Online Identity Calculator

These days everyone Googles. And they Google everything! Especially other people.

Knowing what Google says about you is not only interesting, but allows you to proactively managing your online identity. Experts say your online identity can effect your professional goals.

Reach Communications has developed the first and leading tool to help you make sense of your Google results - the Online ID Calculator. Reach says, "In the new world of work, your online profile plays a critical role in your ability to achieve your professional goals. Until now, there has been no way of evaluating the strength of your online personal brand."

It took me about 5 minutes. My score was "Digitally Distinct." I guess I talk alot...online.

It's free and fun. Check it out.

The Resume Critique

How are you going to get your resume to stand out among all the others?

By making sure it is organized for easy reading with the information prospective employers are looking for and showing how you are a unique individual.

I took advantage of a free resume critique from GetInterviews.com that offered me some advice on how to update my resume. I liked their comments and updated my resume using most of them. Following are the suggestions given to me which I thought was worth sharing with you.

A resume is read in 45 seconds. If a resume can't be read that quickly, it won't be read. Suggestions:

• Summary: The most valuable real estate is the first half of the first page. The summary establishes the focus of the resume and should provide the reader with a concise picture of the value you offer.
• Core Competencies: These should be specific areas of expertise and knowledge that can be supported by solid accomplishments, such as HTLM programming, using Eloqua, Google Analytics. Computer skills such as Microsoft Office do not add weight to your candidacy. They are normal, expected skills and should not be listed.
• Professional Experience: (1) For each position held, summarize your duties and company information in paragraph format and then use up to 5 bullets for your accomplishments and results achieved to maximize their impact. (2) Take out personal pronouns - I, me, my. (3) List only the past 10-15 years experience because it is most relevant to the challenges employers face today. If you are concerned about showing depth, there are ways to truncate your older experience while still showing you have good background from which to draw upon. (4) Don't use "References available upon request." It's not done anymore, especially for upper level resumes.
• Education: Employers are looking for education and omitting it is a red flag.
• Associations: A hiring manager only has your resume to get to know you. Include group memberships and volunteer work to make you stand out from your competition.

After you've updated your resume, send it to a few people to get their comments. Once you've got it where you like it, don't forget to upload it to all the job sites you are currently registered.

If you've got more ideas on how to get your resume in tip top shape, post it here.

Uncomfortable Interview Questions

On the Secrets of the Job Hunt blog, Laura Whitelaw writes about some common questions asked in job interviews that make us feel tense. They are:

1. What are your strengths/weaknesses?
2. Why are you leaving your current employer?
3. What are your salary expectations?

Preparing answers for these three questions can help you feel more confident and come across as a strong candidate. You can read the full article here: How To Answer Three Uncomfortable Interview Questions.

Laura Whitelaw is the founder of Best Choice 4 Resumes and a Certified Resume Strategist. Her background includes several years working in the employment services field as well as some time working in corporate training and development. Visit http://www.bestchoice4resumes.com for free job search and interview tips and to download a free report “Top 10 Q & A’s To Help You Ace That Job Interview.”

If you have other interview resources to share, please post here.

Tracking Your Search Efforts

It's imperative to keep track of your job search efforts. You need to know when to follow up, who to follow up with, which ones might have a connection on LinkedIn, and the dates of phone and in-person interviews. You especially need this info to fill out your EDD benefits form.

There is an online career relationship manager called JibberJobber. It started out as an online spreadsheet by Jason Alba to track and organize his first job search in January 2006 and evolved into what it is today.

JibberJobber offers a free basic account - they realize job seekers don't have money for extra expenses. You can get additional features by upgrading to one of three subscription plans.

I think it's worth checking out. You do most of your job search online...why not keep track of it online.

Know of any other online career relationship managers, share it here.

Over 40 Candidates

In my TheLadders.com e-newsletter, there was an article written by Dean Tracy, a professional recruiter, called "5 Magic Words for Older Candidates."

Didn't really like the word "older," but read the article anyway. It has some good advice for candidates 40 and OVER.

