Why Your Current Skill Set Might Not Be Enough

Why Your Current Skill Set Might Not Be EnoughWhy Your Current Skill Set Might Not Be Enough It used to be that one highly specialized skill set could set you up for a comfortable, secure living - a through knowledge of Excel, for example, may have differentiated you as an analytical expert, while a solid grasp of visual editing software could nearly guarantee you a position in design. But in todays tech-forward world, it may not suffice to be a master of just one trade.Glassdoors Local Pay Reports have shown a decrease in pay for tech jobs and trades that rely on primarily one skill, such as java developers (down 0.1 percent year-over-year to $75,124) and web developers (down 0.9 percent to $64,150). On the other hand, positions that are multifaceted in nature and require proficiency in a variety of areas are seeing healthy growth, as is the case with job titles like solutions architect (up 3.7 percent to $102,184), web designer (up 3.4 percent to $51,767) and sof tware engineer (up 2.7 percent to $85,806).The reports show that more sophisticated technology jobs like solutions architects and web designers are increasingly in demand because their mix of hard and soft skills allow them to navigate todays fast-changing tech landscape. As the need for single-skilled developers like java developers and web developers has waned, so has wage growth for those positions, said Glassdoor Chief Economist Dr. Andrew Chamberlain.In a lot of ways, it makes sense. Todays steady drumbeat of technological neuschpfung means that new platforms and products designed to improve our efficiency and efficacy are popping up left and right, and employers increasingly expect us to take advantage of them - often, employers cite a skills gap as a major hurdle to hiring. Add to that the fact that automation appears to be a looming threat for traditionally middle-class, white collar jobs , and its increasingly important for todays job seekers to begin skill stacking . But where exactly should you start?You cant possibly learn every skill there is out there, but you can do some research to help narrow down your shortlist. Look into which skills employers are looking for today, focusing on what might be of interest to you and in particular, the value of each skill. For instance, Glassdoor recently found that mastering Python, R and SQL can lead to a salary of $110k or higher .Once youve identified the skills you want to hone, you may want to consider taking a few classes to brush up on them. You can do this in-person at a local community college, trade school or university, or check out some online courses. Platforms like Skillshare, Coursera, edX, Code Academy and Udemy offer a convenient and cost-effective way to learn from home (or wherever you choose to work). Try getting started with these courses 250 Ivy League Courses You Can Take Online For Free .Not a classroom type? Thats okay - for some, the best form of learning is doing. And if y ou work at the right company, you might be able to level up your skill set and get paid for it at the saatkorn time. Look into whether or not your company offers an educational stipend or tuition reimbursement program, or consider one of these 9 Companies That Offer Incredible Professional Development Programs .The bottom line? The labor market is changing, but that doesnt have to mean that you get left behind. If youre intellectually curious and proactive about learning new things, there are plenty of opportunities for you to expand your areas of expertise and ensure that you become an irresistible candidate or irreplaceable employee.

Lessons I Learned From Not Getting the Job

Lessons I Learned From Not Getting the JobLessons I Learned From Not Getting the JobOne of the worst feelings Ive ever experienced welches not getting the job I wanted. I interviewed with a major publishing company and received the dreaded e-mail that it decided to move forward with another candidate. The rejection welches especially hard to swallow because I thought I had done everything right. I was referred by an old colleague who worked there. I practiced answering multiple interview questions beforehand with friends and even old managers. I promptly sent a thank-you note to everyone I had interviewed with. I did everything youre supposed to do, but still didnt get the job. But theres always a silver lining to every rain cloud, and Ive come up with a few tips on how to deal with being rejected from your dream job.Ask for feedbackAfter being rejected from the job a mentor suggested that I thank the interviewer again and to ask for feedback. I was hesitant to ask for feedback, but I mustered up the courage to do it about three weeks after my interview. The interviewer did send me a generic reply and encouraging words, which made me happy that I reached out. What I would do differently is to ask for feedback as soon as possible, while your interview and resume is still fresh. They may just send a generic e-mail back, but some interviewers might have feedback you can apply to your next interview.Keep up the momentumAs soon as I scored an interview for my dream job I stopped looking for other jobs. This action put extra pressure on me to get the job, and when I didnt get the job I didnt have any other opportunities to be hopeful about. If I could do it all over I would continue applying to other jobs while I was interviewing. I shouldnt have put all of my eggs in one basket, and the process of job searching while interviewing would have taken all of the pressure off landing the job.Google famous failures or rejection storiesNo matter what you do, the feeling of rejection really stings. What made me feel better was reading articles on how successful people dealt with failure and realizing that everyone goes through rejection or failure. Also, not getting the job you wanted can be a story you use on your next interview. A common interview question is some form of, How have you dealt with rejection? Dont be discouraged, brush off any self-doubt and see your rejection as a learning experience.

