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Find Your Dream Job

Dream Job
October 7, 2020

Build a job search strategy to find your dream job!

What is a dream job? Dream jobs are different for everyone, but in general it is working in your most ideal position and environment doing something you are passionate about, while getting generously compensated for your time. Self-awareness is key to identifying those things that you are passionate about and bring you fulfillment. Achieving the income you desire connected to your passion is a journey, and even closer if you hold the minimum qualifications for obtaining such a position. Once you have mapped out a path to success for you, next is to build a targeted job search.

 “Choose a job you love, and you will never have to work a day in your life” - Confucius

Finding a job is very different now than it was 10 years ago and the dynamics and qualifications are always changing. These recent changes range from software updates to the ATS (application tracking system) software, to dramatic operational changes due to COVID. Many of these changes can make finding a job challenging if you are still using the same method as your job searches from years ago.

Building the right job search strategy is the key to landing your dream job in today’s competitive climate. We all know that if you are in the right place at the right time, you can make a strong impression on someone that can potentially give you the keys to your dream job. If you focus and commit yourself with a developed strategy, you will be on a clearer path with less obstacles in your way.

Firstly, it is very helpful to write down a list of your targeted companies and find the right people to connect with. Study the industry, the ATS software qualifications and the precise roles you’re targeting. Once you land an interview, study the company and learn everything possible about the company and position before the interview. Learn about the culture, company growth, growth potential within the desired role, company values and be sure to read written reviews from previous and current company employees within. This information will give you a good grasp of what the company is about and will help you with the understanding the best approach for the interview.

Recruiting and headhunting

Preparation and research are the keys to standing out to recruiters. There are tens of thousands of recruiting agencies that all specialize in specific industries. Get connected with the recruiters that are most relevant for you and take a look if they have any vacant position within their company before you reach out to them. A recruiter’s job is to find people with talent that are highly qualified and have the best chances of landing the job. If they have something that is relevant for you they will be happy to hear from you. It is always good to introduce yourself even if they don’t have anything at the moment.

Build your personal brand online using your social media profiles and other platforms. Recruiters are not only looking at LinkedIn profiles, sometimes they are also visiting the facebook and other social media before they reach out to candidates. Make sure there is nothing alarming that may set a bad impression

Resume Building

It is very important to build a well-rounded resume that will bypass the ATS software and resonate with decision makers to get you that interview for your dream job. Passing the ATS is often simply understanding how to format the resume. This can be done by using a professional template and utilizing keywords that the software searches for and filters out. You will need to do research on the targeted jobs to see what words are commonly used in the job descriptions.

Simply using the right template and choosing the correct words can increase the chances of your resume getting into the hands of decision makers, which can significantly increasing your chances of landing you an interview for your dream job. If you don’t want to do the resume yourself you always have the option to hire a professional resume editor.

27 Resume Tips

LinkedIn Profile

Tailor your LinkedIn profile to the individuals and corporations you’re targeting. You don’t need everyone to be interested in your profile, you just want the attention of the recruiters and decision-makers in your industry. Your profile should be searchable and it should have the right keywords in there for recruiters to find you more easily. Once they land on your page you must stand out from your competition. The best way to do this is to add content that emphasizes your skills and achievements.

Networking

Networking is one of the most underrated tools to finding a job in 2020. 70% of jobs are never posted online which means companies are relying more and more on recruiters and networking tools such as LinkedIn to find candidates. It is important to understand that it is very likely that recruiters are looking to hire you yet must find a way to locate you and learn about your skillset and what you bring to the table. Find potential employers and add them on LinkedIn, and talk with them about working at their company. Attempt to get them on the phone and then ask them questions about working at their company. Ask if they are not responsible for hiring and if they can introduce you to the right person to schedule an interview.

Job Sites

There are many job sites that are not very good and it is best to focus your energy in the right places. Our favorite job search sites are LinkedIn, Indeed and Glassdoor.

LinkedIn has a great job board and is probably the most important place to build your professional network in 2020. Your LinkedIn profile is a personal flyer for your services, so make sure that you have the right information, neatly formatted and include the relevant information that will help you obtain better search results. The LinkedIn community is very friendly and welcoming to networking. If you see someone that might be a good connection, shoot them a connection request and introduce yourself.

