Why Are We Online?

We're on all of these platforms, won't you join us?

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

When I first started working for ERS, I will be the first to admit that I had a lot of doubts about how good of a tool social media was for connecting with our customer base, but I also had hopes. I had hopes that people would see how active we are on Twitter and Facebook, and later LinkedIn and Google+, and appreciate my efforts to open conversations about employment issues facing people with disabilities. I could see the potential for people with hearing impairments, and I have learned a little about how to address some of the unique challenges that people with sight impairments face.

The rare times that I get to interact with people online give me hope that what I am doing is not in vain – all my research and monitoring are not in vain. There are times when I have been at home long after clocking out, and see someone has posted a question on our Facebook Wall that I must answer, or have found something on our Twitter feed that I just had to share at that same moment across every medium. I am always “on” for you and for this program, not just for this company. I might not have the answer right then, or I might have to give you answers that you don’t like because of the restrictions of what we as a company can do or the restrictions of the program, but that’s part of the job.

I do my best with what I have available to me – I research latest hiring trends, the newest resume and cover letter advice, what job openings are more plentiful than others, and condense what I’ve learned and put it out there for you to read in a blog, or just create a post and link. If there are changes that affect you, I try to let you know about it as soon as I learn about it. Oh, and I also spend quite a bit of my “off” time learning about how to bring that to you in the most engaging way possible! I estimate I spend another 15 or 20 hours a week just doing that, and it's all for you.

I like to think that I create value by always being “on,” but I’m not sure that’s the case. Then I read stories about how social media is changing how those with hearing impairments navigate a world not built for them; I read the Twitter feed of an advocate who has low vision and is praising the newest smartphone apps that are accessible for the blind; I get an e-mail that the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is addressing changes in how the American’s with Disabilities Act is applied in the workplace; and I can’t help but be encouraged by all of this!

So why is ERS online, and why do I put forth the effort that I do for relatively little engagement?

• As far as we’re aware, we’re the only employment network in the Ticket to Work program that helps our clients solely over the phone. We don’t meet with anyone in person to discuss their particular issues, and we conduct the bulk of our business through e-mail or on the phone.
• This is the digital age. We must stay up-to-date with our online presence or we lose opportunities to help people to get back on their feet.
• Our business relies on the power of the internet and our ability to speak to our clients and meet their needs, no matter whether we use the phone, Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Google+, comments here on our blog, our website, or plain old e-mail.

We can only get better with the more feedback we receive, so I encourage (beg!) you to please let us know what we’re doing right, what we’re doing wrong, or what you’d like to see more of in the future. Your input is important to me, and all the career coaches, to provide the best service possible. So let us know – are we doing it right?

Job Application Perfection is Unrealistic

As beautiful as this flower is, it is not perfect.
Neither is your application, nor your resume / cover letter.
Make sure you proofread and check for errors twice though!

by Megan Elliott, Social Media Developer

You know that nagging little voice inside your head that tells you that your application could be that much better if you just tweaked this a little bit and that wording a hair? There are those of us who hear that nonstop, no matter what we do. We’re perfectionists. Raise your hand if you’re a perfectionist. Great, you’re in good company!

The thing is, you have to let your baby go eventually, otherwise you’re going to miss out on so many great opportunities for you. That’s part of the curse of being a perfectionist. You have to let go of your resume and cover letter and let someone look at it and say, “This person is a great applicant! Let’s give them a call!”

But you’re also picky enough to realize that you can’t just apply to any and every job posting out there. You have to be selective in those openings; even if you’re not a perfectionist, this needs to be how you apply for jobs too! You have to be selective about what your skills qualify you for, and sometimes, no matter what you would like to do, you’re not qualified for that position… yet.

Even though screening softwares are looking for the unrealistically “perfect” candidate, there are things you can do to make yourself stand out after you submit your application. If you’ve done your research on the position, you know who you addressed your cover letter to, and you can use that to your advantage. E-mail them if you haven’t heard about your application in a week. Call them if you haven’t heard back from your e-mail in a couple of business days.

I’m not saying that you need to be super-aggressive, but sometimes you have to make yourself rise above the rest of the pack. Does your network have connections in the industry or in the area? Check with them and see if there’s something you can do to make yourself stand out.

So scale back your expectations for yourself, I.M. Perfectionist, and don’t obsess over every detail of your resume for days on end. Send that application in, and then focus your attention on the rest of the process, because getting yourself noticed after you hit the submit button is important too.