5 Quick Tips on How to Use LinkedIn

by Barbara Adams, CPRW, CEIP, MFCA, MMRW, MFRW
www.militaryresumewriters.com and www.careerproplus.com

One of the biggest setbacks for people who are interested in using LinkedIn is that they often have a hard time learning LinkedIn's "ins and outs." Then, it seems that as soon as you learn the basics and get accustomed to its usage, LinkedIn rolls out more updates and changes. However, you don't have to learn everything at once to be able to use LinkedIn. Below are a few quick tips on how to organize your LinkedIn usage so you don't feel overwhelmed. 1. Start with the Basics Sign in and start using the basics ... Read More

Phone Interviews: 10 Steps to Success

© Tom Wolfe, author; all rights reserved; excerpts from Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to-Civilian Career Transition; used with the permission of the author and publisher, www.potomacbooksinc.com.

Many employers use the telephone interview as a screening tool. Not only does a telephone interview save time and money, it can also add personality to a resume. A telephone interview can be tricky however and is worthy of special attention. Follow these ten steps to enhance your chances of success. 1. Schedule and confirm. Expect an advance call to arrange a mutually convenient day and time, factoring in any time zone ... Read More

Veteran Post-Interview Thank You Notes: Not Just for Saying Thanks

© By - Dr. Ryan Wallace
drryanwallace.tumblr.com

Almost every job hunter has heard at one point or another that it is a good practice to send a thank you note to the interviewers following an interview. It is important to point out, however, that the purpose of a post-interview thank you note is not merely to express appreciation! Like your resume, cover letter, and interview performance, a thank you note is yet another tool for you to market your skills and personality to the hiring manager. Address thank you notes ... Read More

Best and Worst Terms to Use in Your Resume - Ranked by Hiring Managers

© Copyright, 2014, Susan P. Joyce. All rights reserved.
workcoachcafe.com

In a recent CareerBuilders survey, mover 2,200 hiring managers were asked to rank the terms they typically see in resumes as good or bad terms. The results really weren't too surprising, but they are interesting to note, particularly if you are currently submitting resumes for job opportunities. The 15 Best Resume Terms These are the 15 terms those hiring managers preferred to see on resumes. Notice ... Read More

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5 Quick Tips on How to Use LinkedIn

by Barbara Adams, CPRW, CEIP, MFCA, MMRW, MFRW
www.militaryresumewriters.com and www.careerproplus.com

One of the biggest setbacks for people who are interested in using LinkedIn is that they often have a hard time learning LinkedIn's "ins and outs." Then, it seems that as soon as you learn the basics and get accustomed to its usage, LinkedIn rolls out more updates and changes. However, you don't have to learn everything at once to be able to use LinkedIn.

Below are a few quick tips on how to organize your LinkedIn usage so you don't feel overwhelmed.

1. Start with the Basics

Sign in and start using the basics for up to 30 minutes per day. At first, things may seem overwhelming, but if you start slowly in simply setting up your profile, the process will be much more manageable. LinkedIn has a user guide to assist you in getting your basic profile up and running. Upload a professional picture of yourself to help your profile elicit more interest. A few "connections" of people whom you already know may pop up; if you wish for them to be part of your professional network, ask them to connect. Even a little LinkedIn usage per day goes a long way in the world of social media.

2. Combine Some LinkedIn Tasks

If you don't have the time to write original posts, then it's just fine to share relevant content on your profile page. Start by sharing articles, tips, or other information you find relevant according to your interests and areas of expertise. Select a few groups of interest to start with; you can find relevant content on the group pages, or perhaps you'd like to join in and contribute to the post taking place. You can also "follow" and share information from popular individuals who provide good content relative to your industry. Slowly but surely, you will be making a name for yourself and become more well known. You don't have to set the world on fire immediately with your profile and postings.

3. Be Productive and Use Batching

"Batching" is a productivity trick that allows you to dedicate blocks of time to similar tasks. If you get the ball rolling on a certain task, it's likely that it will keep rolling—one task leads to another. Set a goal each day for the type of postings or administrative tasks you wish to accomplish. For example, make one session dedicated to enlisting new contacts. Find people from companies of interest to you and request a contact. For example, if you are in IT, or Finance, request contacts from relevant LinkedIn members whom you feel will add value to your network. Focus on the types of contacts you wish to attract and tackle each type during one of your "batches." Another example of "batching" your time involves focusing on keywords, how they matter, and how to include them in your profile.