Indeed is a great place to apply for jobs that are relevant for anything from an entry level position to a senior executive. They also allow you to post your resume and withhold personal information, so it is not searchable by name. Companies have the opportunity to purchase credits that allow them to search a public database of resumes and reach out to relevant candidates one at a time.

Glassdoor not only has a job board but they also have a great deal of metrics and information about working at the company. On Glassdoor you can see company reviews posted from current and former employees listing the pros and cons of working there. There is general information on the company but you can also find information about salaries, interviews, benefits and their hiring status.

“Shoot for the moon. Even if you miss it you will land among the stars.” — Norman Vincent Peale

Dream Big. If your goal is to become a C-level executive, make sure you have sufficient experience for them to even consider you. If you are not qualified for your dream job right now that is just part of the journey. If you don’t have that experience now, then try to find a company where you can grow into a similar role and build those skills. The duration of time it takes to work your way up the “corporate ladder” is going to vary for different industries. So target your companies appropriately and try to find a company that is invested in their employees professional growth.

Rock my Resume can help you with rebuilding your resume and public profile in order to optimize your chances to be seen by a recruiter and hiring manager. We provide coaching and consulting on the best interview practices, job search strategies, career strategizing and development, networking and executive coaching. We can even help to connect you with people within your industry that can land you that perfect job.

If you have any more questions or are interested in learning more about our services, just send an email to support@rockmyresume.com.

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27 Resume Tips

Sometimes writing a resume can be hard if you don’t know what you are doing. Understanding which information to include, how to format and learning about application tracking systems can be overwhelming at first. That is why we decided to compile a list of some of our most important tips for people that are getting ready to write a new resume. 
27 Resume Tips
July 24, 2020

27 Resume Tips

Presented by Rock My Resume ​

Use success verbs such as improved, produced, optimized and etc in the summary and job description of your resume.

#27

#26

In Europe it is normal to include a picture in the resume. In the US you should never include your photo on your resume.
Include a well written and powerful summary at the top of the resume will go a long way in making a good impression.

#25

#24

Getting a second opinion from an expert resume writer who understands how to build a resume will allow you to understand where you can make improvements.
Write in past tense for previous positions and write in present tense for any current position on your resume.

#23

#22

Learn about the application tracking system and how you can build a resume that will pass through the software.
Keep your resume up to date with new relevant information.

#21

#20

Try to refrain from repeating the same information and there is no need to include obvious skills e.g. Microsoft Word for a content editor.
Don’t include obvious skills and refrain from repeating the same information on the resume.

#19

#18

Your email should be a personal email and not a work email and make sure it is professional and not something out of the ordinary.
If you are using bullet points make sure you limit them to five for each jobs description.

#17

#16

Be specific about your experience and at the same time, keep it simple for the reader.
Build a resume that shows stability which sometimes means removing some of those short term jobs.

#15

#14

Proofread your resume several times before you submit, the last place you want a typo is your resume.
Use a simple and professional format for your resume.

#13

#12

 Do not include any of your test scores or GPA in your resume.
Keep your resume to a maximum of two pages.

#11

LinkedIn Optimization
July 24th, 2020

#10

List your jobs starting from the current or most recent and work your way backwards.
Use adjust your margins properly so the information fits neatly on the page.

#9

#8

Fill your resume with a few keywords that can be found in targeted jobs posts online and include them in your resume to prepare for the application tracking system.
You don’t have to include every job on your resume choose wisely which positions you want to include.

#7

#6

Use professional font such as Arial or Times New Roman.
Include numbers and data in your resume in order to make your achievements stand out.

#5

#4

Creating more than one resume is always ideal so you can target positions more specifically.
Include a subheading in your resume that indicates your specialization and most recent position.

#3

#2

Try to include the most relevant information in your resume.
Highlight your achievements for each position with your bullet points.

#1

Rock My Resume provides services to help applicants and job seekers build the foundations to start their job search. Rock My Resume offers premium career strategizing, resume editing, interview coaching, career development coaching, LinkedIn Optimization services, and provide you with the contact details for targeted decision-makers’ in your industry.

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How to Hire During COVID-19

Hiring During COVID-19
June 22, 2020

What you should know about hiring during COVID

No doubt, this pandemic is causing everyone to make adjustments—personally and professionally. The outbreak of COVID-19 has not only placed a hold on most life activities, it has also caused businesses to go bankrupt, and many people have also lost their jobs due to the temporary furlough or even permanent termination.

