Two years ago while applying for jobs, I spent hours worrying about my resume. Is the wording okay? Do I love the design? Thinking about how to improve my resume kept me up at night because I knew that document was my chance to get noticed for an open position.

Recently, as I began my job search for an entry-level position, I saw more and more unique recruitment tools. Last month, I reviewed two applications that asked for links to all of my social media websites and to answer a questionnaire with some pretty unique questions—but did not ask for a resume.

A recent Wall Street Journal article confirmed my thought that more nontraditional means of recruitment might soon become popular.

“Companies are increasingly relying on social networks such as LinkedIn, video profiles and online quizzes to gauge candidates’ suitability for a job. While most still request a resume as part of the application package, some are bypassing the staid requirement altogether.”

Union Square Ventures, a NY venture-capital firm, asked applicants to send links that represent their “web presence” in lieu of a resume. They also have applicants submit short videos demonstrating why they would be the best employee. As a firm that has invested in technology companies including Twitter, Foursquare and Zynga, Union Square Ventures said this helps the firm get candidates that understand what they are looking for.

With technology today, companies are finding that they can learn more about a candidate’s personality and skills by taking a less traditional recruitment route. Many companies are starting to use social media as a recruitment tool. I recently blogged about why it is a great idea to become a “super social” job seeker– because that’s where companies are looking.

Resumes are still the first step of the recruiting process for most companies, but that might not be the case in the near future. Job seekers that may not look as qualified on paper should seek out unique recruiting opportunities– it’s a great way to showcase your strengths and it could lead to a new job. If we’re being honest, I still think about how to improve my resume all the time, but these days there is much more to consider and many different routes that might lead to a great job.

Have you been through a unique recruiting process? What did you think about it?

Article by Dana Schwartz

Dana Schwartz is a senior studying public relations and management at Syracuse University. She has previous internship experience with a small New York City public relations firm, as a communications intern for the Special Olympics in London, and in healthcare marketing. She is looking forward to starting a career in public relations upon her graduation in May.

As an employee, you know how hard you work each day. Only you know the dedication and professionalism you bring to a job. In fact, you may even be thinking about asking your boss for a raise. If you are, then you should know that sometimes are better than others for asking for a raise. You want to increase the chances that your boss will give you the raise, so knowing when to ask is important. The following tips could help you land the raise you need and deserve.

Right After An Excellent Evaluation

The best time to ask for a raise is right after an excellent evaluation. Most bosses have to conduct one or two evaluations per year on each employee. When you go into a closed-door meeting with your boss to discuss your performance on the job, this could be the opportunity you need. Wait until your boss has finished going through the evaluation with you. If you had positive remarks and met your goals, then this is the time to use that information to your advantage. When your boss asks why you deserve a raise, you can list the same points that your boss just told you. Your boss can’t argue with himself.

When Your Boss Gets Praised By His Boss

Another great time to ask for a raise is when your boss looks good in front of his superiors. When your boss feels like he is doing a great job, he is more likely to be in a good mood and want to help you. This works even better if you had a hand in helping your boss look good for his superiors. Try to schedule a time to ask for your raise right after your boss has received congratulations for a job well done or has maybe even received a promotion or raise himself.

When You Take On Extra Work Load

If you have recently taken on more of a work load in your place of employment, then this is a good time to ask about a raise. For example, if another employee left and that person’s work load was shifted to you, then you can use that as a bargaining chip. Be prepared to explain how much more work you are having to do to justify the raise in pay.

After Earning A Degree Or Certification

Have you recently earned a degree, certification, or license? If so, this is the time to show off what you have accomplished and ask for a raise. You deserve professional credit for earning a higher degree or earning a certificate or license. You can show your boss how committed you are to the company and to learning to do the best job possible. Your educational endeavors might just land you the raise you want.

When You Get A Positive Commendation

Be ready to ask for a raise as soon as you get a positive commendation from your employer. Maybe one of your customers called to praise your work, or maybe you reached a major sales goal in your department. Perhaps you found a way to save your company money each quarter. When you can show your boss tangible evidence as to why you deserve a raise, this is the best time to ask.

