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How are you going to change jobs if you can’t interview? If you’re working in Mississauga, but you want to work downtown be prepared to find the time for interviewing. Some employers require 4 or 5 meetings! If you constantly turn down times and dates to meet with potential employers because you can’t leave work you are not going to make a move. Save up a couple of vacation days or time in lieu of OT. If you really want to go you’ll make it work.
Author: annbinsted
Rapunzel, Rapunzel….get a haircut!
In the corporate world I have found that waist length hair (or close to it) on women, especially if its “au natural” (grey/uncoloured,) is not received well. If you want to wear Birkenstocks, and let it all hang out, Bay Street may not be the place for you. Snip it up to shoulder length minimum with a good stylist. Check out pictures online that are current and in style. Crystal and Alexis Carrington circa 1981-83 on Dynasty…NOT current. I did love those shoulder pads though.
Make Sure the Carpet Matches the Drapes….What’s in your Online Profile?
Does your online profile match what is included in your resume? Don’t delude yourself into thinking that recruiters are not using every tool they have at their disposal to research those candidates they are considering for a face to face interview. Interviewing face to face uses valuable time and resources, and the costs just keep rising. Corporations are also using social media in their background screening and security checks. You can be declined even after being offered a position if they find anything online that would be derogatory in nature to their company. This includes radical political views, religious views, nudity of course, or anything they think may reflect badly on their firm. I’ve seen it happen, and it’s unnecessary if you follow a few simple guidelines.
Recently I have had to address this issue with quite a few candidates. I have their resume in hand and have reviewed it. My next step is usually to see if they have a LinkedIn profile. We look at the details of this profile to see if it matches the resume. This includes discrepancies in dates of employment, employers that don’t show up on the resume at all, education, and the head shot. If the stars are not aligned on all these points this is a big red flag for us!
Make sure that your LinkedIn Profile exactly matches all of the information in your resume, and keep it current. Also, do NOT use headshots that are:
- You on vacation in a bathing suit
- You in a floppy hat with a cocktail in your hand
- You striking a sexy pose
- You standing in your bedroom or bathroom
- Wearing sunglasses
- From 25 years ago and so “Photoshopped” that you are unrecognizable upon meeting you in person ie Oprah on the cover of “O” every month. How she loses 100 lbs every time she gets her picture taken is a miracle!
I have seen all of these things. Pretty unbelievable, but TRUE! In the age of the “selfie” don’t be tempted to put up every picture of yourself. Save it for your “non-public” Facebook page. As I have learned over the past year or so, I can also see people in my “people pane” in Outlook in LinkedIn or on Facebook. You need to turn this functionality on, but once you do you’d be surprised what comes into your inbox. Just something else to keep in mind….
Once you’re on the internet it is all fair game, and really who isn’t today? Big brother is watching, and if you’re seeking employment or just open to opportunities, you really need to be cognizant that “the carpet matches the drapes”.
Life happens.
When life hits in the middle of a search it is difficult for both parties. Recently we had a candidate who had a horrible incident occur just as we were coming to the end of a search. The client had asked for references, and they were getting ready to proceed with an offer. The individual went missing for a couple of days and we were confused as to what could have happened. When she did get back to us, it was in a very professional manner. We understood and responded in kind, as did our client. Sometimes things happen that we just can’t control. No time to be upset or to take it out on those involved. Just move on and wish them all the best.
Be available.
Be AVAILABLE when you are looking for a job. There is nothing more annoying than having to chase people for days on end when they have told you that they are ACTIVELY seeking employment. It is necessary to have an email address that you check regularly, and a phone number where you can be reached within a few hours. Some clients book appointments on the spur of the moment if an executive becomes available, and if we have to wait to hear from someone for a day or two they may completely miss out on opportunities.
Don’t be a “phone stalker”.
In the age of technology, do people really expect a human being on reception anymore? I had a receptionist for years but I found that neither the candidates nor the clients found much value in utilizing this service. 90% of our dealings came through email and the receptionist was kept busy with clerical work that they didn’t really enjoy. I finally came to the realization that most people were so used to leaving messages and sending emails that I could utilize technology just as effectively. That being said, there are those of you who we will call “phone stalkers” that insist on calling the incoming line over and over again and NOT leaving a message. I had an individual last week who called our line over 20 times in ONE day. We can see the name and number over and over again in the call log. This leads me to question this person’s sanity! If you get voicemail leave a well-worded message in a clear voice stating the nature of your call and your call back number and even an email address. Don’t be a “phone stalker”.
Avoid tardiness by being prepared.
I’m always surprised when people are late for their appointments in this day and age but it happens to me all the time! It would seem glaringly obvious that you should write down the address or have it saved in your phone. We are not listed on the directory in the lobby so as to avoid people walking in off the street. This is a business choice and it saves us from spending time explaining to people we are appointment based only. It’s amazing how many people show up in the building and rely on the directory for the suite #, and then start calling our switchboard in a panic because they are now late for their interview.
Be careful how you respond to rejection.
Be careful how you source respond wholesale jerseys to rejection. I was Linkedin: really surprised to receive an email in response to an cheap nfl jerseys individual who wholesale nba jerseys did not get a job he interviewed for. cheap nfl jerseys He responded with “ha ha ha ha, they were a joke anyway, what a You time waster.” This is Changes not an appropriate response in a professional setting. I would definitely think cheap mlb jerseys twice before putting this Date person in front of a client our again.
Linkedin: Resume
Make sure voor that your resume matches your wholesale mlb jerseys LinkedIn profile. It puts up red flags if there are employers on one and not on the cheap nba jerseys other, or dates Rücken-OP: don’t match. Also make sure that your picture document resembles training you Threatens in some way! There’s flattering cheap jerseys and then there’s just T-shirt outright deception.
Word document is our friend.
Design your resume to work with corporate HRIS. especial Some systems allow you to upload your cover and resume separately. As always make sure they are Things laid out in a comprehensive manner, are easy cheap jerseys to read, and have no spelling or grammar mistakes. In addition to this, for systems that wholesale jerseys ask you just to upload your resume do not attach your cover letter with it. In our system if it is a PDF we cannot break the two up and we do not send out personal cover letters wholesale mlb jerseys with resumes to our clients, as we brand Facebook the resume first.
We then have to reach out to the individual and ask them for the resume on its own, which causes a delay. PDF’s are safe of course, but are final. If we see mistakes we can’t change them. The Word document is our friend, but obviously only send these to recruiters you trust!