How Do I Show My Job Duties as Accomplishments on my Resume

How Do I Show My Job Duties as Accomplishments on my Resume How Do I Show My Job Duties as Accomplishments on my Resume You know your resume should go beyond duties spelling out your accomplishments is key to providing hiring managers with tangible examples of how you can impact their business. But sometimes thats easier said than done.After all, day in and out and week after week, youre focused on performing responsibilities in your job that are often hard to measure. Plus, youre not always keeping track of your accomplishments, or you might not be fully aware of how your work impacts the companys bottom line. This can make writing about them difficult even for the most experienced professional.But as resume writing experts, ResumeSpice knows that accomplishments are what tischset you apart from other job candidates in the minds of hiring managers. Theyre what demonstrate your experience, drive to deliver, and proven track record, all in a tangible way.So how do you take a resume thats too focused on duties and make it more centered on accomplishments? Here are some tips to help youUnderstand the difference.A job duty is a task you perform each day, such as managed the customer billing system. The accomplishment is the impact it had. For instance, you might write something like reworked the customer billing system to ensure invoices are consistently distributed on schedule. These are the kinds of details that will help distinguish you on the job market.Compile your list.Once you know the difference between duties and accomplishments, start making a list of those that are important to highlight. When youre thinking about examples, focus on the most relevant ones for the job youre applying to. To help you, here are a few questions to ask yourselfHow did I save the company time or money?How did I implement or improve any processes that werent working? What kind of an impact did that have?How did the work I do help customers and clients?Did I ever go the extra m ile on a particular project or with a specific client? How so?Did I ever win an award or was I ever recognized on a certain project or in any way at work?In what ways did I stand out at past companies?What kinds of problems did I solve on a regular fundament? What impact did my solutions have?Were there times I exceeded goals or sales quotas?If asked about you, what would your boss or co-workers say makes you great at your work?Quantify wherever you can.Adding facts and figures to your accomplishments will strengthen them. While you dont have to do so for every achievement, if there is a way to quantify one, then do it. For instance, instead of just stating that you negotiated a new contract with an office supply vendor, you can say that you did so and cut costs by 10%. (assuming thats accurate). This will better paint the picture of your experience, abilities, and the value you can offer.Hiring managers only spend a few seconds reviewing resumes. Make yours stand out for the bette r with tangible benefits youve offered to past employers.Want professional resume writing help that can transform your resume?Call the resume writing experts at ResumeSpice. We can get to know you and your background, then take that information to produce a winning resume that gets the results you want. Call 832.930.7378 today to learn more.

