9 Things to Avoid on Social Media While Looking for a New Job

To share or not to share? That’s the twenty-first-century Hamlet’s dilemma. With good reason: if you post those pictures of the weekend’s booze cruise, will a potential employer pass you over?

Here’s the answer: set the privacy on those pics to friends-only. More and more employers are scoping candidates on social media, so the image you present could affect your prospects. To maintain a professional profile while job hunting, make sure you avoid these nine dangerous don’ts on social media.

1 Looking Like a Bad Worker

Make sure you represent your best self on any social network. On LinkedIn, that means crafting a professional persona. On Facebook, Snapchat, Instagram, and Twitter, even if you’re mainly interacting with friends, don’t forget that posts may still be public.

According to a CareerBuilder.com survey, 60 percent of employers research job candidates on social media, and over half are reluctant to hire candidates with no online presence. They’re mainly looking for professionalism, whether you’re a fit for the company, and proof of your qualifications. If your social media profiles show you in that light, you’re golden.

2 Turning Off Social Media

Whether to hide those college party photos or just to force yourself to focus, it’s tempting to shut down your networks when you’re on the job hunt.

But here’s a hint: don’t. Instead, follow or “like” companies you’re interested in to get updates on open positions and other developments. Join conversations, answer questions, and provide useful links. And join LinkedIn’s Groups to get to know people in your industry. These things are called “networks” for a reason.

For good measure, here are some tips for working that network like a pro.

3 Forgetting to Proofread

No one’s going to hire someone whose resume says they’re a “contsientious wroker.” (It’s conscientious, folks. Yeah, it’s a toughie).

Especially on LinkedIn, common writing mistakes can damage your professional image. But even on the more social social networks, you can demonstrate that you’re a conscientious worker by taking time to proofread. Yes, even for cat videos. Getting your grammar right can be the fine line between “goofy cat lover” and “weirdo who doesn’t pay attention to human conventions.”

4 Having a Split Personality

Your LinkedIn persona is going to be a bit stiffer than your Facebook persona, and your llama-dedicated Instagram might be separate from your tech-focused Twitter. It’s fine to differentiate—as long you don’t look like a totally different person on your different networks.

That also includes what you name yourself on social media. If your AIM username was glitterprincess79 back in the day, it might be time for an update. A few rules of thumb in picking social media handles: keep it simple, don’t necessarily define yourself by your job, and be wary of puns.

5 Inconsistency

If your LinkedIn says “three years in finance” but your Facebook feed’s got a picture of you in a Starbucks uniform from last year, that’s a pretty big red flag. Lying about your experience or qualifications is never a good idea, especially with the Internet there to give evidence one way or another. Tell the truth on your resume, and make sure your networks reflect that truth, too.

6 Poor Communication

There are typos, and then there’s just bad writing. That can mean lack of clarity, wordiness, or a mish-mash of styles. On Facebook you want to be casual and simple but still make sense, while on LinkedIn you want a higher dose of formality.

Not specific enough? Check out our articles on how to write well on social media, ways to be a conscientious social media user, and profile tips for LinkedIn.

7 Complaints About Your Current Job

If you want to let off steam about how your boss doesn’t give you enough credit, that dumb task you have to do, or the lame office snacks, social networks are not the place to do it.

Just in case, be careful posting about your job in general. What you say about your coworkers or projects could be interpreted as you having a bad attitude or being uncommitted, or might just rub a potential future employer the wrong way.

8 Being a Bad Person

Even folks who mainly post puppies and inspirational quotes can slip sometimes. Complaining can make you look bad, and comments that can be construed as discriminatory are even worse. Most companies have policies against discrimination based on race, gender, religion, sexuality, and more. If you break that policy before you even apply, chances are you won’t get an interview.

9 Not Being Yourself

A professional version of yourself can still be yourself. Being careful what you post isn’t the same as deleting every shred of your personality.

After all, you have to interact with the people you work with, and they want to know that you’re fun, smart, and easy to talk to, as well as a conscientious worker.

10 Expert Résumé Tips You Need to Land the Interview

Submitting your application and waiting for a response from employers can be an excruciating process. Especially when you’re not hearing back and wondering if something’s amiss with your résumé. These ten expert tips will help you freshen up your résumé so you can land the interview.

1 Modernize Your Résumé

It’s 2017, and we’re in a job seeker’s market. Employers are competing for top candidates. More than 60% of employers are investing in their company career sites and working on improving employer branding to attract you. It’s time to do some in-house improvements and modernize your résumé. Consider creating a visually engaging résumé that incorporates color, graphics, borders, and call-out boxes that really draw the reader’s attention to important metrics and figures. If you need inspiration, check out these visually engaging 2017 résumé samples.

