The importance of being truthful

A recent survey by OfficeTeam raises some questions about the level of truth on many resumes. In response to the question "Do you know anyone who misrepresented or exaggerated information on his or her resume?" 44% of respondents said yes. Equally notable in a question put only to managers 47% said that applicants misrepresent or exaggerate information some of or all of the time. All of which suggests that many people do lie on their resumes but that employers "expect" this. At least to a point.

For many people whether or not to lie/spin/misrepresent or exaggerate information in their resume is a difficult question. This can be especially true in an "employers" market, as is the case currently, when the number of job seekers exceeds the number of available positions. It can be difficult to get people to discuss the subject but in most cases it happens because candidates feel that they won't land a job without stretching the truth. And in at least some cases they feel that part of the reason they can't land a job without lying is that their competition for the job is already lying. It's a vicious circle and not a good thing.

But if you do feel that way should you do it? Is it ever justifiable?

In a word no. And here's three reasons why.

First there is the basic moral reason. No matter how you try and justify it lying is wrong. In fact if you do it because you think others are it's almost worse because you are increasing the depth of the problem. It shouldn't be forgotten that good job isn't just a job but part of your career, aka part of your life. There is a personal cost you will pay if you treat cynicism and lack of truthfulness as part of your job. It's simply not part of the recipe of a happy work-life balance.

Second, you stand a good chance of being caught. The increasing power of the internet and the information available and accessible to all and more companies are conducting full background and reference checks on candidates before making offers. Conducting due diligence on candidates is now considered not just a best practice but a required one for many organizations. Another way to think about this is consider would you as an employer rather work for an organization that followed best practices for hiring or not?

Third, it's a small world, at least in Canada. The potential of being caught lying on your resume and the penalties for doing so are greater than you might think they are at first glance. You should consider how being caught in a lie at company A in a given industry may be found out by companies B and C in the same industry. You run the risk of not just blowing your chances with one company but several in the same industry or vertical.

It is also important to remember that the recruiting/hiring and staffing industries in Canada are even more closely knit. A recruiter at one company may be working in a totally different company in a totally different industry the next year. And that's not even taking into consideration the network of people that recruiter may talk to, and with the nature of recruiting that's likely to be a very large network indeed.

The risk of damage to your reputation in your career can be very high for any severely negative employment related incident, including being dishonest on your resume. Simply it isn't a risk worth taking. That's besides the fact that again it's morally wrong and likely to make you unhappy even if you were lucky enough to "get away" with it.

Job tips for summer

Well here we are in the middle of what has been, for most of Canada, a pretty hot summer and it's not a very good time to find a new job right?

Well not always.

Traditionally summer is usually seen as the slow season for finding hiring and recruiting. Between kids being out of school, multiple long weekends and a popular time for vacations it's true that it can be slow outside of seasonal hiring. But at the same time the summer can be a great time for the proactive candidate to find their next job. Why? There are a few reasons.

• Less competition. Due to the perception of summer time as a slow time for looking for work there is often a drop-off in the number of candidates looking. Less candidates looking means less competition for the jobs that are open and that increases the chances of the proactive candidate to be hired.


• Opportunities are more urgent. While it's true that companies might not wish to fill roles during the summer it doesn't mean that they don't have roles that need to be filled. Jobs posted during the summer months tend to be for positions in which a hire is needed and the sooner the better.


• Get a head start for the fall. While you might not conclude your job search in the summer the proactive candidate has a head start on other seekers who only g in September. You'll know what positions are out there, who is hiring and what they are looking for. You'll have already made some contacts that can get you top of mind for interviews.

So if you're looking for a job right now don't give up because it's the summer. If nothing else you'll position yourself well for the fall and remember, even in the heat, companies are still hiring right now.

Good intentions not always good advice

I recently read about a survey of executives that asked what they considered the most important part of their hiring process, in other words what areas did candidates need to make the best impression to improve their chances of being hired.

The survey indicated, by some margin that the most import aspect of the process is the interview. In fact, reading the results of the survey one would almost think that having good references, a strong resume or even relevant experience are not really important at all, it's really just the interview that matters and that's it. As a job seeker this is information that's really good to know, why waste your time on other parts of your search if all you have to be good at is the interview. Right?

Well as straightforward as the advice gleaned from the survey might appear a better question to ask is, is it true?

One of the hurdles that candidates face when looking for a job is being able to select and use good advice. There lots of advice out there to be sure, but while all of it (or nearly all of it) is well intentioned that doesn't mean that all of it is actually correct. This case is a good example of that, well intentioned and no doubt from the perspective of the executives interviewed it is true, but that point of view is missing some huge gaps in the reality of the process.

Think about where an executive is likely to be part of the hiring process. To begin with do you think they are involved in every hire? No probably not. And of the hires they are involved with do you think they are more likely to be involved in the interview stage or the screening candidates by reading resumes stage?