6 Ways to Overhaul Your Reputation at Work

6 Ways to Overhaul Your Reputation at Work6 Ways to Overhaul Your Reputation at Work Changing how people think of you is no easy feat, but if it comes to your attention that you have a less-than-stellar reputation at work, its natural to want to do something about it. Maybe you were passed over for a big opportunity, or a colleague let you in on the fact that others arent as impressed by your ability to work on a team as youd hoped. Regardless of the exact situation, the best thing you can do here is damage control. After all, what people think of the quality of your work and how you act while doing it are, in most cases, the biggest determining factors of whether you move up professionally . So what action can you take if you realize your rep is hurting you at work? First, dont stress - you have options. One thing a lot of people dont consider when trying to deal with a not-so-great professional reputation is that their personality might not naturally line up wit h the industry theyre in. That doesnt mean all hope is lost - just that adjustments need to be made. When I left the startup world to start working in corporate America, a lot of people told me that I welches cocky, says Leonard Kim, managing partner of InfluenceTree , a personal branding accelerator that teaches you how to position your brand, get featured in publications, and grow your social media following. Obviously, being considered overconfident isnt exactly the work rep most people are going for. I couldnt understand what they were talking about, because I needed time to figure out the differences between how corporate America and startups worked, he explains.Once he put effort into discerning what was different about the two work environments, he was able to adjust his behavior to be more appropriate for the corporate world. The key here? If you think personality traits may be to blame for your bad rep, do your best to turn things around quickly, because Kim says thes e types reputation issues tend to follow you, even if you make adjustments to your behavior. And if you landsee that people arent changing the way the think about you in your current role? Learn what you can and leave so you can be better equipped for your next role, he advises.Many people feel that theyve developed a bad reputation at work based on one specific incident. Maybe you messed up on a big project and colleagues are now reluctant to hand work off to you, or you threw a coworker under the bus without really thinking about what the repercussions might be. In order to recover from a mistake, you have to take responsibility for what you did, then apologize and try to make things right, Kim says. You can still recover if you are humble, genuine, and sincere with your apology and start shifting your actions to prove you wont do something similar again. Not many people take responsibility for their actions, so when you do, you will be seen as someone who holds themselves acc ountable and can be trusted in the long-term. Thats a rep you definitely do want to develop. Behaviors that damage your reputation tend to creep up when youre going through something difficult personally or are feeling burned out . The hardest thing about working at a nine-to-five is that you have to be on top of your game for an entire eight hours a day, five days a week, Kim says. Thats a lot of time where you are being analyzed and looked at for what you do. The solution? Use your PTO wisely. For example, if you just broke up with your significant other and you feel down and easily agitated, take some time off so youre not berating others at work. If you havent taken a vacation for an extended period of time and are reaching burnout, go on a vacation. If youre falling behind on your sleep schedule, call out sick, rearrange your habits and get your life back in order.Strategically utilizing your time off will allow you to be a more positive presence in the office, which can wor k wonders for your reputation.On that note, Kim says that one of the simplest things you can do to improve your rep is to smile more - in a genuine way, of course. If you think its annoying to be told to smile more when youre not a naturally smiley person, youre right. It is. But it also works. You wouldnt believe how far a smile can go, especially in a working environment, Kim notes. Its so easy for people to get burnt out and dread coming into the office . If the culture of the office starts to sway this way, or has always been this way, and youre smiling and cheery each day, your colleagues and superiors will wonder what youre doing. This invites conversation, which is an excellent opportunity to develop your relationships with colleagues and showcase the projects youre working on. Smiles are also contagious, so if youre smiling, others will smile and associate happy thoughts with you, Kim adds. The simplest way to overhaul what others think about you? Ask for their suggestio ns. Think about the last time you were in a meeting, Kim suggests. Take a mental look around at all the people in there The Joker. The Gossiper. The Suck-Up . The True Leader. You see them all. You know how they interact in the office. You sized them up and put a label on them. Guess what? They did the exact same thing to you. In other words, you know what their personal brand is - so why not ask them what they think yours is? Kim suggests the following exercise Find two stacks of Post-It notes. With the first set, write out as many of your professional and personal qualities as you can think of, including how youd like to be perceived in the office. Then, pass out the second stack to your colleagues and ask them to write down (honestly) how youre perceived in the office. Compare where you are seen now to where you want to go and you will be able to see what areas you need to work on, Kim says. But first, you have to eliminate the core problems to your image - so any Post-Its bearing negative descriptors should be dealt with first. Another approach would simply be to write down how youd like to be seen at work, ask a few trusted colleagues and potentially your manager to sit down and discuss your overall reputation, then do a similar type of comparison to see where you stand and how you can move forward. What you do outside the office also has a huge impact on your work rep. You dont want to limit what you do to just what is being done inside your company. You want to showcase what you do outside of your company as well, Kim says. In a sense, you want to develop social proof for yourself - that phenomenon when when you see a line outside of a business and you stop to see whats going on, or when you see one restaurant thats packed when the other is empty and youd rather eat in the packed one. Youre inclined to move toward the venue that others are validating, Kim explains. The same concept applies to the workforce. The more outside accomplishments yo u achieve, the more attractive you look when it comes time for a promotion.If youre not sure where to start, Kim suggests displaying your knowledge and insights on your social media accounts, content syndication websites, and maybe even your own blog . This allows you to boost your own reputation as well as your companys, for a mutually beneficial effect that only adds to your appeal.

