Studies show that if you are not in an active job search, you are less likely to engage people in your professional network. That’s a huge mistake. Staying top-of-mind with people in your professional network is super important, especially when you are not actively seeking employment. Let me explain.
 
A popular movie trivia party game of the 1990s was based on the premise that any actor could be linked to Kevin Bacon in six steps or less. The actor’s “Bacon Number” showed the number of degrees of separation between the actor and Kevin Bacon.
 
The party game demonstrated the idea that any person on Earth could meet anyone in the world with six steps (or less) between them and the other person. The social science behind six degrees of separation dates back to the 1920s. The idea that “a friend-of-a-friend, 6-link chain” could connect any two people on the planet is intriguing.
 
LinkedIn is built on the idea of person-to-person connectivity to help people find employment. But, if you are like me, you have numerous connections on LinkedIn that you don’t know personally.
 
The question is, “How do you filter out your close connections from the massive number of LinkedIn connections to the people you actually know, like, and trust? Do you have a plan to reach out to these close contacts on a regular basis to build strong business relationships?”
 
As a Phello Career Networking Expert, I can help you build, optimize, and manage your contacts using SaaS technology. By proactively messaging close contacts regularly, you will not fall prey to the pandemonium associated with job loss in this crazy economy. If the unexpected layoff does happen, you will have numerous people who are happy to serve as your champions and introduce you to a friend-of-a-friend who may know of a job opportunity that is perfectly suited for you.
 
Differentiate yourself from the sea of candidates flooding the job market due to layoffs. Click below to find out how you can work with Sharla Taylor to harness the power of Phello networking services. 

​First impressions are everything!  Are you using a Microsoft Word  résumé  template to stand out? 
If so, you probably just look like the rest of the résumés a hiring manager or recruiter sees day-in and day-out.

At Written by a Pro, we have one design rule: No cookie-cutter résumés that lack originality or distinction. 

A certified professional  résumé  writer will support you in developing your résumés (yes, I said résumés – plural). A one-size-fits-all résumé will not generate interviews. It must be tailored to the job opportunity and the targeted company.

Make sure your resume is uniquely you! 

​A personalized résumé may include some of the following elements:

• Branded Colors
• Results Charts
• Skills with Image-Ranking Legend
• Social Media Profiles
• Links to Publications, Patents, Certificates, or Awards

Get a custom-designed, color résumé tailored to your specific needs and the needs of your prospective employer. We will work together to implement the right combination of these tools so that your résumé will make a positive first impression!

All new résumé packages are backed by a 60-day interview guarantee. If your résumé doesn't generate interviews in the first 60 days, we'll rewrite it for free (see terms of service for details about keeping a copy of all job postings and a résumé submissions log).

Questions? Schedule a free, 15-minute consultation at www.calendly.com/writtenbyapro to discuss your career goals. 

I am often asked questions from job seekers searching for ways to differentiate themselves:​

• “Do I have any value to provide an employer?”
• “How can I present that value on my resume?”
• “How does the employer understand the value I offer?”

As a professional résumé  writer, I will help you articulate the value you offer an employer. By asking targeted questions, I will create a personalized résumé  for your dream job that incorporates the strengths that separate you from your strongest competitors. 

Together we will be able to determine the ROI you will provide a new employer, and answer these important questions:

• What are your unique skills?
• How much time or money can you save the employer?
• How much revenue can you generate for the employer?
• Why are you the right person for the job?
• How do your previous successes set you up to be the right candidate for this job?

These questions will help us create the perfect résumé for your dream job, so it’s clear why you are the most qualified candidate.

Remember: An unfocused or generic resume is not beneficial to an employer or recruiter.  It does not provide any unique value to answer why you are the perfect candidate. 

Schedule your free, 15-minute consultation today at www.calendly.com/writtenbyapro.

Recruiters report receiving more than 200 applicants within 24 hours of a job being posted online. Within a week, that number can rise significantly.

How do you stand out in a sea of applicants?  It’s tough these days.  So many talented people are entering the job market, looking for many of the same positions at companies who are hiring during the COVID-19 pandemic.
 
As a certified professional résumé writer, I know what hiring managers are looking for and how they process applicants through the company's applicant tracking system (ATS). We will work to give you that competitive edge through personalized materials and a one-of-a-kind approach.
 
