Social Media Posts Can Bite Job Seekers.
If you believe reports about an improving job market, you may be optimistic that your job search will soon find a happy ending.
I’ve recently heard of several acquaintances finding jobs. So I was a bit puzzled when I learned that a former colleague, particularly accomplished in her field, still has not found work after a lengthy job search.
The individual I reference (we’ll call her X — she lives far from Anderson and hopefully does not read this column) is well educated, respected by former colleagues and has mastered complex subject matter. She’s articulate, attractive and previously worked in an expanding industry.
Therefore, I was perplexed as to why X has not found work. Then I had one of those eureka moments where her struggle made perfect sense. You see, X is one of the most vocal voices I hear on social media platforms. The subject where she most likes to exercise her colorful online voice relates to politics.
Whereas this mild-mannered person is the model of civility in personal interactions, her online sentiments would embarrass most sailors in a four-letter-word competition. Most of her Facebook updates contain several Drudge Report or Huffington Post links, always coupled with an expletive-peppered commentary.
Could it be that potential employers are doing online research on X before interviewing or hiring her? You’ve probably heard that employers across the job spectrum are using social media as a first means of screening potential job applicants.
What kinds of employers? Even physician recruitment firms use social media to screen applicants. A study in the September 23/30 Journal of the American Medical Association found that 60 percent of medical schools that participated in a survey reported incidents of students posting unprofessional content.
The National Association of Physician Recruiters has added a special session on the subject of future physicians’ online behavior to its annual meeting this spring. It’s clearly not just simple-minded folks who fail to see the potential consequences of inappropriate social media behavior.
If you’re in the job market or simply want to optimize the chances of keeping your current job, consider the following tips, regardless of your position on the career ladder:
- Avoid profanity. That’s a no-brainer, you say? Consider a Journal of the American Medical Association study titled “Online Posting of Unprofessional Content by Medical Students.” It found that 52 percent of medical school respondents reported they viewed profanity on students’ social media postings.
- Refrain from posting risqué content. That bachelorette party picture with you and the naughty policeman dancer may be hilarious to your friends but could leave a prospective employer with second thoughts.
- Never disparage your school or business. If you say something negative about your current employer, what’s to keep them from thinking you might uncork a mouthful about their business?
- Don’t play politics. We all see things differently. Unless you’re the candidate, be careful about exercising your right to free speech when it comes to politics. Political correctness can be smart business when it comes to social media.
Source: Susan Miller for The Herald Bulletin.
Your First Hello Can Make Or Brake A Job Search?
By Anita Bruzzese for USA Today.
As employers try to whittle down what can be hundreds of applicants vying for one job, they’re turning more to phone interviews to screen candidates and streamline the process.
“People are answering the phone with a ‘Hey, how ya doin’?’ and crazy music playing in the background,” Paul J. Bailo says. “What kind of message is this?”
Not the right one, says Bailo, founder and chief executive of Phone Interview Pro.
He contends that any phone contact is a way to build a relationship and never should be taken lightly.
“In a job search, everything you do or say matters,” he says.
After research of what employers like and don’t like in phone conversations, Bailo has developed advice that he believes will make the best impression and help you score a job. He advises job seekers to:
• Ditch the cellphone. Dropped calls, weird noises, feedback and a host of other problems mean you always should talk to employers on a land line.
If you don’t have one, invest in one for your job search, he says.
Also, don’t use a headset, which often can make it difficult for an interviewer to hear you clearly. If an employer calls, let your cellphone voice mail pick up, then call back on a land line.
• Don’t multitask. When talking to an employer, don’t tap away on your keyboard, fiddle with a pen or wash dishes.
An interviewer can pick up any of those sounds, and your tone will convey your distraction. Make sure it’s clear that the conversation is your priority.
• Make a great first impression. The first 15 seconds can make or break a phone conversation, Bailo says.
Don’t answer on the first ring. Let it go two or three rings before answering with a professional “Hello.” Never say “Hi,” which sounds too casual, or just state your name, which seems unfriendly.
