Job Search Article Aggregate – March 25, 2015

As a part of my own job search I read a lot of articles about things like networking, cover letters, resumes, interviews, etc. One thing I try to do to help others in the same boat is by aggregating these into my on-going series of “Article Aggregate” posts. For reference, I try to post one of these about every 5-7 days.

• If your material is mentioned here – and there are a lot of people whose good work I try to capture – please RT this broadcast to reach and help others.

• If you contact one of the people / organizations mentioned because of my post (e.g., a resume consultant, a job search coach, etc.) please tell them you heard about them through me.

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• If you are in New England, please check out my JOBS in New England compilations.

 

(Plug: If you really like this aggregate – and consider that I put a fair amount of time into this! – please check out my SRG page; buy from my affiliates who pay me a commission. If you’re not feeling commercial, consider giving to one of the charities I support. Or take a look at the kind of places I’m looking for work – perhaps you know someone, or know someone who knows someone, who works there; an introduction would be welcomed!)

Thanks!

David Hunt, PE

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SHAMELESS SELF-PROMOTION

In shameless self-promotion mode, I’m putting links to the last two Original Essays I’ve published here at the top. Reverse-chronological order. These will, of course, change as I publish new ones.

Fix the Problem XII: When Chemicals Attack

https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2015/03/21/fix-the-problem-xii-when-chemicals-attack/

** Chemical attack and corrosion is a huge issue, whether in design or in failure analysis. This essay contains three short vignettes from my career, along with lessons learned, about chemicals attacking a product or piece of equipment.

Ask 6

https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2015/03/11/ask-6-still-more-questions-to-ask-in-interviews/

** The latest in my series of unusual and “penetrating” questions to ask on interviews.

And I’m going to, at random, hype an essay from earlier on – changing every time:

Future Shock

https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2014/12/01/future-shock/

** Estimates of the job losses from automation run into the tens of millions – just in America alone. What are some of the consequences of this?

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TOP OF THE FOLD

 

If Your Offer Letter Includes This Sentence, Burn It!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/03/20/if-your-offer-letter-includes-this-sentence-burn-it/

** Very interesting – and informative. And another by Liz:

Here’s Your Job Offer – Take It Or Leave It!

http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/02/20/heres-your-job-offer-take-it-or-leave-it/

** Any time a company has a no-negotiation policy where it’s their-way-or-the-highway, that’s a bad sign about their culture.

—

Referred Job Candidates Get Hired More

http://www.crsco.com/2014/11/referred-job-candidates-get-hired/

** The absolute criticality of networking and referrals. Why does this work? Because the person receiving the referral knows the referrer is putting their reputation on the line by doing so – and thus would not do so if they were unsure about the person’s ability to do the job.

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7 Logical Reasons Why You Have Zero Results From Your Job Hunt

http://chameleonresumes.com/2015/02/24/reasons-why-you-have-zero-results-from-your-job-hunt/

** Speaking for myself, my results-deficit seems to be in closing the deal. I get interviews, even second interviews (so I’m clearly doing something right). Where I’m lacking – and it’s a mystery – is in getting an offer.

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ATS (Applicant Tracking Systems) And Personality Tests: Saviors Or Nemeses Of HR?

http://www.kennedyexecutive.com/ats-applicant-tracking-systems-and-personality-tests-the-saviors-and-potential-nemeses-of-hr/

** I vote “nemeses”.

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“Close Enough” Won’t Cut It!

http://www.thewisejobsearch.com/2011/03/enough-won-cut-it.html

** Spell check, proof read, and get someone else’s eyes on things.

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Job Search and Job Networking in a New Location

http://www.workcoachcafe.com/2015/03/18/job-search-new-location/

** As someone who has broadened his own search… also tap your religious institution, any clubs your are in, and college career center / alumni directory. About my broadening my search:

Broadening my Job Search

https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2015/03/22/broadening-my-job-search/

** Looking in the Carolinas, Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky, and Texas.

 

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FEATURED CAREER SITES

 

Career Sherpa

http://careersherpa.net/

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Hallie Crawford

http://www.halliecrawford.com/

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Careers Done Write

http://careersdonewrite.com/

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** Please, if you contact these people, tell them you heard about them through me!

 

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FOR OLDER WORKERS

 

Nothing Says Over 40 Like Two Spaces after a Period!

http://www.cultofpedagogy.com/two-spaces-after-period/

** Never mind the formatting; I get the argument. But companies now scan resumes and cover letters for double-spaces as an age check, which I think is not just scummy, but hauling-out-the-jackhammer-because-you’re-already-at-rock-bottom scummy.

