A Sleeker You? Résumé Design!

I think it's safe to assume that each of us wants to differentiate ourselves as somehow unique in order to first, land the interview, and second, get paid more.  Am I right?

Fast Company's FastCoDesign.com recently published an article spotlighting an innovative custom résumé design service that will dazzle up your résumé to ensure you wow your audience.  They are kind of snazzy! The first one featured may find itself the new format for my current run-of-the-mill résumé!

Even if you only take a cue from these geniuses who have developed a way to convey a sleeker version of yourself, they raise a valid point: How can you make your résumé work for you right away so you're working smarter not harder right at the get-go of your job-hunt?

As always, your comments are welcome!  How do you differentiate yourself among the masses?

You're a Social Media Expert?

As marketers and future MBA's, we all want to find ways to differentiate ourselves, don't we?

But look out for the pitfalls!  While you're selling your strengths, be sure you know your stuff!

For instance, do you call yourself a social media expert?  Yes?  Then be sure to check out this commentary - short, sweet and a bit of levity!  The article itself is from 2009, so, as a neophyte, I can safely say, in 2012, I have a lot of catching up to do!

One commentator, JP, had a few additional thoughts which revved my motivation to raise my social media savvy:

• Their twitter feeds are primarily RT’s & tiny url’s.
• The last time they’ve updated their blog was in 2008.
• They advertise numbers of followers but can’t measure engagement. **Heads up, Marketers!
• They talk about content as if it’s a thing to be had and not a conversation.
• They talk to you about behavioral targeting, but cannot list more than two inherent social network behaviors. ** 
• They can't name a single market vertical based social network.

If you Google "how to become a social media expert," you will be intrigued by the industry insights into the perceived value, the legitimacy and the controversy over the relevancy of being a quote-unquote Expert in Social Media.  Some of the commentaries, for this post especially, are of great interest!

What are your thoughts?

Quick Tips for Those in the Trenches of "The Job Hunt"

Here are a few quick tips I wanted to share after meeting with one of the top career counselors in the area:

The big one? Start early and devote 10 hours a week for 8-10 weeks to finding a job.  

Of these 10 hours, do not spend more than 20% spinning your wheels on mass career sites, like Monster or Career Builder.  If, at the beginning, you need to devote time and energy to gain momentum and find comfort in increasing your presence online, that's ok, but pump the breaks when you find yourself spinning and applying to hundreds of jobs online.  That will not help you find your dream job, nor will it differentiate you from the masses.  Differentiate, Differentiate, Differentiate.  (A key to success - always.)

Back to that What Makes You Unique discussion... Do not fall back on submitting your resume to a generic email address on their website, or submitting without follow-up.  Even your application approach is an opportunity for you to separate yourself from the pack.  Directly contact these companies through phone calls, personalized emails (personalized!), and office visits.  Get in front of them.  To position yourself in their consideration set, they must actually have an idea of who you are.  If they can put your face to your name, even better! (Obviously, do not become a stalker, but be assertive, pleasant, and tasteful in your interactions.  You are building the brand of who you are, and it will last throughout your career!)

As I finagle this whole job search approach, look out for more tips to help you learn from my mistakes and to help you work smarter, not harder, but that's all for now!

Good luck to everyone getting started in creating a new future, and if you, too, are in job-search mode, please feel free to share your tips on what has worked and what hasn't!