Career Goddess

Video and QR Codes: Technology Tools for Job Search 2.0

The digital world of job search is becoming more fascinating by the day. With the advent of Smartphones, iPhones, Androids and the like, more and more recruiters and hiring managers are accessing candidates and researching for likely prospects via these devices.

As I discussed previously in Super-size Your Job Search: QR Codes, these technology advances need to be factored into your job search. Make it easy for potential employers to find you. And make it easy for them to make the initial decision to take a further look at you (versus the hordes of other candidates) because you chose to use modern technology.

That is where QR codes come in. They allow hiring managers to see that you are up-to-date (as in “not an old fogey”). And with one click of their Smartphone camera or iPad app, they can immediately go to the content you want them to see.

Now that could be as basic as your online resume. But since you have grabbed their eyeballs, why not kick it up a notch? Direct them to your web portfolio, perhaps at VisualCV.com, your custom Top 5 Google search results at your Vizibility.com account, or your fully completed LinkedIn Profile (no bare-bones LI Profile please!)

To really tip the scale in your favor, why not produce a professional video relating your key value to the employer and your unique personal brand? Then create a QR code to point intrigued employers to that video. Voilá! You have now outstripped your competition by miles!

For example, here is the QR code for my VideoBIO.

If you prefer, the URL is http://www.videobio.com/susanguarneri

 Note: If you are interested in a high-quality video, contact me. As a Certified VideoBIO Producer, I can assist you with uncovering your personal brand and developing a concise script to convey your main points. We partner with VideoBIO to ensure your video is top-notch quality and expresses your authentic personal brand and compelling value.

Super-size Your Job Search: QR Codes

This image may look like Greek to you, but to a SmartPhone, camera phone or iPad equipped with a mobile tagging application, it can be deciphered to show my LinkedIn Profile, which resides at http://www.linkedin.com/in/assessmentgoddess. Called a quick response (QR) code or 2D bar code, this image provides an efficient shortcut to share information.

What does this have to do with your job search? Many recruiters and employers (50% or more) are now doing their searches of potential candidates using mobile devices such as Blackberry phones, SmartPhones, iPhones, Android phones, and iPads.

Why not make it as easy as possible for them to find out about you and your credentials, your Personal Brand Summary, your work experience and accomplishments, and best of all, your recommendations? It is easy – just insert your LinkedIn Profile QR code into your email signature, resume, cover letters, and other self-marketing profiles and documents.

Here is another option, especially if you have a common name shared by others. Create a free account at Vizibility.com and choose what results show up when someone searches your name on Google. You will of course want to choose results that are about you and position you at your best.

Your Vizibility PreSearch URL (mine is http://vizibility.com/susanguarneri ) will show the top five results of your choice. You will notice that my LinkedIn Profile is one of those top five.

Take that a step further and create a QR code for those top five results, along with a photo and contact information. You have now super-sized your self-marketing information for your job search beyond your LinkedIn Profile with a mini-image! The QR code for my Vizibility PreSearch is at the left.

So, how do you create a QR code? It is actually quite simple. For your Vizibility QR code, follow the directions on the Vizibility website. The directions will also guide you on how to insert your QR code into your social profiles, email signatures, Typepad account, VideoBIO, and more.

Here is how to create a QR code for any URL of your choice. For example, if it is your LinkedIn Profile:

1. Copy and paste your public LinkedIn Profile URL into Notepad
2. Login to your Gmail account (or other Google account)
3. Go to http://goo.gl/
4. Paste your LI Profile URL (from Notepad) into the white box and click on the Shorten button
5. Look for your shortened LI Profile URL to the right of the Shorten button. My shortened LI Profile URL is http://goo.gl/LwePy
6. For the QR code, find the Details>> tab on the right and click on it. This will produce your QR code. Save this image just like you would another other image. Then use it to optimize your job search!

100 Voices in Business Celebrate International Women's Day

Yesterday March 8th was the 100th anniversary of the first celebration of International Women’s Day in Austria, Denmark, Germany, and Switzerland. I was honored to be invited to participate in a special project called 100 Voices in Business. This project sprouted from the imagination of Krishna De, business coach and social media guru, who also guided the process of getting 100 quotes from women in business in only 5 days!

The 100 Voices in Business Report quotes are short, Twitter-style tips and strategies covering:

1. Leadership and Inspiring Your Team
2. Networking and Building Effective Relationships
3. Productivity and Time Management
4. Professional Development
5. Work Life Balance

Check out the report. It’s a quick and easy read with valuable advice for any woman (or man). My contribution is number 63, under the category of Professional Development.

More than 2,500 people viewed the 100 Voices in Business Report in less than 15 hours. You might just want to see what captured their interest.

If you decide to tweet about the report, please use the hashtag #100voicesbiz – thanks!