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7 major job-search changes for older workers

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/7-major-job-search-changes-older-workers-bob-mcintosh-cprw-mbti

** The world has changed. Be aware.

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Too old to get hired?

http://www.thewisejobsearch.com/2010/03/too-old-to-get-hired.html

** Yes, you can get hired. But IMHO this is a very naive view of the actual on-the-ground situation.

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10 Tips For Job Seekers Over 50

http://www.careerealism.com/job-seekers-over-50-tips/

** The problem is that the more of these techniques you use, the more obvious it’ll be that you’re trying to hide your age. Or maybe that’s just my own suspicious nature. More:

7 Tips for Getting Hired After Age 50

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2015/03/23/get-hired-after-age-fifty/

 

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NETWORKING

 

37 Ways to Meet People Who Can Refer You to Jobs

https://jobmob.co.il/blog/ideas-to-grow-your-job-search-network-right-now/

** Some good suggestions.

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6 ways to make the most of your next alumni networking event

http://info.theladders.com/career-advice/alumni-networking-event-tips

** The nice thing about alumni events is that you automatically have one thing to talk about in common.

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Building Your Network: 5 Tips For Shy Networkers

http://www.careerealism.com/network-tips-shy/

** The people most in need of networking are those who usually the most introverted.

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Hidden LinkedIn Networking Tool: Education

http://www.job-hunt.org/social-networking/LinkedIn-job-search/linkedin-education-networking-tool.shtml

** An interesting tactic.

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How to network without feeling like you’re doing it

http://info.theladders.com/career-advice/ask-for-a-reference-not-a-job

** Multiple approaches exist, but definitely do not ask for a job.

—

Executive Networking: How to be Dr. Jekyll and not Hyde

https://www.bluesteps.com/blog/executive-networking-dr-jekyll-not-hyde.aspx

** Excellent advice.

—

Are Canned Networking Events the WORST Places to Network?

http://www.youtern.com/thesavvyintern/index.php/2015/03/22/are-canned-networking-events-the-worst-places-to-network/

** You’ve got to go to places where you will meet people who are working. Going to groups whose members are also unemployed can help, but you’ve got to get beyond that.

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Here’s Proof: The Perfect Day and Time to Send a Networking Email

https://www.themuse.com/advice/heres-proof-the-perfect-day-and-time-to-send-a-networking-email

** Interesting.

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How and Why You Must Be a Smart Job Search Networker

https://jobmob.co.il/blog/be-a-smart-job-search-networker/

** Be prepared to network… anywhere. I believe I said this before, but I heard an anecdote about a six-figure job being landed because of a supermarket checkout line conversation.

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The 10 Deadly Sins of Networking

http://absolutelyabby.com/searching/the-10-deadly-sins-of-networking.html

** All excellent points.

—

Nurture Your Network With These 11 Ideas

http://careersherpa.net/nurture-your-network-with-these-11-ideas/

** Very good ideas.

 

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COVER LETTERS

 

Important Cover Letter Guidelines You Can’t Afford To Ignore

http://www.careerealism.com/cover-letter-guidelines/

** I agree, but finding the name of the hiring manager is a lot easier said than done, especially for a big company.

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Cover Letter Help: The Not-so-fine Line Between Obnoxious and Amusing

http://careersdonewrite.com/blog/cover-letter-help-the-not-so-fine-line-between-obnoxious-and.html

** IMHO a cover letter is not the place for humor.

 

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RESUMES

 

Customizing Your Resume

http://blog.jobfully.com/2014/02/customizing-your-resume/

** Good stuff on how to do this.

—

“Dumb Down” Your Resume?

http://www.thewisejobsearch.com/2009/05/dumb-down-your-resume.html

** Very hard to do and get away with because you need to be consistent across, well, everywhere. But definitely remember, your resume is a marketing document. You can downplay things.

—

5 Résumé ‘Tricks’ That Can Backfire

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2015/01/26/5-resume-tricks-that-can-backfire

** On one hand, tricks can backfire. On the other hand, this article smacks of “don’t you dare draw outside the lines, peon!”.

—

Do’s and Don’ts of Executive Resume Writing

https://www.bluesteps.com/blog/dos-donts-executive-resume-writing.aspx

** Not just for executives.

—

10 Inspiring Infographic Resumes

http://careersherpa.net/10-inspiring-infographic-resumes/

** Some intriguing examples – assuming you can get them in front of a human who is willing to look.

 

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INTERVIEWING

 

What to Include in a Job Interview Thank You Letter

http://www.simplyhired.com/advice/interviews/what-to-include-in-a-job-interview-thank-you-letter

** Simple, direct, I like it. And IMHO if they voiced a specific concern / informational need, can you point them to a resource?

