RESUME, COVER LETTER, & YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

Transcription

1 RESUME, COVER LETTER, & YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT

2 CREATING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND RESUME, COVER LETTER, & YOUR DIGITAL FOOTPRINT One component of the career development process is creating a personal brand. This guide will introduce you to the various ways you can create and portray your brand. This guide is the first of three, and explores resumes, cover letters, curriculum vita, as well as social media profiles. To provide a bit of additional context for your personal brand, we WHAT IS CAREER SERVICES? The Career Services Center offers programs and services designed to help you understand your career goals, & to be successful in the pursuit of employment. Our office helps employers recruit students for internships, co-ops and full-time positions. would first like to offer you an overview of our entire cadre of services, as well as a plan for your four (or more) years here at Kennesaw State University. OVERVIEW OF SERVICES CAREER PLANNING Individual resume assistance Career workshops Online assessment programs Career library CAREER DEVELOPMENT Opportunities for internship, cooperative education, summer jobs and career-related experiences Digitally recorded practice interviews Individual counseling to develop job search skills for identifying opportunities Resume and interview software PROFESSIONAL OPPORTUNITIES Employer-student networking events Career fairs On-campus interviewing Announcements of full-time, professional career opportunities Computerized resume referral OUR MISSION The Career Services Center shares in the mission of the University by educating and facilitating the career development of students and alumni, in preparation for the ever-changing work environment. Through strategic engagement with internal and external partners, we provide access to services, programs, and experiences that develop competent and competitive professionals who will contribute to local and global communities. 1

3 THE FOUR YEAR PLAN FRESHMAN YEAR Learn as much as you can about the KSU Community. Make connections with peers. Get involved with student organizations. Get to know your academic adviser, department staff, and faculty. Develop good personal and study habits. Start off with a good GPA. Begin creating your Reflections Portfolio (see website for help getting started). Meet with a Career Services Center (CSC) staff member. Develop a 4-year career plan. Visit Student Success Services. Assess your personal values, interests, skills and abilities. Attend career fairs and career-related workshops and programs to learn more about career fields of interest. Volunteer or work part-time (on or off campus) to identify interests and develop skills. Register in the CSC s online job services system, OwlLink. (see website for help signing up). SOPHOMORE YEAR Declare your major, or at least begin to narrow your options. Conduct information interviews with KSU alumni and other professionals working in your field of interest. Expand your knowledge and learn what you can do with your major. Actively develop your leadership skills through campus and major-related student organizations. Update OwlLink profile. Meet your Career & Internship Advisor to discuss internship requirements and opportunities for your major. Draft a resume and have it critiqued. Begin looking for internships and job using OwlLink. Explore study abroad programs, and increase global awareness. Continue to maintain good grades. Save strong projects and papers in your Reflections Portfolio. 2

4 THE FOUR YEAR PLAN JUNIOR YEAR Formulate your job or graduate school search timeline and plans with the assistance of a Career or Faculty advisor. Update your resume in OwlLink to include relevant job and academically related experiences. Attend career fairs and career-related events to explore, and expand your network of potential employers. Start researching graduate/professional school possibilities. Register and prepare for admissions tests, such as the GRE, LSAT, MCAT, or GMAT. Gain major related experience through internships, jobs, or participation in undergraduate research projects and symposiums. Identify areas of weaknesses - eg., writing or presenting. Take courses to improve these weaknesses. Continue to build your network. Create a LinkedIn account. Identify and contact potential job and graduate school references. Maintain good grades to graduate with honors. Don t lose focus. SENIOR YEAR Complete Petition to Graduate paperwork. Meet with your Career Adviser to discuss job search strategies or finalize your graduate/ professional school search timelines and plans. Update and finalize your online resume. Utilize the CSC resources (OwlLink, On-Campus Interviews, Career Fairs) to assist with your job search. Ask faculty and employers for letters of recommendation for employment or graduate school. Research companies/organizations and the career opportunities they offer. Prepare for job interviews or graduate school using the online practice interview software in OwlLink or through a practice interview with your Career Adviser. Notify your Career Adviser when you are offered a job. Stay connected and give back to KSU through the Alumni 2 Student Mentoring Program. 3

