3 Things You Should Never Mention on Your Resume | Career Rocketeer - Career Search and Personal Branding Blog

Many job seekers write their resumes under the belief that they have to "come clean" on everything regarding their careers, from what they have achieved, to the reasons they left previous jobs, to what they want to do well into the future.

But a resume is not a tell-all autobiography of your career triumphs, tragedies, and non-essential trivia. It's a marketing document that tries to position you as a prime candidate for whatever job you're applying for. While your long-term goal is to get the job, the resume's chief goal is short term: Showcase the stuff the employer needs to convince them to call you for an interview.

That's why you should never include these three things on your resume:

Why you left a job. This doesn't help when you're trying to market yourself effectively. The objective of any marketing project is to convince someone to buy a product or service. Rather than saying something like "Position was one of 10 eliminated as part of company-wide cost-cutting measures," focus only on what the employer is looking for: your skills and experience, and how they can benefit a new employer. You can explain the rest at your interview--if they even ask.

What's in it for you...rather than what's in it for the employer. If you open your resume with a statement that says something like "Seeking a position that can utilize my skills in accounting and help position me for an executive-level job in finance," you've stated a clear career objective. There's just one problem with that: Your next employer doesn't really care about your aspirations or what you want to be doing in five years. They want someone who can do the job they have open today, and do it effectively. Start your resume instead with a summary of the qualifications that are most likely to grab their attention.

Your college GPA...if it's been more than three years since you graduated. You may have heard the expression "experience is your best teacher." Hiring managers want to see what you've done in the workplace, and that also goes for new college graduates. Even 10 years after you received your bachelor's degree, you may still be proud of that 3.7 grade-point average. But that was a decade ago. What have you done since? If you're a recent college graduate and your GPA was at least a 3.5, go ahead and include it. If it was less than 3.5 but the GPA in courses related to your major was at or above that mark, include it.

Before you send your resume, ask yourself these two questions: (1) Does this resume effectively communicate my skills and experience and how they match the job description? And (2) Does it effectively tell the employer the benefits they would get by hiring me? If you can truthfully answer "yes" to both questions, you've given yourself a strong chance at landing an interview.
Guest Expert:

Rick Saia is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and Content Writer for Pongo Resume, a premier, full-service online resource for job seekers. Pongo provides all the resume templates, tools, and support needed to write professional resumes and cover letters, ace tough interviews, and secure a great job. For more information, visit http://www.pongoresume.com or call 866-486-4660.

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Posted via web from AndyWergedal

CAREEREALISM Club – #1 Career HMO : CAREEREALISM

By CAREEREALISM Club Founder, J.T. O’Donnell

Last week, I got the following e-mail from one of our Career HMO members. He joined CAREEREALISM Club after being out of work for 12+ months. His first time in the network, I remember him telling me how frustrated he’d been with the bad job search advice he’d received, and he was skeptical we could help. Two months later, this is what he sent me:

Dear J.T.,

I’ve been meaning to send this e-mail to you for some time and with the roll-out of the new site enhancements, now seemed to be appropriate.

With all of your help and guidance, I have landed a new job. For over a year, before I found CAREEREALISM Club, my job search was going nowhere. Following your guidance, the activity took a significant jump. I believe two things were very key to landing this position.

#1 Networking. As you so accurately teach, leverage the network. I kept in touch with two business acquaintances and sure enough they passed my resume on to the hiring manager for a position that was NEVER POSTED! The hiring manager said to me they didn’t want to have to wade through the mountains of resumes if they posted the position so instead they asked their staff if they had any recommendations. They recommended me!

#2 – Taking the time to complete your Interview Prep Program. When I sat down for the interview and the HR person started to ask me questions I felt like I had stolen the opposing teams playbook before the Superbowl. I was so prepared and when I wrapped up the interview by asking my questions (from your list) I could tell they were not use to that. Instead of the interview ending after the HR person, I was walked over to the hiring manager. After being interviewed by him he said, “Are you doing anything for lunch? I think the VP of the department would like to meet you.” When he said that I knew I was “in.”

I will continue to utilize your Career HMO (because all jobs are temporary) and I will continue to share my experience with anyone who is stuck in their search.

Thank you, thank you, thank you again and again,

Wally

E-mails like this are exactly why I built a Career HMO, CAREEREALISM Club – Because NOBODY should job search alone!

IN WALLY’S HONOR – 100 LIFETIME MEMBERSHIPS FOR ONLY $75

To celebrate Wally’s victory over long-term unemployment, and to help others join the ranks of the happily employed, we are offering the first 100 people who sign up for CAREEREALISM Club lifetime memberships for only $75. The program normally costs $75/year.

