City Features

connecting in cyberspace

resumes with international reach

Connecting in Cyberspace

Online social networks like Facebook and LinkedIn have revolutionized the way we spread messages to one another. These networks have become so pervasive that all three 2008 presidential candidates—Senators Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain—created Facebook pages as a way to network with potential voters. This first-ever partnership has empowered voters by bringing them even more information (in real-time) on campaign issues, helping to mobilize a growing number of voters (especially younger ones) in ways never before imagined.

Still, online social networking sites are not just for the politically savvy—far from it. An estimated 90 million, use these two sites on a regular basis.
CityU students and alumni can expand on these relationships by joining the global alumni groups now available on Facebook and Linked In. Those who sign up to CityU’s official alumni online community (http://alumni.cityu.edu/) also can access helpful resources, such as job postings and alumni events as well as communicate with faculty.

Here are just a few of the perks of joining such networking sites.

Making that Connection
Social networking sites make it easier to reconnect with people you haven’t spoken with in months, perhaps even years. About 3,300 individuals from more than 65 countries belong to the CityU alumni online community and have set up detailed profiles with pictures and resume materials.

Such online sites, including Facebook, help connect people with friends and others who work, study, and live around them. They’re often used to keep up with friends, upload an unlimited number of photos, share links and videos, and learn more about the people they meet.

“I’m a member of Facebook to keep up with high school friends, college buddies, former co-workers, and long distance family members. Truth be told, it’s an easy way to stay in touch and let someone know you are thinking about them,” says Melissa Hoyos, CityU alumni relations assistant who also manages the alumni online community.

There also are many CityU-related Facebook groups that span the globe and can be found on the Web site’s group search page. For instance, there are groups for CityU students in Greece, Bulgaria, and China.

CityU faculty members visit Facebook and LinkedIn sites regularly. Ryan Gunhold, CityU faculty recruiter for human resources, uses a variety of professional networks to post job openings or inform others about CityU.

“In human resources and in recruiting we understand that people bring incredible value to an organization. A great professional adds tremendous value to their organization and the professional communities they serve and govern,” Gunhold explains. “Facebook and LinkedIn understand this concept and work in ways that harness professional value and increase the likelihood that new professional connections will occur in the future.”

According to Gunhold, CityU alumni, staff, and faculty have been the primary community contacts within these professional networks. For this reason, showcasing CityU professional faculty and staff often helps in recruitment, networking, and resource sharing. 

“For me, recruitment has a lot do with networking, so these sites are great because they allow users to network, track, and share information in a professional manner,” he says.

Professional Perks
LinkedIn, an online network of more than 20 million experienced professionals worldwide, offers a host of services, such as referrals features, which connects people to possible job opportunities. It also helps users find potential clients, experts, and partners who come recommended.

Here’s how it works (according to the LinkedIn website). First, create a profile in LinkedIn that summarizes your professional accomplishments. The profile (biography) section is written similar to a resume with past jobs, volunteer work, etc. This profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients, and partners. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you.

“Users can ask their co-workers and former co-workers to write a recommendation for them on their profile section,” similar to how recommendation letters worked in past, explains Hoyos. Unlike a Facebook group, LinkedIn groups are listed on a user’s page as an icon. “I may see that someone has a CityU icon listed on their page, thus an opportunity to start a possible discussion,” Hoyos adds.

Networking Made Easy
Sites such Facebook, LinkedIn, as well as the CityU alumni online community, also can be used as a networking tool to meet faculty and students. As a communications professional and writer, Hoyos often searches for people to interview by perusing the group pages and clicking on profiles.

“I still think sites like Facebook and LinkedIn are jumping off points to making a real connection or doing an interview,” she says. “For instance, I wouldn’t invite a friend to coffee over Facebook or set up an interview using LinkedIn. I prefer e-mail or the phone.”

	Click here to register with CityU’s network.

Hoyos adds that these networks help establish great connections but encourages people to take it a step further to build a strong relationship. Online forums and social networking sites give you access to other communities where there might be opportunities to connect with those who have similar interests, backgrounds, or opinions.

“I have heard numerous stories, even at our university, of colleagues reconnecting through these sites. I also am amazed at all of the students we have signed up within the CityU Facebook communities worldwide. It makes one feel compelled to reach out to them because we have the ‘City Connection’ as I call it, or simply reconnect with old classmates to see how they’re doing. These sites make it easy (and fun) to do that,” Gunhold says.

Privacy Please
Another advantage of these social networking sites is that users can only see the profiles of confirmed friends and the people in their networks. For example, you can use Facebook’s privacy settings at any time to control who can see what on Facebook.

International Growth
Social networking sites are quickly expanding globally, which will make connecting with international users even easier. “As we continue to expand as a university into new global settings, I see this as an opportunity to gain global partners in our university’s mission. This form of advertisement remains a cheap but effective form of communication for helping to build a professional network,” Gunhold says. “Being connected to others in such places as Greece or Australia will also help us better understand the communities we serve globally—further enhancing our understanding of diverse perspectives throughout each community.”

According to comScore, Asia is not only the fastest-growing region for social networking it’s also the largest (see related comScore chart, permission granted).

Those living in Latin America seem to visit these social networking sites the least. However, once they do, they are much more engaged, states comScore. With more than 8 million active users, the U.K. has the most Facebook users outside of the United States, followed by Canada with more than 7 million active users [Source: Facebook statistics].

