One of the main benefits of looking for a new job while currently employed is you will generally be more attractive to employers. However, one of the risk includes someone finding out that leads to you getting fired or damaging your reputation. Balance is key when going through a situation like this. Even your LinkedIn profile development has to be done with caution so you don’t tip anyone off at your current workplace. Here are some tips to consider for balancing your job search and your current job.
Time Your Job Search Perfectly
Minimizing the amount of competition you have is always beneficial. Try holding off on your job search until the late summer months, since there are typically fewer applicants for jobs during that time frame. You don’t want a job search to drag out very long when you already have a job, so timing is critical to make the process go as quickly as possible.
Keep Your Search Confidential
It’s usually not the best idea to let your boss or anyone else in your organization know you’re searching for a job. However, you also don’t want to lie to your boss. When you work with the best resume writing service, your visits will be confidential and you won’t have to worry about your job search being leaked. Just do whatever you can to keep your search confidential and you won’t have to answer any tough questions.
Network Outside of Work
Attending networking events is a great way to expedite any job search. Having morning coffee meetings or evening social gatherings can go a long way in developing relationships, while not having to worry about someone from your current job seeing you. Throughout your LinkedIn profile development, you may consider joining groups that can lead you to some valuable events to attend.
Be Careful With Social Media
Although you may want to find a new job as quickly as possible, it’s not the best idea to announce it on social media. That is one nearly guaranteed way you can get in trouble with your current job, and potentially damage your job search as well. Keep your actions private throughout your LinkedIn profile development as well, so you won’t inadvertently announce your intentions to your connections who may currently work with you.
Be Selective With Who Receives Your Resume
An executive resume writer will always tell you to be selective with who you give your resume to. Tailoring your resume to a particular employer is a great way to be noticed and will also better ensure it doesn’t fall into the wrong hands. It’s also important to tell the recipient that your job search is confidential, so they don’t contact your current employer. Professional Resume Services is here to help you with any aspect of your job search. We take pride in being the best resume writing service for executives, but we also enjoy being involved with your searching and networking efforts. If there’s anything we can help you with along the way, don’t hesitate to contact us at any time.
ATS Myths You Shouldn’t Believe When Job Searching
If it’s been a while since your last job search, you may have been introduced to a new tool to look out for called Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS). These systems help employers filter through resumes easier by identifying specific keywords and phrases and eliminating the ones that don’t have them. This makes utilizing top rated resume writing services even more important, since they can identify ATS terms you need to use and ones you need to avoid. The more research you do on ATS, the more misinformation you could potentially read. Here are some of the most common myths we’ve seen and you shouldn’t believe.
Length Makes A Difference
The best executive resume format may suggest keeping your resume to no more than two pages, but the length actually has no impact on ATS. The hiring manager may not want to read a long resume, however. Having a long resume won’t hurt your chances of passing through ATS, but be careful with the length since it will eventually be read by an actual person.
Only Certain File Types Are Acceptable
Most of the newer Applicant Tracking Systems can read resumes and cover letters in various formats. Your goal should be to create a version which is easily readable for humans and another computer-friendly version. The good news is when you submit a resume electronically, the system will prompt you to upload the preferred file type so you can convert it accordingly.
Keywords Can Never Be Overused
You never know which keywords an employer is looking for in a resume. However, one thing you shouldn’t do is stuff it with the keywords you think are most relevant. Incorporating a mix of keywords into your resumes and cover letters is more effective than having a high density of one particular keyword. Keywords can definitely be overused and will make your resume sound unnatural as a result.
Capitalization or Various Fonts Can’t Be Used
ATS generally doesn’t recognize or penalize you for using capitalization, various fonts or styles. Your goal is to make your resume stand out without going overboard, and one strategy is to use these different features. If this is your strategy, then you can proceed accordingly without worrying about not passing ATS. Professional Resume Services is one of the top rated resume writing services because of our well-rounded expertise. We stay on top of all the latest trends when it comes to job searching, and ATS is definitely one of them. We focus our efforts on helping job candidates format their resumes appropriately so they can be ready for any obstacle. For assistance at any point in your job search, don’t hesitate to contact us.
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.
5 Errors You Could be Making on Your LinkedIn Profile
Having a LinkedIn profile is important for executives today. Networking is such a critical part of business, and many professionals view LinkedIn as the best way to meet other professionals. When completing your profile, it’s important to ensure the right information is included. Sometimes a professional LinkedIn profile writer could be beneficial to provide advice and ensure you aren’t making these common mistakes.
Treating LinkedIn Like Other Social Media Platforms
It’s important to distinguish LinkedIn from Facebook, Twitter or other social media platforms. LinkedIn is a professional networking site, whereas most other platforms are more recreational. For the most part, treat LinkedIn as a way to enhance your career rather than enhancing your social encounters with friends like you would on other social media platforms.