The Battle Over Programming Resume and How to Win It

The Battle Over Programming Resume and How to Win It You are able to delete notes that are less-important later on, but you may forget it in the previous 25, when its not from the template. If your aim is to work in a specialized programming job, employed as a UNIX specialist or administrator might be the best role for you. One of the absolute most important design choices you can create on your resume is your font. If you believe that youve got average writing skills, which the majority of us have, below are some hints you can utilize to make your private statement. A resume writer can really help you land work. A programmer resume in PDF is most likely your customary choice. Only when you would enjoy the interview. So just be cautious whilst giving a name to your variable, you shouldnt use any reserved keyword for this programming language. Some people can think its not recommended to inform the Hiring Manager that youre an entrepreneur. There are a couple of the many metho ds to frame an application. There are lots of different programming languages you can pick from. Just be aya to get selected an appropriate construction resume template to meet your needs, which similarly involve some personal touch. If you have a look through my projects, you will observe that the majority of them are far from groundbreaking. The project will not be easy to get off the ground. Your projects dont need to be world-changing in any respect. The Honest to Goodness Truth on Programming Resume Its also hard to deal with concurrency issues at two unique levels. Focus on exactly what you need to be able to pick up specific skills. Working alone means that you may set your own time aside to do the job. There are several different application formats available that you will be baffled in regards to deciding on an individual certain format. You cant afford to ignore the principal skill or simply take this up casually in your resume. Yes, their skills can be tested re adily, or so the employer doesnt need to trust the candidates accolades. To begin with, templates ought to be comprehensive. A template demands the very simple structure of the resume. Therefore it is quite essential in arranging an ideal display of your continue. A winning personal statement has a particular structure. There welches a time every time a proper Resume meant an overview of the academic achievements. Inquire into the school and the program you need to register for. You might get awesomely optimized resumes and you will create your life simpler Hunting for job is likewise an arduous and demanding clinic. Read the job announcement to work out whats critical for the job that youre attempting to get. Thus it is crucial for any candidate gearing up for his dream job to experience a couple of content that are already offered. If you wish to receive an opportunity to prove your skills, you must catch the recruiters eye. The employers will have encounter similar res ume habits in their experience, so its important to modify the resume template so that it appears not the very same as the standard 1. The work description for any specific position provides you with a clue as to whats important to the employer. To stick out from others applying for the exact same job, you want to refine your resume and show off your very best skills and abilities so that you impress hiring managers and raise your likelihood of landing an interview. While the computer and technology industries are growing at unprecedented prices, it can nonetheless be difficult to find the job you would like today. For instance, a computer programmer with one professional role whos on the lookout for advancement ought to have a one-page resume. While technical pros resumes do not will need to be pretty, formatting can earn a big difference in a resumes readability. Irrespective of your degree of job knowledge, your resume format is critical to making your application stick out.