If you have hopes of getting the raise you ask for, watch for the little clues that show the boss is pleased with you. The best time to ask for a raise is when your boss is happy.

If your boss was asked to describe your work ethic with one word, what do you think he or she would say? If the answer was “decent,” “adequate,” or simply “good,” – you may have a bigger problem at hand.

Being simply there and doing what you’re told at work is no longer sufficient for most workplaces, or for your career growth in general. Seth Godin, marketing expert and founder of Squidoo, says in this article that the time of the average worker is quickly ending with the dwindling of the industrial age. He believes that if you’re an average worker doing what you’re told, someone will replace you at a cheaper cost.

However, Godin states, “If you’re different somehow and have made yourself unique, people will find you and pay you more.”

Positions are becoming more specialized and fluid than they were decades ago, which requires workers to become more involved in their career direction. Making yourself indispensable through your work, will not only keep your job, but also keep you engaged and motivated to go beyond your job description.

So how you can you become above average in your position? Consider these three ways below:

Be organized. Take time to sort your folders and files (in your workspace and in your computer). De-cluttering your space will improve your focus and cut down time when trying to search for a document from last year.

Keep learning. Just because you graduated doesn’t mean you can’t learn new things – in fact, learning a new skill that pertains to your job will hinder any complacency that you may feel after awhile and make you a more valuable employee.

Do more. Create extra time to get started on a new project or to help your coworkers. In doing so, your expertise will grow substantially and be noticed by others.

Do you agree that being average at work is career damaging? How can you become a better worker?

Article by

Katie Lewis is currently a senior at Florida State University and will graduate in May 2012 with a B.A. in Editing, Writing, and Media. Minoring in Communications and attending her first meeting of the Florida Public Relations Association Student Chapter inspired her to pursue a career in public relations.

Twitter is like a window into the soul of America. It shows us faster and more accurately what is on our collective minds than any other medium currently in use. So it was only a matter of time, in a bad economy and a worse job market, that Twitter would be flooded with both job seekers and job offerers. The way they find each other is through certain key hashtags, the best of which we have laid out for you to help you in your quest for employment. Some of these will give you broad search results and take a while to sift through, but let’s face it — you have lots of free time.

To Find an Employer

These are the tags to plug into Twitter’s search engine to connect you with companies with openings.

1. #hiring: Here it is, your No. 1 word to find a hiring company is … hiring.
2. #tweetmyjobs: It’s a pretty clunky phrase, but #tweetmyjobs has been tagged nearly a million times, so include it in your search.
3. #HR: The folks handling the headhunting for the company will be from human resources, so go straight to the source.
4. #jobopening: Now we’re talking. This tag is almost exclusively used by people offering people work. Easy.
5. #jobposting: “Jobposting” is another efficient tag to search, only it’s used a bit less than #jobopening.
6. #employment: Often listed along with #jobs at the end of a tweet, #employment is a major keyword used by businesses in the market for talent.
7. #opportunity: There will be some quotes and other tweets that don’t help you, but there will be plenty of hookups to employment opportunities.
8. #recruiting: Search this hashtag to find not only employers that are hiring, but inside info on the recruiting techniques they’ll be using.
9. #rtjobs: Many Twitter users are there helping you out by retweeting job openings they come across.
10. #jobangels: The JobAngels are a volunteer group working to help unemployed people find jobs, and they have a strong presence on Twitter.
11. #jobsearch: Sometimes this will be the only hashtag a hiring company will use, so be sure to make it one of your search terms.
12. #joblisting: Attention! I’m a hiring employer and this is my way of telling you that I’ve got a job right here just waiting to be filled.

To Attract an Employer

Strut your stuff and get yourself out there with these hashtags to help employers find you.