5 WRITING YOUR RESUME As you can see in the four-year plan, the development of a resume is critical. It is your best foot forward and a way to sell yourself on paper to potential employers. First we ll explore the do s and don ts of resume writing, so you have an idea of what to include, and what to avoid. GETTING STARTED CHECKLIST: FORMATTING Did I include the appropriate headings (i.e., Education, Experience etc.) Additional headings are optional, but encouraged (e.g. leadership, Honors, Scholarships, Languages etc.) Is my name at the top and in bold? Are my address, phone number and included and easy to read? Optional: Did I include my LinkedIn profile URL? Did I use plain point size font with no more than two fonts/sizes, and have approximately 1 margins? Is my formatting (e.g., bold, font, bullet sizes, heading styles) consistent throughout the resume? Are the headings and statements easily spaced? Are my experiences listed in reverse chronological order in each category? Is my resume an appropriate length? (1 page preferred) Is my Resume printer on Neutral colored resume paper of mailing or hand delivering? CONTENT Does my summary of skills clearly state the value and skills I bring to the position? Does my education section state my official degree and expected graduation date? Do I have a good reason to include my high school graduation information? Did I include my cumulative or major GPA (if a 3.0 or above)? Do all of my experiences include my job title, the organization s name, city, state, and dates of experience? Do my experience bullet points start with action verbs? Are verb tenses in the present tense for current jobs and in the past tense for previous jobs? Do I have approximately 2-4 bullet points per job? Do my bullet points demonstrate major accomplishments using numbers and percentages rather than routine tasks/duties? Do my bullet points demonstrate the use of key skills? PROFESSIONALISM Is my resume completely free from spelling, punctuation and grammatical errors? Does all information strengthen my resume and have a purpose for inclusion? 4

6 PROJECT WORKSHEET Sometimes, students feel overwhelmed when writing their resumes concerned that they may not have enough to include. Often, our office recommends including project-based work from classes, to showcase the learning that has taken place while here at Kennesaw State University. J ust because you may not have worked in your field yet, does not mean you have nothing to offer to a potential employer. The worksheet below helps you to think through how you might frame the projects you ve completed in classes. 5

7 WHAT DO EMPLOYERS WANT? What you ve just done by completing the project worksheet is thought about transferable skills skills you ve gained in work unrelated to your career, but that helps you to easily segue into that field. Often, employers are more interested in transferable skills than they are in highly technical, field-specific skills. This is because most employers are looking for teachable candidates, who can easily fit in to their company culture. Below you ll see a list of what employers repeatedly have told us that they want Ability to communicate: Do you have the ability to organize your thoughts and ideas effectively? Can you express them clearly when speaking or writing? Can you persuasively present your ideas to others? Intelligence: Do you have the ability to understand the job assignment? Learn the details? Contribute original ideas? Self-confidence: Do you demonstrate a sense of maturity that enables you to deal positively and effectively with situations and people? Willingness to accept responsibility: Are you someone who recognizes what needs to be done and is willing to do it? Initiative: Do you have the ability to identify the purpose for work and to take action? Leadership: Can you guide and direct others to attain the recognized objectives? Energy level: Do you demonstrate a forcefulness and capacity to make things move ahead? Can you maintain your work effort at an above average rate? Imagination: Can you confront and deal with problems that may not have standard solutions? Flexibility: Are you capable of changing and being receptive to new situations and ideas? Interpersonal skills: Can you bring out the best efforts of individuals so they become effective, enthusiastic members of a team? Self-knowledge: Can you realistically assess your own capabilities? See yourself as others see you? Clearly recognize your strengths and weaknesses? Ability to handle conflict: Can you successfully contend with stressful situations and antagonism? Competitiveness: Do you have the capacity to compete with others and the willingness to be measured by your performance in relation to that of others? Goal achievement: Do you have the ability to identify and work toward specific goals? Do such goals change your abilities? Vocational skills: Do you possess the positive combination of education and skills required for the position you are seeking? Direction: Have you defined your basic personal needs? Have you determined what type of positions will satisfy your knowledge and goals? 6

8 RESUME ACTION VERBS It s easy to see why employers would place a good bit of importance on flexibility and communication, when our world is ever-changing. As a result, our office is happy to help you in figuring out how to translate your skills and experiences into sentences that articulate where you ve been and where you re heading! Below you ll find a list of resume action verbs. This list is simply to help you get started in describing your experiences, while not using the same words in each sentence. 7