Pantea Mehdizadeh - Pharmacist

Pantea Mehdizadeh - Pharmacist Pantea Mehdizadeh PharmacistPosted October 18, 2017, by Jenny Sakr Pantea says the highlight of being a pharmacist is helping others, with over 12 years experience working in a pharmacy, she says its still the best part of the job and she never tires of it. Shes now turning her focus to integrative pharmacy,combining mainstream medicine with complementary and alternative medicine.How long have you been in pharmacy?I have been working in a pharmacy for over 12 years. I started as a pharmacy assistant, doing work experience when I first moved to Australia in 2004. I have been practising as apharmacist since 2010.What did you study and what are the steps you took to become a pharmacist?I got accepted to study a Bachelor of Pharmacy at Curtin University in 2005 during which I worked as a pharmacy assistant to finish my 500 hours (back then it welches compulsory to do 500 hours while studying). In my fourth year if study I also did a 24-week placement in WA . I then moved to NSW to do my internship which included 2,000 hours of supervised work, a few assignments, and a written and an oral exam - all in the lead up to become a registered pharmacist.What was your first job?Musician, I was working with different groups, singing in choirs and playing the guitar.What did you want to be when you were younger?I wanted to become a surgeon when I was really young. Then I became fascinated with genes and genetic engineering.When did you first know you wanted to be a pharmacist?When I was 17 and started thinking about career path more seriously, I didnt think life in a lab as a genetic engineer would satisfy me. I always wanted to be involved in health and to help people, was not really keen on the responsibility of diagnosis that lies on the shoulder of doctors, so the next best option was to liaise with other healthcare professionals and the idea of becoming a pharmacist stood out.Explain a typical day at workA typical day for me at this role i s to set up the pharmacy, doing daily reports needed, going through my daily tasks and any unfinished tasks from

Resume Place Media Mentions, Week of May 24 - 28, 2010

Resume Place Media Mentions, Week of May 24 - 28, 2010Resume Place Media Mentions, Week of May 24 - 28, 2010Resume Place Media Mentions, Week of May 24 28, 2010Its been a busy week for me on the media front. Check out the articles and happenings in the last few daysKathryn Troutmans Federal Resume Writing Tips Washington Post, May 26, 2010The federal resume is bedrngnis the same as a private industry resume. Private industry resumes are usually no longer than 2 pages the federal resume is an average of 4 pages. Federal resumes MUST match a target announcement to stand out and eventually get referred to a supervisor Read more Resume Adviser Helps Ranks of Would-Be Federal Workers Navigate ApplicationsWashington Post, May 27, 2010In a cramped glassed-in room in Crystal City, Kathryn Troutman, who last worked for the federal government as a secretary during the Vietnam War, faces 19 job seekers, the latest of thousands of would-be civil servants who have come to know zu sich as the fed eral jobs guru Read more Federal Job-Hunt Maven in the SpotlightGovernmentExecutive.com, May 27, 2010The fact that there is a market for the services Kathryn provides is an indictment of the current hiring system, John Palguta of the Partnership for Public Service told the Post. You cant figure it out without some help Read more Book Signing, Military to Federal Career Guide 2nd EditionBook Expo of America, New York City, May 26, 2010Kathryn Troutman autographed her new book, Military to Federal Career Guide, 2nd Edition, Federal Resume Writing for Veterans. Kathryn also visited military personnel aboard the Iwo Jima for Fleet Week. She signed books and gave autographed books to Crew Chiefs of CH53 Super Stallion Helicopters.

