VisualCV Blog

Are You and Your Executive Brand Digitally Distinct?

By Meg Guiseppi, CPBS, MRW

Have you self-Googled lately? Are you in the habit of routinely Googling "your name" to see how the results stack up? You should be.

In executive job search, having accurate, on-brand search results associated with you is critical these days. Recruiters and hiring decision makers rely on online searches to uncover and qualify candidates for the very jobs that may fit you perfectly.

If they can't find you online, they may never find you, and you may never get the chance to be considered for those jobs.

Conversely, if they find anything to discredit you, you're probably dead in the water, too. But don’t worry. You can work to build up positive results which will push those disreputable ones down to page 3, 4, or lower of results for your name, rendering them ineffectual. But remember that nothing on the Web is ever permanently deleted.

William Arruda and Kirsten Dixson, Reach Personal Branding founders, broke out 5 possible online profiles in their book Career Distinction: Stand Out By Building Your Brand:

Digitally disguised

Your vanity search does not match any web pages. There is absolutely nothing about you on the Web - you have no online identity. You’re hidden from those who may be looking for you.

Digitally dissed

There is little on the Web about you, and what is there is either negative or inconsistent with how you want to be known – your personal brand.

Digitally disastrous

You have plenty of search results, but they have little relevance to what you want to express about yourself. Results for others sharing your name may be in the mix, too.

Digitally dabbling

There are some on-brand results for you. Even though there aren’t many results, the information about you is relevant and on-brand - nothing negative. From here, you can easily move to the next level.

Digitally distinct

There are lots of results about you that reinforce your brand – the right message about you is out there. You’re among or approaching the superstars in the world of online identity. But your work isn't done. Google results can (and do) change overnight. You need to keep an eye on your online identity and keep building up the good stuff. There’s always room for improvement.

To quickly run your own digital check-up, try the Reach Personal Branding’s Online Identity Calculator. It’s a nifty little tool to assess how strong your online presence is.

When you take the quiz, you'll be asked to type "your name" in a Google search and note the total number of search results, how many are NOT about you, and how many accurate, on-brand results ARE about you in the first 3 pages.

Among the 7 questions provided, you're asked which statement best describes the career level for which you are aiming:

    ■    University/College Student or Recent Graduate
    ■    Entry-level (1-5 years' experience) or Individual Contributor
    ■    Manager with 5-10 years' experience, Director, Consultant or Small Business Owner
    ■    VP, Highly-regarded Consultant or Acknowledged Thought Leader
    ■    C-level Executive, Partner, Board Member, Celebrity, Renowned Consultant or Expert

When you submit your answers, your digital ranking compared to the expected number of accurate results for the career level you chose is revealed – digitally disastrous, digitally distinct, or somewhere in between.

My results showed I made it to the top. After taking the quiz, this note popped up:

Congratulations. You are digitally distinct!

This is the nirvana of online identity. A search of your name yields lots of results about you, and most, if not all, reinforce your unique personal brand. Keep up the good work, and remember that your Google results can change as fast as the weather in New England. So, regularly monitor your online identity. That way, if something negative, such as an anonymous ad hominem attack on your character on a blog, crops up, you can address it quickly, before it gets out of hand.

The quiz is free and takes about 5 minutes to complete. The results can be eye-opening and impel you to get busy. And if you “pass” the quiz, you’ll be given the code for the “I’m digitally distinct” badge to place on your website or blog.

Need some help building your online brand identity and positioning your unique value proposition? Check out my compilation of blog posts, 15 Best of Online Brand Identity and Social Media.

© Copyright Meg Guiseppi, 2009. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

A C-level/Senior Executive Branding, Online Identity, and Job Search Strategist, Meg Guiseppi loves collaborating with forward-focused corporate leaders to define their unique value proposition, demystify the new world of executive search, and strategically position them for job search acceleration. She is one of only a handful of career professionals to hold both the Reach Certified Personal Branding Strategist and Master Resume Writer credentials. Meg is also a Certified VisualCV Creator and Certified Professional Resume Writer. For a wealth of insider tips on personal branding and executive job search, visit her Executive Resume Branding Blog/Website. Follow Meg on Twitter.

Is looking for a job after a layoff like dating after a divorce?

By Lindsay M. Allen, PR blogger, “No Poetry; Just PRos(e)” 

Brace yourselves, job seekers; I’m about to say something that may seem a bit wacky ... but if you stick with me and keep reading, you may just see some truth amid the humor.

Losing your job is like getting a divorce, and looking for a new job in the aftermath of being laid off is like finding yourself back on the dating market again.

I know it sounds odd, but just think about it for a minute ...

- You’re in a relationship (job) for a number of years, and while it has had its share of ups and downs, you’re content overall and don’t have any plans to end the relationship (quit your job), but then your spouse (employer) tells you it’s over.