Given every job is temporary and Americans can expect to have as many as 9 careers in a lifetime with an average of 3 jobs in each one, this lifetime membership will more than pay for itself! It also comes with a 30-day money-back guarantee and is considered a tax-deductible job search expense. So, there’s no risk.

Why not join and experience first-hand the power of a Career HMO? You could be our next success story!

CLICK HERE to check out CAREEREALSM Club!

via careerealism.com

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TheWiseJobSearch: Resume vs. Online Profile: What’s the Difference???

I was recently asked about the difference between a resume and an online career profile. Is there a difference? Should there be a difference? Are they considered in different ways? What should be included or avoided?

Good question… short answer… YES! They are different.

There are a number of things to consider when creating a professional profile online vs. creating a resume to email or present to a company, or when applying for a specific role.

Here are some thoughts that can help…

When creating a resume for a specific company or position you are pursuing, it’s critical that you tailor it for the specific recipient. Emphasize the experience you’ve had that would be most important to that particular company or position. Although your experience may be very broad, if they don’t very quickly see the direct related experience for the role, it’s unlikely you will be considered further. Using words from their job description, their terminology, and giving special attention to the skills you have that are directly applicable to their requirements is key. The extra effort involved in customizing your resume for each individual application will pay off in a greater chance at a response.

When creating an online profile, whether it be a LinkedIn profile, your personal professional website, a Visual CV, a job board, or any number of other venues online to post your information… it has to appeal to a broader audience. You won’t know who will see it, or what kind of role they have in mind when they’re looking.

Although you may be interested in a variety of opportunities when you are applying, the viewer generally only has one role they are looking to fill. Your online profile should help them understand all your experience and see the fit for multiple roles. 

~ An online profile isn’t limited to two printed pages! While it’s usually not a good idea to create a submitted resume that’s more than 2 pages long, you don’t have that kind of restriction with an online profile. You can include much more information, more detail, more accomplishments, more strengths, and more keywords. Keywords are important, as that’s the most likely way they will find you. Include as many keywords as you can think of that someone might use to find someone with your background. With more detail, the likelihood of being found in a search rises, and it gives the viewer a greater chance of finding what they are looking for.

In an online profile, just as in a resume, it’s important that your information is written in short, substantive, sentences and/or bullet points. When someone is scanning your information, short lines will get read, paragraphs will not. It’s important that they grasp your experience quickly and easily, in order to gain their further interest.

~ An online profile can include testimonials! A submitted resume doesn’t generally have the space, and it’s not the best venue to include third party comments. However, an online profile can be a great place to include reference information and comments to “back up” the assertions you make about yourself in your profile. It’s great to express your strengths and accomplishments, it’s even better when someone else confirms them as well.

~ Consistency is key! It’s critically important that a resume you submit to a company, and your online profile agree with each other! Nothing will torpedo your chances for an opportunity than the appearance of an attempt to deceive. Although the resume you present may not give the entire picture of your full responsibilities in a particular position, it should never contradict the more detailed description. If your role was as an Office Manager of a small business, and your responsibilities included accounting, your resume should never make it appear as if your entire role was as an Accountant.

In today’s job market, and with easy access to search engines, it’s HIGHLY likely that somewhere in the hiring process someone at the organization you are pursuing will Google you and find your profile online. If the information you have posted there contradicts what they received from you directly, it’s unlikely they will proceed with you further. The resume and online profile can complement each other, but be consistent.

~ Links! When presenting a resume, it’s not usually easy, or necessarily appropriate to include links to websites online. An online profile is ideal for this though and can often enhance your presentation and credibility. You can include links to other professional sites where you have information posted. Link all of your relevant online presence together… LinkedIn, personal professional website, Visual CV, etc.  You might also link to a professional blog you write, articles you’ve been published in, online recognition you’ve received, etc.

Be very conscious, and careful of your overall online presence. A racy Facebook or MySpace page can be harmful to your online reputation. Comments or less than professional pictures or articles attributed to you can damage your chances of being considered for a position further. Be sure everything you link to only shows you in the best and most professional light possible, and try to clean up anything else that may be found by Google that might hurt.

Working together, a resume and a professional online presence can be a powerful combination. However, manage them carefully!

via thewisejobsearch.com

Posted via web from AndyWergedal

Sincerely, Me: What Our Email Sign-offs Say About Us

Look at how you signed your last email. Better yet, read it out loud. There’s a good chance you’ve signed off with something like “Best, Dominic,” or “Thank you, Maria,” or “Cheers, Tom,” or even just using your initials.

