Yesterday, Dan Schawbel released the free sample pre-edition of his magazine, Personal Branding Magazine. The full issue, which is a paid subscription, is scheduled for publication on May 1.

You can get the free sample or sign up for the paid edition of the magazine by visiting his website www.PersonalBrandingMag.com. We are happy to be of sponsor of Dan’s and highly recommend that our readers take an opportunity to at least check out the sample.

Dan is a subject matter expert on personal branding and writes an engaging blog [called Personal Branding Blog, what else ] and is the first ever Social Media Specialist at EMC Corporation. This latest issue brings together 25 articles from leaders in the recruiting world. Get the sample here.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: Interview like a Rock Star
Author Byline: Phil Rosenebrg, President reCareered
Author Website: http://linkedIN.com/in/philrosenberg

Nope, this isn’t an April Fool’s joke.

You just had a Rock Star interview….you walked out of the office and knew the job was yours for the taking. The company is dying for you, and even you choose that this job isn’t the right move for you – at least the ego boost feels great.

There are two secrets to a Rock Star interview: Preparation and Execution.

Preparation:
Research - Rock Star preparation starts before you even write your resume. Research the company and industry, using SEC reports (if public), Company Website, press releases & Articles, Hoovers, Yahoo Finance, Google searches, social network contacts, and blogs. Find out everything you can about industry trends, how the company is reacting to them, or planning for them. Find out the company’s goals and challenges.

Peel - After you’ve done your research, start to peel the onion a little. Ask yourself what challenges the company is likely to face along the way. How will the company’s changes also change the area you are interviewing for. What problems are likely to arise that your Subject Matter Expertise can uniquely solve.

Solve Problems - Now you’re set to write a Rock Star resume – one that presents a solution to problems your target company faces. Throw out the old biographical resume. Instead, craft a resume that anticipates your target company’s problems, and demonstrates what you’ve already done to solve the exact or similar problems in your past experience.

Bait - To make a truly Rock Star resume, you’ll want to list a few points that cause the reader to ask more questions….questions that you’re dying to answer. Bait your resume with a few partial statements, and leave your audience curious to learn more, helping you to control the interview by what you’ve left out of your resume.

Prepare questions - Lots of them. Forget the questions about work environment career advancement and benefits – you’ll have plenty of time to ask these later. Ask questions to draw out problems and implications – of problems you can uniquely solve. Ask questions you already know the answer to, to see how the prospective employer answers, and how impressed they are that you had the insight to ask.

Anticipate - What questions will the interviewer ask you? Practice answering questions in a positive manner, while still telling the truth.

Execution:
For management/professional roles - Go in with the attitude that you are interviewing the company…not the other way around.

Dress the part – see my earlier post What to Wear? Acing the Interview – Part 1

Open - Stand tall, maintain eye contact, smile, and use a firm handshake – just like Dad taught you.

Initial impressions count - Remember that people form an initial impression of you in the first 30 seconds. That’s before the interview even begins. Start it out with a little small talk or a quick joke – getting your audience to laugh goes a long way to pass the “likability test”.

Control the interview - For more on controlling the interview see my post on How to Take Control of the Interview.

Eye contact - Maintain eye contact while talking, but don’t stare the interviewer down, either.

Questions - You control the interview and demonstrate both Subject Matter Expertise and leadership by asking questions. For more on questions to ask, see my earlier post Do you have any Questions?. Ask the same questions to different people in your interviews and see if they answer differently.

Turn negatives to positives - Why say you left because your boss was an insufferable jerk, when you can say that you didn’t agree with management’s direction? Wouldn’t you look wiser by anticipating the poor strategy of your company, than looking like you were a difficult employee for your boss? Don’t lie in your interview – it’s not necessary, and there’s a high likelihood you’ll get caught.