We will write and design your résumé so you can shine above the rest!  How do we do that?  First, we will create custom documents that highlight your strengths.

You'll get:

• Multiple résumé versions (Microsoft Word, PDF, and ATS-compliant documents).
• Built-in keywords so applicant tracking systems (ATS) will rank you in the top echelon of candidates (providing you meet the employer's required qualifications, of course). 
• Unique cover letters that resonate with decision makers.

 
Your résumé will read smarter, look sharper, provide value, and show a ROI to an employer or recruiter.

Schedule your free, 15-minute consultation at www.calendly.com/writtenbyapro.
Ask about our 60-day interview guarantee!

If you are one of the 38.6 Million who Have Filed For Unemployment Since March, you know the stress and challenges that come with navigating a job search during a pandemic. 
 
Who is hiring? How do I make my resume stand out and get recognized?  How do I address gaps in employment?

As a Certified Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW), these are concerns I hear firsthand from executives and mid-career professionals who haven't conducted a job search in a long time. Or maybe, you’re a pro at writing but don’t know how to handle the gaps, furloughs, or layoffs that the COVID-19 economy has brought you.

Over the next few days, we'll explore how to:

1. Gain a competitive advantage (ahead of potentially hundreds or thousands of other applicants)
2. Answer the interview question, "Why should they pick me for the job?"
3. Take advantage of personalized tools to make your job search easy. 
4. See yourself in the best light, gain confidence, and stay motivated.
5. Find the best job opportunities in this volatile job market.

 
Whatever your unique circumstances, now more than ever, having a certified professional help you create your résumé and coach you through your job search will set you up for success!

LinkedIn's Workforce Report for April 2020 shows the businesses that are experiencing the greatest negative impact from COVID-19. Not surprisingly, companies that rely on person-to-person interactions to sell their goods and services are laying off workers, while companies that hire remote workers are growing.

LinkedIn's Workforce Report is updated monthly and shares the latest economic insights on the job market. You can access April's report here:
https://economicgraph.linkedin.com/resources/linkedin-workforce-report-april-2020

Many technology companies are thriving, despite the pandemic. Tech companies offer a large number of work-from-home opportunities. One of my clients, a programmer analyst who lost her job through a reduction in force, landed a new job within 27 days! How did she do it? The short answer is company research and networking.

6 Tips for Building Your Network of Business Contacts

1. Don't wait for a job to be posted online. Create opportunities through networking.
2. Follow companies of interest on LinkedIn. Set a Google alert to notify you when the company is in the news. Read the company's annual reports. Learn about their corporate culture, mission statement, and growth initiatives. Dive deep into your company research to understand the company's goals and challenges. Research competitors. Create a comparison chart to see if the entire industry is facing the same issues, of the challenges are unique to a particular company.  
3. Develop your network of contacts. Identify people who work at companies of interest and have the authority to hire you. Identify peers within the company. 
4. Notice which professional associations and industry groups these people belong to and start participating in these organizations and groups on LinkedIn. 
5. Like and comment on other people's posts. Add your thoughts to the group conversation.
6. Reach out to new contacts and share relevant articles by industry influencers.

Times of adversity test our resolve. Inspiration and reassurance come from the least expected places. 
A.A. Milne, the author of Winne-the-Pooh, wrote: “You are braver than you believe, smarter than you seem, and stronger than you think.”

And you are more resilient than you know.

Written by a Pro is here to help you during these uncertain times. We've discounted all of our DIY review services to help people who have lost their jobs due to the Coronavirus. You will find the DIY review services for resumes, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles listed on writtenbyapro.com on the store page. We also offer career coaching to help executives and mid-career professionals explore new career paths and develop/implement an effective career marketing campaign.
​

Hiring managers are vigilant in screening and selecting candidates for employment because they know hiring the wrong person can cost the company mega bucks.

You have the power to influence hiring managers’ decisions by anticipating and addressing their top concerns in your résumé.
 
​
​Top 3 Considerations Hiring Managers Weigh

1. Can you do the job? 
   A question of competence backed by credentials and experience.
   
   
2. Will you do the work?
   A question of commitment and motivation.
   
   
3. Will you be an asset to the organization?
   A question of collaboration, contribution, and creative problem solving to determine how you’d fit and function within the organization, especially at the executive level.

