Picture yourself on the job hunt for several months. You’ve recently landed a second interview with a company you are very excited about. The interview with your potential boss is going really well. Then suddenly he asks for your Facebook username and password. Do you give it to him? What if he doesn’t offer you the job if you say no?
While you may be surprised by this invasion of privacy at an interview, people around the country are forfeiting their privacy to land the job.
A recent debate has sparked on whether or not employers should be allowed to ask for your Facebook username and password during an interview.
What do you think?
At CareerFind, we advise our clients who are looking for a job not to have anything on social media sites that they wouldn’t want their mom or boss to see no matter what privacy settings are in place. It seems that sometimes we forget social media sites are public. Anything you post and any picture you are tagged in should be considered as public knowledge. With Facebook’s new timeline feature, it allows anyone to easily go back to see things you talked about years ago.
With the job market as competitive as it is today don’t let social media sites be the reason you don’t land the job.
Have you or someone you know been out of work for a while? Is being out of work starting to take an emotional toll on your personal life, relationships, professional outlook and self-image? You are not alone.
A recent article by Yuki Noguchi from NPR highlighted some of the strains of long-term unemployment. People interviewed spoke about losing touch with their professional network and how employers don’t seem to be interested in hiring anyone who isn’t currently employed.
Whether you are out of work by your own choosing or because of your company’s downsizing, it’s important to take responsibility and try everything in your power to find the next opportunity. It’s easy to stay down in the dumps, but it doesn’t benefit you to stay there long.
Career Find has a variety of services to help remove the roadblocks keeping you from your next position. Whether you have been treading water, waiting for the right time to start looking or struggling on your own, Team up with a Career Specialist and take the next step in your Career path.
February 7, 2012 – 9:37 am
How important are relationships? With Valentine’s Day around the corner, you may be surprised to see exactly how close we really are.
According to a recent Facebook study, there are ‘six degrees of separation’ between any two people on Earth. Think about what that means… any two people could know each other through no more than six intermediary contacts. Social networks really bring a new whole new meaning to the saying ‘it’s a small world’.
What does this mean if you are on the job hunt? You are closer to your future boss than you know.
Think about prior jobs you have held. How many of those jobs did you get because a friend or family member introduced you or recommended you to your past employer?
With the help of social media, you can do your research online, find your dream job and then find a family or friend that can help connect you with your future employer. Start with these steps:
- Check Your Profiles – Go through your social media account with a fine tooth comb to make sure your profile is new employer friendly.
- Narrow Down Your Wants – Do some research on the internet and LinkedIn to find the exact job or position you are looking for and narrow down the companies you would like to work for.
- Reach Out – Reach out to your contacts and tell them what you are looking for. Be specific with the position and company. Being too vague will be harder for your contacts to help you.
January 3, 2012 – 10:12 am
Feeling recharged after your holiday break?
We all need a work life balance to be happy. This year make a new years resolution you can keep. When it comes to taking time off from work in 2012 make it a point to recharge and level the playing field between work stress and real-life responsibilities.
When we feel fresh and balanced, we are more likely to see opportunities to stand out from our co-workers. When used to our advantage, vacations can clear our minds to focus and accomplish more in less time allowing an all around productivity increase.
Maybe you are in the job hunt and you assume this theory does not apply to you, well you are wrong.
When actively or passively looking for a job it is important to be firmly grounded, balanced and calm internally. Taking time to recharge helps refresh your attitude. This attitude change will help differentiate you from other candidates in the job market.
In an age where companies expect employees to go above and beyond, be available 24/7 and employees expect to be over-worked, time off plays a more important role in an employee’s life than ever before.
Of course you won’t be expected to pass up that trip to Vegas, but don’t forget to give yourself time to recharge. Keeping this new years resolution will be the easiest thing you give yourself permission to do.
December 8, 2011 – 6:00 pm
It’s time to think out of the usual present box.
image created by Danilo Rizzuti
Have a friend who is struggling with their resume? Know a family member who needs to polish their interviewing skills?
Give them the gift that will brighten their New Year and boost their career potential.
A Career Find gift certificate will give your friend or family member 2-hours to work with a Career Specialist in the following areas: Resume Critique, Job Search Strategies, Interview Prep and Follow Up, and Professional Reference Checks.