US Military Code Of Conduct Rules For Prisoners of War

US Military Code Of Conduct Rules For Prisoners of WarUS Military Code Of Conduct Rules For Prisoners of WarThe Code of Conduct (CoC) is the legal guide for the behavior of military members who are captured by hostile forces. If you are considering joining the military, you will be required to memorize this verbatim during your time in boot camp, basic training, Service Academy, ROTC, and OCS initial military training. The Code of Conduct, in six brief Articles, addresses those situations and decision areas that, to some degree, all military personnel could encounter. It includes basic information useful to U.S. POWs in their efforts to survive honorably while resisting their captors efforts to exploit them to the advantage of the enemys cause and their own disadvantage. Such survival and resistance requirevarying degrees of knowledge of the meaning of the six Articles of the CoC. Article I - I am an American, fighting in the forces which guard my country and our way of life. I am pr epared to give my life in their defense. ExplanationArticle I of the CoC applies to all Service members at all times. A member of the Armed Forces has a duty to support U.S. interests and oppose U.S. enemies regardless of the circumstances, whether located in a combat environment or in captivity. Medical personnel and chaplains are obligated to abide by the provisions of the CoC however, their special retained status under the Geneva Conventions grants them some flexibility in its implementation. What Military Personnel Need to Know Past experience of captured Americans reveals that honorable survival in captivity requires that a service member possesses a high degree of dedication and motivation. Maintaining these qualities requires knowledge of and a strong belief in the following The advantages of American democratic institutions and concepts.Love of and faith in the United States and a conviction that the U.S. cause is just.Faith in and loyalty to fellow POWs. Possessing the ded ication and motivation, such beliefs and trust foster enable POWs to survive long and stressful periods of captivityand return to their country and families honorably with self-esteem intact. Special Provisions for Medical Personnel Chaplains. Under the Geneva Conventions, medical personnel who are exclusively engaged in the medical service of their armed forces and chaplains who fall into the hands of the enemy are retained personnel and are elend POWs. While this allows them the latitude and flexibility necessary to perform their professional duties, it does not relieve them of their obligation to abide by the provisions of the CoC. Like all members of the Armed Forces, medical personnel and chaplains are accountable for their actions. Remaining Articles of the Code of Conduct Article II-I will never surrender of my own free will. If in command, I will never surrender the members of my command while they still have the means to resist. Explanation Members of the military are not to surrender voluntarily. Individually or as a group, when isolated and no longer able to fight the enemy or defend themselves, it is their duty to evade capture and rejoin the nearest friendly force. Article III-If I am captured I will continue to resist by all means available. I will make every effort to escape and to aid others to escape. I will accept neither parole nor special favors from the enemy. ExplanationThe misfortune of capture does not lessen the duty of a member of the Armed Forces to continue resisting enemy exploitation by all means available. Contrary to the Geneva Conventions, enemies whom U.S. forces have engaged since 1949 have mistreated prisoners while in captivity. Article IV- If I become a prisoner of war, I will keep faith with my fellow prisoners. I will give no information or take part in any action which might be harmful to my comrades. If I am senior, I will take command. If not, I will obey the lawful orders of those appointed over me and will back them up in every way. ExplanationBeing a POW, communicating and keeping the morale as high as possible with your fellow captives is essential to your survival. You are still in the military and it is the chain of command with a strong leader that will save you and your fellow prisoners. Article V-When questioned, should I become aprisoner of war, I am required to give name, rank, service number, and date of birth. I will evade answering further questions to the utmost of my ability. I will make no oral or written statements disloyal to my country and its allies or harmful to their cause. ExplanationWhen questioned, a POW is required by the Geneva Conventions and the CoC to only give the name, rank, service number, and date of birth. This communication is for accountability purposes as well as having a guideline for avoiding being used as enemy propaganda, allowing the prisoner some flexibility when torture and other illegal mistreatment or harsh activity is involved. Article VI-I w ill never forget that I am an American, fighting for freedom, responsible for my actions, and dedicated to the principles which made my country free. I will trust in my God and in the United States of America. Explanation Keeping the faith is critical to the survival of an American in custody. Article VI is designed to assist members of the Armed Forces to fulfill their responsibilities and survive captivity with honor.