The short answer is that executives don't think that resumes, or references are as important to the hiring process as the interview because they are only involved in the interview process. By the time an executive sees a candidate their resume was already selected, their experience vetted and their references checked. At that point in the process the opportunity, which may have had hundreds of interested candidates applying has been whittled down to at most 10 candidates (and usually far less) will actually be interviewed. At this point, somewhat obviously, your interview skills are critical to your chances but you can be the best interview in the world and if you're not making the cut from 200 applicants to the 10 interviewed candidates it won't do you any good.

This isn't to say that interviews aren't important. They are, but the same can be said for any step of the job seeking process, they are all important. A strong resume has a better chance of getting you to an interview, better networking improves your chances of getting in the door and the interviewing stage is the final key to the puzzle.

As a candidate when looking for work always keep in mind that while most everyone does want to give you advice that will help you out often times, as in this case, the advice can be flawed. Always ask yourself the obvious questions, how much is the person giving advice actually connected to the hiring process? At what stages in the process are they connected in to?

The answers to those questions can help you to determine the real value of the advice. Is this advice that will actually get you in to the job you want sooner or is it, while well intentioned, just as likely to be counterproductive to your search for employment?

Expanded Tips for Job Seekers on TalentOyster Connect

Based on the positive feedback we received on our newsletter series of tips for job seekers we recently launched a new, expanded series of Job Seeker Resources on TalentOyster Connect. Each article features a few dos and don'ts for an specific aspect of searching and landing a job, with a special emphasis on points that may not be well-known to newcomers.

Our first two entries in the series have looked at Dos and Don'ts for Resumes and Tips for Interviews. In the coming weeks the series will be covering tips on how to find the jobs you really want, using social media to help you in your job search and how to connect with people who can help you find a great job.

If you are a diverse job seeker who is having trouble with a specific aspect of finding and landing a great job that you'd like help with please leave us a comment or send us an email at support@talentoyster.com and let us know about it. We'd love to share our experiences and knowledge with you to help you find the job you deserve.

Job Seeker Tips #4 – Personal networking is crucial to a successful job search

Finding a new job sometimes boils down to a numbers game: The more people you know, and the more people who know you're looking for a new job, the more likely you are to hear about job opportunities or be recommended to a potential employer. In other words, "It's not what you know, it's who you know."

Regardless of your career stage, role or industry, building and maintaining relationships with friends, family and colleagues can help reduce your job-searching time significantly. In fact, when it's done right, it can eliminate the need to search for a job altogether - because employers and recruiters will come looking for you.

'Personal networking' isn't just for senior executives, and it's a lot easier than you think. Here are three basic steps designed to help you reap the rewards of networking:

STEP 1: Build your network

It's simple: The bigger your network, the more opportunities you'll hear about. You've already got a basic personal network (your friends, family and current or former colleagues); now you need to build on it.

Building your network is really just about connecting to more people. Start by making an effort to get to know co-workers who work in different departments and who you'd otherwise not have an opportunity to work with; introduce yourself to people who work in your field at industry events; and participate in online forums and discussion groups. (The best personal networks are a combination of on- and off-line relationships.)

Remember, networking isn't about how many names and phone numbers you've got in your Blackberry; it's about developing real relationships based on shared interests over long periods of time.

A great way to start the relationship-building process? Share information: If you're an expert on something - whether it's work-related or not - offer to provide advice or insight to others. This increases the chances that they'll 'share' with you the next time they hear about a great opportunity.

STEP 2: Manage your network

The most successful businesspeople are the ones who maintain relationships over the long-term - 5, 10, 20+ years. There's no better referral or recommendation than someone saying, "Oh, if you're looking to fill X position, you should call Anik - I've known her for 10 years and she's great at what she does."

Maintaining relationships starts with staying in touch: Making sure you touch base - by email, phone, or even lunch - on a regular basis helps keep you top-of-mind with your contacts, and increases the chances they'll think of you when they hear of an opportunity.

It's important to remember that all relationships, personal or professional, involve some give and take: If you want your contacts to help you with information, recommendations or advice, you have to be prepared to do the same for them - cheerfully. Investing 15 minutes today to help someone out could pay big dividends a year from now when the situation is reversed.

Also remember as you grow your network that real, personal relationships are your goal. Unless you are looking for a role in sales or marketing, having 600 contacts in LinkedIn that you hardly know doesn't actually give you a very valuable network. Contacts who can actually speak about your strengths, skills and experiences are what you are after.

Best tools to help you manage your networks? LinkedIn (for strictly professional contacts) and Facebook (to manage friends, family, and colleagues with whom you've become friends over the years). And don't forget to keep your mobile phone address book up-to-date!