13. #hireme: Don’t beat around the bush. #Hireme is short, sweet, and to the point.
14. #MBA: Have an MBA? Shout it out in a hashtag to direct employers to your top-shelf business acumen.
15. #linkedin: If you’re unemployed, you’re no doubt already networking away on LinkedIn, so let them know you have a viewable profile.
16. #profile: While you’re at it, go ahead and tag “profile” too, and couple it with #facebook, #linkedin, #monster, or any other place your details are posted on the internet.
17. #unemployed: It’s what you are, so own it and let employers know you are totally available for engagement.
18. #resume: If you’re tweeting about your resume posted online, be sure to hashtag it.
19. #CV: Curriculum vitae is basically a more fleshed-out résumé, but #resume is nearly twice as popular. Use both to be safe.
20. #needajob: Thousands of the unemployed have tacked this phrase onto the end of their tweets in the hopes an employer will stumble across it in a search.

To Educate Yourself

These tags may not directly land you a job, but they will enlighten you on the latest trends in finding, keeping, and enjoying a job.

21. #jobtips: By far the best search phrase in this category, it will load you up with more good job advice than you could ever read.
22. #career: At half a million tags, searching #career will score you some job listings and tons of helpful guidance for your professional life.
23. #interview: Hiring companies don’t use this word as much, but “interview” and “interviews” are still helpful because they turn up a wealth of advice from fellow tweeters on making your best possible first impression.
24. #benefits: Knowing what to expect in the way of benefits is a good weapon to have heading into an interview.
25. #personalbranding: Do a search for this hashtag to find ideas and tips on selling yourself in the job market.
26. #compensation: If you know the going rate for whatever you do, you are much less likely to be taken advantage of.
27. #training: Searching for “training” is a good way to find great, free job training resources.
28. #jobhunt: A search for this tag brings up mainly advice on job searching, but there will be a healthy smattering of job postings, too.
29. #unemployment: This tag has been used more than 100,000 times by users tweeting about unemployment news, ways to combat unemployment, and jobs to pull you out of unemployment.
30. #employers: They may not be tweeting about themselves, but plenty of employees and commentators are tweeting news and reviews of employers and their practices.
31. #jobless: Curious about what’s going on with others in your predicament? Search for this commonly-used tag and find out.
32. #laidoff: It’s the same idea as #jobless, except it has more of a sad connotation. If you want to commiserate with some other people about searching for that elusive job, this is the tag to search.

To Find a Certain Type of Job

If you don’t want just any old job, try searching these hashtags for that special placement you have in mind.

33. #freelance: This is a hugely popular tag used by job hunters who want to leave the option of part-time, freelance work open.
34. #homebusiness: If you’re eyeing a job being self-employed, try searching this term for entrepreneurship ideas and tips.
35. #greenjobs: Here’s one for the truly unselfish people who put the environment before employment.
36. #dreamjob: If you aren’t sure what you want to do with your life, search this tag and get some ideas of what other people would do if they had their druthers.
37. #hotjobs: Hot jobs call for a hot hashtag.
38. #consulting: Another in the potentially temporary job category, #consulting is a nice tag to widen your net and earn some income.
39. #consultant: It might seem silly to use two tags that say virtually the same thing, but those three letters might make the difference in connecting you with your new employer.

Hottest Tags by Field

If you work in one of these industries, you are in a trending field, which could be good (lots of job listings) or bad (lots of competition).

40. #SEO: “SEO” is another one that has been tagged millions of times by job seekers and tweeters discussing search engine optimization.
41. #webdesign: Clocking in at nearly a million uses all-time, #webdesign is another hot topic on Twitter.
42. #accounting: If you’re an accountant, you are in luck, as job listings in your field pop up regularly on Twitter.
43. #telecom: Telecommunications is another field with a strong showing on Twitter; it’s been used in hashtags more than 81,000 times.
44. #legal: We live in a litigious society, and the need for paralegals and other non-lawyers is increasing. It’s a great career to consider because paralegal certification can be obtained relatively quickly.
45. #lawyer: The number of lawyers in America has surged in the last 10 years, which explains why this tag is such a popular one in the Twitterverse.
46. #industry: Pair this with another tag like #music or #hotel and you’ll find listings and info on your area of expertise.
47. #salesjobs: You don’t have to pound the pavement looking for a sales job; just do a search for this popular tag on Twitter.

