Job Search Tip: Change The Contents of Your "Briefcase"

by Mike Farragher https://www.linkedin.com/in/mikefarragher/

Many job boards have a function of proactively bringing jobs to your attention. On LinkedIn, for example, accessing that list of jobs happens when you click the "briefcase" icon in the toolbar on your home page.

How do these job sites know what to recommend? They scan your personal profile page for key words. If you have "Vice President of Corporate Accounts" with a healthcare/biotech company in your past job titles, as I do, you will likely see job titles such as Vice President of National Accounts, Senior Director of Strategic Accounts, and Director of Integrated Delivery Networks (IDN) on your list of ideal matches in the "briefcase view."

To prove that concept, I used myself as a lab rat in an experiment. I looked at the job descriptions for Chief Revenue Officer in my field, and was surprised to learn that I had a lot of correlating experiences to those roles. After making a few subtle keyword modifications on my profile, my briefcase view suddenly shifted dramatically! I now found myself with a new level of Chief Revenue Officer (CRO) and General Manager (VPGM) roles at my disposal that weren't there yesterday.

These job boards will not only rank you as a "top applicant" based on the number of keyword matches that your profile makes with the job description, they will typically fine tune the briefcase view with every click you make on a company landing page that interests you.

It is no longer enough to have a well-written resume or job board profile. Utilizing key words and other tricks will have you unlocking the combination on the briefcase view so that the jobs are coming to you instead of the other way around. We can help! Visit us at www.careerletters.com and let's fill your briefcase with opportunity!

Mike Farragher is the CEO and Founder of CareerLetters, a company specializing in professional branding for individuals and small businesses alike. For more information on resume writing and copywriting services, visit www.carrerletters.com