Ok, I'm often posting some seriously helpful things. This time, it's not so much the serious stuff, but you might find this posting seriously funny. It's the “Top 20 of the Most Hilarious Spelling Mistakes on Resumes and Cover Letters”.
Not enough for you? How about these - Quotes from Real Resumes, Cover Letters and Performance Appraisals
And last but not least for your Friday, how about 15 Skills NOT To List On Your Resume.
Ok, just one more Just some more funny things people said. I wonder if I'll ever make any of these lists?
Happy Hunting!
Friday, March 26, 2010
Wednesday, March 24, 2010
Resume length, listed information and the name game!
How Long should your resume be, and what should be on it?
The resume length issue seems to be a never ending one, and these days it's actually a little less important than in the past. As more and more Human Resources recruiting department are handling the entire process electronically, or scanning resumes and cover letters into a system, then combining that with information scoring your experience and skills with the hiring manager's guidelines - it can be a multiple page document regardless of the length of your resume. However, because your resume may still be handed to someone directly - the old 'one Page' option works best. If you go a bit over it's not a huge worry - as long as it's valuable content. The exception, however, is for the case of senior executives. You have to give many specific examples of your successes, and in this case a minimum of two pages is likely necessary.
Keywords (Yep, we keep mentioning this)
Many human-resource staffers will automatically scan your resume or use software or a digital database to check for certain keywords that relate to the position for which they are hiring. If you are familiar with the position and/or work within the same industry, you may know important words to use. If you're not sure what keywords an employer will be looking for, review similar job postings, talk to friends who hold that position or work within the industry, and so on.
List your experience!
Not your duties, your actual experience and what you got done, and how you brought tasks to completion. After all - you're trying to sell yourself. Modify the resume if necessary to showcase only your *relevant* experience to that specific position. It's more important that you show how you complete tasks than listing all the various tedious aspects associated with prior experience.
Conclusive Numbers
You need to show quantifiable results to prospective employers. Include the total budget you were responsible to oversee, the total number of staff, estimates of reduction in expenses, estimates of gains if you were in a marketing or sales based position. Remember, resumes aren't just about the skills you have, but how well you perform them!
Speaking of Skills
Don't leave an employer guessing that you know how to use Microsoft Office, let them know. If you have web editing software and content management experience, include that too. Make sure that any certifications or professional development or designations - related to technical skills - are included as well.
That brings us to Titles or 'The Name Game'
This is another point of contention and debate. Some HR types will tell you not to list 'Marketing Assistant' as your title and instead to have you embellish and list yourself as a 'Marketing Liaison, Scheduling Coordinator and Copywriter'. Be careful, however, as it's a slippery slope. If you take the descriptions too far then the Hiring Manager might not know what the heck you did! Keep it in check, make sure you show the description to a few friends whose knowledge and experience you respect and, if it seems to create confusion, simplify it.
Happy Hunting!
The resume length issue seems to be a never ending one, and these days it's actually a little less important than in the past. As more and more Human Resources recruiting department are handling the entire process electronically, or scanning resumes and cover letters into a system, then combining that with information scoring your experience and skills with the hiring manager's guidelines - it can be a multiple page document regardless of the length of your resume. However, because your resume may still be handed to someone directly - the old 'one Page' option works best. If you go a bit over it's not a huge worry - as long as it's valuable content. The exception, however, is for the case of senior executives. You have to give many specific examples of your successes, and in this case a minimum of two pages is likely necessary.
Keywords (Yep, we keep mentioning this)
Many human-resource staffers will automatically scan your resume or use software or a digital database to check for certain keywords that relate to the position for which they are hiring. If you are familiar with the position and/or work within the same industry, you may know important words to use. If you're not sure what keywords an employer will be looking for, review similar job postings, talk to friends who hold that position or work within the industry, and so on.
List your experience!
Not your duties, your actual experience and what you got done, and how you brought tasks to completion. After all - you're trying to sell yourself. Modify the resume if necessary to showcase only your *relevant* experience to that specific position. It's more important that you show how you complete tasks than listing all the various tedious aspects associated with prior experience.
