"Get Hired!" Blog

A professional resume and compelling cover letter are generally fundamental when landing a job, but social media is an often-overlooked tool that lends itself to new employment. Smart job seekers can strategically adjust their social media profiles to make connections, highlight their capabilities and attract hiring managers. Here are three easy strategies to help you land your next position:

1. Professionalize all of your social media profiles. Expect that hiring managers will screen all of your social media profiles. In fact, in a recent study of hiring managers and recruiters, Reppler, a social networking monitoring service, found that 76% of hiring managers looked at applicants’ Facebook profiles. Surprisingly, only 48% of them investigated job seekers’ LinkedIn profiles. Consider the message you are sending to potential employers with your social media profiles. Each profile is an opportunity to stand out from the crowd of other job seekers.

Job search networking is a powerful way to successfully find a new job. We have all heard of serendipitous, chance encounters that resulted in a friend’s new career, but did these meetings really result by accident?

Networking pros know that networking is a focused way to develop relationships with people who can supply helpful career information that can lead to new job. Think of it this way: Each person you know and each person you meet can bring you a step closer to finding a career you want.

Your cover letter is a potential employer's first impression of you; don't underestimate its potential to help you land your dream career. Use these cover letter tips from industry professionals to secure an interview : 

Follow instructions. Job postings often include specific instructions on how to send your cover letter and resume. Follow their directions precisely to ensure your resume gets into the right hands.

Write a unique cover letter for each position for which you apply. Don’t use a form letter, ever.  Hiring managers receive countless inquiries from job postings. They are human, too, and get bored reading the same canned letters over and over again.

Research the company. Demonstrate knowledge of the organization and passion for the company’s vision. Employers want to know not only that you are qualified for the position but that you are familiar with what the company does and are excited by the company’s mission.

Sell yourself, but don’t oversell. Use your cover letter to market yourself to a potential employer by identifying how you might help the company in question achieve its goals. Describe the skills, talents and elements of your work history most relevant to the position for which you are applying. Avoid a blatant sales pitch.  

Get to the point. A cover letter gives you room to expand upon professional accomplishments not outlined on your resume, but it is not a platform to discuss your entire work history in great detail. While a resume is bulleted list of your work experience and skills, think of a cover letter as a short narrative of your qualifications. Write thoughtfully and concisely.

Stand out with your email signature. The email signature is often overlooked by job seekers an opportunity to make an impact with hiring decision makers. In addition to your contact information and links to your professional social media profiles, include a targeted professional headline. For example, if you are applying for a Data Architect position, you might add “Information Management Data Architect” to your email signature.

Proofread. Double check your cover letter for grammar and spelling mistakes.

Don’t forget your attachment. It goes without saying that you should attach your resume, but employers know best that applicants too often forget to do so. Better yet, paste AND attach your resume for his or her convenience.

Indicate how you will follow up. Don’t be shy; bid for the interview by saying you will follow up with a phone call within a set time frame. If, however, the job posting prohibits phone calls, please refer to the "Follow Instructions" section above.

We've put together a few tips to help you get through the interview process. For Part I, click here.

1. Don’t bad mouth a boss

We've put together a few tips to help you get through the interview process. 

1. Arrive Early