Positioning Yourself for a Job Search

Nefesh B’NefeshKelli Brown | December 2009

About your presenter

• Decade of experience:• Web development and design• Print and digital graphic design• Web marketing• Search Engine Optimization (SEO)

• Aliyah in July 2007 with Nefesh B’Nefesh• kelli@pixelpointpress.com and 054-225-7879

Presentation is available to view or download at http://bit.ly/nbnjobsppt

Today’s seminar• How the web fits in with your job search• Why you need a web presence• What to do to position yourself• Questions on first half (10:30) • Break (approx. 10:45-11:00)• What to do when you get hired (11:30)• Questions on anything covered (Noon)

About the group

• How long have you been in Israel?• What’s your job situation:• My old career exists here• My old career exists here, but I’m not qualified• I’m switching industries or positions• I’m moving into self-employment• I just graduated (Mazal tov!) or a student

Today’s job market – high tech• Many positions are filled before they are

advertised• HR receives between 15-85 resumes for each

open position• Positions requiring three years experience are

often filled by applicants with 15+ years exp.• Unpaid internships are filled by 5+ years exp.

Job Search Challenges• Your resume has less impact in Israel• Where you went to school• Where you worked

• Your references aren’t well-known• Your network is tough to leverage• Your language skills might be an issue• Your job may not exist here• Perhaps the pay rate makes it infeasible

Job Search Opportunities

• You have what many companies need• Years of experience, mother-tongue English

• You will be judged by your expertise• Many companies are willing to take a chance

• You can make connections quickly• Your attitude makes all the difference

Resume 2.0

• Web doesn’t replace traditional job searchTraditional elements:•Business card•Cover letter•Resume/CV•Portfolio (if applicable)•References•Networking in real life•Employment ads

Web elements:•Website•Blog•Searchable resume (LinkedIn)•Gallery (if applicable)•Social networks•Networking online•Industry groups

Most traditional elements have a corollary element online

Goals of your web presence*• Leverage your strengths, overcome weaknesses• Demonstrate industry expertise• Promote a hidden skill set• Help you stand out from other applicants• Know your competition

• In short, to answer the question:

“Why should I hire you instead of someone else for this position?”* And to make it all searchable on Google so employers find you

What you need

• Website with a blog• Simple and easy to navigate

• Content to share• Which means you need industry knowledge

• Completed profile on LinkedIn• Networks to leverage, groups to connect

What to do• Before writing, explore your target industry• Use blog posts to expand beyond your CV• Broadcast your content wide and far• Yes, this means Facebook and Twitter

• Combine your web and real-life networks• Keep it in English• Unless you speak Hebrew fluently

Your website• Up-to-date resume: clear and concise• Make links and email addresses clickable• Link to your university, employers, etc.

• About page: anticipate employer questions• Contact info: phone, email, network URLs• Updated blog: post at least once a week• Site should be your own domain name

Your blog

• Update regularly: shows consistency• Communication skills

• Comment on news: industry awareness• Expand on your skills• Projects you’ve managed – other hidden talents• Awards and achievements (and why they matter)

• What would you try to convey in an interview?

Blog posts should be

• 250 to 600 words in length• Related to news when possible• Written in a conversational (yet professional)

tone• Organized neatly into categories

Your first five blog posts

• Who you are• What career you’re aiming for and why• Your successes and strengths• Your work history• Why you’re the best candidate for the job

LinkedIn (linkedin.com)• Create an account and complete profile• Profile picture: simple, clear headshot• Not a comic avatar, kids, pets, pint of beer• Use the same image across networks

• Add your blog feed (maybe Twitter too?)• Join industry groups, connect with other

members• Comment and answer questions

“Social” networks• Mythbusting – common misconceptions• Join Facebook or Twitter (or both)• Balance professional and personal information• Share link to your site/blog posts on networks• Utilize your connections – wherever they are• What do you have to lose?

Common responses• “But I have pictures of my kids on there…”• Welcome to Israel – it might help you

• “But I don’t want them to see my FB page…”• You can’t prevent them from searching Google

• “But a lot of my profile is personal – favorite books, music, hobbies, etc.”• And it might make a wonderful ice breaker

• Israel job sites: tips for job hunting and openings• International industry-related groups: latest news• Israeli industry-specific groups: find potential

colleagues, job openings, networking events, conferences

• Company-specific groups: learn more about a prospective employer

• Networking groups: where jobs are often posted first

Industry Groups (Yahoo!)

Don’t forget to find out if they have blogs, sites, Facebook groups, etc.

Extra credit

• Have video? Post it to YouTube and embed it back into your site or blog

• Have a portfolio? Post it to Flickr and embed it as a slideshow into your site

• Given presentations? Upload your PowerPoint files to SlideShare.net and embed in your site

• Remember the goal is to stand out in a good way

Your questions on the first half

• If you have questions later, please feel free to contact me:• kelli@pixelpointpress.com• 054-225-7879 (office hours 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.)

Time for a break!

• See you in 15 minutes

When you get hired…

• Keep up your personal branding• Blogging once a week

• Chronicle your achievements• Get samples for your portfolio• Connect with new colleagues• Ask for recommendations

When you’re employed…

• Your blog serves as a catalog of what you do• Easier to position yourself while you’re

employed – “no ulterior motive”• Demonstrates ongoing skill development• Less suspicious than branding yourself later• What did you learn from the last two years?

Benefits of ongoing branding

• Demonstrates value to current employer• Promotes relevance within industry• Prepares you for next transition• Bonus: You might enjoy yourself

Resources Online

• WordPress blogging software: wordpress.org• Includes free themes and tutorials

• NBN Employment: www.nbn.org.il/about/nbn_employ.htm

• JobMob: jobmob.co.il• Pixel/Point Press blog: pixelpointpress.com

To learn more

• Social Media Marketing classes• Herzliya: Dec. 15-22-29 from 9 a.m. to noon• Jerusalem: Dec. 16-23-30 from 9 a.m. to noon• Suited to small business owners and marketing

executives• Contact classes@pixelpointpress.com for more

information or to register

Thanks

• For attending – your feedback is welcome• To Nefesh B’Nefesh for hosting• B’hatzlacha on your job search!

More time for questions

• If you have questions later, please feel free to contact me:• kelli@pixelpointpress.com• 054-225-7879 (office hours 7 a.m. to 4 p.m.)