Conclusive Numbers
You need to show quantifiable results to prospective employers. Include the total budget you were responsible to oversee, the total number of staff, estimates of reduction in expenses, estimates of gains if you were in a marketing or sales based position. Remember, resumes aren't just about the skills you have, but how well you perform them!
Speaking of Skills
Don't leave an employer guessing that you know how to use Microsoft Office, let them know. If you have web editing software and content management experience, include that too. Make sure that any certifications or professional development or designations - related to technical skills - are included as well.
That brings us to Titles or 'The Name Game'
This is another point of contention and debate. Some HR types will tell you not to list 'Marketing Assistant' as your title and instead to have you embellish and list yourself as a 'Marketing Liaison, Scheduling Coordinator and Copywriter'. Be careful, however, as it's a slippery slope. If you take the descriptions too far then the Hiring Manager might not know what the heck you did! Keep it in check, make sure you show the description to a few friends whose knowledge and experience you respect and, if it seems to create confusion, simplify it.
Happy Hunting!
Monday, March 22, 2010
It's just simple and straight forward
Many thanks to Ellen, an HR Recruiter, who joined in for the podcast on Saturday! She gave some specific examples of how you can win the top spot in a stack of resumes, how HR departments actually process and handle your resume and cover letter and more. A lot of straightforward and simple direction in what can be a complicated process for many.
If you're more comfortable reading than listening, then this blog entry on Getting Un-stuck from your Rut by Michael Spiro (himself a recruiter) might be beneficial. As John Wooden said, 'Failing to plan is planning to fail'. Michael, others and I all seem to agree with that. Remember, when you don't have a job, getting a job *is* your job, and just as you have a daily plan and core responsibilities at the office, you need to make time for those when you're looking for work - otherwise you might just sit in front of Facebook or craigslist.org all day long!
Speaking of jobs, and the market today, If you haven't looked, Simply Hired released their February Job Trend Report and, who knows, you might be trend worthy!
Happy Hunting!
If you're more comfortable reading than listening, then this blog entry on Getting Un-stuck from your Rut by Michael Spiro (himself a recruiter) might be beneficial. As John Wooden said, 'Failing to plan is planning to fail'. Michael, others and I all seem to agree with that. Remember, when you don't have a job, getting a job *is* your job, and just as you have a daily plan and core responsibilities at the office, you need to make time for those when you're looking for work - otherwise you might just sit in front of Facebook or craigslist.org all day long!
Speaking of jobs, and the market today, If you haven't looked, Simply Hired released their February Job Trend Report and, who knows, you might be trend worthy!
Happy Hunting!
Friday, March 19, 2010
You've got a friend...
Some great advice came my way the other day, about who should review your resume. No, it wasn't some great expert, it wasn't some service you have to pay for, and it wasn't some guru sitting atop a mountain. No, it's your friends. Here's why, they know you, probably know the jobs you've had, and if you show them your resume they should 'get it' very quickly. If they don't, big problems!
So grab that resume, shove it in front of some people you know and ask them to highlight anything that doesn't make sense, anything they think is written poorly and anything that seems to use too much 'corporate speak'. For example - you don't want to say, 'I alleviated the congestion of, and redistributed telephony consumers for, a group of account executives in a fast paced, bottom line drive, office environment' when you actually answered telephones and transferred callers to the appropriate salesperson in an advertising agency. Even though we've talked about keywords, it eventually comes down to a person reviewing the information at the end. If they can't 'get it' then you won't get the interview.
Oh, and suffer from the delusion that the people who interview you are always skilled and qualified people, Careerbuilder disagrees. You should really read this article for more on how the process works all too often. Don't be fooled by a glowing title, all too often people in the process you believe you should impress, or who you might believe have some pull are really there to compile data, and that includes you, your resume, and just go through a checklist to determine if you will be passed along, or passed over, in the hiring process.
Oh, and buy some chocolate or pizza for your friends. They could be helping you land that next big thing!
So grab that resume, shove it in front of some people you know and ask them to highlight anything that doesn't make sense, anything they think is written poorly and anything that seems to use too much 'corporate speak'. For example - you don't want to say, 'I alleviated the congestion of, and redistributed telephony consumers for, a group of account executives in a fast paced, bottom line drive, office environment' when you actually answered telephones and transferred callers to the appropriate salesperson in an advertising agency. Even though we've talked about keywords, it eventually comes down to a person reviewing the information at the end. If they can't 'get it' then you won't get the interview.