There are all sorts of ways we conclude emails. And for us web workers, where our communication is digital more often than not, the way we sign our emails may (or may not) reveal certain clues about what we’re trying to accomplish. Let’s poke around at a few of the most common sign-offs/closings.

Cheers

“Cheers” signals a sense of worldliness. (Tell me you don’t read it in a British accent and yearn for a pint of Bass.) This sign-off says “I’m casual, yet professional.” We could share beers at the bar, or we could do an angel VC deal. Or both. “Cheers” is designed to command a certain amount of respect while still maintaining a level of approachability. As such, we see it all the time. Yet one has to wonder if this sign-off is becoming (or has already become) too trendy. (Note: My “Cheers” analysis applies to U.S.-based emailers only. UK emailers, you have the final say on it, as for some reason, I just feel like it’s yours.)

Thanks

To me, “Thanks” says, “Just do what I’ve asked in the body of this email, and let’s leave it at that.” Even though that might not be the writer’s intention, it can come across as patronizing. (Note: To combat this, some people have taken a casual approach to “Thanks” with the abbreviated “Thx!” The verdict is still out on this tactic — particularly the use of the exclamation point.)

However, “Thanks” can, and should, be used in the early stages of an email relationship. It’s safe, it’s no-nonsense, and it rarely lends itself to interpretation. When in doubt, “Thanks,” in all its blandness, simply works.

Best

“Best” is strange. It basically means, “I wish good things for you.” That’s OK, but chances are that tone doesn’t mesh well with what you’re communicating in the body above. However, “Best” is innocuous enough that people don’t really digest it. It’s easily ignored, which leads me to speculate that it’s one of the highest-raking sign-offs that’s pre-loaded into email signatures, simply because it’s both neutral and positive at the same time. (I base this on no data whatsoever.) Ultimately, “Best” says that the sender’s professional-personal ratio is at about 9-to-1: the sender wants to keep things proper, while showing a little personal attention.

Take Care (and Other Ways to Say Goodbye)

Some people think of their sign-off as a goodbye. If you were leaving a meeting, you’d shake hands and say something like, “Take care, Elisa” or “Alright, Avi, I’ll see you tomorrow.” So a short-form goodbye can effectively give the communication a colloquial nature, one that’s conversational and fluid. But be careful. A phrase like “Take it easy” might not be formal enough for a given situation; use your judgment.

So what are “goodbye” sign-offs revealing? I think they show that the sender is striving for more verbal, personal communication. When used in the right situation, this type of closing can work well because it increases the friendliness of the email.

More on Coworking

• Open Thread: What Can Corporations Learn From Web Workers? Web Life
• Change of Address Web Life
• Coworking: Stop Sharing Your Office With Your Worst Critic Web Life
• Remote Workers Should Lead the Charge for New Mobile Tech Web Life

Nothing at All

Sometimes, we drop the closing entirely. We’re seeing this habit with greater frequency as more and more people are emailing from mobile devices; it doesn’t make sense to crank out an extra word on a little keyboard. This lack of closing can reveal a few things. It may imply that you’re on the run, which can be perceived as good or bad: Good because you’re quick to reply no matter where you are; bad because you’re always somewhere doing something else.

Another common approach is to use initials in place of the dropped closing. With this sign-off, perhaps the sender is trying to brand his or her initials. When I sign my emails with “DC,” I’m expecting the respondent to see my initials almost as a stamp of my approval. Maybe I even intend for the recipient to address me as “DC” in his or her reply. The “no closing/initials instead” approach may show that you’re not one to waste time and that you want to set the tone for the entire communication sequence. From my experience, this approach seems particularly prominent amongst tech, entrepreneur and media types.

There’s really no right or wrong way to go about the sign-off, and what it may or may not reveal is open to interpretation. That said, feel free to tell us in the comments section what you think your sign-offs of choice reveal about you, and when and why you use them.

Godspeed,

dave

Dave Clarke is the Communications Strategist at Churnless, a web strategy and production company that helps businesses satisfy, delight, and keep their customers. Follow Dave on Twitter: @thedaveclarke.

Related GigaOM Pro content (sub. req.): Email: The Reports of My Death are Greatly Exaggerated

Photo courtesy Flickr user hyperscholar, licensed under CC 2.0

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#Jobseekers: A Job Search Tip - Career Chaos

You've had your resume professionally written. You've posted it on job boards and sent it to target companies. And now the phone is ringing! You schedule an interview. You prepare for the interview, including polishing your shoes and role-playing tough job interview questions. The big day is tomorrow and you are ready!

