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Where to Network
Well, since networking opportunities are largely industry or field-specific, the long AND short answer is to google for it. · In addition to keywords, try adding the words, “conference,” “training,” “professionals,” “organization,” or “forum.”
Once you make a few professional connections, note the groups in which they follow, recommend, or actively participate. Each new online community and connection can lead to even more.
For additional information, see the Network, Network, Network series of blog posts:
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Traditional Face-to-Face NetworkingWhether you call it glad-handing, mingling, or traditional professional networking, a “meeting of the minds” used to require at least, phone contact, and usually, a face-to-face meeting. Getting to know your peers and following each other’s work was much more difficult before the internet world evolved. Business cards, copies of papers, and snail mail were, and still are, networking mediums.
Traditional networking opportunities are still very accessible and very effective. Professional conferences, training sessions, and industry-specific meet-and-greets are fantastic opportunities to meet and follow the work of peers. Even if “organized” networking opportunities aren’t available, watch for informal opportunities to meet and discuss work-related topics. Lunch with coworkers, clients, customers, vendors, etc. can open a lot of doors. Even airport conversations can lead to referrals, so keep business cards handy.
For additional information, see the Network, Network, Network series of blog posts:
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Networking for EVERYONE
Whether a person is an extrovert, an introvert, or a determinedly contented curmudgeon, every professional can and should network. Common sense dictates that keeping your eyes and ears open for opportunities is essential while job hunting. Your chances also increase exponentially with even more eyes and ears watching out for you.
Networking is one of those skills that pays off with consistent practice, even if you’re not currently searching for a job.
With enough connections, you never know when someone might happen across a great opportunity, think of you, and pass along the information. Word-of-mouth is STILL the best method of advertising for a multitude of reasons (knowledgeable recommendations, background information, immediacy, trust, etc.)
Know thyself. If you KNOW that you are an extrovert and are great with people, DO pursue face-to-face networking opportunities. There are still plenty of opportunities available. IF you are not comfortable with the traditional face-to-face interaction, you can now be VERY involved in online professional communities. Even if you are determined NOT to interact with others, believe it or not, you can still network, just by lurking around online communities.
For additional information, see the Network, Network, Network series of blog posts:
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It’s all about keywords these days.”
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| Image Courtesy of GeekPhilosopher.com |
I hear a lot of that from HR professionals, recruiters, and job hunters. Back in the day, a cover letter was your “first impression” with a potential job, but whether an employer uses a computer or human eyes, your resume will be scanned for certain keywords or buzz words.
Those keywords affect your chances during the initial sorting… between the “maybe” pile and the “no” pile.
Today, a job hunter might not even reach the point of sending a cover letter without SEO (Search Engine Optimization) and using the right keywords in the resume.
Make no mistake. A solid cover letter and the first few lines on a resume (usually, the Objective or Summary) DO still matter. They are still the “first impressions” with a potential employer. Using SEO and keywords are more about automating your search and letting employers find you. You know how all these job search sites let you upload your resume? THAT’s where keywords start working for you.
How Online Job Search Sites and Employers Use Keywords
Let’s say an employer is looking for a database administrator. If that employer searches all the resumes uploaded online for “database,” there will be thousands of results. …so, he adds another keyword, “SQL.” The position requires experience with secure systems, so maybe other keywords would include “security” or “encryption.” With each keyword added to the search, the number of relevant resumes shrinks, or at least, they’re reordered by relevance. The resume with the most keywords, goes to the top of the list.
It’s not exactly the same as SEO for a web page or online article, but the concept is the same. You want your keywords IN your resume. Now, don’t just pad your resume with any and every buzz word. If you list it, you must truly have the experience you claim on your resume. Otherwise, employers will click off your resume just as they would click off a bogus web page that was padded with keywords.
So, what keywords should you use?
First, think of all the current buzz words flying around in your field. Which ones apply to you? Jot down a list of all the skills, tools, applications, methodologies, and experiences you have under your belt. Find the best spot(s) to list these on your resume and make sure you use the terms that employers are searching for.
Second, take a look at the job search sites. Look at the required skills, experience, software, etc. listed in the post. Start a new list of the required or preferred buzz words that apply to you.
Compare your lists and make sure those applicable keywords (especially the ones that appear in multiple job posts) are in your resume, preferably near the top.
Other Online Resume Tips
Since many of us have moved to maintaining a resume online, either on LinkedIn, as a VisualCV, or on a personal or professional web page, it’s pretty easy to send a link to our online resume or create a quick pdf version to attach. These online job search sites, however, are putting your resume into a searchable database. Keyword searches are much more effective if the data is entered as plain text. Keep a Word or other text-based version of your resume handy to copy and paste into online job search databases. For more information on SEO and using keywords in resumes search online for some or all of the following terms:
· Resume
· Job
· SEO
· Keywords
· Online
· Database
· Search
Notice how the search results change if you add or leave off some of the terms? Again, using keywords in your resume isn’t exactly the same as the keywords used in a standard Google search, but you get the idea. SEO Your Resume on The Ladders.com explains the differences a bit, if you want to start really digging into the nuts and bolts of how resumes are found on job search sites.
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Registration and Login
Once you’ve established a new UC Claim, the process automatically registers you on Alabama JobLink with a rather odd username. Then, you have to create your own password…under government-strict security rules…so many characters, must include numbers, and it must in include special characters. By the time the login is ready, it’s a challenge to remember an odd username and a contrived password. BUT, once you get logged in, well, I guess, for job hunters who don’t have a lot of experience with OTHER job search sites, the results can be impressive. Just make sure you STILL keep that username and password handy. Not all functions on the site retain the login data, so you may have to type them in again.
So, the account and login process could be better. ...on to the actual job hunt.
Job Search Features
The Find a Job > Quick Job Search feature, lets you use keywords and/or locations to look for job posts.
If you’re looking for a job in specifically skilled manual labor, medical, retail, restaurant, management, part time or seasonal work, Alabama JobBank can help. There are not a lot of opportunities for folks in academics, technology, or specific fields other than those related to industry, medical, or consumer experience (depending on the search area, of course).
Helpful for many, but not all job hunters
For job hunters who are qualified for the majority of local employment opportunities, Alabama JobBank can help. For job hunters qualified for jobs that aren’t typical within the search area, Alabama JobBank can be very frustrating.
If you’re in the group of qualified job hunters for the geographic area, DO use Alabama JobBank. It has a LOT of job leads for you.
If you’re in the group of folks whose qualifications don’t meet the needs of the geographic area, other job search sites (specific to your industry/field/qualifications) will offer better results.
Big Game Job Hunting
Well, since networking opportunities are largely industry or field-specific, the long AND short answer is to google for it. 
Once you make a few professional connections, note the groups in which they follow, recommend, or actively participate. Each new online community and connection can lead to even more.
