated than simply sitting behind a computer screen and sending out resumes. Job search is complicated by the fact that our present economy is what employment professionals describe a ‘buyers’ market’, where employers (who we could call the purchasers of skills) have many well qualified candidates from whom to ‘buy’, whereas the job searchers (i.e. those with skills to sell) have fewer jobs from which to choose.

This means that job searchers have to do more to be noticed: you have to know more people, or more accurately – be known by the right people. Becoming known by others results from active initiatives to meet the appropriate people who are in a position to hire, or may be connected to such people, and — even more importantly — to build relationships with them.

keawtavee / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Social media is an excellent tool to enable job searchers to take the first step of connecting with people they know. Sites such as LinkedIn will enable you to make connections and invite others to get to know your professional profile better. But, this is only a first step; job searchers who simply link up with people are often disappointed to find that simply having connections and an online profile is NOT enough to lead to jobs. The next step is to create strong ties, which result in a contact knowing who you are and what makes you unique, as well as being invested in helping you achieve your career goals.

Some of the best networking advice out there comes directly from the source: the co-founder of LinkedIn, Reid Hoffman, who offered his advice, when discussing a recent book on this topic he co-authored, titled The Start-Up of You.

Hoffman recommends that networkers set out to actively cultivate existing relationships with specific connections into “active alliances” through:

1. Consulting them for advice,
2. collaborating and sharing with them on issues of interest to them,
3. promoting and supporting their causes/brands, and
4. defending their cause or reputation — if necessary.

This is a very deliberate and active process which takes an investment of time and effort. It means that you have to carefully choose the contacts you want to develop, and setting aside time and effort to cultivate the relationship.  It demands patience, time and careful planning.

Here are some tips to begin the process of relationship building, or strengthening ties:

1. To begin, make sure each contact you make is individualized: don’t send out general spam-like invitations on sites such as LinkedIn.  Each person with whom you connect, should get a personalised note which reminds them how you know them and why you want to connect
2. Make an effort to get to know your connections – read their LinkedIn profile, blog or company webpage and take note of their interests and passions; consider carefully whether they would be in a position to support your career AND whether you can do the same for them
3. Take advantage of opportunities to meet the people whom you have decided to focus on – in person at conferences, meetings, volunteer work or virtually in LinkedIn groups
4. Offer your chosen contacts information which may be of use to them, such as a current article about a relevant topic or a useful website or service; offer a LinkedIn Recommendation, if appropriate
5. Offer your time to volunteer at their company or at an event they are organising
6. Introduce them to people who you know who may benefit their cause, product or company
7. Make sure to be appropriate – don’t offer too much, or more than you can afford to give (both time and money-wise) and make sure to be of genuine use and help
8. Be gracious — thank people they accept your request to connect, or when they connect with you; thank them any time they go out of their way to be helpful – possibly in a public way, such as posting a review on a website, Facebook page or a letter to a newspaper

The more you work on a relationship, the more it will work FOR you. It requires planning and ongoing effort. As Reid Hoffman suggests in the article: “Relationships are living, breathing things. Feed, nurture, and care about them; they grow. Neglect them; they die.”

The bottom line is that in today’s job market where employers have the advantage, you need to connect with people who are in a position to support and promote your career. The way you can achieve this goal is to establish connections, and invest care, time and planning into building strong tie relationships with a select few people in your network.

Do you have mentors or friends who have supported your career and helped you move forward? Maybe you have played that role for others. We would love to hear how this has worked for you!