Email addresses speak a 100 words

The saying goes "A picture is worth a 1000 words".  I contend that your email address can speak at least a 100 words.

On your resume, you should have your name, phone number, cell phone number, email address, and if you have one, a link to your business related blog, and linkedIn account.

KCDEE recently had a booth at two area job fairs.  We were collecting email addresses from people who were interested in receiving our e-newsletter.  As I was entering the names and emails, I noticed that about 95% of the names were professional in appearance.  But, alas, there was that 5% that could potentially scare away an employer from contacting you.

The best thing to do is to make your email address recognizable to anyone who may wish to contact you about a job, contract work, or a potential business relationship.  If your name is very common adding a number to your name is acceptable.  Other options include first.middle.last@ email address or perhaps first_last@ email address, or last-first@ email address.  There are many free email services including hotmail, yahoo, gmail, as well as, the phone and internet providers in the area such as comcast, att, and sbcglobal.

Presenting a professional face on all forms of communication with potential employers just gives you more ticks in your win column.  Read more about email addresses.

Holiday Job Search Tips

The holidays may offer time for reflection and resolutions, thoughts about family and future from Thanksgiving through the new-year.  The season also presents challenges and opportunities for people seeking employment.  KCDEE reminds people who are unemployed or facing an uncertain future to understand that jobs are available and for those individuals considering a career change, this is an excellent time to explore training and education possibilities.

We offer these “Holiday Tips” to inspire people to be diligent in their pursuit of education, training and employment opportunities and to ensure that they take full advantage of our Illinois workNet Centers.  The workNet staff works hard to satisfy the demands of our customers - unemployed individuals and companies who seek good employees. These  “Holiday Tips" are presented to encourage people to not despair during this season and instead make the best use of our resources in their quest to satisfy their personal career goals and to meet the needs of their family. Check the Illinois workNet website to find a center near you.

                   Kane County Department of Employment and Education Offers

                             Holiday Tips for Dislocated or Unemployed Workers

1. Continue to apply for full time work during the holiday season.  Make sure your application and resume are there for employers when they are considering hiring new people in the New Year.
2. Seek part-time work during the holiday season.  Many people are hired to fill positions created by holiday vacations or to meet year-end demand from customers.  Some employers evaluate part-time employees for full-time positions.  This is your opportunity to shine and make a good impression.
3. If there are any career fairs – dress for success and show-up with a resume.   Job fairs offer a great opportunity to meet potential employers face-to-face.
4. Network yourself, at gatherings, to people who might be aware of job openings.  Many referrals for jobs come from employees, talk to someone you know who works for a company where you would like to work and get the inside scoop on jobs.   In social situations maintain a level of professionalism.
5. Utilize resources from any training institution, college, university or school you have attended to help you discover jobs that may not be advertised or posted on an Internet job search website. 
6. Keep a watchful eye on expenses.  Focus on the many good things in your life and not the materialistic demands of the season.  Many successful people look back to tight financial times, when they focused on family and friendship, as some of the best, most meaningful moments in their lives.
7. Explore the services available to you through local agencies to improve your resume and interviewing skills. Help is available from the Illinois workNet Centers for job counseling, job search and access to a number of websites. 
8. Be positive and patient.  Understand that job loss, unemployment and job seeking are stressful situations.    There is truth to the fact that the hardest job of all is finding a good job.  
9. Get organized.  Write and design a new resume, list employers that offer good career opportunities.  Be methodical about your job search and set goals for contacting employers by keeping a daily contact log. 
10. Be courteous and understanding when you follow up with potential employers - your attitude on the phone may be the deciding factor in getting an interview or job offer.  A positive attitude to your job search and interviews will help you be successful.  “Thank You” notes and letters after the interview offer you another opportunity to sell yourself to an employer or to drive home a point you may have overlooked during your interview.
11. Try to be flexible in your approach to your career. Understand that you will always be acquiring new skills and adapting to new technology in almost every occupation.  Many people will change jobs or career paths with their current employer many times in their working life.  

The Illinois workNet Centers offer services from a group of partnering agencies, at a one-stop location, to assist job seekers find employment and where employers can meet their workforce development goals.   There are Centers in Elgin, North Aurora, DeKalb and satellites in Aurora and Yorkville that will help you.

The workNet Centers offer various workshops to help you improve your resume, your interviewing techniques and other skills to help you improve your job search activities.  Career counseling, labor market information about jobs in demand in your county and access to education and training resources are just some of the services available at the center to assist you in your job search.   

