Resumes mean so much to hiring managers. It’s your first introduction to a prospective employer and it’s how you differentiate yourself. But what separates the bad resumes from the good ones?
The best resumes avoid abbreviations. Abbreviations are not professional nor are they accepted. Nothing makes HR managers cringe more than seeing sentences like the following: “Answered the phone and went 2 C clients” (yes, I truly have seen this). It may be the information age but this is not a text message so don’t treat it as such.
Giving up too much personal information is a no-no. You should leave off anything related to hobbies or interests that are not related to the job. Do not include your weight and height unless you’re applying for a position as a gym trainer. If it’s not related to the job in any way, do not include it on your resume. Leave out your illnesses or why you took off 2 years to care for a dying parent. As hard as that may have been, it will count against you.
The best resumes are the best because they’re not being used as an art canvas. If you try to stand out by having large graphics on your resume it’s a bad move, because this will give you an unprofessional and amateurish looking resume. Your prospective employer only wants to see your skills, your duties and achievements. You’re not going to get anywhere by having a Word Art picture of a snail on your resume.
Keep the negativity to yourself. The best resumes are neutral in tone or highlight the best attributes of the applicant. But, if you have information on your resume that is negative, such as, leaving your previous employer because you did not like the boss, just keep that part to yourself. Do not try to explain the situation on your resume. That’s an impossible battle that you should not fight. Your resume’s job is to sell and promote you. So don’t eliminate yourself because you were negative.
Good resumes include dates. Do not make an HR manager have to guess. This kills your resume on the spot. You have to include dates. What years were you in college, did you attend graduate school or did you graduate from a trade school? How long have you been working at your current position? Do not make the hiring manager have to ask questions about your resume. The second they have to guess, your resume is going straight to the trash. Make sure your resume flows easily and there are no date gaps. If you took a year off to go travel or to go back to school, include this on your resume.
Bad resumes do not highlight achievements. Many people will fill their resumes with irrelevant information, but they leave off the most important part of the resume – focusing on their achievements. You want to stand out from other applicants, so how can you do that if you do not showcase what you’ve done. Explaining your past accomplishments means that the HR manager can see what you’ve done and know how you can fill their need. If you have the abilities, you need to showcase them on your resume.
Focusing on your experience, your background and your accomplishments is what’s known as a functional resume. Chronological resumes list all of your employers in the order of the date that you worked for them, typically with the oldest employer at the bottom of the resume. Functional resumes are great for people who are looking to make a career change, people with multiple positions with different industries, people with gaps in their employment and those just starting out on their career. However, as always, I have to warn you that recruiter and hiring people really don’t like functional style resumes. They feel you may be “hiding” something.
You can combine both resume types to give yourself a well-rounded appearance to potential employers, plus hiring managers love to see a list of previous experience, especially when it’s for a position of authority. Providing work history is an excellent way to showcase how your accomplishments have translated to actual success in the work place.
Start by writing a list of the skills that you used at your previous jobs. List them one by one so that you cover a wide range of tasks on your resume. Depending on the position you’re applying for, modify your skills to directly reflect those of the position that you’re applying for. Don’t embellish, instead focus on what you’ve accomplished and how it will allow you to succeed at your new position.
Use bullet points to provide a concise and accurate depiction of your responsibilities and where you used your skills. List our your accomplishments and try to use numbers to demonstrate an actual value. You can say something like, you promoted better paper management and turned your office into a green office, reducing the waste and lowering cost for trash maintenance by a third. Or that you increased sales in your office by 15% over a 5 year period.
Show your employer in the bullet section of your accomplishments. You want to be able to match your accomplishments with a tangible company, so make sure to list the companies where you worked. Your accomplishments only mean so much if they can be backed up. Listing your companies, or contacts you may have done a project for, will help highlight your accomplishments.
Use action verbs at the beginning of your accomplishments. Saying things like, “demonstrated” a strong desire to train new employees, is better than saying “trained staff.” Elaborate on your accomplishments, it’s all right to use descriptive words here. In fact, the HR manager may appreciate your ability to be descriptive.
Complete a short job history below the accomplishment section of your resume. This will help employers get a good idea of your work history. Make sure to include the name of the employer, your job title, the dates you worked for the employer and the location of the job. Write this list in reverse chronological order.
It’s time to get those accomplishments out there and find the job that you’ve always wanted!