Not Using A Professional Photo
LinkedIn is not a place to put a profile photo including your family or your pet. Use a professional headshot if available, or at the very least, find the most professional-looking photo of you that you have. The LinkedIn profile photo is one of the first things a person looks at, and an unprofessional photo can instantly give your credibility a hit.
Having an Incomplete Profile
Nothing tells a person you’re not totally committed to LinkedIn networking like having an incomplete profile. If someone sees your profile is incomplete, they will likely be hesitant to reach out to you, since they aren’t convinced you keep up with it and are active. A professional LinkedIn profile writer can help you fill out your profile appropriately.
Exaggerating Skills or Expertise
Whether it’s in your LinkedIn profile, your executive profile or anywhere else, it’s never advisable to exaggerate your skills or expertise. Being honest will benefit you in the long-term, and your LinkedIn profile is included in this. If you are dishonest about any of your accomplishments, the dishonesty will eventually be exposed and you will have to deal with a potentially tarnished reputation as a result.
Not Incorporating A Mix of Information
Yes, LinkedIn is a professional social networking site. However, not every single person is professional every minute of every day. Even hiring managers want to know what you do in your free time outside of work. Include a mix of personal information, such as volunteer projects, what you do for fun and anything else you deem appropriate. Demonstrating you have a life outside of work is just as important as demonstrating your professional expertise. Professional Resume Services assists job seekers and networkers by boosting their LinkedIn profile in creative ways. Sometimes you just need a professional LinkedIn profile writer to fill in the gaps or organize information in a way to make your profile more attractive. If you have any questions regarding LinkedIn or your profile specifically, don’t hesitate to reach out to us at any time.
Your workplace behaviors can play a large role in shaping your career. No matter how skilled and experienced you are, if you have poor workplace habits and are difficult to work with, then you won’t reach the career levels you desire. When writing cover letters for resumes, it can be valuable to demonstrate positive work behaviors, but then you have to back them up while on the job. Here are some of the most common workplace behaviors that could derail your career.
Participating in Gossip
No one likes a gossiper except for a gossiper themselves. However, gossip is inevitable in a workplace since you spend most of your day with the people in your office. It’s important to be social with your co-workers, but choose your conversations wisely. A gossiper is generally seen as an untrustworthy person, so you don’t want to fall into that category.
Taking Personal Calls on Company Time
What if your executive resume writer took a personal phone call as they were helping you write the perfect resume? This not only appears to be unprofessional, but it is also a distraction for other people. Not to mention your work production would decrease if you’re constantly answering personal calls or texts throughout the day. Answering an occasional text message in an emergency usually isn’t a problem, but if it can wait until the end of the day or your next break, then hold off on answering it.
Unwillingness to Learn New Things
When writing a professional resume, you have to demonstrate your willingness to learn new things. Whether it’s multiple roles or learning a new technology, your desire for growth will be evident in the workplace. As such, if you are unwilling to learn new things, people will take notice as well. And if this behavior continues, you’ll not only be passed up for promotions and raises, but you could lose your job as well.
Doing Too Much
An executive resume writer always tries to limit the job duties on your resume to the most relevant ones impacting your company. A common workplace behavior is multitasking too much. When you do too many jobs at one time, you won’t be great at any of them. Before your work product begins to suffer, talk to your boss about shifting responsibilities so you don’t earn a bad reputation for doing poor work. Professional Resume Services understands the importance of workplace behaviors when it comes to getting and keeping jobs. You can demonstrate your typical workplace behavior when writing cover letters for resumes, but you also have to backup your words with actions. For more information on this topic or anything related to resumes or job searches, feel free to contact us at any time.
Does Your Executive Resume Pass the 6 Second Test?
You’ve likely heard of the six second test when it comes to writing a professional resume. If not, it simply means you have an average of six seconds to impress a recruiter with your resume. If you don’t pass the six second test, it will get put to the side and never looked at again. Passing this test seems difficult on the surface to some executives, but when you break it down you’ll see it’s not as impossible as you think.
Incorporate White Space
The best executive resume writing service will tell you to incorporate just the right amount of white space to create the most effective resume. White space serves as a pause for the reader, and it makes your resume look less cluttered overall. Plus, it will make your most important accomplishments stand out since they are easier to identify on the document.
Use Keywords Early
Use keywords straight from the job description and list of qualifications early and often in your resume. If you’re lucky enough to get through the applicant tracking system with your resume, and into the hands of an actual human, they will scan the resume quickly for keywords. And if the recruiter can’t find any keywords within a couple of seconds, your chances of them continuing to read the resume drop significantly.
Numbers Stand Out
Numbers will stand out when writing a professional resume. A recruiter will identify numbers and read those sections first, since they usually provide information on how effective you were at previous jobs.
