Employment Archives - Page 6 of 8 - The Voice of Job Seekers

6 Reasons Google is Your First Employment Contact in HR

It won’t be long before Google has the first say to every employer that anyone is a good job candidate. It’s hard to wrap your head around that one, huh? Well it’s true.

There are almost a billion people on earth who have Facebook profiles. There are nearly 100 million on Linked In, and 100+ million on Twitter and Google Plus. Although there are many vacated and incomplete profiles, there are job seekers who are using their accounts for social or professional reasons daily. Are you where employers are lurking? Google knows this but can’t offer a job seeker as a suggestion if he or she is not online.

You want your favorite restaurant, grocery store, clothing store, cosmetic shop, and yes, entertainment to have an online presence for your convenience. If someone shares their favorite place to shop, you ask if they have a website, do you? I do. Most of us do. Employers might miss a perfect fit because you lack a social profile. Here are 6 reasons to have an online presence during your job search:

1) You are a business whether you like it or not and you need to own your online presence

Asking someone to employ you is a business conversation and transaction. To successfully sell yourself, you have to offer people a compelling reason. Not having an online presence may undermine your job search efforts. These days, as a business, you won’t compete with others who have carefully crafted an online reputation if you lack one.

2) You’re hiring your next employer

I agree with Leigh Branham, the author of The 7 Hidden Reasons Employees Leave. In my interview with him last December, he stated that job seekers should hire his or her employer. Wouldn’t you want employers to ask you if you were hiring them? That can happen with an online presence.

3) Trust

Last summer I was talking with a college about a particular project that I initially wanted but decided against. When I went to the meeting I had this presentation prepared but the meeting started with them pitching me! The woman whoI met with said, “We think that you will have a highly successful firm!” I think she sees that because they read my blog, articles that I’ve written for career sites, and features about me on other web publications. My reputation positively proceeds me. What are you doing to earn trust that you will deliver what an employer needs.

4) Build relationships

Trust continually forges relationships at times before meeting people in person. Your online presence can demonstrate proof of your knowledge, skills, and abilities (aka KSA’s). People may need to read or touch your online profiles several times before trusting or contacting you but it is there for engagement. Does an online reputationvalidate your KSA’s? No. Will an online reputation guarantee opportunities? No. But it will guarantee additional exposure for business or employment.

5) Third party validation

It is one thing for you to just tell all of your most valuable attributes, but it is impressive that others evangelize about you. When you use tools like Linked In, Google Plus, and a blog you can control the perception and the proof of your abilities. Choosing two of out three suggested is tough and I would say all three are effective in controlling your online reputation. For sure, take time to create a Linked In page that is dynamic and persuasive. Recommendations from customers, coworkers, or collaborators are the best form of validating talent that recruiters, employers, or contacts can find.

6) Give employers a vivid visual putting it in their hands immediately

When Joe Pesci guest hosted on Saturday Night Live some years ago, there was a skit that involved his character purchasing a pinky ring. While trying it on, he put himself in front of the mirror and started acting as if he was having a conversation with another person with the pinky ring on. A blog or a Linked In profile showcases proof and puts it in an employer’s hand. They have an opportunity to try your experience for size and imagine how you’d look in the position.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

I am the "The Voice of Job Seekers!" I offer compassionate career and job search advice as I hack and re-imagine the job search process. You need to be "the prescription to an employer's job description." You must be solution-oriented and work in positions in companies where you are the remedy. Your job search must be a lifestyle, and your career must be in front of you constantly. You can no longer shed your aspirations at the change seasons. There are strengths you have that need constant use and development. Be sure you sign up to download my E-Book, "421 Modern Job Search Tips 2021!" You can find my career advice and work in media outlets such as Forbes, Inc., Fast Company, Harvard Business Review, Glassdoor, and many other outlets.

by Mark Anthony Dyson

Personal branding lesson from Chicago (the band)

Chicago is a band that started in the late 60’s and had hits extending well into the ‘80s. They toured with Jimi Hendrix who considered Chicago’s lead guitar player better than him. You can hear their music everywhere as recent as two years ago with airtime on popular, rock, and soul stations—a rarity at that time.

