Barbara Safani's blog

I recently spoke to job seekers at the Women For Hire Career Expo in New York City and discussed the importance of career branding which essentially means creating a clear and compelling message of value that you can present to employers in multiple ways. In these challenging times, when the economy dictates that many people reinvent themselves, the concept of career branding is more important than ever.

Lately I've been the victim of some pretty pathetic networking. Networking is about sharing information and building trust and rapport, yet lately I feel like some people who want to network with me are doing just the opposite. Here are some of the most common offenses I have experienced.

Dropping the Ball.

Last week I had the opportunity to interview Liz Lynch, author of Smart Networking. I picked her brain on some of the networking questions I know are on job seekers' minds and Liz graciously shared her thoughts about networking as it relates to a job search.

What advice do you have for job seekers who have let their networks lapse for several years and now need to reach out to people for help accelerating their job search?

Job security is on everyone's minds these days. But few people prepare a career management strategy to protect themselves in case of a layoff. Here are a few things to consider as we move through these turbulent times.

Audit Your Resume.

The last time you looked for a new position, you may have included "references available upon request" on your resume to let the prospective employer know that others could prove the credibility of your candidacy and vouch for your performance. But if the last time you actively sought out a new position was before the Internet, you may want to rethink your references available upon request strategy. In the 21st century, references are often available without request.

On a recent episode of The Office, the issue of business ethics was explored and staff members confessed assorted lapses in judgement ranging from taking an extra half hour for lunch to sleeping with the paper sales rep in order to get a good discount and a steak dinner. This episode made me think about job search ethics, particularly as they relate to the resume. A resume is a marketing tool and I encourage job seekers to position their accomplishments in the best possible light.

According to a recent Economic Anxiety in the Workplace poll in which close to 1,500 professionals responded to the question "What, if any, actions has your organization's leadership taken to respond to the economic anxiety in the workplace?

21% said there had been "briefings by leadership on the organization's economic health"
13% responded that there had been "briefings by leadership on the economic crisis"
13% said that managers had had "conversations with employees on economic anxiety"
46% responded that organizational leadership had taken "no action as of today"

If you think doing volunteer work is just "filler to pad the resume" while you are looking for a "real job" think again. A volunteer role in your professional circle can make or break you during a job search. If you serve on a committee, your actions will be observed by the committee leader or association board. Volunteer work is kind of like an extended behavioral interview. Volunteer experiences can be a great way to shine, build credibility in professional circles, and get your name out there...if you have the right attitude.

I recently sat in on a panel of HR professionals and recruiters to hear what types of resume mistakes quickly land job seekers in the "no pile." Here's the list:

1. spelling errors, typos, and poor grammar
2. omitted or inaccurate dates
3. job explanations that are too duty oriented
4. incomplete contact information
5. inappropriate email addresses
6. functional resumes
7. resumes that are longer than 2 pages
8. long, run-on paragraphs
9. resumes from candidates that don't qualify for the position
10. the inclusion of information that is not relevant to their open position

I recently delivered a resume writing workshop for the National Society of Hispanic MBAs (www.nyshmba.org) to prepare members for the upcoming national conference October 9-11 in Atlanta where hundreds of companies will be recruiting for their open positions. My colleague, Chandlee Bryan, (www.careersincontext.com) was there as well, speaking on networking and personal branding.