We personalize each service to suit our client’s career needs. Once you purchase the gift certificate, you will receive an email with the attached gift certificate and information on how to redeem.
Click here for more information and to purchase a gift certificate.
November 11, 2011 – 7:30 am
As the workplace evolves, so do the rules, or so you may think. While a large amount of Americans (over 45 million) have a tattoo, is the workplace more accepting of tattoos than they used to be?
Based off recent reports and surveys, the answer is no. Even though doctors, lawyers and business people like us have tattoos, that doesn’t mean they still accept them visibly in the workplace.
A 2010 Pew Research Center report says tattoos are equally common for women and men, with nearly 40% of 18-29 year olds and about a third of 30-to 45 year olds sporting at least one. The report also says most of the inked community (over 70%) keeps tattoos hidden at work or during interviews, perhaps with good reason. A survey conducted by CareerBuilder suggests that obvious ink can hurt promotion prospects.
As previously mentioned, there is no research suggesting companies are looking to hire tattooed employees. But they do have to adapt to the evolving culture to keep talent. Most of the time though, workers are the ones who do the adapting and it looks like things aren’t changing anytime soon.
So always keep this in mind when starting a new job or trying to maintain the job you have. Cover your tattoos. Whatever you might think, the law does NOT protect your ink. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission covers discrimination in the workplace and fails to mention discrimination of tattoos. So if you aren’t sure if its okay to keep your tattoos visible at your company, play it safe and keep them covered.
October 6, 2011 – 8:18 am
Thinking of a new job? The fourth quarter is a great time to start your job search for the following reasons:
Reason #1: When companies have extra money in their budget, they want to use it before the end of the year. This is a great time to hire more staff members.
Reason #2: Many people assume that companies don’t hire at the end of the year, but that’s not true. This assumption results in a decreased number of people competing for the same job, which increases your chances of getting an interview. It’s much better to compete for a job in a smaller pool of candidates.
Reason #3: Job searching during the holiday season shows employers that you are driven, committed and serious about your career direction. These are great personality traits that companies like to see in their hired employees. By committing to your job search during the holiday season, you are showing companies that you are willing to do what it takes for your career, even when most people are distracted.
If you have been thinking about making a career move and are considering doing so before the end of 2011, contact us to discuss your career with one of our Career Specialists. We’re here to help you navigate your career path every step of the way.
September 14, 2011 – 9:24 am
Worried that you may be making the wrong impression at work? Make sure you are following these tips to keep yourself under the radar.
- Keep a professional image – A recent CareerBuilder survey suggests avoiding clothes that are too casual; too much perfume, cologne or makeup; fingernail chewing or even being too suntanned. Of course, not all offices are concerned with the superficial, but if your office is, either maintain your appearance or find a new workplace.
- Keep your desk in order – a cluttered desk equals a cluttered mind. If your workspace is messy, it costs only your time (while on the clock) to straighten it up. You don’t want a messy desk or office to cost you your job.
- Don’t abuse technology – sending email to the wrong recipients, texting during business meetings, griping about the boss on Facebook and other online blunders can hurt your career. You may not think it is obvious, but to others, especially your boss, it is.
- Work on Your resume – at home. While employers are increasingly using sites like LinkedIn to check credentials, the traditional resume is still important and should always be up to date. Make sure to have good references and don’t exaggerate about your skills or history.
No matter if you have been laid off or recently started looking for a new career path, we can help!
1. Ask Questions and Listen – We start with asking the right questions and truly listen to your answers. Here are some of the questions we cover:
- Where are you with your current job?
- What is the direction you would like to go with you career?
- What are your long-term and short-term goals?
- Is your career currently meeting your needs?
- What is your level of happiness?
- What area do you feel you need to improve upon (interviewing, resume building, etc.)?
2. True Consultation – Once we gather information, learn about where you’re coming from and find out where you would like to go, we explain the services we offer. We then discuss how your needs and our services align to accomplish your goals.
3. Create and Execute a Plan – Working with your timeline and budget, we focus on the areas that need the most attention first. Keeping your goals in mind, we work together and give you the tools you need to be successful in your career path.
