Single Parenting - Diversity in The Workplace

It was not that long ago in our workplaces that woman faced some serious challenges.  We had to struggle to get into a job but then we faced some serious issues when we married because employers just knew we would become pregnant.  Careers ended with babies and if women could go back, they could not achieve what single women achieved and certainly could not hope for what men were accomplishing.   I could go on forever here about the struggles of women with families faced back in the day at work but did you know it still happens?

There is diversity in today’s workplaces that I feel many people do not realize exists and this diversity is all about single parents.  Times have certainly changed and more single parent families are currently working than ever before.  Perhaps we may know our coworker is a single mom or dad but we probably do not talk to them about their situation.  We may share anecdotal stories about kids’ projects or birthdays but we have not considered their unique struggles.  As single parents the world of work can be very different.  Business travel may present a whole new element of stress because reliable childcare may be an issue for them.  Working late can also present special problems due to daycare.  What is a single parent to do?  

Tips for Managing Work and Parenting

The first thing a parent can do is be honest with their employer.  They may find some support there that was previously unknown.  Talk about flexible work schedules to accommodate working late.   Could teleconferencing be a way around a business trip every now and then?  Can a weekend day be arranged and perhaps kids could be brought to work or maybe work from home arrangements can be made as well.  The expectations of our jobs does not go away but flexibility in how we do our jobs can go a long way to enhance productivity as well as employee engagement.  Perhaps another way to manage shifts and late hours may be to form a support group or team at work with another parent.  Share child minding or pick up times from daycare to help each other out when schedules become hectic.  

Still Struggling?

Sick days are very stressful! No one likes it when their child is ill and it this can happen with deadlines looming or important projects are due that day.  Communication and flexibility are key in these situations as well as creativity.  Perhaps there is someone who can help out for the day or you can make those work from home arrangements.  Employers are becoming more aware of the struggles their single parents face.  Many managers themselves are now single parents also so you are not alone.  Find out if your company offers Work, Life Balance days.  Days you can take off in addition to your vacation days without pay or a percentage of your daily salary.  This could be a life saver for you when unexpected absences or special events arise.  Another thing to seek out from your benefits may be Employee Assistance Programs.  This benefit is free to use and when you connect with them, they can offer advice, research and support.  

Social Media - Useful Tips for Job Searching

Common Pitfalls of Social Media

Many of us are familiar with and have heard the term "social media". Most of us are aware of sites like Facebook, My Space, Twitter, and LinkedIn. Many of us today probably have profiles on a few of these sites. Social media can be used for your job search as well. There are a few dangers with social media and your job search you need to know about.

What we put out into cyberspace stays there permanently and this fact is easily forgotten. When our friends post about us on their profiles this also remains in public view forever or until profiles are disabled. We have all heard the stories in the news about employees off on sick time when a harmless photo at a party shows up on Facebook and leads to a termination. There is belief that our profiles on sites like Facebook and My Space belong to us and that they are an expression of our personality. While this is true, more than your family and friends review your profile. Many recruiters, Human Resource professionals and other hiring managers also look at them. Why you may ask? Well curiosity is one reason. People want to know and understand who they will be bringing into their workplace so what a great preview of you than to see you in your natural habitat. Hiring managers look at habits, personality, activities to see the "cultural fit" within their organization. This may not sound fair but there are some common sense things you can do to safeguard your private moments. As time goes by, I feel we as a society are losing perspective on what "private moments" are due to the influence of social media in our lives.

The Google Test

Have you ever performed a“Google” search of your name? If you have, were you surprised to see how much personal information about you came up in that search? Was any of the search material surprising? Was anything that surfaced a little embarrassing? Now imagine what a future employer might think of you if they performed a search and found out about you? Might some of that information prevent you from being hired?

Our personal lives are our “personal lives” however, employers look for people that fit their culture as much as they fit their skill needs. If you appear to be a party type and the company you are applying with is much more conservative, do you think the interviewer will see the fit? This discussion is endless with both pro’s and con’s for social media presence.

What Can You Do About Your On-Line Profile?

The first thing you can do is go to your personal profile on social media sites and examine your security settings. You can decide who can see your profile as well as how much is visible to the public. You can choose a setting that only allows your list of connections to view your pages. This is an advisable setting when job searching. Many people today choose this option all of the time as they prefer to keep their profile private.