Great résumés generate interviews and influence hiring decisions by conveying that applicants are competent, credentialed, committed, creative, and collaborative. Let’s explore each of these ideas and where to place the information in your résumé.
 
COMPETENCE AND CREDENTIALS
Begin your résumé with a value proposition that describes how your expertise enables you make a positive contribution to the company. Conduct research to understand the company’s unique mission, values, goals, and objectives. Review a job prospectus or job posting that provides details about the critical skills the employer expects the ideal candidate to have, then position yourself as a strong contender for the job.
 
If you have been in the workforce for years, list your education and certifications at the end of your résumé because your recent accomplishments are more relevant than your college degree. However, if you’ve recently earned an advanced degree or a required industry certification, you may want to include this in your value proposition.
 
If you are applying for an academic or scientific position, employers typically prefer to read your employment information in a hybrid CV-format that usually starts with your value proposition followed by your education, certification, and experience.
 
If you’ve recently earned your bachelor’s degree, list your education and academic achievements near the top of page one since your education is your most relevant qualification.
 
COMMITMENT AND MOTIVATION
Show that you are dedicated and driven. The hiring manager will review your career progression and length of employment in previous roles with the assumption that past performance is an indicator of future performance. An employer wants to hire someone who consistently delivers outstanding work and is committed to the company’s long-term success.
 
If you are a recent college graduate who worked your way through college or volunteered in the community, that’s a plus. Your determination to graduate debt-free by holding part-time jobs through school or your devotion to mentoring youth in an afterschool program expresses your commitment.
  
COLLABORATION, CONTRIBUTION, AND CREATIVE PROBLEM SOLVING
Position yourself as a thought leader and key contributor. Share how you’ve brought ideas and solutions to the table to streamline operations, improve employee engagement and performance, increase productivity, reduce costs, or generate revenue, depending on the employer’s expectations for the role you are applying for.
 
Explain how you’ve made a difference at work. Share your career success stories. Describe the key initiatives you’ve led or your contributions to project teams. Include quantifiable business results in concise bullet points that span no more than two lines each. Tailor your résumé to meet the needs of the employer by including meaningful and measurable achievements.
 
Mention your involvement in professional organizations. List presentations, publications, and patents. You may want to mention your involvement in philanthropic groups. It’s wise to omit references to religious or political groups unless you are applying for a job within a religious or political organization.
 
If you are a recent college graduate with little or no work experience, don’t write “strong work ethic” as a professional skill. Demonstrate it. Describe your academic research, capstone project, or internship experience. If you held an office in an academic society or campus organization, mention your leadership role and any events that your group hosted. If you served as a tutor in the university’s writing center, share how you contributed to the academic success of others. Be prepared to share what you learned from these experiences during an interview.
 
CONCLUSION
Think about the company’s mission and values. How do you fit within the corporate culture? Conduct company research and determine how you can contribute to the organization’s success.
 
Consider key qualifications the employer wants the ideal candidate to possess, then describe how you fit that image. Your résumé must convey how your credentials, core competencies, creative thinking, and commitment to making a positive contribution differentiate you from other applicants to score an interview. After interview, your résumé reminds the employer of your unique value.
 
Since you have limited space to describe your strengths, make every word of your résumé count. Remember, content is king if you want the phone to ring!

Stay calm. Take a moment to think. ​Ditch the first answer that pops into your mind (e.g., a sturdy oak because this example is frequently used). Deliver a more creative response such as:

"If I were a tree, I would be: 

• palm tree because it is flexible in high winds.
• an olive tree because it is resistant to drought and disease.
• a spruce tree because it is evergreen.
• an apple tree because it is productive and bears fruit.
• a bamboo tree because it grows fast.
• a sequoia tree because it has thrived for many years."

 
As for me, I'd rather be a money tree for obvious reasons!

Use your discretion. A comedic response could backfire on you if the interviewer does not share your sense of humor. Given the right situation, clean humor can break the ice, put both parties at ease, and facilitate a natural conversation. 

Think before you speak. Never give a rude response, no matter how bizarre the question may be.
​Take a moment to ponder the question and the personal attributes required to be successful in your career. Then, give a creative response that conveys your strengths.

