13 Wild Thoughts On The State Of Job Fairs

13 Wild Thoughts On The State Of Job Fairs 35 Should we get rid of job fairs once and for all? I've been to job fairs in Canada, France and Israel but the Techeads Israeli Hitech Job Fair on March 6th 2012 was the first job fair I'd been to in a while. I had originally planned to go to a recruiting event at the same conference center, just in a different room. When that was canceled, I ended up spending almost the whole day at the job fair instead. And I'm glad I did. After meeting almost all the company reps at the fair and speaking to well over a dozen attendees, here are some thoughts on that job fair and other job fairs in general.eval Free bonus: Download JobMob's Job Fair Success Guide with over 60 job fair tips. 13 thoughts 1) What's in a term?eval Is it a job fair or a career fair or an employment fair? They're all the same. Local culture will decide which one sounds normal to you. 2) Student job fairs but never adult job fairs If it's a student/college/university job fair, or just an internship fair, it's pretty clear who the fair is for- students and graduates. Otherwise they're usually open to everyone, but why is it that there are no fairs aimed specifically at older/experienced job seekers? 3) Size matters At large fairs, you almost have to make an effort to not be productive. So many company stands, so many people milling around for you to network with. If you put in the time, your biggest worry should be not getting to see everyone that can help you. Small fairs are higher risk. You might waste time by going, but at least it won't be a lot of time. I remember going to a small job fair in Montreal at a motel. I was in and out in less than 10 minutes, and even if I had tried to meet all six companies that were there, I still wouldn't have been there for more than 30 minutes. However, the small fairs are usually the very local ones and can be a good place to find a local job. 4) Not all fairs are created equal Which is why some people think they're an UTTER waste of time. Size is not the only differentiator. Some fairs are organized by professionals who structure the event to satisfy as many people as possible, and not just the event's clients, the companies who paid to be there. There will be media coverage, a dedicated website, registration confirmation emails and more. Other fairs are non-regular events created to respond to public demand (perceived or real), e.g. hosted in a church or community center. They won't attract the same kind of companies or attendees as the more publicized fairs, so keep your expectations in check. 5) Fair organizers don't do enough for attendees While it is true that the hiring companies are the paying clients of the fair, without the non-paying job seekers, there would be no fair. Fair organizers need to do more to respect attendees so that they are less likely to leave unsatisfied and never visit another job fair again. That includes navigating job seekers to the most relevant stands, giving them the tools for success (e.g. pens to submit application forms, option to print/photocopy resumes, etc.) and getting their feedback on how to make the next fair better. Even just making the fair more upbeat would be a good thing. 6) Attendees just don't do enough This used to be me. I traveled 75 minutes from Jerusalem to a Tel Aviv job fair only to waste 30 minutes there before spending another 75 minutes getting home. At Techeads, I asked most company reps if anyone had impressed them that day, or even just been memorable. Almost all of them replied in the negative. That's just wrong. Know your job fair success do’s and don’ts before you go. 7) Everyone loves candy but there's a limit Because fair organizers usually don't do enough to lead job seekers to company stands, the companies try all sorts of tricks to get you in their line. Arguably most common- bowls of candy. At the Techeads fair, every stand had a different bowl of candy. That's a lot of candy. It was basically a candy fair. I could almost imagine a company rep setting up their stand and pulling their hair out when they notice that a competitor had the same candy. I also wouldn't be surprised if anything left the fair not feeling well because they ate too much candy. 8) Other schwag can be very cool too There are only so many pens one person can take home. Luckily, some companies are more creative than that. At Techeads, one company gave out fluorescent back-scratchers, a handy desk accessory (pun intended). Google is also famous for giving out cool little gadgets and magnets. At the end of they day though, unless the giveaway is really special, it's a sideshow to the real reason people line up at a job fair stand. 9) The psychology of lining up at the fair One company at the Techeads fair had a very long line of job seekers waiting to speak to the company reps. The line was so long at one point that almost half the attendees in the room were in that line. So I decided to survey some of them to see why they didn't visit the other stands and come back when the line was shorter. Typical replies: “The line is longer here because the reps are talking to each job seeker and not just harvesting resumes” (they didn't say ‘harvesting', of course) “They have a lot of open positions” “It's a good company to work for” “I just figured there was a reason why everyone else was lined up here” 10) QR codes are in Everywhere I looked, there were QR codes at Techeads. On posters, on flyers, on business cards, even on a job seeker's t-shirt (I regret not having gotten a picture of that). But everywhere I looked, I didn't see attendees using their smartphones to decode the QR codes and visit the embedded websites. 11) Fair sponsors: it's not a shopping spree People don't come to job fairs expecting to spend money unless it's to buy lunch or to pay for a ride there. Regardless, there will usually be at least one fair sponsor trying to sell newspaper or magazine subscriptions, or books, or Internet access, or cellphone packages, and those stands seem to be the least active at fairs. 12) Best time of day to visit the fair Depends on the hours of the fair relative to the local work culture but in general, it's towards the END of the fair. In Israel, people like to get up early. As a result, Techeads was busiest in the morning and so quiet in the early afternoon that they closed the fair an hour early, at 3pm instead of at 4pm. However, anyone who attended from 2pm â€" 3pm had easy access to any company they wanted, and company reps are more likely to remember someone met at the end of the day than at the beginning. And it's not like positions are going to be filled earlier during the fair anyway, so by coming later, you would still be able to get in your resume for a targeted position. 13) Too many people just going through the motions The common complaint about job fairs is that they're a waste of time. And for many people there, attendees AND company reps, they are. On the one hand, most of the job seekers line up to apply at a company stand, maybe ask/answer a question and then shuffle off to another stand, until they ultimately leave. On the other hand are company reps, there to do a job of taking in resumes, maybe ask/answer a question until the job seeker shuffles off to another stand. Not enough job seekers trying to really take advantage of the fair, and frankly, not enough companies making an effort to impress candidates into following up after the fair. Free Bonus JobMob's Job Fair Success Guide explains why you should go to the fair with over 60 tips. This free download contains: 25 Reasons Job Fairs Are Not a Waste of Time 35+ Job Fair Success Do’s and Don’ts Click the image below to get access to JobMob's Job Fair Success Guide: JobMob Insiders can get this free bonus and other exclusive content in the JobMob Insider Bonuses area. Join now, it's free!

