The importance of blogging for creative college graduates

Young man pointing to computer screen with the word Blog. Photo courtesy of Shutterstock.

With mounting pressure on the graduate job market even the most ambitious college leavers are struggling to find work let alone their dream job. In April 2012 it was reported that as many as 53% of recent graduates were unemployed in the U.S and other research also revealed that one in two American college leavers are jobless or underemployed. And whilst those with a degree in science, education and the health fields are still in demand, those who have chosen to study the more creative subjects of arts and humanities are floundering. The stark reality is that those wishing to enter the more creative fields of media and fashion require an array of work experience and often additional qualifications. Continue Reading

Executives: Brand Yourself With Your Own Field-Specific Blog

Jessica Holbrook Hernandez of Great Resumes Fast

It’s not easy for an executive job seeker to compete against dozens of candidates vying for the same positions. Finding ways to stand out requires an unbelievable amount of ingenuity. One ingenious step executives have taken in recent years is getting onboard with the Internet, specifically blogging. It works well as a branding tool by showcasing expertise in a chosen field. But how can an everyday executive start the process of building a field-specific blog? Continue Reading

Interview With A Blogger

I work as a full-time blogger for a human services social networking company. I have been with this company for three years.

It is my job to post informative articles regarding abuse, neglect, misappropriation and struggles in today’s society. I blog about what abuse is in the largest and simplest form and when one should seek help as well as where to find help. A common misunderstanding in blogging is that all blogs are opinionated and do not hold many facts. Continue Reading

Boring Blogger? Discover Your Niche

These days, blogging is as much an art as it is a science. Not only do you have to provide quality content, but you must also build an engaged readership that will come back for more.

How, then, are you supposed to go from boring to engaging if you’re just starting out? Well, how about discovering your niche? Though it seems simple, discovering what you’re going to blog about is a lot more than just posting what you like. Here’s how you can get started: Continue Reading

4 Steps to Creating a Standout Resume

Your objective as a job seeker should always be to create a resume that stands out from the pack in a way that encourages a hiring manager to call you for an interview. There are a lot of great candidates out there that can make standing out a bit of a challenge, but since you bring so many skills to the table yourself, you simply need to create a resume that proves you’re interview-worthy. Continue Reading

New Millennium Job Seeking Formats

Though we are well into the new millennium, we are still being surprised by innovative technologies that surface almost everyday. And many of them transfer very effectively into the work world, affording us opportunities to restructure the way we conduct job searches.
This means it is a good idea to learn some of the new ways to seek jobs. That way, you can keep up with, and even surpass your competition.
Web Portfolios and Video Resumes
Web portfolios are becoming popular vehicles for obtaining employment because they offer easy-to-read, attractive, electronic versions of your resume. They are especially useful for candidates working in web design, writing or artwork; however, anyone can take advantage of them. Typically, they showcase screenshots of designs, links to a working page, and a description of the work being displayed. There are websites dedicated to helping individuals create them in order to post the work and send links to employers.
Video resumes, while not as popular or highly-accepted by recruiters, are another way for job candidates to spice up what was once simply a dull piece of paper. Posted on sites like YouTube, candidates use these resumes to verbally list their skills, talents and capabilities. After creating the video, they send the link to potential employers. However, before you decide to take this route however, conduct research to make sure this type of resume is acceptable in your field.

Job Blogging and Social Networking
Along with creating video resumes and web portfolios come two more vehicles of online job seeking: job blogging and social networking. You are probably familiar with the concept of social networking by now if you have a Myspace of Facebook page. On both websites you can either communicate with your friends or set up a page that lends itself to your professional side. But social networks now do even more. They also allow you to get on message boards where recruiters often frequent, and network with other individuals in your field.
Since some recruiters take the extra steps to locate candidates via the Internet, it’s not a bad idea to also set up your own blog that tracks your job search and markets your skills. Just ensure that if you’re trying to have a professional online presence, you either don’t create or make “private” any profiles listed under your full name that may be inappropriate for business. For more information on how to blog responsibly, you can visit EFF.com
The Behavioral Interview
While not technology-based, the behavioral interview is becoming a popular format employers are using to gather more information about job candidates. The interview is handled in person like the traditional interview; however differences lie in the types of questions being asked. For instance, instead of being asked “What are your strengths and weaknesses as an employee?” you might be asked “What is a specific example of an occasion where you were called upon to solve a problem? And how did you solve it?” The latter questions explore exact behaviors in specific situations, and give more insight into your day-to-day abilities.
Staying on top of what’s going on in the world of job seeking is very important. So try to find out more. You’ll be surprised by the exposure and access to opportunities you’ll acquire.
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 need a resume writer, compare the top ones in the industry at http://www.resumelines.com.