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@davidhuntpe
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Thanks!
Note: About Me and the kind of places I’m looking for work. And some background on why I put the effort into this kind of thing.
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TOP OF THE FOLD
The Most Underused Job Search Tool: Appreciation
http://myrightfitjob.com/2014/11/19/2429/
** And something else: keeping your promises. Build a reputation as someone who follows through.
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How to Get the Job When You Don’t Have the Experience
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20140811235043-203184238-how-to-overcome-the-permission-paradox-you-can-t-get-the-job-without-the-experience-but-you-can-t-get-the-experience-without-the-job
** A common refrain, especially for new graduates or people trying to change industries/careers. (I remember the agony when I was a new graduate; everyone seemed to want just a skosh more experience than I had!)
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The Top Job Search Articles of 2014
https://jobmob.co.il/blog/top-job-search-articles-2014/
** Excellent compilation.
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7 Ways To Sniff Out The REAL Company Culture
http://www.careerealism.com/company-culture-real/
** Company culture is critical – not only for your performance and happiness, but longevity. Some more thoughts:
Cultural Splinters
https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2013/09/08/cultural-splinters/
** And especially ask around about the reputation and rumors about the company founder/head – particularly in networking and industry groups. Remember, the you-know-what rolls downhill, and companies have reputations.
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FOR OLDER WORKERS
Who employs older workers?
http://40pluscareerguru.blogspot.co.uk/2014/12/who-employs-older-workers.html
** Across the pond in the UK, but some lessons for the US too.
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Talent does not equal experience
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/talent-does-equal-experience-ed-nathanson
** Some useful clues to glean in presenting yourself. There is value in experience; leverage that.
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Millennials are perceived as more innovative (and why that’s bad)
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/millennials-perceived-more-why-adi-gaskell
** Millenials are your competition; understand how they’re perceived. Use that perception against them, and proactively counter it.
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Why boomer careers will never be the same again (VIDEO)
http://40pluscareerguru.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/why-boomer-careers-will-never-be-same.html
** The idea that you can get a job and stay in it forever is dead… and IMHO, it was killed by employers, not employees. And a related essay of his:
If you’re highly qualified, how come you can’t get a job?
http://40pluscareerguru.blogspot.co.uk/2014/04/if-youre-highly-qualified-how-come-you.html
** The world is changing, and accelerating into the change. This has enormous consequences, and staggering risks:
Future Shock
https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/future-shock/
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Six Job Search Tips for Boomers and Retirees
http://www.flexjobs.com/blog/post/6-job-search-tips-for-boomers-seniors/
** Definitely worth reading.
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NETWORKING
The Power of Being Specific in Your Job Search
http://myrightfitjob.com/2014/12/09/2456/
** Very smart advice for networkers.
—
Make Your Social Connections Count Or They Won’t Be Worth Counting ~via @InsideCXM
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/make-your-social-connections-ted-rubin
** Maintain your network.
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4 Ways to Get Past the Gatekeeper (No Tricks Required)
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/4-ways-get-past-gatekeeper-joanne-black
** It’s all about a warm referral. Networking baby! Related:
How To Find The Hiring Manager’s Contact Info
http://www.careerealism.com/find-hiring-managers-contact-info/
** Definitely easier said than done. And another one:
How To Search for Directors and Executives Online
http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/how-search-directors-and-executives-online/
** Hard to get ahold of them; if you can, however… that’s the “perfect” level to cultivate. Also: troll through CXO magazines (e.g., CIO, CFO, etc.) for articles by execs in your target industry. Then write to them asking a few pertinent and penetrating questions. It’ll cost you some time and a stamp, and may result in a reply.
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10 Tips to Maintain a Happy and Healthy Personal Network
http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2014/12/16/10-tips-to-maintain-a-happy-and-healthy-personal-network/
** All good. You get out what you put in. Related:
Networking 101: Helping Others
http://blog.multiview.com/2013/11/08/networking-101-helping-others/
** Put credits into your “networking bank account”.
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Networking Hack: Don’t Forget Anyone’s Name Ever Again!
http://www.careerealism.com/networking-hack-name/
** Names are very important. Which brings up:
The Name’s The Thing
https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2014/02/15/the-names-the-thing/
** Thoughts on getting peoples’ names right.
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7 Ways to Extend Your Online Network for Executive Job Search
https://www.bluesteps.com/blog/extend-online-network-executive-job-search.aspx
** Good; I especially agree with the idea of focusing. Trying too many things will distract you awfully.
—
21 Practical Ways to Overcome Your Fear of Networking
https://www.themuse.com/advice/21-practical-ways-to-overcome-your-fear-of-networking
** I agree with everything except the “don’t be too early” part. IMHO, if you’re there early (and have gotten your first plateful of food out of the way!), you are the seed around which others will gather.
