The Importance Of A Virtual Resume

 Some 500,00 people lost their jobs in December alone. And now they are hitting the workforce in great numbers, making the competition fierce.

 

 

 

So what does that mean to you, if you’re looking for a job?

 

It’s time to say goodbye to the traditional resume and cover letter and hello to the virtual one.

 

It’s nothing new that people are using online job sites like Monster and CareerBuilder. And that’s all well and good, but these days, in this type of job market, some people are going even further creating entire websites, blogs, even video resumes and virtual portfolios in order to stand out.

 

And on the opposite end, employers are searching online resumes and conducting more and more online interviews to save money on bringing someone in for an in-person interview.

 

So these days it’s important to get yourself out there as much as possible, but in a positive way.

 

For example, sign up for career oriented sites like LinkedIn.

 

By creating a professional profile on this site you can connect with professionals from all types of different industry. The jobs and hiring section lets you search for opportunities that are currently available.

 

But even before posting that resume online or joining career-oriented social networking sites, you must clean up any unwanted stuff that may be floating around the net about you.

 

That stuff has come to be known as “digital dirt.”  In today’s world employers are headed to the net to find out what you’re really all about. 

 

So the first and perhaps the most obvious thing you need to do is Google yourself to find out what pops up.

 

Next, clean up your Facebook, MySpace and any other social networking site. Make sure you don’t have any inappropriate pictures, quotes, videos, or messages available for the world to see.

Martin Luther King Neighborhood Diversity Crawls

Hey everyone,

 

Just an FYI on a great opportunity to have a little fun this weekend around the ‘Burgh…..

 

In celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday, Pittsburgh Cares is holding two special events to promote respect for diversity in Pittsburgh. 

 

MLK Neighborhood Diversity Crawls (various Pittsburgh neighborhoods)

Saturday, January 17, 2009, 11:00am-1:00pm

 

Have you always wanted to learn more about the history of various Pittsburgh neighborhoods? Perhaps you just want to know more about your own neighborhood.

 

Well now you can! In fact, you can explore several of Pittsburgh’s unique neighborhoods! 

 

Join Pittsburgh Cares in celebration of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.’s passion for diversity by registering for a narrated tour around various Pittsburgh neighborhoods including:

Mount Washington/ West End

Lawrenceville

 Bloomfield/Friendship

South Side

Regent Square

Strip District

Oakmont

 

For a registration fee of only $20 per person, each diversity crawl will include the sampling of various foods and beverages, the exploration of locally owned businesses and the education on how local nonprofit organizations support our region.

 

For more information on the MLK Neighborhood Diversity Crawls or to register call 412-471-2114 or log onto pittsburghcares.org.

 

 

Also check out…..

 

Diversity Shelves and Performances

Bidwell Training Center (1815 Metropolitan Street Pittsburgh PA 15233)

Monday, January 19, 2009, 10:00am-1:00pm

 

Join more than 350 youth and adult volunteers at the Bidwell Training Center, a subsidiary of the Manchester Bidwell Corporation for the design and construction of “diversity shelves.”

 

These wooden bookcases are designed with words and images from the Civil Rights Movement and serve as a platform for initiating dialogue around race relations, community organizing, volunteerism, and diversity. 

 

Volunteers can tour a private photo exhibit of Dr. King’s life that documents and teaches individuals about his own personal civic journey. 

 

Plus, various local performing artists will also be showcasing their talents at the end of the project from 12-1pm as the volunteers unite in celebration of Dr. King’s dream for a community that respects and embraces diversity.

Money Smarts: 5 Sites for Your Finances

It’s a new year and a new chance to get your finances on the right path, especially with this economy.

SmartMoney.com has put together a list of Web sites that will help you reshape your finances in 2009.

 

First on the list is Mint.com.

This financially savvy site will allow you to sync and track all of your financial accounts and create spending/saving budgets. The site will even recommend better available interest rates for your checking and savings accounts.

 

Next, who has debt out there??? Almost every single one of us, right?

JustThrive.com will help you organize your debt and develop a plan to get out from under it. The will give you a “financial health” score, which measures things like your debt-to-income ratio, as well as your spending rate. JustThrive will also provide personalized advice on spending and help you create plans to save for anything from a wedding to a new HDTV.

 

But if you have a specific savings goal in mind head, to SmartyPig.com. This site helps you save for specific goals by suggesting a monthly deposit amount. It also includes social networking applications that allow you to invite others to contribute to your account—like fiancés, spouses and (my favorite) parents. SmartyPig will even provide a financial incentive of up to 6% to buy gift cards from certain retailers through the site.

 

Finally, if you think you’re paying too much on your cell phone bill then you definitely need to try Billshrink.com.

Upload your latest bill to the free site and it will analyze more than 200 plan combinations factoring in reception and the cost to switch providers. BillShrink will then provide you with the best deal.  It also does the same thing with credit cards.