So you enthusiastically enrolled in an IT curriculum, worked hard and graduated only to find that the job market is not what you thought. Now you need a powerful resume that will get you in the door so you can apply your recently acquired skills in the real world. Here are some important tips to make sure you get noticed.

What is it you want to do?

Although you took courses in both programming and networking, you need to decide what path you are pursuing: Programming or Infrastructure Support. It is rare that companies want someone who can do both, so decide right up front which direction you are taking.

Then, improve the effectiveness of your resume by following these 6 tips:

1. Avoid Traditional Resume Objectives

Objectives like "to grow my skills in a forward-thinking company" are out.

The Objective statement is now replaced with nothing more than a headline with the job title you are seeking. So just put "Entry-Level Programmer," "Junior Network Administrator," or "Help Desk / Technical Support" at the top of your resume, depending on your goal, of course.

2. Categorize Technical Competencies

You need to have a Technical Competencies section that shows what you know and supports keyword searches. Organize these by topic such as:

• Languages
• Operating Systems
• Protocols
• Tools
• Methodologies

At the beginning of your career, it is okay to put in things that you do not have that much experience in, but do not overstuff it with things you really don't know.

Important: Even though you had exposure to programming and networking, only put the competencies relevant to your position. For example, if you are seeking a network support role, do not put Java and programming languages here as it is confusing.

3. Showcase Your Learning in the Experience Section (Plus a Key Trick)

Since most of your IT experience is through your training, you need to really showcase your learning. A good tip is to detail your education on your resume in the same way as you would list a job.

Here you can detail the courses you took, how many hours of training you had, and the technologies you learned. Refer to your detailed curriculum (but don't just repeat it) to refresh your mind regarding subjects and technologies covered.

Key trick: go into detail about the hands-on projects you completed as part of your training, as below.

For example:

University of Tennessee

2008 - 2012

IT Student

Inventory Control Project: Developed engaging user interface to capture physical inventory counts, update inventory database, and produce discrepancy reports. Technologies used include Oracle 11g, SQL, Java, and Perl. Earned top scores for quality and on-time completion.

Doing this lets you really detail the IT experience you gained as part of your education.

4. Stress Transferable Skills

This is where most people fall down. If you have held non-IT jobs, then these need to be highlighted on the resume. Don't just list your roles here, use this to highlight the core skills you demonstrated that would be relevant to an entry-level IT position.

Remember that the most important skill an employer looks for is good communication skills. Other important traits to stress are:

• Ability to work independently


• Customer-service mentality


• Track record of getting things done on time


• Attention to quality and accuracy


• Ability to juggle multiple tasks and priorities

So, if you were a Bartender or Waitress, stress your ability to build rapport with a variety of personalities, perform in a fast-paced environment, and build customer loyalty through exceptional service.

5. Include Appropriate Keywords to Get Past the ATS

Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) are used by many companies and this is the software that scans your resume and ranks it according to the keywords the company has listed. If you submit your resume over the web (not my first choice), your resume will go through the ATS, and if you do not get a good score here, you may not be seen at all by a human being.

Start by reviewing the job description and make sure you have their keywords in your resume. This can be a bit tricky. For example, here is a recent posting for an entry-level programmer.

• Any previous experience with C++, Java or any other OO based language (even with school projects)


• A strong desire to learn new tools and techniques


• Strong computer science theory and fundamentals knowledge


• Open to work in different technology environments and platforms

To get past the ATS for this job, you should incorporate the phrases above to get a good match.

6. Add Testimonials

Finally, you can add a little oomph to your resume if you have any testimonials from professors or employers. Putting "Grace is the consummate customer service professional who delights the customer" can be just what you need to stand out.

Use these tips to land that important first job that launches your IT career.

* Originally Published on Job-Hunt.org **

Job fairs can be great or a frustrating waste of time. Nonetheless, they should be a part of your job search strategy. This article will help you understand how to maximize the value of job fairs.

How Job Fairs Work

First you should realize that a company will only go to a job fair when they have multiple openings which is a good sign that the company is growing even in a tumultuous economy.

Note, too, that the decision maker does not attend the fair. It is usually staffed by Human Resources personnel and possibly a technical representative who can quickly assess your level of technical acumen.

Their job is to quickly appraise your dress, demeanor, communication skills, and experience level, and then sort you into a Yes, No, or Maybe pile.