Finding employment can be tough, many people have been out of work at one point in their lives, but that doesn’t mean that you have to get down on yourself. Losing your job can be crushing, you have to deal with the loss of income, health insurance and the pain of rejection. If you find a job quickly those feelings soon pass, but if your job search drags out it can leave you strained.
The hardest part of being out of work for a long period of time is keeping that positive attitude, especially when the job search turns into months and years. You have to keep a positive attitude for your own sanity and to make a good impression with potential employment opportunities. Here are some helpful ideas for those job search warriors out there trying to keep their chin up.
- Find something to do with your time, being a job hunting warrior isn’t about making the quick easy kill, if you want to have a good job that you will enjoy, then you need to do something that will occupy your time while you hunt. A hobby like an eBay store is a great way to expand your skills while still earning some money.
- Take some time and do the things you would not normally be able to do. Spend some time with your kids or take a trip that you’ve always wanted (if you have the money).
- Help out with the household chores. Just do something that will take your mind off of the hunt and recharge your batteries long enough for you to regain focus. You have to be mentally and physically prepared if you’re going to get back into the swing of things.
- Learn a new skill. Take up sewing or start playing badminton, anything you can do to relieve the stress of looking for a job. Pacing yourself for the job hunt is important because you can burn out by focusing all of your energy into that one thing.
- Update your resume. There’s no time like the present to start developing a new resume, now you can put some of those new skills that you’ve acquired on that and showcase what you’ve learned during your job hunt. A job hunting support group isn’t a bad idea either. There you can share your experience with other people and do some networking while you’re at it. These groups are here to help people, so take advantage of the opportunities you have.
- Enjoy your day. Most wary warriors like to focus their job search efforts during the day when most people are at work but that doesn’t mean you have to spend all your day looking for work. Take a second to go outside and enjoy the air or read a book that you’ve always wanted to. Just do what you can to recharge during this down period because you’ll need it once the night job hunt is on.
***A big thanks to Laura DeCarlo, President of Career Directors International, for passing along the information.
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“Each year, WEDDLE’s (www.weddles.com) conducts a year-long poll at its site to identify the thirty job boards and social media sites with the most support among job seekers, employers and recruiters. These sites are then recognized with a WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Award – the only accolade in the job market in which actual site users get to pick the winners.
While clearly not a scientific survey, WEDDLE’s User’s Choice Awards are a good measure of the intensity of support that individual sites have among their users. For that reason, we think it’s accurate to say that the sites with the most votes are clearly among the elite in the online employment services industry.
The 2011 winners include:
Absolutely Health Care; AfterCollege.com; AHACareerCenter.org (American Hospital Association); AllHealthcareJobs.com; AllRetailJobs.com
CareerBuilder.com; Climber.com; CollegeRecruiter.com; CoolWorks.com
Dice.com
EHSCareers.com; ExecuNet
FlexJobs.com
Hcareers.com; HEALTHeCAREERS Network; HigherEdJobs.com; HospitalDreamJobs.com
Indeed.com
Job.com; JobCircle.com; JobFox.com; Jobing
Monster.com
National Healthcare Career Network
SimplyHired.com; 6FigureJobs.com; SnagAJob.com
TopUSAJobs.com
VetJobs.com
WSJ.com/Careers (The Wall Street Journal)
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People have been fired over what they’ve said in blog posts or on social media sites. Sharing confidential information or making negative comments about a business have cost many employees their jobs. Some employees have even been fired over making positive comments about their company. What is grounds for termination in the cyber-world and how can social media affect your job search?
Can having a personal blog, professional blog or social media account impact your job search? It most certainly could and probably will. If you post about how you conduct yourself in interviews or if you post about how you embellish your resume, potential employers will be able to see it. You want to have a profile that does not scream “bad employee” and that could be anything from bragging about excessive drinking to how you steal notepads from work.
Is it alright for prospective employers to be reading your blog or social media account? Perhaps not, but, when you post something on the Internet, it’s there for anyone to see, no matter what their motives might be. Some people, who have taken extra steps with their job search, will list their personal site or social media address on their resumes. Again, you should only do this if there is nothing you want to keep from a prospective employer on your site. Who hasn’t Googled someone they were interested in? Well, HR managers do the same thing with prospective employees.