We will overcome this and a bit of normalcy would be restored, researchers are working to make sure that happens. While we wait for a cure or a vaccine, as an employer or someone who is looking to fill in one or two vacant positions, have you ever thought of how the job market is going to look like after all of this? Here is a potential future scenario that appears to be unfolding:

  • Unemployment would be at its highest rate, and invariably, the number of job seekers will likely increase as well.

  • Competition for employment will become very high and tougher than it used to be, as there will be thousands of people who will meet the minimum requirements.

  • Employers will have a tough time selecting the best candidates.

  • The best talent may want to work remotely due to fear of another possible outbreak.

  • Employers who might have seen the benefit of working remotely would likely want to keep it that way.

  • Job specification may change; health status of employees and future employees would be put into consideration as well.

     

The pandemic has caused a lot of changes, and even after it’s over, those changes will still have a long-lasting effect. In order to be successful you will need to change with the times. If you agree that a different and possibly more difficult path may lie ahead, think about how the hiring process is going to appear. If you have hired during the pandemic, you must have noticed the obvious change in the process. Instead of in-person interviews, video chats emerged, and factors like your potential employees remote work experience, and their level of discipline were put into consideration.

The pandemic is a new experience to us all, and helpful guidance is needed for hiring the most suitable employees from the massive number of job seekers available. That is exactly the purpose of this article; to guide you into making the right decision.

First of all, you have to have the answer to this question. 

 

What made you think of hiring?

Was it because you lost a good talent of yours to the pandemic or you just want to take advantage of the times we are in to bring in top talents that can help you grow?

It is important you have the answer to that question before proceeding to read this guide. – Hiring Remotely

The world is going digital. We have Zoom, Skype, WhatsApp and so many other channels that keep springing up on regular basis. If the physical presence of your employees is not a factor that determines your company’s growth rate, then you should seriously consider hiring remote workers. As mentioned above, workers will be laid off, and the number of job seekers will increase. Think about this, some of those workers are highly talented people and they still have what it takes to grow your company to its maximum size, but due to daily commute might not be ideal to work for you. Hiring remotely would increase the number of people applying and equally increase the possibility of you hiring the best person for the job.

Here are some options you should consider to enjoy the benefits that remote hiring offers:

  • Restructure your hiring process to accommodate remote applicants
  • Create career pages that not only tell your potential employees about you, but would also get them to trust you enough to send in their applications.
  • Put in place tools that make communication easier.
  • Make provisions for assessment tools and methods that will help you evaluate and select the best candidate.
  • Conducting Interviews

The change in conduct of interviews is apparent to everyone. During normal times, interviewing job seekers can be quite time consuming. Think of how harder it will get once this isolation period ends. It is important to mentally prepare in order to face this new challenge. Remote workers or not, the number of people you will be interviewing will increase. You have to be clear on what your needs are. It’s your company; tell job seekers exactly what your requirements are. Adopt an approach that will help you become a better interviewer, and ask vital questions that will not only help narrow down your choices, but also help you pick out the best candidates.

  • Health and safety in office

If your employees are working 100% remotely, at some point you might need physical presence for it smooth running. You would need to consider the location of your office, and the safety of your employees when hiring.

Frankly, things are not going to be 100% normal like they used to be before the outbreak, so health and safety should be a priority.

  • Current Status of US job market.

“…In the bust driven by the coronavirus, 4 million new graduates are now entering the worst jobs market since the Great Depression.”


4 million is a whopping amount. This takes us back to your reason for wanting to recruit and hire. If your reason for wanting to hire ‘one’ individual is for a replacement purpose, then you need to mentally prepare yourself to interview many people. Deciding on the right candidate will be a much more time-consuming task. You must embrace yourself to rise up to the new challenge of having to pick one or two persons out of a pool of job seekers.

Check out some of our other blogs

Positive Mental Attitude
Can staying positive at work really make a difference?
Hiring the wrong person can be more costly than you think
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Why do you need to optimize your profile?

