Biographies – How To Use Them

Job SearchResume WritingResumes

It’s not enough for some potential employers to simply get a cover letter and resume in response to a job advertisement anymore. They may want a biography, a more detailed look into who you are personally and what your life experiences have been. It is a mini life story, and a good one will take a little work on your part. Do not make the mistake of enclosing a biography with just a standard resume and cover letter, for a job that does not specifically ask for it. Do some research on your job field specifically, and learn the protocol for when and where to submit a biography, if at all. A person applying as a construction worker probably won’t require one; whereas a CFO might.

Start by reading over biographies on the Internet or from the library. Look particularly for those that are short and attached to curriculum vitae or resumes, especially those of people who hold positions you might be interested in pursuing. Keep an eye out for ones that appeal to you personally, and set them aside as a rough guideline for how to conduct the writing of your own biography.

Next, take your resume as a launching pad, providing you with a clear chronology of events. Flesh out these events with any remarkable happenings in between or around your work and educational backgrounds, like accomplishments, professional development, or volunteer work, or personal details that were meaningful to you at the time. This is a brainstorming session, so throw on anything you find interesting or important to you, and edit it at a later point.

Now, pinpoint happenings in your life (education, background and career) that might be relevant to the position for which you are applying, and expound on those events. Be detailed as to what they meant to you, and, if needed,  who the key players were in your experiences.

The hard part comes now, with editing. You’re going to want to cull down your brainstorming session into three or four relatively short paragraphs that are succinct, and relevant to the job you’re going for. You’ll want a strong introductory sentence, followed by a chronological personal history. If it helps, make an outline with headings and subheadings, and write a sentence or two for each of them. Sell yourself, not being too modest, and not being too show-off. You should be proud of your accomplishments, but not appear as though you have nothing new to learn.

When you’re finished, read it out loud to yourself and listen to your tone. Fix any awkward phrases or poor flow, and then have at least two other people whose writing and reading abilities you respect read over the content. Ask them to examine readability, relevance to the topic (the job you want), and look for grammatical and punctuation errors. Ask them for tough editing. Ask them too, if there is anything missing or they would like to know more about, pretending to be a potential employer.

Should you use a career summary in your resume?

Professional ResumesResume WritingResumes

When presenting a resume to a prospective employer, you are essentially selling yourself. This includes not only selling your qualifications and abilities pertinent to the career you are seeking, but also selling your character, personality, and what makes you unique. Because employers typically have dozens of resumes to weed through before making decisions on which candidates to bring in and interview, they often don’t have time to carefully read each and every one. Especially ones with an objective on it (and I am not even going to touch on the subject of “objectives” right now… that could take up another blog post).  A well-written summary becomes your very first impression, and should catch the reader’s eye to give you that edge.
Your summary should highlight what your employer will find most important: any top skills and abilities you may possess, your best attributes and characteristics that will contribute to the job, and what makes you unique and best suited for the job. You’ll also want to include any experiences that relate to the job and its duties, your goals regarding the position, and what you as an individual can bring to the job or company that nobody else can. Each word and phrase should exude self-confidence in your ability and performance.  Because you’re selling yourself, feel free to use many descriptors and keyword action phrases about yourself and your abilities. Try to avoid generic terms such as “good” or “great”, or worse, phrases such as “excellent communicator” or “detail-oriented”. For example, if you wish to describe your leadership skills, rather than saying you are a “great leader”, instead state that you’re a leader because you’re a “turnaround champion” or “product evangelist” and then follow up with a brief summary why. Bring a previous experience in to back up your statement. Colorful words are a good way to make a fast impression, but it is even better to back those colorful words up with an ‘action zinger’ or actual background. Leave no room for doubt in your skills.
Resume summaries are typically written in two different styles: paragraph or bulleted. When using paragraph format, be sure to keep it no more than 4-5 lines long, as you don’t want to seem long-winded and lose the interest of the reader. These lines will typically be a listing of the qualifications you possess that will make a lasting positive impact on the employer. I usually follow that up with a bulleted keyword list to grab the reader’s attention.