Close – Closing techniques will take a number of future posts to cover. In general, close by gaining some sort of feedback, and time/action commitment to next steps. If your interviewer is asking you what other companies you are interviewing with, you’re a finalist (not applicable for recruiters – headhunters ask this question to everyone). If your interviewer is asking you when you’ll be making your decision…you’re the Rock Star.

Re-Close - Send a Thank You note. For Thank You note strategies, see my earlier post Thank You! Make an Impact in 5 minutes.

Now that you’ve been through Rock Star School….what are you going to change in your next performance?

If you’d like to discuss how you can turn ordinary interviews into a Rock Star interview, a free 30 minute resume consultation, or some advice about your career transition, just email your resume to reCareered at phil.rainmakers@gmail.com, and we’ll schedule a time to talk.

http://recareered.blogspot.com/2008/04/nope-this-isnt-april-fools-joke.html

Phil Rosenberg
President, reCareered & Rainmakers Global
Email: phil.rainmakers@gmail.com
Web: http://reCareered.com
Blog: http://reCareered.blogspot.com
LinkedIN: http://linkedin.com/in/philrosenberg
Facebook: http://profile.to/philrosenberg/

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Article Title: 5 Job-Search Tips for New Grads
Author Byline: Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of “51 Ways to Find a Job Fast — Guaranteed,” Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php
Author Website: http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php

5 Job-Search Tips for New Grads

It’s almost that time of year again, when newly graduating seniors hit the job market in search of a paycheck.

I don’t know about you, but everything I know about job hunting I learned after college. Like how to network and write an effective resume, for example.

So, to give you graduating seniors a leg up, I interviewed two career experts to uncover 5 ways for new grads to find a job faster. This is the stuff I wish they taught in school …

1) Cast a wide net
“In a declining economy such as we face now, you have to expand your options. If you’ve looked only at large corporations, start looking at small businesses, non-profits, universities, government jobs — a huge area of job growth — and other types of employers,” advises Lindsey Pollak, Author of “Getting from College to Career: 90 Things to Do Before You Join the Real World.”

Often, jobs at smaller and non-profit organizations are harder to find, requiring more networking on your part. However, you’ll face less competition from other job hunters who are not willing to put in the effort.

2) Persist without being a pest
Follow-up is one of the most important elements of any successful job search, especially for new grads lacking traditional experience. “‘No’ may really mean ‘not right now,’” says Pollak. “Getting a job is often about timing, so stay on employers’ radar screens. But instead of saying, ‘Hi, I’m just calling to follow up,’ try to add value in each communication, and only follow up once every two weeks or so.”

One way to add value is to use Google Alerts (Google.com/alerts) to stay current on industry news and trends. The service is free and emails you daily updates of the latest Google results (blogs, news, etc.) based on the topics you choose. Then, presto! You have a valid excuse to email or call employers about the relevant articles you find online.

3) Get experience — any way you can
Employers today expect — and in many cases demand — that you have hands-on work experience when you graduate from college, according to Peter Vogt, author of “Career Wisdom for College Students: Insights You Won’t Get in Class, on the Internet, or from Your Parents.”

“If you don’t have the right experience, you need to get some, be it through a post-graduation internship, working for a temporary staffing agency, or perhaps even volunteering,” says Vogt.

While this may come as a nasty surprise, especially if you’ve spent four years and five or six figures getting a degree, it might be necessary.
Especially if the economy continues to slow down. So you should have a Plan B that includes temping, interning or volunteer work. Some sites to check out are Net-Temps.com, Kellyservices.com, Manpower.com and Volunteermatch.org.

4) Your resume probably stinks — fix it
This unpleasant fact comes from my own experience reading hundreds of resumes from new grads over the years. To be specific, there are two things missing from most entry-level resumes: focus and results.

First, to give your resume focus, include an Objective at the top, with a specific job title. If you can’t focus on one job, tell readers the three skills you want to use (not 5 or 11). You must do the thinking for the reader and make it clear exactly what you want to do.