Oh, and suffer from the delusion that the people who interview you are always skilled and qualified people, Careerbuilder disagrees. You should really read this article for more on how the process works all too often. Don't be fooled by a glowing title, all too often people in the process you believe you should impress, or who you might believe have some pull are really there to compile data, and that includes you, your resume, and just go through a checklist to determine if you will be passed along, or passed over, in the hiring process.
Oh, and buy some chocolate or pizza for your friends. They could be helping you land that next big thing!
Thursday, March 11, 2010
Let's get it covered anyway...
The Wall Street Journal published a great story on cover letters and why you should craft one. If you listened to the podcast on Saturday, you learned some thoughts about how to use keywords, especially the ones use in the ad placed for the position. If you target your cover letter to specifically answer many of the questions or situations posed, and reference many of these keywords, you'll have a great chance of standing out. It's a good idea to make some slight modifications in your resume for each person you send it to as well.
Being recognized on a piece of paper, after all, is a good deal more difficult than you might imagine. In these days of scanning and warehousing digitally, it can be even more tricky. However, as Audrey Hepburn said, "Nothing's impossible, even the word says I am possible". That's why it's so important to follow instructions. In the ad placed - they tell you what they are looking for, what skills are needed and why. So look at those as reasons to show how you can accomplish them with the skills you bring to the table!
So without further ado, go here and read Stand Out Letters to Cover Your Bases from the WSJ. They also re-iterate a common thread you should be aware of. Cover letters should be written for each job, especially if you're sending it to a recruiter. If they start to see the same letter pop up again and again from you, it's not going to make you stand out in the good way.
Happy Hunting!
Being recognized on a piece of paper, after all, is a good deal more difficult than you might imagine. In these days of scanning and warehousing digitally, it can be even more tricky. However, as Audrey Hepburn said, "Nothing's impossible, even the word says I am possible". That's why it's so important to follow instructions. In the ad placed - they tell you what they are looking for, what skills are needed and why. So look at those as reasons to show how you can accomplish them with the skills you bring to the table!
So without further ado, go here and read Stand Out Letters to Cover Your Bases from the WSJ. They also re-iterate a common thread you should be aware of. Cover letters should be written for each job, especially if you're sending it to a recruiter. If they start to see the same letter pop up again and again from you, it's not going to make you stand out in the good way.
Happy Hunting!
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Turning a weakness into a strength
Ok, you've been there. The interview is going great. Suddenly, they ambiguous questions hit you. It's getting tougher, but you twist, duck and dodge, navigating your way through successfully. Now you start to sweat as you hear, 'Tell me about your weaknesses'. Suddenly there's this rushing sound filling your ears. You realize it's all the air in the room being sucked out.. You scramble for air, but there isn't any...
Hopefully this is all just a dream.
But the reality is, you should anticipate being asked to expose what you have to compensate for, and how those weaknesses would affect the duties the job entails. However, this is also a way for you to show what skills you have to deal with it, and how self aware you are of those weaknesses, turning them then into strengths by how you have developed a process, a regular routine, on dealing with them.
This video from The Job Shopper explains the process quite well, and there are others to watch from there as well.
Happy Hunting!
Hopefully this is all just a dream.
But the reality is, you should anticipate being asked to expose what you have to compensate for, and how those weaknesses would affect the duties the job entails. However, this is also a way for you to show what skills you have to deal with it, and how self aware you are of those weaknesses, turning them then into strengths by how you have developed a process, a regular routine, on dealing with them.
This video from The Job Shopper explains the process quite well, and there are others to watch from there as well.
Happy Hunting!
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Dirty words?
As I've mentioned before, sometimes you need training to get into a new field. While most apprenticeships, with some exceptions, have gone by the wayside - Internships are still here. Who, it's not a dirty word. Interns can be paid and anything you do in the effort of being where you want to be isn't a bad move. You can always benefit from establishing a network and one great way to do that is to look into internships. Sure, it's not going to pay you the amount you're looking for right away, but be positive, do your job well and it's paid training. Think you're too old for an internship, I'm betting Interns over 40 would disagree!
