This just in — Jobvite’s 2012 Social Job Seeker Survey revealed a lot of interesting stats, one of which is that approximately 76 percent of job seekers use social media in their hunt for a new gig.

Plus, it sounds like the job search isn’t like hitting an on or off button. Rather, it’s always on. The survey showed that 75 percent of employees are actively looking or are open to exploring new opportunities. Read more

Psst. Over here.

We have a secret. Three, actually.

When recruiters speak to candidates, they not only sort out technical abilities and soft skills, they’re looking for specific traits and patterns. According to a post on ERE, here are a few of traits and associated questions to be aware of so you can be fully prepared.

Read more

Got posture? Good, we knew you did.

When it comes to interviewing, technical experience is one thing, soft skills are another and presentation is about tying it all up in a bow.

According to a piece on Forbes, there are several ways to sharpen your body language in order to aim to seal the deal. Read more

According to a new survey, approximately two-thirds of job seekers start looking casually for a new job six months before they start pounding the pavement.

CareerBuilder’s 2012 Candidate Behavior Study revealed a lot goes on within those six months. Candidates check out a variety of sources to research opportunities like going online to company sites and Facebook pages.  For instance, 84 percent log onto Google whereas 75 percent visit company sites.

Essentially, this info provides a lot of mojo and moxie to recruiters to keep their pipeline of potential talent active even when candidates are pretty passive. Above all, it’s a reminder to both job seekers and recruiters that a job search is a journey and in this case, it begins about six months before hard core networking and interviewing even occurs.

Ever feel like you’re putting too much pressure on yourself with the job search? Maybe you’re stressing certain things that aren’t even important in the eyes of the hiring manager and recruiter.

Well, as per a post on U.S. News & World Report, there are a few items you don’t need to fret about any more.

1. Your cover letter. Whether or not you address it to a hiring manager or specific person, it doesn’t really matter; content is what counts. Is it succinct yet informative? Spot on with grammar and spelling? Good, that’s all that counts.

2. Your resume design. In the piece, Alison Green writes, “What employers want from your resume design is a document that’s clean and uncluttered, easy to scan, not overly fancy, and puts the information we want in the places we expect to find it. Whatever design you choose that achieves those goals is fine with us.”

3. Your resume length. One or two pages? That is the question but definitely not a deal breaker. It’s fine for resumes to encompass two pages; anything longer than that will start feeling copious. This means you can fiddle with margins and fonts to fit it into two pages (or of course, magnify it if you’re right out of school and need to fill up space on a page.)

4. Your “personal brand.” Green reminds us employers don’t really care about personal brands. Rather, what’s truly important is doing good work. She points out in the piece, “The evangelists telling you that you must build a unique and recognizable personal brand are looking for a new concept to sell you in an overcrowded marketplace. Employers—the people actually thinking about hiring you—could care less. Do good work and build a good reputation, and forget the branding hype.”

5. Your thank-you note. If you’re torn between the e-mailed note or snail mailed one, fret not. The recruiter isn’t going to focus on form of communication but a.) the point that you sent one and b.) if it expresses enthusiasm and c.) references a point made during the interview. Similar to the cover letter, be sure it’s flawless with content.

Of course, the goal is to leave a lasting positive impression so whether or not you put a stamp on a note or quickly sent one via modern technology, the point is you’re expressing interest, you’re thanking them for their time, and following up.

Looking for a job? You’re not alone. So, as you pound the pavement and network your way into a new gig, there’s one thing that may go overlooked in the process. And that’s the reference.

For starters, if your resume is already filling up two pages and you need to trim it down a bit, you can certainly remove the line, “References available upon request.” Read more

Desperate times call for desperate measures, right?

As we head out to enjoy the long holiday weekend, here’s a similar tale to the one we mentioned last week whereby a New Yorker stood on city streets to distribute his resume.

Well, one husband in Toledo, OH took it one step further. He hired a billboard with a message that read: “Please Hire My Wife” along with her picture and an e-mail address. Read more

Ever wondered what would happen if you literally pounded the pavement to land a new job? Or went knocking on doors the old-fashioned way and submitted a hard copy resume to a receptionist?

We’re big fans of thinking outside the box with a job search, so keeping that in mind, one man landed five interviews by standing on a street corner!

As pointed out by The Wall Street Journal, Vincent A. Giordano has been searching for two years. Well, the past few weeks he started working the streets in NYC by handing out his resume.

At 42nd Street and Lexington Avenue, he told the newspaper, “I gave out 50 resumes in one day.” That resulted in five interviews “but no cigar.”  

Ever wondered why maybe you’re not getting a call from a recruiter after submitting your sparkling resume?

Well, maybe it’s not as spot on as you may think. According to a piece in India Real Time (sister site to The Wall Street Journal), there are a few reasons why your top notch experience may not be presented the right way on the ol’ trusty CV. This is assuming your skills and experience match the job qualifications (if you’re not qualified, well let’s just say that’s the numero uno reason why you’re not getting a phone call.) Read more

As in, don’t ditch your resume just yet to head to the nearest beach! This time of year may seem like it’s quiet and in fact, you may try to convince yourself no one’s hiring until Labor Day.

Alas! That’s not necessarily true and according to the folks at Brazen Careerist, there are several reasons to keep persisting with your goal.

In a recent post, they outlined several reasons to continue job hunting amidst countless distractions like the beach, being outdoors, and of course, procrastinating. Read more