Multiple ways to apply for jobs

Don’t Limit Your Job Search to Online Applications

If you want your job search to drag on indefinitely, relying only on online applications is a sure way to do it. To accelerate the process and improve your chances, don’t stop at submitting an online application. Take proactive steps to connect with people working at your target companies.

Here’s how:

  1. Schedule Informational Interviews: Reach out to potential peers within the company for informal conversations. These meetings help you learn more about the organization while making a positive impression.
  2. Engage with Internal Recruiters: Approach a recruiter from the company and ask insightful questions about the role or hiring process. This can get you on their radar.
  3. Network with Key Contacts: Build relationships with employees or decision-makers who could potentially influence hiring decisions.

Pro Tip

Building connections within your target companies can set you apart. Decision-makers are more likely to consider candidates who come recommended or through a personal referral before they start filtering through resumes in the applicant tracking system (ATS). By networking effectively, you can gain an edge in the hiring process.

Thinking of a career change in Seattle?

Many times career change happens to us. Our industry starts to fade, our employer goes bankrupt, or we personally are downsized, fired, laid off, demoted or otherwise find ourselves at a crossroads.

But occasionally we choose to change careers of our own free will. It’s exciting, a little scary, and getting more common. If you can, take the opportunity to think it through.

First, know why you want to change careers. If it’s because you simply hate your current job, make a list of those things you don’t like so you don’t inadvertently land on a career that’s too similar. (It happens.) If money is the reason, figure out how much more money you’re looking for. You should also list what you liked about your old job, so you can try to replicate those good things in your new one.

Identify the areas of overlap between your old and new careers. If nothing else, important job skills such as organization, thoroughness and communication are easily transferable. Leverage everything that be leveraged.

Recognize that it may take time. You probably won’t end your old career on a Friday and start the new one on the following Monday. Chances are you’ll need to acquire new skills or certifications, build up your savings and/or reduce your debt and create a new network. You may even need to work at an interim job while easing into — or working up to — the job you really want.

Get clear on what you want to keep and what you’re willing to give up. It can help tremendously to make a list of what you must have (a flexible schedule, a certain salary, etc.) and what you’re willing to compromise on (Are you willing to relocate? Would you be happy with a lesser level of power and authority?).

Finally, you need to believe in the possibility of change. After we’ve done the same kind of work for a few years, we start to think of ourselves in a certain way — as a tech worker, say, or a teacher or an attorney. It becomes part of who we are. Changing careers means changing identities, and that can be a challenge, even threatening. So be prepared for setbacks and always keep working toward your goal.

 

Sending your resume via email? Read this…

When sending your resume to potential employers or recruitment agencies it’s important that you pay attention to the style and tone of your email. Besides, this is their first impression of you so your email etiquette MUST be right if you want to be successful!

  1. Remember that applying for a job is a formal process and your manners should be formal. ‘Hiya’ or equivalent is not the way to address your email. Use the individual’s name if known, ‘Dear Jane’ or ‘Dear Jane Brown’. If you do not have their name, use ‘Dear Sir/Madam’ or ‘Dear Recruitment Manager’ or equivalent. If you write ‘Dear Sir’ when you do not know who will be opening your email, then you run the risk of offending any female who receives your email and vice versa.
  2. In your covering email, write in full sentences, but use bullet points to emphasise any key points.
  3. Never use text-speak as you would on your mobile.
  4. End the message formally, e.g. ‘I look forward to hearing from you’ rather than a ‘Thx!’ type ending.
  5. Always check and double-check the spelling in the main body of your email and any attachments. Spelling mistakes mean landing on the reject pile 99.9% of the time. Remember the spell-checker won’t pick up every spelling or grammatical error so proof read it yourself.
  6. When sending your resume as an attachment, always label the attachment with your full name and reference number or date to keep track of the version you have sent.
  7. Don’t use your work email address. Set up a private email address specifically for job-hunting which includes your name. You can obtain free email addresses from Hotmail, Google and Yahoo among others.
    • Be aware that employers are likely to monitor the email and internet use of their employees on their work computers so if you use work facilities or work time to apply for jobs then be prepared to explain why to your boss.
  8. Exercise caution in sending out your personal details. Is this a company that you know or who you can verify independently? If you are unsure, take a look on the web and see if you can find out anything about the company before sending out your confidential information.
  9. Add a read receipt to your email to make sure your CV has reached the recipient. Or call the employer directly if you have their phone number to make sure they have received it.