Your goal is simply to get into the Yes pile.

Before the Job Fair - Preparation

Don't just walk blindly into a job fair. The worst thing you can do is walk up to a booth and say something like, "So what are you folks looking for?"

The person who captures their interest and the subsequent interview is the one who makes an impression by communicating how your talents can benefit their firm.

To do this, you need to know something about them. Start by looking at what employers are attending, and then identify the 5-10 firms that interest you.

1. Research the company. Here's how:

Look them up on LinkedIn to identify the decision-maker and their staff. See if they have participated in LinkedIn groups or discussions and if there are topics that appear that identify their interest. Now do the same in Twitter (their Twitter handle is available through LinkedIn).

Example: Peter got his job by noticing that the IT manager and staff were asking questions about VMware and virtualization. When he went to the job fair, one of the things he stressed was the fact he had successfully led 3 virtualization initiatives.

• Also notice where the decision maker came from and how long they have been with the organization.

  Bob got his job by noticing that the decision-maker had a long military background. At the job fair he mentioned that he attributes much of his success to the discipline and training that he gained in the military. Knowing that the decision-maker was proud of his own military career, they made a note of Bob and put him as one of the first people to interview.
  

• One of the great things about LinkedIn is that you can see who joined the firm and who left, and - if you see that someone with the title you are seeking left recently - it could indicate that the person did not work out. Or, if you see that a lot of people left recently, then they are cleaning house, and you will want to know why.

2. Send your resume before the career fair.

Mail and email your resume to the decision-maker and the HR designee, and tell them you will be attending the job fair so you can get on their radar screen. (Of course, this assumes you have a great resume.)

3. Practice your presentation.

Remember that you have 120 seconds to make a favorable impression. So practice your handshake, your smile, and your conversation with friends and family so you are ready and comfortable. Based on your research, write down some insightful questions that you will ask each firm.

At the Job Fair

First make sure you have copies of your resume and your business card. If you have a networking business card (for job seekers), even better. This next part is a bit tricky, but you want to consider when you actually go to the job fair. There are a number of schools of thought on this one.

Some people say you should get there the first day, and arrive early because there will be long lines. The downside of this is that the recruiters may be somewhat overwhelmed by the number of people waiting and could rush through the conversation.

Others say you should go towards the end of the last day when everything is winding down and you can be the last one on their mind and have a more casual conversation.

My personal opinion is to go somewhere in between the two, generally towards the end of the first day.

Tip: You can network with other people while you are on line because you never know who might be able to help you. So, engage with those around you.

Since you have prepped for the meeting, you should be confident and comfortable, and whether you actually are or not, make sure you convey that impression.

• Shake hands, and introduce yourself.
• Be enthusiastic, and do not interrupt.
• Ask open-ended questions to engage them and build rapport.
• Don't be afraid to take notes.

Tip: The best question to ask is "What challenges would someone in this position face in the first 6 months?" This is a sales technique to "uncover their pain," and if you can find this out, you can focus your conversation on how you can eliminate their "pain."

Finally, make sure you get their business card and ask them if you can call them if you have any additional questions (a great follow-up technique to build rapport and make sure you are on their mind).

Following Up

First, send a personalized Thank You note by email and mail to the company representatives you met. It's professional, appreciated, and the repetition makes sure they remember you. If you did your homework, you can also stress the experience you have in relation to the position they are seeking.

Then, if you haven't heard anything after one week, call (do not email) the people you spoke to and use the opportunity to showcase your interest and ability.

DO NOT just ask where they are in the search process as this just makes you a nudge. Instead say something like, "I noticed that your firm is opening a new facility in Chicago and was wondering if setting up the infrastructure there would be an important part of this job." Then you can tell them how you have done similar things in the past. Again, another opportunity to get yourself known.

Bottom Line

Handled correctly, job fairs can be a great way to uncover opportunities.

* Originally Published on Job-Hunt.org **

Hiring companies and recruiters have discovered that they can find new hires through Twitter at a fraction of the cost of posting openings on job boards. From a job seeker's point of view, what is the difference between a job board posting and a tweeted opening? The Twitter posting is now, current, and immediate whereas the job board posting could be around for weeks or months. Also, since not everyone has adopted Twitter into their job search, you will have less competition.

