High 5 Weekly Career Transitions Roundup: 3 secrets of Every Successful Job Search or Career Change

This is our weekly roundup of some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share them so you have some great resources to prepare you for the coming week. Enjoy!

• 3 secrets of Every Successful Job Search or Career Change: "These tools are must-haves for every job seeker if they are searching for a job with an employer as opposed to striking out on their own."

• Develop This One Habit to Reduce Stress and Lead a More Fulfilling Life: "In today's world especially, gratitude is the ally you need to succeed in your business and for your personal health."

• 5 Habits of Successful People: "your daily habits help determine how you run your life. Ask yourself a couple of questions: a) what does success mean to me? and b) is there anything in my daily routine that I need to change that will help me become more successful?"

• 5 Practices of Exemplary Leadership: "Exemplary leaders know that if they want to gain commitment and achieve the highest standards, they must be models of the behavior they expect of others."
• 5 Ways to Elevate Your Social Media Game for Recruiters: "The majority of recruiters are now using platforms like Instagram, Facebook and Twitter to find out what resumes, cover letters and interviews can't tell them about a candidate ."

High Five Weekly Career Transitions Roundup

June is the traditional month of graduation, a time for new beginnings. For those 2012 graduates who plan to join the world of work, this weekly roundup is devoted to you.

Below are links to some of the best career-related articles, interviews, blogs, etc., we've read during the week. We share these so that you have some great resources to prepare you for your transition into the workplace. Enjoy!

1. Workplace Guide for New Graduates


2. Be a Gutsy Grad: LinkedIn Tips for the Class of 2012


3. Still No Job After Graduation--Now What?


4. How To Get Started Using Social Media for Your Job Search


5. For Today’s Graduates, a New Answer to the Old Question: “What Are You Doing Next?”

Tips For Increasing Your Chances Of Getting A Job After College!

Being a post grad is scary and in this economy, you need to stand out and make use of all the opportunities and tools you're given. Here are some easy ways to job hunt and find a job you adore right after you graduate.

1. Network. There is a reason everyone tells you to network: it works! Remember to work hard and try your best at every internship or opportunity you have during school because you never know what type of opportunities you may obtain afterward. If you do an amazing job at an internship, they just might hire you or recommend you to another business.


2. Get lots of recommendation letters from jobs and professors. Once you're done working hard for a class, job, or internship, always ask for a recommendation letter. This shows that professionals stand behind you and will help a potential employer see all your glowing qualities.


3. Make yourself a professional website. Use an easy and free website such as Weebly.com to create a simple and professional looking website that features information about you, your resume, published work, and contact information. It is a great way to stand out when potential employers ask for samples of work or more information about you.


4. Make use of Linkedin. In my previous post on being a social media savvy post grad, I wrote about the benefits of using social media to your job hunting advantage. Linkedin is a great way to network, get your resume, blog, and website out there, and to even search for job openings.


5. Search for jobs with your college's help. Most colleges and universities have a career center as well as a website that posts job listings. Be sure to talk to their counselors and use any websites they offer. I have found it to be more useful being a post grad than using other websites such as Monster.com, that are usually more geared toward more experienced professionals.

Manage Your Online Presence

References are becoming a thing of the past and employers are using the internet to discover information about you. Conducting a Google search and looking at Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn are now common practices for pre-screening personnel. Employers are looking for your “digital dirt” or unfavorable photos, videos, or information posted on the internet.

As an employee or a job seeker, you must manage your online presence. Do you post on Facebook during work hours, are you pictured in an inebriated state, or do you post inappropriate or unprofessional statements? These are all considerations as you use these tips to take care of your digital dirt.

Actively Research Your Online Presence
Your first step is to conduct an online search by typing your name into the major search engines such as www.google.com, www.yahoo.com, and www.bing.com. Evaluate what you find about you in the first three to five pages and ask yourself what image these items represent to your current or potential employer.

Take a Proactive Approach to Cleaning up Your Online Image
Go to all your online social networking sites and critically evaluate your profile, your posts, and what your friends have posted about you. Search these sites to see where you have been tagged on your friends’ postings. Ask friends to remove unprofessional information or photos. Manage your privacy settings on your accounts, but don’t rely on them to protect your image.