2 Culture Fit Is the New “It” Thing

Having values and goals that mesh with those of the company you’re applying for makes you a cultural fit. Although we hear the term thrown around all the time now, you rarely hear it mentioned when it comes to résumé writing. Yet, 60 percent of recruiters in the 2016 JobVite Recruiter Nation Survey said the job seeker’s résumé was of high importance in their hiring decision. Your résumé is the perfect place to set the stage for showing that you’re a great culture fit for their organization. Values, beliefs, motivation, management style, and communication style are all attributes that employers use to evaluate culture fit, so bring these up in your résumé.

3 Include Your LinkedIn URL

Include your LinkedIn profile URL at the top of the résumé next to your contact information. If you’re using a networking résumé and not applying via an applicant tracking system (ATS), hyperlink the URL so the hiring manager can go right to your profile. If you’re creating an ATS-optimized résumé don’t hyperlink the profile URL because it will cause some systems to toss the résumé out as spam. Some 87 percent of recruiters report using LinkedIn first when it comes to searching for qualified candidates, so this needs to be the first place you direct the employer to so that they can learn more about your accomplishments and evaluate your culture fit for their company.

Here’s a tip: Before you direct hiring managers to your LinkedIn profile, make sure that there are no spelling or grammatical errors in it. According to Jobvite’s survey, 72 percent of employers view typos negatively, and it will affect their decision to interview or hire.

4 Use a Snapshot

Instead of using the top portion of your résumé to provide the employer with a generalized summary of your career history, give them a snapshot of your achievements. Numbers speak volumes. It’s hard to argue with metrics because they show the value you create for the employer. Create a quick snapshot of your key career highlights, biggest successes/results, awards, and top value created. Here’s an example.

5 Remove Filler Words

People love to use filler words when writing résumés, but they don’t really offer any insight into what sets a person apart as a top candidate. Words that would be considered filler include: accomplished, professional, results, or success. What represents success for a financial manager is completely different from what it would be for a project manager. Use job titles instead of the word professional, and explain results, successes, and accomplishments using percentages, dollars, or other metrics.

6 Get Rid of Slow Windups

It’s also a good idea to delete the slow windups that we so often find in résumés. Examples of these include:

• History of implementing …
• Hands-on knowledge and understanding of …
• Master at building, growing, and managing …

Instead say:

• Implemented or Implements …
• Software development: Lean, Agile, scrum, mobile architecture …
• Builds, grows, and manages …

7 Experience Comes First

Applicable experience is still the priority when employers review your résumé. Ensure that your résumé includes your most relevant experience for the position you’re applying to. Here are some pointers to help you:

• Determine which experience is most important to the position. Put this information first in each section of your résumé.
• Put the experience you have that is most related to the position in your career snapshot at the top of your résumé.
• Include related accomplishments and experience as bullets; list them first in your career history.
• Select keywords that connect to the experience the employer is seeking and list them at the top of your résumé.
• Quantify when possible, and share examples using challenge, action, result statements.

8 Consider Using Two Different Résumés

I always advise my clients to diversify their job search and not invest all their job search time on job boards. However, if the bulk of your job search is consisting of applying online, I recommend having a modern, visually engaging résumé that is ATS-optimized. You can use one version to get through the applicant tracking system and the other when networking, sending your résumé to someone via email, or tapping into the hidden job market. This way, you can cover both bases—getting past ATS and also catching the eye of the recruiter.

9 Follow Up

In the 2016 Recruiter Nation Survey, 59 percent of recruiters reported that they keep in touch with candidates after they apply. Recruiters want to build their talent pools so that they’ll have great candidates they can reach out to as new opportunities land on their desk. The majority of candidates will never follow up with a recruiter, so it’s to your advantage to do so.

10 Include the Right Soft Skills

Soft skills are personality descriptors that come from your character, values, attitude, and communication skills. LinkedIn’s recent 2017 Global Trends Survey revealed that 35 percent of recruiters stated soft skills assessment will be a leading factor affecting future recruiting trends. Employers are searching for ways to assess soft skills, so it’s important to talk about them on your résumé. I’m not talking about the overused phrases such as “excellent communication” or “team player” either. I recommend you incorporate the related keyword within the context of an accomplishment that demonstrates that soft skill. Here’s an example:

Recovered $2,000,000 missing revenue through attention to detail and meticulous review of 350 customer accounts.

“Attention to detail” and “meticulous” are soft skills, but possessing them enabled this candidate to locate a critical error and recover $2 million in missing revenue. Without her attention to detail, she would have overlooked the hidden error. You can do the same with any soft skill that you possess—simply insert the soft skill within the context of the accomplishment. As you sit down to freshen up your résumé and embark on your job search, consider the tips above to ensure your résumé receives a great response.

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About the Author: Jessica Holbrook Hernandez is President and CEO of Great Resumes Fast, a Certified Social Branding Analyst, and 10-time award-winning executive resume writer. She was named 2017’s Best Resume Writer. You can find her at greatresumesfast.com.

