Arleen’s Blog | Arleen Bradley Career Coaching - Putting the care in your career

Pinterest can help your job search.

March 29, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

In my last two posts, I talked about what is Pinterest and how to use it for your search. This post is about what employers are doing with Pinterest for recruiting. I have looked at various boards and read articles. The results of my research suggest that Pinterest is best used by job searchers for research and creating awareness. There are a few job postings on Pinterest, but there are only a few companies putting openings on their boards.

Currently, employers are using Pinterest to promote employee engagement. It’s a passive way to recruit. They are showing what it’s like to work for them not what’s available. The employees post achievements, community involvement and fun events. It provides job searchers with information about the company culture. Job searchers can research the company to see if they will fit in.

There are only a few companies using Pinterest to actively recruit candidates. Sodexho and Microsoft are two companies recruiting through their boards. The demographic of Pinterest users is the mature woman; however, other demographics are rapidly growing. While Pinterest is still in its infancy, active recruiting is likely to become more popular. I’m not sure that many companies know about Pinterest. Companies will be more willing to explore the options that are available as it becomes better known.

I don’t think anyone should use large blocks of time on Pinterest to find a job. But I do see how job searchers can make themselves known to companies by repining the company pins and making comments on the pins. Awareness is part of the job search process. Once people know, like and trust you, you can then be considered for referrals and/or employment. Job searchers should post things that reinforce their brand. Pinterest, along with LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter, can be used to find out about you.

While Pinterest isn’t the best job search site at the moment, it may change. Facebook and Twitter didn’t start out as job search sites, but as users found more ways to use them, anything can happen. Only time will tell. My best advice to job searchers is to use Pinterest for brand reinforcement and company research at this point. Do a search for open positions, but don’t rely on it as you only source for openings. You are better served by getting out and meeting with people.

Using the latest and greatest method to land your next job.

March 27, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

In my last post, I explained what Pinterest is. The purpose of this post is to show you how you to use Pinterest in your job search. It can be used to make people aware of your skills and experience in a way that stands out from everyone else using traditional resumes. And it shows that you know and can use state-of-the art job search strategies online.

This post is divided into three sections. The first is how to set up your profile so that it is optimized for a job search. The second shows you how to use Pinterest in a job search. And finally the third section is about precautions you should take to protect you and your content.

1) SET UP YOUR PROFILE AND BOARDS:

a) Optimize your profile. Set your account settings so that your profile appears in searches on the various search engines. Use key words that match your desired job in profile descriptions. Use links to your website, Linked profile and other websites you have a presence. Include your picture so that people can identify you as the person they are looking for.

b) Keep your page easy to look at. Create several boards with different topics and titles to match so that visitors can find what they are looking for easily. Use links to articles and images instead of the entire article on your board. When doing this, go to the original post and copy that URL instead of someone else’s repost. The repost may go away and your link is gone.

c) Upload wisely. The last item you post will appear first. Keep that in mind when creating your boards. The information you want people to see first should be uploaded last.

d) Pin things that showcase your interest in your career. Show your viewers you are passionate about your career by pinning things that show it. Such as links to articles, blogs, and anything related to your career and industry.

e) Keep up with your boards. Information today comes to us very quickly. Keep your boards fresh by updating them regularly. Your boards can get old very quickly.

2) Job Search

a) Put your résumé and other information on different boards. Put your résumé on one board, examples of your work on another, the companies, schools and organizations you are affiliated with on anothers.

b) Be creative. Use an infographic resume. Photos of your work, your former companies, schools and organizations are an interesting way to highlight the information instead of using text. Pinterest is a visual medium. Photos and images work well on this platform.

c) Find career advice. You can find career advice from career experts, college career services centers, and job search websites on their boards.

d) Cross-reference your information. Include your contact information, LinkedIn and Facebook profiles, and your Twitter account on your resumes, cover letters and business cards. Also, include your social media contact information on wherever you can to allow people to find you.

e) Research company information. Many companies are putting up boards on Pinterest. Search the boards to learn more about the company that can be used in interviews.

f) Look around Pinterest for boards that interest you. Look for companies you would like to for, career advice, your competitors, your industry and everything you have an interest. Leave comments to make you known to others. Company boards are a great place to leave comments.

g) Look for interview outfit ideas. There are many boards featuring clothing. See what’s current in fashion but keep in mind you need to be professional.

