April-June 2015 Top Picks

Enjoy some of our favorite career articles from April, May and June!

Job Search Strategies

How to Find Flexible and Work From Home Jobs in Retirement

http://www.mylifestylecareer.com/recommended-resources/recommended-sites/how-to-find-flexible-and-work-from-home-jobs-in-retirement-17-helpful-resources/

9 Tips to Help Job Seekers Beat Age Bias

http://www.marketwatch.com/story/9-tips-to-help-jobseekers-beat-age-bias-2012-11-21

5 Things Not to Do During Your Job Search

http://www.glassdoor.com/blog/alienate-job-search/

9 Real Reasons Overqualified Job Seekers Are Rejected

https://jobmob.co.il/blog/reasons-overqualified-job-seekers-are-rejected/

Exploratory Interviews: How to Land Them and Make Them Work For You

http://chameleonresumes.com/2015/04/24/exploratory-interviews-land-and-make-them-work-for-you/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChameleonResumes+%28Chameleon+Resumes+|+Reinvent+Yourself!%29

Common Salary Negotiation Pitfalls

http://www.masterworkresumes.com/2015/04/20/common-salary-negotiation-pitfalls/

10 Simple Tips to Give You an Edge When Looking for a Job

https://www.myjobmatcher.com/news-and-advice/10-simple-tips-to-give-you-an-edge-when-looking-for-a-job/

Resume

The Resume – But Not As We Know It

http://careerenlightenment.com/the-resume-but-not-as-we-know-it

5 Things to Find Out Before Writing Your Resume

http://robinresumes.com/2015/05/five-things-to-find-out-before-writing-your-resume/

What is Your Email Provider Saying About You?

https://resumewriternatalie.wordpress.com/2015/04/30/what-is-your-email-provider-saying-about-you/

5 Phrases You Never Want to Use in a Resume

http://aneliteresume.com/resume-writing/5-phrases-you-never-want-to-use-in-a-resume/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ResumeWritingServices+%28Elite+Resumes%29

Make Your Resume Shine with the Top Skills of 2015

https://resumewriternatalie.wordpress.com/2015/03/31/make-your-resume-shine-with-the-top-skills-of-2015/

How to Write a Resume

http://careerenlightenment.com/how-to-write-a-resume?

Networking

 12 Types of Job-Search Networkers; the good and the bad

http://thingscareerrelated.com/2015/05/21/the-12-types-of-job-search-networkers-the-good-and-the-bad/
 

Veterans Need a Good Elevator Pitch, Too

http://money.usnews.com/money/blogs/outside-voices-careers/2015/05/20/veterans-need-a-good-elevator-pitch-too?src=usn_tw
 

This Might Be the Best Way to Network, Ever

https://www.themuse.com/advice/this-might-be-the-best-way-to-network-ever

 

LinkedIn and Social Media

How to Ring Your Bell on LinkedIn

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/how-ring-your-bell-linkedin-joshua-waldman?midToken=AQE6QYrASX5vNA&trk=eml-b2_content_ecosystem_digest-network_publishes-277-null&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=3LKr2Sr5g6TCE1

Double LinkedIn Recommendations With Style

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/double-linkedin-recommendations-style-joshua-waldman?midToken=AQE6QYrASX5vNA&trk=eml-b2_content_ecosystem_digest-network_publishes-277-null&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=31FNvD2mRH1mI1

Interviewing

Sorry Recruiters! You’re Not Getting My Salary History

https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/sorry-recruiters-youre-getting-my-salary-history-liz-ryan?midToken=AQE6QYrASX5vNA&trk=eml-b2_content_ecosystem_digest-recommended_articles-382-null&fromEmail=fromEmail&ut=2Re2WQ33BU1mI1

How to Ace the Video Interview

http://carolinedowdhiggins.com/how-to-ace-the-video-job-interview/

Interview Insights – Interview Question: What other companies are your interviewing with?