There are literally thousands of new postings daily, so here are some tips on how to incorporate Twitter into your job search strategy.

Twitter "Job Boards"

• www.Twitjobsearch.com

This is the Twitter equivalent of a job board and just like Indeed.com, this is an aggregator of job postings on Twitter so you can see all the Twitter-posted jobs in one place. In the last 30 days they posted over 938,000 new jobs.

• www.Tweetmyjobs.com

See openings from thousands of channels and employers. Enter the kind of position you are seeking and see tweeted requests from such companies as CitiGroup, Accenture, Verizon and hundreds of others.

Employers Distributing Their Job Postings on Twitter

Part of your job search strategy should include identifying 10-30 firms that you are really interested in. Many of these are prolific job posters; examples include @SearsJobs, @CitiJobTweets, @Accenture_Jobs, and @JobsatIntel. Make sure you follow these firms so you can ensure you receive the latest postings.

See Job-Hunt's list of 500 employers recruiting directly on Twitter to find more employers, or use Twitter's search function to see if one of your target firms has a Twitter account for recruiting.

Recruiters Sharing Leads and Job Postings on Twitter

There are literally thousands of organizations seeking talent through Twitter. Here are some of the best ways to find them. Remember to follow those companies you are targeting.

Key Advice: You can quickly become overwhelmed with all the sources of job postings, so start by focusing on those job posters that best fit your needs.

Sources of recruiters and employers recruiting on Twitter:

• Jim Stroud's massive directory of recruiters on Twitter, both independent and in-house

• JobMob's list of 400+ Twitter accounts sharing job postings and other job leads

• Job-Hunt's 500 Employers Recruiting Twitter List

• PhilReCareered's List of 400+JobTweets

Using Hashtags to Find Postings and Leads

The # hashtag is a great way to find job openings by just doing a simple Twitter search. For example, when we search on #projectmanager, here is a sample response:

Identify the hashtags that best fit you and use them regularly. A great resource for searching for hashtags include www.Twemes.com and www.hashtags.org where you can also see how frequently tweets using that hashtag are posted.

Use hashtags associated with:

• The technology you do (e.g., #windows7 #linux)


• Your preferred industries (e.g., #telecom #finance)


• Your preferred applications (e.g., #WP #Mastercam)


• Your specialties (e.g. ecommerce, SEO)


• Employers on your target list (e.g., #apple #google)

Other good generic hashtags include:

#job
#jobs
#jobpostings
#jobangels
#ITjob
#ITJobs
#Tech
#digitaljobs
#softwarejobs
#jobs
#jobsearch
#jobseekers
#jobhunt

Bottom Line

If you want to reinvigorate your job search, incorporate these Twitter tips, and start communicating with hiring managers.

* Originally Published on Job-Hunt.org **

Call them recruiters, headhunters, or search consultants, these are the people who are paid by the employer to find people who meet their needs, although these recruiters are not part of the employer's staff. (See the different kinds of recruiters for more information about recruiters.)

Here are some tips to get the most out of these relationships.

Are you the type of person they want to work with?

The first thing that you need to understand is that recruiters are paid by the employer, and their loyalty is to them.

It is crucial that you understand this important part because many people just call recruiters and expect help in their job search.

With that in mind, you should determine if recruiters work at your level. Recruiters typically receive 20-30% of the annual compensation for the position which means that for a $75,000 job, a recruiter will get between $15,000 and $22,500 if a company hires the person they present.

Recruiters are usually hired to find people for those "hard-to-fill" positions requiring specific technologies or experience, so they will only put in front of their clients people who are worth those kinds of fees. They look for the "best-fit" candidates, one who meet most - if not all - of the employer's requirements.

For you, that means that if you have no experience in the kind of position they are trying to fill, it is unlikely they will consider you. If you are a recent IT graduate with less than 2 years of experience, it is also unlikely that a company would want to pay those fees for someone who is so easy to find through regular job advertising.

A good way to see if you are the kind of person recruiters want is to look at the ads on Indeed.com for your job title. See if they are posted by employers or recruiters. Although that is not an acid test, it is certainly a good indicator if you fit in the category of those people a recruiter would seek.

Connecting with a recruiter

Recruiters are busy seeking candidates which they primarily do through LinkedIn these days. So before you do anything, make sure you have a great resume and a keyword-rich LinkedIn profile so they can find you.