—
Never eat alone
http://www.thewisejobsearch.com/2014/05/never-eat-alone.html
** Amen! As conditions permit, of course.
—
Networking Groups Are a Must When Job Searching
http://www.gotthejob.com/blog/networking-groups-are-a-must-when-job-searching.php
** Alumni groups are great because you have an instant commonality. Makes it easier to break the ice.
—
Social Networking: 10 Keys to Increase Your Networking Success Online (Part I)
http://www.onlinemarketingmuscle.com/social-networking-10-keys-part-i/
Social Networking: 10 Keys to Increase Your Networking Success Online (Part II)
http://www.onlinemarketingmuscle.com/social-networking-10-keys-part-ii/
** Both parts worth reading.
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COVER LETTERS
Use These Cover Letters That CEOs Read
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/use-cover-letters-ceos-read-brian-de-haaff
** Don’t cut-n-paste. But some useful thoughts.
—
Cover letter example: using copywriting techniques
http://careers.theguardian.com/cover-letter-example
** It’s a marketing document; whatever works to get the reader to look at your resume.
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RESUMES
First Impression: 3 Reasons I’d Look Twice at Your Resume
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/first-impression-3-reasons-id-marillyn
** Always wonderful to get insights from such a highly-ranked person.
—
7 Things You Can’t Hide in your Resume
http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/7-things-you-cant-hide-your-resume/
** All true. Though ageism is so rampant I find it hard to believe that the author’s never seen it first-hand.
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3 Resume Formatting Errors Recruiters Won’t Ignore
http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2014/12/18/3-resume-formatting-errors-recruiters-wont-ignore/
** Assuming, of course, you can get it to a human.
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How to write a personal statement for your CV
http://careers.theguardian.com/careers-blog/how-to-write-a-personal-statement-for-your-cv
** Not sure about all of this. Ask 10 different resume “experts” and you’ll probably get 11 answers.
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Going Outside the Traditional Resume to Capture the Interview
http://www.greatresumesfast.com/blog/2010/11/22/going-outside-the-traditional-resume-to-capture-the-interview/
** Ties in – to some degree – with the ideas towards the end here:
To Picture or Not to Picture – That is the Question
https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2014/05/21/to-picture-or-not-to-picture-that-is-the-question/
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Applicant tracking systems – the hidden peril for job applicants
http://40pluscareerguru.blogspot.co.uk/2014/07/applicant-tracking-systems-hidden-peril.html
** Quote: “Some sources quote that as many as 75% of applicants are eliminated by ATS systems, as soon as they submit their resume, despite being qualified for the job!” A good excuse to refer to:
Jurassic Park Hiring
https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2014/07/15/jurassic-park-hiring/
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INTERVIEWING
Most Important Job Interview Question – “When Have You Failed?”
http://www.smartrecruiters.com/blog/most-important-job-interview-question-whats-your-biggest-failure/
** I was massively flummoxed the first time I got this question. And it’s critical to wrap it up with something like “… and I learned …”.
—
Answering Behavioral Interview Questions: Handling Conflict
http://biginterview.com/blog/2013/09/behavioral-interview-questions-conflict.html
** With a bunch of other articles on the right side-bar.
—
Using the Star technique to shine at job interviews: a how-to guide
http://careers.theguardian.com/careers-blog/star-technique-competency-based-interview
** STAR is good. You really want to knock it out of the park? SPARTACUS:
How to turn yourself into a winning job candidate
http://40pluscareerguru.blogspot.com/2014/01/how-to-turn-yourself-into-winning-job.html
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5 Tips To A More Successful Job Interview
http://tweakyourbiz.com/management/2012/05/02/5-tips-to-a-more-successful-job-interview/
** Have some perspective.
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Interview Tip: Don’t Give Answers, Tell Stories
http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/interview-tip-tell-stories-not-answers-7-stories-prepare-now/
** People react to stories in a far more significant way than you can imagine.
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Are Interviewers Invading Your Privacy? [INFOGRAPHIC]
http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/interviewers-privacy/
** Some interesting, amusing, and somewhat disturbing statistics.
—
How to Outsmart Your Interviewer with Body Language
http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/outsmart-interviewer-body-language/
** You can overanalyze this.
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You Must Remember This: Information You Must Have before the Interview
http://www.gotthejob.com/blog/you-must-remember-this-information-you-must-have-before-the-interview.php
** Good general advice.
—
Gaps on your resume
http://advice.careerbuilder.com/posts/gaps-on-your-resume
** Short video. Best to answer their questions before they ask.
—
5 Things Not To Say During An Interview
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-interview/
** I find it interesting that the very first thing is a discussion of “loyalty” yet companies ignore that group most likely to be loyal: older workers.