http://melissallarena.com/news/interview-insights-interview-question-what-other-companies-are-you-interviewing-with/

How to Know if You Didn’t Get the Job – 7 Signs Your Interview Didn’t Go Well

http://www.brazencareerist.com/blog/2015/05/25/how-to-know-if-you-got-the-job-7-signs-your-interview-didnt-go-well/

Career Management/Professional Development/Continuing Education

Put Yourself First (Even If You Think You Can’t)

http://www.careerfolk.com/2015/06/09/put-yourself-first-even-if-you-think-you-cant/?utm_source=rss&utm_medium=rss&utm_campaign=put-yourself-first-even-if-you-think-you-cant
 

4 Ways to Build Success from Scratch

http://www.careerealism.com/build-success-from-scratch/  

Frustrated in Your Role at Work? Understanding Your Personality Type Can Help

http://www.cppblogcentral.com/education-blog/frustrated-in-your-role-at-work-understanding-your-personality-type-can-help/

 

Entrepreneur

The Best Freelance Websites: 50+ to Bookmark Right Now

http://www.brazencareerist.com/blog/2015/05/11/the-best-freelance-websites-50-to-bookmark-right-now/?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Brazen+Newsletter+May+14+2015&utm_content=Brazen+Newsletter+May+14+2015+Version+A+CID_811569e2c9162cc9d395c157fbf6bfe1&utm_source=email%20campaign%20monitor&utm_term=Read%20more

Entrepreneur-Thinking is the New Job Security

http://www.jibberjobber.com/blog/2015/05/01/entrepreneur-thinking-is-the-new-job-security/

Have you heard about LinkedIn's Alumni Tool?

The LinkedIn Alumni Tool is a hidden gem on the world’s No.1 professional social networking site.  Currently, over 81,000 UK students and alumni have a LinkedIn profile, and this number is rapidly growing. Whether you’re job searching, looking to expand your network, relocating or exploring career paths, I suspect you will find the LinkedIn Alumni Tool to be an invaluable resource.  Through this website, you can research UK (or any institution for that matter) alumni who are on LinkedIn, personalizing your search based on preferred geographic location, industry, company, college major and skill set. 

If you’ve never visited this site before, www.linkedin.com/alumni, take a few minutes to check it out. If you don’t yet have a LinkedIn account, consider creating one so that you can reap the benefits of this feature.

When you initially access the site, be sure to expand the “Attended” dates to broaden your search. Personally, I have my dates set as broad as allowed to ensure that all of my fellow Wildcats on LinkedIn are captured in my search. (Note: You can also change schools if you have additional alma maters or want to research professionals who graduated from a grad program or institution you are considering to attend.)

Let’s say you are planning to relocate to Chicago, you are in the marketing field and you are in the process of researching viable companies in the Chicago area.  You will want to select “Greater Chicago Area” from the “Where they live” column. Then select “Marketing” from the “What they do” column.  Just by two clicks of your mouse, you will see that there are 105 UK alumni on LinkedIn who live in the Chicago area and are in the marketing industry. If you look under the “Where they work column" you can view a list of companies where these alumni work. Better yet, their LinkedIn profiles are generated for you and voilà! Not only will you gain insight on possible companies to consider, but you also have a list of Wildcats to network with!

Your UK alumni network is an exceptionally valuable resource of professionals. The LinkedIn Alumni Tool helps you learn ways to strategically tap into that network and connect with Wildcats across the globe. 

- Posted by Kelly Allgeier

February 'Best Picks' Career Articles

Job Club facilitators read dozens of career blogs and publications each week.  Attached is a compilation of  their 'best picks' for the month of February.

