Tag Archives: job search

10 Tips to Use LinkedIn to Enhance Your Job Search

If you’re on the hunt for a professional-level job, social media is an important tool. While each social platform serves its own purpose, LinkedIn has become the ultimate online resume, and is, in many cases, a must have to get the job. According to a 2015 Jobvite survey, 92 percent of all recruiters are on LinkedIn. While this means employers are searching for you, it’s a two way street.

Here are 10 tips to leverage LinkedIn for your job search and career advancement success:

  • Use a Professional Photo. Your profile picture should not be a selfie and should be professional. Ideally, it should be a headshot and should not include other people or objects. Be sure the photo is sized correctly, recognizable, shows your face and is in focus.
  • Your Headline Should be Informative. Your LinkedIn headline should include your industry, skills and location. Remember, this headline shows up in Google search results, so make sure it’s strong and includes keywords that tell a recruiter why they should hire you.

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Career Information is For Adults Too

Idaho’s Career Information System is not just for kids. The free, customized online tool also helps adults stay on a solid path toward a successful future while they are in school, training or pursuing a new career.

AdultCISUser copyStudents and adults with career plans are more likely to stay in school, pursue a higher education and once they enter the world of work, see greater promotional opportunities. Accessing Idaho’s Career Information System is free and can help both parents and children:

  • Understand how interests and strengths connect to the world of work
  • Define a career path
  • Decide areas of study to pursue in middle/junior high, high school and college
  • Find the training, education, knowledge – and money – necessary for following their dreams.

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Older Job Seeker Triumphs by Changing How She Conducted Job Search

Lory Brager was laid off seven months ago as a human resources manager for a large Idaho company when it reorganized. It was the second time she had been laid off due to the economy.

Lory1“The first time this happened to me in 2009, I felt so humiliated,” Lory said. “That feeling held me back from doing what had to be done. It was just as painful this time, but I made up my mind to do things differently. This time I was not going to feel like a victim.”

Lory immediately took all of the job search classes available in her area. She targeted her resume for each position for which she applied. Each cover letter was written as a ‘value proposition,’ indicating what she could do for the company.

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Focusing on Skills, Knowledge Helps Elicia Johnson Land a Job

Elicia Johnson was so grateful for the job search assistance she received from Boise workforce consultant, Alma Welch, she kept her appointment even after she had accepted an offer just so she could tell Alma thank you.keyboard typing hands

Elicia first met Alma after being randomly selected for an Idaho Department of Labor job search assessment as an unemployment claimant. She had lost her job as an office manager after working with the same company for 23 years.

Alma gave Elicia an overview of the department’s services, discussed her job search progress and recommended resume and job search workshops.

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Let’s Work: Helping a Payette Man Find a Job He Loves

Keith Jensen is a 19-year-old high school dropout who bounced from couch to couch the past two years, when what he really wanted was his GED and a job.

Reba Elson, a workforce consultant at the Idaho Department of Labor, helped Keith assess his skills and found he was ready to take the keith from payetteGED tests. He had no transportation so his case manager purchased a one-month pass with Treasure Valley Transit so Keith could go to the GED testing location and start his job search.

Reba mentioned during a staff meeting that Keith tested well on the math portion of his GED. Another staff member heard a local precision machine parts company was looking for an applicant who was good with decimals. Reba contacted Keith and the employer about the possibility of on-the-job-training and the employer agreed to an interview.
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Looking For A Job? A Boise Recruiter Offers Tips

We asked Wells Fargo recruiter Maggie McCormick to offer some insight into the job search process and to offer tips to job seekers:

First of all, what does a recruiter do?
As a recruiter, I am in charge of the full life cycle of recruitment. I start with sourcing applicants from different place and then take the applicant through the entire process until the day they start with Wells Fargo.

Take us through the hiring process for the call center at Wells Fargo.
First the candidate applies. I typically review and contact either way within a week or so. At that point, we schedule a phone interview, and then if they pass that, it is typically a few days until their on-site interview. After the on-site interview, the applicant will either be declined or offered a contingent job offer within 5-7 days. Then the applicant must go through a background check that can take 1-14 days. After that, they are cleared to start in our next class.

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Idaho Employers: Did you know you can post your job openings for free?

Did you know that the Idaho Department of Labor has a free self-service recruitment tool?

Once you have registered in the eJobs system, you can post your job opening, including a description and details. Job seekers can then search IdahoWorks to find your listing.

You can search the database for qualified job seekers by using criteria such as experience or education. And you can review candidates who are interested in your job opening.

Need more details? They can be found on the Labor website here.

FAQ Friday – Do I have to look for work while receiving unemployment benefits?

Here are some quick answers to questions about unemployment insurance benefits:

Do I have to seek work each week?

It depends. You MUST comply with the work-seeking require ments you received when you filed your claim. You will be required to either contact employers in your labor market each week that hire people for the type of work you are seeking or maintain contact with the employer for whom you are returning to work.

You must keep track of your work search including employers, their addresses and phone numbers, dates and names of contacts, method of contact, the type of work you sought and results of the contact.

A work search record form is available on the Labor website

What is a valid work search contact?

Your obligation while receiving unemployment benefits is to become re-employed, and you should develop a realistic plan to achieve this objective. Unless otherwise specified in your work search plan, you are required to make a good faith effort to seek full-time work each week that you claim benefits, even if you are employed part time.

Unless otherwise specified in your work search plan, you must make at least two contacts per week while you are receiving benefits or you may be denied those benefits. You can make a contact online, in person, by mail, email or over the phone.

All contacts must be made with a person who has hiring authority, and written applications must be filed where accepted. A friend or relative who works for the company you are applying for is not a valid contact.

Contacts must be for wage work. Self-employment or independent contract work contacts are not valid. The same employer(s) may not be used for required contacts in consecutive weeks.

An online contact is only valid if it results in an online application being completed or a résumé being submitted. Simply searching websites such as careerbuilder.com or monster.com is not valid.

You may find our Valid Work Search Contact publication helpful.

How will I know if I am required to look for work?

Unless otherwise specified, you are required to look for work. If you are asked, ‘Did you look for work as agreed to in your work search plan?’ on your weekly report, you are required to make at least two contacts per week. Never assume that you are not required to look for work. Call your us at (208) 332-8942 if you have questions regarding your work search requirements.

How can the Idaho Department of Labor help me find a job?

Help is available at no charge at any of our 25 Department of Labor offices or you can access our job information on the Labor website. Workshops on resume writing, interviewing and more are available. Check the calendar for specific dates.

Managing Your Finances While You Look for Work

Kim Thompson of the Houston Chronicle interviewed personal finance author Dave Ramsey for ideas on keeping your finances in order while continuing your job search. Ramsey provided some ways to stretch finances while searching. As Thompson puts it in the article, “When finances are so tight you can’t pay for the basics, your emotional well-being is affected, and that has a direct impact on the impression you make during an interview.” You can read the full article here.

Do you have tips for saving money while looking for a job?