Blogs and Podcasts
Both effective and easy to use, blogs and podcasts also can serve as great social networking tools as well. Dan Morrill, faculty program coordinator for CityU’s Informational Sciences Department in the School of Management writes in his blog on a regular basis. To check out his blog, click here. 

Gunhold also has worked with students to create Google Group networking sites for the Albright School of Education. “Sites or forums like these are very successful in keeping these students connected even after they graduate,” he says. To view a sample group, click here. 

Regardless of how these social networks are used, Gunhold notes that it increases CityU’s visibility within the on-line community. 

“This visibility is one of the growing factors people are using to assess what our university is really like before ever stepping a foot in our classrooms,” he notes. “Have you ever had an impression of someone on the Internet before seeing them in person? That concept is the growing trend in the Web 2.0 World and since we (CityU) are part of that movement, it only seems natural to be very visible in it.”

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Resumes with International Reach

Ready to apply for an international job but not sure how to structure your resume? Experts agree that there are some subtle differences when drafting a resume for a job overseas. Although most international employers are fimiliarNorth American resumes styles, there are some things to think about before putting your thoughts down on paper. Here are some tips to consider:

Play Up Your Cross-Cultural Skills
“International resumes are different from domestic resumes because international employers place more emphasis on your personality. They focus on your international I.Q. (For example if you’ve had international work experience, let it be known.) They want to know that you will be effective in an international work environment,” says Jean-Marc Hachey, author and publisher of The BIG Guide to Living and Working Overseas and international career editor of Transitions Abroad magazine (www.TransitionsAbroad.com). “They are often less concerned with your technical skills.”

Language skills (especially if it’s the primary language of the country where you are applying) are a definite plus and should be highlighted prominently in the resume and cover letter. You may even consider drafting the cover letter in the language that is spoken in that country, if you are comfortable doing so. Also, always confirm that the person receiving the cover letter speaks that specific language.

Your ability and flexibility to travel is important to mention as well. If you have knowledge of the particular geographic area or country where you are applying, mention it in the resume.

“I have a client that traveled to Italy a lot because she had family there and in one of the job ads she came across talked about “the ability to navigate the countryside” and so we used that same language to show that she indeed had that knowledge although she herself was not from Italy,” explains Regina Pontow, master resume writer and author of 13 resume writing books and several resume writing websites such as www.provenresumes.com.

Consider Including Biographical Information
Although not standard practice in the U.S., some recruiters may require that biographical information be listed in the resume. Hachey, for instance, says you may want to consider listing your citizenship, especially if you have a foreign sounding name. Also, listing marital status (especially if you are single) can be beneficial to an employer because it shows you are available to travel. Hachey also recommends providing a permanent email address since international employers may contact job applicants several months later.

Pontow says she typically does not include biographical information but realizes it may vary from country to country. She recommends scanning various job ads for similar jobs in that country and see if they repeatedly request that type of information. If so, then it should be included in the resume.

“I also recommend doing your research about the culture. Ask yourself, ‘Is this a culture that is going to want to know something about me personally?’ If you think it would, then it would be appropriate to include it,” Pontow says.

Of course, there are always exceptions. When assisting one of her clients applying for a job site in Iraq, she advised him not to place personal or family information in the resume given the nature of the situation in that country.
“I thought it was too dangerous to do so,” she explains.

Follow the Job Ad and Structure Your Resume Accordingly
International jobs will have varying requirements and much of it will depend on the company you are applying to. Pontow says to scan five to ten job ads for certain types of information and use the job ad as your guide.

“For example, do employers in the country you are applying require information regarding security clearance, what languages do they want you to speak, how much travel do they require, what type of visa is required, things of that nature. Many times the ad itself will tell you what type of information they are looking for,” says Pontow. “Some people list their social security numbers on their resumes, but I typically don’t include that information on a resume unless the job ad specifically requests it.”

Go Ahead, Email that Resume
Since the job you are applying for is overseas, chances are you will be emailing the resume to the prospective employer. Pontow recommends pasting the cover letter into the body of the email and then attaching the resume. If you have a referral contact, place it in the first line of the cover letter and perhaps (if you think it carries enough weight) place that contact’s name in the subject line of the email as well.

Also remember to sell yourself and your skills in the cover letter; don’t talk about the company too much. The employer wants to know about you and what you can bring to the position. “Many people’s cover letters go on and on about the company, but it tells the employer very little about the person applying for the job. And so again, you need to ask yourself, ‘What things do I have that I can say that are going to hook them quickly,’ and then if there are specific skills you know are hard to come by or knowledge of the region, those would be things you would want to address there.”

Take Your Time, Do it Right
This may sound obvious, but for optimal results, spend time drafting your resume. Too many job applicants are intimidated by the resume writing process and therefore rush through creating one. That’s a big mistake, says Pontow.

“So much in creating a strong resume depends on how much effort you put into it. Sure it’s nerve racking but you need to really think about the skills the overseas companies want and make sure to hit all of those key factors in the resume—such as ability to travel, knowledge of language, security clearance information, and specific hard skills,” she says.

Once you have clearly identified those items, make sure to include that information in the summary section of the resume, typically located at the top half of the first page.

“Remember, you want to be able to hook them fast,” notes Pontow.

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