What Are Keywords And Why Are They The Keys to Your Success?

January 10, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

success keyIf you are job searching, you have heard of keywords.  But what are they, where do I find them and how do I use them.  That is what this post is all about.  Keywords are the key to your success.

Keywords are the words the employer uses in their job ad and what they will use when the do a search in their application tracking system (a.t.s.).  If your résumé contains the keywords the employer is looking for, your résumé stands a greater chance of being read.

Specifically, they are the words that reference job requirements, responsibilities, and qualifications.  Such as these words found in an actual job ad:

  • transmission network analysis
  • managing data sets
  • power markets
  • running simulation tools
  • new modeling tasks
  • internal customers
  • optimization techniques
  • probability and statistics
  • interpersonal and communication skills
  • Bachelor’s Degree in Economics, Math, Engineering, Computer Science, Physics, Statistics
  • Excel
  • Access
  • Visual Basics
  • SQL

If you would like to see these keywords in the actual job ad click here.

 Of course your résumé needs to make sense.  Use the appropriate keywords throughout your résumé.  A listing of keywords won’t get your résumé read even if is selected by the a.t.s.  It needs to be formatted in an acceptable manner and highlight your accomplishments.  Your résumé is your ticket to an interview and needs to compel the reader to call you in for an interview.

 

 

Arleen Bradley is a certified career coach and certified job loss recovery coach.  She assists clients in moving beyond job loss grief in order to land dream jobs.  To learn more about the Job Loss Recovery Program and how you can benefit from it, log on to   https://arleenbradley.com.

  • Are you looking for state of the art job search strategies?
  • Do you want to feel understood in what you are going through?
  • Do you want to talk to others in a job search about leads and tips?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you will love the Job Search Networking Support Group.  Click here to sign up.

Posted in application tracking system, career coaching, career transitions, find a job help, Job Search, keywords, Resume | 2 Comments

5 Ways to End Job Search Burn Out

January 9, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

That’s it you’ve had it!!  You have been unemployed way too long, and your job search isn’t going anywhere.  You spend hours in front of the computer, sent out more resumes than you can count and have gotten only a few interviews and no job offers.  You’re doing everything you should be doing but without success.  You’re burnt out.

OK you’re burnt out.  What do you do now?  Nothing.  Take a week off from your job search.  Yes, take one week off.  Forget about your job search.  ConcentrateWoman Painting with a Paint Roller on something else.

  1. Tackle an ambitious project.  Do something that will show results when you’re finished.  Paint a room. Clean out closets.  Get rid of things you don’t want any more by having a yard sale, donate them to a charitable organization, or throw stuff away.  Start a 1,000 or more piece puzzle.  Sew knit or do wood work.  Repair the things that have waited to be fixed.
  2. Get in shape.  Learn how to eat healthy and start an exercise routine (get your doctor’s OK first).  You will feel better with exercise after only a few days. And when the weight starts falling off, you will appreciate your efforts.
  3. Take a mini vacation.  Visit a friend or relative.  Take a few days to plan the trip.  Decide where you want to go and what you want to do when you get there.  Map out your route and what to see along the way.  It doesn’t have to be a long, far trip.  Just as long as you take time away from your home and the same 4 walls.
  4. Spend each day with a friend.  Get out there and mingle with people.  Spend one day with a different person each day.  Invite them for lunch.  A picnic at a scenic site.  Laugh, reminisce, make a craft or just talk about anything other than your job search.
  5. Learn something new or brush up on something you have forgotten about.  The Internet is loaded with resources on any topic you can think of.  There are articles, images, and videos available.  Microsoft.com has Office tutorials.

After one week go back to your job search.

  •  Start by reviewing your résumé and cover letter.
  • Update your social media profiles.
  • Contact your network.
  • Search on-line for new job openings.
  • Review interview questions and answers.
  • Follow up with any resumes you have sent out before your “mini-vacation”.

Taking a break from an intense activity is essential.  You need time to clear your mind and come back refreshed and more productive.  You will find a new sense of purpose and the energy you need to achieve success.

 

Arleen Bradley is a certified career coach and certified job loss recovery coach.  She assists clients in moving beyond job loss grief in order to land dream jobs.  To learn more about the Job Loss Recovery Program and how you can benefit from it, log on to   https://arleenbradley.com.

  • Do you feel all alone in your job search?
  • Do you feel like no one understands what you are going through?
  • Looking for state of the art job search strategies?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you will love the Job Search Networking Support Group.  Click here to sign up.