Bellevue, Job Search Tips, Thank you Matters

Thank You Matters

I once placed a candidate into an engineering role with a company that manufactures packaging equipment. He was competing head-to-head with another engineer, who had similar talents and wanted the job just as badly. My candidate sent a thoughtful, non-robotic thank you note to each person with whom he’d interviewed, within about two hours of leaving their offices. The other candidate sent nothing.

Guess why my candidate got the job offer? Yep, the thoughtful, non-robotic thank you notes. They sealed the deal for him, especially considering the other front-runner sent nothing.

Tip

Consider crafting, original, genuine thank you notes (one for each interviewer) the moment you get back to a computer, following the interview. The speed with which you send the notes, and the quality, will make an impact.

And finally, remember that the interviewer cares much more about what you can do for them than what you want out of the deal. Certainly, they’re going to care a bunch about what you want once you establish your worth. But during the interview, you must demonstrate why you make business sense to hire, period.

Insights for Seattle job search

Essential Job Search Tips for a More Effective Job Hunt

Getting organized with the right tools and strategies can help you save time and improve your job search. Here are some tips to streamline your approach and boost your chances of landing the job you want.

1. Create Your Own Templates

Prepare ready-to-edit templates for your resume and cover letter. This way, you can easily customize each application to match the job requirements without needing to rewrite the entire document. Keep the contact information and introductory and closing paragraphs consistent, while tailoring the main content to fit the position. Microsoft Word offers free downloadable templates for resumes, cover letters, and email messages, which can be personalized to fit your needs.

2. Review Sample Documents

Take inspiration from sample resumes, cover letters, and other job search materials. Reviewing samples can give you ideas for structure, tone, and phrasing, helping you create professional documents that highlight your skills and experience effectively.

3. Use Job Search Engines

Job search engines allow you to search across multiple major job boards, company websites, professional associations, and other job posting sites in a single step. Use advanced search options to filter for jobs that closely match your skills and preferences, which can save you time and yield better results.

4. Set Up Job Alerts

Let job listings come to you by signing up for job alerts. Many job boards offer search agents that will email you new postings based on your criteria. This way, you won’t miss out on potential opportunities, and you’ll receive job announcements directly to your inbox.

5. Save Time with Professional Help

If you’re short on time or unsure about how to improve your resume, consider seeking professional help for resume writing or editing. This can ensure that your resume is polished, properly formatted, and aligned with industry standards, making a strong first impression on potential employers.

6. Have References Ready

Prepare a list of three references that includes each person’s name, job title, company, phone number, and email address. Print a copy of this reference list to bring with you to interviews so you can provide it to hiring managers when requested.

7. Leverage Your Network

Remember that many job opportunities aren’t advertised publicly. Spread the word among friends, family, and professional contacts about your job search. They may know of openings or be able to offer referrals that can help you find positions through word-of-mouth.

8. Get Active on Social Media

Social networking platforms like Facebook and Twitter can help you discover job listings that haven’t yet been posted on traditional job boards. Additionally, promoting your candidacy on these platforms can expand your reach and visibility. Many companies now actively use social media for recruiting, so staying active on these channels can give you an advantage.

Following these tips can help you organize your job search efficiently, stay updated on new openings, and present yourself professionally to potential employers.

Common Job Application Mistakes to Avoid….

Here are some of the biggest application mistakes candidates make (and how to avoid them):

Spelling/Grammatical Errors

These types of errors, although they seem small in nature, can be a major red flag to employers. It shows you lack attention to detail, and many hiring managers or recruiters will think you rushed through your application.

How to avoid this mistake: Take your time filling out applications and have someone else look it over if possible. Print out your answers and read them aloud to catch anything you may miss while scanning through on the computer.

Not Following Directions

This is something everyone learns in grade school, but it’s amazing how many people STILL don’t read directions! Every application you fill out will be slightly different or require a different response—so it’s important to read through each step.

How to avoid this mistake: Pay attention and slow down during the application process. If you’re feeling rushed, it’s probably because you’re applying to too many openings that you may not be qualified for, so you may want to re-think your strategy.

Turning In A Resume You Haven’t Tailored To The Position

This is a big no-no. It shows you don’t really understand what the employer is looking for and are just hoping your resume fits some of the criteria.