• Be prepared. If you know an interviewer is going to call, make sure you’ve done your homework on the company and the interviewer.
Read the day’s headlines so you’re prepared to talk about current events if they’re brought up. Have a cough drop or glass of water nearby in case you need them. While it should go without saying, Bailo says many people forget to visit the restroom before a phone interview, so he advises taking care of such personal needs beforehand.
• Shut out distractions. Get a babysitter for your children, post a sign on the door to not ring the doorbell and lock the dog out of the room.
You want quiet so you can concentrate and the interviewer isn’t distracted with the sound of a howling child.
• Don’t be too eager. When an interviewer asks to set up a time for a phone chat, don’t jump at the first time offered, Bailo says.
“Tell the person you’re not available then, but then give another time the next day. This shows you’re in demand with other things. Remember, people like things they can’t have,” he says.
At the same time, he advises not answering the phone but letting voice mail pick up if an interviewer calls more than 15 minutes late. You then can call the interviewer to reschedule.
• Have a checklist. Make sure that throughout the interview you say things like “I am very excited about this position” or “I would be happy to be part of your organization,” he says.
This eliminates any confusion that can come from not having a face-to-face conversation.
Moving? Start Your Job Search Before You Go.
There are so many reasons you may find yourself looking for a job in a new city. You may be moving closer to family, following a spouse who is being transferred or simply looking for a fresh start. Whatever your reason, starting a job in a new community can breathe new life into your career, but there can be anxiety involved, too.
If you’re moving before you have a job in the new city, you should start preparing before you move.
Here are some ideas that will increase your success of landing great opportunities.
Research your new hometown. Read the local newspaper, visit corporate and community Internet sites, review chamber of commerce and other publications that offer information about the local business market or your field.
Use your local network to link you to contacts in the new area. This can be a fast way to establish and expand contacts quickly. It can be a mistake to focus only on contacts within your industry, so keep an open mind. Your job during the preparation phase is to develop as many contacts as possible in your future home.
Use your local network to link you to contacts in the new area. This can be a way to establish and expand contacts quickly. Don’t disregard potential contacts in industries other than yours. Your job right now during the preparation phase is to develop as many contacts as possible in your new home.
Networking long distance actually can be easier in some ways than networking locally because you are new to the area and focused more on gathering information. Most people like to help, especially if you get a contact from your local network.
Talk with a local real estate agent, even if you’re not going to be buying a home right away. By doing so you will receive an accurate picture of the cost of housing and you can discuss top area employers.
Ask open-ended questions. Start with more general questions when making contacts in the new location, such as the largest employers and the state of the job market in general, then move to specific questions such as who you should talk to so you can move your job search forward.
Looking for a job in a new area tends to make you more focused with your listening skills. The time you spend searching companies will pay off with good discussions with new contacts.
Before moving, make several trips to the area if you can. These trips give you a good reason to touch base with the contacts you’ve been given by meeting them face-to-face.
You can cold-call contacts in the new location. Research professional associations in the area, and contact members for information about employers in your field. One job seeker did this, and he was given the names of several decision-makers. He followed up on the leads, explaining the need to relocate and his desire to learn more about the company and services or products provided. The link was the common membership in the professional association. He developed rapport with five employers, and he received two job offers.
Be sure to offer to help those who have helped you. Ask what you can do to help them; return the favor.
Replace anxiety about relocating with a plan of action. The things you fear most likely will not come to pass, and you will be surprised by the help you get from those you contact.
Be realistic about the new city’s job market. You may need to consider taking a job that doesn’t exactly match the one you’re leaving in order to get your foot in the door. Being too specific with job titles can be a barrier when transitioning to a new community. Focus on your interests and the employers that could benefit from your background, and don’t be too tied to a job title.
Stay in contact with the friends you have left behind. Moving does not equal forgetting – it just means there are more miles between you.
Source: Kim Thompson for the San Francisco Chronicle.
