Google Yourself Like an Employer Would

Tips on Finding a Job >> Google Yourself

We live in the age of easy access to information, courtesy of the Internet. So keep this in mind when you are applying for a job. Regardless of how you personally feel about it, it's perfectly legal for a potential employer to look you up online, using Google and other search engines.

Does your Facebook or MySpace profile have a picture or message you wouldn't want an employer to see? If so, remove said item from your profile, or set your privacy settings so only friends can view your complete profile. Do you publish a blog with some kind of controversial content? You might want to make it anonymous until you're done with your job search.

In a perfect world, an employer would judge you on your previous job performance only, without being swayed by "off duty" findings. But this is not a perfect world. So even if you're perfectly qualified for a job, you might not land the interview because of something the employer found online. And you wouldn't even know the real reason, but no employer in their right mind would tell you what they found and where. They would simply exclude you from their list of candidates.

But don't stop there. Do a Google search for your name and see what comes up. If you have a common name like John Williams, you may want to include your city name within the search to narrow things down. If you have a unique name, most or all of the results that come up could be related to you -- so make sure there's nothing negative in the mix.

Many companies issue press releases when they hire new employees, particularly if they are management-level employees. So you might find some of these items through a Google search too. Who knows, you might even still be listed on the "About Us" page of a company's website. There's a good chance a potential employer would stumble across this too, so make sure anything listed online reflects the information within your resume.

Here are some tips on how to Google yourself effectively:

• Put your first and last name within quotes. This will rule out any web pages that include both parts of your name separately (irrelevant results). For example, do a search for "Robert Jenkins" with the quotes included.
• If you have a very common name, add a plus sign followed by your city name. This will narrow the results and help you zero in on anything that might be related to you.
• Do this process through Google, Yahoo and MSN, which are the three most popular search engines. They all use different databases, and they all rank their results differently. So you might pop in one search engine but not another.

Learn More: This blog post is part of an ongoing series of lessons. Visit the table of contents page to get more tips on finding a job.

Make a List of Job Skills for Future Use

Tips on Finding a Job >> List of Skills

This is a helpful tip I learned long ago, during one of my job searches. In this lesson, we will discuss the benefits of creating a "master list" of your job skills, experience and credentials. It will prove valuable as you get further into the job search process.

Later in this series of articles, we are going to talk about the importance of tailoring a resume for the specific job you are applying for. This is something you need to do in order to stand out from all the other job applicants. Basically, you'll be tweaking the content of your "master resume" until it matches the description of the job you are targeting -- as closely as possible, anyway.

This is where it helps to have a list of job skills and other credentials. If you have such a list on your computer, you can easily copy and paste items onto the resume you are preparing.

Start with a blank piece of paper or a Word document, and then write the following headings (leaving space for content):

• Skills
• Accomplishments

Under the Skills heading, make a list of every single job-related talent you have. This can include a variety of "soft skills," such as customer service and team management. It should also include your "hard skills," which are those more closely related to a particular function (e.g., computer programming, machine operation, etc.).

Remember, this is the "master list" of job skills you are creating. So put down everything you can think of, from all of the jobs you've held in the past. Even if you don't think it's relevant to your current job search, put it down anyway.

Do the same thing under the Accomplishments heading. This part is critical. When we get into resume development, we will discuss the importance of having a "action-based" resume, as opposed to a job description resume. Potential employers want to see what you've actually done -- not just your responsibilities. They want to know what you have accomplished in previous jobs. So it's time to put those things down on paper.

This part is going to require some thought. It might even take you several attempts to capture all of your past accomplishments. And that's okay. Come back to your list as needed, every time you think of something else you've done in the past. This is going to save you a lot of time and energy later on, when you are tailoring resumes for specific job postings. Trust me on this one!

On top of that, the simple act of writing forces you to brainstorm. So by making your list of job skills and accomplishments, you'll be more likely to remember everything.

Learn More: This blog post is part of an ongoing series of lessons. Visit the table of contents page to get more tips on finding a job.

Create a Job Hunting Plan of Attack

Tips on Finding a Job >> Plan of Attack

In the previous post in this series, we talked about the need to do some soul searching before you begin your job search. This next step is a direct extension of that, where you will begin to write down some ideas for your job hunting process.

It's important to get some ideas down on paper early on. Among other things, it will force you to think about what you're trying to accomplish, what job hunting resources you plan to use, etc. If you want, you could even use the table of contents for this article series as your checklist / plan of attack. Copy and paste it into a Word document, print it out, and then add your own notes to it.

Here are some things to include when you create your plan for the job hunting process:

• What type of job do I want to find?
• What skills do I have to offer?
• Who am I going to use for references when I start my job hunt?
• What resources do I need to gather (job search engines, networking tools, resume)?
• What are the steps involved in the process? Where do I need to start?

You can add to your job hunting plan as needed. In fact, it's best if you do exactly that. The point here is to get yourself pointed in the right direction.

You would be amazed at how helpful the process is -- the simple act of putting things down on paper. It takes what may seem like an insurmountable task, and it breaks it down into achievable steps. It also helps you keep your focus as you move forward in your job hunting process.

Learn More: This blog post is part of an ongoing series of lessons. Visit the table of contents page to get more tips on finding a job.

Determine the Type of Job You Want

Tips on Finding a Job >> Determine Job Type

So here you are, at the beginning of your job search process. Right now, you may only see the negative side of things -- the bills piling up, the lack of income, and possibly a recent job loss as well.

But this is also a time of opportunity for you. During your job search process, you are opening a new chapter in your life. So before you start working on your resume and applying for jobs, do a little soul searching to determine what you really want to do. Granted, you'll have to stay close to your current skill set. But you can still branch out into a related field that interests you.