- You are stunned by the loss and must figure out where you’ll live, what life will be like on your new income, etc.

- You find yourself alone (unemployed) and needing to re-enter the dating pool (job-seeking market). Since you’ve been in this relationship (job) for so long and didn’t expect it to end, you’re somewhat unfamiliar with the current dating scene (job-search process) and lack the stylish wardrobe, hairstyle, etc. (fancy portfolio, personal Web site, e-résumé, technical skills, etc.) to be an attractive potential mate (employee). The game has changed since you last had to play it.

- You give yourself a bit of a makeover (building a Web site, creating a modern portfolio, reformatting your résumé, trying out some of the newest tools of your trade and becoming proficient with them, etc,) and start going to new hangouts (networking events, professional conferences, etc.) where you might meet new people (find new job leads).

- You go on dates (interviews), and when you really like the person (job opportunity), you sit by the phone and await a call back for another date (second interview); if that does happen and the situation seems promising, you start thinking maybe this could lead to a proposal (a viable job offer) and marriage (acceptance of a job offer and the start of a new job or career). Unfortunately, the crowded market has many of us waiting by the phone, only to never get that courtesy call (or any other communication, for that matter) to say, “We’re just not that into you.”

I ran this concept, in its simplest form, by someone who is both divorced and a job-search/career development expert, and she enthusiastically agreed that the comparison is a valid one (although divorce and job loss are not the same; don’t think for a moment that that’s what I’m suggesting!), which made me feel like I could share it.

As for where I am in the process: I’m continuing to “go to new hangouts” for now, attending conferences and workshops, participating in online courses and engaging in social media. I’ve met lots of great folks, made meaningful connections, collected many business cards and been part of plenty of interesting discussions about the public relations and marketing industry. Perhaps I’ve even met my next potential “date.”

© Copyright Lindsay M. Allen, 2009. All rights reserved. Used with permission.

Lindsay M. Allen is a Michigan-based PR professional with more than a decade of experience in journalism and PR, largely focusing on higher education and the entertainment industry. Recently downsized, she is freelancing and engaging in professional development while seeking her next career move. Follow her on Twitter: @LindsayMAllen.

Dumbing Down your Resume: A Do or a Don’t?

By: Bev Weinstein

Recently a job seeker asked, “How can I express through my resume (digital or traditional) that, although I may seem overqualified for a position, I am invested in the opportunity and not just looking for a pay check?”

In a market with more candidates than jobs, a willingness to be flexible on title and salary is more and more commonplace. So how do you position yourself as a genuinely interested and qualified candidate versus someone that’s overqualified, needs a job and will jump ship when a better opportunity comes along?

A lot of candidates turn to “dumbing down” their resume, omitting certain experiences, and even changing past job titles. While they might get more call-backs with a skinnier CV, there are other ways to handle this issue while remaining honest and staying true to the experience you do possess.

 For some expert advice I turned to the Cable and Telecommunications Resources Association (CTHRA), a nonprofit organization with 1,500 members representing over 100 companies. The following is some great advice from a sampling of their members:

CTHRA: We have two pieces of advice. First, abandon a traditional resume format focused on titles and promotions, and instead create a resume that highlights significant accomplishments and experiences. Emphasize your span of control, impact on the bottom-line and contributions to the overall health and growth of the organization. We believe a bio format helps focus the recruiter/hiring manager on the relevant skills and qualifications and frees them from focusing merely on level or title.

Next, leverage your cover letter (if using a print CV) or your online resume to:

1. Call attention to the credentials you have that match the description of the position;
2. Specify that your prior experience will allow you to have a greater impact on the organizational goals sooner than less experienced candidates;
3. And explain that you are seeking more than a job title and detail the characteristics that you admire in their company: financial security, potential for upward mobility, reputation, health and welfare benefits, etc.

Q: Should an applicant downgrade his or her former job title(s) on a resume, say from an SVP to a VP?

CTHRA: Never put anything on your resume that isn’t true. You’re working to prove to a potential employer that you are honest and trustworthy. The last thing you want is to lose credibility by being caught in a lie.

Keep in mind that most hiring managers recognize that titles are indicative of an organization’s culture and they tend to vary from company to company. So a VP title in a smaller company may be equivalent to a director title in a larger organization.

If you’re applying for a VP level position in a similar profession and recently held a SVP or higher position, focus attention on your skills, qualifications and contributions instead of the title.

Q: If your resume lands you an interview with the hiring manager, should the candidate bring up the issue of being overqualified?

CTHRA: No. We advise candidates against using the word overqualified in an interview to avoid appearing arrogant and a poor fit for the job. Also, imagine if the hiring manager has doubts about the person’s qualifications, but the candidate starts talking about being overqualified. Then the candidate comes off as presumptuous. It’s best to simply avoid using the word at all.