Over the past few years searching for jobs has changed significantly. The traditional way of applying for vacant positions online can be time consuming and ineffective. Recruiters and headhunters are always looking for people to fill vacant positions with people that have a specific background. Optimizing your LinkedIn profile will allow recruiters and headhunters to find you more easily.
LinkedIn Optimization

How to optimize your LinkedIn profile?

When building your LinkedIn profile there are many things to consider. Whether you are actively seeking job opportunities, looking for a job discreetly or just want to optimize your profile; it is important to have an updated LinkedIn profile that is relevant and engageable to recruiters viewing your profile. As a business professional each individual can be seen as their own brand. Based on your work history, education, image, and your profile you have to mark yourself as an ideal package for ideal hiring companies.

As a recruiting agency and talent acquisition firm, Jackson Square Company is constantly asked by candidates about tips on how to find suitable employment in this digital age. Since recruiters are always out there looking for specific candidates, displaying information in your profile is an important step. All you have to do is go into settings and make sure your profile is set to accessible as opposed to private in order for recruiters to be able to view your profile.

Here are 5 tips about how you can optimize your personal branding on LinkedIn.

Create a strong first impression

The first thing the viewer sees for any profile is the picture, name, and headline. For a profile picture, you don’t necessarily need to have a professional picture taken. As long as your image is of good quality with a subtle background it should be fine. The headline of your profile should include your job title, something specific about your position (e.g. industry, or target market) and you can also add something short to personalize the headline to be more appealing.

Write an appealing summary

Under your profile image and headline, there is an area dedicated to summarizing work experience, goals, past achievements and more. This area allows the user to be creative and include content that will inform and appeal to its reader. Depending on the industry and image you are portraying online, your summary can vary in length from one paragraph to a long detailed description of your current work. This is also a great place to add media such as interviews, data or other content that you have created.

Profile categories and keywords

Similar to Google, LinkedIn also has SEO (search engine optimization) for keywords for categorizing profiles. Your headline, job title, work experience and activity are all places that you can include keywords that would be relevant for people searching for someone with your expertise on LinkedIn. For more information about how to increase your views on LinkedIn using SEO click here.

Detailed work experience

The work experience section should be similar to the resume and have matching dates. Here it is important to provide enough details about each position that explains your responsibilities and highlight the biggest accomplishments during the time worked in that position.

 

Indicate that you’re open to opportunities

LinkedIn has a great feature that allows users to publicly indicate that they are open to new opportunities. This allows recruiters, headhunters and potential employers to access your profile much easier. Use this link to learn more about how to indicate you are open to opportunities on LinkedIn.

 

Presented By Jackson Square Company

If you are considering opportunities and start utilizing these tips, this will increase the number of people that view your profile and help your chances of finding a dream job.

If you are looking for a position feel free to browse our Job Portal and apply to any position that is relevant.

If you are in sales and are considering a new position feel free to visit our job website to see vacant job opportunities. Jackson Square Company has vacant positions around the world and we are waiting to hear from you!

Job Seekers

Jackson Square Company can help you find top sales talent for your company. Identifying if each candidate that we interview possess all or some of these traits will allow us to provide the best candidates for our clients.

Employers

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What is PMA?

Positive Mental Attitude
February 4, 2020

Can staying positive at work really make a difference?

Staying positive within a work environment can not only improve your work experience but it can also directly increase your production.
Positive Mental Attitude which is also known as PMA is a concept introduced in 1937 by Napoleon Hill. PMA is categorized as positive psychology. It is considered an internal focus of control that influences external factors. Research has shown that through emotional intelligence training and positive psychology therapy one’s attitudes and perceptions can be modified to improve their personal and professional life.

PMA is a strong key to your success as a salesman in any industry. Every salesman will experience bad times where performance is not as good as usual. When someone hangs up on you or closed the door in your face the negative energy you feel will roll over to the next prospect. It is very easy to get discouraged although staying positive is vital because the next client you speak with, will hear it in your voice.

Here are some ways to improve your PMA

1 Avoid Negativity – Whether it is a person or something that is always bringing negative energy if you learn how to avoid the negativity find a way to keep yourself optimistic and productive.

2 Develop Positive Habits – Healthy personal habits can range from personal things such as health and family to professional habits such as high efficiency and product knowledge. If you are consistent about replacing bad habits with new ones, positive habits will later become second nature to you.