How to avoid this mistake: Carefully read through the job description, qualifications, and education requirements. Show the employer through your resume how you fit into those through your previous experience, skills, and expertise.

Writing A Generic Cover Letter

Your cover letter should tell a compelling story and make the hiring manager interested in moving on to your resume. It should also address the hiring manager by name and describe exactly why you are the best candidate for the position.

How to avoid this mistake: Write a new cover letter for each position you’re applying for. Although there may be similarities, always tailor your cover letter to the opening.

Not Going Beyond The Job Description

It’s imperative that you research the organization at which you’re applying. You need to know what it does, how it’s structured, and its mission, values, and goals in order to determine how you fit in. Should you move on in the hiring process, these things will be vital to a successful interview—and you’ll be one step ahead.

How to avoid this mistake: Perform a simple Google search on the organization. Look through their company website, LinkedIn/Twitter/Facebook profiles, read reviews of the organization and its products, and browse recent news articles that mention the company.

What are some other major application mistakes you’ve made and/or witnessed?

Reputation matters when searching for Insurance Jobs

1. Know What Is Out There

Don’t insist that you have a spotless online reputation without doing an actual check. Things have a way of slipping through the cracks, and better for you to find out now than to first hear about it from someone else. You may be able to get the unwanted picture or mention removed; at the very least, you won’t be caught off-guard.

  • Perform a thorough search of your name via Google, Bing, and Yahoo. Then, put your name in quotations and do it again.
  • Clean yourself up by setting tighter controls on sites that you can control such as Facebook and Twitter. On these sites you can use your privacy settings to limit who can view your information. On Twitter you can use “Protect my Tweet” and on Facebook you can use “Lists” to group different people together, such as professional connections.
  • Create a Google Alert that alerts you when you are mentioned online. By creating a Google+ Profile you can access tools that will allow you to remove a page from Google Search or reach out to Google directly for assistance.

2. Enlist the Help of Others

Dislike those pictures of yourself from junior high that mom loves posting or not eager to have a recruiter see that French maid outfit you wore to a party last Halloween? Let friends and family know that you’re trying to maintain a professional reputation to further your career. When they are done rolling their eyes about you being too sensitive, they will probably take down the photos and refrain from putting up similar ones in the future.

3. Be Active

Finally, remember that lacking online presence can be potentially dangerous, too.

The worst thing you could do would be to remove yourself from all social media because you’re worried about an employer finding you. But don’t create an account just to have one. Failure to respond to inquiries from others or keep profiles up to date can result in lost opportunities and make you appear lazy or disinterested. Instead, take advantage of LinkedIn to demonstrate that you’re on top of your professional game and Twitter or Facebook to show off the activities, hobbies, or volunteering you do outside of work. Hiring professionals are looking for well-rounded people!

6 Job search tips for Lynnwood Job Seekers

1. Treat every day as a new opportunity for a fresh start. If you are looking backward with a tinge of guilt for sitting at the beach when you know you could have been working more productively to advance your career, give yourself permission to let it go. Recognize that every day presents new opportunities, and resolve to put in maximum effort from today onward.

2. Get support from your family. As schedules move into fall mode, this is a good time for a family conversation about your own needs for time to concentrate on getting a job. Make sure your family members understand you need to have regular hours set aside for that purpose. Help them understand that a critical way they can support you is by not asking you to run errands or do other things for them during the day just because you don’t have a job that you need to be at.

However, remember: In turn, you have an obligation to fulfill your end of the bargain and make effective use of your time. Set a schedule for your daily job hunt to include all the elements of a job search, including researching, connecting, networking, interviewing and so on.

3. Rework your résumé. Take a fresh look at your résumé. It’s time for a major rewrite if you have an objective statement or bullets that begin with “Responsible for,” or if you haven’t presented the story of how you fulfilled what what was expected of you and what results you’ve achieved at your current or former jobs. Remember to look at your résumé not just as a catalog of everything you did, but rather as a marketing document that shows the value you offer your next employer.

There are numerous books and articles about how to build an effective résumé, but if best practice “résumé speak” seems outside your grasp, you may well consider making an investment in yourself with a solid résumé writer or coach.

4. Make new connections, and consciously expand your network. All kinds of groups and organizations are coming to life in September after a summer hiatus. Make sure you are plugged into the local chapter of your college alumni association, trade and industry groups, professional organizations and so on. Attend lectures, meetings, classes, continuing education opportunities, retreats and other events.