Demonstrate Leadership
One thing the best executive resume writing service will look for is whether your resume demonstrates leadership. Companies today don’t just want to fill an open position. They want to find a leader who is capable of growing the company and leading by example. When you demonstrate leadership qualities on your resume, you’ll impress the reader enough for them to consider you.
Have Social Media Links
By having social media links on your executive resume, you’re giving the recruiter easy access to more information about yourself. When the recruiter knows they can easily go to your LinkedIn page, they may set your resume at the top of the list of candidates to filter through. Professional Resume Services has the answers to the question of, “how do I create the most effective executive resume?” The main secret is passing the six second test. When you do so, you’ll give yourself much greater odds of getting noticed. Feel free to reach out to us for a resume evaluation to help you determine whether your executive resume passes the six second test.
Ask Yourself These Three Questions Before You Resign
It’s completely healthy and natural to take a step back and evaluate your current job situation occasionally. This is especially true if you used to be happy going to work every day, but now your attitude has changed for some reason. The knee-jerk reaction is to immediately start looking for another job, and possibly even resign from your current position abruptly when things aren’t going well. However, before you visit the best resume writing service to help brush up your resume prior to resigning, consider these three questions.
What Do I Not Like About My Current Job?
Sometimes things aren’t really as bad as they seem, but sometimes they are. Taking a step back and truly identifying why you aren’t happy can help you determine whether the issues are fixable. You may just need to talk to your boss about a particular issue that’s been bugging you for a while. And if it’s been a long time since you’ve received a raise or a promotion, consider bringing it up in a professional way. Don’t simply jump into updating your LinkedIn profile to declare your intentions to find a new job until you know exactly why you don’t like your current job anymore.
Is My Salary Comparable To Similar Executives?
The feeling of being underpaid is difficult. Sometimes you would feel better if you didn’t know what other executives with similar experience make. When your executive bio is similar to another executive’s, you naturally expect to be paid a similar salary. Get an idea of comparable salaries by looking at job boards and networking with others. If you truly are being underpaid, discuss the matter with your boss if you like everything about your job other than the salary. If you’re viewed as a valuable executive, you could get a significant raise to stay.
Am I On The Right Path To Achieve My Goals?
You should have both short-term and long-term goals as an executive. If you’ve been stuck with the same job responsibilities for a while, but have higher aspirations, then it may be time to look at a different company to give your executive bio a boost. However, some businesses move slower than other businesses, so if you’re getting valuable experience, you may consider sticking around to see where it takes you. Of course, as with any position, you have to be happy in order to do a good job and put yourself in a better position for advancement. If you’ve answered all of these questions and still feel like you need to resign, Professional Resume Services is here to help you. We provide the best resume writing service, no matter what your current situation is and what your goals are. If you’re in need of any type of assistance in relation to your executive job search, feel free to contact us at any time.
The Top Ways to Safeguard Your Executive Online Brand
You can significantly help your executive job search if you have a positive online brand. Many employers today will do an online search for a candidate’s name. If you have a lot of negative things about you, or don’t have much of an online presence, you’ll hurt your chances of landing an interview. The importance level of personal branding for senior level managers is very high. Companies want to hire executives with a positive online brand, since they are viewed as an advocate for the company. Here are some of the top ways you can safeguard your executive online brand to ensure you have a positive image.
Search For Your Name Online
You should do an online search for your name at least once a week. The best way to protect and enhance your c-level personal branding is to know what information is out on the Internet for everyone to see. If a potential employer is going to search for you online, you should also take the time to do it yourself and clean up anything you don’t want to show up in the results.
Your Online Brand Backs Up Your Claims
If you’ve already talked to a potential employer, chances are they are going to search for you online to see if they can verify any claims you made. Don’t tell them you worked for a certain company or have a certain level of experience if it’s not displayed on your LinkedIn profile or other places. Even worse, inaccurate or contradictory information will deem you as being untrustworthy and can damage your personal brand even more.
Have A Professional Social Media Presence
The best way to enhance personal branding for senior level managers is to have a positive and professional social media presence. Employers today look for candidates who are active on social media, so they can be valuable for finding new business or even new candidates. A positive social media presence is critical for c-level personal branding today, so don’t take it lightly. Be active as much as you can and always portray yourself as a professional. Professional Resume Services is here to help you, whether you need assistance in writing an effective resume or improving your personal brand. Our experienced professionals can help you with every step of your job search process, so never hesitate to call or email us at any time for assistance.
You’ve likely heard of the six second test when it comes to writing a professional resume. If not, it simply means you have an average of six seconds to impress a recruiter with your resume. If you don’t pass the six second test, it will get put to the side and never looked at again. Passing this test seems difficult on the surface to some executives, but when you break it down you’ll see it’s not as impossible as you think.
