Keppie Careers - By Miriam Salpeter

Since this week’s posts have been about managing your time and focusing on your job hunting goals, it is a good time to share information about a resource developed by my new cyber-friend, Jason Alba: Jibber Jobber.

Jibber Jobber is an online tool with both free and paid features. Need help keeping up with where you’re applying for jobs? Need to track when to follow-up with employers or networking contacts? Jibber Jobber is for you! This is how Jason describes some of Jibber Jobber’s features:

Jibber Jobber allows you to keep track of all of the information that you collect during a job search. Track the companies that you apply to. Track each job that you apply for, and log the status of each job (date first interview, thank you letter sent, etc.). Want to know where you sent your different resumes? Jibber Jobber can track all this and more!

But then you need to go a step further - work on those relationships. Jibber Jobber allows you to track the relationship with each person, log important information about your contacts, and manage the relationship as it is enhanced. Keeping track of these relationships, and proactively working on your network may be the most important thing you do to help you land your next job.

For an explanation of the differences between the free and premium services, click here.

In addition to creating Jibber Jobber, Jason is an expert in social networking and the author of the books, I’m On Linkedin, Now What? and I’m On Facebook - Now What? After following Jason on Twitter and keeping up with his blog, I recently had an opportunity to speak to him about his business and how he hopes to help people who need help organizing their job hunts and managing their contacts.

His goal is to “Help people who want to manage their career.”  In addition, having experienced a job loss that served as the impetus for starting this business several years ago, Jason hopes to help people understand what it means to manage their own careers. He uses his blog to help educate readers about career management and provides ideas, resources and inspiration to everyone who has a job and/or a career!

I’m sure anyone involved in a job hunt can benefit from investigating Jibber Jobber and by taking advantage of its great tools! Take a look at Jibber Jobber and let me know what you think!

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Need more help with your job hunt? Keppie Careers will assist you every step of the way! From a great resume to step-by-step job hunting assistance - Keppie Careers is here for you! www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by ChinCillaVilla

I admit that I was a bit skeptical when I first read the hype surrounding the book and movie The Secret. However, upon reflection, I believe the ideas in The Secret can be useful and empowering to job seekers.

For those not familiar, The Secret involves the belief that the universe will send you what you ask of it. In other words, believe it and it will come. Entrepreneur, public speaker and business coach, Jane Pollak suggests actually writing down your goals and carrying them with you on a daily basis. She notes in her blog, Leading, “That act alone has made enormous differences for me personally as I continue to meet my goals.”

So, as we move deeper into the dog days of summer…Consider listing some goals and carrying them with you in your wallet. Take a look at them when you’re waiting in line or stuck in traffic. You never know - this type of focus could be the difference between achieving your goals and staying stuck! Drive your own career bus!

Keppie Careers will help get you unstuck! A job hunt is hard work, but we are here to support you every step of the way. Let us know how we can help you…Need a resume? Don’t know where to begin? www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by Steve Took It

You thought social media was for the “kids?” Blogging, Twitter, Facebook…You don’t have time to engage online with a bunch of people - you’re busy with your job hunt!  Think again!

Yesterday, I posted about the value of social networking for the job seeker. Then, as I usually do, I went through my blogroll to see what’s out there in the career space. Coincidentally, Marci Alboher’s blog for the New York Times, Shifting Careers, reminded readers of another great benefit of getting involved with social media such as blogging, Twitter, Facebook, linkedin, etc. It can help keep you looking young in a job market with a tendency to discriminate against older workers.

If you haven’t looked for a job in a while and/or aren’t tuned in to managing your “digital footprint” - what comes up when someone “Googles” your name - it’s time for a quick lesson in social media. The long and the short of it is this: an online presence is key to how people will perceive you. Especially if you are in a “young” industry that discriminates against workers over 40, appearing connected to new ways of presenting yourself (your brand, as it were), may help you open doors that seemed closed.

Take a look at Marci’s blog…It tells the story of a 49-year old entertainment reporter who remade her image by freshening up her appearance and wardrobe and creating a hip online presence that made her seem younger than would belie her 20 years of industry experience. She hired people to help her, which is a great idea, but Marci points out that asking fashion conscious friends and teenagers (your children or others’) for advice and information about trends and technology is another option.

The key factor is, no matter how much experience you have, it is important to keep up with what is going on in today’s job market. Video resumes, Wikis, video conferencing, Second Life, podcasts…Job seekers should be aware of these technologies and willing to use them! Be resourceful and aware - you may be surprised to learn that Web 2.0tools can be a lot of fun and helpful beyond networking and job seeking.  (Be sure to let me know when you start using a Wiki to plan your next potluck!)

Facing discrimination in your job hunt? We can write your resume to make you look younger. Need help navigating social media and online networking? Keppie Careers is here for you!

photo by Sarah Camp

I recently attended a networking event with other business owners. Typically, I pitch Keppie Careers and let everyone know that I write resumes and how I can help those seeking jobs gain clarity and confidence about the job search process.