3) Use with Care

a) Protect your property. Use a watermark on images of your work so that no one copy them and claim them as their own.

b) Show you are professional. As with the other social media sites, if you are in a job search, watch what you are putting on Pinterst. Keep it professional and relevant to your career. Pictures of tattoos, alcohol brands, questionable behavior and other such images won’t help your job jearch.

c) Watch out for spammers. The images your repin from other sites should be from the original site. If you repin from emails or other unverified sources, it could lead to undesirable pages, scams, etc.

d) There are not privacy settings. Use caution when posting anything on Pinterest. Everyone and anyone can see what you put on your board. Be professional, truthful, and cautious.

Pinterest can help with your job search. Understanding what you are doing will help you be successful. In the next post, I will share with you what employers think of Pinterest and how they use it in recruiting candidates. In the meantime, check out my Pinterest boards to get an idea about how to use it. Click here.

Here it is the next latest and greatest job search tool: Pinterest

March 25, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

If you think Pinterest is only good for finding recipes and crafts, think again. This blog and the next two will feature Pinterest for job searching. First I will tell you what Pinterest is, then how to job search on it and finally, what employers and recruiters think of Pinterest for the job search. It’s among the fastest growing social media sites on the web today. It has been used as a bulletin board for recipes, crafts, fashions and wish lists since its inception. However, in the last few months to a year, job searchers and employers have seen how it can be used for job searching and recruiting. Before I get to that, I let share more about what Pinterest is.

What is Pinterest? It is an online scrapbook that can be viewed and shared by others. Pinterest combines bookmarking items of interest from the web with social media. Viewers can “like”, “follow”, and “repin” (the images on your board) on your board. The board is a virtual bulletin board—it is a place where you can pin anything from the web and save it to look at later or for others to look at. Instead of text, the appeal of Pinterest is the visual side of information.

Of all the information provided on social media sites, images are the most enjoyed. People like reading what you have to say, but it’s the photos that make the biggest impact. Photos of the past or of an event happening right now are most viewed. So it only makes sense that images of our creations, wishes and likes are going to be of interest.

Some careers, such as photography, design, and architecture require a portfolio. If you combine the interest in images on the web and the need for a portfolio, you get an perfect platform for job searchers in the visual arts to showcase their skills and experience. Once they have their portfolio on a board, the résumé soon finds its way to a board. Other job searchers begin to see how their job search efforts can be supported by this venue.

Infographic resumes are becoming popular and are ideal for Pinterest boards. Their bright colorful images are right at home among the other images found on boards. Instead of saying in words skills and experience, job searchers use images, graphs and photos to show what they have done to attract the attention of recruiters.

My next blog will go into more depth about using Pinterest for the job search. I will talk about posting your job search marketing communications, finding career search advice, and researching companies can be done on Pinterest. But for now, take a look at my Pinterest page. Click here. I have just started it, so it’s rather sparse at the moment. You can also pin this post to your board using the link provided in the social media sharing section below.

What is Success?

March 22, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

We often talk about success. But what is it and how do we get it? Success is different things to different people. To me success is when I use the talents I have been given to help another. It isn’t in the money or the things I have; it’s how I have helped someone who needs what I can give.

Success just doesn’t come. It has to be planned out and worked toward. The steps along the way aren’t always fun or pleasant, just necessary.

Here are some quotes here to make you think about what success means in your life as you are searching for work. What will bring you success? Money? Fame? Opportunity? Something else?

Start by doing what’s necessary, then what’s possible, and suddenly you are doing the impossible. Francis of Assisi

sUccess depends upon previous preparation, and without such preparation there is sure to be a failure. Confucius

Concentration of effort and the habit of working with a definite chief aim are two of the essential factors in success which are always found together. One leads to the other. Napoleon Hill

Change your thoughts and you change your world. Norman Vincent Peale

Every day is a new opportunity. You can build on yesterday’s success or put its failures behind and start over again. Bob Feller

Some people dream of success… while others wake up and work hard at it. Anonymous

Success doesn’t come to you, you go to it. Marva Collins

Don’t confuse fame with success. Madonna is one; Helen Keller is the other. Erna Bombeck

Share your own thoughts on success. When will you be a success?

On the lighter side of the job search

March 20, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

Because every job searcher needs a laugh every and then, I thought I would share some things that will hopefully make you laugh.


Yes, I have your resume right here.		My link to the outside world.


It takes 3 people to figure out how to do my job.		They said they would keep my resume on file.


Since they let me go…..		The search committee is meeting as we speak.


How they let me know I got the job.		When did they say they would call?


I’m better than a purple squirrel.		Overall, I think the interview went well.

I hope you enjoyed a small bit of stress relief.
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On the lighter side of the job search

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