STEP 3: Leverage your network

Now that you've built and nurtured your network, it's time to leverage it by letting your network know that you're in the market for a new job. The "best fit job" for you isn't going to find you by accident, so letting your network know exactly what you are looking for in your dream role is key. The members of your strong, personal network will keep their eyes open for you once they know what you want to see.

Job Seeker Tips #3: Be Smart When Applying

So now that you know what you want and you’ve worked on your resume it’s time to start applying for jobs. But be careful – the application process is where many candidates have the most difficulty.

You can ensure you’re putting your best foot forward by following these guidelines:

• Don’t flood a company with applications. Applying to 50 jobs at one company doesn’t make you look eager – it makes you look desperate and unfocused. Most companies have a central recruitment function (with a centralized database) which stores information for all candidates, so applying to only one or two positions will ensure that you’re ‘in the system’ and will be considered for relevant positions as they become available. (Also, in most cases you shouldn’t apply to a company more often than once every 3-6 months.)
  
• Improve your chances by identifying yourself as a diverse candidate. Many organizations have diversity hiring mandates or programs – so they’re actively looking for diverse candidates. Having the required skills and experience for a role is, of course, fundamental; identifying yourself as a diverse candidate can give you an extra advantage. Applying for jobs through Talent Oyster is a good way to let potential employers know that you’re a ‘diversity’ candidate and ensure they take a second look.
  
• Make sure your resume and profile is viewable to employers. Not all job opportunities are posted online or publicly – when they’re looking for specific skills and experience, many employers and recruiters search resume databases (such as Talent Oyster) to find candidates. So ensuring that your resume and profile are complete and current will help make sure recruiters and employers find you the next time they’re looking for someone with your skills and experience.
  
• Networking, introductions and referrals are very valuable. There’s an old saying: When it comes to looking for a job, it’s not what you know, it’s who you know. An introduction, recommendation or referral from someone the employer or recruiter knows and trusts can make sure your application goes to the top of the list. In our next entry, we’ll be looking at how to build, manage and leverage a network; in the meantime, start networking by making sure your friends, family and colleagues know you’re in the job market – you never know when one of them will hear about an opportunity and can recommend or refer you!
  

Job Seeker Tips - #2 Developing your resume

Once you've identified what you are looking for in a job, your next step is to create a resume that will give you the best chance of landing the job you want. Every industry and position has different requirements and standards, so there isn't one magic answer for every role, but there are some basic tips that are applicable to every resume.

• Watch the length. Even for experienced professionals, a resume longer than 3 pages is usually a bad idea. Remember, your resume is supposed to be a brief summary of your skills, education and experience - more than 3 pages is too much detail. If a recruiter or potential employer wants more information or details, they'll ask you for it.


• Put your best foot forward. Make sure that your strongest skills and experiences can be found on the first page of your resume, ideally on the top half of the page. Expanding on your work experiences, education and technical skills where applicable are all important things but the first page of your resume should tell someone who is reading it a lot about what exactly you are capable of. When your best skills and experiences clear at the beginning, readers will be more interested to read the rest of your resume.


• Know your audience. Do some research and find out what sort of structure for your resume works best for the industry or category of job you want. Look at job posts online, talk to recruiters and hiring managers, and find out what sorts of things are important to address in your field. (Almost all of them will tell you that specific statements like "My project was delivered on time and with a cost savings of 20%" are best!)


• Spelling counts! Always be sure to at the very least spell check your resume and it's even better if you can have another person or two proof-read it. Your resume is a reflection of you and spelling mistakes and typos reflect poorly on you as a candidate.

Job Seeker Tips - #1 Know what you want

In partnership with our employers and partners we are developing a series of simple "job seeker tips" to help candidates find meaningful employment. Each week we will be posting new tips to our blog and writing about them in our newsletter. For the "freshest" tips be sure to subscribe to our newsletter which you can do in the bottom right corner of our Home page.

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Successfully landing a meaningful job starts with knowing just what job you are actually looking for.

If you're new to Canada or to the workforce, you may think "I need any job I can find!" That's okay - but you still need to have a plan to help you get from 'survivor' to 'dream job'.

Before you start preparing your resume and applying for jobs, take some time do some research. Ask yourself:

• What criteria are you looking for in a job? (What is the minimum pay rate you need to cover your expenses? Are you looking for full- or part-time? What hours would you prefer to work? What location do you prefer? Is transportation a concern?)
  
• What kinds of experience and skills do the jobs you want require? Do you have those skills/experience?
  
• What sort of terminology do employers use to describe the job and related skills/experience? (Knowing the lingo will help you find and connect to the jobs you want)
  
• What employers hire for the job you want and where are they located?
  

Giving some thought to what your ideal job looks like - and doing some research about the marketplace for those jobs - will help you identify potential employers

Most importantly, being able to identify your strengths and mapping them into what employers are looking for will help ensure you have a more successful job hunt - and get you to your dream job faster.