In addition, to take my own advice to always let networking contacts know how I can help THEM (networking should always be a two-way street), I mention that I am very involved in social networking, blogging and Twitter and that I’m happy to talk about linkedin.com and ways to grow a business using online tools.

When I share this information, inevitably, someone comes up to me to inquire about the TIME it takes to get involved in social networking. Yes, there is a time commitment. Yes, it is worth it!

The same advice applies to job seekers as entrepreneurs:

There are many ways to invest in your career. Investing time to discover and use the most effective online resources is key to success. Once you determine the right tools for you, you want to optimize those tools and leverage them to help you achieve your goals. Writing a half-baked linkedin profile with typos isn’t going to get you far, but putting together a top-notch summary of your skills and accomplishments has the potential to really propel your search to the next level!

Let Keppie Careers help you with your job hunt. Need a great resume? A top-of-the-line linkedin profile? We can help! www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by Toni VC

To conclude this week’s posts about cover letters, a few points about following up…

What About Follow Up?
Follow up of your letters is essential! The success of your job search will be directly related to how well you do this. Employers simply do not have enough time to respond to every letter they receive. Consider preparing a script to help you make your calls. Try to make your calls between Tuesday and Thursday and either first thing in the morning (8:30-9:00) or at the end of the day (4:30-5:00). These are times you will catch more people at their desks.

Try to avoid leaving a message on an answering machine if possible. If you do not leave a message, you have the option of calling a few more times and thereby keeping the “ball” in your court. However, if you call at various times and never reach a person, leave a message with your name, that you are following up on correspondence, request a return call, and leave contact information. If you do not hear from them within a week, try again. Your persistence should pay off.

If you do not have any luck reaching someone via the telephone, it is not a bad idea to touch base via email. Explain that you are following up regarding applying for a position and that you will continue to try to reach them by phone.

Be persistent without harassing the recipient and you will make an impact.

Keppie Careers is here to guide you in your job hunt: www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by Mark Witton

Since I’m on a roll this week with cover letter tips, I thought I’d continue the series with some obvious, but still overlooked things to consider!

Personalize each letter. You should make every attempt to be able to address each letter to a specific individual. This may require that you contact the organization to get the name and title of the appropriate person.

Use non-sexist language. If you are answering a blind ad with no way of obtaining a specific person to whom you can direct your letter, do not use “Dear Sir” or “Dear Madam.” “To whom it may concern” is appropriate, but only do this when it is impossible to get a specific name.

Limit your letter to one page. Clear concise writing will ensure that you say everything you need to say in as few words as possible. Cover letters should never be more than one page and usually not more than 3-4 paragraphs.

Avoid overusing the word “I”. For example, instead of saying, “I have enclosed a copy of my resume” you can restructure sentences to use “you” more often. The result would be “Enclosed you will find a copy of my resume.” A rule of thumb is to try not to use “I” more than twice per paragraph.

Vary your writing. Variety makes your letters more interesting and easier to read. Try to offset long sentences with short ones. Use transitional words and phrases to help your ideas flow together more easily.

Use attention-getting action verbs and adjectives. When describing yourself and your qualifications, use adjectives and action verbs to add flavor and arouse interest. Check out the “Skills List” on Keppiecareers.com for examples.

Proofread, proofread, proofread. Check and check again for spelling errors. Don’t rely on your spell check alone. Read your letter backward to catch your spelling errors and typos. Check for grammatical errors by reading your letter out loud carefully from beginning to end. Have other people check for errors as well. Nothing shatters a good first impression faster than work that appears carelessly done.

“Sincerely” is a good way to close your letter. Never forget to sign it if you are mailing it.

Keppie Careers - we’ll write your resume, compose your cover letters and walk you through every step of your job hunt: www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by Clearly Ambiguous

Are you suffering writer’s block when it comes to your cover letters?

Your first inspiration should come directly from the job description. This is your best source of information about what the employer is seeking. In addition, be sure to visit their website and take advantage of any information that helps connect you to the organization. Finally, if you have been networking well, you may have personal information directly from employees of the targeted company. USE IT to help you draw the lines between what you offer and what they want.

How Can You Describe Your Qualifications and Strengths?

Resources that might be helpful include:

1. Phrases from prior performance appraisals, letters of commendation and letters of recommendation.
2. Current and past job descriptions and standards of performance that clearly express job expectations and responsibilities.
3. Desirable characteristics and requested skills for similar advertised jobs.
4. Newspaper editorials and business sections to help write paragraphs about your industry, occupation or the economy.

More Tips to Make My Cover Letters Effective

• Keep a copy of every letter you send as part of your job search file. Besides providing you with a record of your search, you can use portions of these letters in future ones.
• To be efficient, develop two or three basic paragraphs and modify them slightly to personalize each letter.

Read more about cover letters from Keppie Careers:

Don’t Skip the Cover Letter
Cover Letter Tips

Don’t want to write a cover letter? We’ll do it for you! www.keppiecareers.com.

Photo by Eva the Weaver

Now that we’ve established that many organizations still seek and expect to receive a cover letter, it seemed a good time to add some cover letter tips to Keppie Careers’ blog!