Reach out to your friends and tell them about your job search. They can go easy on "tagging" you in some weekend photos that you feel a future employer may not find so charming.

Watch your language! If you are blogging or posting and you choose to use foul language, this will probably influence a future employer's decision about your fit. Blogging can be the source of great angst while job searching. Blogging is a great tool and is a fabulous form of self expression but be careful to not blog about previous employers and make very negative remarks. This could set you up for some litigation and future employers will be fearful of your potential remarks about them!

Keep your social media life under control and good luck in your job search!

Interview Tool Kit and Information

Interview Preparation
Many of us have not had to go to an interview in many years. Interviewing can be a very stressful experience but these tips will provide you with some information about this process to make it a more comfortable. With this information, interviews do not have to be the marathon experience that you may think it is.

Interview Etiquette

Cell Phones – Make sure your phone is turned off. Nothing sends a worse messagae to your interviewer than a ringing or vibrating phone! I have lost count with the interviews I have been in and the candidate is distracted by their phone. I have also had people answer their phone during an interview as well. The interviewer requires your complete attention. Answering your cell phone or text messaging during an interview will send a message that you are not serious about the interview or the job.

Be On Time - Prepare your trip the day before. Be aware of your route if driving and know how long this will take during the time of day you are scheduled for the interview. If you are taking public transit, research your route and transfers so that you arrive on time. Aim for about ten minutes earlier than your interview time. You do not want to arrive too early, as this will not send a great message to your interviewer who may be busy with another interview or their daily work.

Dress For Success – Interviewers will notice small details about your overall appearance. Make sure you have taken extra care with your appearance and personal grooming. Ensure your shoes are polished and in good shape. The same goes for purses or portfolios you may be carrying. Ladies ensure your hair is neatly done and if you wear makeup, natural looking is best. Ladies should be in business attire, which would include dress pants, skirts, jackets, sweaters or blouses. Men should be in dress pants, suits, jackets, shirts and ties. Research your company before you go where possible to find out the corporate culture and dress code. If the company dress code is casual, dress a step above this to look polished. You only have one opportunity to make a first impression! Please leave the strong perfumes or colognes at home. Many companies have a workplace scent free policy you may not be aware of. You want the interviewer to remember you, not your fragrance.

Interview Tool Kit – There are some essential items you will need to bring to the interview. A copy of the ad so that you can review it prior to your interview is a very good idea. You will need to bring two copies of your resume, one for the interviewer plus one extra. You may meet other managers while on site. Pens and a notepad are very important as you will find that there may be details that you will need to record for a second interview. Make sure that you carry these tools in an appropriate portfolio or briefcase that is neat and tidy. Avoid logo items or cartoon characters. Your tool kit does not include carrying in a take away cup of coffee or tea.

Common Interview Types

Telephone Interviews
Telephone interviews are a pre-qualifier for a face-to-face interview. Hiring managers will phone you to discuss your resume and work experience to find out if you have the skills to progress further in their hiring process. There may be no notice that this call is coming so we could be caught off guard. Try to sound professional at all times and go to a quiet environment where you can hear your interviewer clearly. If you are in a situation where this is not possible, ask the interviewer politely if this call can be rescheduled. Where possible, have your resume close by so that you are able to answer questioners regarding your skills and work history.

Behavioral Interviews
This interview allows an interviewer to observe how you deal with workplace situations. The interviewer will ask you questions about your past role to see how you worked with a variety of situations to find solutions. Questions asked during an interview may be “Tell me about a time when” or “When this was happening, what were you thinking?” These questions and answers demonstrate to an interviewer your thought processes and how you solve problems or arrive at solutions. Behavioral interviews demonstrate your past performance and are therefore a good indicator of your future performance.

One to One Interview
This interview style is one most people are familiar with. You meet with your future manager or a dedicated HR manager to discuss your qualifications and work history. During the interview, make sure you observe the proper personal space between yourself and your interviewer. It is important that you maintain good eye contact and ensure that your body language is open and receptive. Do not fidget in your chair; be mindful of your hands and gestures. Keep your hands folded and in your lap or if taking notes do not twirl your pen. Your feet should be flat on the floor, not crossed wildly. Do not sit casually in your chair but rather upright and comfortable.

