Trouble Landing an Interview? Time to Revise Your Résumé

Millions of people in the United States are in the job market. In fact, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, there were more than three unemployed people competing for every one job opening in the country. Is that intimidating? Yes. Should that deter you from looking for employment? Not with the résumé tips that the young professionals at the Jaycees have for you! Aside from your experience and education, a well-written résumé can help you stand out in a sea of applicants. Here are some guidelines to follow when making revisions to your résumé:

Readability – A pretty résumé is not going to solidify an interview, but you better believe that if it comes down to two people with the same credentials, the person with the more user-friendly résumé is going to get the nod before the person with the lackluster CV. That means it is time to give your résumé a more personal touch. Whether it is your header or some sort of visual tool to display your information, employers would rather be wowed than underwhelmed.

Specificity – No two jobs are created equal. All open positions tend to have a specific skill set requirement that accompanies a job listing, so wouldn’t you want your résumé to reflect the requirements for the job you are applying for? Take the extra time to go through your job duties to ensure your work history jibes with the job listing. Employers are known for weeding out applicants by searching for keywords that were listed in their job postings on applicants’ résumés.

Frequency – Our talents, skills, job titles and responsibilities change often, so why aren’t you keeping your résumé up-to-date? As young professionals, we owe it to ourselves to keep our eyes open for newer, bigger and better opportunities. Don’t be counted out just because you didn’t have the time to update your résumé – or worse, making a simple mistake because you rushed through a revision.

Remember – a good résumé can only get you an interview. After that, it’s up to you to make sure you are doing what it takes to be considered for the position. Do you have any interviewing tips that have helped you land a job in the past? Visit the Jaycees’ Facebook and Twitter pages and share your wisdom with us. Every little bit of help counts!

JCI Florida Year End Celebration and Outstanding Young Floridians

JCI Florida Year End Celebration and

Outstanding Young Floridians
 

February 7 - 9, 2014

Join JCI Florida and the JCI Florida Senate at our 2013 Year End Celebration! Experience JCI Admin and other training, networking, and round tables with fellow members, as well as a beautiful Saturday evening banquet where we will recognize the outstanding accomplishments of 2013 and honor our Outstanding Young Floridians.

JCI Florida believes in everyday heroes and cherishes the opportunity to honor them at our annual Outstanding Young Floridians (OYF) Awards Program. Individuals receive awards for their exceptional service in a specific category or profession. 

Daytona Beach Resort & Conference Center

2700 N Atlantic Avenue

Daytona Beach, FL 32118

Hotel Rates:

     Oceanview Studio - Single King/Double Queen:  $89.00/night

     Oceanview One Bedroom Suite:  $119.00/night

Use code “FLJCISEN” when making your reservations. If ordering online, please contact the hotel after reserving your room with the confirmation code.

Weekend Dress Code

Friday Evening: Business Casual

Friday Social: Casual

Saturday Competitions: Business

Saturday Training: Business Casual

Saturday Banquet/ OYF: Formal/Semi-Formal

OYF After Party: Casual

Sunday Meeting: Business Casual

Maximize Your Networking Efforts: Who You Really Need to Know

Sometimes more doesn’t always equal better, and that can certainly ring true for the amount of people in your professional network. With random invitations on LinkedIn and enough business cards collected to fill an entire Rolodex, our networking efforts can be clogged with connections that might not make the most sense professionally. Did you know that you can usually narrow your efforts down to just a few people at a professional networking group event? The Jaycees have the insight on who you need to meet at your next networking event.

The planner – Who is throwing the shindig that you’re attending? Obviously that person has the wherewithal to organize the event that has brought all of these individuals together. With that in mind, make sure that you take the time to make an introduction. This person is likely to have a lot of industry and professional connections that can be beneficial to you in the future. Be sure to follow up after the event, thank them and stay in touch.

The speaker – Most events have a speaker who has important industry information to share with the room. If your host/hostess thought them appropriate enough to share their wisdom with a group of young professionals, make sure that you give yourself the opportunity for some one-on-one time. Whether you gain knowledge on how they reached their success or simply request to connect on LinkedIn, this is also a connection who you will want to maintain a relationship with. Are they on Twitter? That’s a great way to stay visible, up-to-date and interactive with any industry information he/she might share.

The friendly face – There are always familiar faces as industry and networking events. Reach out to one of these friendly faces to join you at an upcoming affair – these things are always better with someone else in tow. By attending the event with an acquaintance instead of a friend, you will be more likely to interact with others. Your new friend will also be able to make introductions to people they know and vice versa. As always, maintain a good relationship with this person and those you meet for the future.

Those may not be the only people you could meet at a young professionals meeting, but when you are trying to build an impressive network they may be the most influential. Do you have any additional networking tips for your fellow Jaycees members? Visit our Facebook, Twitter or LinkedIn and share them with us today!

Young Professionals and Social Media: Join These 4 Platforms

Unless you’re living under a rock, you are likely one of the one in four people around the world who are connected to some sort of social media platform. If you happen to have taken up residency that rock, don’t worry – the social media pros at the Jaycees can help get you up to speed on which social media channels to join and why.

