Your Job Search could be like sailing on uncharted waters. Don’t get hung up on a reef.

Get your resume into good order. Decide on the best search strategy for you. Become knowledgeable about all the search tactics that can support your strategy and learn how to execute them properly.

Every day I hear from people who have been out of work for a while, sometimes years. What went wrong with their search? Is it really just them? Or could it be what they did to prepare or how they conducted their search? Or could it be their resume and/or cover letter that are holding them back.

I also hear from people who are currently employed but want to make a change. Sometimes the last time they searched was 20 years ago. And they feel they can do what they used to do to find a new job without any professional help.

And I hear from new college grads with great aspirations and little or no work experience struggling to find non-sales jobs.

The world of job searching is constantly evolving. There are contemporary ways to write a resume, much different from the past. If you get advice from people who don’t understand that you will probably wind up with an ‘old’ style resume and rejection!

The electronic age has changed everything and it has been exasperated by the economy and unemployment: there is new search technology, hiring process technology, contemporary resume formats, greater competition for fewer jobs, and how people review your documents is much different than in the past. Differentiation is more important today than ever before.

Professional help is not a luxury, it is a necessity. The cost of not getting help early pales by comparison to the time and money you lose by not doing it right the first time. If you are not in tune with the present regarding job search strategy, tactics, marketing, and collateral document preparation, how can you expect to compete? The message is clear: you cannot. The conclusion is also clear: get professional help.

Karl has been reviewing resumes for people at no cost since 1999. He has been counseling job seekers since that time as well. Get his help! Email him today at kl@hoochresumes.com

Resume Writing is like learning to ride a bike.

You start out Unconsciously Incompetent, trying to figure out how to do it.

After generating numerous iterations you become Consciously Incompetent, wondering why you are not getting interviews.

As time passes without results you become frustrated and begin to reach out for help. If you get professional help you begin to learn how to write a resume that will get response. You are becoming Consciously Competent. This is the minimum level all job seekers should strive for.

As you write and re-write you resume so that it is responsive to each position you apply for, you become more competent, finally reaching the Unconsciously Competent stage. All professional resume writers should be at this level.

Resume writers can be expensive so why get professional help? An extended job search is usually much more costly.

Karl has been reviewing resumes for people at no cost since 1999. He has been counseling job seekers since that time as well. Get his help! Email him today at kl@hoochresumes.com

Avoiding an extended job search is no simple trick.

I think Ulrich Schild said it best: “It’s not who you know, but who wants to know you.”

That is a fundamental truth when it comes to job searching. What you write in your resume, how you network, how you deal with recruiters, how you interview, how you decide on a search strategy, are all instruments of marketing yourself to those who need you. 

Each often requires skills and knowledge the average job seeker simply doesn't have full command of.  Lacking the right skills and knowledge job searching can often go well beyond the point of reasonable return. Time out of work exasperates the ability to find a good job. 

It follows that getting expert help as soon as possible is the best way to avoid an extended search.

Karl has been reviewing resumes for people at no cost since 1999. He has been counseling job seekers since that time as well. If you would like his help, email him at kl@hoochresumes.com

Is getting an interview hard to do? Think Differentiation.

Competition for jobs is always tough. Differentiation is the key to success.

Differentiate yourself from the herd by knowing how to write your resume, what search tactics you should be using and how to execute them, by understanding the best way to apply for the job, and by mastering interview skills. 

Here are some suggestions for differentiating yourself from your competition: 

1.    Make sure your resume needs to reflect your achievements and the results of your work, not just what your responsibilities have been. And make sure it is ATS-compatible.

2.    Understand which search tactics have the greatest chance of getting you interviews.

3.    Understand why focusing your search on job boards is the least effective way to get a job.

4.    Identify and make direct contact with the hiring manager BEFORE you apply. Establish rapport and learn what the hiring manager’s pain is.

5.    Learn about the different kinds of recruiting firms, how they work, how to work with them, and what to expect from them.

6.    Find out how to avoid common networking mistakes. Learn how to utilize employee referral bonus programs.

7.    Make sure you are well practiced for the kinds of interview questions you are likely to get. Know how to close every interview so you know when to follow-up.

8.    Understand how to negotiate job offers. 

Don’t procrastinate. Learn how to differentiate yourself today!

Karl has been reviewing resumes for people at no cost since 1999. He has been counseling job seekers since that time as well. If you would like his help, email him at kl@hoochresumes.com

Are you ready to call the hiring manager BEFORE you apply for the job?

If you have thoroughly researched the company, you will know a lot about them, their products or services, their financial state, their competitive position, their culture, etc. Then, once you have carefully reviewed the job description and have a good idea of what is important to the hiring manager, you will have a good idea of how your strengths will play into the advertised position and whether you might fit into the company.

Your  next step is to call the hiring manager and speak directly with him or her. By doing so you will have the opportunity to confirm his/her needs, differentiate yourself from your competition and establish a competitive advantage. You will also be able to tune your resume to the specific needs of the position and you will have demonstrated your motivation and willingness to take the initiative, attributes valued by hiring managers.

Is this search tactic easy? It is if you are willing to learn from those who can teach you. Everyone can learn how to identify who the hiring manager is and how to get past the gatekeepers to make direct voice contact. Obviously it requires practice. You can be sure your competition is learning how to perfect this job search tactic right now.

Karl has been reviewing resumes for people at no cost since 1999. He has been counseling job seekers since that time as well. If you would like his help, email him at kl@hoochresumes.com