VisualCV.com gives you the chance to build a unique web portfolio - a richer, more compelling version of your traditional paper/Word resume. You can add graphics, documents, audio and video files and go from telling about what you’ve done to showing… and selling.

The site recently held a “best VisualCV contest,” and not only are the winning entries inspiring, they have also led to job offers!

Oh… and the best part? You can build and host your VisualCV for free. No fees, no ads, no sponsorships.

I have been affiliated with the company since the planning stages - I’m on the advisory board and I wrote an “Insider’s Guide” for creating a powerful VisualCV. (It’s a free download.) So yes, I guess I am biased! But I haven’t seen anything that comes close to the ease and value of this free portfolio service. Not to mention the other value-added benefits that include connecting with employers, recruiters, and others.

A reader sent me this query privately: “I was just laid off from an advertising agency when the agency lost our largest client (30% of billings) when the client merged with another company. My former client as well as employer have said they would serve as references for me. My question is – Should I mention this in my cover letter and if so, how?”

The question is two-fold: 1) Should I explain why I lost my job and 2) Should I mention the great references that I have.

It might be helpful to briefly explain the circumstances that downsized your company. However, don’t assume that people are going to read your cover letter (many never do), and be sure your resume is strong enough to stand on its own. In other words, focus on your value to the company while you were there and be ready to answer the “why did you leave” question during an interview.

With regard to your references, why not ask your former boss and client to write reference letters for you now, then excerpt a few of their fabulous quotes in your resume or cover letter? Third-party endorsements are very powerful! Saying “my former boss and client will give me great references” doesn’t have nearly as much meaning as a specific and glowing recommendation of your work.

Thanks to CJ Russell for asking such great questions! You can hear his interview with me here and check out his blog, “Secrets of the Job Hunt,” here.

Are you afraid to specialize? Afraid that by stating your specific interests and expertise you’ll limit your opportunities?

Interestingly, the opposite is true. By trying to appeal to all interests, you appeal strongly to none. After all, employers want to hire people who are experts! If you were hiring for a very specific need, which candidate would you choose?

• CFO for any size company, public or private
• CFO with experience in public-company M&A and a background in technology start-ups

• Sales & Marketing Executive - multiple marketing channels, diverse products and services
• Sales & Marketing Executive - expert in building brands and creating demand for luxury consumer goods

It’s true that by defining your niche you won’t appeal to everybody. But… do you really want to? Wouldn’t you rather do what you love and work where your expertise is valued?

Actually, the full quote is, “I  never read resumes - just scan them.” And this recruiter, a participant on my industry E-list, goes on to say, “If I see what I want [very specific terms that match the job I’m sourcing today], I might read more.”

This sounds disheartening to job seekers and their resume writers! But in fact it simply underscores the need to write a concise, relevant resume that precisely positions you for the jobs you’re seeking.

How does your resume stack up?

Career marketing is no different from product marketing! Just as Seth Godin says, “It might be easier to build a new sweet spot than it is to persuade an established middleman to change his rules for you.”

Too many job seekers persist in trying to convince recruiters that they are “perfect” for a job, when said recruiters clearly don’t agree. The rules are the rules… the job specs are the job specs. You have very little chance of being chosen for Oprah, the New York Times Book Review, the Harvard Business Review, Fast Company… or that particular opportunity… if you don’t fit the mold.

Why not, instead, determine your career “sweet spot” and go after it directly? Be prepared with persuasive evidence of how, specifically, you can help your target audience. How your experiences and expertise align with their goals. How you fit the culture, the challenge, and the opportunities on the horizon. Thrive in the mold that fits you!

I love “group blogs” such as CareerMastersTalk and CareerHub. They bring together smart people with good, very diverse ideas. These two blogs are all about career topics, so I read (and contribute) regularly.

And every now and then a post is so good, I have to steal it and share it. Check out Billie Sucher’s great advice to “Put on the Hiring Manager’s Hat.”

Launching a blog feels a bit like approaching the ocean on a hot summer day. I anticipate it will be fun and refreshing… but there’s an equally good chance I’ll get a cold shock, find something unpleasant underfoot, or encounter a crab or a shark.

Yet I’m ready to plunge in and hope you’ll join me. Your comments and opinions are always welcome!

I’m active across the wide ocean of career management and employment. I write resumes, write books on career topics, speak to diverse audiences (job seekers, recruiters, fellow career professionals), and hang out with the best and brightest in the careers field through my board and professional affiliations. I promise to give you straight talk and carefully considered advice.

In turn, I hope you’ll share your own experiences and opinions. Jump in - the water’s fine, and together we can keep each other afloat.

 Louise Kursmark