How to Write Resume For Technical Writing

How to Write Resume For Technical WritingThe process of how to write resume for technical writing is not as complicated as it sounds. It can be a bit overwhelming for the inexperienced writer, but that is the process by which it is mastered. If you spend time doing this simple but effective method you will save yourself some time, and you will improve your writing skills.One of the most common mistakes of how to write resume for technical writing is the use of technical words and terms. You should know that many technical terms have meanings very different from their plain English counterparts. The best way to overcome this problem is to use online sources and tools to familiarize yourself with the different technical terms.Writing technical documents is generally very similar to writing technical resumes. You should concentrate on defining what you are trying to prove to a potential employer or client. This should be a clear, concise description of your experience. It can include yo ur education and work experience, plus details about any certifications you may have earned.In order to properly structure your technical documents you should do away with all extraneous information that does not contribute to the substance of your case. However, it is sometimes tempting to include unnecessary details because you want to make it look impressive.You should be careful when writing technical documents to avoid including too much technical jargon. Most employers and clients would be able to read your document more easily if they are using common everyday words to describe what you are saying. It is easy to get too wrapped up in technical language if you write them by hand, but this makes your document harder to read, not easier.On the other hand, technical documents for technical writers must contain common words, no matter how large or small they are. There's nothing wrong with using common terms, and they will help you reach the target audience. As you are building a case for your technical skills, it is important to be creative and original. Writing technical documents should not feel like homework.Finally, one thing that you should remember when writing technical documents is that you must be specific in your descriptions. Avoid vague descriptions, which will not prove very useful in this type of scenario. Using your technical documents as a selling tool will help you sell yourself and your skills to the hiring manager.When it comes to how to write resume for technical documents, remember to include clear, precise descriptions of your achievements. Use appropriate, common words, and include all of the necessary information to prove that you can contribute to the technical writing industry.

