Job Search Advice from the Experts

These tips and advice were collected from career coaches, recruiters and other job search experts.

CANDIDATE ONLINE PROFILE

If you want to be found by a recruiter or hiring manager create an online profile. Be sure to include a picture on your profile.
Take as much care with your online profiles as you do with your resumes.
Google yourself so you can see what others see when they search for you.
Create a Google profile (a personal profile that appears when someone does a Google search of your name) to make sure you are properly represented on the web.
Use social networking sites such as LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter, Naymz, ZoomInfo.
If you need help understanding the social medial sites go to www.commoncraft.com and watch the "Social Media In Plain English" videos.
Start and maintain a blog or website. Be sure to write your own posts. Be conversational and be human.
Once these are all in place, they should be interconnected. Add your website to your LinkedIn profile. Link to you blog in your Tweets.
If you can't make a commitment to a blog or a website, get involved in the conversation and leave comments on blogs or maintain a Twitter account and Tweet regularly.
Buy www.YourName.com before someone else does. It makes finding information about you quick and easy. It's inexpensive and it adds to your credibility.

CONTACTS

Don’t call hiring managers or recruiters Monday between 9 a.m. and 11 a.m. They are most likely in meetings during this time.
Do call early in the morning from 6 a.m. to 8 a.m. You’ll either get the person who is working early or their voicemail. If you get their voicemail, yours will be the first message they pick up, so leave a message: Hi, Ruth. This is Peter Smith. My number is… I’m calling because... Now they have written down your name and number and they are intrigued by the fact that you’re calling so early.
Be courteous of others time. Don't call or email continuously, give your contact an opportunity to respond to your inquiry at their convenience.
If you lose or leave your job, let others know how to find you. Email your business and professional contacts. Keep in touch with your work friends.

INTERVIEWING

Don't arrive too early for the interview. You don't want to look desperate.
Do your research. Find out as much as you can about the company before going to the interview. Read press releases, annual reports, media coverage and industry blogs.
You can assume that at least some of the standard interview questions will be asked: Tell me about yourself? Where do you see yourself in 5 years? What are your strengths? etc. List the questions and write down your answers prior to the interview. Then practice, practice practice.
Be prepared for situational questions such as: Tell me about a time when...? or Tell me about how you handled...? Use the S-A-R approach: Situation - Actions - Results. What was the situation? What actions did you take? What were the results? Write it down. Edit to include only the relevant facts. Then practice, practice, practice.
Articulate your value in a measurable way. If you don't think your accomplishments are a big deal, employers won't either.
If you don't know the answer to a question, take a stab at it then ask "Did that answer your question?"
Don't leave an interview without a clear idea of next steps. When is the appropriate time to follow up? When will a hiring decision be made?
Don't be too personal. You don't want the interviewer to remember your "baggage" instead of your qualifications.
Do send a thank you notes within 24 hours of the interview.

JOB OFFER

Do ask about benefits when the job offer is presented to you.
Ask to meet the people you'll be working with.
Don't ask about work/life balance. Do ask about workplace flexibility such as telecommuting, hours; evening or weekend work required.
It's a good sign if the interviewer asks if you have other offers. It means they are interested in you. Answer honestly.
Ask for a written assessment of what is "acceptable performance" and what is "exceptional perfomance" for the job that you'ved been offered. If the excpectations are unclear, you might rethinkg the offer.

JOB SEARCH

Big job boards have thousands of jobs – most of the advertised jobs are listed on the big boards. However, they also attract thousands of job seekers so you will be competing with many others for the same job.
Niche job bards have fewer jobs but also have fewer job seekers looking at them.
Seventy-five percent of job openings are unpublished.
Read newspapers, business magazines and industry publications for events that may signal a company needs help: relocations; new product announcements; opening of a new facility; m&a activity; promotions, resignations and job changes; contract awards.
If you can bring a unique talent or skill to the company, often times the position can be created around you.
Consider project work. It will help you keep your skills and resume current, provide a way to make new business contacts and can result in a full-time opportunity.
No more than 20 percent of your time should be spent on job search sites. Networking and face to face contacts are more important.

