In the Media: Macbook Markup
By
Simone Subversive
On
06:14
Read the full article at www.online.wjs.com
Jun 26, 2012
Read the full article at www.online.wjs.com
Jun 23, 2012
Robots and Resumes
By
Simone Subversive
On
04:51
In
resume/cover
It’s a fact that the one-size-fits-all, generic, general
resume doesn’t cut it. Not anymore. Remember, you’re facing a pool of hundreds
(and potentially thousands) of competing applicants whenever you apply for a
job.
Because of the increasingly high numbers of applicants, more
employers rely on resume screening software; robots. It pays to know how
an Applicant Tracking System (ATS) works so that you can tailor your resume and
cover letter to the job you're applying for.
HOW THE ATS ANALYZES
YOUR RESUME:
- Your uploaded resume is run through a parser, which removes the styling from the resume and breaks the text down into recognized words or phrases.
- The parser then sorts that content into different categories:
- education,
- contact info,
- skills, and
- work experience, etc.
- The employer's desired skills or keywords are matched against the results from above.
- Your resume is then scored on relevancy—using semantic matching against the employer's search terms and your years of experience.
It's important that you include relevant text in the body of
your resume. Instead of simply cutting-and-pasting keywords from the job
description; employ a strategy. Remember, other savvy applicants are likely
using the same keywords in their applications.
WHAT TO DO ABOUT IT
Don’t just narrow
your focus to keywords. A sophisticated ATS goes beyond the keywords to
look for related terms (not just graphic design, but also “creative cloud”,
print, web, motion, logo, etc.). *sites like Monster.com and others use
technology to help employers find the best candidates (see Monster's
concept-matching resume search).
Your areas of expertise. Ensure that your resume matches the special categories for the job you're applying for, use a bulleted list to organize your areas of expertise. If you opt for generic categories, make sure that you add some descriptive text. Here's a simplified example:
Prioritize your
keywords. Begin by auditing the job description for primary and
secondary keywords to include. Priority words are used in the title, job
description, and in bulleted criteria lists. Secondary keywords include
mentions of the industry (women’s health,
international football, micro brewing, etc.), direct competitors, and industry
qualifications (memberships, key training
or software).
Consult an insider. It
can’t hurt to get input from a friend within the company or in the industry—go
straight to the source and ask them if they could either look over your resume
or suggest what skills they look for in a candidate.
- Another option is to contact someone in a position similar to the one you'd like to have—tap your social network and ask questions.
Sprinkle liberally. ATSs
factor in the length of experience. So, it's also important to place those
important words, throughout your resume, in all jobs where appropriate. Order
your bullets in descending order of relevancy to the job description.
Use social networks
to enhance your resume. More advanced ATSs add other features to check
on you. Reppify,
for example, checks your social network posts, and use of sites like LinkedIn,
Facebook, and Twitter. Be sure that what you post in public fits with what you
say on your application.
Your resume should cover all of the listed job requirements.
The ultimate goal is get your resume in the hands of a real human being. These
tips should also increase your chance of getting past live screeners
and hopefully land you an interview.
Jun 12, 2012
Interviewed on W. Phila. Public Radio
By
Simone Subversive
On
17:34
In
simonejenifer.org
I was interviewed in May and decided to post a link to the article...the take away is my advice to budding graphic designers:
- Study art, and
- Never stop learning
In an interview on the Designing Sistas portion of The Homebound Love Project on WPEB 88.1 FM in West Philadelphia, artist and graphic designer Simone Jenifer discuss her education, background and life in the arts and graphic design and what other young African American women can do to begin to become future image makers......read the full article
Jun 10, 2012
Jun 5, 2012
Using the Invisible Job Market
By
Simone Subversive
On
13:49
In
job search
If you haven’t heard, the online job marketplace is
extremely competitive. Hundreds, maybe thousands of potential candidates can
view and apply for the job that you want. In light of this fierce competition,
some job seekers may fare better using the invisible job market.
What’s that?
The invisible market refers to the job openings that never
appear online.To find the Invisible Job Market consider doing one or more of
the following things:
Social Networking Use social media to make those key connections. Let’s say
you already know where you want to work. Find a hiring manager/ department head
on LinkedIn and follow them. Once you have found this contact, see where else
they interact online. Following them on Twitter is not a bad idea. Now that the
connection is made, keep an eye on their social channels. If they post any jobs
on the social sites that do not appear on their company’s site you’ve found a
hidden job!
Get that Referral Another great way to tap into the invisible market is
through referrals in your own network. LinkedIn groups are great place to ask
the question, “Y’all hiring?” Ask
your contacts names and positions to help you on your search. Trolling your contacts on Facebook
works much the same way. In real time, speak with friends in your respective
field. Ask these contacts to help you set up introductions with hiring
managers, and other decision makers. Even if the company isn’t hiring right
now, making a good impression with these people may lead to hearing about a job
opening before it ever gets posted.
Make a Cold Call Drop in/forward your resume and portfolio link to a company
where you want to work, whether they have a job opening or not. To be
successful, you must research the
company, and tailor your resume and interest letter to fit their requirements.
A good place to start is with old job postings by this company.
On a personal note, my director gets one or two of these per year and they do not end up in the circular file. Instead we keep hold of the resumes in case I need additional graphic design help. So far, this cold-call method hasn’t landed anyone a permanent job in my company, but it leads to potential freelance assignments.
There's a 1 in 10 chance that you'll garner a response using this method. If you don’t hear back, you make contact by phone or emil in a couple weeks. This approach takes patience but it may grab the attention of a potential employer.
Lock Down an Internship Working as an intern is a great way to see if you are a good
fit for a company. It’s potentially a great way to land that unposted job.
When a company recognizes that your work is an asset to them, they may carve
out a permanent position to keep you on staff.
What do you do to improve your chances of becoming an
employee? Go above and beyond
their expectations. Learn new tasks, meet deadlines, save them time and money money, and
show genuine interest in the company. These keys will improve your chances of
making the transition from intern to employee.
