Career Management Alliance Blog

Despite all the information available about “netiquette” and the importance of networking strategically online, I continue to get dozens of  mystery online networking requests. Sometimes the connection is as weak as being a member of the same group (with 50,000 other members) or as bizarre as asking for a face-to-face meeting based on the fact that we reside in the same city. Continue Reading »

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C-level Job Search: Blogging? What Am I Going To Write About? is a post from: Executive Career Brand I encourage my clients to get involved with blogging in some way. Even a focused strategy of regular commenting and guest blogging on relevant blogs can have value and significant impact. If they like to write (and perhaps have a number of articles or white papers under their belt) and have something to say about their industry and areas of expertise, starting their own blog is a good-fit strategy for their brand communications plan. Continue Reading »

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Here are a few steps I take to ensure my clients’ resume copy and personal information is only accessible by those that are serious about evaluating their candidacy Continue Reading »

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Refine and expand your online networking.

Having an extensive list of professional contacts is a well-established job search and career management strategy. Moving your contact list online, establishing a visible (searchable) professional profile, and expanding your network are important OIO strategies. The larger and more established networking sites makes this quick and inexpensive. In fact, most are free. Today the best web sites for professionals are LinkedIn and Zoominfo. Facebook and Myspace are also moving toward providing a more professional presence. Once you have registered on these web sites, develop a robust and professional profile. Your online profile is every bit as important as your paper resume, perhaps more so. Also, look for helpful tools that will identify how you are connected to jobs in which you are interested, and how to quickly upload and link to contacts in your contact management software. Continue Reading »

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Job hunters – consider these two important re-conceptualizations. First, in today’s hyper-connected world the paradigm has shifted from “who you know” to “who knows you.” Second, finding a job is not “job search” or “career transition,” as in “I am looking for a job” or “I am in transition.” Instead, job search is an ongoing part of a larger career management strategy which includes a strong online presence.

Putting these two concepts together, an effective job search includes an online identity optimization (OIO) strategy which makes it easier for recruiters and hiring managers to find you. The OIO strategy for achieving and maintaining your ideal career includes establishing and growing your online identity. Continue Reading »

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ProBlogger’s Darren Rowse, a pioneering full-time blogger, challenged his readers to choose 7 posts that fit the following specific themes. Here are my own choices: 1. Your first post From May 2008, actually the third post on my Executive Resume Branding blog, but my first decent one, The Inside Skinny on Powering Up Your Executive Resume for Today’s Job Market. I think it holds up well, with some good advice including the “4 – 5 – 2 rule” when writing executive resumes (although there are exceptions): Continue Reading »

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Here are some effective strategies for increasing and improving your OIO:

Own your name.

The first strategy is to own your name. Go to a domain registrar such as GoDaddy.com or Register.com and for less than $10.00 register a domain in your name – www.yourname.com. Note: your name may already be registered, particularly if you have a common name. If this is true in your case, try registering a domain with your middle name or middle initial. Once you have a “yourname” domain, you can build a web site, establish an online career portfolio, or write a blog – all of which are easily searchable by your name. Continue Reading »

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Why are LinkedIn recommendations so important? The true measure of your executive brand and promise of value to future employers is reflected in what those who know your work the best – co-workers, peers, top management, team members, customers, etc. – have to say about you. Executive recruiters and hiring authorities routinely source talent through LinkedIn search. They’re attracted to candidates who have quality recommendations on their profiles. If you have no recommendations, they may question the value you offer and skip over you. And, at least 3 recommendations are required (among other criteria) before LinkedIn considers your profile 100% complete, giving your profile a much better chance of landing high in LinkedIn searches. Continue Reading »

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Resume and social media issues abound: grabbing at cliches (e.g., “I’m a people person”), mirroring your colleagues’  content, shying away from touches of color, graphics, charts or graphs, avoiding the personal exposure you fear will occur if you sign up for social media accounts such as LinkedIn, Twitter, Facebook, VisualCV, Google, ZoomInfo, Fast Company, Brazen Careerist, copying and pasting your resume into your social media profile (though complementary to your resume, your social media profile should NOT be a mini-me resume) … and many more. These are mistakes careerists make when crafting their personal marketability campaign. Job search communications is about positioning yourself to be seen and heard, not about blending in with the masses. Similarly to how black and white movies popped when film colorization was discovered, career communications campaigns shift from dull to brilliant when compelling techniques are applied. Continue Reading »

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Do you keep track of your online profile? Just as tracking your credit rating is key for learning what people might uncover about your financial history, it’s also important to know what people may find out when they Google your name. Consider tying it all together with a site such as Flavors.me. Monitoring your name and tracking references should be a part of your routine. Learn more in my Job-Hunt.org article, Monitor and Influence Your Online Presence.

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