Very recently, I was laid off, much as many have been. One of the key points I have found is not just keeping a positive attitude, but keeping a positive existence about you.

 

With the job market, swaying from day to day and employers’ expecting more work for less money it can be a daunting task to stay positive. You have submitted your resume, repeatedly, with no response. 

 

Here are six creative ways that I have learned from personal experience to enhance your presentation and make you all that more positive that you are providing a well rounded projection of yourself that will be seen.

 

Use Bright Fuse - Since most places have no email address or phone number to contact them by, I have begun including a link to my BrightFuse Profile: http://www.brightfuse.com/desiree-donnenberg at the bottom of each email and invite employers to follow the link.

Personalize Cover Letters – Even if you are writing an email body, include a cover letter attached to your submission. Unbelievably, when I was in a corporate office, the “catcher of resumes” would not print out the email body only the resume. A cover letter would only be printed if it were attached.

Social Networks - Facebook/Twitter/Etc. give a viewpoint into who you are. If you are less than conservative and you are looking for a conservative position, it is best to set your Facebook & other Social Networking accounts to ONLY be viewable by those who are already your friends. If you do not have pictures and statements that could be misunderstood (think hard about those Halloween pictures you just posted, or the comments your crazy cousin makes on your page) then, by all means, connect your Bright Fuse to Facebook, Etc. and announce to the world your accomplishments. Get creative and put on a happy face.

Prior Careers – For instance in the positions I seek, people are looking for someone extremely detail oriented. My prior career as a mortgage loan processor is no longer valid on my resume. I have many times thought about how being a loan processor gave me skills and qualities such as strict adherence to guidelines and time management. Get creative and salute the benefits of any prior or side careers you have had. I post a sentence in my cover letters and my BrightFuse profile that says, “As a side note, my initial work experience as a mortgage loan processor (approx. 3 years) began a career of strictly paying attention to detail and working with deadlines.”

Your email address – Thought it was smart to put your email address on your resume? So did I, until a friend of mine explained that putting your phone number as the only source of contact will encourage a phone call rather than a possibly misdirected email due to a typographical error. True, you are already sending your email address if submitting via email, however, an assistant usually hands out printed resumes to their supervisor.

You never know who you are talking to – A grocery clerk, a gas station attendant, a person standing in line somewhere behind you. Talk to people, talk about your love for whatever you do, and mention you are looking for work. Go to office depot, get those handy little printable business cards. Include your contact information, a picture of yourself (so they remember you) and include your BrightFuse profile link. Be prepared to pull it out, but not just to anyone, be selective – be kind – and most of all be genuine. Remember it is your contact information.

 

Self-confidence is important to any part of life. Be confident of your strongest qualities and hold them close to who you are. Be prepared to talk about them to everyone you meet. When people see your passion for life, they will connect in their mind to someone they know with the same passion. Be open to suggestion.

If you have a great personal experience, keep this list going. Start with #7 and post from here. Let's help eachother Job Angels!

Warm regards,

Desiree Donnenberg

Edited 11/4/2009 - 2:16 PM

Quote:

Very recently, I was laid off, much as many have been. One of the key points I have found is not just keeping a positive attitude, but keeping a positive existence about you.

 

With the job market, swaying from day to day and employers’ expecting more work for less money it can be a daunting task to stay positive. You have submitted your resume, repeatedly, with no response. 

 

Here are six creative ways that I have learned from personal experience to enhance your presentation and make you all that more positive that you are providing a well rounded projection of yourself that will be seen.

 

Use Bright Fuse - Since most places have no email address or phone number to contact them by, I have begun including a link to my BrightFuse Profile: http://www.brightfuse.com/desiree-donnenberg at the bottom of each email and invite employers to follow the link.

Personalize Cover Letters – Even if you are writing an email body, include a cover letter attached to your submission. Unbelievably, when I was in a corporate office, the “catcher of resumes” would not print out the email body only the resume. A cover letter would only be printed if it were attached.

Social Networks - Facebook/Twitter/Etc. give a viewpoint into who you are. If you are less than conservative and you are looking for a conservative position, it is best to set your Facebook & other Social Networking accounts to ONLY be viewable by those who are already your friends. If you do not have pictures and statements that could be misunderstood (think hard about those Halloween pictures you just posted, or the comments your crazy cousin makes on your page) then, by all means, connect your Bright Fuse to Facebook, Etc. and announce to the world your accomplishments. Get creative and put on a happy face.

Prior Careers – For instance in the positions I seek, people are looking for someone extremely detail oriented. My prior career as a mortgage loan processor is no longer valid on my resume. I have many times thought about how being a loan processor gave me skills and qualities such as strict adherence to guidelines and time management. Get creative and salute the benefits of any prior or side careers you have had. I post a sentence in my cover letters and my BrightFuse profile that says, “As a side note, my initial work experience as a mortgage loan processor (approx. 3 years) began a career of strictly paying attention to detail and working with deadlines.”

Your email address – Thought it was smart to put your email address on your resume? So did I, until a friend of mine explained that putting your phone number as the only source of contact will encourage a phone call rather than a possibly misdirected email due to a typographical error. True, you are already sending your email address if submitting via email, however, an assistant usually hands out printed resumes to their supervisor.

You never know who you are talking to – A grocery clerk, a gas station attendant, a person standing in line somewhere behind you. Talk to people, talk about your love for whatever you do, and mention you are looking for work. Go to office depot, get those handy little printable business cards. Include your contact information, a picture of yourself (so they remember you) and include your BrightFuse profile link. Be prepared to pull it out, but not just to anyone, be selective – be kind – and most of all be genuine. Remember it is your contact information.

 

Self-confidence is important to any part of life. Be confident of your strongest qualities and hold them close to who you are. Be prepared to talk about them to everyone you meet. When people see your passion for life, they will connect in their mind to someone they know with the same passion. Be open to suggestion.

If you have a great personal experience, keep this list going. Start with #7 and post from here. Let's help eachother Job Angels!

Warm regards,

Desiree Donnenberg

Desiree, you've got some great tips on here, and you never know who may be helped in the job search by these tips. And, staying positive can be a way to differentiate yourself. When I've conducted interviews, a positive "Can do" attitude definitely perks my interest in that candidate.

Thanks for your insights, and welcome to JobAngels!!.

Warm Regards,
Joye

It's my pleasure and thank you for the compliments. It looks like you have a good thing going with JobAngels. I'm glad I joined.

Kindly,
Desiree