9 RESUME ACTION VERBS CONTINUED 8

10 RESUME ACTION VERBS CONTINUED 9

11 WHICH RESUME DO I NEED? Now that you ve covered how you might articulate your academic experience in a work resume, it s time you started to flesh out your document. There are three basic types of resumes: - Chronological - Functional - Combination The choice of which type of resume to use really depends on what kind of information you re attempting to showcase. As a rule of thumb, you want the most relevant information at the top of your resume. So, let s say your relevant coursework and projects are more closely aligned with the job you re seeking than, say, your past employment. You might choose a combination style or functional resume so that your most relevant not your most recent experience is showcased. Here you can see working samples of each type of resume. This should help to guide your writing. Remember all resumes are different, and the point is simply to communicate your own personal brand. So, know that these are just samples. 10

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15 RESUME FEATURES Hopefully, your working documents have been of help to you. Just in case you need a little bit more information on each section, we ve outlined the ins and outs of popular resume sections below. As always, let our office know if you have any questions. Please use this checklist prior to seeking a resume review to avoid some very common mistakes. PERSONAL INFORMATION Located at the top of the page and does not take an excessive amount of space Includes: first and last name address, one accessible for at least 6 months to a year phone number, including area code address, some derivation of your name that makes a professional impression Example: JOHN Q. Owl 1234 Parliament Avenue, Kennesaw, GA (979) , JohnO@Students.Kennesaw.edu OBJECTIVE (optional but encouraged) Provides a focus for the content of your resume Targeted toward a specific position or career field For those seeking an internship, includes the term during which you would like to work Example: OBJECTIVE Seeking an internship for Summer 20XX in the field of Civil Engineering, specifically Structural Analysis. EDUCATION Begins with the university at which you are currently enrolled (typically, Kennesaw State University) Includes: city and state where the university is located most recent degree, accurately date or anticipated date of graduation complete title of majors, minors, licensures and certifications cumulative GPA relevant courses, listed by title and not course number, if substantially different than major Can also include major GPA or GPA last hours if those are higher than cumulative GPR 14

16 (EDUCATION CONTINUED) Example: Kennesaw State University, Kennesaw, GA Bachelor of Science in Psychology, Minor in Management, May 20XX Major GPA: 3.48 Cumulative GPA: 3.15 Relevant Courses: Genetics I and II (lab), Anatomy and Physiology, Industrial and Organizational Behaviors EXPERIENCE Includes: full name of the company or organization Example: city and state where the company/organization is located dates the position was held (month - year to month - year) the title of the position held Action skill statements emphasizing your relevant skills and accomplishments Accomplishment Statement? o Each action skill statement begins with an action verb o Action verbs are the appropriate tense present tense to describe current positions, past tense for prior positions o Lists entries in reverse chronological order Dell, Austin, TX Technical Analyst Intern, May 20XX August 20XX Reviewed new project requirements using interviews, document analysis, surveys, and workflow analysis. Communicated and collaborated with external and internal customers to analyze information needs and functional requirements. Utilized experience using enterprise-wide requirements definition and management systems Successfully engaged in multiple initiatives simultaneously. Worked independently with users to define concepts and under direction of project managers. Served as liaison between internal and external customer community and software development team. Developed requirements specifications according to standard templates, using natural language. Collaborated with developers and subject matter experts to establish the technical vision. 15

17 ACTIVITIES Lists entries in reverse chronological order Includes: full name of the organization university or the city and state where the organization is located title of any position held dates the position was held (month - year to month - year) action skill statements emphasizing your relevant skills and accomplishments pertinent memberships and affiliations Emphasizes leadership roles Example: Student Government Association (SGA), Kennesaw State University Co-Chair, Spring 20XX - Present Directly manage a budget of $1,000. Construct and coordinate a minute-by-minute schedule for meetings. Assess risk in scheduled activities for a wide audience. Counselor, Spring 20XX Spring 20XX Selected based on competitive interview and application process. Planned all logistics over a 6-month period for 4-day orientation program. Managed orientation program experience for 24 incoming freshmen. Developed and maintained mentor relationships with 12 incoming freshmen throughout their college career. REFERENCES Resume does not include references names and addresses (references are listed on a separate page) If room remains at the bottom of the resume, can include the statement References Available Upon Request Reference information should include name, organization/title, address, phone number and OVERALL APPEARANCE Looks like a professional document and is pleasing to the eye Is an appropriate length, for most undergraduates this means one page Includes name and page number on all pages if more than one page in length Page margins, font size and type are appropriate Is free of typos, spelling mistakes, and grammatical errors Bullet points, bolding, italics, and/or other highlighting are used consistently Categories are arranged in a logical order, presenting relevant information first 16