I hate to do this, but Yahoo! again has a good post that you should read if you're having trouble staying positive in the job market. Their 5 Ways to Beat Job-Hunting Pessimism in 2010. Thanks to Audio Job Interview for sending that one my way.
Happy Hunting!
I hate to do this, but Yahoo! again has a good post that you should read if you're having trouble staying positive in the job market. Their 5 Ways to Beat Job-Hunting Pessimism in 2010. Thanks to Audio Job Interview for sending that one my way.
Happy Hunting!
Monday, March 8, 2010
Some like it hot...
So was perusing the web today and saw that Yahoo! posted their latest list of hot jobs, namely Which Jobs Pay New Hires Best? If you are new to the job market, or have the ability and desire to train for a job that looks like a good fit. Remember, though, it's not always about the hot job out there, it's about the job you may be a perfect fit for, and the job that will constantly challenge you, in a good and rewarding way. Imagine taking the time to study nuclear medicine, only to realize you can't stand it. That bottom line no longer may be important to you.
So maybe it's time to take one of those career placement tests. I know, you're thinking of the one you took in school that didn't relate to who you are and didn't account for your mindset. How about a real one then. This is one posted by the BBC, and it's actually centered around your mindset. Go take the BBC
"* Find out which careers suit you best.
* The test has seven questions and should take between 5-10 minutes.
* It was developed by psychometric specialist Neil Scott of Cassin-Scott Associates."
I also located one from Quest Career Services: MAPP (Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential) Test which appears to be a more in depth assessment about what motives you, etc. Now bear in mind that sometimes an assessment can really depend on your state of mind at the time, so go into i when you're in a positive frame of mind. Don't take the test after an interview that didn't go well, or at the end of the day. Start off a day with it and really let the answers soak in. This from the mind of someone who has had to take assessments through some employers. Just a note, I didn't take this one myself, and they may be trying to sell you more services. At least be aware that if you enter your email on a site, they may abuse it! In fact, I have a 'junk' email account that I often do test sites like this with - but time is a premium on this Monday!!
Happy Hunting!
So maybe it's time to take one of those career placement tests. I know, you're thinking of the one you took in school that didn't relate to who you are and didn't account for your mindset. How about a real one then. This is one posted by the BBC, and it's actually centered around your mindset. Go take the BBC
"* Find out which careers suit you best.
* The test has seven questions and should take between 5-10 minutes.
* It was developed by psychometric specialist Neil Scott of Cassin-Scott Associates."
I also located one from Quest Career Services: MAPP (Motivational Appraisal of Personal Potential) Test which appears to be a more in depth assessment about what motives you, etc. Now bear in mind that sometimes an assessment can really depend on your state of mind at the time, so go into i when you're in a positive frame of mind. Don't take the test after an interview that didn't go well, or at the end of the day. Start off a day with it and really let the answers soak in. This from the mind of someone who has had to take assessments through some employers. Just a note, I didn't take this one myself, and they may be trying to sell you more services. At least be aware that if you enter your email on a site, they may abuse it! In fact, I have a 'junk' email account that I often do test sites like this with - but time is a premium on this Monday!!
Happy Hunting!
Friday, March 5, 2010
Get that resume fixed!
For those of you interested in learning more about your resume, tomorrow's show is at 5pm ET at our Podcast site . The show features Rosa Elizabeth Vargas, a professional resume writer who shared some amazing things with me already. Did you know many employers scan in resumes and search based on keywords, just like you and I use to search the internet? Well she did, and now you and I do!
She'll share some of her knowledge & tips with you. If you think her services might be helpful for you - go to her website Creating Prints for a list of services! You can also follow her on Twitter - @resumeservice
Sometimes the smartest person is the one who knows who to ask when they need help.
Happy Hunting!
She'll share some of her knowledge & tips with you. If you think her services might be helpful for you - go to her website Creating Prints for a list of services! You can also follow her on Twitter - @resumeservice
Sometimes the smartest person is the one who knows who to ask when they need help.
Happy Hunting!
