Keep your resume updated

This one might be a no-brainer but don’t neglect your resume, even if you’re unemployed. Add every relevant volunteer opportunity or certificate to help your resume stand out. If you feel your career gap is something to hide, think again — most people have had a gap in their work experience.

And if you address it honestly, potential employers may even see your career gap as a plus. That was the time you spent learning. Once you land that job, keep updating your resume as new experiences and achievements pop up — you’ll thank yourself the next time you’re ready to hit the job market.

Source: Betterup

APPLY ON THE COMPANY WEBSITE.

 APPLY ON THE COMPANY WEBSITE.

Use LinkedIn, Indeed and other job boards to identify career opportunities but then go to the company website to apply. With fewer applicants coming through on the company website, you have a higher probability to have your resume read (it will be scanned by ATS as well). Also, it shows that you took the time to learn about the company.

White Collar Networking

White Collar Networking - This is an important article from LinkedIn.  I recommend that all of you read this - it is worth your time.

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https://tinyurl.com/m2s3xrdj

Resume Customization:

 Resume Customization:

The unfortunate reality is that you'll have to change your resume and cover letter to every job, factoring in job title and keywords. If you're not making adjustments, which should only take you 2-3 minutes, more than likely you will not register a high score with the ATS algorithm and there, not be deemed as a viable candidate.

Interview Tip -

 Interview Tip - Prepare Your STAR Responses: Use the STAR (Situation, Task, Action, Result) method to structure responses to behavioral questions, which focus on specific past experiences.

Do you know the interviewer?

 Do you know the interviewer?

Probably not. However, that means that you need to do some research about the interviewer. Use LinkedIn to read about the interviewer in terms of:

Career Path

Education

Affiliations / Professional Organizations

Achievements

A quick Google search will provide additional information for you. This information will help you better understand the interviewer, the company as well as potential career paths for you, esp. if the interviewer is in your field (not a recruiter).

Interview Tip

 Interview Tip - Of course you want to review the job description of the position you are applying for but you want to take it some step further.

1. Google: Key words for "name of position"

2. Writing those words on the description page and see if the words match or are closely defined to the words in the description. This will ensure thought consistency for you as well as word choice for the interview

3. Be prepared to discuss success stories as related to the words in the description / key words that you found for the role.

Layoffs

 LAYOFFS: LinkedIn reported that 85% of workers fear being laid off in 2024. So the one burning question in many people’s mind is, “Will I get laid off this year? Is my job in jeopardy?” The answer is - maybe. Tech jobs got hit the hardest last year, but many employees in other industries found themselves looking for work, too. Employees were blindsided when numerous companies cut long-term employees, eliminated whole divisions, and restructured with little warning.

In 2023, those in tech, HR, and Sales experienced the most layoffs. And the technology industry once again demonstrated its ruthlessness by firing people right before Christmas. It’s unknown how the layoff picture will be remembered in 2024, but layoffs will continue. If you hear rumors or see a mass exodus of senior leadership with some bad company financial reports, polish up your resume and start looking.

Salesforce - Hiring Artificial Intelligence (AI) Salesforce

Now that the election is over, perhaps this starts a trend of hiring that will continue until one week before XMAS and restart after New Years.

https://www.linkedin.com/news/story/salesforce-hiring-1000-ai-sellers-6230908/

Traditional Resume Format --

 Traditional Resume Format --

A great traditional resume will always be better than a mediocre “creative” one with pictures, graphs and other visuals, especially since there are no guarantees that an ATS system can read your visually appealing resume

Today's Quote

 You cannot shake hands with a clenched fist - Indira Gandhi