Job Search Strategies

3 Reasons Employers Give Good References for Fired Employees

http://www.avidcareerist.com/2014/01/16/references-fired/

6 Habits of Remarkably Likeable People

http://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/6-habits-of-remarkably-likeable-people.html

One Small Communication Change That Could Help You Land The Job

http://www.thedailymuse.com/job-search/one-small-communication-change-that-could-help-you-land-the-job/

Surprise! You Shouldn’t Answer the Phone When Recruiters Call

http://jobmob.co.il/blog/dont-answer-when-recruiters-call/#axzz2rySmRtkE

15 Things You Should Know About Job Searching

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/best-tips/fl/15-things-you-should-know-about-job-searching.htm

Companies Hiring Unemployed Workers 
http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchtips/fl/companies-hiring-unemployed-workers.htm

Job Search Dos and Don’ts

http://jobsearch.about.com/b/2014/02/02/job-search-dos-and-donts.htm

Laid Off at 60: What to do Next 
http://www.nextavenue.org/article/2012-05/laid-60-what-do-next

Resume

6 Overused Resume Statements to Nix

http://money.usnews.com/money/careers/slideshows/6-overused-resume-statements-to-nix

This Resume Tip is Almost Too Easy 
http://ezinearticles.com/?This-Resume-Tip-Is-Almost-Too-Easy&id=8291653

Networking

6 Habits of Great Connectors

http://www.inc.com/ilan-mochari/6-habits-connectors.html
 

7 Steps to Delivering a Powerful Elevator Pitch

http://www.businessinsider.com/7-steps-to-delivering-a-powerful-elevator-pitch-2014-1

LinkedIn and Social Media

How Recruiters Fine Top Talent on LinkedIn

http://www.vault.com/blog/networking/how-recruiters-find-top-talent-on-linkedin?utm_source=WCU_Letter&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=1_23_2014&referer_ID=7778&utm_source=WCN012314&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=86264
 

10 Steps Toward a Successful LinkedIn Plan (Part 2)

http://thingscareerrelated.com/2014/01/14/10-steps-toward-a-successful-linkedin-plan-part-2/

LinkedIn Activity Feed: Optimizing Your Exposure to Stay Top of Mind

http://chameleonresumes.com/2014/01/14/linkedin-activity-feed/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ChameleonResumes+%28Chameleon+Resumes+|+Reinvent+Yourself!%29

Random Social Media Thoughts for #Jobseekers

http://recruitinginferno.com/2013/05/07/random-social-media-thoughts-for-jobseekers/

Interviewing/Salary Negotiation

Why Would I Hire You?

http://www.linkedin.com/today/post/article/20140123120812-32175171-why-would-i-hire-you?trk=tod-posts-post7-ptlt
 

How to Negotiate a Job Offer

http://www.forbes.com/sites/lizryan/2014/01/27/how-to-negotiate-a-job-offer/

9 Stept to Countering a Lousy Loball Job Offer

http://www.avidcareerist.com/2010/06/06/9-steps-lowball-job-offer/

Career Management/Professional Development/Continuing Education

10 Things to Think About Before Going Back to College

http://www.cbsnews.com/news/10-things-to-think-about-before-going-back-to-college-again/
 

Resignation Letter Samples

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/resignationletters/a/resignationlet.htm

Social Media Refresher

What should our online profiles look like?

Your online profile(s) should look like a positive and professional representation of who you are.

If you have multiple social media footprints (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, etc.), you want to be sure that they all tell the same story. Be consistent in your profiles to make it easy for your audience to quickly recognize your brand. 

According to Jobvite’s 2013 Social Recruiting Survey, 94 percent of recruiters use or plan to use social media in their recruitment efforts. Don’t put anything on social media that you wouldn’t want your boss, colleagues, clients and customers to see. LinkedIn is the No. 1 professional social networking site in the world. 

Think of your online profiles as a free self-marketing campaign. They are a representation of you and, in turn, a representation of how you would represent your company/employer.

What are some social media Do's and Don'ts?

Do keep it clean and professional.                   
Do showcase your good communication skills.       
Do clearly communicate your professional brand.       
Do regularly check your privacy settings.            
Do know the appropriate social media etiquette.  

Don’t neglect your account or let it misrepresent you.           

