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Marketing Yourself in the form of a Resume

Getting through ATS with an optimized resume by mirroring Internet Marketing techniques

As a professional in an ever-evolving world of technology, it is absolutely important to keep abreast of changes that occur within the standard operations of society and hiring processes. Not many realize that with the evolution of information systems, most hiring processes are initiated, if not fully executed, Online. Therefore, Hiring Managers and Executive Decision Makers are eliminating the number of resumes that they are scouring each week in order to streamline processes and maximize productivity in the job space, while keeping staffing down to a minimum. Let’s take a deeper look into this science and discover how to get passed all systems filters to, at least, be considered for the position that many are applying for.

Did you know, that as this World of Technology evolves, so does the way the business world approaches Talent Acquisitions and Recruiting? Professionals aren’t just sitting back behind a desk glancing over resumes on a day-to-day basis. Time is valuable and successful corporations are always looking for ways to cut back on unnecessary spending.

As earlier mentioned, many recruiters are more than likely sitting in front of a computer and pounding away at their keyboards, seeking out potential candidates that meet the specific needs of an employer. Whether it is a proprietary system, hosted on internal servers, or through a major job search platform, hiring personnel are able to search out the perfect candidate based on keywords searches. Often, more time is placed in discovering which keywords directly meet those needs of an employer than sifting through a plethora of candidates that do not meet them.

As many job search sites and resume writing services will point out, there is an algorithm in tact that allows recruiters to search for who they want and to avoid those that they do not. This system is dubbed “ATS,” a shortened version of “Applicant Tracking System;” and it is what will make or break a candidate’s forge to the top of the figurative totem pole.

You see, per position a company seeks to fulfill, an average of 250 to 300 candidates are competing to be seen and invited for interview. Unfortunately for most, they will never be seen. The “select few” will be invited to join the hiring process and asked to report for interview. Believe it or not, but many of the top professionals applying per position will actually be overlooked. Hence, these awesome candidates might never have their chance at a dream position and will remain in their current until they finally “hack” the system.

So, how do you hack this system? How do you rise to the top and become recognized as “cream of the crop?” This is simple. Treat your career path as a brand, while showcasing brandYOU through the use of Internet Marketing techniques to enhance your presence in tracking systems. While ATS works slightly differently than Search Engine Optimization (SEO), the core concepts are totally the same!

Similar to SEO, ATS seeks out applicants based on specific keywords. The more keywords to match word-for-word, the better! The applicant will score a higher position within this algorithm. Unlike SEO, these keywords must be presented exactly as described by qualifying terms, as opposed to being strategized for conversational, organic placement and tone. Industry-specific terminology is highly encouraged.

Resumes are expected to be matter of fact, while engaging readers in a professional and narrative description of an applicant’s work history. This means that a phrase, such as “preparation of slideshows” would hold little weight, if any, to “slideshow preparation.” It gets even more complex.

Because ATS seeks applicant achievement over duty, it would be wise to include the latter preceded by a strong action verb and a powerful adjective. Whereas one may include, “Engaged in slideshow preparation” on their resume, another may include “Developed and executed highly professional slideshow preparations.” Not only did the second choice include powerful descriptors, but it also showed process, ability and to what quality. It also showed that it happened on more than one occasion; and therefore, it was not a fluke!

While both verbiages may find themselves ranking higher within ATS than those without optimization, the achievement-based resume will soar much higher. Once these resumes reach the hands of the talent recruiters, which do you think will receive further consideration?

Keeping your language brief within a resume writing is the objective, but the manner in which this is done, is also important. In marketing yourself, you have to sell your achievements by showing how even your performance of duties have made a difference. Your resume must flow smoothly in keeping a reader engaged. As a matter of fact, your resume must flow smoothly, because your resume will merely be skimmed the first few times that it is read. Keeping content mapped out and consistent, the layout must reflect what the body is trying to convey to your future employer.

Structure is equally important to the Applicant Tracking System. Professional profiles may or may not be read with the ATS (The depends on the complexity of the engine being used.), but they must be present when distributing your resume to employers that do get to see your resume. Within each resume, it is highly recommended that one includes a “Competencies Section,” with word choices that must completely be spelled out, at least once prior to abbreviation throughout the resume. This section also acts as a meta tagged “keywords” section within SEO to enhance your resumes overall potential. While many include these keywords into a section described as “Areas of Expertise,” one merely should feel comfortable in their ability to complete duties found within.