Gaining employment is not about remembering a face, but the product, your work. That is why this personal branding lesson from Chicago should resonate with those concerned about how he or she looks.

Now, I’ll allow you to Google their early album covers to see what their faces. OK, notice the expressions. Notice that there are no faces. Did you know that they did not show their faces on any of the album covers in the 70s. In fact, not for their first 17 albums.

The band members could shop, go to clubs, get arrested, and no one would associate their faces with the band. Chicago had as many hits as the Rolling Stones during the 70s and yet, they can walk the streets, and have #1 records.

They had a TV special that featured Al Green (another major star in that period), and yet, band members could freely roam the streets without being mobbed.

So if you have a strong product, it should sell without the face like Chicago did years ago, right? Well, this justifies your faceless social profiles, right? Well, hold on a second. How great is the product YOU offer?

Has your career produced a body of work that speaks for itself? Or do you continue to talk your way into an opportunity. By the way, that’s necessary but too much talking can sound like a car salesman at the end of the month.
Does your personality stand out more than your accomplishments? Being liked is an important attribute, but the people can sense you have charmed your way to career success (or not).
How much do you have to talk to substantiate your value? If you don’t demonstrate any quantitative or qualitative value on your résumé, you can talk too much and right out of a job.

Years later, I don’t remember women swooning over Chicago members looks as I do hearing people talk about the music. Job seekers need to heed the advice that helps their contributions stand out. Gimmicks and tricks are help sometimes, but can employer become excited about the solutions he or she offers.

So does anyone really know where their career really stands? Does anyone really care? (Pretty bad Chicago lyric paraphrasing, eh?)

What challenges do you face in standing out to employers? Please comment below. Let me help.

About Mark Anthony Dyson

by Mark Anthony Dyson

4 More Ways of Basic Salary and Employment Negotiation

A friend recently negotiated a $10,000 bump in a salary offer because he used reasoning with a company that came after him. The current company paid $16,000 for his master’s degree, and asked the approaching company to invest part of what he would have to pay back. The company was impressed and agreed to work with him. Note that he only requested a portion and not the whole. Negotiation is an critical discussion in closing the deal. The ideal approach sets the tone for a prosperous career. Remember, reasonable. Read on!

1. Patient salary negotiation earns respect from employers

If you are tactful and respectful in making a request for anything using sound reason, the reciprocated respect is worth more than a salary bump. The word “REASON” is a powerful negotiation tool because it can make or break your efforts. To present a reason as a one-way often fails because the candidate is self-seeking. To offer sound reasoning is a value exchange: “I would like to work from home a day or two a week in exchange for working 6-8 hours overtime at the office.” This may work better with an employer who promotes work/life balance but it is only an offer.

2. You’re experienced. How about flexible?

If you have given a range of an expected salary, I hope is a thought-out, calculated, and measured answer. What about the other issues important to you, such as schedule, benefits, and perhaps holidays? If you have read articles on negotiation, they will say you should create a “must-have” list. Remember, be reasonable in requesting your “must-haves.” Negotiate with the professional relationship in mind.

3. Wait for it…in writing

Image credit

If you want clarity wait for the offer in writing before convening the Geneva convention. Depending on the professional level, the offer based on the value communicated. In lower level professions (hourly wage) the wiggle room is very small, which means you will have to consider non-salary negotiations (not true for every case but common).

An article in The Central New York Business Journal suggested,

If the desired salary isn’t available…make sure a position will offer other incentives prove beneficial later in a job candidate’s career.

Top Mistakes Professionals Make When Negotiating Their Salary. (2011). Business Journal (Central New York), 25(20), 10.

4. Salary negotiation is not a list of demands. It’s a business conversation

This approach is easier on both parties. No one is holding anyone hostage. Understand that for each “must-have” or request you make, expect requests. The success of this meeting will be the positive energy and mutual satisfaction (as stated in #6). Anything less than that you lose. Like the song says, “Know when to hold ‘em, and know when to fold ‘em…”

Again, the advice is basic, and by all means, read books on the subject if you desire a thorough knowledge base. Successful knowledge base rooted in expert knowledge of the value you offer and how to ask for what you want. Do you have tips to share? Please share in the comments.