Let’s face it, technology is everywhere, from our couch based handheld devices to smartphones that never leave our side. And we get it – not everyone is tech savvy. But if you want to make an exceptional impression on an employer, it makes sense to embrace some of the job search and resume tools available to differentiate yourself from the pack.
It makes no difference if you are looking for a line cook job in a kitchen or a professional in an office, demonstrating technical skills to set yourself apart is a smart idea. You don’t need to be a programmer or extremely tech savvy to make yourself stand out, the internet is full of tools to help you do just that. Here are some of our favorites.
Linkedin – the number one de facto career site right now, it is almost imperative to have a Linkedin profile alongside a resume these days. It’s free, and easy to accomplish. Essentially you take your resume and ‘lighten’ it up a bit, try to better describe who you are and what you would like to accomplish. The site essentially walks you through setting up your profile page so building it, while time consuming, is not overly technical. Try to add examples of your work or describe yourself outside of the positions you have, or go crazy and add media like video. Once it is complete, connect with others (aka network), join groups in your area of interest or industry, and follow companies that are on your radar. Stay engaged. Drop your Linkedin profile link on your resume and voila. You just gave the hiring manager something more about you than just a piece of paper.
Pro tip: use a high quality photo that shows you looking at your professional best. Appearance matters.
About.me – This site lets you be very creative with your online persona, allowing the use of photos and pretty much the ability to customize your personality as you see fit. Somewhat more technical than Linked in because of the customization aspect of the layout, but still very easy to add and drop in content without being a programmer. This site is best for creative folks who really want to have an online presence that ‘pops.’ Here’s an example.
Wix.com – anyone who has ever built a web page may know of Wix as they offer free web building tools for those who aren’t incredible tech savvy or don’t have a large budget. Wix offers a free online resume profile template that you can use to create your own resume webpage. The pages also look great on mobile.
Visualize.me – this is by far the coolest of the online resume sites, as it incorporates data about your life into interesting visual representations. By signing in with a Linkedin account (you do have a Linkedin account by now, right?) you can easily extrapolate data into your cool new personal page without much effort. This is a great place to play and have fun. Check out a sample page. Perhaps the coolest part is that you can easily modify the entire look and feel with just a few clicks using prebuilt ‘themes’. You can also, once your page is ready, share via all the social media channels (facebook, twitter, Linkedin) so your friends and peers can see how motivated you are to succeed.
As they often say, with knowledge, comes power, and you control your destiny when it comes to presenting yourself to potential employers. No one can better prepare yourself for a job application than you – so take some time, learn some new skills, and work on at least one of the above online resume resources to set yourself apart from the pack. Even when the economy is weak, there is still only one person hired for each job. Be that person and be sure to set yourself apart along the way to your dream job by embracing some of these tools at your disposal.
And remember, Masiello Employment is here to connect you with the right opportunities, but only you can get yourself the job. By being prepared, professional, and having the tools needed ready to go, we can help put your resume to the top of the pile. The rest is up to you!