18 CURRICULUM VITAE Another way to brand yourself is through a curriculum vitae. Often, this is another word for an academic resume. Though, in some other countries, a person might refer to a resume as a curriculum vitae (or CV). WHAT IS A CV? The terms Curriculum Vitae, Vita, or CV are used interchangeably to summarize educational history and academic and scholarly accomplishments. The layout of the CV is similar to that of resume but places more emphasis on teaching and research experience, publications (books, articles, research papers, unpublished manuscripts, or book chapters), and academic honors and awards. The use of a CV is preferred when applying for teaching or research opportunities, applying for fellowships or for further academic training. Some research positions in industry may also prefer a CV since length is not a concern, which allows for completeness rather than brevity. While there is no single format or style for writing a CV, the following types of information are generally included: Name and contact information Education Dissertation o If you are working on or have recently finished your doctoral degree, at least include a brief, clear summary of your thesis topic in the Education section. o Including a separate one- or two- page abstract of your thesis at the end your CV is recommended, but optional. In this attachment, concisely summarize your thesis work, placing it within its scholarly context and noting its contribution to the field. Your summary should be comprehensible to readers outside your field, but scholarly enough to interest professionals within your area of expertise. If you do provide an abstract, write (See Abstract Attached) in the Education section, after the name of your thesis title. Teaching Experience o Begin with a short section specifying Fields of Interest or Teaching Competencies instead of a statement of Professional Objective which is usually included on the resume. Research Experience/Projects - This section should include: References Conference Paper and Publications Fellowships and Awards Departmental and Community Service Languages/International Experience Other academic and/or professionally related experience If you list references, provide title, university affiliation, address, and phone number. The order for listing your credentials will vary depending upon your background and the requirements of your discipline. You will want your most important information listed first, and unlike with a resume, the description of your responsibilities and accomplishments should comprehensive, but still concise. 17

19 REFERENCES It may not be immediately obvious why Reference Rules are included in this guide on Personal Branding. However, the choices you make about which references to include certainly impacts your brand. For most of us, we choose references who will speak positively on our behalf. However, truly strategic job seekers will choose a handful of references who can each speak to a different facet of your personality, or a different skill set. REFERENCE RULES Carefully choose job references that complement your resume. A good reference should be someone who confirms the details of your resume and offers positive feedback regarding your work or educational skills and experience. Ideally, they should have known you for at least one year preferably three. Your list should include 3-5 of the following: Former and/or current supervisors Colleagues and/or subordinates Former customers/clients Former professors Contacts from volunteer work or student organizations References should not be included in your actual resume. Instead, include them on a separate sheet. Do not submit references to employers unless they have been requested. 1. Call your references and ask them if they are willing to provide favorable feedback to an employer on your behalf. As an additional courtesy, offer them an update on your career. 2. Let your references know every time you give out their contact information, and thank them for their efforts. 3. Keep your references informed of your career and educational progress and future aspirations. They will be more inclined to see you in a stronger light as you progress. 4. Note that spending time communicating with your prospective employer takes valuable time from your references workdays. If you plan to use these references over the years, you need to give something back. For instance, each time your reference supports you with a new prospective employer, send them a personal thank-you letter or (at a minimum) an If you obtain the new position, call or your references and thank them again for their support. HOW TO LIST REFERENCES: References should be put on a separate sheet of paper not attached to the resume document itself. Example: References for Joe Intern Stephen Jackson Known for four years 100 Chastain Rd. Former supervisor at ABC, Inc. Kennesaw, GA (770) stephen@gmail.com 18

