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Happy Holiday season! As a token of our appreciation, please accept this holiday gift bag of resources for your job search. It’s not easy to find a job, switch careers, or launch your own business. Hang in there!
1. Payscale.com. It’s beneficial to know the average salary of your role in your region. For example, the average salary for a Project Manager in Monowi, Nebraska versus a Project Manager in Los Angeles, California. When you wind your way through the job process, it’s an advantage to have a clear understanding of your market worth.
2. The Headshot Wizard. This is a great service for anybody with an existing photo that needs a professional touch before it's ready for prime time. A great profile photo on LinkedIn, and other job board profiles, enhance your professional brand.
3. Photographers or Photography Services. For professionals who do not have a current or appropriate profile photo, many photographers would love to help. Here are a couple of links to get you started:
· Headshot Photographers listed on LinkedIn
4. Resume & Cover Letter Guides. Like it or not, finding a job is a game with rules. Learn how to build your resume and succeed in the search. Here are the books by some of the masters that demonstrate the essentials and give some great examples:
5. Job boards: Think visibility and automation. There are many job boards, and the majors continue to upgrade the job application process on their site. There is some upfront work involved in creating profiles on many job boards, but once you're up and running, it's a one or two-click process to submit your resume in many cases. Once your resume is out there, recruiters and hiring managers can find you. The majors (in alphabetical order):
· Indeed
· Monster
6. Clothes for your interview. Every gift you buy during the holidays doesn’t have to be for other people. Treat yourself to some top-notch threads for job interviews. For more on this subject, please check out, “The Best Outfits for Job Interviews.”
7. Transportation to the interview: If you have transportation issues, plan. Uber and Lyft are understaffed, and rides may take longer to get, but they are still great options. Schedule one in advance. If you use public transportation, make sure you have plenty of time to get to your interview on time.
8. Resume Paper. At some point, you land an in-person interview. Inquire how many participants will be involved in the interview and bring the same number of hard copies of your resume. There are many types of resume paper available, but 32lbs, 75%-100% cotton, plain white or ivory, granite is classic and effective. A great resume paper is Southworth, available at Walmart, Target, Office Depot, Staples, Walgreens, and Amazon.
Philip Roufail contributed to this article.
Scott Singer is the President and Founder of Insider Career Strategies Resume Writing & Career Coaching, a firm dedicated to guiding job seekers and companies through the job search and hiring process. Insider Career Strategies provides resume writing, LinkedIn profile development, career coaching services, and outplacement services. You can email Scott Singer at scott.singer@insidercs.com, or via the website, www.insidercs.com.