Don’t use social media as a platform for "venting." 
Don’t ignore the significance of your virtual identity.
Don’t give your employer a reason to fire you. 
                                                                                                                          

What are our professional networks saying about us online? 

This depends on how seriously we take our professional networks. It is important to know that employers and recruiters are using social media to research job candidates. Typically, people only include items on a resume that they want the employer to know about. By typing your name in a search engine, employers have an opportunity to learn even more about you…positive or negative. Be conscious to create a personal brand tailored toward your target industry.

What should we be mindful of when we use our social media accounts?

Be mindful of your potential audience. Google yourself and see what you find. “Recruiters are placing increasing importance on candidate social profiles and 42 percent have reconsidered a candidate based on content viewed in a social profile, leading to both positive and negative reassessments.” - Jobvite’s 2013 Social Recruiting Survey. 

Use social media to your advantage!

LinkedIn Profile Checklist

A complete LinkedIn profile is more likely to get noticed by other professionals. You want to make sure that all of the sections on your LinkedIn profile are filled in and accurately describe your professional capabilities. According to Jobvite's 2012 Social Recruiting Survey, LinkedIn remains the dominant recruiting network, used by 93% of respondents. The majority of employers and recruiters undoubtedly have a presence on LinkedIn. When they view your profile, what will they learn about you? - See more at: http://recruiting.jobvite.com/company/press-releases/2012/jobvite-social-recruiting-survey-2012/#sthash.f460zCqQ.dpuf

LinkedIn Profile Checklist

  □    Photo

  Upload a professional photo. People like to hire people. Put a face to your name.

  □    Headline

  Include a professional tagline or subtitle that will be associated with your name. Use industry

  keywords and branding statements. What is your target profession or industry?

  □    Connections

  Build your professional networking database. More connections lead to more profile views and

  more ways to get your “foot in the door.”

  □    Websites, Twitter, Web Address

  Include on-brand personal/company websites and blogs. If you tweet relevant items, add your

  handle. Customize your public profile address on your LinkedIn profile and add it to your resume.

  □    Summary

  Similar to a professional profile on a resume, highlight your value. What are your main

  achievements? Plug in industry keywords and phrases.

  □    Skills & Expertise

  Add industry-specific skills and competencies. Note areas of expertise, program/system

  competencies (for example, C++.) Be conscious of hot industry skill sets and what recruiters and

  employers are seeking in job candidates. 

  □    Experience

  Mirror your resume. Include employer, title, dates, skills/accomplishments. (Do not simply list job

  duties.) Use quantifiable information whenever possible (#,$,%). Utilize bullet points, as paragraphs

  often get overlooked. Clearly and concisely demonstrate your capabilities and value. Include

  internships, volunteer, and part-time work if they are on-brand. Any experience is good experience,

  paid or not.

  □    Education

  Include institution, degree, date (if less than 10 years ago) and activities/honors/societies if relevant.

  □    Groups & Associations

  Join groups related to your industry, company, school, and career-related interests. Group

  membership allows you to easily contact fellow group members, and engage in on-bran

  discussions. Include professional associations. Network and keep up-to-date with industry

  news/happenings. (Join the “Official University of Kentucky Alumni” LinkedIn Group.)

  □    Recommendations & Skill Endorsements

  Allow others to get an idea of your work ethic and capabilities based on fellow professionals, co-

  workers, and classmates point of view. 

Be ACTIVE on your LinkedIn account. Do your detective work and market yourself professionally. A new “Job Search Checklist” was recently released by LinkedIn. For additional tips on how to maximize your LinkedIn profile, click here.

Members of the UK Alumni Association are eligible for a free LinkedIn profile critique. Please email your LinkedIn URL to alumni career counselor, Kelly Allgeier (kelly.allgeier@uky.edu), if you would like your profile critiqued.

If you are not a member of the UK Alumni Association and would like to join, visit www.ukalumni.net/membership to learn more about association membership.