To Search When You Have a Couple Hours

You’ll need to free up your morning to adequately search through these tags.

48. #jobs: You’ve probably been wondering when this word would come up. The tag’s been used all of 14 million times all-time, for everything from political discussion to job listings. Your best bet is to search it with another tag from this list.
49. #job: Although it has registered only half the uses as #jobs (7 million), the singular version calls up more listings and won’t take you as long to sort through.
50. #design: Because it’s a generic word, #design has been hashtagged a healthy 2 million times, so if you work in design be sure to supplement tweets with at least one other tag.

Thanks go to topsy.com for the usage stats included in this list.

The man who wrote the book on LinkedIn shares his secrets to becoming an expert social networker.

David Gowel has made many career transitions:from civilian to military, from military to academic, and finally from academic to entrepreneurship. Along the way, Gowel used LinkedIn to achieve each step; an experience, he says, that has made him into an expert on how to use LinkedIn to become a master networker.

He even wrote a book to prove it. The Power in a Link: Open Doors, Close Deals, and Change the way you Do Business Using LinkedIn, (Wiley, December 2011) is a 159-page opus on becoming a master social networker. Gowel, a West Point graduate who served as a platoon leader in Iraq and has taught leadership classes at MIT, says CEOs and entrepreneurs are generally pretty bad at using LinkedIn. He says they use it as a business card or résumé service when they really should be using it to mine for new clients, new connections, and new employees.

“LinkedIn has very slowly evolved into an incredible force for social business intelligence that is readily available if you know how to use it,” says Gowel, who was once described as a LinkedIn Jedi. “That’s why we don’t think [entrepreneurs] are generally using it as well as they could. When used properly, LinkedIn is very much disrupting other ways we’ve done [networking]. You can reduce the time you spend in those other activities and be much more focused on making connections if you are high-quality and ethical.”

In January 2010, Gowel and his co-founder Mark Rockefeller started RockTech, a Boston-based software company that has built online tools for CEOs, entrepreneurs, sales professionals and job seekers to help leverage their LinkedIn accounts. Their main product, TAP for LinkedIn ($29/year) ties directly into a LinkedIn profile and guides its user through the recommended settings and strategies. According to Gowel, it’s easier than reading a book, and cheaper than online tutorials.

Inc.com decided to tap Gowel’s LinkedIn expertise and his new book for some of its networking inspiration. Here’s five key takeaways:

1) Don’t be a “Johnny Milker”

One of the first mistakes LinkedIn users make, says Gowel, is milking introductions from the start. “People generally know when someone else has used or is using them,” he writes. “Treat people like the friends, contacts, and respected employees they are while you network, and not like the tools that you’re trying to manipulate.”

2) Update, update, and update again.

Status Updates, much like Twitter, allow you to post succinct messages to your LinkedIn feed. Gowel believes it’s an underused feature that can get you in the spotlight and keep you in the forefront of people’s minds.

“Using status updates is a much more personal way to keep from being forgotten and can potentially differentiate you from the crowd,” he writes. Plus, he adds, if your status updates are fresh, the people in your network are more likely to believe the content on your profile is fresh.

3) Don’t run through walls to make connections.

It’s all about the recommendations and introductions. Gowel says that entrepreneurs often see what they want, or someone they want to know, and will run through walls to get to them directly. But that’s not always the best approach. Gowel says it’s almost always more effective to enlist the help of current connections—even if it’s 2^nd degree—to get in touch with the people you’re trying to do business with.

4) Don’t accept any old schmo.

To accept or to reject? Perhaps breaking some conventional wisdom, Gowel says it’s better not to just accept any random request you receive from someone you barely know, or someone you don’t know at all.

“Remember that if you accept someone whom you don’t know into your network, you also give him access to your e-mail addresses,” he writes. “Ignoring someone is equivalent to giving him a cold shoulder: the request stays in his sent messages, and he may believe you just haven’t come across his invitation yet.”

5) Search is the best tool on the Internet.