Cover the Negative with Positives
You will build credibility and erase negative information by posting positive professional information. While the internet can be detrimental to your career if mismanaged, it can also be a boost if used properly. Craft a thoughtful and well-written book review of the latest book in your industry, create a blog, develop your own website, answer questions on LinkedIn, or write online articles as an expert in your industry. If you have a website, increase the number of links to your site which will increase your ranking in popular search engines.

Tips On Becoming A Social Media Savvy Post Grad

Being a post grad these days is tough. We are all excited to graduate with big degrees. After all the excitement is over, we realize we have to find jobs and that we have no money. Many of us have to move back home and spend days after days searching for jobs, realizing most of them are "unpaid internships". My name is Lauren and I'm a recent post grad who graduated in December 2010 from Oakland University with a degree in Journalism. I currently have two part-time internships (luckily paid!). Let's begin with one of my favorite topics, the social media world and how it relates to the job hunt...

Social media, such as Facebook and Twitter are great for catching up with old friends and wasting time. But did you know they're also great for job hunting (as long as you keep things professional)? Here are some tips on how to use social media websites to your benefit when job searching:

1. I'm sure you've already got a Facebook and a Twitter account, but what about Linkedin? Linkedin is the king of professional social media. You can add your resume, network with people you already know or want to meet, ask for recommendations, connect your blog or website to your profile, join groups, search companies and employers, and even search for jobs. It is the number one tool you'll need if you want to use the Internet to your advantage when looking for a job.

2. Facebook and Twitter can help you too! Connect with the pages from your major at college. Most of them offer a page you can follow from not only your University, but your specific program. I connected with Oakland University Journalism and they often post jobs that are available in the area, tips on finding a job in journalism, and help with everything from the interview to your portfolio. Check Twitter too for a page, where they will post similar links to jobs or retweet when someone else posts an available job.

3. The number one rule if you're going to stay on social media while job hunting: keep it classy and professional! You may have your profiles private, but potential employers can often learn ways to see your pictures or even look at your profile. So just make sure your profile picture and recent photos aren't inappropriate in any way or will make you look immature. Keep in mind the things you're posting. Don't bash the job you have now (even if it is a terrible waitressing gig) because your potential employer might think you'll do the same with them. Don't post a ton of immature videos or photos either. You want to come across as mature and responsible as possible.

4. While this is not necessarily considered social media, start a blog if you haven't already. Remember the same rules as above: keep it professional and clean. No swearing or inappropriate language, photos, or videos. One of the best compliments I got from an interview was that I had a nice blog that made her want to talk to me. She said that some people don't even make it to the interview because their blog is messy, unprofessional, or riddled with errors. When I post anything on my blog, I always think "Would I want my mom, a potential employer, my neighbors, my friends, and strangers reading this?" If the answer is no to one of them, I have to change something. A blog is great if you want to get noticed in a different way, especially if you want to showcase your writing abilities. Even if you're not going into a writing field, a blog is still a great way to show that you have opinions and that you're passionate about something. A great blog is always a plus.

Clean Up Your Digital Dirt!

In 2008, an Oregon mayor was ousted from office after she posted racy photos on her MySpace account. She assumed that what she posted was a personal decision; her constituents thought otherwise.

At first glance, you might think the story simply underscores the ongoing debate around online privacy. A closer look, though, uncovers an important job screening lesson.

As the job market continues to remain competitive, an unflattering picture on Facebook or less-than-professional Tweet can create a negative impression of you in the minds of hiring managers. Follow these tips to take control of your Web presence:

Search yourself: It’s obvious that a quick Google search can elicit information about you. But try Spokeo.com to search more in-depth and root out any potential problems that you need to address.
Lockdown your Facebook profile: Are you familiar with Facebook’s security settings? If not, you could be displaying information that you don’t want others to see. Check out this video from the US Army to turn it into Fort Knox!
Run interference: Create a profile on LinkedIn.com that is geared exclusively towards your professional life. It will appear near the top of Google search results and bury other sites that have content you’re working on removing.
Make yourself immune: The last advice is probably the best: do not post anything on social media sites that you wouldn’t want displayed on the front page of the newspaper!