Sites For Seekers
Stay Motivated While You’re Unemployed
Apr 8th
Being unemployed can be a huge blow to your self-esteem. If you feel unproductive and useless, you have two options: decide you are doomed and feel sorry for yourself, or find ways to stay motivated.
Stick to a schedule
When you were employed, you woke up at the same time every day and got dressed. Now that you don’t have a set time to wake up, you are free to lounge on the couch all day in your pajamas. While you will certainly have days like this, it should not become a habit.
One of the best ways to stay focused and positive during a job search is to keep a routine. Looking for a job is a full-time job, so treat it like one. This means you should wake up at the same time you’re used to, have your morning coffee, get dressed and start your day at a reasonable time.
Set up a home office
Set up a home office space where you can keep all your materials in one place. If you live in a small apartment, avoid the temptation to work on your bed or anywhere else you associate with relaxation. Working in a coffee shop can be one way to combat loneliness and isolation, and especially if you live in a small space, can be an effective way to get some work done with minimal distractions.
Make to-do lists
Make to-do lists full of specific, short and long-term goals so you can see the progress you are making. Tasks can be s as simple as a list of job boards to visit throughout the day, or even errands you need to run unrelated to your job search. Make sure you are realistic with your goals so you get a sense of satisfaction from checking things off.
Remember to take breaks
If you are starting to feel frustrated, take a break, but make sure you set time limits so you know when you need to return to work. Get outside and go for a walk or get some exercise. Take a workout class, or call a friend to vent your frustrations.
Socialize
Because making connections is one of the best ways to find work nowadays, make sure you are out of the house and talking to people. While you might hate answering the “what do you do?” question right now, don’t be afraid to tell everyone you know that you need a job. You never know where your next opportunity is waiting, and no one will know you’re looking unless you tell them.
Volunteer
Volunteering, while not a way to relieve financial stress, can be a great way to keep you spirits up and put things in perspective. Find a charity that works for a cause you’re interested in, and seek out opportunities. Getting out of the house everyday
Keep your head up, and good luck!
| Print article | This entry was posted by pyramid-admin on April 8, 2013 at 12:45 pm, and is filed under Chronicles For Candidates, Job Search, Mentionings, Sites For Seekers. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
Jun 7th
We love discovering new sites that encourage job seekers to be creative while giving options to publicize their search and brag about their experiences.
Thank you, Eugene Woo, for creating Vizualize.me. It reminds us of About.me except there are more fields that elaborate on your past work experience and education. The main difference is Vizualize.me focuses on you and your job search instead of just you.
When you first register with the site there is an option to sign in with LinkedIn, which parses all experience listed on your LI profile onto your new Vizualize.me page. You have the freedom to edit content, color, and layout.
Here are some fun options to play around with; all of which can be parsed automatically upon signing in with LinkedIn:
Content
- Skills
- Interests
- Languages
- Awards & Honors
- Stats
- Recommendations
Themes
- Six themes and layouts to choose from
- Color for layout, theme, and content
One of the features we love most about the site is the option to interact and share your Visualize.me page. There is a “Share” option on the top right corner with option to embed a button on your blog or website. There are also various social media buttons where you can blast out your new creative and eye grabbing professional profile.
Good luck with your Vizualize.me page. We hope to see you on their soon!
| Print article | This entry was posted by pyramid-admin on June 7, 2012 at 5:00 pm, and is filed under Mentionings, Right Your Resume, SINC - Source, Interact, Network, Connect, Sites For Seekers, Social Media. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
Have You Heard About Huntsy?
May 2nd
In your search for a new job do you find it’s hard to keep track of all that interest you?
Wouldn’t it be convenient if you could keep track of contacts, jobs, and your application process by visiting one place?
Now you can with Huntsy! If you’re familiar with Pinterest, you will have no trouble navigating the site.
Once you sign up with Huntsy you can drag a “pin” like button to your bookmarks bar.
Once you find a job you like, you can click the button on your bookmarks bar to add the job to your Huntsy profile.
Upon adding a new job, a window descends from the browser bar asking for the following information:
- Employer
- Job Title
- Job Description
Once you add this information to your Huntsy profile you can view the job in your “Dashboard.” This is the same place where all your jobs will be listed. In “Today’s Tasks” you will find a list of the jobs you have “hunted” and their individual status.
This is a genius way to keep track of applying and submitting to jobs you are qualified for. This will also help remind you to follow up – an action that Pyramid Consulting Group encourages, always.
