When the writing is on the wall – Redundancy and other worries ….

/in , , , /by

Getting the flick in today’s job market is not uncommon and it affects almost every profession and industry. It can be like being evicted from your home in a storm. The horrific head winds facing job seekers today will make finding shelter with a new employer all the harder.
I am a big advocate of loyalty to your employer but sometimes you have to read the signals and work out if you should stick around to fight the battle or get the hell out of there on your own terms. There are many signals that may show you if you are likely ‘on the list’, so learn to read the signs to figure out when it’s time to bail and stabilise your career. Read more

Clean up your act before you start job searching or networking!

/in , , , /by

When you search for information on a product or a person online do you find what you want? I’m guessing that you often don’t, at least not easily. What often happens is that you end up spending a lot of time searching until you really find what you were looking for.

That’s because you get to see what Google and Facebook (and increasingly many other companies and search engines and solutions) think you want to find.  And here is the real bad part of the news.  It can also be because you have likely left a lot of personal online garbage out there on the internet. So, don’t be too surprised if you get hit with some embarrassing content from the past.  With this in mind, I strongly suggest that you clean up your ‘online shrapnel’ before you kick off your networking for a career change or before you embark on your job seeking mission. Read more

Hidden Job Market – really?

/in , , , /by

What’s behind all the hype and buzz of the so called hidden job market?

Where are all these jobs and how can you access them?

Part 1      Seriously what is it about the mystery of the hidden job market that has us enchanted and eager to cling to a belief that there is sea of undiscovered job opportunities out there somewhere? I am sceptical that we are missing out on 80% of the jobs out there so I’ve done some digging and here is what I have found for you. Read more

75% of all Applications are Discarded by ATS Software

/in , , , , /by

How to Get Your Resume Past Application Tracking Software

What do you mean, you don’t know what an

 Application Tracking System is?

Don’t feel bad, you’re not alone.  Most Job Seekers out there actually have no clue what happens to their Resume or CV after they have hit the send button.

Read more

Don’t just select cookie cutter applicants – look out for the resourceful Job Seekers

/in , , , , /by

If you are a recruiter or hiring manager who adheres to strict submission guidelines, then you probably won’t read beyond the headline of this article….

However, if you struggle to attract truly new and resourceful talent, then you probably end up with an ad plastered with catchy key words such as: self starter; creative; resourceful; hungry; gutsy; etc.

Maybe you resort to punch lines like “pursue your passion”, “leverage your network”, “tailor and tidy up your resume”, “do your homework” and “dress for success” — among other things.

Read more

Are you using all the right tools?

/in , , , , /by

It doesn’t matter if you are currently employed and seeking to move to greener pastures, or if you’re an unemployed job seeker who wants to get back in the game, a proper resume is the best start for a successful job search.

I know…. bla bla …. yes we’ve all heard it hundreds of times before, so what else is there to do to secure more interviews?

Well, for starters, recognise that different job seekers require different tools.  A Blue Collar Professional who is seeking a new position over $40k a year may benefit greatly by including 1 or 2 more documents in their job search whilst the professionals seeking a position over $75k a year may need to get more creative with their documentation attachments. Read more

Cool Apps for Job-Seekers

/in , , /by

Imagine how cool it would be if you had a tool at your fingertips that shows you instantly which of your current LinkedIn or Facebook contacts is currently at the Expo or Career Conference and how nice it would be if you had a tool that gently shows you when you are falling out of touch with someone.

I would like to introduce you to four tools out of my JobSeeker toolkit which you should use wisely and only when you need them. I don’t want to promote gadget time. That is far from what I do here in this blog.  Use these apps when you need them and ensure to set up your settings in a manner that you are not constantly fiddling with your tools.

These four tools can help you to manage your digital life or collate information for your next job interview or client meeting. Oh, and if you think you have a better tool, let us know about it! I’ll test and re-post your gadget or app if it will help my Blog’s audience. Read more

Cut Through the Crap

/in , , , /by

Yes, you heard me right.  Stop wasting valuable time and learn to cut through the lingo and the unnecessary crap in job ads.  Let me guide you through a natural and intuitive process to secure an interview.  Learn to ‘cut through the crap’ so to speak, regardless of how descriptive the ad is, and decide whether or not it’s a good fit for you.

Applying this review or reading process can also clue you in to how serious the company is about the position and give you details about the company culture.  Here is a quick list of the three most obvious ‘cutting’ tools. Read more