Expanding upon the ideal that layouts and consistencies are important for ATS and in mapping out your career, layouts keep resumes organized, experiences highlighted and abilities grouped. It also helps ATS differentiate the content you are submitting, especially in the case of extracting information to a separate database. In a more traditional format, it leaves your resume more visually appealing, balancing out white and negative spacing, and allows your resume to be properly scanned over in the second round of the hiring process, therefore passing the “30-second test.”

In physical hiring processes, a hiring manager is opt to starting at the expertise section, scan through previous employers, read your full education level and then check out the rest of the resume. Sometimes, they go directly to education, skipping experience, altogether, and continue at your affiliations and technical proficiencies. If they are intrigued, they will return to your biography, and then they will read to see if you are worthy of the position they are moved to interview you for. You want to draw eyes to each section of your resume and encourage them to actually read what is written there. Avoid typos and formatting errors. They aren’t read by ATS and can negatively sway the hiring manager to dropping your resume into the garbage bin.

Speaking of garbage bin, industry rules have changed. You do not need to have a references section in your resume. You can drop that in the trash. Because many people lie about references and have others lie for them, it has become an unnecessary part of the resume process. It also takes up space that you can be using for something more valuable. It is wise, however, to keep a resume sheet on hand if your future employer requests one. This also goes for project sheets, which outline project histories, portfolio pieces and publications, unless you have a Curriculum Vitae (CV) resume type.

In creating proper spacing, keeping your resume to a proper link and utilizing negative space, one must consider level of hierarchy. While in ATS, there is no limit to how much space is being used. Understand, if you make it through the computerized process, a warm-blooded soul will be holding your resume in their hands. Length must be made appropriate to your level of hierarchy on the corporate ladder.

It is commonplace that professionals who have held tenure at a job site, entry-level personnel and students may only detail their resume to one page. However, there are some entry level personnel who hold hands with professionals of all industries that will find two-pages tells a clearer story of who they are, whether they have summarized this or are providing quality content in enhancing their resume to meet specific job descriptions. Hiring managers find it acceptable for medical personnel, executives and IT professionals to submit resumes at three to four pages.

Military personnel, medical doctors and professionals in the scientific community are expected to have four or more pages of resume material. This is where special resumes are created, distinctly prepared by federal standards and in CV-structured layouts. Most resumes only include the last 10-12 years to compensate for age-stereotyping hindrances in the hiring process. An undated summary statement may be italicized below to show evidence of a career journey and previous experience in correlation to older-yet-relevant positions held. Remember to present yourself how you want to be perceived. This is Branding 101.

While most resumes are lacking a graphic appeal, many new designs have found ways to give resumes a persona. After all, when looking at a resume, one becomes familiarized with the person that they are potentially hiring. Your layout will tell a hiring manager your level of expertise within the corporate machine. Graphic elements can hint at an “out-of-the-box” or innovative personality, highlighting your ability for creativity. The problem, however, is that ATS often has a hard time reading graphic resumes. And, while there are ways to get around this issue, most creative resumes suffer because some element or another is lacking in the process. Only a select few within the resume-writing world know how to get around this problem and can optimize your resume for discover in ATS engines.

Finally, in marketing yourself through a resume design, one must be aware of engine capabilities. While .doc extensions aren’t often looked at as a “finished project” in a world, where creating a .pdf document helps corporations protect against security and fraud while accepted as official and polished, .doc extensions are the most acceptable form of submission in this day. This document type provides ATS with an easier means of extracting your personal information than does .pdf, .rtf, .txt and even .docx.

Being mindful of your audience, keep both .pdf documents and .doc on hand at all times. After all, you may be submitting your resume directly to a decisionmaker and should plot to appear as polished as possible. In the end, it all comes down to one thing… brandYOU. How are you marketing yourself? What observation of your character would you like them to experience? Stay mindful of ATS when submitting resumes to corporate engines and job search sites; and remember, I am only a messenger of what experts have analyzed over the years and through experience. Good luck!

Find Inspiration. — A motivational service and round the clock coaching for professionals.