Have you heard of Huntsy? Check it out and let us know what you think.
| Print article | This entry was posted by pyramid-admin on May 2, 2012 at 8:29 pm, and is filed under Sites For Seekers. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
Look What We Found – Loft Resumes
Mar 29th
Designing your resume is a task you should spend a lot of time perfecting. Aside from grammatical, spelling, and punctuation errors, you also have to think about how you would view your resume, on a surface level, if you received it as a hiring manager.
Loft Resumes, a resume design company based in South Carolina, prides themselves in helping job seekers stand out. The company provides a resume shop stocked with approximately 50 creatively designed resumes.
Loft Resumes says, “On average, they’ll [hiring managers] spend less than 30 seconds looking at yours [resume].”
For just $99 you will receive your new resume in 3 business days. It may seem like a lot, but think about the ROI (return on investment). If someone approached you with your dream job and told you all you had to do was pay $99, would you take it?
Each additional page is $10. You can rush the resume process for an additional $15 for two days and $30 for a one day turnaround. For an additional cost, you can make updates on content, not design.
After the design process is complete you will receive a high resolution PDF of your resume along with an editable, matching cover letter.
Does this seem like a lot?
It’s not! All you have to provide is:
- An uploaded resume in a common word document
- A theme with a photo, you’ll need to upload your photo (optional)
- The custom color option (optional and extra)
What do you think about this service? Beneficial? Would you pay $99 for a potentially brighter future?
Visit the site and shop around. Let us know what you think on our Facebook page!
| Print article | This entry was posted by pyramid-admin on March 29, 2012 at 7:03 pm, and is filed under Chronicles For Candidates, Human Resource, Sites For Seekers, To Do Before You Interview. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
LinkedIn Musts
Feb 14th
If you’re actively seeking new job opportunities then it’s safe to assume that you have created a LinkedIn profile. Having a profile not only allows you to search for a new job but also makes you, the candidate, searchable by hiring managers.
However, having a profile is not enough. Don’t be startled; you have taken the first step and now you have to optimize your profile so it’s complete and ready to be found.
Here are our top five ways to make sure you are using LinkedIn to its full potential.
- Never give less than your best – make sure your profile is 100% complete. This way it will show up in more searches and will fully disclose your experience and exactly what you’re looking for.
- Connect with intention – some users connect with people just to connect. This is not the best practice when building your contacts. “Linkin” with those that can potentially help you in the future or people who you have been in touch with in the past.
- Update to stay up to date – you can update your status on LinkedIn just like you do on Facebook and Twitter. You can even make it easy on yourself by linking your account to your Facebook and Twitter accounts to update automatically.
- It’s OK to be a follower – be sure to follow the companies that interest you. They update their status as well and may even alert you to a job opening that interests you.
- Reach out for a recommendation – don’t be shy. Reach out to your network of co-workers or professional contacts and ask for a recommendation. This makes your profile stronger and proves you are a viable candidate.
Have you found there are some other ways to use LinkedIn that have helped you find a job? Please share on our Facebook page.
| Print article | This entry was posted by pyramid-admin on February 14, 2012 at 8:23 pm, and is filed under SINC - Source, Interact, Network, Connect, Sites For Seekers, Social Media. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
Is E-mail The New Snail Mail?
Feb 6th
Technology and social media platforms have been growing at a quick pace. Job seekers have shifted from sending hard copies of their resumes to faxing to emailing to applying with a simple click of a button through social media platforms like LinkedIn. Do you remember when classified ads and red pens were your go to search tool when searching for new opportunities?
All of these methods are being tweaked to make us move faster, apply sooner, and land a job quicker.
Once you get the job you seek you may no longer be emailing or talking on the phone with your co-workers.
Behold – social media for the office!
There are two platforms in particular that have sparked our interest: Yammer and Chatter. Both can be used in office for quicker responses, online meetings, and sharing files. These two tools are great for telecommuting co-workers as well.
This social network allows employees within a company to connect and collaborate in teams. You can see your colleague’s current projects and bounce ideas off of each other through this interactive, instantaneous platform.
There are three different membership options:
Basic – Free
Business (Up to 100 users) – $5 per user a month. This plan is customizable with comprehensive security and administrative controls
Enterprise (100+ users to qualify) – “Scalable enterprise social networking that integrates with your existing business systems at a discount for your entire organization.”