3 Surround Yourself with Positivity – Spend more time with people in your life that are positive and encouraging. Positive and negative energy are both contagious, surrounding yourself with positivity will increase your chances of staying positive yourself.

4 Picture the End Goal – Always keep in mind the reason why you are trying to accomplish your sales targets. This tip can be taken literally, you can have a picture of your dream car or the beach with your dream home or your family to remind you every moment.

5 Don’t overwork yourself – Some individuals that are set on achieving specific target overwork themselves and the work ends up becoming obsessive and not taking a break until they are finished. It is so important to take a break periodically because the human brain can be overworked

6 How Can I > Why Can’t I – Instead of always asking yourself “why can’t I?” think to yourself “how can I?” This takes you out of the victim mentality and puts you in a productive mindset. It’s focusing on finding the solutions that will help you overcome the obstacles.

“Believing in negative thoughts is the single greatest obstruction to success” – Charles F Glassman

Presented By Jackson Square Company


If you are in sales and are considering a new position feel free to visit our job website to see vacant job opportunities. Jackson Square Company has vacant positions around the world and we are waiting to hear from you!

Jackson Square Company can help you find top sales talent for your company. Identifying if each candidate that we interview possess all or some of these traits will allow us to provide the best candidates for our clients.

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WOTC

Jan 2nd, 2020

WOTC is a federal tax credit available for employers that hire and retain individuals with “significant barriers to employment”

Earn up to $9,600 in tax credit in US

Originally the WOTC was set to expire in Dec. 31st, 2019, but recently congress decided to extend the tax credit until the end of 2020. According to the Department of Labor $1 billion is claimed each year under the WOTC program. This is because it gives employers greater incentive to hire candidates that meet the criteria to qualify. In addition to this, individuals that have difficulty finding a job will benefit from this due to the extra motivation to hire them.

What is the WOTC?

The WOTC is a tax credit offered by the government that is offered to small businesses. In order to qualify you must hire individuals with certain disadvantages in finding employment due to their history. These tax credits range from $1,200 to $9,600 for each individual.

 

How to get WOTC?

In order to receive benefits from WOTC the employer must first hire an individual from the target groups indicated by the IRS. Certain steps must be implemented throughout the hiring process. Including two tax forms that must be filled within 30 days of each new hire that is eligible for the program. Your CPA may or may not have an understanding how to do this although there is plenty of information online that will be useful.

Here are some of the target groups that are eligible for WOTC. You can see full a list here.

  • Qualified Veterans
  • Qualified IV-A Recipient
  • Ex-Felon
  • Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program
  • Qualified Long-Term Unemployment Recipient
  • and more

Jackson Square Company is a recruiting agency that specializes in sales. If you are interested in working with us to fill your next position, or you want to learn more about how you can take advantage of the WOTC benefits, give us a call today.

Presented By Jackson Square Company

If you are in sales and are considering a new position feel free to visit our website to see vacant job opportunities. Jackson Square Company has vacant positions around the world and we are waiting to hear from you!

Jackson Square Company can help you find top sales talent for your company. Identifying if each candidate that we interview possess all or some of these traits will allow us to provide the best candidates for our clients.

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Cost of a Mis-hire?

 

Nov 5th, 2019

Hiring the wrong person can be more costly than you think

Sales are what drive growth for most businesses. The lack of sales talent can substantially impacts a business. It is vital for companies to take the proper measures during the hiring process to ensure to avoid mis-hires. Hiring the wrong person might end up costing more money than you think.

27% of employers stated that the wrong hire cost their company more than $50k

The same study by Careerbuilder showed that 66% of employers reported bad hiring! According to these statistics, it is very possible that your company has experience with hiring the wrong person in the past. Many times it’s not the hiring manager or the company to blame, but instead the choices they have in front of them.

There are 3 keys to hiring people likely to exceed expectations

1. Proactive Search

The best candidates are usually people who are already working at another company and not actively searching for a job. In order to attract these “high value targets” someone has to reach out to them directly in order for them to even consider taking another position.

2. Utilize Online Networks

In todays modern age, the internet is the primary source for finding candidates. Utilizing online networks such as business networks, university and alumni programs, job sites, social media groups, associations are all ways to cover as much ground as possible for your search.