4. Collect Content to Share Later

Often, you will find a great article online, which ends up distracting you, keeping you from your focus. It's easy to engage in interesting articles when you don't have the time. An alternative is, instead of making a mental note to share the article, to create a file on your desktop labeled "LinkedIn" and then save the article for later to post and share. Soon, you'll have a collection of great articles, and posting and sharing won't be so time-consuming for you.

5. Subscribe to the LinkedIn Blog

LinkedIn has a great blog with tips and resources to help you get the hang of this social media platform. The blog will also keep you up-to-date on the latest happenings and rollouts. This is a great way to turn down all the noise online about how to use LinkedIn. Simply put, if any changes occur (and they probably will) you can hear it straight from the horse's mouth. You can sign up via email to stay in-the-know of all things LinkedIn. Learning how to use LinkedIn may take some getting used to, but taking it in organized baby steps will help make the process easier. Additionally, you can always consider seeking professional assistance in the development of your LinkedIn profile.

Barbara Adams, President and CEO of CareerPro Global (CPG), the parent company of www.careerproplus.com and www.militaryresumewriters.com, has been a member of the careers community for the past 20 years. Ms. Adams holds four prestigious industry certifications. CareerPro Global is the only ISO 9001-2008 Certified Career Service in the industry, as well as one of the fastest-growing Military, Federal, and Civilian Resume-Writing and Careers-Coaching companies. The team of Certified Professional Federal and Military Resume Writers at CPG assist thousands of clients in applying for and gaining employment each year. We can help you land your military to civilian job.

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Phone Interviews: 10 Steps to Success

© Tom Wolfe, author; all rights reserved; excerpts from Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to-Civilian Career Transition; used with the permission of the author and publisher, www.potomacbooksinc.com.

Many employers use the telephone interview as a screening tool. Not only does a telephone interview save time and money, it can also add personality to a resume. A telephone interview can be tricky however and is worthy of special attention. Follow these ten steps to enhance your chances of success.

  1. Schedule and confirm. Expect an advance call to arrange a mutually convenient day and time, factoring in any time zone differences. Ask for the amount of time to be allotted, determine who is to initiate the call, and verify the phone number to be used.
  2. Homework. Research the company. Learn something about the interviewer, if possible. Be knowledgeable about the position. Be prepared to emphasize your positive attributes that are most relevant to the job. Compose a set of questions. Select them with two things in mind: you want to gather information about the opportunity and you want to demonstrate your interest in the job. Avoid questions that are selfish in nature (salary, benefits or relocation costs, for example). Save questions of that variety for later in the process.
  3. Environment. Decide in advance where you want to be when the phone call takes place. Pick a quiet, comfortable spot where you are unlikely to be interrupted. A desk or table is important because you will be taking notes.
  4. Materials. If you are using a cell phone, make sure it is fully charged. Keep your charger handy and sit near an electrical outlet. Confirm in advance that you have a strong, reliable signal. Temporarily deactivate call-waiting if possible. If not, then plan to ignore it. Make sure you have access to a glass of water, your résumé, your list of questions, background on the company, and writing materials.
  5. Be on time. Being late for any interview is often the kiss of death. Be ready to make or receive the call at the scheduled time. End any other incoming calls as quickly as possible. Keep the line free—the interviewer will not be happy with a busy signal. If the interview time arrives but the call does not, stay near the phone and wait. If the phone fails to ring during the time you have set aside, call the person and offer to reschedule. Likewise, offer to reschedule if you are initiating the call and the interviewer is unavailable. Resist the temptation to be annoyed or accusatory. Allow for the possibility that the error is yours.
  6. Introductions. Once you and the interviewer are on the phone, introduce yourself. The interviewer should return the introduction. If this is a multi-person conference call, ask for introductions to the additional callers. Speak clearly and more slowly than you normally would. Resist the temptation to use the speakerphone. Hands-free is comfortable, but the risks of bad audio or loss of privacy override any added convenience.
  7. Body language. Since body language is out of play, your words, both their meaning and their delivery, are the only tools at your disposal. Having a strong handshake and maintaining eye contact are irrelevant now, but you should still conduct the interview as if you were face-to-face. The fact that you are focused on the conversation, nodding, and smiling will come through in your voice.
  8. Establish rapport. This is critical. Whether or not the interviewer likes you has a major effect on the outcome. Hopefully your natural enthusiasm, sense of humor, and inquisitiveness will serve you well. If given the chance, try to get the interviewer to talk a little bit about his or her background. Do not go overboard—remember who is interviewing whom.
  9. Close the deal. To succeed in any interview, you must state your level of interest and ask for the next step. Since the preferred outcome of a phone interview is often a personal visit to the company (sometimes called a site visit or second level interview), you should ask for this. Conversely, if you are not interested in the opportunity, let the interviewer know why. Perhaps you are misreading something or there is a different position available.
  10. Follow-up. A telephone interview requires the same follow-up as any interview. Timely and well-worded correspondence is an excellent way to express both your level of interest and also gratitude for the interviewer’s time and consideration.

