66% of Job Seekers Lose Interest Due to Poor On-line Reputations of Employers

Everyone understands the importance of a positive on-line reputation when looking for a job. Recruiters and human resource professionals frequently review publicly available information on social media sites like Facebook and Twitter when evaluating job applicants. However, hiring managers might be surprised to find out job seekers are checking out the on-line reputations of the employers even before applying or interviewing for a job and that a large majority of those job seekers report losing interest in a potential employment opportunity because of the employer’s poor on-line reputation. Continue Reading

The ‘Cat’s Out of the Bag’… Top Three Interview Secrets

Written By Jimmy Sweeney
President of CareerJimmy and Author of the new, Job Interview “Secret”

• Be prepared.
• Be yourself.
• Be attentive.

What’s so ‘secret’ about these precepts that surely everyone knows? The secret is that few people live by them when it comes to landing a job interview. Many job hunters follow these instead:

• Protect your emotions.
• Protect your privacy.
• Protect your rights.

In other words, their focus is all about them, rather than on what could occur if they were warm, friendly, and honest about who they are and what they can bring to the job.

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Making the Most of Your References

When searching for employment, you will find that most employers will at some point ask you to provide a list of your references. This may seem like a simple request to fulfill, but in actuality, choosing references is something that should be done with care. So before you throw your own list out there to employers, let’s take a look at some ideas to keep in mind.
Why Provide References
Employers usually ask for references during the course of an application process for two reasons: 1) they want to verify previous employment, and 2) they want to know what they’re getting themselves into. Most likely, they have determined that you’re a great candidate based on your resume, cover letter and interview, but it always helps to have some additional sources step in to confirm your qualifications.
So when should you disclose your references? This can vary depending on who you’re applying for. Some may request a list of references in the job posting while others may have you list three or four while filling out their application. A good rule of thumb, however, is to hold on to your list until you’re asked for it. Just be sure to choose wisely the references you disclose, because while some employers may simply want to verify your employment, others may go further to ask specifics about the type of employee you were.

Choosing Your References
One of the most important ideas to remember when choosing your references is making sure they will say good things about you. If you’re not sure what they might say, then you can have a friend call on your behalf and get a reference, asking simple, professional questions just to gauge the responses he or she might give.
Typically, the best people from which to request references include past or present supervisors, co-workers, professors, customers, vendors, and even coaches and friends. However, when the references are more of a personal nature and they were not specifically requested, you may want to list them after the most highly-regarded professional references. This is because, for the most part, the employee is more interested in your work ethic than your personal behaviors. And with additional resources available like social networking sites, many can do more “realistic” research without needing to gauge your characteristics from a personal friend.
Asking for Permission
One of the biggest rules of thumb when selecting references is to make sure that you ask their permission before submitting their names to employers. Failing to complete this task can offer unfavorable results all the way around. Think about it, if you don’t tell your references you’ve offered their names, when the employer calls they may be thrown completely off-guard, having to come up with specific details on the spur of the moment. This could result in you not receiving the thorough recommendation you’d hoped for. So to ensure that it goes your way, make sure ask your references if you can use them in this way.
Choosing the right references to offer to prospective employers can mean the difference in you being hired for a position. So choose carefully, making sure each reference is someone you have a good relationship with and who truly has your best interest at heart.
About the Author:
Heather Eagar is a former professional resume writer and is passionate about providing working professionals with current, reliable and effective job search tools and information. If you’re in need of a resume service, compare the top ones in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com.

Selecting the right people to provide references

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com
EAST LANSING, MI — Considering your references may cement or kill a great job opportunity, compiling the right list is critical during a job search. When preparing this list of professional references, put yourself in the shoes of a perspective employer. In these paranoid times, with liability law suits and other legal actions commonplace, companies must protect themselves by hiring upstanding, trouble-free and competent people.
At a minimum, you must select people to provide professional references that will be open to confirming your employment, title and reason for leaving the organization. They also could be asked other questions about you, including your level of responsibility and performance.

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How to create & use an interview ‘brag book’

Reprinted courtesy of TheCareerNews.com
LOS ANGELES, CA — The term brag book is a loose phrase that has evolved over the years. It describes the handouts given to a potential employer, usually done during the first interview. A brag book can be just a few letters stapled together or a formal presentation booklet. Typically, it’s a collection of letters of recommendation (“attaboys”), successful projects, yearly reviews, contests won, awards earned, letters of recommendation, product displays, advertising copy, spreadsheets and the like.

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References

References can have a significant impact on the final hiring decision. Be ready at a moment’s notice to provide potential employers with at least three solid ones.

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Can My Old Employer Tell Potential Employers That I Was Fired?

Recently I have been asked a lot of questions about what employers can and can’t disclose about a former employee’s performance and reasons for leaving the company. So, I decided to find out what the law says as well as what in-house counsel would generally advise an HR department about disclosures. I consulted with my attorney friend Carole Jurkash, a fellow University of Chicago graduate who went on to get her law degree from Yale Law School to find out what the law says about this topic. Carole really knows what she is talking about because she has 17 years of experience advising various corporations on general business matters as an in-house attorney.

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