Make a point of talking to new people and showing an interest in them. This way you are bound to meet people with whom you have something in common. Make certain to get names and contact information, and later check them out, connect with them on LinkedIn and keep your conversations going.

5. Be slow and deliberate rather than fast and frantic. Sure, you can apply to dozens of jobs online in an evening. But your chances of landing a job this way are very limited. Instead, take time to research companies in which you are interested. Carefully craft cover letters to show why and how you can fulfill their needs, and then network your way inside. Remember that it is always the value you can add that’s important, rather than the opportunity an employer could offer you.

6. Curate your online presence. Write a blog, and be sure to include links to professional articles you find interesting or stimulating. Engage in dialog within LinkedIn groups to answer and ask intelligent questions. And, on the flip side, get rid of anything on your Facebook page or elsewhere that could cause someone to form a negative opinion of you.

Create Your Employer Target List for Seattle

These may be companies that tend to offer jobs that fit your interests, organizations that have the company culture you desire, and/or organizations with a mission you believe in.

A Target List Saves You Time

With a target list in hand, you will actually save yourself time in your job search.

Even if it feels productive to apply to every job opening you come across, you are actually wasting your time and energy. Instead, you should only apply to jobs at companies that you believe are a good fit for you.

There is no need to waste your time applying and interviewing for jobs that do not match your qualifications and/or goals. Even if you accept a job at a company that is not right for you, chances are that you will not want to stay there very long.

It is better to take the time to find your ideal companies and apply to jobs there, in order to find a long-lasting job that you love.

Creating Your Target List

Below are a few ways to begin to create your target list.

  • Look at best company lists. Many web sites list the best companies to work for in a variety of different industries. For example, Fortune ranks companies in a variety of categories, including the Fortune 100, Fortune 500, and Fortune 1000 (based on gross revenue), the best small companies, the best companies for millennials, and more. Look through the lists that match your interests, read the descriptions of each company, and write down the companies that fit your industry interests and your ideal company culture.
  • Look to your Chamber of Commerce. Your local Chamber of Commerce should have a list of local companies. Take a look at this list to see if there are any local companies that fit your interests.
  • Look to your professional associations. If you belong to any professional associations, look on their websites to find a list of member companies. If you do not belong to any associations, click here for a list of associations by industry. Find associations in your industry, and see if you can access each association’s list of industries.
  • Browse LinkedIn. If you have any contacts who work in your field, look on their LinkedIn profiles (or other social media profiles) to see where they work. Similarly, look at members of LinkedIn groups that are related to your industry, and see where they are working.

Narrow Down Your List

Once you have created a list through these methods, it is time to narrow your list down to only the companies that are truly a perfect or near-perfect fit. To do this, you will need to research the companies on your list.

First, visit each company’s website. Read each company’s mission statement and any other information the site may have about the work environment, the people the company hires, and anything else about the company culture.

You can also visit LinkedIn’s Companies section to find company information. This section provides information on each company culture, as well as job openings and connections you have at each company.

Based on this information, cross out any companies on your list that are not a strong fit.

The Final List

Ultimately, you should have a list of 10 – 20 companies that you will proceed to target in your job search. As you continue to job search, feel free to remove or add companies as you get a better feel for the type of organization you would like to work for.

Personal SWOT Analysis for Bellevue Job Seekers

Many professionals recognize the value of a SWOT analysis for their companies. Understanding a business’ Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats gives leaders a new perspective on what the organization does well, where its challenges lie and which avenues to pursue. However, few people realize that a personal SWOT analysis can do the same for an individual in pursuit of his or her career goals.

The SWOT analysis was first devised as a business tool in the 1960s by business icons Edmund P. Learned, C. Roland Christensen, Kenneth Andrews and William D. Guth. In 1982, Heinz Weihrich took it one step further, constructing a 2-by-2 matrix to plot out the answers to the four key questions for easy comparison. Strengths and Weaknesses were across the top, and Opportunities and Threats in the bottom row. This remains the most common and effective way to conduct the analysis.

Why conduct a personal SWOT analysis?

