Five Quick Tips to Creating an Online Searchable Resume

1) USE KEYWORDS: Resumes are skimmed initially by hiring managers and recruiters in 5 - 10 seconds, sometimes faster if they are keyword searching large sites like Monster or CareerBuilder. They are looking for specific information to fill a specific role. Be sure to include keywords in your resume that will zero in on your desired position. A resume with the pertinent keywords will ensure your resume gets found and gets a longer look.

2) NOT TOO MUCH INFORMATION: Resumes with too much information or too much "fanciness" get passed over quicker. The pertinent information is too hard to find. Keep it simple, straight forward and easy to pinpoint your experience and strengths. Refrain from fancy fonts, lines, headers and too many additional nonessential things.

3) SIMPLE FORMATTING: When you submit your resume through a website or ATS/RTS (applicant/resume tracking system), that fancy formatting is often removed or altered. This means that your resume doesn't look at all like what you intended. If it doesn’t get altered on the site you upload to it is likely to get altered when recruiter and hiring managers upload it to their company’s tracking site like Sales Force. Be sure you are looking at it from that perspective. The more straightforward you make it initially, the more intact it will stay as it travels through the screening process. In today’s hiring landscape it is best to stay streamlined, bullet pointed and easy to follow.

4) AVOID ALL CAPS & CATCHY TITLES: Catchy titles and placing your name in ALL CAPS were both “best practices” at one point in the hiring game. Today it is best to instead use the same size (not all caps) font and save your resume with a title that is just your name or even the year or something similar such as “Christy McDonald Resume” or “Christy McDonald 2015 Resume”. Eliminate catchy titles when using career websites. Instead of “dynamic sales professional” opt for something that is concise such as “Licensed Multi-state Health/Life Agent”. That way you are already ahead of the game on using keywords and giving hiring managers/recruiters a heads up as to exactly what type of sales you are in.

5) BE SURE TO HIGHLIGHT SKILLS PERTINENT TO YOUR DESIRED POSITION: It is really important to list out specific skills that are pertinent to the position you desire. For example if you are in healthcare claims processing and have used three different claims processing systems you will want to be sure to list them on the resume. I would suggest a targeted “Skills/Systems Experience” section on your resume that would bullet point them out. That way they are easy to find when someone is quickly looking over the resume and when hiring manager and recruiters are doing keyword searches on large sites like LinkedIn, CareerBuilder or Monster.

Here are two great FREE resources that will aid you in creating a great resume:
http://resume.monster.com/
http://advice.careerbuilder.com/?categories=Resumes

5 Steps for a Sucessful Job Search

1. Determine your goals & priorities.

What do you want to achieve in your life AND career? What kinds of jobs will allow you to achieve those goals?

2. Analyze your options.

Research companies of interest and create a company bucket list. What companies can you see yourself working for?

Once you’ve created your company bucket list, set up informational interviews with employees from those companies to learn more about the culture, hiring process, and anything else you’re curious about.

Also, do a little research on salary. Would you need to take a pay cut if you were to take a job at your dream company?

Once you gather those numbers, determine your “walk away rate.” What is the absolute lowest amount of money you’re willing to accept without having to eat Ramen noodles every day? If the company can’t at least offer you that number, then you know it’s not worth pursuing.

3. Recognize your strengths.

Determine the problem you solve. We’re all fixers – what do YOU fix? Make a list of your previous accomplishments, hard and soft skills, and unique selling points (what do you offer that other candidates can’t?)

Highlight your strengths – If you’ve worked at the same company for 15 years, showcase your longevity at the company, emphasize your extensive experience/skills in the area you worked in.

4. Establish your brand.

Now that you know what you want and what you offer, it’s time to brand yourself. Remember, everyone has a brand, but it’s up to you on how much you want to control it (brand or BE branded!).

Here are some things you can do to establish a bomb-ass brand:

Create a unique branding statement that showcases your unique selling points.
Update your job search materials (resume, cover letter, LinkedIn profile, etc) with appropriate content and keywords.
Build an online brand (update social media profiles regularly, create an industry-specific blog, etc).
5. Demonstrate your value.

Show employers that you’ll be a valuable asset to the company, don’t just tell them.

You can do this by…

Sharing accomplishment stories
Quantifying your accomplishments
Demonstrating how you can solve their problem
Showing enthusiasm for both the job AND the company

Read more at: http://www.careerealism.com/successful-job-search-approach

Time To Shine!