Informational Interviews
These interviews allow you to gather information between yourself and a potential employer. They are very useful if you would like more information regarding a specific industry or business. They are also very useful if you are contemplating a career transition, thinking about education in a particular field of work or have just graduated from a school program. During these interviews, the employer has agreed to meet with you to discuss the business or industry. These interviews can offer you advice regarding your skills or where may need more training and experience. The interview may provide you with some networking abilities to meet other people from the industry and may even become a business mentor to you in the future! Always go to these interviews with prepared questions and be considerate of your interviewer’s time. A more in depth discussion about informational interviews will be covered in Module 5 of this handbook.

Group Interview
A group interview involves several applicants applying for the same role meeting together for an interview at the same time. Typically, a presentation from the company regarding their business is given and then candidates are broken down into groups to complete a project or solve a work situation. Managers observe how you work and relate within a group, how well you integrate and begin to function as a team as well as identify possible leaders within the groups.

Common Interview Questions

Interviewers want to get to know you and understand who you are by asking the questions they do. Most interviews start with standard questions about who you are, review your work history and your skills. Practicing interview questions with a partner or in a mock interview setting will help to lessen your anxiety when an actual interview happens. By reviewing the list below of common interview questions below and practicing them, you will become more polished for your next interview.

Sample Interview Questions

Tell me about yourself.

Why are you looking for another job?

What do you know about our organization?

Can you tell me about your strengths and weaknesses?

What is the most difficult situation at work you have had to face? How did you deal with this?

Tell me about your achievements in your career.

What do you think your references might say about you if I asked them?

Tell me about a time where you had to work as a team member. What was the project and how did it turn out?

What do you like to do for hobbies?

What types of shifts or hours are you available for?

Would you work on a weekend if required?

What motivates you?

What kind of manager do you like to work for?

Tell me why you like working in this industry.

Why did you leave your last job?

What type of salary are you looking for?

Tell me about your ability to work under pressure. Can you tell me about a time where you had to work under pressure?

Tell me about a time when you had the most fun on the job.

Do you need to provide notice to your previous employer? How much notice would you need to provide them?

Job Search Tool Kit - Resumes and Cover Letters

Ten Tips for Excellent Cover Letters That Will Get You Noticed

Writing a cover letter is not that difficult but getting one started can make you feel like a novelist experiencing writers block. You may find yourself asking, “what is my opening line or where do I start?” A cover letter is not just an introduction of yourself to a prospective employer; it also brings some serious consideration to your resume because it highlights your abilities and demonstrates your enthusiasm for the role. An effective, powerful cover letter will create interest in your resume and allow the reader to discover your skills and demonstrate your potential ability in the role.

Cover letters create an interest between the reader and your resume. Hiring managers and recruiters review resumes and cover letters in under a minute. A well-written cover letter will give your application a closer look and a better chance at receiving a call for an interview. A well-written cover letter could make the difference between yourself and your competitor for the role because of your demonstrated good writing skills. These skills show the reader your attention to detail, good communication ability, and professionalism.

Cover Letter Tips

 Always use good quality paper that matches your resume if you are submitting your cover letter in person or by mail. Avoid bright colors and opt for neutral shades that will look professional.

 If you are submitting your cover letter by email, copy and paste your cover letter into the body of the email and attach it with your resume as well. This format allows the receiver of your cover letter to print it as a letter along with the resume. This allows the hiring manager to submit your information in a complete package that looks professional.

 Where possible, always address your letter to the appropriate hiring manager along with the complete company address. If you cannot find this information, perform a Google search or utilize LinkedIn to obtain it. If all else fails, call the company and speak to reception. Ask for the name of your intended recipient. Make sure you verify the spelling of the name as well.

 Proof read your cover letter carefully. If possible, have someone proof read it for you as well.

 Use an easily readable font when creating your cover letter. Avoid colourful inks and fancy fonts. This is a business letter that is representing you and your career.

Cover Letter Content Tips

 The first paragraph of your cover letter should introduce yourself to the reader and let them know how you found the position. If this is a “cold call” cover letter and you are prospecting for an opportunity, let the reader know how you found their organization. Tell the reader why you are interested in a position with them.

 Your second paragraph reveals your skills to the reader. If you are responding to a job posting, choose words and skills of your own that match what your reader will be looking for and have used in their job posting. Using words and skills that match the company will resonate with your reader and create more interest in your resume.

 Cover letters allow you to explain your skills and what you can offer an organization but there is a fine line between discussing your skills, achievements, or abilities and sounding too bold. Avoid “I” statements or statements that may be considered too bold such as how you are the perfect candidate for the role.