“Here’s a bold statement for you,” Gowel writes. “LinkedIn’s search capabilities are going to be more valuable than Google’s search capabilities.” Gowel asserts that because LinkedIn’s search offer access to “self-updating relationship information” while Google is essentially data agnostic, the value of a LinkedIn search is becoming more valuable for business owners constantly looking for specific, personal connections.

By using “relationship searches,” “CEO searches,” or “industry searches,” savvy entrepreneurs can leverage current and potential connections to expand business and create deals.

It is my pleasure to have Margo Rose with me today. Margo caught my attention over a year ago when I saw her omnipresence on numerous social media platforms. She is one of the most respected and well-connected individuals in the social media and human resource space today. She is a community leader, HR pro, social media advocate and entrepreneur. She began working in human resources over 25 years ago and has seen this field go through metamorphic transformation with an insider’s view.

Margo is the brainchild and CEO behind HireFriday, the job seeker community and social movement that brings job seekers resources to people, information, career best practices and networking opportunities. Putting her HR background to good use, Margo dedicates many hours of volunteer time to coach and instruct job seekers on interview techniques, cover letter and resume development, and follow-up communications.

Cyndy: Margo, you have such a long and varied career with most of it being in or around the field of human resources. What is it about human resources that keeps you interested?

Margo: (response) The way human resources and social network technology meet will pave the way to helping organizations becoming an employer of choice, build talent communities and leverage technology to acquire top talent.  The online communities that are engaging candidates will transform the way we recruit and do business. It’s always about them, not you. It’s not marketing…it’s engagement.

Cyndy: With the advent of social media, information seems to travel at the speed of light. Do you think this openness of transparency and immediacy is a benefit or hindrance to most businesses?

Margo: (response) The instant access to business leaders and thought leaders will change the way we meet, engage and greet the most important people in our industry. The instant access changes how we communicate at all levels. Conversely, it is incumbent upon the individual to clean up their digital footprint on Facebook, Google+ and Twitter.  As I say, “preface your status update with the invisible salutation, ‘Dear Employer.’  People can get fired, or not hired, based on how they communicate online.  The instant access behind the computer screen creates a false sense of security. Nothing is private on any social network. Ever.

Cyndy: Tell me how you see social media changing the business of human resources in the present and for the future?

Margo: (response) Social media will be the way we learn about and engage with our favorite brands, from everything from food and automobiles to big brands, jobs and colleagues.  It’s changing the way we do business, and now Facebook Pages are turning into online e-commerce store fronts.  People are looking for, and finding jobs, on Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn and Google+. Social media is giving us the news as it happens.

Cyndy: How is recruiting different today as compared to 10 years ago, and do you believe these differences are having a positive impact on the process of talent acquisition?

Margo: (response) Everything is digital. Sourcing and developing talent pipelines are digital via Internet Boolean and semantic search. Gone are the index cards and yellow pages…company websites, tools and the entire methodology has changed. While social media recruiting is relatively new, we are now relying on online sources to source talent. We will always use the phone, and social networks help us find the contact information, build the relationship and leverage one’s online presence to “get” the meeting, and score call, or Skype meeting.

Cyndy: If you could tell an organization that does not have a social media presence three things to entice that company to develop a social presence, what would you say?

Margo: (response) Simple, will you be in business in 5 years? It’s an imperative to have a business brand presence online for inbound and outbound marketing, recruiting, sales, advertising and active grassroots engagement, and building strong communities.

1. brand building
2. developing at least one, but ideally many broadcasting channels
3. connect with individuals to develop brand ambassadors and evangelists for free earned media and making their message go viral

Thank you, Margo, for a very informative conversation!

Margo owns HRSocial Strategy, and is the founder of HireFriday, and the popular Twitter #HFChat. She regularly interviews authors and thought leaders on Compassionate HR on blogtalkradio, and is a recurrent blogger on BrazenCareerist and her own blog HRMargo. She also serves as a presenter of the Nashville Social Media Club, has been named to the Top 100 Digital Media Influencers and 25 Influencers in Recruiting by HR Examiner, and named the “Social Networker of 2011” on blogtalkradio.com.