What Is A Cover Letter? What’s the Point?
Like all job search correspondence, a cover letter is a sales pitch. It’s an introduction to your resume and should be interesting enough that the reader will want to read more about you!
Create a new, targeted cover letter for each position.

Often this letter is the first contact you have with a prospective employer. A neat, concise, well-written letter can entice the employer to read your resume with greater interest and improve your chances of getting an interview.

How Should Cover Letters Be Organized?
A lot of cover letter advice mentions breaking the letter into three parts: Introduction, Body, and Closing. I adapt this advice for cover letters and use the following format:

1. Opening Pitch. Why are you right for the job? Sell yourself here. Be sure to take your cues from the job description, which is (more often than not) highly detailed and involved. Take advantage of all the information available to you to craft a spot-on first sentence that will appeal to your readers. Your first paragraph should focus on what you have to offer relative to the employer’s needs. A good opening may be something along these lines: As a leader and manager, I develop, build and maintain strong relationships.

In the past, coaches encouraged job seekers to start their letters, “I saw your ad in X publication and am writing to apply for the position of ________.” You do need to state the position in which you have an interest, but this should not lead your letter. Of course you are applying for the job - so is everyone else! What makes you special or unique? THAT is how to lead your letter.

2. Highlights of Qualifications. The second section should hone in on the reasons you are perfect for this job. Research the organization beyond the job description to find links between their needs and your skills. If an organization makes a big deal about their values, feel free to use that information to inform your letter. Use bullet points to group your qualifications. I suggest choosing three headers and selecting no more than 3 bullet points for each header. You can use parts of your resume, but do not simply repeat your resume. You want to use the letter as a hook to interest the reader in learning more by reading your resume. For example: My work ethic and standards fit perfectly with X Company’s values of “Honesty, Integrity and Respect for People.” Some highlights: (List highlights as bullets under these headers.)

3. Call to action. Make a point to let the reader know what you want - an interview:

I hope you agree that my extensive experience in project management and well developed written communication skills are solid matches for X Company. I look forward to putting my ideas, enthusiasm and energy to work for your team and will contact you the week of ____________ to discuss the many links between your needs and my skills.

You must follow-up as indicated. Mark your calendar appropriately.

Read more about cover letters from Keppie Careers:

Don’t Skip the Cover Letter
Cover Letter Inspiration
Mo’ Cover Letter Tips

Need a great cover letter? Don’t take a chance on sending out something that doesn’t represent you well. Keppie Careers is here for you! www.keppiecareers.com

Photo by Leo Reynolds

There are some career advice professionals who downplay the need for a cover letter. With many companies scanning resumes, they say there is no need for a cover letter, as it is stripped, tossed and never read. It may very well be true that some cover letters, no matter how carefully crafted, do not reach human eyes. However, the following information passed along by my cyber friend, Chris Russell, may make you think twice about omitting a cover letter.

A new survey based on telephone interviews with 150 senior executives from the largest U.S. companies shows that 86% believe that cover letters are valuable when screening candidates and 80% said it is common to receive cover letters with electronic resumes.

Dave Willmer, executive director of OfficeTeam, the independent organization that conducted the survey notes, “Those who aren’t including cover letters with their resumes are missing an opportunity to make a good first impression and set themselves apart from other job applicants.” He compares sending a resume without a cover letter to meeting someone for the first time and not shaking hands.

Clearly, the cover letter is not dead. It can never hurt to send a well-written cover letter when applying for a job, and many jobs request a cover letter to accompany the resume. Stay tuned for more about writing a great cover letter!

Read more about cover letters from Keppie Careers:

Cover Letter Tips
Cover Letter Inspiration

Don’t stress out about your job hunt materials…We will write your resume and cover letters and teach you what to do once you have the perfect materials! www.keppiecareers.com.

Newsweek reports that about 37% of Americans nap during the day. (Presumably, this does not include the toddler set.) Apparently, workers regularly sleep in their cars, in storage rooms, at the gym or even in the bathroom! There is even a New York City store called Yelo with private rooms for quick, lunch time naps. For just under $1/minute, you have access to a private sleep pod. (Well worth the price, it seems, compared to sleeping in the bathroom!)

Some workplaces, believing that naps help “increase creativity, memory and alertness” are offering designated sleeping spots on site. A diverse array of employers, including shoe retailer Zappos.com,
Workman Publishing and Yarde Metals offer sleep areas, with Yarde Metals providing “a darkened room equipped with a reclining chair that vibrates to music as a TV screen plays video of a babbling brook, crackling fireplace, beach scene or fish tank.”

The ideal nap? 20 minutes, according to Sara Mednick, author of Take a Nap! Change Your Life. Much longer and you actually become more groggy.

So, if you are looking for a job, you may want to see if your potential employer offers “nap benefits.” I would venture a guess that many more offer “caffeine benefits,” research about productivity notwithstanding!

Job hunt tiring you out? Keppie Careers is here to help! We will take all of the stress out of writing your resume and getting started with your job hunt. Contact us: results@keppiecareers.com.

photo by thepretenda