If you have it on your resume, then the employer will definitely look at it. Most hiring managers will look at a prospect’s website if they list it. Others will try to find out as much personal information as they can. This is not the days of “3 references” anymore, now your 3 references are Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.
If your blog is hidden or private and people in the office or a hiring manager finds out your identity, they can still look up sensitive information about you. They certainly won’t mind reading it, so don’t put anything negative about current coworkers or any past employers you have had.
Once again, do not include a link on your resume to your social media site or personal website if it contains anything that might be damaging to your job search. Always be careful about what you put online. If you have a social media account, people will probably have no problem reading it, after all, you put your information out there, so it’s public domain now. Even if you think only your friends can access it, you still have to take caution and be proactive about what you put out.
If you’re unemployed, consider putting together a website or social media site that’s specifically related to your job search. You can position yourself as an expert in your field. Attach samples of your resume, portfolio or any certifications you have.
People are searching, so when they find you, what do you want them to see?
Even if you have an excellent resume, it still may not be targeted to find the right kind of work for you. What can you do to increase the number of responses you get from employers?
Customization is Key!
Blasting your resume out for every position you see won’t help you find the right job. If you want to grab an HR manager’s attention, you need to give them what they are looking for. You need to take the time to customize your resume for each employer and highlight your strengths that will set you apart.
Before you respond to a job posting, look over the job description and see what the credentials are. If you submit your application to a company that does not post the requirements, then look around at other similar positions. Odds are that you can find similar information that will allow you to tailor your resume. Once you’ve found your qualifications, you will be at the right place to meet that employer’s specifications.
The most convenient way to customize your resume is to create a master resume and then tweak it depending on each individual job’s requirements. If you want to tweak your resume, then try these steps:
Copy the Master Resume
Find the resume that is right for you to begin with-you don’t want to use your resume that is based on your pre-job experience qualifications, so find one that is current enough for you to tweak it accordingly. Now you’re ready to customize your resume for whatever position you’re applying for.
Start with the Title
Start with your stated career goal, along with two or three of your top credentials. You need to tailor these credentials to your specific employer’s job requirements. For example: “Advertising Manager – Advertising Degree with 10 Years Experience in an Agency.”
Examine your Objective
You need to show that you are perfectly capable of handling this job’s requirements. Create a precise, short resume objective instead of a blanket statement that would work with any job. If your goal is to be the “Chief of Software Development for Bank of America’s online data privacy support,” then it will show the HR manager that you have real, honest goals. It also makes you more attractive to their specific needs.
Summary of Qualifications
Once you have an outline of the job’s requirements, you can begin to tweak your qualifications to match those in the the position you are seeking. If you handle this step correctly and match up with what the company’s needs, you will become the number one candidate. Add some information that is uniquely applicable to your desired position. You have to stand out.
Expand your Job Descriptions
A lot of HR managers will go straight to the prospect’s employment history to assess their qualifications. Review your listed job descriptions and see how you can modify them to more accurately reflect your past experiences. You’ve probably done some of the functions at a previous employer that will be applicable to the current HR manager. Place the most compelling qualifications at the top of the description and make sure they stand out.
Don’t leave out the Skills
Once you’ve found the right job for you, look at the required skills on the job posting and match what the job requires with your skills. Place the skills that would be most beneficial to your prospective employer at the top of the skills section.
**I am a member of the Career Collective, a group of resume writers and career coaches. Each month, all members discuss a certain topic. This month, we are talking about changing careers. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective. You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.
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It used to be that people would stay at the same job for years. But now, it’s not the same job market, not the same companies and certainly not the same employees. People leave for all sorts of reasons, they either want a change of scenery or they leave to make more money. Companies can let go of employees for any reason too, you can go from being ‘Employee-of-the-Month’ one minute to receiving your pink slip the next. Employers don’t have loyalty to their employees, so employees are looking to better their situation by changing careers or by finding new employment.
Today, a career jump is often needed to generate an increase in income. There is a dark side to changing jobs so you have to be cautious when doing so. Besides, can changing your career improve your situation? Everybody needs some advice from time to time, so what are some ways that changing your career can benefit you?
1. Do you have a reason to change?
The best advice is to look before you leap. Do some research over the company you’re considering and see if their organizational structure aligns with your career goals. This is a big decision in life, so you want to have the proper perspective before you make a decision. If your current situation is not prosperous, then do what you can to find a better situation for yourself, just make sure that it’s the right situation.
2. The lack of knowledge or experience
Without the right amount of experience and knowledge in your new field, a potential career change could be a big mistake. But, if you’re fortunate enough to find an HR manager who wants to see what you can do, then be prepared to dazzle your new employer. If you don’t show that you can step up and provide what they’re looking for, then your new career might just flop. You should educate yourself on your new position and find out as much as you can on the industry. Just be prepared.
3. Is the money right?
Don’t sleep on the thought of earning more money. Money can be an excellent motivational tool but if it’s the sole reason for your career change, you could miss out on the bigger picture. Your quality of life will not determine your overall job satisfaction, so make sure you know what you want when you decide.
4. Don’t go for the new hot industry
Because it could be over before it starts. Remember the Dot.com crash, same thing, if you choose an industry that has seen tremendous growth in a short time, and you think “Now’s the time to cash in”, you could be setting yourself up for failure. Just beware the peaks and valleys of new industry.
5. Narrow your focus
Find something that you would love to do. Don’t be overly ambitious or fearful of change – but make sure that you know what you want to do. Many people never consider the jobs that they may be qualified for in a parallel industry, so see what options you have before you do a complete 180º.
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Read other posts on this topic from members of the Career Collective:
Are You Ready for a Career Change? @Debra Wheatman
Changing Careers? Ask yourself these questions. @erinkennedycprw
Changing Careers: Not for the Fainthearted, @GayleHoward
Career Change Isn’t An Exact Science, @careersherpa
The 10-Step Plan to Career Change, @KatCareerGal
When it’s Time to Recycle Your Career, @WalterAkana
Best Career Change Advice: Target & Plan, @JobHuntOrg
How social media can help you change careers, @keppie_careers
Expat Careers: You Are Not Your Job Title, @expatcoachmegan
Changing The Direction Of Your Career, @EliteResumes @MartinBuckland
Career Changer: Can You Quell Bottom-line Ache? @ValueIntoWords
Top 3 + 1 Tips for Making a Successful Career Change, @KCCareerCoach
Changing Careers: Look Before You Leap, @barbarasafani
10 Commandments for Career Changers, @LaurieBerenson
Oh no, the dreaded pre-interview jitters. Everyone has been nervous before– you know the sweaty palms, the sense of lightheadedness and the jumpy speech – none of these outward expressions will make a good impression at a job interview.
The stressful nature of a job interview is enough to shake just about anyone to their core. But you don’t want have to worry about having clammy hands or stuttering speech if you follow a few simple tips to help calm your nerves.
- Arrive early enough to relax
Most people know to arrive to a job interview a few minutes early, but if you’re easily stressed out by interviews, you should arrive a little earlier. 30 minutes is a good time to arrive, it will give you time to sit and relax, have a glass of water and find your center. Make sure you check your appearance before the interview; the more confident you feel, the more composed you will appear in the interview.
Smiling makes you happy and relaxes people around you, even if you don’t feel happy. Studies have shown that if you fake a smile, it will actually make you a bit happier and when you portray this in an interview it relaxes everyone. If you show confidence in the interview, the interviewer will treat you with respect, so remember to smile confidently during your interview.
- Breathe for a moment before you answer
Before you answer any questions, just take a moment or two to inhale a breath and give the question some consideration. You may think you’re taking forever to answer the question, but in reality it’s only one or two seconds. The pause will also appear to be a part of your natural thought process, so it appears as if you’re giving the question serious consideration. Also, breathing deep will help to calm you down, and prepping the question in your mind gives you time to formulate an answer and speak when you are not nervous.
- Look your interviewer in the eye
One thing interviewees often do is fidget around during an interview, especially if they are nervous during the interview. To make and keep eye contact with the interviewer, focus on a spot right between their eyes. Just don’t stare at their nose or mouth. They are below their eyes and most people can tell when someone is looking at their mouths and not making eye contact.
If there is a pause in the conversation, use this as an opportunity to review your body. Are you tight and rigid, are your muscles clinched or are you fidgeting with your hands? If you are stressed, try to relax your muscles as much as possible. You will feel and appear more comfortable to the interviewer.
It’s not unusual to feel some apprehension during a job interview, but by following some simple stress-relieving exercises, you can maintain your composure and succeed in the interview.