LinkedIn – As a social media platform that is geared to professionals, this is a no-brainer. LinkedIn allows you as a young professional to have a place to connect with other professionals, professional groups, community thought leaders and companies while giving you the space to display your work history, educational background, online portfolio and more. Be aware that this site is specifically for you to connect with professionals and build your network.

Facebook – Leading the way as the largest social media site in the world, it’s important to have a presence on Facebook. Of course, remember to keep things work appropriate – if you need a refresher, check out our social media etiquette tips. With so many active members, not only is Facebook a great platform for networking, it’s also a great place to show potential employers a version of yourself that could potentially be a good match.

Twitter – Looking for a way to establish yourself as a thought leader in your industry? What if we told you it could be possible to do so in less than 140 characters? Welcome to the wonderful world of Twitter. A general rule of thumb on Twitter is to keep things simple – stay primarily positive and a source of credible information and you’ll be good to go.

Blogs – We know that blogging isn’t exactly a social media network like Facebook or Twitter, however writing a blog is a great skill set to have to help you reach a targeted audience. On this platform, it doesn’t matter if you’re writing about life lessons, industry knowledge or personal experiences. This is the channel to have others see a warmer, friendly and more pleasant side of yourself. Of course, your blog entries will be better served when they are shared across your social media sites.

Whether you are just beginning your career or you’re a well-established young professional, the need for social media skills and knowledge is stronger than ever. If you are looking for additional ways other than social media to increase your professional network, consider joining an organization like the Jaycees. Visitour website to find out more about our professional networking group and how to join.

4 Tips to Promote Career Development in Young Professionals

If you are feeling unchallenged, bored, dissatisfied or stuck at your current position at work, you’re not the only one. Many young professionals begin their careers in positions with hopes to climb the ranks, but sometimes that just doesn’t happen. Most members of the Jaycees know things are not just handed to you – you have to work for advancement in the workplace. Besides coming to work and doing your job, what else can you do to promote your career development in your current position? Here are four ways that can help you build a stronger self-brand at work:

Know what is possible. In some jobs, there just isn’t room for growth. Period. Sometimes the best kind of career development doesn’t involve a promotion; sometimes it’s knowing that you won’t advance. Why? Because career development isn’t just about that — it’s about how you handle adversity and overcome perceived obstacles. Learn all you can about your job/industry/etc. and be the best at it so you are prepared when an opportunity arises.

Get involved outside of the office. Have a charity or cause you are extra passionate about? Your bosses are likely to support your volunteer or fundraising efforts AND it can be a way to enhance your workplace reputation.

Make sure you’re great at more than just your work. Are you a good communicator? Work well with others? Super organized? Your boss (and their boss) may value more than just the ability to produce quality work. If you have your eyes set on a promotion or a raise, focus on maintaining your high quality of work as well as improving your soft skills, which are coincidentally often skills identified with great leaders.

Be committed. Might there be better opportunities out there? Or the possibility to get your foot in the door elsewhere? Maybe. Does that mean you should jump ship for the chance of greener pastures? Definitely not. We’ve all heard the phrase “with no risk comes no reward.” Make goals at work, commit to them and evaluate where you stand at the end. If you aren’t making the progress you anticipated, the career development you want may not be an option in your current position.

Don’t ever let yourself feel stuck in your current position. It’s up to you to create opportunity – whether by investing in your existing job or by finding a job with a more promising future. Have you had success in moving up the ladder? Visit the Jaycees’ Facebook and Twitter pages to share your experiences with us. If you are not a member of the United States Junior Chamber and are interested in getting involved in an organization outside of work, visit our website to find a young professionals chapter near you today.

 

The Jaycees Through the Years: Entertainment Edition

You can look at nearly all professional fields – from politics to health care to major innovators – and find a successful member of the Jaycees at the forefront. This also rings true for professionals in the entertainment field. Many people who have brought joy and amusement into the lives and homes of millions of people across the world are also entrepreneurs. But did you know that they have also been a part of the same organization that you are involved in today?

Larry Bird – The famed professional basketball player, coach, and owner was also a member of the Jaycees. His membership may not have accounted for this athletic prowess, but it may have helped him in his ongoing career as a business owner.

Kaye Lani-Rae – This Jaycee member was crowned Miss America in 1988. As a registered nurse, Kaye used her platform to raise awareness for nursing and hospice programs worldwide. Her philanthropic actions exude what it means to be a Jaycee.

Elvis Presley – Yes, even “The King” had an interest in developing his leadership skills and network! In fact, Elvis went on to be a recipient of one of the 10 TOYA awards given in 1970. (You can actually see his acceptance speech right here!)

Considering the endless roster of members, the United States Junior Chamber can obviously be considered a useful tool for any professional – famous or not. Are you interested in joining the ranks of other celebrated Jaycee members? Visit our website for more information on a local chapter near you.