For free resume-writing help, send your resume to 5 people and ask them if they can figure out what job you want. If they can’t, employers can’t.
Revise as necessary.

Second, to give your resume results, add up all the time or money you saved or made in every position you’ve held since high school — paid or unpaid.
Then, include those totals in your resume and put them up front, where they can’t be missed.

Wrong example: “Duties included, but were not limited to, filing, faxing, answering phones and greeting clients as receptionist.”

Right example: “Saved 24 staff hours per month ($2,880 per year) by devising new filing system while handling receptionist’s duties.”

5) Get used to competition
Many new grads overlook or ignore this obvious fact, according to Vogt.

“As a student, you were graded on your efforts alone. If you scored 90 percent on a test, you got an A — no matter how anyone else did. As a job hunter, employers grade you against your peers. Suddenly, a performance that might otherwise have earned an A might earn you an F — failure to get hired — because another candidate else did just a little better,” says Vogt.

To compete in today’s job market, start with your mindset. Whether you’re writing resumes and cover letters, preparing for interviews, or out there networking, keep reminding yourself that good enough is … not. According to Vogt, “Your #1 job-search thought at all times must be this: How can I
outdo my peers?”

Kevin Donlin is President of Guaranteed Resumes and the creator of GetHiredNow.TV. Since 1996, he has provided job search assistance to nearly 10,000 people. Author of “51 Ways to Find a Job Fast — Guaranteed,” Kevin has been interviewed by USA Today, The Wall Street Journal, CBS Radio and others. His latest product, The Instant Job Search System, is available at http://www.collegerecruiter.com/guaranteed-resumes.php
copyright (c) 2008 by Kevin Donlin

Article courtesy of the Recruiting Blogswap, a content exchange service sponsored by CollegeRecruiter.com, a leading site for college students looking for internships and recent graduates searching for entry level jobs and other career opportunities.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Thomas Pretty writes a very informative article about migration to New Zealand and how candidates can put their best foot forward.  In his article he mentions the difficulty that differing time zones can introduce into the interview process.  New Zealand happens to be 17 hours ahead of us (we are in Atlanta on Eastern Time) and is over 8100 miles away.  Those are two big obstacles to overcome if you are trying to migrate there and need to secure employment.

Not to worry though.  Thomas suggests (and we do as well) that you try setting up a video interview.  Since he only talked about how video interviews could help with the distance problem, we surmise that he wasn’t familiar with the time-shifted video interviews that Interview on Demand offers.  Our video job interviews can help employers and candidates bridge the ‘distance gap’ and make the interview possible without having to travel anywhere near 8000 miles.  Simply plug in your webcam, and take answer interview questions that the employer has stored on our system.   Now, using our video career profile for jobseekers, you could even send a mini-interview to an employer who doesn’t even know about video interviewing.

Even if you aren’t trying to migrate to New Zealand, video job interviews and video career profiles by Interview on Demand can help you close the gaps of time and distance when you are trying to find new employment.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

I hope you all read our recent post Interview On Demand is TiVo for hiring.  (We love TiVo.)  In an interesting coincidence, I ran across some news recently:  As cool as TiVo is, it has trouble attracting, identifying and hiring top candidates.  I can’t believe it, but OK.  In an effort to improve their stats, TiVo has signed up to be a tester for the beta version of LinkedIn Recruiter–in a nutshell, this setup has upgraded search features, allows recruiters to group candidates in folders and tag them with comments and offers teams the ability to collectively keep track of candidates to avoid repeating contacts (and annoying the daylights out of passive candidates).  Every little bit helps, right?  The whole concept’s getting some nice attention…(see what TechCrunch and Cheezhead have to say.)

Of course, at Interview On Demand we know the value of keeping track of candidates online and allowing teams to work together in the interest of acquiring the best talent.  We’d also like to put our two cents in: going after passive candidates becomes a little easier and more acceptable to them if their first interview can be done online at their convenience and at their own location.  It’s much less intrusive to them, and having a first interview recorded for teams at the hiring company to see makes multiple contacts much less necessary until there’s something serious going on.  Hiring top candidates can be a tricky business, but Interview On Demand is here to help!

