CUNY Big Apple Job Fair

Last week, I spoke at the CUNY Big Apple Job fair. Packs of students flooded the Javits center. I challenged students to stand out breathe life into their resumes:

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Dress for Success, Part 1

Lately, I have received many questions about what the appropriate dress is for interviews and networking events. As there is a lot of this information all over the web, let me start with a few tips for the guys that may not be so obvious:

1. Shave properly. The scruffy look is "cool" hanging out on a Saturday night, but not in an interview. If you have facial hair, like a goatee, make sure it's trimmed properly. Also, pay close attention to hair coming from your nose, ears, or growing on the back of your neck (my biggest pet peeve). It's not a good look.
2. Clothes should fit properly. Suit jackets should not hang off your shoulder. Shirt collars should fit snugly against your neck (you will not sufficate) and shirt sleeves should end at your wrists. Most importantly, the shirt should be professionally pressed! Ties should be no longer than the middle of your belt buckle. Pants should sit on your waist and not your hips. They should not bunch up at your shoes, like your jeans, but neatly touch the heal on the back of your shoes (the tailor may consider this a "medium break"). And last but not least, how about a shoe shine!
3. Low on funds? There are a ton of used clothing outlets where you can pick up fashionable, top quality brands for pennies on the dollar. I have seen designer dress shirts and suits, that look new, selling for $5 and $50 respectively. Throw in a few extra dollars for dry cleaning and don't tell me you cannot afford to look the part. Quick Tip - drop by the used clothing store located near an upper middle class area to find some amazing deals.

Hope these tips help and always, dress the part!

Use Twitter to get a Job

Twitter has been getting a lot of attention lately as one of the fastest growing social media networks.  Millions already log on and "tweet" their experiences and thoughts.  Micro-blogging (Tweets are limited to 140 characters) is turning out to be a great way to network within your industry and to learn a lot of insider information from people with your interests.

Lot's of articles on How To Get a Job Using Twitter, but bottom line is - you need to stay current in this rapidly changing job market.  Twitter is filled with people with your interests and in your career field, so learn the tools, connect with as many people as you can, and start the learning.

A great place to start is by adding EBL on Twitter.  We update daily with links and tips for your job search and professional growth.  

Also, for the visual thinkers, some cool Twitter visualizers.