I am a Senior Recruiter with BroadPath Healthcare Solutions. I love what I do! A day in the life of a recruiter is filled in interaction. Interaction with clients, peers, networking contacts, potential candidates and management. It is quite enjoyable for me to interact with so many different types of people in such different ways. Technology makes it easy to quickly IM (instant message) a peer, or whip up a quick email and send it to a contact asking for new referrals. This is all a wonderful aspect of our vastly connected lives. However, I want to caution anyone who is seeking a job to always remember who you are talking to when contacting HR/recruiting professionals. It may be extremely convenient to answer a reach out email regarding a newly presented job opportunity with a quick short hand response, especially from a mobile device.

One word = Don't.

We have all become so accustomed to the shorthand and "quick speak" of our current technology. It is perfectly fine to answer a friend who is inviting you to coffee with a quick, short hand response. Answering the representative of a potential employer this way can all but ruin your chances of further contact. Let me give an example: You receive a well-crafted email laying out a fantastic job opportunity that has been targeted to you specifically, because you are a match to the experience and skill set they are looking for. You answer the email quickly from a mobile device with something like this: "how much does it pay? where are u located?" and instead of "Sincerely, Jane Candidate (999) 999-9999" there is just a tag "sent from my iPhone" at the bottom of your email response.--- Oh boy, you have just answered a great opportunity with the short hand equivalent of "No thank you, I am not nearly serious enough to respond properly." Remember who you are talking to. This is your time to shine! You want to take the time to answer the email with an equally well-crafted response, and at the end, respectfully ask to advance the conversation to the next step. Follow that at the very end with your name and contact phone number as a closing signature to your email. This will assure you of being considered for what you can really offer, and not immediately passed over due to not putting your best foot forward from the start.

This is your time to shine…Make it a positive, memorable first impression!

Your Dream Role May be Closer than You Think

Job hunting? Your dream role may be closer than you think

1. Leave your frustration behind
Chances are, if you’re in the market for a new job, things aren’t exactly perfect in your current situation. Whether it’s the company, the manager or the role, most job seekers are on the hunt for something better, and frustration with salary or title is often a key motivator. Today, over 50% of Americans are unhappy at work — but in today’s high-turnover job market, the "why" matters more than ever. If your dissatisfaction isn’t fixable, you’re better off trying out something new. But for those (many) of us whose frustration lies in management, duties or even internal communication, keeping an open mind is the first step to finding an alternative.

Start by doing some internal research on positions, departments or teams that intrigue you — keeping in mind that, while new interests are often commendable, the likelihood of a complete career 180 is slim; so eliminate the less-than-logical choices. Then, consider the true pain points of your current position, and how those would translate to a new one. Knowing yourself, your skills and your company gives you the advantage: You know how you potentially fit with the goals and objectives of the team, which already puts you one step ahead of other hopeful applicants.

2. Recruit your allies
Once you have an idea of what your ideal transition would look like, landing a new opportunity within your own company requires some support. Naturally, doing research and investigating your options ignites a bit of fear — if you confide in someone about how you’re feeling, will your manager get angry? Could this affect your experience at the company, and the work you’ve put in?

It likely won’t, as long as you’ve got a supportive team by your side. Of course, fostering a strong relationship with your manager is high priority — as long as he or she is not the reason you’re ready to move on. As they know your work, motivations and personality, your superiors have the potential to be your biggest advocate throughout the job hunting process. Additionally, work on the relationships you have with people outside of your department. Talk to different managers about growth opportunities and what they value in a team member. Not only will you find out precious information about your company’s philosophy, but you’re also building a team of advocates to help smooth your transition.

3. Don’t get pigeonholed
As you continue further down your career journey, it’s natural to get a little bit pigeonholed. Today, as a CMO, most people know me as solely a marketer. But years ago, at a past company, I moved from marketing to the product team, and people still came to me for campaign strategy. I’ll admit it: It was hard to get people to see me in a different role.

Being firm and strong in your new role is essential to making a smooth transition. Being firm and strong in your new role is essential to making a smooth transition. No one is asking you to leave behind your former self — I certainly didn’t. Assert your new position and the knowledge that comes with it, whether that’s learning a new skill or going to meet-ups that support your career change. Don’t let your colleagues forget why you made the move: Because you’re the best person for the job. Plus, there's little harm in taking on a project or accepting advice from your old department — just think of it as diversifying your skills.

The bottom line: Taking control of your career means being strategic about the journey. The modern job seeker has no room for passivity. Landing your next opportunity means being dedicated to making the right choice, and if that choice lies within your own company, you owe it to yourself to at least try. You never know: Maybe the grass isn’t greener after all.

Excerpted from:
mashable.com internal job hunting