When using bulleted style, you simply take those same lines and put them in bullets. You don’t necessarily have to have complete sentences when using bullets, though you can if you want to. Bulleted styles are not a way I do very often, but I’ve seen them done from time to time and they look really great.
Remember that when writing your summary, you don’t want to overload it with every single qualification and ability you possess. You want to showcase the ones that stand out the most to grab the reader’s attention and make him or her want to read the rest of your resume. Be sure you closely proofread your summary when it is complete, as even the most basic writing skills can make a negative impression if there are errors present. Write your article in first person present tense, as though you are saying ‘I’ “Offer full scale project management expertise”, just don’t actually use the personal pronouns.
With a well-written, concise summary, you should be successful in catching the interest of any prospective employer.

The Dangers of Social Networking During a Job Hunt

Job SearchNetworkingSocial Marketing/Online Branding


It seems that everyone from teenagers to top-level executives of multi-million dollar corporations have taken to social networking online. These types of sites have been around for a while now, so it’s become common knowledge that you should keep your personal information private for safety reasons.
However, your presence on social networking sites can do more harm to you than just affecting your personal safety – it can damage your job safety as well. Today, many employers use social networking sites to narrow down their pool of applicants. A risque picture or an inappropriate comment can make the difference between you and someone else being chosen for a job interview, so it’s crucial to maintain your online reputation carefully just as you would do with your reputation in the real world. There are a few guidelines to keep in mind regarding using social networking sites wisely.
Privacy in Social Networking
Try to make your profile as private as possible. The less you reveal, the less a hiring manager will have to scrutinize. On some social networking sites, you can actually block your name from searches so that your name won’t come up when searched.

On the other hand, you might prefer to give a small hint of information so that friends can verify that you are the classmate they think you are, people with common interests can find you, and potential employers get a glimpse of what you’re really like outside of work. This personal touch can help you as long as you keep it simple, neutral, and tasteful.
Trouble Spots in Social Networking
When managing your profiles, take caution with your pictures, comments, and information. Don’t post pictures that are risque or objectionable. You can say that you graduated summa cum laude from your university, but if you post pictures that show you partying or drinking alcohol, it can give people the wrong idea. Your comment wall can also get you in trouble. If anyone leaves you a crude message, this can reflect poorly on you. After all, people are often judged by the company they keep.
Also, keep in mind that friends can tag you in their own pictures, so always keep track of what pictures you’re tagged in. These photos can be found in your own photo album, so even if all of your pictures are private, these tagged pictures might still appear. If you want to untag yourself from a photo, simply click on the photo and click on the untag option. I find this so frustrating in Facebook. I don’t like being tagged. I’ve even had people that weren’t in the photo tag everyone in it–including me! Very invasive and once it’s out there, it’s out there for good… remember that!
The scrutiny over your social networking profiles might not even end when you get hired for a job. Your current boss could become curious about how you conduct yourself outside work, so always be just as careful with your profiles as you would be during a job hunt.
Since potential employers often use social networking utilities to get a first impression of their candidates, make sure that you put your best face forward with your profile. Check your profile often to make sure that no one has left you any inappropriate comments or tagged you in any questionable pictures. Social networking sites are a great way to keep in touch with friends from your past or family members who live far away, so while they are not entirely bad, you should proceed with caution. Instead of your audience being your friends and family, think of your audience as the entire world, including your potential employers.

"Heating up" the job search–how to stay motivated during the summer

Career CollectiveJob Search

**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 looking for a job during the summer months. Please follow our tweets on Twitter #careercollective . You can also view the other member’s interesting posts at the end of the article.