 Your final paragraph should ask for an interview. A simple statement such as “My resume is enclosed for your review, I look forward to meeting you to discuss my qualifications in further detail” is a great way to end your letter and let the reader see your enthusiasm for the opportunity one more time.

 If you are making an interview request due to a scheduled day off or if you require a specific day to interview, it is fine to mention that. “I will be available to speak with you on Thursday May 5, 2011. I may be reached between 1 pm and 4 pm at this number 555-1234”.

Resume Styles

A resume is the summary of your work experience and career. Combined with a cover letter, this is your marketing tool that introduces you to the job market and prospective employers. In order to be competitive with other resumes that employers receive you must make your document stand out and display your skills. There are several styles of resumes in uses today but we will discuss the three most commonly used.

Chronological

This resume style lists career experience in order of date worked and summarizes skills under each employer. Education, certifications, and memberships follow the employment history summary. This is the most common style used today. This style makes it easy for employers to understand what you have been doing and what skills you possess very quickly.

Functional

The functional resume is a very good choice for people who have a diverse skill set. It is also a good choice for workers considering a career change and wish to demonstrate their skills to an employer before they show work history. The top of the resume lists skills in brief statements or point form. Career history is presented after this usually with company names and dates. After this section, education, memberships, and associations are noted.

Combination Functional/Chronological

This resume combines both features to create a unique document that displays transferable skills, unique skills and work history in one document. It allows employers to see what you are able to do quickly and then summarizes work history with duties underneath. Education, associations or memberships follows this.

Tips for Effective Resumes

 Remember to begin your resume with your objective. This statement tells the reader your employment intentions. Your resume is the tool that helps you get the interview. Once you are at the interview, you can speak to your skills and get the job.

 Use bulleted sentences that contain action words.

 Avoid using pronouns like “I” or “Me.” The document is about you so this would make your statements redundant.

 Match your skills and wording to the employer job ad as best as possible. These known key words.

 Use effective job titles when constructing your resume. Make sure you are highlighting your job titles to match today’s job market. Secretary been replaced by Administrative Assistant in today’s terminology.

 Make sure you use professional, easy to read font. Avoid colourful graphics or unusual fonts or brightly coloured paper. Our creative idea we may like or think is professional can appear less so for a potential employer.

 Use achievements to display your skills. Let the reader know that you have been productive in your career and progressing.

 Keep your resume confined to one or two pages. Anything longer than this may cause the reader to lose interest.

 Remove any older work experiences. 10 years of work history is standard on a resume and it prevents “ageism” when applying for jobs.

 You will need to spend some time to customize your resume for each employer. Key words will need to match for each unique job application.

 Have someone proofread your resume once you have finished it.

Life Long Learning - A Wise Investment In You

Life Long Learning – A Wise Investment in You

Lifelong learning is an absolute necessity for everyone, especially when we consider how much our lives can change in the span of a year due to technology alone! How many of us have iphones, Blackberries and HD TV in our homes? This simple statement demonstrates how we need to develop our skills throughout our lives, not only for personal use but for employability factors as well. Our careers are constantly evolving as well. How we receive communication, how we are managed and how we perform our jobs, changes constantly with technology. Some of us work from home now, who could have imagined that a mere decade ago?

As workers, we are exposed to the rapid pace of change all of the time. Jobs have been eliminated because of these changes and this trend does not seem to be slowing down. When new technology is introduced, processes somewhere are streamlined which means someone could be out of a job. How are you keeping pace?

Challenges of Life Long Learning

Wearing my many hats as career coach, employment counselor and recruiter, I have met with many clients that have found themselves searching for new jobs but face a skills gap in their experience. Many workers have been long tenured in their roles. These workers did not upgrade their skills or how they performed their jobs during their career journey. Upgrading or new training may not have even occurred to them because there was a perception of long-term employment or security within their organization. These workers appeared onto the job market with excellent work histories but lacked the up to date skills that employers of today’s streamlined workforce demand. An example of this may be a bookkeeper who always worked on in-house or proprietary systems. Administrative clerks in a company that never upgraded to the recent versions of Microsoft. Even equipment operators with in-house certifications found out these papers were not transferrable to new employers. Many IT professionals also experience the gap because their companies may not have continuously upgraded programs or equipment. These workers cannot compete with new graduates of business colleges who have the shiny new versions of programs or skills.