 

 

 

Posted in career transitions, eat healthy, exercise, internet access, Interviews, Job Search, need a job, networking, Resume | 9 Comments

Think Positive: When not If You Get a Job

January 8, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

think your way to success

“Whether you think you can or you can’t you’re right.”  Henry Ford said these words many, many years ago.  But they still ring true.  Job searchers need to take this to heart.  Thinking positive is a powerful way to get a job.

What?  Yes, thinking positive will get you a job.  It has to do with the Law of Attraction.  Simply stated the Law states that you attract what you think.  In other words, if you think you can you will, and if you don’t think you can, you won’t.

Why does it apply to the job search?  Think about finding two job openings.  One isn’t your dream job. It’s just a job, but not the one you honestly want.  The location isn’t where you want to work.  The money isn’t that great, or the work isn’t exactly what you do.  But you decide to apply for it because it’s available.  The other is undoubtedly what you want, the location is right down the street from your home, the money is out of this world, and the work is the most fascinating work on the planet.  So how do you craft your resumes for these positions?  My guess is the job you’re not that crazy about you throw something together that seems good enough.  The other position—the one you want—you spend hours working and reworking your resume.  You ask several people to proof read it.

 

When you send off these resumes you hope and pray the first company doesn’t call you. But you’re doing all you can to get the second.  You are hoping and praying, crossing your fingers and everything you do to attract luck.  So which one do you think you will hear from?  Correct the one you want.  The resume you sent the first company wasn’t your best effort and didn’t impress the reader.  The resume you sent to the second company was meticulous and well written.  It showed your best self and impressed the reader.

 

Here are some things you can do to attract the job you want.

 

  • Think positively.  Deep down positively not just on the surface.  You can’t just say you are thinking positively.
  • Believe in you.  Don’t let others bring you down.  You have the power.
  • Align what you think and what you do to what you want.  It won’t work if your actions and thoughts are contradictory to the goal.  If you don’t think you will get it, you won’t do what it takes to get it.
  • Know you are going to get a job. Talk about when you get a job rather than if you get a job.
  • Write down what your ideal job is. Concentrate on it.
  • Imagine doing that job.  Use guided imagery to assist in this step.
  • Don’t allow yourself to become discouraged.  If you do, look for all the positive things in your life, and focus on them.

As with all things, practice makes perfect.  If you aren’t used to thinking this way, it will take some getting used to but continue working on it.  Success will be yours when you do.

 

“Whatever we plant in our subconscious mind and nourish with repetition and emotion will one day become a reality.” – Earl Nightingale

 

Arleen Bradley is a certified career coach and certified job loss recovery coach.  She assists clients in moving beyond job loss grief in order to land dream jobs.  To learn more about the Job Loss Recovery Program and how you can benefit from it, log on to   https://arleenbradley.com.

  • Do you feel all alone in your job search?
  • Do you feel like no one understands what you are going through?
  • Looking for state of the art job search strategies?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you will love the Job Search Networking Support Group.  Click here to sign up.

Posted in career coaching, career transitions, find a job help, getting a job, Guided Imagery, Interviews, Job Search, Law of Attraction, Postive Thinking, think positive | 8 Comments

The Job Search isn’t a One Fits All Process

January 7, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

target puzzleFind a job today is like trying to hit a moving target.  The rules keep changing.  The people involved in the hiring practice don’t all agree on what is standard throughout the job search world.  What’s a job searcher to do?

 

Job searchers today must understand the status of the job search at this moment.  They need keep up with the latest strategies.   Another thing they should know is more than one way to do things.  But most of all they, know what strategies to use and when.  Knowing all this makes for a successful job search.

There are many different types of resumes and cover letters.  New job search websites become available.  Managing your network is essential but the best ways and the best sites change.  And, by the way, you have to keep up with social media.  Sounds more like a full time job to me.

 

Knowing when to use each type of resume and cover isn’t easy to do, because the individuals in the HR profession don’t always agree on what they want and like.  I invited several hr people to a networking group I facilitate to answer questions from job searchers.  They didn’t have one constant requirement for resumes or cover letters.  Each one had a different preference, which is why I say job search is like trying to hit a moving target.

 

Job searchers have to know their industry to decide what is appropriate.  One woman I know worked in hr for several years.  She often said that the different functions of the company had different expectations for their candidates.