See the plans in more detail here.
This specific social media network is the same idea as Yammer without the tiered plan options.
Chatter.com is free. Our favorite feature on the site is “Top 10 Ways to Use Chatter.”
The slide show highlights screen shots giving the customer a visual of how Chatter can work for them and their co-workers.
Both networks have apps available to download on your mobile device: iPhone, BlackBerry, and Android.
Would you consider using these methods of communication in your office setting?
| Print article | This entry was posted by pyramid-admin on February 6, 2012 at 7:48 pm, and is filed under Chronicles For Candidates, Chronicles For Clients, Out and About, SINC - Source, Interact, Network, Connect, Sites For Seekers, Social Media. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
Monday Mentionings – Land The Job You Want
Jan 23rd
amNewYork and Vault.com wants you to focus more on landing the job you actually want!
While being unemployed has it’s obvious downsides, you can also view it as an opportunity to search, experiment and network for a job that you actually want instead of “just-a-job.”
Cathy Vandewater, author of “5 Ways To Land The Job You’d Actually Want,” said, “Since the recession, the ‘work-shouldn’t-be-fun’ mentality has only gotten worse. But here’s the trouble with ‘money’ jobs: not only do they make no promises of job satisfaction, they only bring real money for those who are good at them.”
Here are some ways to get on the path to landing your dream job:
Start to think outside of the box. How can you stand out? What more can you do to find what you really want? How can you obtain your dream job?
Do you want to share how you landed your dream job? Please comment on our Facebook page.
| Print article | This entry was posted by pyramid-admin on January 23, 2012 at 6:15 pm, and is filed under Chronicles For Candidates, Human Resource, Out and About, SINC - Source, Interact, Network, Connect, Sites For Seekers. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
The BEST App for Networkers – cardmunch
Jan 4th
We can guarantee that one of your resolutions is to get organized. Maybe you want to unsubscribe from all “shop” emails, alphabetize your DVD and CD collection, clean up your iTunes library, or just update your address book.
If you are a networking addict looking desperately for a new way to store and organize all the business cards you’ve collected over the years, you have to check out this new application from LinkedIn.
LinkedIn has made it so unbelievably easy to organize your busy collection of business cards by taking a quick snap shot of the cards with your iPhone!
This new application, cardmunch, takes pictures of business cards, stores the contact information in your phone, and cross references LinkedIn to see if the contact has an active profile.
For the time being, only iPhone users can utilize the app. For something that would be used universally, we’re sure it will be available on other mobile devices in no time.
Happy networking!
| Print article | This entry was posted by pyramid-admin on January 4, 2012 at 8:14 pm, and is filed under Chronicles For Candidates, SINC - Source, Interact, Network, Connect, Sites For Seekers. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
What Motivates You At Work
Nov 30th
Aside from bonuses, raises, and promotions there are other motivators that encourage employees to work hard and feel good about doing so.
In a recent article on INC.com, Ilya Prozin makes some great points, listing nine ways to inspire.
Ideas like positive reinforcement, small rewards, team projects, and company parties are all on our list of great ways to bring a team of employees together.
What are some ways you are motivated and encouraged at work?
Please share!
| Print article | This entry was posted by pyramid-admin on November 30, 2011 at 6:41 pm, and is filed under Chronicles For Candidates, Office Observations, Sites For Seekers. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
Holiday Contest – Win A Gift Card!
Nov 16th
Yesterday Pyramid Consulting Group began their first annual SOCIAL MEDIA CONTEST! The two winners will receive a gift card and a resume make over!
The Facebook and Twitter contests are being held separately resulting in two winners. Please feel free to enter both contests. However, you cannot win twice.
- Share Pyramid Consulting Group with your friends on Facebook.
- Have your friends follow PCG and comment on our page with the reason why you deserve a resume make over.
Example: Jane Smith deserves a resume make over because…
The person who has the most comments wins a gift card and a resume make over!
- Just RETWEET @pyramidcg!
- The winner will be chosen at random just before the holidays!
Good luck to all who enter!
For any questions please email sbellow(@)pyramidcg(dot)com.
| Print article | This entry was posted by pyramid-admin on November 16, 2011 at 5:20 pm, and is filed under Chronicles For Candidates, Right Your Resume, SINC - Source, Interact, Network, Connect, Sites For Seekers, Social Media. Follow any responses to this post through RSS 2.0. You can leave a response or trackback from your own site. |
