Interview Series - Career Experts - Virginia Franco CareerMetis.com

Interview Series - Career Experts - Virginia Franco â€" CareerMetis.com In this interview series, we caught up with Virginia Francowho shares her expertise and insights about job search, career change,etc.in today’s marketplace.Tell us a little bit about your companyevalAs the Chief Writer at Virginia Franco Resumes, we work together to tell your career story in a way that shows your impact and gets interviews â€" without worksheets or pre-prep.How did you get started in this path?I wrote resumes for years for friends before I realized people actually got paid for this!I began by subcontracting with other writers while studying and earning resume writing certifications to improve.I launched my own company in 2010.Is this something you decided early on in your career?I’ve always been a writer â€" and earned my degree in Journalism.I’ve gotten the chance to write for newspapers, magazines, websites â€" you name it.I recognized early on that the principles of Journalism very much apply to writing Career Marketing collateral.What is the most exciting p art of working in this industry?I get to meet the most interesting clients â€" many who are in roles I never even new existed!How do to stay abreast of the industry as an expert?evalI am constantly reading, engaging with experts on LinkedIn, and interviewing experts on my podcast.I also am very involved in the National Resume Writers Association â€" a nonprofit that supports the resume writing industry.I complete at least 12 webinars per year to keep my knowledge as current as it can be!What are some of the things that you see job seekers struggle with the most?Deciding what is important and compelling to include as part of their story, writing their resumes for that online Their resumes and LinkedIn include a list of everything they’ve ever done, there is nothing to show the reader the role they are targeting or how they are a good fit, and their documents are so text-dense that they are tough to read.Then they take that document and apply to dozens of roles online.How should job seekers approach job search today?Applying online should never be the first point of entry.Job Seekers must have compelling documents and need to work to get them in front of people first, then the machines.What is the biggest trend(s) you see that job seekers will face in the next 2-3 years?Video Interviews where your responses are recorded and language parsed. Sort of “Video ATS.”What is one advice you would give someone just out of college today?Talk to others who are a few steps ahead of you â€" to figure out how they did it.Welcome and request any and all advice â€" you never know when it will lead to an opportunity!What is one advice you would give someone who is switching careers?Have a solid career target, and spell out how your experience is transferable.Choose accomplishments for your career marketing collateral that will resonate with that new role or industry.Unemployment is at the lowest levels, why do you think that is?Great question! I think companies are feeling bold and are willing to expand their budgets to hire and grow. I hope it continues for a while longer ??What is the biggest trend(s) you see that hiring managers will face in the next 2-3 years?Top talent is not going to stand for a lengthy and cumbersome interview process.If you want the candidate, you’re going to need to make an offer sooner rather than later.Virginia, what are you currently working on?I am currently rebooting my website â€" look for a 2.0 version later this summer!What are the best resources you recommend to job seekers?I love Mark Anthony Dyson’s Voice of Job Seekers Podcast.Also Susan Joyce’s Job-Hunt.org blog.Lastly â€" Austin Belcak’s Cultivated Culture site is rich with actionable strategies for job seekers.What is the best way for our audience to reach you?My Website, Phone, Text orEmailConnect with or Follow Virginia Franco on Social Media:LinkedInTwitterFacebook PageYouTube PageVirginia Franco has also been featured in our recent compilation of t he most resourceful career experts and career blogs â€" Top Career Advice Websites.