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Monday, March 29, 2010

Five tips for using Facebook & MySpace for Job Searches

Five tips for using Facebook & MySpace for Job Searches
(By Neha Bawa -BestLogic Staffing – www.bestlogicstaffing.com )

Increasingly, people are beginning to turn more and more to online social networks to tap into their job search potential. And while they’re online, it’s easy to forget that an electronic trail is much harder to cover up than a paper trail, so establishing a few rules of decorum that won’t hinder your job search process or your employment possibilities.

1. Stay current
While it’s important to stay abreast of developing trends in your field, it’s also important to keep your own online persona active. If you’re in the market and looking for work, keep yourself in the public eye. You can’t be considered if people don’t know you’re around.

2. Keep your status updates relevant to your job search
This part of networking is rather flexible. We all tend to connect with friends and family on online social networks, so, as far as possible, keep your status updates related to your quest for employment and career. Mentioning your efforts to expand your qualifications is also noteworthy.

3. Establish boundaries for social networking against professional networking.
The last tip is actually a great segue for this one. Yes, we all interact with friends and family on social networks, especially on Facebook and MySpace, but an online presence is very easy to track and research. Therefore, establishing boundaries between social and professional networking becomes essential. The best rule of thumb with boundaries is: “If you don’t want your mother to see it, then don’t post it.”

4. Don’t complain about your employer, internship, professor or colleagues. You never know when that could come back to haunt you.
A quick internet search will show you a lot of stories of people who have vented about their employers and colleagues online only to regret it with drastic steps taken against them. Yes, it’s possible to lose your job over letting out a little steam in the public sphere. So hold yourself back when the temptation to whine is high.

5. Limit the number of photos posted.
Being active online means considering the repercussions of every step taken. College students tend to post pictures of parties and drinking nights, which don’t reflect very well in the public sphere and they hinder the prospects of future employment. A future employer may not be willing to develop a generous opinion of you or your professionalism after stumbling across a photo-journal of a wild, drunk night of yours.

Make sure to Visit our websites:
BestLogic Staffing AssembleMyResume.com
www.BestLogicStaffing.com & www.AssembleMyResume.com

Friday, March 19, 2010

Using Social Networks for Your Job Search

Using Social Networks for Your Job Search ( By Neha Bawa – BestLogic Staffing)

The good thing about social networking is that it allows you to create a brand or an image for yourself in a very public sphere with very little cost to you. At least financially.
With social networks expanding beyond the reach of teenagers and college students, creating and utilizing professional contacts is become easier and daunting at the same time. The key is to know how to separate the grain from the chaff. In other words, when you’re using networks such as Twitter, LinkedIn or even Facebook, begin with researching and following people in your industry.

Websites such as Twitter allow the option of creating lists that you can follow; therefore staying current with the industry becomes quite easy.However, for professional purposes, LinkedIn is probably the best place to begin because you can tap into your own network contacts, which can include your friends, employers and school networks.

About.com has a list of recommendations to follow when establish an online presence geared specifically for job searching. Bear in mind that creating a credible online presence takes a lot of time, effort, consistency (i.e., becoming a subject matter expert) and frequent updates. Although frequency is a relative and subjective term, an absence of longer than two weeks may become detrimental to your online persona.

Other resources VisualCV TweetMyJobs

For more information, go to our websites:
www.bestlogicstaffing.com & www.assemblemyresume.com

Wednesday, March 10, 2010

Writing a thank you letter

Writing a “Thank You” Letter
(Written by Neha Bawa – BestLogic Staffing)

Writing a thank you letter after a job interview is absolutely necessary. Really, we can’t over emphasize the necessity of sending a thank you letter to your interviewer within an appropriate amount of time, which usually should not exceed 24 hours.
Not only is a thank you letter courteous and respectful, it also reinforces your intention for seeking that particular position.

The format for writing a thank you letter is the same as for writing a cover letter. And just like the cover letters, thank you letters need to be customized for their recipients as well.
Begin your letter with thanking the person who interviewed you.

In the second paragraph, reiterate the particulars of the job that make you a good candidate for it, and once again, but briefly, remind your interviewer of your skills and achievements and state any achievements of yours that you may have neglected or forgotten to mention at the interview. Once again, keep your letter extremely brief.

If you are short on time and need to respond immediately, then sending an email to thank your interviewer is acceptable. Keep in mind that if a panel has interviewed you, then a letter needs to be sent to each individual at the panel.

Make sure to check out our websites:
www.BestLogicstaffing.com & www.assemblemyresume.com

Writing a cover letter

Writing a Cover Letter
(Written by Neha Bawa – BestLogic Staffing)

A well-written cover letter should answer the question that’s foremost on every employer’s mind: why should I hire you? And it’s a really good question to ask, especially since every single applicant is competing for the same opportunity.

A good cover letter doesn’t get you the job – but it does get you to the interview. And that’s all you’re striving for in the first stages of your job search.

To begin with, the format is important. The header should be left-indented and include yours and the company’s identifying information. For example:

YOUR ADDRESS (City, State and Zip Code)
YOUR PHONE NUMBER (xxx-xxx-xxxx)
YOUR EMAIL
TODAY’S DATE
EMPLOYER/HIRING MANAGER’S NAME
TITLE
COMPANY NAME
ADDRESS
DEAR (Mr./ Ms.) EMPLOYER: (Salutation)

While writing a cover letter may be daunting, or even overwhelming, it’s easier to write one if the whole is broken down into its parts, paragraph by paragraph.
In the first paragraph, identify yourself, the position you’re applying for and why you’re interested in that position.

The second paragraph of your cover letter should address exactly why you’re qualified for that position. That is, use that space to highlight your specific skills, achievements and experiences. The key word here is “specific”. According to the Trinity College cover letter writing handout, you can cite specific jobs and accomplishments associated with your experiences. But, be careful to not quote your resume word for word.
Finally, in the last paragraph, refer to the enclosed resume and specifically state when you will follow up to inquire about an interview.

For example:
“I have enclosed my resume and references for your review, and I will follow up with your office in one week to discuss the possibility of scheduling an interview. Thank you for your time and consideration and I look forward to hearing from you soon.

Sincerely,
Your signature
Your Name

Enclosure(s)”
In short, to help you get to the interview, a cover letter should: -
· Be short, specific and simple,
· Bring forth your experience and talent in a paragraph or two, and
· Highlight your writing and communication skills.

Make sure to check out our websites:
www.BestLogicstaffing.com & www.assemblemyresume.com