You Have a Great Resume….Now What?

So you got yourself a great resume which has been carefully crafted to sell your related skill sets to employers. Now what?

If you are not targeting a specific job posting, you want to get your resume into the hands of the right recruiters. Sure, you can post your resume on all sorts of job boards, but did you know that almost 80% of jobs are found by directly connecting with the right people… and only 20% are secured using traditional job search methods? Yup, if you really want a job, you are going to have to spend some time outside of your house, away from your computer, getting your resume into the hands of the recruiters yourself!

Don’t be passive with your job search. Instead, network. Join a professional association or go to seminars, workshops or conferences where there is a good chance you can connect with members within your job community. Spread the word that you are seeking a certain role and associate with the people who can aid you.

On the other side of the spectrum, consider using social media to assist with your job search. If you have been shying away from getting involved with social media, you have been missing out on a tonne of job opportunities.

To start, get yourself a LinkedIn profile! This profile acts as your online resume that thousands and thousands of recruiters have access to. Further utilize the site to make personal connections with employers, participate in discussions, join groups, and follow companies you are interested in pursuing opportunities with.

Finally, get on board with Twitter and Facebook and learn how to make valuable (and professional!) interactions with people in your industry. Recruiters are using social media sites more and more to support their recruitment processes, so make yourself visible online and learn how to utilize these resources to speed your job search.

For more tips on how to effectively network, visit Dr. Randall S. Hansen’s article “Networking Your Way to a New Job”.

And for more on utilizing social media as part of your job search, I recommend the article “7 Secrets to Getting Your Next Job Using Social Media” by Dan Schawbel.