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Job Interview Question: How Do You Handle Failure?

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/interview-you/fl/how-do-you-handle-failure.htm

** A good approach to formulate an answer.

—

What To Wear To A Job Interview

http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2015/03/21/what-to-wear-to-a-job-interview/

** In doubt – ask! But IMHO things are getting too informal:

Fit to be Tied

https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2013/08/20/fit-to-be-tied/

** My thoughts on the deterioration of the office environment past business casual to business grunge.

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How to make your interviewer want to hire you

http://40pluscareerguru.blogspot.com/2013/04/how-to-make-your-interviewer-want-to.html

** Do your homework, and other tips.

—

5 Ways to Build Rapport With Your Interviewer – US News

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2015/02/26/5-ways-to-build-rapport-with-your-interviewer

** This helps build a perception of fit.

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The Bravest Interview Question

https://www.ivyexec.com/executive-insights/2014/bravest-interview-question/

** Got to have stones to ask this one.

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Which ‘Self’ Should You be in a Job Interview?

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/which-self-should-you-job-interview-freeman-bs-che-ms-chem-mba

** There’s a window – between absolute self-censorship and letting things hang out raw – that is the best place. At issue – where are those limits?

—

30 Bad Answers to Job Interview Questions

http://www.job-hunt.org/job_interviews/bad-job-interview-answers.shtml

** If only I won the lottery. It’d be fun to go on interviews and give really, really, REALLY snarky answers just to see how interviewers reacted. 🙂

—

5 Things You MUST Do Before a Job Interview

http://www.job-hunt.org/IT-job-search/job-interview-preparation.shtml

** Absolutely.

—

3 Unexpected Tips For A Winning Job Interview

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/eileen-williams/tips-for-winning-job-interview_b_6654326.html

** Details can make or break you.

—

Questions You Should Ask At An Interview

https://theartsmechanical.wordpress.com/2015/03/21/questions-you-should-ask-at-an-interview/

** A bit snarky, but some questions worth considering.

—

Person-Role-Fit: Act Like the Job You Want

http://www.blogging4jobs.com/job-search/person-role-fit-act-like-the-job-you-want/

** This looks like a powerful technique if done right.

 

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BRANDING / SOCIAL MEDIA

 

4 Job Seeker Blogging Strategies That Will Get You Noticed and Hired

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/4-job-seeker-blogging-strategies-get-you-noticed-lisa

** You have to be “out there” on social media. Related:

7 Psychological Ways to Keep Readers Attracted to Your Blog

http://www.bloggingcage.com/keep-readers/

** I try to post something every day, and keep it a mix of short-and-funny and longer-and-useful.

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Censorship vs. Personality: Which Matters More in Your Online Presence?

http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/censorship-personality-online-presence/

** I tend to err on the side of putting more personality out than not. Frankly, if a company doesn’t want a strong personality, I won’t last long there anyway.

—

Creating Your Personal Brand

http://aknextphase.com/creating-your-personal-brand/

** Your brand is your reputation in the employment-space. But compare/contrast with:

Personal Branding Renegade: Why I Resist Labels

https://jobmob.co.il/blog/why-resist-labels/

—

Organic LinkedIn updates are near invisible!

http://www.winningimpression.com/sharing-linkedin-updates-pointless/

** And comments on updates have a strange habit of vanishing too.

—

Summary Sunday: Increase Your Social Media Savvy

http://careersherpa.net/summary-sunday-increase-your-social-media-savvy/

** Potpourri of points.

 

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GENERAL

 

You won’t hire me because I’m unemployed? REALLY???

http://www.thewisejobsearch.com/2010/06/you-wont-hire-me-because-im-unemployed.html

** There absolutely is a stigma on this, despite the economy sucking canal water. What doesn’t seem to penetrate, though, is that those with the power could easily be on the other side of the table:

The Moccasin Mile

https://davidhuntpe.wordpress.com/2013/10/03/the-moccasin-mile/

** IMHO, every single hiring manager, faced with an older person or person who has been “out” for a long time should be thinking “There, but for the grace of G-d, go I.” Nobody expects to be hired because they’re down on their luck, but a little empathy can go a long way.