For example, I used to work as a project manager for a commercial printing company. In that role, I spent a lot of time working on the company's website, and I quickly realized I had a talent (and an interest) for that kind of work. So when I transitioned to a different job to shorten my commute, I leveraged that website experience to land a job with an Internet marketing company.

This is perfect example of using your current skills to find a new type of job. So be open-minded when you start your job search process. Because of technological advances and other changes, there are many more types of jobs available today than ten years ago. You might even be pleasantly surprised to find that something you've done as a hobby is now in high demand with employers. That's what happened to me with my web writing interests -- where it used to be a hobby, it's now a skill in high demand by companies.

Now with all of that being said, you must also factor in the pressing need for income. Sure, it would be nice to hold out for a dream job, but it might be a long wait. And if you have bills coming in on a regular basis -- like car payments, student loans, rent or mortgage payments -- you need to strike a balance between the kind of job you want and the income you need.

But it all starts with a little soul searching. What are you good at? What types of collateral skills have you picked up in previous jobs, and are those skills in demand today? Keep your options open.

Learn More: This blog post is part of an ongoing series of lessons. Visit the table of contents page to get more tips on finding a job.

Tips for Finding a Job in 2009

In 2009, a lot of Americans will be losing their jobs and looking for new ones. It's just another chapter in our story of economic distress.

That's the primary reason we created this blog as part of the Home Buying Institute. Finding a job is the first step to financial security, which is something you need before you can buy a home.

In this ongoing tutorial, we are compiling a list of 101 helpful tips for finding a job in 2009. For your convenience, all of the tips are presented as hyperlinks. So you can skim the list to find something that interests you, and then click to read more. You're bound to find some useful advice on finding a new job in the new economy!

Stage 1 - Preparation

1. Determine the type of job you want
2. Create your plan of attack
3. Create a master list of skills
4. Google yourself like an employer would
5. Determine your salary requirements
6. Go above and beyond to outshine the rest
7. Use your network of family and friends

Stage 2 - Creating a Resume

8. Experiment with online resume builders
9. Create a master resume and tailor as needed
10. Don't over-think the resume format
11. List your accomplishments, not responsibilities
12. Be specific with your resume accomplishments

Stage 3 - Applying for Jobs

13. Create a daily schedule (and stick to it)

We are adding new lessons every week. Check back often! Last update: August 8, 2009

Free Job Search Engines - 5 Sites Reviewed

In this article, we will take a look at some of the free job search engines that are available online today. Why do I stress the word free? Because some job sites actually charge you to search their postings. And who needs that? All of the websites on this list make their money from the employers who post jobs, which means you get to search the sites for free. In other words, they are the only job search engines worth using.

Job Sites You Can Use for Free

I recommend that you use at least three of the job sites listed below. This will give you access to a wider range of potential employers, while keeping your job search manageable at the same time.

1. Monster.com

This is one of the original job search websites, dating back to 1999. And you can still use it free of charge. You'll also have access to a huge pool of employers when using this site. The basic job search engine is free to use, but Monster also provides a variety of fee-based services (like resume writing). In my opinion, these services are not worth the extra cost because you can find plenty of free resume templates online. Still, the basis search engine is definitely worth using.

When you consider the large database of job opportunities found within this search engine, combined with the website's ease of use, you can understand why it's so popular among online job hunters.

---

2. SnagAJob.com

If you're looking for part-time hourly work, this job search engine might be worth a look. It offers job postings that are hourly in nature, which could be useful for teens, students, or retirees looking for a little extra income.

From the website's home page, you can enter your zip code to instantly search jobs in your area. In order to apply for a job through the site, you have to sign up for free account. Overall, the website is easy to use, with one glaring exception -- pop-ups. I really could have done without all of the pop-up ads every time I clicked on a new page.

---

3. CareerBuilder.com

I don't know what to say about Career Builder, as far as it being unique. It's one of the more popular job search engines because of all the advertising they do. So it gives you access to a pretty large number of employers and job postings.

Like Monster.com, this site also allows you to post a resume so that employers can find you. But my advice has always been the same with the resume posting technique -- it will get you a lot of spam emails, but it probably won't get you a job. You must actively search and apply for jobs in order to get noticed. Fortunately, this free search engine makes the process pretty darn easy.

---

4. Craigslist.org

Most job hunters don't realize how useful Craigslist can be. So let me be the first to tell you that many employers post jobs here for one simple reason -- it costs them less to post a job than some of the other job search engines on this list. I used to work for an Austin-based company that listed their openings on Craigslist exclusively. Their argument was that they spent less money and got just as many qualified applicants. And you can't argue with that.

So my message to you, as you build your list of free job search engines, is to consider this one as well. Don't rule it out. I've hired people through this website, and I know many other people who have found great jobs through it. Something to consider.

---

5. JobSpider.com

This website claims to be "the #1 completely free internet job search engine and job board in the United States." But then it does nothing to qualify the empty boast. Based on the short time I spent on the site, it seems the owners are more interested in making money from the Google ads on the website than providing a useful service.

When compared to other free job search engines available online, this one offered far fewer postings. The website functionality leaves a lot to be desired, as well. I put this site on the list simply for the sake of completeness. It's nothing to write home about.

---

Conclusion and Going Forward

I hope you found this guide to free job search engines helpful, and I wish you all the best in your quest for employment. Keep in mind that these are not the only job sites available online. There are many more that I haven't listed here, and there are also a wide variety of local and industry-specific job websites. So consider those as well. Check your local news website for postings too -- they almost always have an employment section open to local candidates.