A successful telephone interview is one in which the interviewer not only hears your words but also processes them to your best advantage.

By Tom Wolfe, Career Coach

© 2014; Tom Wolfe, is an author, columnist, career coach, veteran, and an expert in the field of military-to-civilian career transition. During his career he assisted thousands of service members in their searches for employment, placing more than 3000 in their new jobs. Prior to civilian life, he graduated from the U. S. Naval Academy and served as a surface warfare officer. He teaches transition courses, gives seminars on career and job change, writes about the career transition process, and continues to counsel current and former military personnel. His book, Out of Uniform: Your Guide to a Successful Military-to-Civilian Career Transition, was published by Potomac Books in 2011. Tom lives on the North Carolina coast with his wife, Julie, and their Chesapeake Bay retriever, Maggie.

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Veteran Post-Interview Thank You Notes: Not Just for Saying Thanks

© By - Dr. Ryan Wallace
drryanwallace.tumblr.com

Almost every job hunter has heard at one point or another that it is a good practice to send a thank you note to the interviewers following an interview. It is important to point out, however, that the purpose of a post-interview thank you note is not merely to express appreciation! Like your resume, cover letter, and interview performance, a thank you note is yet another tool for you to market your skills and personality to the hiring manager.

Address thank you notes by name!
Like your cover letter, your thank you notes should be addressed to each interviewer by name. This small attention to detail will set you apart from interviewees that address their thank you notes generically to "Hiring Manager" or "Sir or Ma'am".

Remind the interviewer of position for which you applied.
Hiring managers, especially those at large companies, are often involved in vetting several positions at any given time. When writing your thank you note, be sure to mention the specific position for which you interviewed. This serves as a memory jogger to the hiring manager to help categorically distinguish you from other applicants.

Mention something specific from the interview.
One cannot understate the importance of this component of the thank you note. While it may seem otherwise, communication in an interview does not merely flow from applicant to interviewer. If you carefully evaluate your interview, you will also glean information from your interviewer about the position, responsibilities, corporate culture, people, and other unique facets about the company. Including a few brief sentences in your thank you note about what was discussed in the interview serves as proof to the hiring manager you were listening to this important communication. Bottom line-If the interviewer spent a significant amount of time discussing a particular aspect of the job or company, it is worth mentioning in your thank you note.

Market yourself!
Take the opportunity to further highlight how your skills, qualifications, or experience meet the job posting's requirements. Moreover, concisely market how you are an asset that can solve the company's problems.

Show your passion for the position.
Most hiring managers would agree, it is not merely compatible skills that make a good employee-managers want to hire employees with passion! Like your cover letter, you need to express your passion for the position, company, culture, and employees. Show how you really want to be there.

Express appreciation for their time.
This is the "thank you" part of your letter. Show genuine appreciation for the opportunity to highlight your qualifications in the interview. While interviews may seem like a grueling experience for interviewees, they can be absolutely exasperating for managers. Remember, conducting interviews is often just an ancillary duty for managers amongst a sea of competing responsibilities. Reviewing hundreds (and sometimes thousands) of nearly identical resumes can literally make one's eyes cross after a few hours. Conducting interviews can be equally as tedious and time consuming. A little sincere appreciation for the overworked, unsung hiring manager can go a long way.

Solicit the next stage of the hiring process.
Like your cover letter, you want to close your thank you with an action. Solicit the next stage of the interview or hiring process with eagerness. Show you are excited to proceed to the next stage of vetting. To use an aphorism...If you applied for a job as a ditch digger, you want to leave the hiring manager with the distinct impression you are standing by with your shovel in hand and ready to dig!

Close with your contact information.
This might seem like an obvious inclusion however this information is often absent many thank you notes. Don't overlook adding your contact information. Make it easy for the manager to pick up the phone after your call to action and advance your candidacy.