How to Write Ordinal Numbers Correctly

Is this your first lesson on ordinal numbers? Maybe the second? Or, perhaps it’s the third?

To put it simply, ordinal numbers are used to put things in order. This can be anything from an address to the position a runner finishes in a race.

She lives on 26th Street. He finished in third place.

Ordinal numbers indicate position or order in relation to other numbers.

Cardinal numbers, on the other hand, express a quantity of something.

He had three hot dogs. Her father had five dogs.

Ordinal numbers always have a suffix tacked onto the end; cardinal numbers do not.

• first (1st)
• second (2nd)
• third (3rd)
• fourth (4th)
• fifth (5th)
• sixth (6th)
• seventh (7th)
• eighth (8th)
• ninth (9th)
• tenth (10th)
• eleventh (11th)
• twelfth (12th)
• thirteenth (13th)
• twentieth (20th)
• twenty-first (21st)
• twenty-second (22nd)
• twenty-third (23rd)
• twenty-fourth (24th)
• thirtieth (30th)

Here are a few guidelines for determining which suffix to add to a number. 1. When a number ends with 1, the suffix at the end is -st. 2. When a number ends with 2, the suffix at the end is -nd. 3. When a number ends with 3, the suffix at the end is -rd. 4. When a number that ends with 0,4,5,6,7,8 or 9 uses the suffix -th (Including 10th, 100th, etc) 5. An exception to the rules above is when a numeral ends with 11, 12, or 13, which all use the -th suffix.

These rules and the list above should make it simple to determine which suffix you need to turn a cardinal number into an ordinal one.

Have fun forming your first few sentences with ordinal numbers.

Grammar is Only a Piece of the Pie

This Thanksgiving, Grammarly embarked on a quest to find the most delicious pumpkin pie recipe on the web. We discovered some complicated concoctions from celebrity chefs, some simple secrets from popular brands like Libby’s and Bisquick, and some interesting instructions from online recipe sites.

It was too difficult for us to decide on the “best” pumpkin pie recipe, but we did notice a few trends that we wanted to share with you in preparation for the season of holiday sweets and festive treats.

Individual chefs make cooking “easy as pie.” Celebrity chefs like Bobby Flay and Rachael Ray make the fewest spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors (3.9 errors per 100 words) in their pumpkin pie recipes than recipes from brands or recipe sites. Brands make an average of 5.4 errors per 100 words in their pumpkin pie recipes, while recipe sites such as Cook’s Illustrated and Epicurious seem to eat “humble pie” with an average of 8.6 errors per 100 words.

Brands like to keep it simple in the kitchen. From Pillsbury to Splenda, Libby’s to Eagle Brand, brand recipes call for 61 percent fewer ingredients than pumpkin pie recipes from chefs (who average nearly 13 ingredients in their complicated pumpkin pie concoctions). Pillsbury calls for only six ingredients in its pumpkin pie recipe; Eagle Brand calls for seven ingredients; and Libby’s calls for eight ingredients. On the other end of the spectrum, celebrity chef Bobby Flay has a whopping 21 ingredients in his pumpkin pie recipe.

Brands can “stand the heat” in the kitchen. On average, brand recipes call for pumpkin pie to be cooked at 400 degrees. Chefs, on the other hand, “play it cool” by cooking their pumpkin pie at an average temperature of 365 degrees.

Check out our infographic here:

Best Pumpkin Pie Recipes of All-Time:

Chefs

Bobby Flay: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/bobby-flay/bobby-flays-pumpkin-pie-with-cinnamon-crunch-and-bourbon-maple-whipped-cream-recipe/index.html?oc=linkback

Giada de Laurentiis: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/giada-de-laurentiis/persimmon-pumpkin-pie-recipe/index.html

Martha Stewart: http://www.marthastewart.com/317045/classic-pumpkin-pie

Paula Deen: http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/paula-deen/pumpkin-pie-recipe/index.html

Rachael Ray: http://www.rachaelray.com/recipe.php?recipe_id=3075

Brands

Bisquick/Betty Crocker: http://www.bettycrocker.com/recipes/impossibly-easy-pumpkin-pie/c0eab3d9-06a3-4829-9125-7581f1d96315

Eagle Brand: http://www.eaglebrand.com/recipes/details/?RecipeId=3929

Libby’s: http://www.verybestbaking.com/recipes/18470/libbys-famous-pumpkin-pie/detail.aspx

Pillsbury: http://www.pillsbury.com/recipes/easy-pumpkin-pie/5793eb83-dca1-45e0-96e1-7f73af9e282f

Splenda: http://recipes.splenda.com/recipes/1397029-The-Great-Pumpkin-Pumpkin-Pie