3. Assessment of Experience and Behavior

Identify the important aspects and key competency areas that encompass the successful profile of the job you are hiring for. The assessment should also screen for behavioral patterns and discussing in depth the candidates past work experience.

Any company is susceptible to mis-hires. The best way to avoid mis-hires is having the proper hiring strategy in place. Companies often do not properly research and spend the required time to build an optimal hiring strategy. The result is the inability to acquire top talent for the company. An ideal hiring strategy should be able to screen and recognize talent while avoiding individuals with low production. It is important to stay ahead of your competitors and build a reputation to attract top talent in your industry.

Presented By Jackson Square Company



If you are in sales and are considering a new position feel free to visit our job website to see vacant job opportunities. Jackson Square Company has vacant positions around the world and we are waiting to hear from you!

Jackson Square Company can help you find top sales talent for your company. Identifying if each candidate that we interview possess all or some of these traits will allow us to provide the best candidates for our clients.

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Top 10 sales traits

Oct 17th, 2019

Learn the traits that will make you a leader in your industry!

Whether you are new to sales and want to know what it takes or you are a veteran and you are looking to refine your skills these are the top 10 sales traits that will help you become a top performer in your company. Taking action and getting outside your comfort zone is important for growth. Mastering these following traits will lead to greater production and more success in the workplace.

Confidence​

The first key to a top sales performer is simply being confident. Having a confident personality is the foundation of a strong salesman. In order to transfer your certainty about a product/ service to a client, you must show that that you are not only confident in yourself but also what you are selling.

Ambition

It is safe to say that being ambitious is the primary reason why most top performers achieve the best results. Having a strong desire to achieve goals is not within every salesman. A part of being ambitious is being competitive and striving to become the best in your industry.

Persistence​

Every sales manager talks about following up with your client for a good reason. In most industries sales are not made on the first or even the second attempt. Studies show that “50% of all sales happen after the 5th contact” which talks about the importance of following up with the client. For more helpful statistics visit zety.

Adaptability

The ability to adapt to different situations and prospects will allow you to present yourself in different ways. The salesman should be in control and be able to direct the conversation and find the right time to make transitions. Many times in sales one may want to mirror the prospect which is also a big part of being adaptable.

Resiliency

Everyone in sales will eventually experience a time when their production declines due to exterior factors. When a sales professional experiences a sales slump their mindset defines their future value. A large part of sales as we know is psychology, from both the prospect and the sales professional.

Good Listener

Being a good listener will allow a salesman to analyze where to direct the conversation. Many times a buyer will indicate what is more important to them. This allows the salesman to focus on that and elaborate on the most desirable benefits.

Product Knowledge

Understanding everything about your product/ service will allow you to answer questions easily without having to research. Having the right product knowledge gives you more confidence in what you are selling and avoids any uncertainty the prospect may sense. Paying full attention to the client when they are speaking will reveal their wants and needs.

Integrity

Every action you take should inform the client that you are looking for their best intentions. Being honest is arguably the most important attribute to have in sales. When it comes to returning customers and retaining clients, they will remember how they were treated when working with your company.

Communication Skills

Having proper communication skills is vital to the sales process. Top tier salesman need to speak clear, confident, empathetic, genuine and knowledgable while not coming off as someone who knows everything. Being a good listener is a big part of having the proper communication skills so remember to give the prospect the opportunity to reveal their needs.

Thoroughness

Being thorough is most crucial, especially when it comes to managing your leads portfolio. Follow up with clients and be on time for meetings, being a reliable source of information will eventually boost your sales. Continue to master your craft and absorb all the information about what your selling so you can transfer your certain to the prospect.

Developing these 10 traits will undoubtedly improve your sales results. Our research is done on a worldwide scale in different countries in different industries. The list applies to any industry and all of these traits can also be improved. Each individual has certain things they are good at and understanding where they can make improvements will allow them to address it head-on. We hope this information is helpful to you. If you are interested in working with use please review the information below.

Presented By Jackson Square Company

JSC-logo

If you are in sales and are considering a new position feel free to visit our job website to see vacant job opportunities. Jackson Square Company has vacant positions around the world and we are waiting to hear from you!

Jackson Square Company can help you find top sales talent for your company. Identifying if each candidate that we interview possess all or some of these traits will allow us to provide the best candidates for our clients.