Getting through a layoff or firing during the summer months can seem especially cruel. Your employed friends and family are either taking vacation time off in the summer, or even if they just have a paid long weekend, they’re financially able to make the most of it. You might be sitting at home, scrimping on groceries and air conditioning, while the rest of the world seems to be taking paid holidays at exotic locations, or just able to keep up with their bills and maybe buy a kiddie pool.
It doesn’t have to be a low point. The summer can mean many good things for a job hunter, including the fact that other job seekers might be distracted right now and the competition is a little less fierce. Take this time to do some work for yourself, including: Making a list of what you’d actually like to get done this summer, and how you’ll make that happen. It might mean picking up a part-time job doing something completely different, just for a little extra cash and to get you out of the house. It should also include strong strategies for how you’ll get a real job, including goals for interviews during the summer, updating your wardrobe, and daily goals for just getting your resume out there.

Make a daily schedule and be rigid about living it. Just because it’s summer, doesn’t mean you get to take a break from looking for work. Maintain a regular bedtime, get up at an early hour, take your shower, and get dressed, just as if you were headed to work. Then go to your desk and get on the computer, not to play games, but to pour over the want ads and job boards. Join as many online networking sites as you can, and spread the word that you’re in need of employment. Spend as much time looking for a job as you would at a regular job, each day, every day.
Regarding resumes, how fresh is yours? Have you tried different versions of the same resume, shifting objectives and experience, trying out different looks? Maybe you should, and send a few variations of them to friends or family you respect to look over and make suggestions. Perhaps your resume is not sending out the message you want, and you don’t even know it because you’re too close to the situation. Is your resume selling you well, or sabotaging you?
As for your look, take this time to make sure your clothing is in good working order, no holes, missing buttons, stains or tears. If it can be repaired, fix it yourself on the cheap, or get someone who knows what they’re doing to help you. If it needs to be cleaned, have a professional take care of it. If you’re missing some key pieces in your wardrobe, pick some up at a discount store or new at a place like Kohl’s.
Most importantly, try to keep your mood light and enjoy your summer. Spend time with friends outdoors… Vitamin D is supposed to keep you healthy, so get outside and get some fresh air. Go to barbecues, parties, or visit a friend for coffee. It will do your heart and mind a world of good.
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Don’t forget to check out other similar articles from members of the Career Collective:

Turn Off The Computer, Tune Into What’s Happening, & Heat Up the Job Search, @chandlee
Heating up the Job Search-How to Stay Motivated During the Summer, @erinkennedycprw
Light the Fire Under Your Feet, @careersherpa
Cool Job Seekers Heat Up Their Search in the Summer, @barbarasafani
Some assembly required, @DawnBugni
Summertime, Sluggish Economy Provide Strong Motivation for an Updated Resume, @KatCareerGal
9 Ways to Heat Up Your Job Search This Summer, @heatherhuhman
Getting Out From Under Chronic, @WorkWithIllness
Upping Your Job Search Flame; Be ‘Needed, Not Needy,‘ @ValueIntoWords
Is Your Career Trapped in the Matrix? @WalterAkana
Put some sizzle in your job hunt – how to find a job now, @keppie_careers
Summertime – and the Job Search Ain’t Easy, @KCCareerCoach
Heating up your job search. 5 ways to dismiss those winter blues, @GayleHoward
Hot Tips for a Summer Job Search, @MartinBuckland @EliteResumes
Heat Up Your Job Search: Avoid Job Boards, @JobHuntOrg

How to deal with job rejection

Career & WorkplaceJob Search


Job rejection is an inevitable and discouraging part of the job search process–we’ve all been there. Even so, each rejection is a lesson learned; with this in mind, you can maintain the confidence necessary to move forward to your ideal job. When dealing with job rejection, the two most important things to do are to ask for feedback from your interviewer and keep in mind that being passed over for a job isn’t necessarily within your control.
Getting Feedback
Although job rejection might cause you to feel disappointed in your efforts, you can still gain something positive from each experience. Ask hiring managers what you can do to improve your chances in the future – some might be more than willing to give you some pointers if they felt you were a viable candidate who simply lost out to someone more qualified.
When you speak to the hiring manager, you can ask whether there are other opportunities within the company that might be a better fit for you. Even if there are no other open positions at that company, it doesn’t hurt to let them know of your interest in working for them. Your perseverance might pay off by landing you an even better job later on.
Your interviewer is not your only valuable source of information; you can also talk with your friends and family. Some people are reluctant to do this because they feel that speaking about job rejection means admitting failure – as mentioned, this isn’t the case. Your friends and family can provide valuable guidance to steer you in the right direction. The more people you open up to, the more potential you will have to get interview tips or even job leads.