What Can You Do
The solution is simple, become a continuously learner throughout your life. That answer is not so simple however. It is not always possible to find funds that will allow you to take a courses. Perhaps there are other commitments in life that leaves little room or time to learn. Fortunately, continuous learning and training can be tackled from a variety of different approaches.

Self Funding
By investing in yourself and paying your own way, you are in control of your learning. The expense can in many cases be written off on taxes but the obstacle to self-funded learning can be finding the money to do this. There are small courses available for office skills through community programs, night schools and other resources within your local area. Examples of this may be basic bookkeeping courses, Microsoft Office courses or very basic computer courses that can teach you to email. Many of these types of courses are inexpensive and very part time. Many courses are accessible over a period of an evening or two over a few weeks. Larger education commitments may require more resourcefulness.

Community Employment Resource Centers
There are a number of employment resource facilities available within your local area. These centers typically service unemployed workers but will be able to direct you to nearest training facilities for computer skills, IT training, equipment operation or forklift courses as well as short-term certificates. If you are unemployed, these centers can assist you in accessing benefits through unemployment that could help with the funding for training as well. Speak to a local case manager and see where this possibility can take you. You can find these services by contacting your local employment office or performing an internet search for services in your local area.

Employer Funded Programs
Depending upon where you work, many companies do have employer funded training. These programs will typically sponsor training as long as it is job related. Some programs will reimburse you immediately; others will pay once you have completed the course. You must present the employer with a transcript at the end. Others will pay the bill up front. Speaking with your manager or Human Resources representative can provide you with the information and direction you will need to get started.

Other Options
If you are unable to access training through employer funding and you just do not have the means to pay, not all is lost. What can you do to support your continued growth? You may consider reading up on your trade or vocation through journals, credible websites and other publications. Stay current with market place trends and read about technology changes or corporate changes within your field. Joining associations to network with people in your career path is great because you can find out what is going on out in the world of your profession. Which company is upgrading to new equipment or technology? Who is hiring? Who is laying off? Through professional networking groups, you can meet your peers and or their managers. This can be the open door to your next offer as well! You can get started today on LinkedIn depending upon your field of work.

In your workplace, you can ask about learning new roles or positions. This is not about moving upwards within the company but perhaps laterally for a while. By cross training in a variety of roles, you can gain some valuable experience. This can assist in making you more employable and agile in the job market. The more opportunity we can have to learn how to do something new or different, makes us more desirable for hire with future employers.

I had the pleasure early in my career to work with a wonderful woman who was new to the field of recruitment and staffing. I asked her what she wanted from me as a manager and her request has stayed with me for many years. Her response was “I want every possible experience I can have here for my resume and for my future”. That response could be interpreted many different ways including “this person is not going to stay in this job” but it really was an entry-level role. I did my best to provide her with her request. The employee stayed with me for several years and as a manager I learned a valuable lesson that day. Let employees learn, encourage them to learn as much as they can, give them the chance to see new things, always provide the opportunity for growth because our futures need continuous learning.

The journey to life long learning can begin with something as simple as a foreign language CD purchased from a bookstore. It can be all of the things discussed in this blog. The important message to take away from here is to make sure that you are giving your career room for growth, stretching and ongoing challenge. This learning will take on new forms as you evolve in your role(s) but you will be the ultimate winner and hopefully the most sought after candidate at a job interview.

Best Tips For Posting Your Resume On Line - Be Noticed!

10 Effective Tips To Post Your Resume On Line

Posting your resume on line with job boards can provide you with access to a number of hidden opportunities. Many companies, recruiters, and HR departments pay for the privilege to search or “mine” these databases before they ever post their open opportunity. Posting your resume on line following these tips can increase your chances to find your next job!

Many job boards offer the opportunity for job seekers to create an account with them and post your resume free. Here are 10 great tips to keep in mind when posting your resume on line.

