COMMON NONVERBIAL MISTAKES MADE DURING JOB INTERVIEWS

Ladylike Charm: Carrying Purses

HAPPY LUNAR NEW YEAR

On this auspicious occasion, we at Successful Resumes Singapore and Career Management Institute wish ALL our clients, business associates, partners and our loyal fans:
Best wishes for the holidays and happiness throughout the year. May the coming year bring you joy, love, peace, good health and prosperity.

www.successfulresumessingapore.com

GETTING HIRED IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE

DO YOU STILL NEED A RESUME TO GET YOUR NEXT JOB IN 2016?

GETTING HIRED IN THE SOCIAL MEDIA AGE

Social media is here to say. It has revolutionised the norm many large, international recruiting firms and global corporations source for job candidates and process their applications. There are far too many options available for social networking. The internet is home to some 115 social media networks such as Linkedin,

Facebook and the like with over a million users worldwide. Social media offers speed, efficiency and the ability to target and attract a specific large number of candidates. It can provide additional resource information on potential candidates so vital in the recruitment process.

According to R Haefner, VP of HR at CareerBuilder, “Social media is a primary vehicle of communication today, and because much of that communication is public, it’s no surprise some recruiters and hiring managers are tuning in.”

Another survey by ‘Konetic’ found that 80% of HR teams use social media for sourcing new staff. Facebook, for instance, is used by many employers to promote their brand and graduate-employment programmes and allow potential candidates to network with their employees and recruiting personnel. Another point worth noting is, according to a survey by ‘Right Management’ 94% of job candidates used Linkedin as their top social media site for job hunting and this social media site was the preferred choice for two thirds of hiring professionals for sourcing job candidates.

Other than Linkedin and Facebook, networking sites such as Google+, Twitter, YouTube, Blogs are frequently used by recruiters and hiring professionals too. In a nutshell, social media and networking sites play a key role in the jobsearch and job sourcing processes. These platforms can’t be ignored. The prevalent use of technology in smart cities such as Singapore coupled with emerging advances in social media related technologies do incentivize individuals regardless of age to reach out and build their jobsearch network using social media. They can find people in targeted organizations and connect directly with people that matter most – people who can offer them jobs.

So, does the humble paper resume matter at all or is it still relevant in this social media age?

The simple answer is YES. Certainly yes. Simply because, the recruiting and hiring people still solicit your resume after having identified you as a potential from among the hundreds on social media. Postings and write-ups on social media cannot and will not replace the RESUME.

Moreover, it’s still the only tool you, the job seeker, have for making that good first impression with your next prospective employer and getting your right foot in the door for that all-important, make-or-break interview. The full-length resume is still the only marketing tool and the professional profile that can fully portray you accurately, focusing on your capabilities and achievements, and the most important asset you have to offer – YOU!

But then, do you ever feel that you are sending your precious resume into the abyss when you apply for an internship or new job? Don’t despair. Jumping into the lake won’t solve your problem, either. Smile, you may be among the more than 90% of applicants left wondering what went wrong. On an average, there are more 190 applicants per job advertised, and only about 10% of those applications ever receive an interview invite. If yours is not among this 10% cohort, then, perhaps, your resume is the problem.

So, it’s time that you got your RESUME seen, noticed and read by the real people that matter most – the Hiring Managers. It is worth your while, economically, to invest some time and money making your resume the best and unique one possible.

How? You may ask. Consider these seriously:

·         Don’t ignore social media. Make it part and parcel of your jobsearch process. Integrate social media into the jobsearch plan.

·         Be bold. Stray from the norm, the standard. If your resume is ordinary, it remains ordinary.

·         Content strategy is king. Apart from choosing and using relevant and appropriate key action words, you must showcase your career achievements, accomplishments and play down on “what you did at that job and what you did at another job.”

·         Keep your resume current, up-dated, accurate and world-class.

At Successful Resumes, we are total professionals in resume crafting and have been doing so since 1992. We have more than 23 years of experience on this job and astutely know how to move you to your next job. Our resumes are individually-designed, expertly-written, professionally-presented and employer-centred.

Your resume is your most important marketing tool for getting your NEXT job. Make sure you don’t blow it.

Article by Larry Lim, Chief Executive of Successful Resumes Singapore and Career Management Institute. Successful Resumes Singapore is an integral part of Successful Resumes International with its HQ in Sydney, Australia that has more 20 years of professional experience crafting world-class resume for the discerning. Visit www.successfulresumessingapore.com for more information.

JOB HIRING SCENARIO 2016: BLEAK

JOB HIRING SCENARIO 2016: BLEAK

In a news report in September 2015, Singapore’s daily, The Straits Times, quoted headhunters as saying job hiring for 2015 has been moderately affected due hosts of economic factors, among them the stock market turmoil, global business slowdown, competition from emerging technologies and online businesses.
Hiring people are not too optimistic of the scenario for 2016. They cautiously predicted that HIRING COULD BE HALTED COMPLETELY IN THE SECOND HALF OF 2016. By then the full impact of an economic slowdown would have flown through our very open economy, leaving employers on tenterhooks. The uncertain business outlook, the volatile global markets will have negative effect on hiring.

The competition for the most desired jobs, especially for fresh graduates and seniors, is going to be steep. With so few job openings available, it’s very important to make the BEST FIRST IMPRESSION you can at every stage of the jobsearch/recruiting process – from the resume, cover letter, social media profile, phone interview to the in-person, face-to-face interview with the organization’s HR Hiring Manager.

If you are in search for the desired job for whatever reason, you must truly make a difference when compared to others competing with you. Professional help is advised and this professional approach to the jobsearch strategy can give you that edge, provide you that X-factor. Successful Resumes has been inspiring and transforming those thousands who have sought our professional expertise. We have been advising clients since 1992. We can help you, too.

To find out how we can help you, log in to www.successfulresumessingapore.com

Successful Resumes Singapore

Career Management Institute

To Inspire To Transform 

SEASON'S GREETINGS

SEASON’S GREETINGS

Christmas 2015 is just a few hours away and 2015 is fast coming to a close. Looking back to 2015, we, the people at Successful Resumes Singapore and Career Management Institute are feeling very grateful and privileged. We sincerely thank all our valued clients from around the world for letting us play a crucial role in their career management planning. We would also like to express our heartfelt gratitude to all our teammates, business associates and blog page fans who have stood by and with us during our challenging times throughout 2015.

We eagerly look forward to partnering you in 2016 if you are planning a career change, moving to a more challenging and rewarding management position or exploring new frontiers in your professions.

We just wanted you to know how much we appreciated playing a role in your memories that you created in 2015. We wish you HAPPY HOLIDAYS and look forward to partner you create even more unforgettable events in 2016.

Successful Resumes Singapore

Career Management Institute

www.successfulresumessingapore.com

TO INSPIRE  TO TRANSFORM

Crafting world-class resumes for the discerning since 1992

HOW TO GET HIRED .... Raise your hiring prospects amid an uncertain economy

My article was published by The Straits Times on Wed 24 Nov 2015 on page C22 RECRUIT. Go to this page and read my article in full. It was also published on this blog page under a different title/heading.