Answering Tips for Are You Willing to Relocate Question - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career

Answering Tips for “Are You Willing to Relocate” Question - Personal Branding Blog - Stand Out In Your Career “Are you willing to relocate?” question can be a deal-breaker for your interview. Have you ever thought of what to answer to this question? If you directly answer no, do you know if you can still get the job or do you really need to make a major life change in order to get the job you want? Read below and find out how to answer this tricky interview question. If Your Answer is Yes: If you absolutely want to relocate, say yes. Don’t say yes just to impress the interviewer. Most recruiters expect that you answer yes to this question, even if they are not going to send you to another location. However, say yes only if you can stay true to your word. Maybe, the company is not planning to send you anywhere near soon but they may want to see, if you are open to changes. Also, some companies require international work experience in order to promote you to a managerial level so they may want to check, if you can move up the career ladder and fulfill this requirement. Answering yes shows that you want to be part of the company and you can accomplish the challenges that are thrown at you. If Your Answer is Maybe: You are willing to relocate but under certain conditions. Maybe, you can relocate for a temporary assignment for 6 months to a year, but you don’t want to stay more than a year. Or you want to only relocate within the US and don’t want to relocate internationally. Therefore, if your answer is maybe, you can say that if this opportunity will enhance your career, you will consider it. Then, you can ask your questions about the relocation. Considering something is not a certain yes or no answer. Thus, it will give you enough room to evaluate the positives and negatives when you are faced with the relocation offer. If Your Answer is No: If you don’t want to relocate or cannot relocate in under any circumstances, let the recruiter know stating your reasons. Make sure you have sensible reasons. Never say if you pay me more, I can change my decision or I only relocate if you let me choose the location. You can specify areas like Europe or West Coast but then, still you need to show a valid reason. For example, “I like the area where I live now but I would like to be a part of this company and if there is an opportunity for me to move to Europe, I would certainly consider it because I have family there.”  Another answer is “Well, I would very much like to join this company but I cannot say anything about relocation right now because I have to talk it with my family first before making my decision.” Always try to leave the door open.