The Best Online Tools for Executives

The Best Online Tools for ExecutivesThe Best Online Tools for ExecutivesThe latest online products let you network like never before and theyre easy to use.By Dean Guadagni and Susan HanshawThere is no denying it The new online communications capabilities dubbed Web 2.0 are changing the way companies interact with customers, conduct geschftsleben and leverage their brands on a global basis. The social-networking capabilities Web 2.0 introduced have fundamentally altered the way companies search for talent.Yet many executive job binnenseekers hesitate to adopt Web 2.0 and social- media strategies because they lack information about the tools, their reach, their value and how best to use them.Today well shine a light on what works for $100K+ executives.The following is a brief look at what we believe to be the most important tools available to executive job seekers today and a few tips on how to best put them to use.1. LinkedInLinkedIn is a tremendously popular social network for busi ness users. With mora than 40 million registered users, LinkedIn was ranked one of the top five social- media sites for traffic growth in Q1 of 2009 by Compete.com. (How much traffic puts a site in the top five? Analytics firm comScore.com estimates Linkedin receives 16 million unique visits per month.)LinkedIn is based on an architecture of visibility. Simply stated, LinkedIn allows you to see your networking partners network of connections. This visibility creates a number of opportunities for job searches via an extended network focused on business.Tip Use the Status Update box.One of the biggest and most common mistakes LinkedIn users make is doing nothing more than collecting connections. Among the quickest and most effective tools for networking with your direct connections is the Network Updates box, a.k.a What are you working on now? unterstellung messages get distributed to your direct connections as updates on their home pages, enabling you to keep yourself top of mind wit h your connections.2. BlogsBlogging is a multi faceted toolfor your executive job search. The term blog is a contraction of the words Web and log. In a nutshell, blogs are easy-to-use Web sites that display articles in reverse-chronological order. Because theyre such an accessible, powerful way to get your message out, blogs provide job seekers with extremely effective digital calling cards.You can build and own your writing platform, publish content that reflects your expertise and create a communications tool that will support you throughout your career.Unlike social networks, which are owned by others and require you to follow their rules of engagement, bloggers have the opportunity to create their own publications, write their own rulebooks and establish their own formats with their target markets and goals as parameters.Tip Just start.The first and simplest tip is to adopt blogging as an important tool and step into the technology.3. TwitterTwitter is a social network that lets users publish short messages with a limit of 140 character s. Although Twitters registered user count, rumored at 10 million, is far below that of Facebooks purported 200 million -plus, Twitter is the fastest- growing social network according to Compete.com. From March 2008 to March 2009, Twitter grew 2,565 percent.Twitter has enjoyed amazing growth and popularity for two reasons. First, it is an easy tool to use. Twitter requires very little technical savvy, and it requires you to do far less writing than a blog would.Second, Twitter provides valuable features like instantaneous broadcasting and connectivity. This makes Twitter a major component of any social- media campaign.Tip Tune into conversations.To hear whats going on in any conversation hosted on the site, just make a list of keywords that would identify topics youre interested in. Twitter is behind the growing popularity of the new search frontier semantic conversational search. Semantic search lets people search for conv ersations, in real time, relevant to their keywords. Unlike a Google search, which can return links to outdated information, Twitter has a third- party, open- source search tool called Twazzup.com, which identifies relevant conversations.4. FacebookFacebook currently reigns as the largest social network with more than 200 million active users. Facebook reports that 100 million users spend more than 4 billion minutes on the site every day. Todays fastest- growing population segment is age 35 and older that groups spending power is attracting businesses of all sizes to develop a Facebook presence.Tip Control your privacy settings.Many executive job seekers are concerned about how to draw a line between personal and professional networking, especially with networks like Facebook that may encompass both sorts of contacts. Most people dont realize how much control they have over who sees what. In fact, Facebook provides settings that let you select who can see the various sections of yo ur profile and your update activity.Whats important is that youre comfortable using whatever tools work for you. This debriefing on Web 2.0 tools is a start, but youll have to take the plunge to get the hang of it. Use this information to build an online job -search campaign around your offline search today.Dean Guadagni and Susan Hanshaw are co-founders of Inner Architect, a social- media marketing firm that works with businesses and individuals to use Web 2.0 and social-media tools to get close to their customers, engage with their target audience, and succeed in building a vibrant community or professional network. They are frequent public speakers, addressing professional groups around the San Francisco Bay area about the impact and opportunities of Web 2.0.