 

The other thing job searchers need to do is make sure their résumé is flawless.  It needs to be proof read several times by more than one person.  It needs to be neat and well organized.  The first reader of the résumé in a company isn’t the hiring manager, so it should be clear to the reader that the candidate meets the needs of the position by using plenty of keywords found in the job posting.   And each job you apply for, needs a résumé crafted for that specific position.  It is a time consuming effort but one that will pay off when you are hired for the job that best suits your experience and skills.

 

As a career coach, I hear the different ways people have landed jobs.  Some tell me they followed the “rules”, others tell me they thought out of the box, and there are those who combined the two.  What I hope you get from this article is that there is more than one way to get a job.  Learn as much as you can about each method so you won’t be tied down to one approach because there are many effective ways to get a job.  Be open and aware.  Good Luck!!

 

Do you have any suggestions to know what type you need?

 

Arleen Bradley is a certified career coach and certified job loss recovery coach.  She assists clients in moving beyond job loss grief in order to land dream jobs.  To learn more about the Job Loss Recovery Program and how you can benefit from it, log on to   https://arleenbradley.com.

  • Do you feel all alone in your job search?
  • Do you feel like no one understands what you are going through?
  • Looking for state of the art job search strategies?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you will love the Job Search Networking Support Group.  Click here to sign up.

Posted in career coaching, Interviews, Job Search, job search help, need a job, networking, Resume, state of the art job search | 4 Comments

The Holidays are Over, Time to Get Back to the Job Search.

January 6, 2013 | Author: Arleen Bradley

They’re over!  The holidays are finished.  My husband and I took down the tree and put away the decorations.  There are no more Christmas cookies.  And the left Two Men Talking in Restaurantovers are all gone.   If you’re like us, you’re ready to get back to normal life.

What is everyday life for a job searcher?  It varies by person.  But there are some things most job searchers should be doing to get their next job.

 Network:  If you made any new contacts during the holidays, now is the time to connect with them.  Start with an email introducing yourself to remind them whom you are and where you met.  Then ask them for coffee. Don’t start off by talking about your need for a job.  Talk about how you can help them, your mutual acquaintances or interests.  Remember you are building a relationship.

 Network:  Continue to meet new people.  Go to networking events or any other events where you will meet people.  Get out of the house and away from the computer.  Join Toastmasters and/or other civic groups.  Looking into professional organizations. 

 Take care of you:  Eat healthy, get exercise and plenty of rest.  There are many reasons for this.  You want to stay healthy so that you won’t have to cancel any interview that may come up due to illness.  Eating healthy and exercising will help you manage stress.  Stress is one of your biggest enemies at this time.  It zaps your energy and prevents you from moving on.

 Take a look at your job search:  Follow companies you want to work for on LinkedIn, Twitter and Google Alerts.  Stay in touch with people who work at those companies.  Create a résumé for each job you apply for including your achievements and key words found in the advertisement. 

 Update your look:  Get a fresh haircut, maybe even a new style.  Check out your interview attire. There are many sales going on now where you can replace worn, outdated or the wrong size clothes.  You don’t have to replace everything, but having a new piece freshens look and makes you feel better.

 Get support:  Join or start a job search networking support group. The sharing of tips and leads and being accountable for your activities while supporting each other makes all the difference in your job search.  The support you receive and give others is essential in a successful job search. 

 Don’t worry be happy:  Smile and laugh even when you don’t’ feel like it.  People are much more willing to help happy people than desperate people.  Stay positive.  The law of attraction says that what you put into the universe is what you will receive.  If you see yourself as successful, you attract success. 

 There is nothing difficult to do here.  But it takes you to commit to your success.  These are things that you have to do for yourself if you are going to get the job you want.  Stay with it and don’t give up.  It will happen before you know it. 

Arleen Bradley is a certified career coach and certified job loss recovery coach.  She assists clients in moving beyond job loss grief in order to land dream jobs.  To learn more about the Job Loss Recovery Program and how you can benefit from it, log on to   https://arleenbradley.com.

  • Do you feel all alone in your job search?
  • Do you feel like no one understands what you are going through?
  • Looking for state of the art job search strategies?

If you answered yes to any of these questions, you will love the Job Search Networking Support Group.  Click here to sign up.

Posted in career transitions, eat healthy, exercise, get plenty of sleep, Job Search, job search help, need a job, networking, take care of you, think positive, unemployed | Leave a Comment