David E. Perry's Blog, page 10
March 12, 2012
Dedicated team player - What do they really mean?
I'm the boss and you're going to be working for me!
Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.
March 6, 2012
Me Inc. is dead-long live "you Inc.", personal branding and the intangible value of being you.
The intangible value of being --- that's what the new knowledge economy is all about - Knowledge Value + Personal Branding. Veteran information age guru Stan Davis confirms some insights into the increasing value of people in today's economy.
A person's "value" is just a measure of how much someone is willing to pay to obtain something from them.
In Blur, Davis and Meyer make the point that the boundaries between your work life and your home life are disappearing. In fact, today the rate of change and the depth of connectivity are so fast that every person, product, service and company are blurring together.
Computerization and communications have made us all a linked community. There are, for example, nine times more computer processors in our products than in our computers -- nine billion CPUs in items like phones, hotel keys, consumer electronics, day planners and cars. (ford motor company's latest cd's showcase technology built into their new cars , including
As products are more driven by software, they become easier to link together. Intelligence and information become the key value being offered in a consumable product (some 90 percent of the value of a new car is estimated to be in the computers and software it uses). And you are the value-adder.
Instead of resources or land, "capital" today means human capital. I personally despise the term but it is widely accepted and used by fashionable consultants.
It doesn't take a shoe factory to go into the shoe business these days. Nor do you need raw materials or fleets of trucks. Nike became a shoe industry leader by concentrating on the value-producing capacity of its employees, for design, marketing and distribution know-how. The real capital is intangible: your knowledge level, combined with an aptitude for application.
Today, employees in the high-technology world especially, tend to think of themselves as "free agents" -- like a professional athlete who is always in training. Knowledge workers are continuously investing in the next set of skills and training, driving up their personal "stock price". This puts knowledge value in the driver's seat. Your Brand is unique. How do you give it a dollar value?
Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.
March 5, 2012
COMPETITIVE ANALYSIS
Do a competitive analysis on one of your targeted employer's products and send it to them. People assume that all companies keep up to date on their competitors, but this is rarely the case.
Most companies don't have the budget or the ability internally to keep
on top of innovations and best practices so your piece will likely be most welcome.
Focus on companies that are direct competitors with those you want to work for, not your own company.
Potential employers need to get something out of reading the piece.
Use graphs and charts wherever possible because people like visuals.
Make it only as long as it needs to be.
Ask for an opportunity to discuss your findings with the hiring manager if they're interested.
Offer to share your primary research if they're interested.
Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.
March 1, 2012
10 Worst Resume Fibs in Academic History - Online Colleges
In a competitive job market, resume lies have become more and more commonplace. A recent study by the Society of Human Resource Managers revealed that 53% of people have lied on their resume, and 70% of college students would create a resume fib if it meant landing their dream job. It's not hard to imagine that resume fibs have reached academia as well, but when it comes to researchers, presidents, and faculty, resume falsehoods become a high stakes game involving returned grants, trustee votes, and even lawsuits reaching into the millions. We've found 10 incredible stories of academics who lied to get ahead, and what happened when the truth was revealed.
You have to love this piece! The good old days --- when you could get away with anything on your resume... are gone!
February 27, 2012
Q: How much do people embellish when they're writing job postings?
A: Job ads are designed to arouse your interest and entice you to apply. So often times it's what ever goes – from the "team" you'd work with to the technology or even the location. Recruiters always ask themselves what sets this opportunity apart from everything else out there especially if the job isn't deemed to be glamorous. They're selling "sex" and "power".
Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.
February 21, 2012
Resumes: The Unwritten Rules of The Game.
There are certain unwritten rules that if you adhere to will increase your chance of getting the attention you deserve.
Give Your Readers What They Want
You have 6-30 seconds to convince a reader that your resume warrants a complete read, an investment on their end of 5-6 minutes.
A recent poll I conducted among fellow recruiters revealed most spend less than 15 seconds on the first page of your resume. Most, in fact, never get past the email note or cover letter, let alone your carefully worded "Objective" and, frankly, human resource managers are no better.
No one has time to waste waiting for a Job Seeker to get to the point… so the first rule of resume writing is to construct your resume so the Reader gets the information they need fast. A little advance planning is called for.
Be Relevant.
Presumably the reader has a job you're interested in, so show how your experience fits their requirements. Don't assume people can or will "read between the lines" – they don't have time. It's not their job and they don't care about you – yet.
Target your Reader.
You need to understand who your "reader" is because – different people read resumes looking for different things.
Recruiters look for "hot" marketable skills because they want to make money marketing you. If your skill set is not in high demand, they won't call unless you are an exact fit for a job order they have.
HR folks look for an exact skill fit with a job first, then your stability, then your personality type.
Hiring managers look for skill sets first, then how flexible you are and finally your ability to learn on the job.