Are you listening, TiVo?

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Today, jobseekers have a new tool to differentiate themselves from the masses. Interview on Demand, LLC. introduces the Video Career Profile! This is a web page that showcases the jobseeker in a way that will generate interviews and ultimately - “The Job Offer”. And isn’t that what all jobseekers want?

The Video Career Profile will show a video clip of the jobseeker in an interview situation, the resume and a short “why you should hire me” summary. Here is a sample Video Career Profile.

Click the player below to listen to Peggy McKee talk about this product and what it means to the jobseeker!

Then check out our website at www.interview-on-demand.com to complete your Video Career Profile!

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

Many thanks to Miriam Salpeter for her guest blog….

Would you set your own broken bone?  Wire your own home for electricity?  Do you cut your own hair?  Most would say “no.”  If it is important (involving our health, safety or appearance), we hire an expert.

The same standard should apply when job seeking. Your career is one of your most crucial financial investments. Whether you are actively engaged in a search, underemployed or unhappily employed, it makes sense to consult an expert as you embark on your search for a new job.

Most people don’t welcome the idea of a job hunt.  It is hard work and may seem scary.  Wouldn’t it be nice to have an experienced ally who will help you every step of the way?  Keppie Careers’ mission is to advise, encourage and enlighten job seekers and provide a toolbox of practical tips and support. When we work together, you will overcome obstacles keeping you from making positive changes in your life. We offer confidence, clarity and know-how!

Career coaches add value on a number of fronts. Keppie Careers can help you with any of the following:

Goals assessment.   Are you at a transitional point in your career?  You aren’t sure what your next step should be?  A coach will help you identify what you want next and get you on the right path to achieving your goals.

Critique and rewrite your resume and letters.  Do you really want to face the job market with documents that are not optimized?  Often, job seekers don’t view their resumes objectively.  Misplaced modesty prevents them from incorporating their very best accomplishments.  Ignorance of a resume’s purpose (it’s a sales document, not a laundry list of things you did) precludes them from producing a top-notch result. 

Many job seekers don’t stop to consider how much money a less-than-optimal resume costs them.  If you are unemployed, how much money do you lose for every day that you are out of work?  If your resume isn’t top-notch, you may not appear qualified for the salary that you seek or deserve.  A professionally written resume will help shorten your job search and may qualify you for a higher salary.  Your return on investment in yourself can pay off substantially!

Learn how to sell yourself.  You must identify and be able to effectively describe your skills and accomplishments.  Specialized coaches not only write your resume, but help you recognize your marketable skills.  Once you know what you have to offer, your ability to sell yourself via networking and in interviews increases exponentially!

General job search skills.  Do you know how to look for a job?  How savvy is your networking plan?  Do you know where hiring managers are sourcing candidates?  Do you know how to avoid common pitfalls?  Keppie Careers does!

Interview preparation. Tell us about yourself?  What’s your weakness?  What do you have to offer?  Why should we hire you?  Do you know the answers to these and other important interview questions?  More importantly, do you know how to structure and deliver your answers to ensure optimal results?  If not, you may be wasting your time.  We all know that “time is money.”

Negotiating.  Entering an interview or negotiation unprepared will cost you.  A coach can help you prepare so you don’t lose money.

Career market knowledge.  We spend our time keeping up with the market.  We learn about new technology and approaches and stay plugged in because you don’t have the time, expertise or desire to do it.  Helping people along their career path is our passion. 

Do you want to achieve your career goals and save money?  Hire an ally for your job hunt.  An ally tells it like it is and helps you get where you need to be.  Are you committed to discovering what you have to offer an employer? If you are motivated to make a change, Keppie Careers is here for you!

