Job Searching with Social Media For Dummies
Book image
Explore Book Buy On Amazon

When job seekers discover keywords, they usually experience an aha moment that helps them grasp the importance of using nouns and incorporating search-friendly keywords in their online résumés. For example, a job seeker called herself a volunteer coordinator. After some research, she discovered that the more popular way of describing what she did was services coordinator. If she didn’t do her research, she never would have guessed this.

By using a more popular keyword or job description in your online résumé, you’re more likely to be found in an online search. Use your own researched keywords on your online résumé.

Selecting what to include and what not to include in your résumé is even more important for online résumés than for paper ones. Because your first impression is likely to be an online impression and people make snap decisions, make sure your résumé displays the most relevant information. You have only about 30 seconds (the average time a recruiter spends on a candidate online) to get and keep viewers’ attention.

Just because a web page or profile page is infinitely expandable doesn’t mean you should fill up pages and pages in order to store all your past experiences, interests, and certifications. If you’ve been in the workforce for a while, try to limit your work history to the last 15 to 20 years. Make sure every piece of information you reveal about yourself supports your value and your personal brand.

About This Article

This article is from the book:

About the book author:

Joshua Waldman, MBA, is an authority on leveraging social media to find employment. His writing has appeared in Forbes, Huffington Post, Mashable, and the International Business Times. Joshua's career blog, CareerEnlightenment.com, won the About.com Readers' Choice Award for Best Career Blog 2013. Joshua presents keynotes, trainings, and breakout sessions around the world for students, career advisors, and professional organizations.

This article can be found in the category: