When you first sit down to write your resume from scratch, it’s normal to sit there for several minutes before you write your first word. Where to begin writing an effective resume is difficult, especially in today’s competitive world. But even if you have a resume you’ve used in the past, chances are some significant adjustments need to be made if you’re searching for a new job.
This brings up the point of targeting your resume to match the specific job description you’re looking at. You probably have heard from an executive resume service that it’s important to do so, but in what ways are you supposed to match them? Here are some tips to consider when writing your resume.
Focus on Keywords in The Job Description
The best professional resume writers will print out a job description, grab a highlighter and mark each keyword they can find. These keywords should describe the particular candidate the employer is looking for, as well as the strengths and skills you possess. Once you identify them all, plug them into your resume as high on the page as possible. Include as many keywords as you can, but be careful not to stuff too many of them in to make it sound unnatural.
Think About How A Potential Employer Reads Your Resume
It’s easy to talk about your past experiences and accomplishments. The biggest mistake professionals make is talking about previous achievements that aren’t relevant to the job they are applying for. When writing an effective resume, you have to write it while thinking about how a potential employer will read it. They want to see what value you bring to the table specifically for their company, and don’t necessarily care about anything else. By looking closely at the job description, the best professional resume writers can identify what’s appropriate to mention and what should be avoided.
Discover What You Truly Want From A Job
A common misconception about writing an effective resume is it should be more general instead of focused. The idea is the more general your resume is, the better your chances are of landing another open position, even if you don’t qualify for the one you really want. This can lead to a sloppy resume and an unfocused job search effort. Taking the time to truly discover what you want from a job, from a salary standpoint, cultural standpoint, work/life balance and more will help you target your resume.
Professional Resume Services is an executive resume service that helps professionals write resumes that stand out. We will always ask for the job description of any job you are interested in and tailor your resume to match it. Our professional resume writers have experience in many different industries, so never hesitate to contact us if you need assistance with yours.
You’ve worked so hard on your job search to find a perfect fit for your career and it’s finally paid off. Now that you’re at your new job, what are you supposed to do? Depending on the nature of the job, you may be thrown right into the fire and be slammed with work right away. However, most employers will ease in a new executive and allow them to get a feel for their new position, their co-workers and the overall culture in general.
The first month of your new job is critical for setting the standard of your work and becoming familiar with systems and processes you can’t develop or learn through a LinkedIn profile. Here are some things to do during the first month of your new job.
Fit In With The Culture
You likely did some research about the culture of your new company during the job search. It was important to learn about the culture while writing an executive bio, and the professional resume writing service you used likely took the culture into consideration as they crafted your resume as well. However, there’s nothing like getting first-hand knowledge and experience to learn how people operate on a daily basis. You should have a basic knowledge of the company’s culture before you even begin your first day, but taking further steps to ensure you fit in as much as possible will benefit you as well.
Make Internal Connections
Connect with anyone you can within the office during your first month. You may have seen some of your coworkers’ LinkedIn profiles, but stop by and have a short conversation whenever you have a chance. This goes for anyone outside of your department as well. Connect with them on a work level and a personal level as appropriate so they will get a sense of who you are and you will establish your reputation along the way.
Build Your Credibility To Set The Standard
Your professional resume writing service helped you build credibility in your resume, but now it’s time to show it. Go above and beyond the job duties given to you during the first month. Building this credibility right away will help set the standard and give others the impression they can rely on you to get the job done.
Don’t Be Overly Ambitious
Just be careful about being too ambitious, since you don’t want to show up anyone during your first month. This goes for questioning internal policies and procedures as well. It’s ok to make suggestions at times, but it’s also important to understand every company operates differently and some of these things need to be accepted without rocking the boat.
Professional Resume Services is here to help you throughout your job search process and beyond. While we are known as a professional resume writing service, we are well rounded in our experience working with executives throughout their career. To learn more about how we can help you at any stage of your career, feel free to contact us at any time.
The concept of c-level personal branding seems simple enough, yet some professionals don’t quite understand the ins-and-outs of it. Personal branding is an ongoing process that can take years to develop, but only seconds to destroy completely. It’s impossible to boost your personal brand if you don’t make a conscious effort to make your name known throughout your industry and beyond. You could start with developing your LinkedIn profile, attending networking events or other functions. However, the real secrets to personal branding involve differentiating yourself and being completely authentic in everything you do.
Differentiate Yourself
The idea of personal branding for senior level managers involves communicating the unique characteristics you offer to any individual or organization. The idea of differentiating yourself isn’t a new concept, but it’s one that often gets overlooked. Companies today always look for a candidate who stands out when they are in the hiring process. When you target and identify exactly what companies are looking for, then you can compare those needs to what you offer and present them in a unique way to differentiate yourself from the candidate pool. Differentiation is a key component of c-level personal branding.
Writing Can Demonstrate Your Personal Brand
Whether it’s on your LinkedIn profile, your resume, your personal blog or any other content, what you write and how you write it can demonstrate your personal brand. Your content should clearly show your expertise, the values you bring, your leadership style and what sets you apart from other people who have similar levels of expertise. As long as you are consistent in your writing, every single piece of content you publish will provide a boost to your c-level personal branding.
Always Be Authentic
In the world of technology and automation today, it’s easy to get away from authenticity. When you have to write your resume or LinkedIn profile by using certain keywords to be recognized, you could end up drifting away from your natural brand. The best thing to do is write and speak authentically and you’ll never have to question yourself or answer any tough questions. There are many different ways to make yourself stand out, but if you don’t do it authentically, then you aren’t doing yourself or anyone else any favors.
Professional Resume Services understands the importance of personal branding for senior level managers. While our name suggest we are experts in resume writing, our expertise goes far beyond just resumes. We want to help executives boost their personal branding to give them a better chance at landing the jobs they desire. To learn more about personal branding and how to set yourself apart, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time.
Executives have to take advantage of any opportunities they can get when it comes to their job search. With so much competition, standing out can be challenging. Visiting professional resume writing services is generally the best place to start, but you also have to take it a few steps further. One of the most effective ways to make yourself known is by communicating directly with the hiring manager at the company you’re interested in working at. Of course, this can be easier said than done, but it is entirely possible with diligent effort and research. Here are some tips to consider.
Find Out Who The Hiring Manager Is
Many times you won’t know the name of the hiring manager, and that’s ok. Unless the hiring manager absolutely doesn’t want to be known, chances are you can find them. By doing an online search, utilizing your network, checking the company website or looking at the LinkedIn profile of various members of the organization, you may find some tips as to who is responsible for hiring candidates. You could also be bold and simply contact the company by phone and ask for the name of the hiring manager. Once you have the name, you can communicate directly with the person.
Do Some Research On The Hiring Manager
A LinkedIn profile generally tells you a lot about the person from a professional standpoint. If you reach out to them through your LinkedIn profile, it gives you the chance to have your name seen prior to sending in your resume and cover letter. Many times the hiring manager may not respond to your LinkedIn message for various reasons, but at least your name will be recognized when you do send in your resume. Any way you can connect with them will help your cause and make your name recognizable.
Be Proactive Without Being Pushy
There’s a big difference between being proactive and being annoying or pushy. Many executive resume writers will tell you to send in your resume and wait one week or so before following up. When you reach out to them every day to check on the status of your application, you will most likely be thrown out of the pool of candidates. No one likes to work with a pushy person, so know your limits and contact the hiring manager when appropriate.
Professional Resume Services wants to help get your resume in the best possible shape to set you up for success. Our executive resume writers will use the right keywords and phrases to boost your chances of getting noticed, so your efforts of connecting with the hiring manager will not be wasted. For assistance with any part of the job search process, feel free to contact us at any time.
One of the first steps to getting the job you’ve always desired is finding a way to land an interview. But once you finally get the interview, it’s only natural to experience some nerves and anxiety before and during it. With all the time you spent writing resumes that get you hired, you can’t let a few nerves get in the way of completely dominating your interview. With that said, here are some proven ways to help you relax before you go into your executive interview.
Music Can Be Soothing
Even if you’re not a music lover, listening to the right type of music prior to your interview can help calm your mind a bit. Your heart rate is probably already elevated as you’re traveling to the interview, so avoid upbeat tunes. Instead, find some soothing music, like some classical music, to relax your mind and thoughts. You may be surprised at how relaxed you feel after just a few minutes.
Eat, But Don’t Overeat
When you’re preparing for your interview a few hours or minutes before it begins, it’s easy to forget about eating. The best professional resume writers will tell you to eat a small snack, like a granola bar, crackers, fruit or even as much as a sandwich. Walking into an interview on an empty stomach can make you jittery and cause you to not think straight at times. However, be careful with the amount you eat as well. Overeating can make you feel a little lethargic and cause you to not have as much energy as you need.
Work on Your Posture
Writing resumes that get you hired will only go so far. Your presentation during an interview is critical as well. Working on your posture also can help calm down some of your nerves and anxiety. When you’re sitting in the waiting area, be conscious about sitting up straight. And before that, practice standing straight up with your shoulders back. Simply incorporating good posture will increase your confidence levels and naturally decrease your nerves.
Be Confident in Your Preparation
You’ve visited an executive resume writing service, practiced interview questions and completed diligent research on the company you’re interviewing with. Confidence is one way to alleviate some anxiety, so trust that your preparation is good enough to do well in your interview. Thinking of yourself as an asset to the potential employer will also help you go in with the mindset of them needing you as much as you need them.
Professional Resume Services is an executive resume writing service, but we also help our clients throughout the job search process. Whether we can help you brush up your resume, social media accounts or provide advice on nailing an interview, we are always available to talk to you. Feel free to contact us at any time for more advice to help you feel more confident prior to your interview.
You spend so much time writing the perfect resume, so why do you have to exhaust the same amount of time and effort on a cover letter? The little known fact about resumes and cover letters is they go hand-in-hand in most cases. Some recruiters will look at a cover letter first to determine whether they even want to bother reading a resume. Others will look at a resume first and decide at that point whether it’s worth reading the cover letter. Since you never truly know which is most important, it’s best to make sure your executive resume cover letter is in the best shape before sending it in. Here are some of the details you need to make sure you include in yours.
Personalization
Find out the hiring manager’s name if you can, and address them in your cover letter accordingly. The top rated resume writing services suggest using personalization whenever it’s appropriate throughout your cover letter. This demonstrates you’ve done your homework and the reader will feel more of a personal attachment as well. If you need to, feel free to contact the employer and ask for the name of the hiring manager.
Perfect Grammar and Punctuation
Even a minor typographical error is magnified when it’s in your cover letter. It tells a hiring manager you’re not focused on details, and could be a big black eye when it comes to your chances of landing an interview. Utilize the top rated resume writing services available to you to proofread your cover letter to ensure you’ve incorporated perfect grammar and punctuation.
Your Own Contact Information
With all of the details, experiences and accomplishments you have to focus on in your cover letter, many executives neglect to include their own contact information. The basic contact information you need to include on your executive resume cover letter is your name, phone number and email address. You may also choose to include your LinkedIn profile to provide the hiring manager with an additional resource.
Include The Company Name
Hiring managers can easily spot a generic cover letter from a personal one. Get the full name of the company correct, and spell it correctly. If you use an existing cover letter as a template to write another one, be sure to change the company name appropriately so you’re referring to the right place.
Professional Resume Services provides services beyond just helping executives write resumes and cover letters. We want to help you throughout your job search process. When you visit us early on, we will provide helpful guidance along the way to ensure even the tiniest details don’t get overlooked. To learn more about how we can help you land your dream job, don’t hesitate to contact us at any time.
One of the most under-appreciated aspects of a job search is creating a comprehensive plan and sticking to it. The mistake many professionals make is thinking they can put in a significant amount of time and effort for a couple of weeks and their efforts will be rewarded with their desired job shortly afterward. However, the best professional resume writers will tell you this isn’t always the case, even if you have a flawless resume. Creating a job search plan you can stick with will help you not only efficiently land your next job, but also give you a higher likelihood of getting the job you actually want. Here are some steps to take to create a solid job search plan.
Write Down Clear Goals
Due to the advanced technology today, the traditional pen and paper method of taking notes has essentially vanished. However, there’s something about writing down your goals that make them more likely to be accomplished. Write down big goals you have, as well as smaller goals you want to reach along the way. Some of your goals could be about the role you want at your next job, what culture you want in your next office or how large the organization is. Then you can tailor your resumes and cover letters to those qualities and start working to reach the goals.
Treat Your Job Search Like A Job
A job search is a job on its own. If you have a home office, set it up with all the tools you need to be successful in your job search. Also schedule out your day like you would any other job, whether it’s scheduling time for writing an executive bio, researching words to include in your resume or even taking lunch. The more you treat the job search like a job, the more structured it will be and will help you stay on track.
Reward Yourself When Reaching Milestones
Most people feel accomplished when their boss praises them for reaching milestones, so you should reward yourself for the same throughout a job search. When you’ve written a couple versions of resumes and cover letters, treat yourself to a nice dinner. Or when you’re done writing an executive bio, reward yourself by taking a walk or doing other things you enjoy. Breaking up the job search in these manners can keep the motivation levels high and prevent burnout.
Seek Advice When Needed
You will likely reach a point in your job search where you feel stuck or get discouraged. Before it reaches that point, reach out to the best professional resume writers for advice. Sometimes talking to another professional can give you the boost of motivation or energy you need to remember your goals and get back on track.
Professional Resume Services is here to help you throughout your job search. Whether it’s writing your initial resume and cover letter or developing a complete job search plan, we want to assist in any way we can. Feel free to reach out to us at any time throughout the duration of your job search.
LinkedIn is constantly evolving and providing new features for its users. As such, a job seeker’s LinkedIn profile development has to also evolve constantly in order to keep up with the competition. It’s entirely possible to have created a LinkedIn profile, filled it out completely, but still aren’t having the success you expected. Don’t give up! You may just not be utilizing the right features. So if you’ve ever asked yourself, “how can I attract recruiters to my executive LinkedIn profile?” we’ve got some tips on specific features to help you out.
“How You Rank”
The “How You Rank” tool on LinkedIn helps you see how often your profile gets viewed in comparison to the amount of connections you have. As a job seeker, you want your profile to be viewed as much as possible so you’ll be noticed more and be seen as an influencer. Being in the top 25% on the “How You Rank” tool should be a goal to strive for, since you will be getting a high amount of profile views at that level.
Another benefit of the tool is to see who is most influential within your network. The more active a user is, the more likely they will be willing to interact with you. And on a similar note, an active user is likely the person you want to interact with anyway, since they could be a more valuable connection to strengthen your job search.
Join and Be Active in Groups
If you aren’t sure how to optimize your LinkedIn profile in order to improve your “How You Rank” score, the best way to do so is by joining groups and being active in them. There are thousands of LinkedIn groups available, so find a handful of relevant ones and start connecting with the group members. The more active you are in groups, the more your profile will be viewed, and the higher your “How You Rank” score will climb.
Enhance Original Content With The Publishing Platform
Creating original content is another great way to improve your LinkedIn profile development. Now LinkedIn has a tool to allow you to publish your content under your profile photo, the header and at the top of your profile. This feature makes it easier than ever before to share your insightful content to anyone who views your profile. Now all you have to do is go to work to write the content, and the LinkedIn publishing platform will help you easily distribute it within your network.
Professional Resume Services helps executives with LinkedIn profile development every day. LinkedIn is one of the most valuable tools for job seekers, but it also has to be used properly in order to be effective. If you aren’t sure how to optimize your LinkedIn profile, or would like more tips about how to best use it effectively, contact us at any time for a consultation.