Make the Most of a Job Fair

I recently had a booth at a very large job fair in the area.  Many of the attendees were dressed in suits or other professional attire.  I cannot stress enough that the way you present yourself is your first impression.  So, do you want a business owner or hiring managers first impression of you to be in jeans and sneakers?


Granted, when running errands, I may not have perfect hair, make-up and outfit, but, I am not going to a job fair.  If you cannot afford to go to Neiman Marcus for a new business suit or other professional clothing, there are less costly alternatives.  Some organizations offer unemployed job seekers assistance with clothing for interviews, Goodwill often has clothing that still has the original tags on it, and many resale shops have great bargains, not to mention, one suit with different shirts or blouses can carry you through many interviews.  If nothing else, a freshly laundered pair of khakis and a dress shirt, along with a shave and haircut can show that you value the interviewers time and your own pride.

If you haven't ever seen the tips we offer to "Make the Most of a Job Fair" here are the highlights:

• Dress for a business interview.
• Bring pens and paper to make notes.
• Bring extra resumes, enough to leave at least two with every recruiter.
• Keep yourself and your materials organized. You may want to use a portfolio, folder and/or small bag.
• When you meet with the recruiter:
• Introduce yourself. Express confidence with a firm handshake and a smile, and by maintaining good eye contact.
• Be interested. Briefly explain what you like about the company and give your “elevator speech.”
• Ask the questions you prepared.
• Ask about the application and hiring process. What is the timeframe? Is there a good time for you to make a follow-up call?
• Do not ask about salary and benefits; discuss this only if the recruiter brings it up.
• Ask for a business card or ask for a contact name, phone/fax numbers, and/or email address. Take brochures or other information available at the recruiter’s booth.
• At the end of your conversation, offer a firm handshake and a thank you, making sure to address the interviewer by name.
• Keep a list of the employers you meet. After each conversation, make notes about the company and the conversation you had with the recruiter.
• Pace yourself. Take a breather after each conversation to collect yourself and reorganize for the next one.

 What do you think is appropriate job fair attire?

Job Fairs - Dressing for Success

Do you plan your wardrobe for a job fair?

Recently, at a job fair, the clothing choices I witnessed that individuals were wearing, brought up this topic.  The options ran the gamut.

First, let me say that you don't have to be a fashion plate at a job fair, but you need to be professional in your appearance. Many of the men had on suits with a dress shirt and tie, briefcase with resumes, and the women had on equally nice pants suits or skirts and heels.  These individuals were prepared for any situation.

Other men had on khakis, a nice shirt and tie, or the women were wearing slacks and tops.  In most situations this is considered appropriate attire.

What struck me the most were the individuals who had on jeans, sneakers and baseball jackets.

When working a job fair you are one of a sea of individuals who the recruiter will see.  You have potentially 10 seconds to make a good first impression. How you look and what you say are all judged within that time.  You want the recruiter to have a good impression of you from appearance to your skills.

Your thoughts?

How do YOU work a job fair?

You have your resume ready, you know the dates of the job fairs, but is that all you have to do?

Before you go, you should spend some time on your plan of attack.  Most job fairs post in advance the names of the companies that will be in attendance.  Review the list, see if any of the companies fall within your targeted area of expertise.  Complete some background research on that company so that you are able to converse with the representative at the fair. Make sure that your resume reflects the skills you have that will best suit that company.  If there happens to be more than one company at the fair that you will be focusing upon, prepare an individualized resume and cover letter for each of the companies. Don't just "spray and pray".

While you are at the Job Fair, make sure you have your "elevator speech" ready.  You may only have a few moments of time with the recruiter and you want to make the most of them by being able to express why you would be a good fit for their company. If you are allowed time to ask questions, you could ask about opportunities, job responsibilities, and skills and/or past experience they are seeking.  Also, you may want to ask about the application and hiring process and the appropriate method and timeframe for follow-up.

Do you ask for business cards from the recruiters? It is a good method to complete your follow-up (based on the follow-up timeframe) and send a thank you note or email. Use it to notate what you spoke with the recruiter about at the fair. 

After the fair, make sure you send recruiters any additional items they requested. Send your thank-yous. Track everything in your log so that you can jog your memory when they call for the on-site interview.

For more assistance on job fairs and your job search, visit our website at www.kcdee.org/jobfairs.html

Opinion time - Should you invite the recruiter to be a LinkedIn contact?