December 28th – The #NumberOfTheDay is 240 Billion
The National Restaurant Association projected restaurant industry sales in 2020 would reach $899 billion. But now, nine months into the segment’s worst economic crisis on record, the industry is expected to generate only $659 billion in sales, resulting in a loss of $240 billion.
When 2020 began, no one could have foreseen what was to come. The coronavirus decimated the hospitality industry overnight and will continue to wreak havoc as we transition to 2021.
One mistake many job seekers make is not being ready to navigate the challenges of sudden job loss. Here are three quick tips to help you prepare for the unexpected.
- Have your résumé updated annually, regardless of whether you are actively seeking new employment or not.
- Networking is not something you do, but rather a way of life. Networking is about building relationships, and relationships take time to build. Waiting until you are aggressively pursuing new employment before actively using LinkedIn is a mistake that I see all too often
- Keep a brag book. Document your successes weekly and understand the value you bring to an organization.
December 29th – The #NumberOfTheDay is 7
According to the United States Census Bureau, 7% of American adults have served in the military. Often veterans have difficulty finding employment even though their skill sets and work ethic will rival anyone. Preparing a successful military-to-civilian résumé is crucial.
Here are a few tips to help:
- Lose the alphabet soup. Acronyms are plentiful in the service, but non-military hiring managers have no idea what EPR, UTC, or AOR stands for
- Translate military jargon into civilian language. Remember your audience
- Take your occupational specialty and achievements, and align them with the civilian job market
- Include special skills; foreign languages, computer skills, security clearance, or other technical specialties that help set you apart
December 3oth – The #NumberOfTheDay is 250
When employers fill open positions, they usually look to internal candidates first, followed by referral candidates. Only if they do not find someone will they post the position publicly. If you wait around searching job boards all day, you miss out on 75% of available jobs.
Now consider that according to Glassdoor, the average job opening attracts 250 résumés. Assuming the employer meets with the top 5 candidates, your chance of landing an interview is a paltry 2%.
Instead of wasting your time scouring job boards waiting for the perfect position to be posted, spent your time targeting specific companies and building your network in those organizations. Your chance of landing a role as a referred candidate is significantly greater than trying to get through an ATS and hoping you’ll be one of the 2%
December 31st – The #NumberOfTheDay is 53
According to AdAge, 53% of all advertising dollars all spent on digital platforms. In 2010, only 20% of advertising dollars were spent on digital media.
Being seen online is more important than ever for corporations, and the same is true for job seekers. In today’s digital age, you need more than just a résumé; a fully optimized LinkedIn profile can significantly help your chances of landing a position.
LinkedIn has over 766 million users, with over 310 million active monthly users. The only people that might see your résumé are those that you send it to, whereas having a digital presence on LinkedIn provides you with the opportunity to have your profile viewed by over 766 million people.
Where do you think you’ll get more bang for your buck?