1. Keep your contact information hidden. Only divulge this information once a recruiter or company has made contact with you. At this time, you can decide if you would like to proceed with contact and a potential interview.
2. Confirm that you retain ownership of your content once posted. Ensure that you can go back and edit your information as many times as you need.
3. Choose reputable websites only.
4. Create a specific job searching email or professional email address such as maryadmin2@yahoo.ca. The added benefit is a customized email for your job search that does not interfere with your daily email or your personal email address which may not be job seeking friendly.
5. Keep your confidential information to a minimum. You do want to be found after all. Current employer information is acceptable to remain hidden. However, too much hidden information will lower your response rate from HR departments seeking to hire your skills.
6. Hiding your current employer is a very good idea. Many HR advisors use alerts to discover employees searching for work. Keep your current employer information hidden.
7. Use sites that are popular and easy to access
8. Maximize you use of key words and catchy phrases. You need your resume to stand out in the pile so the more key words used, the faster your resume rises to the top.
9. Use plain text when posting on line, make sure you also make use of the spell check features where offered.
10. Once you post your resume, do not let it sit there. Databases sort resumes by date of submission with the newest resumes first. Make sure that you check in and renew your on-line resumes every two weeks to keep it current. If you do not have any response after 30 days, remove it and try another site.

Make your resume stand out with powerful keywords

Sites like Monster provide large amounts of characters to post your on-line resume. Monster for example allows the objective portion, up to 2000 characters! So, your objective can state, “to find work as an accountant using my skills in ....” List all of your skills here. Posters are often given the final word such as “Describe your dream job”. Monster allows posters 500 characters for this purpose. Typically, this can be a repeat of your objective again maximizing your key words.

Using LinkedIn for Your Job Search

TIPS FOR USING LINKEDIN

Did you know that 8.5 million experienced professionals use LinkedIn around the world representing more than 130 industries? Members use this site to sell their product or service, find a job, form a partnership or make connections with other people. People with more than 20 connections are 34 more times likely to be approached with a job opportunity than people less than five connections! LinkedIn is also a great source of groups where members of common fields can post questions or receive updates regarding their industries.

LinkedIn is a very common tool used by recruiters for sourcing talent and head hunting so this alone is great motivation to be utilizing this site if you are seeking change and new challenges in your career. Did you know that you can use the techniques of sourcing on LinkedIn to find your next job? LinkedIn can be a great starting point to find people you may want to meet for an informational interview as a step towards your new career.

Getting Started On LinkedIn

1. Create your profile but make sure you complete it 100 percent. This includes a picture of yourself, hopefully a current one! Your profile will consist of your education, past work history, current work history and a brief bio about yourself. Some profiles include blogs, books that have been recently read and groups.
2. Join Groups. There are dozens of industry specific groups that may be of interest to you. Groups allow you to network with new people from your industry or industries.
3. Make connections with members. Find your co-workers from the past and present or business contacts like former clients. The more connections you make, the better the network you build. Connections should know you personally or have done business with you in the past.
4. Get recommended. LinkedIn allows you to recommend your connections as well as allow your connections to recommend you. These informal references are a great testimonial to the work you can accomplish.

Job Hunting Using LinkedIn

1. Use your status line to announce your job searching intentions with statements like “Open to Opportunities” Keep your status lines professional at all times. Unlike Facebook, we probably should not know about your weekend. Be aware if you link an account from Twitter to LinkedIn, that status update will populate to LinkedIn. I once told my business contacts about the great chicken soup I made on the weekend!
2. Use your recommendations as informal references when job searching. Future employers will perform a Google search of your name and your LinkedIn profile will appear. Future recruiters or human resource professionals will look for your profile and review your information.
3. Use LinkedIn to research companies that you may want your next role in. Search for company employees by performing a company name search. Review their profile to learn about their background, education etc.
4. Using the advance search feature on LinkedIn, you can search for jobs by clicking on the Jobs tab at the top of your profile.
5. Use LinkedIn to research companies like a head hunter! Using the search function type in key words for a position like “Sales Manager” and the city you live in. A list of LinkedIn members will appear. Research the appropriate profiles for former employment and current employment. It is from this information you now have company names where you may be interested in cold calling your resume. Do not cold call your resume to the person’s profile you were just examining. You will need to call the company and determine the name of the best person to submit your information to for that potential interview.

Special Notes on Social Networking

Please be aware that every profile you create on the internet can be viewed publicly unless you ensure proper security measures are in place. Perform a Google search of your name to see what you find. While profiles like Facebook or Twitter are your own personal expression, companies may not feel that your form of personal expression is for them and may not hire you. Our world is an open network, which allows for little privacy. Taking the extra measures to ensure that you keep your personal social profiles confidential may make the difference between being hired or not.