What You Can Do in the Future
There are a few ways that you can improve your chances of being called back after a job interview. Most importantly, remember that job rejection is not a measure of your worth, so don’t take it personally. The job market is always competitive, even when the economy is thriving. Your confidence in yourself, or the lack thereof, will show, so always maintain a positive outlook in your job search.
After each interview, step back from the experience and think of the things that you could have done differently. Many people become nervous at job interviews and as a result, they slip up in one way or another. Whether you stutter or don’t make enough eye contact, recognize those mistakes so that you don’t make them again.
In your future interviews, send a thank-you note to the interviewer as soon as possible. Thank him or her for speaking with you, and say that you look forward to hearing about the position. It’s assumed that job applicants are searching in more than one place for a job at any one time, so following up shows that you are genuinely interested in the job.
Dealing with job rejection can be tough, but it is something that everyone encounters at one point or another. Seeking feedback and realizing that some factors are beyond your control will help you to move forward in your job search and find an ideal fit for you.

Time and technology changes everything, even how we write our resumes. The old fashioned chronological resume that worked so well even just five years ago may now land your resume in the trash can before it has even been looked at. If you want to stand out, you need a career summary. What’s more, readers of resumes love them. A properly written career summary can quickly and efficiently spell out to a prospective employer why you are most qualified for the position. Simply put, a career summary can be the difference between landing an interview and missing an opportunity.
The career summary typically is positioned beneath your contact information, directly above job experiences. It offers you a chance to quickly summarize all of your relevant experience in one place. By carefully selecting achievements and successes in your career summary, you are creating an effective picture of what you can offer a company. Use your career summary to easily point out what experiences from each of your previous jobs is applicable to the one you are seeking.

While a career summary is not mandatory, and is not suggested for people with little experience, most job seekers can benefit by including a summary in their resume. Writing an adequate summary takes a little bit of skill and should be done on a case by case basis.  If you are looking for a new position and would like to include a career summary on your updated resume, there are a few simple steps to take.

  1. Update your resume: update your resume with new experience and achievements as you normally would.
  2. Review positions: during your job search, carefully review each position you are interested in for their specific qualifications. For example, a particular position may require five or more year’s experience.
  3. Customize your summary: create a new career summary for each position you are apply for, utilizing the specifications discovered during your review.

By creating custom career summaries for each position you apply for you can easily tailor your resume for each position.
Formatting your career summary is easy as well. Most resume experts agree that a bullet point format is best for your career summary section. Try to include three to five bullet points, applicable to each specific job, in your career summary. The bullet points draw the eye and customized qualifications will guarantee further interest in you as a candidate.
Always remember that by not including a career summary with your resume most of your experience is likely to be overlooked. Most hiring professionals quickly scan initial resumes, focusing almost entirely on the last position held. They are unlikely to look at previous experience, meaning much of your experience will be unread and ineffectual. A career summary allows a hiring professional to understand how your entire career experience has molded you to be a perfect fit for their needs.

