Convergence - Technology's Fast Track

What it’s all about.

convergenceforemployers — Fri, 02 May 2008 07:07:30 +0000

This site is dedicated to helping graduates in this revolutionary time of media convergence choose the best way to market themselves to future employers by utilizing technology. The four main areas covered will be resume writing and design, what to put in a portfolio, how to create a website and where to look to find a job.

Why use technology when finding a job.

convergenceforemployers — Fri, 02 May 2008 07:07:24 +0000

Technology is unavoidable. Every day, more and more companies are updating their equipment to run faster, work more efficiently and keep up with the increasing competition from a global market. Computers are essential to business and knowing how to use them is paramount to the success of any employee in the workforce. Whether it be keeping track of clients in an advertising agency or putting together a company newsletter, technology is everywhere

So whether an individual was a “flower child” or grew up playing Donkey Kong, employers need to know that the future of their companies lies in the hands of people who are competent and capable working with constantly changing technology. It doesn’t mean that someone has to have their degree in Information Technology or know how to program a computer. It means that they at least know how to use the various resources available to get the job done.

Here, the resources are various sites on the Internet and the job that needs to be done is to show potential employers that you can use technology to show them you want to work for them.

How to write a resume.

convergenceforemployers — Fri, 02 May 2008 07:07:03 +0000

If you were to search for “how to write a resume” in a Google search bar, you would come up with over 100 million options. So which is the best one to use to help you create the perfect product? The debate could go on forever and there may not be a perfect resume to be had. However, most sites have a few basic points in common that seem to be widely agreed upon.

The first is that no matter what job a person is applying for, the resume needs to be organized, easy to read and appear clean. This means that the font is consistent, the writing is set to specific margins and there are no spelling or grammatical errors.

Second, there must be the basic components of contact information, job objective, education, experience and awards. The following websites detail what specifically each of these sections should contain:

http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/careers/students/apply_job/resume/index.cfm

http://www.how-to-write-a-resume.org/resume_writing_tips.htm

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResumeW/index.html

http://www.rockportinstitute.com/resume_02.html

The third component that is widely highlighted is that a good resume should have several versions. Depending on the type of job someone is trying to get, different skills and experiences should be shown that cater to what the employer is looking for.

Here is an example of what a polished resume may look like:

How to complete a portfolio.

convergenceforemployers — Fri, 02 May 2008 07:06:46 +0000

On the contrary to what many people think, a portfolio is not necessarily a huge brief case with an artist’s best paintings inside. It can be, but as more companies look for employees to fill a temporary niche, gearing a collection of examples of your best work may be the one thing that shows an employer that you are better than the competition. After all, “a picture is worth a thousand words.” So when a potential employer can visually see your accomplishments they may be more inclined to hire you.

Many sites are dedicated to helping an individual create and use a portfolio to attain a desired career. Again, the argument for which is the best could go on forever, but the one here appears to be the most comprehensive.

The following website outlines what a portfolio is, why someone should have a portfolio, what one might look like and how to utilize it during an interview process.

http://futrell-www.tamu.edu/portfolio.htm

How to create a website.

convergenceforemployers — Fri, 02 May 2008 07:06:27 +0000

There are many options to creating your own website. Someone could hire a specialist to create a domain around marketing a specific product, while other people could utilize sites like wordpress.com or livejournal.com to create content. Here is what livejournal’s home page looks like.

The purpose of a sight should be the determining factor for which option you choose. For use as a tool to market yourself to potential em

ployers, a site that does not cost money to the user and one that is simple to edit might be the best option.

The first thing you want to do when creating a website is to have clear goals in mind before you begin. To put yourself on the web for p

ossible employers to see is also a key component to separating yourself from others who might be seeking the same job as you.

Having a website is also a way for a potential employers to get to know you a little better without seeing you in person. This is especially easy to do if you are submitting a resume online and have the link to your site on the contact information section of your resume. This would also be a way to show someone that you’re not afraid to embrace technology and can use resources to put yourself ahead of the crowd.

This would not be the place, however, to post pictures of your kids and the party you had last weekend. Remember that this is a professional site dedicated to making you look capable, competent and of the highest professionalism. This would be a great place, on the other hand, to display your best works and have a digital portfolio for people to see online.

Below is a short tutorial on how to create one website for free, with wordpress.com.

Where to look to find a job.

convergenceforemployers — Fri, 02 May 2008 07:05:38 +0000

Depending on what kind of job you are looking for, you might want to approach this differently. Local newspapers always have the want ads and of course you can always rely on your friends to hear when a position might be opening in their office. While it is always good to keep your options open, there are many opportunities to find jobs on the internet.

If you know what company you want to work for specifically, many organizations’ web sights have a section highlighting available positions. If you don’t know exactly where you want to be, sites like moster.com and careerbuilder.com might be the answer.

If you are looking to find a job as a civilian worker in the military, you can try usajobs.com and cpol.army.mil.

No matter what kind of job you are looking for, the most important thing to do is put yourself out there. Utilize all your resources and find something that is right for you. If looking yourself is too difficult, you can hire a “head hunter” to do the work for you. But, no matter what, don’t give up. The right job for you is out there somewhere. You just have to find it.

References:

http://www.careerbuilder.com

http://www.cpol.army.mil

http://futrell-www.tamu.edu/portfolio.htm

http://www.how-to-write-a-resume.org/resume_writing_tips.htm

http://www.lawschool.cornell.edu/careers/students/apply_job/resume/index.cfm

http://www.livejournal.com

http://www.monster.com

http://owl.english.purdue.edu/workshops/hypertext/ResumeW/index.html

http://www.rockportinstitute.com/resume_02.html

http://www.wordpress.com