Thursday, March 4, 2010
'Torpedos away', or 'How not to sink your own ship!'
I was reading a blog post that inspired this one, basically asking if you're sinking your own career search. It's a good question, and one that definitely requires you to consider. If you get to the interview time and again, or send your resume for a job that you should be a shoe-in for, and yet don't get it, is the common denominator here *you*?
To read the post that inspired this post click to read 8 Self-Imposed Reasons People Can’t Find Jobs. Throughout the posting there are, obviously, 8 points made, and they provide more links to look into more detail if you find one of the points reflects on you and your personal struggle.
Maybe it's something a little less obvious - maybe it's one of those stealth 'tough questions' that's not sitting well. Apparently this is the most popular post at this blog ever, and I think for good reason. Take the time to go read “Tell Me About Yourself” The 25 Toughest Interview Questions (and Tips on How to Answer Them!) now. As for what I think, the first answer that comes to your head is the best. Don't blurt it out though, think about the phrasing of it, and make sure you paint your answer in a positive light.
Sometimes, just being honest can get you the job.
Happy Hunting!
To read the post that inspired this post click to read 8 Self-Imposed Reasons People Can’t Find Jobs. Throughout the posting there are, obviously, 8 points made, and they provide more links to look into more detail if you find one of the points reflects on you and your personal struggle.
Maybe it's something a little less obvious - maybe it's one of those stealth 'tough questions' that's not sitting well. Apparently this is the most popular post at this blog ever, and I think for good reason. Take the time to go read “Tell Me About Yourself” The 25 Toughest Interview Questions (and Tips on How to Answer Them!) now. As for what I think, the first answer that comes to your head is the best. Don't blurt it out though, think about the phrasing of it, and make sure you paint your answer in a positive light.
Sometimes, just being honest can get you the job.
Happy Hunting!
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Time for schooling?
Sometimes, especially when the economy is down, it might be better to go back to school or find some training programs that economic stimulus has made available. How do you find the right job to train for, and how do you know what's available?
Usually your state will have a Department of Employment and Training, usually connected to the same office where you get unemployment benefits from. If you're receiving, or have ever received unemployment benefits, then you might know about the office, where it is and some of the policies and programs available. Still unsure, try starting at the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration website.
If you're looking to get more training, and want to know which field is right for you - check this link from the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics report. It's a list of top 30 occupations likely to have the most new jobs over the next 10 years.
Happy Hunting!
Usually your state will have a Department of Employment and Training, usually connected to the same office where you get unemployment benefits from. If you're receiving, or have ever received unemployment benefits, then you might know about the office, where it is and some of the policies and programs available. Still unsure, try starting at the US Department of Labor, Employment and Training Administration website.
If you're looking to get more training, and want to know which field is right for you - check this link from the US Bureau of Labor and Statistics report. It's a list of top 30 occupations likely to have the most new jobs over the next 10 years.
Happy Hunting!
Monday, March 1, 2010
My resume is still dusty...
I often hear from people who have the hardest time writing their cover letter, which I posted some examples for in last week's post.Of course, now people are asking - how do I write a resume, especially after I was posting information on the 10 resume red flags in that day's post. So if you're looking to get started writing your resume, or refining it, this is a good resource, with lots of samples on the basics. Now, if you read the prior post linked above, then you're going to notice that some of the red flags are raised in these samples, but if you don't know where to start, or just want to see what you might be missing, these sample resumes can be a fantastic source of help.
In my experience, sometimes you take from two to three resources and combine them - creating something that is uniquely yours, that highlights your skills and doesn't fall to the bottom of the pile. Of course, there are always those resumes that are on thick stock, or look like they're almost a book, but just because you stand out, doesn't mean your resume is the best - it just means that when someone is hiring you they may think, 'pretty package, but nothing inside'.
Happy Hunting!
In my experience, sometimes you take from two to three resources and combine them - creating something that is uniquely yours, that highlights your skills and doesn't fall to the bottom of the pile. Of course, there are always those resumes that are on thick stock, or look like they're almost a book, but just because you stand out, doesn't mean your resume is the best - it just means that when someone is hiring you they may think, 'pretty package, but nothing inside'.
Happy Hunting!
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