Bev Weinstein is a media virtuoso and career advice guru. She is the founder and president of Markham Media Executive Search, one of New York’s premier recruiting firms, and a career advice columnist on MediaPost’s MediaDailyNews.com. Check out the columns and ask your own questions on http://dearbev.com Check out a recent column in which Bev recommended VisualCV as her number one recommendation for online resume creation here.

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Do's and Don'ts: Video Resume

by Katrina Kibben, Social Media Marketing Manager, VisualCV

VisualCV is not a video resume but you can include video and much more (see all of the file types we accept here) to supplement the basic content of your traditional resume. So, for those members who would like to add a video to their VisualCV, I wanted to cover some general do’s and don’ts.

Do look professional. Remember, this is the hiring manager’s first impression of you and you want it to be perfect. Try to create a professional background for your video, like an office, dress appropriately, and speak eloquently.

Don’t try to do the presentation unrehearsed. You don’t want your video to become an office joke; you want it to be your ticket to an interview. Write an outline and practice your speech in front of the mirror a few times before recording.

Do keep it short- think about the fact that hiring managers are looking at hundreds of pieces of paper every day. What are you going to show them in your video that is going to get their attention and keep it?   One way is to answer questions you anticipate they’ll ask in your first you interview. See some good examples from Ludo Van Vooren and Judith Sikora.

Don’t use a video resume as a standalone. A video resume can’t take the place of the traditional resume entirely.  I think of video in a resume as the catch line and the resume as the whole dialogue. I could be proven wrong but it hasn’t happened yet.

Do include video references from coworkers or managers to supplement the video in your VisualCV resume (See a tip from the WSJ on video references). Including references provides employers a better picture of who you are and what you’ll bring to the company. Plus it saves time for both of you after the first interview. What better way to make a great impression on the hiring manager than to save them time and money?

So what are the dos and don’ts you recommend for video in resumes? Louise Kursmark offers her tips in The Insider’s Guide to VisualCV. Let us know your ideas!

Picture or No Picture?

We were thrilled to see the Good Morning America piece on VisualCV that ran recently. If you missed it, you can catch it here. Tory Johnson, the GMA Workplace Contributor, praised our site for ease of use, and the ways in which a VisualCV help a job seeker stand out from the crowd. And the nice thing from our perspective was Tory didn't delegate checking out our site to someone else -- she signed up and created her VisualCV herself, saying "if I can do it, anyone can do it." Tory has a great website of her own and is a prolific Twitterer, so I suspect she is pretty tech-savvy, but we'll take that as an endorsement.

The one comment I did disagree with was Tory's suggestion that you not include a picture on your VisualCV, because of discrimination concerns. We spent quite some time before launching the site investigating the legal and corporate HR issues relating to use of pictures and video, and we feel safe in telling job seekers they can use one or more pictures on their VisualCV, so long as they are comfortable doing so. US laws say you cannot discriminate, almost (but not quite!) as simply as that. And of course at VisualCV we do not condone discrimination of any kind. But consider that if someone were prone to discriminate on the basis of age, race, country of origin or gender, many of those characteristics can be deduced from a plain vanilla resume. Not to mention that most recruiters and hiring managers will inevitably google a candidate -- and many people today have images of themselves online (think Flickr, Photobucket etc., in addition to Facebook and MySpace). Finally, with the possible exception of age (do I really look over 40?), all such characteristics are immediately apparent once a candidate presents themselves at the first interview.

I think it's worthwhile to put a well chosen image of yourself in the contact area of your VisualCV. Unless you are trying out at a modeling agency, nobody expects you to look like a model. But everyone can look friendly, smart and professional in a well-taken and well-presented photo. I'm not suggesting you go to town in Photoshop, but instead have a friend, spouse or even a professional photographer take a natural head-and-shoulders shot of you looking the way you want employers to see you. If you are looking for a position at a workplace where suits and ties are the norm, wear a suit and (for the men) a tie. If the workplace is more casual, dress more casually. This photo is your first and best opportunity to make your VisualCV come alive, and show some of your personality and/or your professionalism.

Having said all the above, at VisualCV we respect that some members will prefer not to put up a picture of themselves. So not only is it not required, we make sure we don't penalize the appearance of your VisualCV. No ghastly looking question marks, slashes or silhouettes where the photo should be. (We do use a small silhouette on search listings, but we'll be removing these over time.) For those employers whose hiring processes require that no image is seen prior to an interview we make a simple switch available to turn images off. To my knowledge most of our 800+ employers leave it turned on, since they don't consider it a problem.

What do you think? Picture or no picture? And yes, video is another story, one that we'll cover here another time!