20 COVER LETTERS With most resumes or CVs, you will be asked to submit a cover letter, or letter of interest. Those are two phrases that mean the same thing. Our office recommends submitting a cover letter even when it is an optional part of the application. Your cover letter is your most customized submission. It is your way of directly linking your skills, abilities, and experiences to the job description. No two cover letters should be the same. A cover letter is an introduction to your resume. Though you do not always need a cover letter when you are presenting your resume in person, it is essential when you mail, , or fax your resume to a prospective employer. You may find cover letters referred to as letters of application. When ing your resume, the body of your is the cover letter, with the resume attached. The cover letter shows the employer your writing skills, which are important in any profession. It also allows you to highlight your skills and direct your interests more completely than is feasible with the resume. The following pages will explain to you the rules and steps to cover letter writing. Examples of several different types of cover letters can also be found on the following pages. COVER LETTERS SHOULD: 1. Always be typed. 2. Always be included with a resume being mailed, faxed, or ed. 3. Be individualized and addressed to a specific person whenever possible. 4. Use quality paper, preferably the same as your resume. White or cream is recommended. 5. Emphasize achievements, but if you make claims back them up. 6. Avoid the letter looking like a form letter; tailor it to fit a specific position. 7. Be brief and concise. Like your resume, the letter will be skimmed. Your document should be one page with three (3) to five (5) short paragraphs. COVER LETTER TIPS FOR STUDENTS: Address Opening Address your cover letter to a specific person when possible If not possible, use the company s address and Dear Hiring Manager State why you are writing Indicate the position and your enthusiasm for it Express some knowledge of the employer Body Tell the employer why you are a good fit for the position 19

21 Highlight your education and experience as they relate to the position Connect the requirements of the job to your qualifications Provide evidence of key skills, experience, and personality traits that match the requirements of the job Use specific examples but do not simply make a narrative of your resume Closing Re-emphasize your interest in the position State what your next steps will be (ex: I will contact you next week ) Convey your appreciation for their consideration of you as a candidate Signature Sign your cover letter, if it s a letter you are mailing, otherwise you will simply type your name Format Ensure you review the Formal Letter Template for proper formatting General Tips There is no such thing as a general cover letter! Each job you apply should have a unique cover letter If you are given the opportunity, always attach a cover letter to an online job application If you are ing your resume to an employer, your cover letter will be the content of your Remember, your cover letter will be skimmed, so use a bulleted format for easy reading Cover Letters should not exceed 1 page with 3-5 paragraphs COVER LETTER FORMATTING Openings: Introduce yourself to the reader by telling them why you are writing. Identify the position you are seeking and the reason for your interest. Body of the Letter: In one to three paragraphs provide evidence of key skills, experience, and personal traits that match the requirements of the position. This should NOT be a narrative version of your resume. Closing: Indicate what you would like to have happen next. Thank the reader for this time and consideration. 20

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23 DEVELOPING YOUR PERSONAL BRAND ONLINE THE REFLECTION PORTFOLIO The Reflection Portfolio is a career development tool. Through recording your experiences, it allows you to recognize the skills you have and what skills you need to develop. The skills listed are the skills employers have required of recent college graduates; leadership, communication, organizational, problem solving, teamwork, creativity, and technical. By using the Reflection Portfolio, you begin to understand how your experiences both in and out of the classroom are preparing you for a successful career. For example, instead of just noting that you were a camp counselor this past summer, you will be able to note that you developed leadership skills by supervising 10 eight year olds and you used your creative skills to keep them focused! The Reflection Portfolio is not a journal or diary. You do not need to enter every class or experience you have had in your life. Instead, enter only experiences from which you feel you have gained important skills that can be documented. Your portfolio will only be as valuable as the information you enter. To create your Reflection Portfolio, simply go to the Career Services website ( and click the Reflection Portfolio link on the main page. You can always drop by the Career Services Center on the 2 nd floor of Kennesaw Hall to receive individual assistance or call to schedule a one-on-one appointment with your Career Advisor. SOCIAL NETWORKING MANAGING YOUR VIRTUAL IDENTITY The explosion of social media sites has had significant implications for job seekers! Did you know the majority of prospective employers and recruiters regularly visit social media sites to source candidates and learn more about potential hires they interview? Utilize the guidelines on the following page to proactively manage your virtual brand in order to advance your career. Invest the time necessary to develop, monitor and enhance your virtual brand as it is a requirement for any professional who is actively or passively seeking employment. 22