Before you decide to relocate for a job opportunity, analyze the job market, the prospective employer’s corporate culture, your earning potential, and cost of living differential. Use data gathered by top researchers to find the best places to live and work in the USA.


STUDY THE JOB MARKET
Each month, LinkedIn shares valuable insights about the job market in its LinkedIn Workforce Report that’s divided into two sections–a national section and a city section. The national report offers insights into hiring, skills gaps, and migration trends across the USA. The city report shares insights into local employment trends for the top 20 largest metropolitan areas in the USA.

​The November 2019 LinkedIn Workforce Report can be viewed at this link:
https://economicgraph.linkedin.com/resources/linkedin-workforce-report-november-2019
To find the reports for future months, simply change the name of the month-year on the hyperlink above.
 
RESEARCH PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER’S CORPORATE CULTURE AND HIRING PRACTICES
Three reliable lists of top employers are listed below.

1. The 2019 Fortune 100 Best Companies to Work For can be found here: ​https://www.greatplacetowork.com/best-workplaces/100-best/2019
2. Glassdoor’s 2019 Best Places to Work can be accessed here:​https://www.glassdoor.com/Award/Best-Places-to-Work-LST_KQ0,19.htm
3. Talent Board’s 2018 Cande Awards is a list of 65 North American companies ranked highest for a quality candidate experience. It can be downloaded here:
    ​https://www.thetalentboard.org/cande-awards/cande-winners/#2018ranking

Also, consider factors such as the prospective employer’s employee satisfaction and retention, work-life balance, opportunities for collaboration and career advancement, effective leadership, and core values.
 
KNOW YOUR EARNING POTENTIAL
Four websites for comparing total compensation (salaries, bonuses, benefits, and perks) based on your job title, level of experience, and company location include:
https://www.linkedin.com/salary/
https://www.payscale.com/my/survey/choose
https://www.glassdoor.com/Salaries/know-your-worth.htm
https://www.salary.com/
 
CALCULATE THE COST OF LIVING IN A DIFFERENT CITY
Determine how much you will need to earn to maintain your current standard of living in a different city. Here are a few websites with cost-of-living calculators:
https://www.bestplaces.net/cost-of-living/
https://www.payscale.com/cost-of-living-calculator
https://www.nerdwallet.com/cost-of-living-calculator

Look before you leap. Analyze industry growth and available jobs. Understand a prospective employer’s corporate culture and hiring practices. Research total compensation by industry, experience in your professional role, and geographic location. Calculate the cost of living in a different city. Armed with these facts, you can make an informed decision about your next career move.

At Written by a Pro, we offer one-on-one career coaching to help you plan an effective job search campaign and guide you through every step of the way. Our mission is to help you land your dream job fast! Schedule a free, 15-minute consultation today at www.calendly.com/writtenbyapro. We look forward to speaking with you!

Question:
I've been out of the job market for 10 years. LinkedIn is new to me. Who uses LinkedIn and how important is LinkedIn to my job search?

Answer:
LinkedIn is designed to connect job seekers with recruiters and hiring managers. Using LinkedIn should be an essential part of your job search.

In 2017, 92% of recruiters surveyed sourced candidates through LinkedIn.

Approximately 93% of hiring managers read LinkedIn and other social media profiles to screen candidates with 92% reporting that they have hired new employees who applied through LinkedInJobs.

InMail messages have increased 35% year over year.

Employees hired through LinkedIn are 40% less likely to leave the company within the first 6 months.

Question:
Should I copy-and-paste my resume into LinkedIn?

Answer: 
No. Your LinkedIn profile has a much different writing strategy from a resume or CV. It is written as a first-person narrative that delivers your value proposition statement and career highlights in a  more conversational tone of voice. Think of your LinkedIn profile summary as a hybrid (part elevator pitch and part letter of introduction).

At Written by a Pro, we offer LinkedIn profile editorial reviews and complete writing services. Schedule your free, 15-minute phone consultation today.

Sources:
(1) https://news.linkedin.com/about-us@statistics
(2) Jobvite 2018 Recruiter Nation Survey
(3) Career Thought Leaders 2017 Hiring Trends Report
(4) https://kinsta.com/blog/linkedin-statistics
(5) https://smallbiztrends.com/2012/08/linkedin-professional-connections.html