Then, check the recruiters out on LinkedIn:

• See if they are active in any group discussions.


• Check out their web site.


• Get a good feel for the type of person they are seeking.

Build your credibility, brand, and visibility by contributing to LinkedIn discussions, making it more likely they will find you.

If you are contacting them, there are some good services that will query an opt-in recruiter database to identify those recruiters who have indicated they would be interested in someone like you, and then do an email campaign to get your information to them. These generally run from $150 to $500 and can be monies well-spent.

Note that, generally, recruiters do not like to receive follow-up calls asking if they received your resume. They are highly motivated to fill their open positions, and if they think you are a fit, they will call you.

Sometimes they will invite you to post into their database for future openings, and if you think this is the kind of firm you wish to do business with, then you should do that.

Things to watch out for

Working with recruiters can be great, but there are some pitfalls you should avoid.

If they ask you for money, then you probably do not want that kind of arrangement.

A lot of recruiters are turning to reverse-headhunting these days, meaning the candidate (you) pays them to place you in a job. Although there are a few good firms in this category, I would generally avoid these kinds of relationships.

They might not really have a job opening.

A lot of recruiters are on weekly quotas as to the number of new resumes they put into their internal database, so they may call you with no real opportunity available.

Be sure you ask them if this is for a specific opening and have them describe it before agreeing to let them have your information.

Verify that the recruiter will never submit your resume to any employers or jobs without your knowledge and approval.

Make sure that they don't "blast" your resume out to employers and job boards.

For example, assume you are targeting Westinghouse and have spent weeks networking to get an introduction. Then, Westinghouse HR indicates they already received your resume from a recruiter. This means that Westinghouse is obligated to pay the recruiter a fee for finding you, even though you had approached Westinghouse directly yourself. The recruiter's fee raises your "cost-to-hire," and can keep you from being considered.

If asked, do not sign an exclusive agreement.

You have every right to work with multiple recruiters and to continue applying directly to companies.

Bottom Line

Recruiters can be a big help in your job search. Or not. Use these tips to make recruiters a very productive part your job search.

* Originally Published on Job-Hunt.org **

Once you have completed your resume and BEFORE you distribute it, you need to optimize your LinkedIn profile. This is crucial because, according to an April, 2011 Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM) survey, 95% of employers and virtually every recruiter will look you up on LinkedIn before calling you. So your LinkedIn Profile needs to be in synch with your brand messaging on the resume.

Here we will review the key factors in developing and optimizing your LinkedIn Profile.

Continue reading "10 Steps for a Great LinkedIn Profile" >>

The first thing that most people do when searching for a position is to go to the job boards.

Although this was the best thing to do in the past, the job boards are not really the most effective way to find positions today. Here we talk about some of the best practices to optimize the impact of job boards on your job search.

See the full article at: http://bit.ly/kL1T3t

I have written and seen thousands of IT Executive resumes and a lot of them are missing the point. This article will describe the key elements that should be in an IT Executive resume.

Continue reading "Elements of a Great IT Executive Resume" >>

At some point, the IT professional rising from the ranks needs to make a major career decision: do I advance my career as a hands-on technical professional or should I focus on managing technical people? Here are some key points to consider when making this major IT career decision.

Continue reading "IT Career Cross-Roads: Do I Stay Technical or Move to Management?" >>

Having reviewed and written thousands of resumes for project managers, I still see common mistakes that most people make that cause their resume to be less than effective. In short, they don’t address the most important things an employer wants to know. So let’s look at the key points that should be addressed on your project manager resume.

Continue reading "Inside Secrets; How to Write a Great Project Manager Resume" >>

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Details at Job-Hunt's IT Job Expert

Try this: pick up your resume and scan it for 15 seconds. Now put it down and write down what you can remember. Now ask yourself, “Would I call this person”? If your IT executive resume does not have a clear value proposition that compels someone to call you, then you need to make some changes. Here are 4 ways to do that and immediately improve your results.

Continue reading "4 Quick Ways To Improve Your IT Executive Resume" >>

By now you’ve learned the traditional ways of job searching don’t work anymore. A few years ago you could put your resume up on Monster and Career Builder and wait for the phone to ring. Those days are gone. So here are 5 things you can easily do that will quickly improve your job search results.

Continue reading "5 Ways to Instantly Improve Your Job Search Results" >>