| Back-to-school season has me thinking about school | | | | Assignment #2: Update phrases for your |
| and it's similarities to career planning. When searching | | | | résumé, cover letters, and |
| for your next job, you should think of networking as | | | | correspondence |
| your schoolwork-you should concentrate on | | | | With computer programs scanning |
| contacting your network about opportunities and | | | | résumés for certain key words and |
| following up with the leads. As in school, sometimes | | | | phrases it is imperative to do the research and know |
| getting the job means cramming for an interview and | | | | which ones they will be seeking out. Usually those |
| doing extra credit work to get past some | | | | words are in the job post. If there is not a job |
| unexpected hiring obstacles. | | | | post-say you have a contact within the company and |
| Below, I've outlined three additional things-essentially | | | | are passing on your résumé through |
| homework assignments-which will help you get past | | | | them-then you should look at similar job posts and |
| some of the hiring obstacles. | | | | job boards. Comb through your |
| Assignment #1: Keep up with your chosen industry | | | | résumé and cover letter for outdated |
| Whatever industry you chose to work in, you need | | | | terms and titles and eliminate them. Using the current |
| know the current trends and the forecast for the | | | | industry terms and phrases shows you are |
| future by reading publications and blogs. You should | | | | up-to-date and give your résumé a |
| also go one step past that and follow blogs and | | | | higher score by the scanners, making you stick out |
| tweets of those companies you where you want to | | | | of a crowd. |
| work. Keeping up with the industry has the | | | | Extra Credit: Brush up on necessary skills |
| advantage of helping you expand your network by | | | | Sometimes great job candidates are excluded for |
| introducing you to others through blog comments or | | | | lack of skills. If an opportunity you want calls for skills |
| tweets and gives you an advantage in knowing which | | | | you don't have, you should take the time to learn |
| companies are in trouble and which ones could be | | | | those skills. Courses are usually available at local |
| hiring soon. Another good way to keep up with their | | | | colleges, Apple Stores, and the U.S. Small Business |
| work and changes in their clients or organization is to | | | | Administration. In addition, several sites offer online |
| use Google Alerts to receive articles and blogs about | | | | tutorials and webinars for skills and software. This |
| that company. It is also a smart idea to follow | | | | homework assignment may be more time consuming |
| industry gossip blogs to know about internal strife | | | | than the others, but will pay off when you get past |
| and situations in a company. In addition to keeping up | | | | some of the hiring hurdles keeping you from your |
| with the industry, you should leverage LinkedIn | | | | next job. |
| groups and join those relevant to your target | | | | Taking the extra time to keep up with your industry, |
| industry. This will help broaden your network and | | | | update your language, and learn any necessary skills |
| expand your profile on LinkedIn while keeping you | | | | will help make you more marketable and help you |
| updated on the industry. | | | | find your next job. |