Visit us online for free advice and information about our services:
 www.keppiecareers.com.  Our blog is updated almost daily: www.keppiecareers.wordpress.com.  Feel free to email us:  results@keppiecareers.com.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

While I was wandering around the web looking for material that would benefit our readers, I came across a few articles discussing virtual interviews through something called Second Life.  Assuming it would be something very similar to video interviewing, I started through this stuff and discovered that Second Life is a 3-D virtual world where you can create an avatar (a virtual self) and have a “second life.”  So then, this virtual self can participate in a real-life job interview.  There are articles on tips for how to conduct yourself during a virtual interview and some comments on how this is a huge technological leap for businesses. 

My question is this:  Are you telling me that a serious, grown-up business is going to conduct interviews and hire its people through a video game????  You can’t be serious. 

The best argument I’ve seen so far for virtual interviews is that they enable employers to reach more potential employees and save on travel costs that typically come with regular interviews.  That’s an argument that also applies to the much better option of video interviews.  Using Interview On Demand, employers can see the actual candidate answer questions instead of a virtual being that could conceal a candidate’s true qualities.  And if you’re a great candidate, why wouldn’t you want to put your best self forward in the first place?

There’s one article on virtual interviews called “No Need to Show Up for this Job Interview.”  No kidding.  I think that about says it all.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

We’ve spent a lot of time here pointing out all the money-saving and time-saving conveniences of online job interviews.  Now, I’d like to call your attention to a great article on the environmental impact of video interviews.  Direct quote:  “Virtual interviews require electricity and aren’t zero-impact but they do help cut down air, transit and car travel which means less emissions and a smaller carbon footprint all around.” 

Given our country’s growing concern for the environment, it’s (if nothing else) good PR for companies to use eco-friendly practices in every aspect of their businesses. 

Go green!  Use Interview On Demand and Save Our Planet!

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.

A customer hires quite a lot of employees every month (~ 20 per month). The in-house recruiter sorts through the resumes —-narrows down to 100 candidates that seem relevant to the positions. Then calls all 100 candidates on the phone. Not all answer the call or even return the call. But he spends approximately 50 hours per month talking with candidates on the phone (screening down to a final number that he sees in person). Because he hires for a facility, he is setting up a interview room off of the front entrance.

Now instead of calling those 100 candidates (and spending an average of 30 minutes on the phone with those that he actually engages), he is going to invite them to take a video job interview at his site. All he needs is a computer, with a webcam and high speed internet. Done! So now instead of spending time on the phone he can actually “see and hear” his candidates answer his interview questions! This means that the candidates that he is able to screen down to invite for an actual face to face are even more qualified than before and he saved countless hours talking with candidates that weren’t qualified. Oh - and because they have to come to the facility to take the video interview, they are much more interested in his position (or they would not have made the trip,)

He can, also, have an intro video that brands his company and the position for them to view! Key attributes of the Video Job Interview that will really provide value to his organization:

1. Completely standardized questions.
2. He can share the interviews with the hiring managers - they can help decide what candidates make the cut. This means that the hiring manager has greater buy in on the final candidates (and we all know that this is important).
3. The time and energy that he saves can be utilized to find new ways to recruit….(maybe he can start recruiting in another geography (using the Video Job Interview). He can see candidates that are interested in his position (will relocate themselves to his city) using TiVo for hiring!
4. Like he said, now he can pursue on-campus recruiting without being on campus!

If you are interested is finding out how Interview on Demand can help you save time, money, and make better quality hires, please give me a call at (800) 881-4557.

-Author Peggy McKee, VP Sales & Marketing at Interview on Demand, LLC. Interview on Demand is a leading provider of video job interviews and career video products that serve recruiters, employers, and jobseekers in the hiring process.

INTERVIEW on DEMAND - removing the barriers between TOP CANDIDATES and the COMPANIES that seek them.
Hiring managers - make faster, better hires while reducing costs.
Recruiters - make more placements with more companies, faster.