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Feel like you just want to give up? Like you want to crawl under a rock and hide from the world? Have you ever wanted to just end everything? I have been there.

Jessica N. Abraham is a professional in the worlds of Internet Marketing and Entertainment Business. She is also a single mother. Life just isn’t always easy… As a matter of fact, it almost never is. She is someone who can sympathize.

From “zero to hero and back again,” Jessica has gone through some very difficult and scarring situations that have gotten her to the mindset that the only one you can depend on is yourself. And at times, you are on your own to do that. So, let her help!

Things aren’t always how they seem. Likewise, we are often faced with situations that we just can’t control. We can make the situation, no matter how terrible, work to our best benefit. We can use the bad times as a tool for the good and as practice until we reach our goals. The quicker this understanding can be instilled into your life, the faster you can go from “zero to hero” each time you reach rock bottom! Because if your destiny lies in greatness, you will make that journey a million times over before reaching the top!

The top is in your grasp. The impossible is possible. Call now and be inspired!

Internet Marketing with BrandYOU: What can implementation mean to me?

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A few days ago, an article was released speaking on the topic of Social Branding and Internet Marketing’s importance in Web 3.0 and how many businesses, according to a current analysis report, are yet to pay it serious attention. They refuse to place higher budgets on the table in the name of Internet Marketing and Social Branding, in general, let alone as separate items of coverage. While Social Branding is Internet Marketing, each classification can be broken down into smaller sciences. Many of these sciences will actually cut costs for the management end of business budgets and triple ROIs directly.

If you haven’t seen these articles, catch up with them below:
The Report

Lack of Social: So Many Businesses are STILL Doing it Wrong!

In the review of this information, it is imperative to remind businesses (and even individual business persons) about the “Power of the Brand.” This is what can make or break a business or individual. This is what you have worked your whole life to build. It’s the value others place in your brand. This is BrandYOU.

BrandYOU! Yes, this is a very important topic. This topic is often covered on blogs, periodicals, books, educational learning centers, and at business seminars. This topic is the most important one that can be covered, because any action made in the name of a brand is building the character in the minds of the audiences of that brand. Still, people ignore the importance of BrandYOU or creating a positive persona for a brand (if a business).

Whether a representative of a brand or in being the actual the brand itself, BRANDYOU can play a major part in your success… “strike that, erase it.” It WILL play THE major role in your lasting success. It will set your brand aside from competition, because BrandYOU isn’t just about Branding. It’s about individualism and unique value propositions between brand and consumer. It’s about quality and integrity. It’s one of the most organic ways of marketing your brand Online and off.

While, it doesn’t even have anything specifically to do with Internet Marketing, it can hold powerful results via Social Interaction (reviews, testimonials, statuses, social conversation, etc.). And, that is the problem. People think that indirect or slight correlations are no correlation at all. It’s a concept that seems to be common sense, but some just don’t understand it. Understanding the truth is the greatest thing that could ever happen! That is why it is so important to understand BrandYOU inside and out.

Have you ever heard that you need to eat, sleep and dream your business in order to see it take form and thrive? Have you ever considered the fact that YOU are a business? After all, don’t you file taxes? Do you file as an individual, independent contractor, sole proprietor or board member? If you said yes, then technically you just proved that you ARE a business, whether you use your own entity, fictitious name or work for someone else’s brand.

The truth is, all of these are brands, And the truth is, you are getting paid to represent that brand… even if you are a “relation” of that brand. Consider yourself extended family, a friend, significant other or whatever. Because you represent that brand (if you aren’t the specific brand), you are an important person in the “life” of that brand as a persona — or fictitious person. As a matter of fact, you are responsible to pay taxes due to your relationship to the brand. The brand’s “corporation” tax is taxed as an individual, because that brand is alive — it acts as an embodiment on its own! Isn’t THAT interesting? So, wouldn’t it be in your best interest to keep THOSE interests at the ultimate peak high point at all times? After all, YOU are investing so much time into the brand and then paying taxes on that time that can never be replaced.

In considering this scenario, one should remember a few things about businesses:

First impressions are everything.
Quality customer service needs to be maintained.
Reviews and Testimonials can sway the opinions of those who seek to know about a POTENTIAL service provider.
Competitors exist and work against competitor brands.
What will you do to protect your brand? What will you do to keep the reputation of the brand satisfactory to clients and community?