Do I send a hand-written note or email?
This practice of sending hand-written thank you notes is slowly being replaced by email. There are many online articles that are diametrically opposed on this issue. In the end, the decision should ultimately come down to your individual assessment of the corporate culture of the interviewing company. If the culture is less-tech savvy and more traditional, a hand-written note is recommended. Conversely, if the company values cutting edge communication and smacks of a more modern organization, an email thank you works just fine.

An old Hansa Proverb states, "Give thanks for a little and you will find a lot." Taking the time to write a good thank you note can give you the edge you need to land your next job! I leave you with a short sample thank you...

"Greetings, Timothy!

Thank you for the interview! It was a pleasure to meet with you, Jim, Kim, and Roger to discuss the XYZ Company Trainer opportunity. As evidenced by my work with ABC, Inc., you will find I offer a vast array of technical and instructional expertise that would be valuable in many of the Training Division's programs. I am eager to bring these skills to bear on the challenges of the position. I enjoyed learning about the unique culture of your company, as we discussed during the interview. Moreover, I am anxious to collaborate with your group of high caliber professionals to achieve unmatched product quality and customer satisfaction! I look forward to hearing from you to advance the interview process so I may more rapidly immerse myself in the work of achieving your company's goals.

Regards,

John Q. Smith
(123) 456-7890
jsmith@abc.com
123 1st St
Oklahoma City, OK 71234"

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Best and Worst Terms to Use in Your Resume - Ranked by Hiring Managers

© Copyright, 2014, Susan P. Joyce. All rights reserved.
workcoachcafe.com

In a recent CareerBuilders survey, mover 2,200 hiring managers were asked to rank the terms they typically see in resumes as good or bad terms. The results really weren't too surprising, but they are interesting to note, particularly if you are currently submitting resumes for job opportunities. The 15 Best Resume Terms

These are the 15 terms those hiring managers preferred to see on resumes. Notice that these are mostly action verbs, probably describing the accomplishments (bet they were quantified accomplishments, too):

  1. Achieved   -   52%
  2. Improved   -   48%
  3. Trained/Mentored   -  47%
  4. Managed   -   44%
  5. Created   -   43%
  6. Resolved   -   40%
  7. Volunteered   -   35%
  8. Influenced   -   29%
  9. Increased/Decreased   -   28%
  10. Ideas   -   27%
  11. Negotiated   -   25%
  12. Launched   -   24%
  13. Revenue/Profits   -   23%
  14. Under budget   -   16%
  15. Won   -   13%

Notice that "achieved" (at 52%), "improved" (at 48%) and "trained/mentored" (at 47%) was preferred over "managed" (at 44%)! And "under budget" and "revenue/profits" were very near the bottom of the list. Interesting! Achievements, improvements and training/mentoring are more important to these hiring managers than profits. Or maybe these managers weren't responsible for profitability...

The 15 Worst Resume Terms. These are the 15 worst terms to include on your resume, based on this sample of hiring managers. Notice that most of these are adjectives people would use to describe themselves, basically meaningless terms unless backed with quantified accomplishments. Perhaps that's how the surveyed hiring managers viewed these terms - empty and meaningless.

  1. Best of breed   -   38%
  2. Go-getter   -   27%
  3. Think outside of the box   -   26%
  4. Synergy   -   22%
  5. Go-to-person   -   22%
  6. Thought leadership   -   16%
  7. Value add   -   16%
  8. Results-driven   -   16%
  9. Team player   -   15%
  10. Bottom-line   -   14%
  11. Hard worker   -   13%
  12. Strategic thinker   -   12%
  13. Dynamic   -   12%
  14. Self-motivated   -   12%
  15. Detail-oriented   -   12%

Notice that, mostly, these terms are hated by fewer than 20% of the survey participants, so I'm not sure that I would automatically eliminate them from my resume if I felt they were appropriate. What I would definitely try to do is back up those "empty" adjectives with proof that they were not empty at all.

We think of many of these characteristics as desirable in a great employee. Perhaps these terms were used in resumes that offered no proof that someone was "best of breed" or "detail-oriented". If you describe yourself as accomplished, obviously adjectives are not enough. Include some details about achievements that help prospective employer believe that those are not just empty terms.

If you want more details on this CareerBuilder study, find it here.

About the Author…
Online job search expert Susan P. Joyce has been observing the online job search world and teaching online job search skills since 1995. Susan is a two-time layoff “graduate” who has worked in human resources at Harvard University and in a compensation consulting firm. In 2011, NETability purchased WorkCoachCafe.com, which Susan has been editor and publisher of WorkCoach since then. Susan also edits and publishes Job-Hunt.org.

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