Recipe Sites

AllRecipes.com: http://allrecipes.com/recipe/homemade-fresh-pumpkin-pie/

Cook’s Illustrated: http://www.thedeliciouslife.com/pumpkin-pie-recipe-cooks-illustrated/

Epicurious: http://www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/The-Ultimate-Pumpkin-Pie-826#ixzz2jigFtwqS

Food.com: http://www.food.com/recipe/best-ever-pumpkin-pie-28758

SimplyRecipes: http://www.simplyrecipes.com/recipes/suzannes_old_fashioned_pumpkin_pie/

Grammar Madness: The Battle to Determine the Most Maddening Writing Error

Since the dawn of writing, grammarians have been irked by sloppy and erroneous written communication. But over the past few years, it’s gotten increasingly difficult to go even a single day without seeing several writing errors. From street signs to Facebook status updates, unfortunate writing mistakes are omnipresent in both the real world and the virtual.

Over the next few weeks, the Grammarly team will use social media to determine the most detestable of all writing errors. After all, who better to make this determination than the world’s largest community of grammarians?

Voting begins on March 18 in conjunction with one the most popular sporting events in America. (We couldn’t let grammarians be the only ones without a bracket on which to bet, could we?!)

Behold: The battle for the dubious distinction of “Most MADDENING Writing Error!”

Here’s how “Grammar Madness” works:

— Grammarly created four “regions” representing specific grammar errors that drive grammarians up the wall:

Your Confused! This region honors contextual spelling mistakes. Often writers spell a word correctly, but use the word in the wrong context. This drives grammarians crazy, especially on Facebook.

i should of cared less: Lazy writers are hazy writers. This region features mistakes that could be easily found and corrected in writing – if only the writer spent a few more minutes proofreading to ensure a clear message.

“Fire your Proofreader’s” From comma splices to misused apostrophes, this region focuses on the most technical of grammar mistakes.

Definately Annoying: This region is dedicated to incorrectly using, or spelling, a word. It is literally the worst, don’t you think?

— Beginning on March 18, there will be a daily vote for the most annoying writing error in one of the four regions. We’ll post the errors here, as well as to our Facebook page and Twitter handle.

— You can vote for the worst mistake by liking, re-tweeting, sharing, or commenting on Facebook or Twitter.

— Each day, the winning error will advance to the next round of the bracket until we finally crown the most “maddening” grammar error on April 6.

Best of luck!

**UPDATE: Check out our Grammar Madness winner here.**

Lies Your English Teacher Taught You: Prepositions

Guest post from Brent Calderwood

Writing is like painting. You have to know the rules before you can start experimenting with them. Think about it: Picasso had to paint a lot of pictures of horses with four legs before he started putting noses on people’s foreheads. It’s the same way with words. Good authors are playful and innovative with the English language, but they had to learn the basics first.

What makes English trickier than most languages is that it’s a hodgepodge of dozens of languages, and we keep borrowing words all the time, especially as media, travel, and politics bring different cultures into constant contact with one another.

This is a wonderful thing, but one problem is that some of the first English grammar books, written in the 1600s, were based strictly on Latin, which has a totally different structure from English. These books, and books based on these books, were used all the way into the 20th century, even though their rules didn’t always make sense for our multicultural language. Some teachers still believe these old rules; luckily, though, most English grammar and instruction books published today are setting the record straight.

One of the most common rules that teachers got wrong? Never end a sentence with a preposition.

While it’s true that prepositions usually don’t belong at the end of a sentence, some sentences just sound more “natural” with the preposition at the end. Take this one:

“I like the company I work for.”

This sentence is just fine. If you follow the “Never end a sentence with a preposition” rule, here’s the sentence you’re likely to come up with:

“I like the company for which I work.”

This is grammatically correct, but it sounds “stiff” and old-fashioned. By the way, notice that I didn’t say “Here’s the sentence up with which you’re likely to come.” That would sound ridiculous, wouldn’t it?

But wait, you might be thinking, are you saying I should just go with what sounds right? What kind of rule is that?

So here’s a good rule of thumb: If there’s an easy way to avoid ending your sentence with a preposition, go ahead and avoid it, especially if you’re writing for an academic or business audience.

In those cases, instead of “I like the company I work for,” you might want to say, “I enjoy working for this company.” Instead of “Here’s the sentence you’re likely to come up with,” you might say, “Here is the sentence you’re likely to write.” However, if you find yourself going out of your way to use “for which” or “of which” or especially “up with which” to avoid a preposition at the end of your sentence, there’s a good chance that your sentence will sound better and more natural with a terminal preposition.

And sounding natural is what good writing is all about.

Brent Calderwood is a writer, editor and activist. His award-winning essays and reviews have appeared in the Chicago Sun-Times and Harvard Gay & Lesbian Review. A two-time Lambda Literary Fellowship recipient for poetry, he currently lives in San Francisco.