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Digital Job Hunt ; Video Resumes, Social Media Sites Help Job Seekers Succeed Career HelpFeb 20, 2012 LAURIE WINSLOW LAURIE WINSLOW World Staff Writer
Resume coach gives tips. Ann Back looks straight into the camera and pretends as if she is talking to a prospective employer. She highlights some qualities that make her a good job candidate, sharing words such as honest, tenacious, efficient and professional that others have used to describe her. She stumbles over a word in the first videotaping and wants to do it again. Relaxing a bit. Smiling. Her second take is a wrap. The video resume will be used to complement her written resume and give prospective employers a window into her personality and ability. Getting a foot in the right door Although paper resumes are still important in today's electronic age and need to be crafted correctly, they're not the only avenue for people to spread their name and credentials in landing a job, say industry observers. That may be just a starting point, said Carey Dunkin Baker of Part-Time Pros, a local staffing agency. "I think there is a place for a paper resume because companies still want a snapshot view of a person's work history - where they've worked and their experience," Baker said. "However, most companies aren't just using the resumes as their one-stop shop to gather information on someone. "They are looking on Facebook, Linked In. They are looking on Twitter, etc., to see one, how technical someone is, but also to recruit." To enhance the job search, Part-Time Pros offers job applicants the option of creating a nearly 60-second video resume that can be linked with their print resume. "It gives individuals an opportunity to go outside of their resume and talk about who they are, the skills that they have and what they can bring to the table," Baker said. A video resume shows prospective employers how a person communicates. It also helps prepare applicants for job interviews as they practice talking about their skills. Individuals are coached for their presentation. If they appear too nervous, they can redo the videotaping or opt to make only the audio portion of the taping available. Back hopes the video resume, in addition to her print resume, will help get her foot in the right door. She is self-employed and has worked 15 years as an attorney in private practice. She's interested in part-time opportunities to contract with small businesses and provide legal services. "I am middle-aged, and I think it's a new thing, and I don't want to appear to be past the ability to adapt - because we all have to adapt," Back said. "It saves the person who looks at it time if they're not interested in me ... They can get a lot decided in a few minutes." Some 60 percent to 75 percent of Part-Time Pros' clients, including Back, choose to do the video resume. Baker noted that the average hiring time for individuals who opt for the video resume has shrunk from nearly eight weeks to about five to six weeks. Sitting in front of a gray, mottled backdrop, with two lights aimed her direction, Back listened to a few pointers from Lisa Johnson, a senior recruiter at Part-Time Pros, before launching into her taping. "You're going to do great," Johnson told her. "Don't worry if you stumble ... It shows that you're human." Despite what some local businesses say, Back said she thinks the economy is worse than some polls reveal. She frequently fields calls from people who need legal work and either don't want to pay or want to pay on a sliding scale. Since starting her job search, Back has changed her written resume, including certain phrases that she normally wouldn't use to catch an employer's eye. She sees the video as an extra tool - something that might help employers know within a few seconds whether they want to hire her. Pay attention to detail The resume itself, however, is far from dead. Most employers still use resumes because of the need to identify a person's skills. But the electronic age has changed the job search, said Denise Reid, director of talent strategies and recruitment for the Tulsa Metro Chamber. Job seekers, for instance, need to make sure that emailed resumes are formatted properly so they can be uploaded by the employer. Many company websites want information sent in as Microsoft Word or PDF documents, said Jennifer Greb, career services librarian for the Tulsa City-County Library. If a potential employer can't open a file containing a resume, Greb said, there's a good chance a candidate will never hear anything back. "Employers are getting more and more resumes for every job opening," she said. "So your resume does not have any room for errors because they are looking for ways to weed out people." Some employers use software to scan resumes for key words. Candidates should match their resume to the job description, including specific software skills or certification that will catch an employer's eye. Then there are social media sites LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter as another way for employers to quickly screen candidates. Some companies fill vacancies by pursuing "passive candidates" via LinkedIn, a professional social media site, Reid said. Social media enlarges the candidate pool, and a majority of hiring managers recruited through social networks in 2011 and will continue do to so, according to Allison & Taylor, a professional reference-checking company. Job seekers should ensure their LinkedIn profiles are updated and include relevant accomplishments. The site also allows for letters of recommendation to be attached to a user's profile. Employers who look at LinkedIn also are interested in the fact that a person is networked and tied to industry-specific organizations or groups, Reid said. Allison & Taylor recommends candidates research themselves online before the interview process. Prospective employers are likely to do a web search of applicants' names and check applications, resumes and credentials for inaccuracies. "With Facebook, make sure your privacy settings are set," Greb said. "You may have things you don't want to share with an employer. Don't post anything you couldn't stand for somebody else to see. Sometimes it's hard to go back and change all of that." Job Now! Description: Provided through the Tulsa City-County Library, Job Now! offers online access to expert job coaching. Live job coaches are available daily, 2 to 11 p.m., for one-on-one consultation to assist in every step of the job-search process. Live sessions can be conducted in English or Spanish. A library card is needed for this free service. Live interview coaching: Customers can brush up on interview techniques or get live interview practice from trained job coaches. Customers also have access to interview tips and career sources. Resume lab: Resume and cover letter assistance provided. Customers will find resume templates and resources for creating stronger resumes. Career resources: Provides access to a selected library of job resources. Job coaches help customers strategically target jobs best suited to their interests and qualifications. Adult Learning Center: Provides foundational, career-enhancing skills for job seekers. Offers test preparation and an academic skills center featuring live, online tutors. Source: (C) 2012 Tulsa World. via ProQuest Information and Learning Company; All Rights Reserved |