JOB SWITCH

If you don’t have a pressing need to switch jobs – now is not the time. The last thing you want is to get a new job and promptly get laid off. This scenario is happening now.
If you have to switch jobs, find out how the company has treated recently laid-off employees.
Be responsible for your feelings. Don't let a former or potential employer control your happiness. How you decide to react to your situation is in your power.

NETWORKING

Better than sixty percent of jobs are found through networking.
Work on building relationships. It takes an average of 8 contacts before someone starts to trust you.
Track all of your networking contacts/meetings. You’ll get a true picture of what you are doing. You might be surprised to find that you aren’t doing as much networking as you think.
Schedule a meeting with 5 of the most successful, connected people you know. Bring something to the table when you meet with them. What can you bring them that will help them do their job better? Acknowledge that you are in the job market. DO NOT ask them for a job. Instead, give them your list of the top 25 companies for which you are interested in working. Ask them what they would do if they were looking for a job. Chances are they will know someone or know someone who knows someone at several of these companies.
Be courteous of others time. Don't call or email continuously, give your contact an opportunity to respond to your inquiry at their convenience.
Attend conferences. They are a great way to meet others in your field.
At a networking meeting get business cards from people you meet. Ask them what kind of job they are looking for and write it down on the back of the card. Now they’ll be compelled to do the same for you. Put out the word by tweeting your Twitter network. After the event, call them and let them know if you can or cannot help them. Chances are they’ll remember how thoughtful you’ve been.
Social networking sites are very useful but do not neglect in person networking opportunities.
People remember how you made them feel more than what you said.
Volunteer. The contacts that you make will help expand your network.

REFERENCES

Get references from people who have worked with you in the recent past: your boss, your bosses' boss, your bosses' peers, your coworkers. Don'f forget clients, vendors and industry contacts.
Never use references without their permission.
Work with your references on what they will say about you.
Ask your references to recommend you on LinkedIn.
Let references know when they will be contacted.
Follow up with them. Show your gratitude and thank them for a job well done.

RESUME

If you've been in the workforce for many years, don't include every job you've ever had. Old information is probably not relevant. Include information from the the last 10 - 15 years.
No more than 2 pages for a printed resume. Do not use the back of the page.
Functional resumes are not the "red flag" they once were. Create both a functional and a reverse chronological resume to determine which format best presents your expertise and accomplishments. Or, try a hybrid resume that combines both functional and chronological information.
Add professional and community involvement only if it compliments or supports your work skills.
Don't exaggerate your accomplishments; stick to the facts.
Package your resume in an 8 ½ x 11 envelope with a thin cardboard insert. Attach a handwritten message: "I applied online but enclosed is a hard copy resume for your convenience.”
Sending a cover letter will set you apart as many job seekers no longer use them. Customize the cover letter for the opportunity.
A resume should show measureable achievements, be results-oriented, demonstrate leadership, and quantifiably detail achievements that would enhance ROI.
Don't include and objective statement; include a profile statement instead. A profile statement shows what an exployer can expect if they hire you.
Avoid the resume black hole by sprinkling some of the words used in the job posting in your cover letter.
Don't be afraid to followup with a phone call.
Many recruiters/employers now use resume matching software to screen incoming resumes. To make sure yours makes it past the software screening, match your resume as close as possible to the job description. The more matches you have, the better chance you'll have of being flagged as a match.

SALARY

If you've been underpaid, negotiate compensation from marketplace data not from your current salary.
Don't wait until the job offer to talk about salary. By then it may be too late to negotiate.
At, or prior to, the second interview, it may be appropriate to say something along the lines of "Should we touch base to make sure we have compatible salary expectations?"
If you are asked what salary you are looking for, you can indicate that salary isn't your primary motivation but that you are looking for a good job fit with a fair salary. Or, you could ask what the company has budgeted for the position.