How to Clean Up Your Digital DirtBy now, most people know that everything they say online might as well be said on national television. Of course some, like the none too bright thieves who post their spoils on MySpace are never going to learn, but the vast majority of us have started to protect our online identities. Unfortunately, sometimes dirt from our past still haunts the internet, and some of it, like things posted by exes or old friends may be out of our control. You can’t delete a drunken picture on someone else’s profile, after all.
So how can you clean up your digital dirt? Well, for starters, you need to know what dirt is out there. There are a lot of services that will do the legwork for you here. Places like Reputation Defender will search all the sites that mention you, and their team can work on getting any bad references cleaned up, or at the very least, moved down in the search engines. Claim ID will also protect online profiles you do wish to use, and will back them up in case you need them later.
A quick Google search of your name and nicknames will help you find much of this for free, however. While it may miss items in the Deep Web (pages that Google cannot access because users must be logged in to see them), this search will show you anything an employer is likely to see. Be sure to do an image search for your name as well. Once you’ve located any references to yourself that aren’t wholly professional, you can begin to weed them out. Here are some basic places to begin:
Blogs: If someone references you in their blog unfavorably, it’s always a good idea to speak to that person, and politely ask them to remove the reference. If they refuse, contact the service they are blogging through, and petition for them to intervene. If the other person is not blogging through a third party, then you have limited options, aside from working hard to make sure the good references appear first. On your own blog, make sure that all posts with questionable content can only be viewed by those who you have allowed to read them.

Social Networking Sites: If someone has tagged you on an image in Facebook, it’s possible for you to remove that tag yourself. Make sure that no tagged images of you looking unprofessional are floating around on the web. We’ve all heard the story about the person who called in sick to work and then posted their ‘partying’ pictures on MySpace–only to get caught and fired. Or worse, telling your Facebook pals that your ‘job is boring‘ as one girl did. On other sites (Twitter for example), you may not have the option to remove your name from something. Always speak to the person with the image, and make sure that your name is not attached to the image. On your own profiles, you can and should delete any bad images, and lock any negative language behind a block that allows only people in your network to view it. Never allow employers or coworkers onto your network.
Websites: If you have left any comments on a website, and listed your full name, it may be possible to contact the owner of the site and ask for permission to change the name on the comment, or remove your surname. In the future, do not make any comments on websites, blogs, or forums with your full name. In fact, never use your full name online unless it is in a business capacity.
These tricks will help you get your online reputation back on track and secure an interview without raising any eyebrows.

What Can Twitter Do for My Job Search?

Job SearchSocial Marketing/Online Branding

Twitter is becoming a popular tool for communication. It’s also becoming very big for internet marketing professionals, and for good reason. Twitter is a great way to get a message out. The short, easily digestible microblogging format means that users can broadcast links and messages all over the web.
But how is Twitter applicable to a job search? Well, let’s say that you are on the lookout for a sales position somewhere in Florida. Twitter makes it easy to find and connect to potential employers or contacts. Just be sure that you keep a job search twitter account separate from your personal account if you have one. Your personal twitter account should not include your full name, but if it does, make sure that everything visible in your posts is appropriate.
Start by using Twitter’s search function to find out who is tweeting about sales in Florida. Look for Florida companies you may want to work for as well. Then, add the people who are talking about your hot topics to the list of people you follow. This works in two ways. First, it allows you to get a feed on people who are talking about your industry. Maybe they’ll mention a position, or a career fair. Maybe they have spoken to a recruiter for a company you’d like to work for. The other way this can help you is that these people will likely follow you back, and if they’re in a position to hire someone, they may see a post you’ve written, and contact you.

Once you’ve built up a good list of people to follow in your industry, start a free blog, and make some posts about your job search. Add your resume, or information about yourself to your blog. You can then use twitter to share these posts to your contacts. Build up a nice history of posts and tweets that establishes who you are, and what you can do.
The final and most important step in using twitter as a job search tool is to actively look for the people who may be able to help you. Employees of a company, hiring managers, or even the president may be available on twitter. It’s possible to contact these people directly, so don’t be afraid to contact them. Keep your post brief (you have to in Twitter), and even include a link to your blog post or website containing your resume. Be sure not to become a spammer, though. Persistence may work in your favor, but there’s a fine line between diligence and annoyance.
Remember also that twitter is only a piece of a huge social networking puzzle. Don’t rely on just one tool for finding people and networking with them. Explore other types of social media on the web, and remember that there is no replacement for old fashioned job search techniques like visiting companies in person. No matter how charming you are online, if you can’t ace the interview, you won’t get the job.