24 Profiles Think of your profile as your on-line business card. It is important for your profile to convey a professional message about you as a potential employee. Review and edit any information which does not meet this standard. After you complete this process, we encourage you to identify a professional you trust to review your information and provide you with feedback. Friends Keep in mind it is important to monitor the content on your friends pages to whom you are linked. Review their profiles and any pictures they may post of you to determine if there is any inappropriate content you would like removed. Privacy Settings Facebook in particular has been known to change the privacy settings on user accounts often. As a result, it is important for you to review these settings regularly to make sure only friends have access to view your profile. Take a close look at the search, news feed, applications, photos, and video settings to determine how much information you want to share. Monitor New Information It is a good idea to use multiple search engines to find out what employers might be able to find if they search on your name. If you find anything which could be detrimental you can look into having it removed. Facebook- This site has a more personal focus. However, many employers use the information you post to screen applicants. People s employment has also been terminated as a result of this site. Use Facebook with caution, and monitor your privacy settings. Voic Be sure the voic greeting on your phone is professional. Every form of communication sends a message to prospective employers. LinkedIn The focus of this site is professional networking and they have strict rules about how to use the system in order to connect with people. Learn how to leverage this site in order to expand your network. In addition, many employers are now posting jobs based on your profile so this could be a great tool if you are actively seeking employment. Twitter This site was designed to be an open forum. Know who is following you and tailor the content of your tweets to the right audience. Have a professional address. Choose a host that avoids spam issues. For example, choose Gmail over Hotmail. 23

25 USING SOCIAL MEDIA IN YOUR JOB SEARCH According to a recent survey, nearly 92 percent of college seniors have a social networking profile, but less than one-third have used social networks in their job searches. If you are looking for a job and not using social media to help you, you may be overlooking another avenue to employment. Many employers have a social media presence, and many use social networks to screen job candidates. To use sites like LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter in the most effective way possible, follow these 10 tips. 1. Develop a professional presence. What do people find when they Google you? If the results aren t professional, take down those party pictures and create a professional persona. Set up a profile on LinkedIn, which is a 100 percent professional network, and add professional details to your Google+, Facebook, and Twitter profiles. 2. Fill your profiles with keywords. All of your social media profiles should include key words and phrases that a recruiter or hiring manager might type into a search engine to find a candidate like you. The best place to find relevant words is in the job listings that appeal to you and the social media profiles of people who have the positions you want. 3. Use LinkedIn to find your path. Not yet sure what career is right for you? Browse through LinkedIn. Comprised of more than 65 million professionals, LinkedIn offers a huge data base of other people s career paths from which you can gather ideas about companies, job titles, or professions that might be a good fit for you. 4. Get personal. When you re looking for a job, your online network can and should include friends and family. Parents, classmates, professors, neighbors, and other close contacts are the best people to provide you with warm referrals to the contacts in their networks. The bigger and more authentically your network grows, the more access to opportunities you ll have. 5. Be a joiner. Another way to form valuable relationships is to join online communities with which you already have an affiliation. This might include your university s LinkedIn group, the Facebook fan page of a nonprofit you support, or an industry association listserv. Once you re a member of a group, you can comment on discussions, meet people who share common interests, and find exclusive job listings. 6. Tweet. Twitter is an amazing tool to research and connect with recruiters, industry experts, and potential employers. Even if you set up a Twitter profile to listen more than you tweet, you ll get enormous value out of the information you ll discover. Plus, many organizations are now tweeting out their job postings don t miss this new source of opportunities! 7. Blog. Consider staking your own ground in the social media world. You can blog in writing or video about your career interests, campus life, travel, sports, activities, or anything else. Blogging (as long as you keep it clean) can demonstrate your knowledge and passion to a potential employer. If you re not interested in writing your own blog, comment on the posts of industry bloggers you admire. You might just catch the eye of a reader who is hiring. 8. Share. One of the best ways to maintain a strong professional network is to support other people by sharing helpful information like articles, blog posts, and YouTube videos. A small, helpful gesture like forwarding a link is a great form of networking (and the recipient will likely help you in return). 24

26 9. Keep people up to date. Status updates are another smart form of networking. Update your LinkedIn, Facebook, and Twitter status with information about events you re attending, books you re reading, or other career news. To remind people that you re job hunting, post updates such as, I had a great second interview this morning cross your fingers for me! 10. Use social media to ace interviews. Before a job interview, study the LinkedIn profiles, Twitter feeds, and blogs of the people you ll be meeting. The more preparation you do, the more confident you ll feel and the more likely you ll be to make a great impression and land the job! Finally, as important as social media is, remember to step away from the computer once in a while. Online methods should supplement, not replace, in-person job searching techniques. 25