NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) — In today’s tough job market, it’s critical to stand out. So how to make sure your application gets noticed: A flawless cover letter? Killer résumé? Glowing reference from the CEO?

Not even. In the worst job market in 25 years, building an online presence is crucial to getting a job. Who you connect to, “follow” and “friend” can be just as important as conventional tools like résumés.

“Not only are employers looking for better candidates, but ones that are well versed in social media and seeking out opportunities,” said social media expert and president of Affect Strategies Sandra Fathi. “These mediums are here to stay and also a great way to differentiate yourself.”

Not only are valuable connections forged with potential employers and colleagues on sites like Facebook, Myspace, Twitter and LinkedIn, but openings are also posted there, sometimes in lieu of job boards.

www.money.cnn.com

Bette Publicker, 58, entered the blogosphere last week.

The event planner, who was laid off last year, created her blog at a workshop hosted by the Scottsdale Job Network. The Valley-wide group hosts meetings that focus on job-transition training and connects job seekers with employers and business leaders.

“I’m being dragged kicking and screaming into the technological world,” read her very first post at bettepublicker.wordpress.com. “It is like running with a broken leg after a fast-moving train.”
www.AZCentral.com

Marie Burns is a job placement expert here in Boston. She has embraced social networking as a tool to connect employers to job seekers.

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It’s been a while since I’ve written…Things got crazy, the economy got crazy – and I had to get creative and use all my time “keeping my job”.  Well, I’m still here, and I’ve found a few things that I’ve pointed job seekers to – if they want to find a job in the latest and greatest “Web 2.0” way.   It’s time to step up and use EVERYTHING you have at your fingertips.  It’s been a tough “job” world out there and because of this, more and more people have adopted multiple methods of looking for their next gig. You can no longer just submit your resume and expect to receive a phone call, unfortunately.  Pull out all the stops, job seekers! Or you’ll get passed up. 

I realized this morning (as I was on ANOTHER phone call) that I’ve had almost the EXACT same conversation with multiple friends/clients looking for jobs.  Each and every time I point people in the same direction….

CONTINUE READING LivingLifeToTheMax

A really great resume – one that captures attention, gets interviews, and lands jobs faster – has always been all about differentiating that job seeker and their promise of value from others competing for the same jobs.
Personal branding is the best career marketing tool today to get you there. And branding generates the kind of chemistry that helps hiring decision makers pre-qualify you as a good fit and sound hiring investment.
If you need help uncovering and building your personal brand, see my post The Personal Branding Worksheet.
Resumes these days often take the form of an online profile or part of an online career portfolio. Whether online or on “paper”, follow these 7 tactics to brand and power up your executive resume:

www.Brand-Yourself.com

Tawny Labrum, the same person who brought us this extremely popular (and heavily re-tweeted) article about Facebook job search applications, has written a new list indexing the 15 best job apps on Twitter. They are:

Read more at www.cheezehead.com

Who Should Attend:

* Job seekers who want to understand the techniques,
game plans and strategies to be competitive
* Recent grads, college seniors or seasoned professionals
interested in marketing, media, planning, sales, web
design and development, creative, SEO, information
architecture and more
* Employers who need to scout the best talent on the field

Jobshouts.com