Most professionals look at their strengths and weaknesses, a SWOT analysis takes things a step further by forcing people to think about the external factors that bear heavily on the health and direction of their careers. Looking at the quadrants together can be a creative way to think about where you are in your career and the directions you could take,

SWOT can also help people become the best versions of themselves. Self-assessment is a key activity in striving to achieve a sense of one’s personal best. The SWOT analysis exercise ignites an enhanced awareness of what one brings to the table in a balanced light of both advantages and challenges. Organizations roll out elaborate schemes to remain competitive as well as innovative. Why wouldn’t individuals want to achieve the same level of excellence for themselves?”

How to do it

To conduct a personal SWOT analysis, ask yourself questions about each of the four areas being examined. Answer honestly. Honesty is crucial, or the analysis will not generate meaningful results. With that in mind, try to see yourself from the standpoint of a colleague or a bystander, and view criticism with objectivity.

It’s also important to imagine the potential of what you can become,

“Don’t limit yourself to the strengths that you’re currently exhibiting in your job.  List all of your strengths, even the ones that have been dormant for a while. And pay particular attention to the things that you have that your peers don’t — how are you different, unique and special?”

Begin by identifying your strengths. These are the traits or skills that set you apart from others. Questions to ask include:

  • What are you good at naturally?
  • What skills have you worked to develop?
  • What are your talents, or natural-born gifts?
  • How strong is your network of connections?
  • What do other people see as your strengths?
  • What values and ethics set you apart from your peers?

The next step is weaknesses.This part examines the areas in which you need to improve and the things that will set you back in your career. Questions to consider include:

  • What are your negative work habits and traits?
  • Does any part of your education or training need improving?
  • What would other people see as your weaknesses?
  • Where can you improve?
  • What are you afraid to do or most likely to avoid?
  • What negative feedback about your personality or work habits have you received?

For the opportunities section, look at the external factors you can take advantage of to pursue a promotion, find a new job or determine a career direction. Questions to examine include:

  • What is the state of the economy?
  • Is your industry growing?
  • Is there new technology in your industry?
  • Is there new demand for a skill or trait you possess?
  • What are the biggest changes occurring in the current business environment?
  • Have customers or co-workers given you feedback about new services you could provide, or ways to improve your manner?

Finally, look at any threats to your career growth. This part takes into account the external factors that could hurt your chances to attain your goals. The factors to take into account include:

  • Is your industry contracting or changing directions?
  • Is there strong competition for the types of jobs for which you are best suited?
  • Do your weaknesses inhibit your ability to rise in your company or change jobs?
  • What is the biggest external danger to your goals?
  • Are there any new professional standards you cannot meet?
  • Are there any new technology, education or certification requirements that will impede your progress?

Finding the necessary objectivity to conduct a personal SWOT analysis can be a challenge. For this reason you are advised to invite others who know you well to review your ideas for accuracy. We often cannot see how we come across in our interactions with others, so their feedback is valuable.

In some cases, you may be well-served by getting the help of a professional. We encourage job seekers to work with professionals certified in various assessment instruments, or to research assessment tools online that can provided measured feedback for consideration.

Next steps: match or convert

Once you have filled out the matrix, there are two ways to analyze the information and build a strategy: matching or converting.

Matching means connecting two of the categories to determine a course of action. For example, matching strengths to opportunities shows you where to be aggressive and take action. On the other hand, matching weaknesses to threats exposes those areas you should work on or situations to avoid, and lets you know where to be more defensive of your position.

To convert is to turn negatives into positives — in other words, converting your weaknesses into strengths, or threats into opportunities. This can mean growing a skill set through education, or finding a creative way to feature a weakness as a strength. For instance, if you are very outgoing, working in an introspective and isolated environment may not suit you very well. But if you can work toward a position, such as sales, in which you interact with many people, that weakness turns into a strength and could allow you to excel.

Outcomes

Once your personal SWOT analysis is complete, it is crucial to follow through on the insights you uncovered.

SWOT analysis can fail to be effective if it is simply treated as a ‘laundry list,’ without any tie-in to how the elements identified in the analysis can be put into play for the individual carrying out the assessment. For example, how can the identified strengths move the needle in the endeavor to achieve a key goal? Or how can one navigate a potential threat once it is identified, so as to ensure no ground is lost?”

“The best outcome is to take action and succeed in the opportunities you have identified.  This can benefit you on a personal and professional level, and set you apart from your peers and colleagues.

SWOT templates and more information

Those who want to conduct their own SWOT analyses can visit numerous career sites providing online templates and further information:

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