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The Interview: When You Just Don’t Know What to Say
http://www.social-hire.com/career–interview-advice/3839/the-interview-when-you-just-dont-know-what-to-say
** And for heaven’s sake, don’t babble for the sake of making noise.
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Top 25 Oddball Interview Questions for 2014
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/top-25-oddball-interview-questions-2014/
** On one hand, I can appreciate that some of these questions are meant to examine your thought-and-problem-solving-process. OTOH, however, they also are, IMHO, tests of how much BS you’ll tolerate to get the job.
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BRANDING / SOCIAL MEDIA
15 Smoking Hot Ways to Use LinkedIn for Job Search
http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/20-smoking-hot-ways-use-linkedin-job-search/
** Activity breeds interest. Interest can lead to new connections.
—
Twitter Hashtags to Use in Your Job Search
http://www.theemployable.com/index.php/2014/12/17/twitter-hashtags-use-job-search/
** You can find an awful lot on twitter.
—
How blogging can help you get a job
http://www.theemployable.com/index.php/2014/10/28/blogging-can-help-get-job/
** If you have essays and posts related to your subject of expertise, it can only be a positive.
—
Managing the Message in Your Job Search
http://www.job-hunt.org/job-search-for-introverts/manage-message-introverts.shtml
** Define yourself, or others will do it for you.
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GENERAL
The Top 50 Best Job Search Sites You Need to Know About
http://biginterview.com/blog/2014/10/best-job-search-sites.html
** Some I didn’t know about. The one thing, however, is this: if you’re applying to a posted job, you’re already behind. Network, network, network so that you’re already on their minds when a job opens up.
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5 Things To Know About Thank You Letters
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/5-things-know-thank-you-letters
** I continue to be astonished that people don’t send thank you notes – or continue to follow up. Related:
5 Things To Say in Your Interview Follow-Up Letter
http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/5-interview-followup-letter/
** Especially #2.
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The Most Powerful Questions In Sales
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/most-powerful-questions-sales-tony-j.-hughes
** What is a job search if not marketing and sales – of you!
—
References are Not an Afterthought
http://www.greatresumesfast.com/blog/2010/08/16/references-are-not-an-afterthought/
** Stay in touch with references; don’t let them only hear from you when you need something!
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Proactive Job Search, Part 3: How to Contact Potential Employers
http://www.job-hunt.org/IT-job-search/contacting-potential-employers.shtml
** Reaching out is important, and doing so before they have openings. Once the job is posted, it’s way too late.
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Why Your Email Sign-off Matters More Than You Think
https://www.themuse.com/advice/why-your-email-signoff-matters-more-than-you-think
** I agree that you shouldn’t have a stupid signature, but I’m not sure I agree this is a make-or-break thing.
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Thousands of Jobs if You Know Where to Look
http://careeralley.com/job-search/thousands-jobs-know-look/?utm_source=twitterfeed&utm_medium=twitter&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+Careeralley+%28Careeralley%29
** I will opine, however, that so many hiring managers still think there is a “fantasy date” out there. I.e.:
What is “The Perfect Fit”?
http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/perfect-fit-perspectives/
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UNDERSTANDING THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE
5 Things a Candidate’s Salary History Reveals about Their Personality
https://www.recruiter.com/i/5-things-a-candidates-salary-history-reveals-about-their-personality/
** What might a hiring manager / HR person be thinking when they ask you about your salary history… which, IMHO, is none of their business.
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How I Hire: Three Questions, No Resumes
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/20130924094639-7668018-how-i-hire-three-questions-no-resumes
** Interesting.
—
20,000 Interviews Later: A Lesson in Hiring Top Executives
http://enviableworkplace.com/claudio-fernandez-araoz-attributes-to-look-for-when-hiring-executives/
** That’s a lot of experience conducting interviews.
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SALARY
Always Ask For More… Right?
http://www.thewisejobsearch.com/2009/04/always-ask-for-more-right.html
** Not in this market.
—
What To Say When You’re Asked For ‘Salary Requirements’
http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2012/06/18/4-things-to-consider-when-addressing-salary-requirements-online/
** Useful considering so many online forms won’t let you not put nothing.
—
When The Job Offer Comes In Low
http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2014/12/08/when-the-job-offer-comes-in-low/
** A nice hypothetical, but pushing back, especially like this, assumes you have the ability to walk away.