Keep it Crisp
People are visual. They like looking at documents that are clean, neat and well constructed.
Use Bullets
Sentences, that is. Short sentences are easier to write and easier to read. They also give the reader a sense of action and energy. The reader can get the gist of your experience quickly. You can elaborate at the interview.
Highlight your Strengths
Whichever strengths (accomplishments) are the most relevant to your reader – they go first. Always lead with your best foot forward.
Demonstrate Results
Use ###, %%%, and $$$ to emphasize your accomplishments. One million dollars is less likely to be noticed than $1,000,000. Numbers and symbols jump off the page.
Give it "POP"
Power verbs like those below give your resume "pop", that crisp delivery of "just the facts ma'a'm – just the facts". They're high energy and factual, making you appear to be a "driver"! Just rewriting your resume alone with these words will increase your chances of being interviewed by 50%.
Accelerated
Accomplished
Achieved
Activated
Addressed
Admitted
Aided
Allowed
Amended
Analyzed
Apportioned
Approved
Arranged
Assessed
Attained
Augmented
Balanced
Brainstormed
Calculated
Certified
Collaborated
Committed
Compiled
Conceptualized
Consented
Contracted
Convinced
Coordinated
Correlated
Created
Increased
Initiated
Invented
Led
Negotiated
Started
Be Concise
Your resume should not contain one more word than it needs – to make your point. Ok?
Connect the DOTS for them
Make it easy for the reader to see your fit to their job. Before you write your resume, research newspapers, job boards and Internet ads for positions that are similar to the ones you'll be seeking.
Ensure that the latest "buzzwords" are prevalent. Common key words and phrases like "JAVA or Audit Trail or channel management or DWDM" should map to the bullets in your resume.
Scientists and senior executives should prepare an appendix of publications and papers as well. Technical people need a separate Technical Summary page like this for easy identification of your skills.
February 20, 2012
How to get hired with a 3x5 card
In the middle of the Tech Wreck I wrote a best selling book on how to get a job. Following the launch of "Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters" I was besieged by tens of thousands of people who wanted my help finding them a job [that's not what I do for a living - that's what the book is for...]. There where a few people who offered to partner with me and one such person is Kevin Donlin - a master job hunting guerrilla and best selling author himself. I think you'll really enjoy this clip from his blog : GetHiredNow.tv A look tech idea for reaching your career and job hunting goals.
Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.
February 14, 2012
Ask for what you want
I love courageous people. Today my hat goes off to a young university grad I know. He's had multiple offers over the last few months and each time we reviewed them he's always had reservations on accepting. I like that.
Bob knew what he wanted BUT he wasn't finding it - until I suggested he write down the 5 companies he really wanted to work and why they should hire him.
This is perhaps the most difficult part of looking for a job – especially a first job out of school. But he did it. Then I suggested he write the president of each of the firms in his order of preference and explain why they should hire him. Essentially the letter was used to detail why he wanted to work for them - not the company but the actual owner or President explaining specifically what he could offer.
The first letter went out a while back and we really hadn't bumped in to each other until yesterday. Turns out his number one pick was so impressed with his forwardness that she flew someone out to meet him. They offered him a job on the spot. But wait, it gets better. They're paying to move him to head office --- in Paris France. Does it get any better? Nope.
He did his homework. Approached his targeted employers systematically with a customized message and landed his dream job.
So who do you want to work for guerrilla? Have you contacted the president yet and told them why? Get moving
Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for job hunters blog and download the free audio CD.
February 13, 2012
ExecuNet = Success for Job Hunter
I do not endorse job search sites - however ExecuNet has always been the exception because of the results obtained by senior people who take the time and make the effort to engage with the site's features.
There are tons of stories throughout Guerrilla Marketing - many of which came from successful job hunters who use ExecuNet. Here's just one of them provided by Lauryn Franzoni, Execunet's Managing Director [and a real class act]. Now, in her own words.
"A methodical strategy paid off for this ExecuNet member who was very active in her local human resources groups. She contacted the national headquarters for the names of local chapter presidents, and mounted a campaign of contacting each one every two months. Her persistence paid off when she received an offer. "
Proving once again, that a direct line is often the shortest distance between two points
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Compliments of David E Perry and Kevin Donlin. For more creative job search tactics, go to the Guerrilla Marketing for Job Hunters blog and download the free audio CD.
February 11, 2012
52 Fresh and Really Creative Resume Designs from 2011 | Design Inspiration
Your resume is a marketing document that must compete for the attention of over worked time starved managers and executives show live in a post-MTV iPod world. click the link below for some real resume inspiration.
AND NO you don;t have to be a graphics artist or a sales and marketing guru to do it. Don't tell people you're creative!
PROVE IT!
Fresh Resume Designs for Inspiration
via designbeep.com
Just do it.
