First Friend's Advice

FROM: Kirsten Navin

Ok. here is some of what I've been doing.

My first recommendation is take advantage of anything free. For example my church hosted a job search workshop for it's members (more on this in a minute) but libraries and other public venues are all doing something, look in your local paper.

The workshop I attended I did so a little skeptically, I'm coming from a specialized field so what could they really offer me. I was hoping to get a tip or two. Happily I couldn't be more wrong. It was an all day event, most of the people were wall-streeters, cpas even a lawyer, however there was another woman in publishing so I at least made a connection. Making connections was the main theme of the seminar, and how to be prepared to sell yourself. The people who were running the session had all lost jobs before and all three are in some form of recruitment now, hearing their antidotes eased some anxiety. They did a resume critique and I offered mine. I thought I had a pretty good resume going in but now I'm very confident that it reflects who I am and where I want to go. One of the main points they made was that they felt I was underselling myself. And to focus on the unique things that I did to shine at my job rather than just list my responsibilities. The recruiters even offered to look over our resumes again after we re-worked them from the critique. I was most impressed with how much of their personal time they gave to help the group.

Here are a few tips:
1. Take advantage of free seminars and workshops - check your library!
2. Keep your connections updated, use professional based web-sites like LinkedIn.
3. Join or attend local networking groups
4. Have your resume in both PDF and Word formats.
5. use bullet points in your resume
6. Try to personalize cover letter.
7. Have an on-line portfolio. can be your own site or join one of the many groups like coroflot.
8. Don't use the oversize portfolio case with the big zipper - too 80's it's like showing up with big poofey hair and MC hammer pants. (which I did by the way - not the poofy hair but the oversize book)
9. Have business cards, or what some people are now using resume cards - name, contact info and a few lines on their experience, special skills or what they are looking to do.
10. Recruiters do have real jobs, but recruiters find people who are easy to find see #4. Recruiters are looking for ways to quickly screen people out so check spelling etc.
11. Get some web skills, Almost every job wants at least a little familiarity with web design.
12. Ask friends for advise or feedback. (I got great suggestions for my site and believe it's so much better with those few tweaks)
13. Be flexible and try to develop a thick skin.
14. Remember looking for a job is a job in its self.

That's where I am, still trying to accomplish many of these.
-k