Can you describe yourelf

In terms of how well you communicate with others or the type of leadership qualities you possess and how you've put them to good use? Can you clearly articulate what it's like to work with you in a team environment and how wonderfully adaptable you are?

Communication, Leadership, Adaptability and Teamwork are things that are going to "turn-on" potential employers. It's your job to have a compelling, specific (specific = credible), and relatable story that exemplifies one or two of these traits. It can be a personal or professional situation you draw from, but just make sure it's memorable.

So if you say that you easily adapt to new environments, it better be followed with, "for example..."

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:

http://media.www.brooklynexcelsior.com/media/storage/paper901/news/2009/03/23/News/Students.Flood.Job.Fair.During.Rough.Recession-3679537.shtml

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.

Can you launch an entrepreneurship from your dorm?

Inc. magazine recently published an article about successful young adult entrepreneurs..VERY young. The article profiles students 14-24 years old with not only unique products and services, but also creative, out-of-the-box networking and branding tactics.

Vote for your favorite here: http://www.inc.com/college

Focus revisited

I recently met a wonderfully bright senior at an institution in Manhattan while conducting a workshop on presentation skills. During the breakout session, his peers were blown away by his confidence and the ease at which he presented his strengths and interests. Clearly they were envious.
At the end of the event I brought up some of the best presenters, as judged by their peers, so the entire audience could benefit. This gentleman was a unanimous choice by his group. Much to my surprise, his presentation, specifically crafted for a potential interview, would have never landed him the position.
He was surely eloquent and confident. However, he was all over the place and made it clear that his passions were many. Entrepreneurial spirit is wonderful, but a scary thing for a potential employer. Please don't forget that someone hiring you is looking for a commitment - someone they can hopefully grow with. They are already concerned with the figures that state a typical 20 something will have 5 jobs by the age of thirty. Please don't add to their concerns with your lack of focus.

Staying positive and being PROACTIVE

I was doing a seminar at The New York Public Library yesterday in conjunction with Vault.com and was upset to see how many people are not proactively seeking employment. No matter what you think, people are hiring. Even those firms that are actively laying off people will always make room for the "right" individual. As someone mentioned to me in passing, we just had two rounds of layoffs but I still have the green light to bring in really good candidates.

These companies are not posting jobs on-line or in the paper. Nor are they showing up at career fairs. It's your job to seek them out. Do your research. Decide if your credentials and more importantly, your personality strengths will WOW them. Find the person that can make the hiring decision. Better yet, find the person you will directly report to (may be the same person) and make it loud and clear how they will clearly BENEFIT by hiring you. How they would be CRAZY not to. What's in it for them.

So stop complaining and go find a great opportunity for yourself. Someone is being hired right now......why not you?