August means back-to-school for students nationwide. With the beginning of another academic year, cash registers at department stores and college bookstores (and the virtual versions online) ring from the purchase of supplies.
If you are on the job hunt, you might similarly be in the market for essentials. The landscape for job seekers has undergone an evolution, particularly in recent years with the proliferation of technology. To that end, you have assuredly been told that the classic, paper resume is no longer enough.
But what will help you stand out in your job search, and during the interview process? That answer varies.
Obviously, different industries and lines of work come with their own expectations as to what should be presented in the application and interview processes. However, some basic supplies can apply to the job hunt no matter your career aspirations.
A TABLET OR VERSATILE LAPTOP
The job market has increasingly moved online, which renders the process a 24/7/365 proposition. Many in the American labor market have smartphones, and they provide nonstop connectivity, but lack some of the functionality of a tablet or laptop.
Keeping a smaller tablet or laptop with you to work on job-search projects whenever the opportunity or inspiration arrives can be helpful. It's even more important for the interview process. While employers do much of their searching and hiring online, it's surprisingly common to interview in quarters without immediate connectivity.
Being able to produce your digital resume and/or samples of your work on the spot strengthens your pitch to the hirer, and also demonstrates foresight. Preparation is an attractive quality in the job market.
VIDEO AND PHOTO EDITING PROGRAMS
Part of the benefit to a digital CV is that the possibility are only as limited as your imagination. You've surely heard the cliche, "Show don't tell." Well, with a visual CV, you can do exactly that in a dynamic way that grabs an interviewer's attention.
Producing either a slideshow or video that shows your qualifications, rather than simply rehashing your qualifications, can go a long way. However, video resumes and slideshows are only as effective as the images that comprise them. A professionally DIY video tour of your professional abilities, editing with a program like Premiere Pro, isn't just an effective resume tool: It demonstrates yet another skill in your professional toolbox.
A JOB BOARD ACCOUNT
This might seem self-explanatory, considering online job boards have largely replaced print classifieds. However, there are so many options and levels of job-board membership that choosing one can be a challenge. A job board specific to your industry can be a great place to start. If you work or are looking to start working in Human Resources, for example, CareerCast has a job board specifically for professionals in the field.