Cyndy began her career in Human Resource Communications on Madison Avenue in New York City over 12 years ago. Prior to that, she worked in corporate human resources as a recruiter and as a training and development coordinator. In addition, Cyndy has multiple years of media planning and account strategy experience at a management level from both the media and agency sides. She currently resides as the director and branch manager for NAS Recruitment Communications in Kansas City.

Cyndy holds a BA in psychology and mass communications and is currently matriculating towards a MA in psychology.

Though the job search if often treated like a 9-to-5 position, it becomes more difficult to manage when you already have a full-time job. More often than not, job seekers face discrimination for being unemployed, which may lead to finding job openings while gainfully employed.

Whatever your reasons may be for leaving, job searching in this situation requires walking on a fine line between being proactive yet watchful of your boundaries. In fact, 88 percent job seekers agree that keeping your job search private is very important – and even while employed, some would be reluctant if coworkers found out instances of their job search process.

While being covert of the process in general, what etiquette should an employee practice while job searching? An article by Jenny Foss on The Daily Muse offers tips for being both respectful yet careful about your search. Consider below the do’s and don’ts:

Do use discretion. On social networking sites, on job boards, and within the office – be mindful of what you communicate on all levels.

Do interviews before or after work. Schedule your interviews, follow ups, and phone calls away from your current work schedule.

Do be honest if confronted. If asked by your employer, be straightforward about your intentions.

Don’t use company time or tools. For you efforts, you should completely rely on the use of email, Internet, etc.– but not while on the job. Not only is it disrespectful, but also can easily be traced to you when you’re trying to be confidential.

Don’t forget about your current job. Within your work hours, stay focused on the responsibilities you have now. You owe it to your employer that you can remain to be a productive employee for the time you’re still there. If you’re about to put in your notice soon, wrap up projects to make your transition as smooth as possible.

Be aware that you do have the right to keep your job search under wraps. Be sure to exercise caution and give your employer plenty of notice if you’re accepting an offer. Most employers will understand and be willing to cooperate if you’ve continued to be focused.

Do you agree with these tips? How would you be discrete in your job search? What tips would you add?

Article by

Katie Lewis is currently a senior at Florida State University and will graduate in May 2012 with a B.A. in Editing, Writing, and Media. Minoring in Communications and attending her first meeting of the Florida Public Relations Association Student Chapter inspired her to pursue a career in public relations.

Looking for a job can be stressful. As job seekers triple check their resumes for typos and edit their cover letters, it seems like employers sit back and relax with all the power—especially in today’s job market.

Although companies do have the power to hire or not, they should still show candidates respect throughout the hiring process.

A recent Washington Post article, “Are you hiring? Show Courtesy to Applicants” listed what companies can do to ensure they are displaying professional courtesy with applicants.

Here are some highlights.

Acknowledge all applicants. I applied for many internships last summer and was shocked that about half of the companies never even responded to my inquiry. Not even an automated, generic “we received this” email. Yes, I understand that companies have more important things to do, but a little courtesy goes a long way. Companies should recognize an application, if only to let the applicant know it was received.

Inform applicants about the results of the process. In most cases, a ‘no’ is a lot better than playing the waiting game. I’ve heard countless stories of applicants going in for an interview and not hearing back afterwards. It’s not fair to make the applicant wait around if you have no intention of letting them know your decision.

Don’t abuse applicants time and talents. Unpaid internships are commonly used as a way for job seekers to get experience with a company. But companies need to be careful and not exploit these interns. Sometimes unpaid internships do turn into a job, but don’t lead applicants on. If you have no intention of hiring them make sure they know this before you offer them an unpaid position.

The job seeker/employer relationship is a complex one and in the end, communication is key. Employers need to be open and honest with applicants and show them the common courtesy and respect they deserve. Companies should know that how they treat applicants is how applicants will view their brand from then on.

Do you have a hiring horror story?

Article by Dana Schwartz

Dana Schwartz is a senior studying public relations and management at Syracuse University. She has previous internship experience with a small New York City public relations firm, as a communications intern for the Special Olympics in London, and in healthcare marketing. She is looking forward to starting a career in public relations upon her graduation in May.