The obvious first step in BrandYou is always to be on your best behaviour. This doesn’t mean that you can’t show your opinion. But, it means to act upon how you would like to be perceived. If your brand represents THIS, then you can display THIS in your actions. I had a conversation with another business owner recently. The conversation was based around her recent activity on Facebook. She tried to apologize for the “recent racy content.” What she didn’t realize, however, that showing a public interest in a subject based upon her role in the community of her target audience will actually allow her brand to be received as a trustworthy persona and build a lasting brand loyalty that will lead to a long enduring tenure of that brand.

It basically all boils down to this: CATER TO YOUR AUDIENCES. If you want to be perceived as an individual for hire, then portray the ideal characteristics of the ultimate employee. If you are a business, tend to your community of followers and those that you want to target in “giving them what they want” and do not give them a reason to think otherwise. This means to be consistent, persistent and show interest in that particular characteristic.

So, how should you begin to structure your “BrandYOU?” Think of a respectable business person, public figure or entertainer. They all have something about them that stands out, correct? This is something that is overemphasized in creating a character perception of them. This is something that will hold distinct in setting them aside from competition. Now, look at those characteristics that aren’t “front row and center” in their persona. These characteristics do not conflict with the public perception of that brand. Contradictory elements will keep that brand from being accepted, in turn they will more than likely remain unsuccessful.

Next, Think of a recording artist that may be perceived as a “thug” or a “boss.” To find out that they were once on the opposite side of the law and never really this “thug” or “boss,” we change our persona of that artist. It just seems fake. True fans will stay loyal. Those are those who really have learned to love the brand’s product and really could care less. But, others have lost respect for that artist. This leads to lower ROIs and less money in our bank accounts. If a Brand Story had originally been formed to related the two “roles” this brand partook in previous to success in the industry, respect may have been gained and inspiration may have been enstilled in audiences. Positive impact on community and definite respect would be gained, in addition to higher ROIs for that brand. It’s all about planning and integrity along the way.

Keeping realism within the character of a brand or YOU as an individual (BrandYou) and implementing the archetype you have selected for it, you will keep anyone from doubting your mission, vision or even track record. You may even, in such a case as previously stated, created inspiration and influenced positivity in those who look to your brand for value. Which means, more often what you say will be taken at face value, respected and believed. If you go slightly off track, we know something is wrong. If you go “left” in your action, we start speculating, assuming and looking for discrepancy in ALL actions and statements made by your brand. Your brand will see negative reaction in the process.

It all really boils down to the ethics of your brand, professionalism and catering to your audiences. As long as you can be perceived as professional, you are entitled to your opinion. If you feel you will offend someone, start by giving a disclosure and allowing them to understand your point or opinion… how you have gotten to this ideal or interest. If it is a fellow business person, they more than likely will understand already. As a matter of fact, they may reach out to you in liasing to these markets in cross promotion or future campaigns. They may just send you business or point you in the direction of that business, especially since you may not be competition due to the catering of different audience types. Stay true to yourself, your brand, and consistency — Online and off.

In the case of Internet Marketing in relationship to BrandYOU, one can excel tremendously. Niche Markets can be targeted and “owned.” Negative reactions to a brand can be combated without any further questions asked. Positive influence can be “watermarked” into consumers minds and agendas. Conversation can influence campaigns organically. Everyone wants to be “friends” with your brand and will tell friends and family about their “new friend.” BrandYOU on the net will bring a dull presence life… and even the life of the party! That being said, let your ROIs gain immediate impact and implement BrandYOU today!

Jessica N. Abraham: Writer and Reporter for the Examiner!

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Jessica N. Abraham, owner of Shorty Produkshins and subsidiary companies, proudly announces the partnership with The Examiner as a writer and reporter for the Orlando Internet Marketing columns. As part of the Internet Marketing and Entertainment Business industries of Orlando, FL, she plans on providing the Greater Orlando Area with tips, tricks, current events and reviews on all things Internet Marketing related. This includes SEO, SEM, Social Branding, Social Media Marketing and Event Marketing.

Visit Jessica N. Abraham’s profile on The Examiner’s website for articles written by this expert, today!

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