Even Good Resumes Get Lost

Even Good Resumes Get Lost You’ve spent hours on your resume.   You’ve read the latest books and taken advice from experts.   You’ve had three people look it over for grammar and spelling errors.   You’ve printed it out on beautiful high quality paper, written a thoughtful cover letter, and researched the spelling of the HR contact.   Nothing can go wrong with that much preparation â€" right?   Unfortunately, even good resumes get overlooked, lost, or discarded due to jobseekers’ errors in judgment.     Based on formal and informal discussions with hiring managers, here are some common mistakes that can sink your chances of getting noticed among dozens of resumes. Timing your resume wrong.  These days, any attractive ad will attract dozens â€" maybe hundreds â€" of resumes.   Timing is crucial to how carefully your resume is screened.   First, be sure to carefully check for a deadline for submission of resumes or closing of the job posting.   No matter how amazing your qualifications, you won’t get a look if your resume comes in one minute after the deadline. Period.   Be sure to leave plenty of time for mail delays, fax malfunctions, etc.   Plan to have your resume on the right person’s desk at least one full day earlier than the deadline. If the recruiting period is long â€" say more than a week or two â€" be sure to send your resume in within that first week. A quick response indicates your high level of interest in the job.   Some companies will keep a posting open only until they get a pool of candidates they’re comfortable with.   When they have the right number of “good enough” applicants, they’ll start scheduling interview s, and you may not have a chance to get into consideration with a late entry. Not putting your resume in context. WorkSource sometimes conducts high profile recruitments for startup companies or expansions.   There may be as many as 10 â€" 20 different positions open at one time. That kind of large recruiting event is very challenging to manage, and recruiters need to be able to process resumes quickly.   They need to be able to see at a glance what position you’re applying for.   Too many resumes come in with no cover letter and no clear objective at the top of the resume.   When responding to company with multiple openings, your resume should always reflect the position for which you want to be considered.   No recruiter will want to take the time to guess where your resume should go. It’s easier to put it in a “not specified” file and leave it there. Another common mistake is sending is a resume that’s obviously not qualified for the position.   Recruiters view these as a terrible waste of their time, and with good reason. It’s also a waste of your time and resources to respond to every ad; companies are not likely to simply overlook the fact that you have none of the requirements for the position. Almost worse, and certainly puzzling, are candidates that apply for more than one position.   Sometimes, it makes sense; you may have similar support positions in different departments, for example.   But during a recent recruitment, several candidates applied for both senior director and clerical support positions, effectively removing themselves from consideration for either job.   We wondered which one the candidate really felt qualified for.   Other candidates applied for the manager position in every department, even though the jobs had vastly different requirements in experience, education and skills. We wondered if they’d even bothered to read the job postings. Not paying attention to details.  You should always include your name, phone number and page number on the second page of your resume.   (Hopefully, your actual resume is limited to two pages.) But there may be times when you submit other documentation, so be sure to add contact information to that as well.   If you’re sending a page of references, publications, awards, or other supplemental details, make sure that a recruiter can see at a glance where they belong. If the pages get separated at the fax or copier, you don’t want your important information lost or attached to another resume. Paying attention to details also means that your resume has a clean, easy to read design, so recruiters don’t have to hunt for important information.   You can help your chances of getting noticed by making it easy for the recruiters to understand what you’re applying for and why you’re the right candidate for the job.  Don’t let your good resume get lost in the crowd.

Your Resume - How to Say Youre Good at Writing on a Resume

Your Resume - How to Say You're Good at Writing on a ResumeHow to say you're good at writing on a resume depends on what you're good at, or perhaps, what the employer is looking for. The question to ask yourself is this: are you going to be writing about something that the employer needs to know? That's what's important when it comes to writing on a resume.If you're writing a resume, you need to get off on the right track and pick something that will give the employer some basic information about you. But if you're not sure what you should be looking for, that's where your skills come in. There are four skills you can use to find out how to say you're good at writing on a resume.Write skills. This is your core ability. You have to be able to make words and sentences flow smoothly from one to the next. That is what makes your resume as well as your body language all the more important.Information gathering skills. This can be done in many ways, but basically, you have to be able to ga ther information from your resume. You need to be able to summarize your experience and skills, with details. That's what's important to the employer.Reading skills. You have to be able to take notes quickly, as fast as you can, and be able to go over the information given to you in an organized fashion. You also need to be able to read at a good rate and be able to read long documents and read the fine print. This is very important to the employer.Web skills. Having this skill is very important, and the ability to communicate well and to write efficiently, even if you don't have a formal education in computers, is what's important. Writing in web-safe formats, using correct English, and using bullet points are all skills that are needed to be able to write a good resume.Business skills. If you have any trade, be it sales, public relations, marketing, or anything else, you need to know how to write resumes that include them. Many people learn how to write resumes and sell themselves by learning how to work with copywriting services.So, those are the four skills you need to think about when you're trying to figure out how to say you're good at writing on a resume. Take advantage of the skills you already have, and learn how to use them to make a resume that's all your own.