—

6 soft skills every professional needs

http://advice.careerbuilder.com/posts/6-soft-skills-every-professional-needs

** Basics.

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5 Fresh Job-Search Tips You Haven’t Yet Tried

http://www.brazencareerist.com/blog/2015/02/11/5-fresh-job-search-tips-you-havent-yet-tried/

** Tactics I’d never seen.

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How to prove to employers you’re a catch

http://www.keppiecareers.com/prove-employers-youre-catch/

** This is interesting.

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What I Learned from The Little Mermaid: Job Search Lessons You Can Use

http://www.social-hire.com/career–interview-advice/4940/what-i-learned-from-the-little-mermaid-job-search-lessons-you-can-use

** Cute.

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Does the Browser You Use Matter?

https://www.careeraddict.com/17947/does-it-matter-what-browser-you-use

** My experience is YES. I had to load Firefox specifically because I couldn’t get a company’s ATS to work well with my IE browser.

—

Online Job Applications: All You Really Need To Know

https://jobmob.co.il/blog/online-job-applications/

** Useful.

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How do employers judge professionalism?

http://www.thewisejobsearch.com/2011/11/how-do-employers-judge-professionalism.html

** I would add “courtesy” and “open-mindedness”. Somewhat related:

Confidence vs. Arrogance: How to Strike the Right Balance

http://www.businessnewsdaily.com/5995-confidence-arrogance-job-hunting.html

** Unfortunately, so much of this is in the eye of the beholder, and you don’t have a readout meter of the person you’re talking with to know on which side of the line you’re falling.

—

Job Search Infographics

https://www.pinterest.com/tfsullivan/job-search-infographics/

** Nice collection.

—

The Long-Lost Job Skill You Need: Talking About Yourself

https://www.themuse.com/advice/the-longlost-job-skill-you-need-talking-about-yourself

** A useful point.

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How to Make Your Email Address Work (And Not Work) for You

http://chameleonresumes.com/2011/07/25/how-to-make-your-email-address-work-and-not-work-for-you/

** Every little detail – details can make or break you.

—

Use Job Boards for Research … Not to Find Jobs

http://executiveresumebranding.com/use-job-boards-for-research-not-to-find-jobs/

** Good idea – use a board to identify job possibilities, but then network in.

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Top 10 Hobbies/Activities of Engineers (Job Seekers Perspective)

http://www.shanklinandassociates.com/for-job-seekers/top-10-hobbies-activities-of-engineers-job-seekers-perspective

Top 10 Hobbies/Activities of Engineers (Hiring Perspective)

http://www.shanklinandassociates.com/hiring-perspective/top-10-hobbies-activities-of-engineers-hiring-perspective

** Engineering-specific, but likely some lessons anyone can glean.

 

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UNDERSTANDING THE OTHER SIDE OF THE TABLE

 

Talent Acquisition: Finding Your Edge

http://www.ddiworld.com/blog/tmi/march-2015/talent-acquisition-finding-your-edge

** Know what they’re reading. And two others by the same author:

8 Interview Tips for High-Performing Hires

http://www.ddiworld.com/blog/tmi/september-2013/8-interview-tips-for-high-performing-hires

5 Steps Toward Better Hires

http://www.ddiworld.com/blog/tmi/september-2013/5-steps-toward-better-hires

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A CEO explains 2 costly mistakes job seekers make

http://www.businessinsider.com/a-ceo-explains-costly-mistakes-job-seekers-make-2015-3

** Insights.

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Top 10 Mistakes Recruiters Make When Screening Candidates [INFOGRAPHIC]

http://theundercoverrecruiter.com/mistakes-recruiters-screening-candidates/

** How can you “reverse engineer” this to take advantage of these insights?

 

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SALARY

 

Bad Advice from Friends

http://www.calm-water.com/bad-advice-from-friends/

** If you’re getting an offer that’s better than what you wanted – shut up.

—

Sorry, Recruiters! You’re Not Getting My Salary History

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sorry-recruiters-youre-getting-my-salary-history-liz-ryan

** Amen. Related:

When Online Job Ads Request Salary Numbers – 4 Options to Consider

http://chameleonresumes.com/2015/03/10/online-job-ads-request-salary-numbers/

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5 Tips for Negotiating Your Salary

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2015/03/19/5-tips-for-negotiating-your-salary

** Some very useful advice. Just do be aware – my experience is that salary sites tend to be a little high, and in this economy you have very little real leverage.

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5 Ways Employers Discourage You From Negotiating Salary

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2015/02/02/5-ways-employers-discourage-you-from-negotiating-salary

** And remember, you can’t eat prestige. A company that pays low because they’ve got “a name” likely has other cultural issues too.

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What is a Good Starting Salary?

http://www.elephantsatwork.com/what-is-a-good-starting-salary/

** Ultimately, it’s what the company is willing to pay… your desires don’t fit into it.