The author says, "you can be the champion in your search strategy – not the casualty in this race for the job," and then offers "five points [to] serve as a checklist of ways to serve up your age in a way that elevates your personal brand instead of diluting your candidacy:"

1. Accomplishment versus seasoned - The way you present yourself on your resume should reflect your energy and commitment. Identifying yourself as "seasoned" is basically saying "I'm old!"
2. Evidence versus claims - Show that you too have the energy and tenacity of a young candidate but that you also offer real experiences that's needed to get the job done.
3. Polish versus wipe - Can't say it any better than the author: "...you must dress for the job you want, not the job you have. "
4. Aware versus well-versed - Simply said, if you don't know about social networking tools (LinkedIn, Facebook, Twitter) that are being used today, learn them. You don't have to become an expert, but it's better to be well-versed than just aware of them.
5. Experience versus age - You can't change your age, but you can change the impression people have of your age. Demonstrate that your experience qualifies you as capable.

To read the entire article you must register with TheLadders.com. It's free and they have some good resources, like this article. If you don't want to register, I hope my overview has given you some helpful tips.

COBRA - A 65% Discount

On February 17, 2009, President Obama signed into law the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (the “Act”), which includes several important changes to COBRA.

The Act provides for a federal subsidy of 65 percent of the COBRA continuation coverage premiums for qualified beneficiaries receiving COBRA continuation coverage due to the covered employee’s involuntary termination of employment between September 1, 2008 and December 31, 2009.

Your COBRA office has up to 60 days from the enactment date - which is March 1, 2009 - to notify you of this change.

I spoke with my COBRA administrator and was told that you need to pay your full premium until the COBRA system gets caught up with this new law. Once the system is set up to accept 35% premium payments for COBRA, any over payments will be credited to your COBRA account. If you find a job and cancel COBRA, any over payments will be refunded.

I was also advised NOT to send in only 35% of my COBRA payment because their systems are not set up to accept the reduced amount yet. If you do, your payment will be returned and this can affect your status.

All that said and done...thank goodness. This 65% reduction is a huge help to the unemployed. This deserves a God Bless America.

FREE LinkedIn Tutorial Guide

I mention in an earlier post - "Basic Tools" - that one of the networking sites you should be on is LinkedIn.

I found a website - http://www.networlding.com/ - that is offering a free LinkedIn tutorial guide. The guide is very good and I would advise anyone who is looking for a job to request this free guide and put it to good use.

Email Networlding at info@networlding.com to receive your free LinkedIn Tutorial Guide to help you learn one of the most powerful social networking strategies. Networlding has coached over 1000 people a year on LinkedIn strategies and have done so since LinkedIn started over five years ago.

Any other resources you know of, please post a comment.

Indeed: One-Stop Job Search

It can be overwhelming searching for jobs on the Internet.

There are so many job sites out there and you don't want to miss an opportunity, so you feel compelled to register on all of them...and you should! That's not a bad thing if you're looking for a job when the unemployment rate is so high, and climbing.

Aside from the most popular job sites - craigslist.org, monster.com, careerbuilders.com - here are a few others that I've registered with:

• flexperienceconsulting.com
• glocap.com
• cybercoders.com
• jobscore.com
• simplyhired.com
• job.com
• sanfranrecruiters.com
• net-temps.com
• theladders.com

It's also nice to find a one-stop job search site, and I think I found one...Indeed. Indeed is a search engine for jobs. It includes all the job listings from major job boards, newspapers, associations and company career pages. On Indeed, I have found job listings from most all of the individual job sites I've listed above.

Sometimes I just check Indeed and not bother with the rest.

Know of any other job sites, please post here.

Plan Ahead Now

The reality of the severity of the economic crisis and how much tougher it's going to get hasn't really sunk in yet.

I've been laid off before and the two months it took me to find a new job seemed like hell. But with the high rate of unemployment - and it's increasing every day - it's going to take a lot longer to find another job. A LOT LONGER. Anyone got any predictions?

There is a certain level of stress that comes with being laid off. Then there is a little more after looking for one or two months. After that, it hits you that you could be unemployed for months to come and how are you going to manage!

For the recently unemployed, you're probably not feeling this way...yet. Don't wait till the stress and worries build. Plan ahead and start planning today.

Here's what you can do:

• draft a budget today
• identify which expenses you can temporarily eliminate
• identify which expenses you can cut back on
• get a roommate to share expenses
• stop eating out or at least budget for it
• rent movies to watch at home rather than going to a movie theater
• negotiate with your credit card companies for a lowered payment plan and interest rate; don't wait till you fall behind

Got any suggestions? Please share.

The Credit Crisis

There is a great video by Jonathan Jarvis about the crisis of credit called "The Crisis of Credit Visualized." For some of you, it will be a refresher course, and others an eye opener.

I thought it was very well done and informative so I decided to post it. Check it out.