Leadership - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog

Leadership - The Chief Happiness Officer Blog Last tuesday I hosted a conversation circle on leadership at Arena, and as always it was a great experience. We were a very diverse group, and we had a deep, meaningful conversation on the nature and challenges of leadership. One question I was particularly interested in exploring was the role of leadership. What is it that leadership does in organizations and in the world? What is that happens beacuse of leaders, that would not otherwise have happened. In short, Leadership, what is good for?. This question is interesting to me, because it examines leadership from the outside. Its not about trying to understand leaders, or about defining good or bad leadership. Its an examination of the role that leadership plays. If you have any ideas on this, or any references to information, Id love to hear about it. After this conversation, I was particularly pleased to see that Fast Company have yet another excellent article on leadership, this time by Ronald Heifetz of Harvard. To Heifetz, a leader is not the person with the answer, but the one willing to raise the questions. Leadership means being willing to face reality, and to examine the gaps between current reality and the reality we desire. These gaps can appear in the values we have, in the skills or in opportunities. He makes more valid points in the article than I can sum up here, but heres a quote I particularly liked: I live in Boston. No one would live in Boston without owning a winter coat. But countless people think that they can exercise leadership without partners or without a sanctuary. To stay alive as leaders to tend the wounds that we inevitably receive when we raise tough questions requires maintaining these structures in our lives. PS I know that I link to many Fast Company articles, but I cant help it theyre just that good. Thanks for visiting my blog. If you're new here, you should check out this list of my 10 most popular articles. And if you want more great tips and ideas you should check out our newsletter about happiness at work. It's great and it's free :-)Share this:LinkedInFacebookTwitterRedditPinterest Related

Appearance Matters - What is Hiding in Your Smile - CareerAlley

Appearance Matters - What is Hiding in Your Smile - CareerAlley We may receive compensation when you click on links to products from our partners. You may not realize it when it happens, but a kick in the teeth may be the best thing in the world for you. Walt Disney Read more at BrainyQuote.com As any interviewee knows, its common protocol to send a thank you note after the interview. But did you know that its just as important to brush your teeth right before you arrive for the interview? Just like with dating, an interviewees dental hygiene is often a big turn on or off for future employers. For some employers, they view it as insight into your detail orientation, and it can illustrate how much you care about yourself as well as what you put into the your work. However, its not as hard as it sounds. You dont need to invest in expensive cosmetic dentistry to get a healthy smile ready to show off. Here are some tips to use your pearly whites to get the job of your dreams. Whiten Your Teeth: One of the easiest and most effective things you can do to spruce up your smile is to brighten it. After all, its the first thing people notice when they see you. Over-the-counter whitening atrips, which start at around $30 a box, are great ways to make a sparkling change. If you are looking for a bigger and more long-term investment, in-office whitening, which starts at about $600, is a sure way to boost your confidence and potentially help you land the job. Keep Supplies On Hand: Take the time to find a sugar-free gum or mint candy that you love, and that can be easily stashed in your pocket, purse, or desk drawer for daily use. This not only keeps teeth clean, but helps to avoid the normal symptom of a nervous reaction, dry mouth. But remember to remove the gum or mint right before the interviewchomping away is not a good first impression. It also pays to have a mini-toothbrush and travel toothpaste around to do a quick scrub post lunch. Nothing is better than a fresh polishon your teeth, that is. Watch What You Put in Your Mouth: It sounds easier said than done, but dont eat smelly foods if you know youre walking into important meetings or interviews. If you know youre consulting with a possible employer at 2pm, it might be best to avoid dishes heavy in garlic or onions for lunch. No matter how much scrubbing with a tooth brush or how much gum you chew, itll be difficult to get rid of the smell. The job hunting process is hard enough as is so do yourself a favor and stick to something benign and easy to brush away, like fruit with yogurt. Save certain foods for your job acceptance party! Guest Blogger Shoshana Davis is a freelance writer for TopDentists.com, an online dental resource. This is a Guest post. If you would like to submit a guest post to CareerAlley, please follow these guest post guidelines. Good luck in your search. Visit me on Facebook