Wait a minute - haven't you forgotten something?

Hopefully, you have contacted several people who will act as professional references for you. But did you send them your resume? Yes, resume. Even if you worked side-by-side with your references and they have first hand knowledge of your work performance, it's critical that you send them all your resume. Why?

When potential employers contact your references, they will have your resume in front of them. Don't your references deserve the same? Believe me, it will be much easier for your references to sing your praises if they have had the opportunity to brief themselves on what you've shared with hiring authorities.

And one more thing, please let your references know when you've interviewed and given their contact information to a potential employer. A prepared reference will act so much better on your behalf than a reference who receives a surprise phone call.

Now go get that job offer!

Wishing you career success in 2010!

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How to Supercharge Your Executive Resume » Blog | Great Resumes Fast

It’s not always easy to know what to do with your executive resume when you realize that it’s not getting you jobs, but you don’t exactly know why. Sometimes your resume requires a few minor tweaks and sometimes it needs a complete overhaul. Then there are times that it just needs a boost to make it interesting to more recruiters.

If you think your resume falls into the last category, supercharging it is probably all you need to give it that boost. Here are some ways to get this done…

Make Your Key Details Stand Out

One great way to supercharge your resume is by learning how to make your key details stand out. You could get this done by positioning your details as high as possible on your first page. If you have a career summary, you could place this underneath your title and contact information then list out in a paragraph or bullet-point format what details you want them to know about you.

Some stand-out details that you might consider include record-breaking or award-winning moments you had with previous employers. You could also mention exception moments of bringing in revenue, having huge results with a small staff or any other moments that showcase how you were able to help previous employers improve their business.

Also, you could mention skills that you’ve acquired that make you stand out from the rest. Basically, the idea is to mention whatever you think will convince the hiring manager into read on.

Get Testimonials

Something many executive job seekers don’t consider when writing their resume is adding testimonials. While it’s not necessarily something you’ll see on the typical resume, it’s something that you could absolutely add to spice things up and give insight into your work ethic before the hiring manager ever checks up on your references.

A good way to get this done is to ask for a number of testimonials from your networking circle. If you have LinkedIn contacts, you could easily ask for recommendations on there then ask for permission to add the ones you desire to your resume. Having these testimonials adds credibility to your cause and gives the hiring manager an additional reason to read on.

Stick with a Theme

While you want to cover a number of bases to show you’re well-rounded, it’s also important to choose some type of theme for your resume, especially if you’re sending your resume out into the job pool to be discovered by recruiters. The idea is to create one career goal for your resume so that recruiters will know how to categorize you as they look for prospects. If you have more than one career goal, create more than one resume. This way, your resume(s) will be focused enough to draw in the audience you’re looking for.

Having a good resume is not a bad thing, but having a supercharged one is better by far. So if you’ve decided that what you already have just isn’t good enough, consider the above tips to supercharge your resume and create the interest you’ve ultimately been looking for.

Need a job? Be sure your resume is the best it can be. Review executive resume services and choose the best one for you and your situation. Do it today at http://www.ResumeLines.com

Guest post by Heather Eagar of Resumelines.com

For a free resume analysis submit your resume via e-mail to info@greatresumesfast.com. You can view professional resume samples at http://www.greatresumesfast.com.

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The hidden trend in the monthly jobs report --- and what it means for you

On Friday at 8:30 AM, the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) released the U.S. jobs report for the month of May. Unemployment is high (9.7%) and private sector job growth is weak. On the same day, stocks fell to their 4-month low, with concerns that high unemployment forecasts lower consumer spending. From Wall Street’s perspective, this makes sense. Main Street, however, might have a different interpretation.

The good news (and there is good news) is the positive direction of the trend line. The trajectory of jobs (lost or created) since January 2009 is heading in the right direction.

Looking deeper than the top-level trend line, however, my optimism is tempered with realism. Consider these:

• Most of the jobs being created are in the category of employment services. There is a far greater use of contingent workers and independent contractors across all levels in organizations.
• Temporary workers were once an indication of future hiring. Unlike what some prognosticators may say, this time around, the rate of temporary hiring may not be the best indicator of future full-time hires as the economy recovers. Companies are under tremendous global pressure to compete. Salary and benefits can comprise between 20 and 60 percent of a firm’s entire operating budget -- the largest operating expense for most organizations. The difference during this recession is that firms were more strategic in how they eliminated roles. This time they are more likely to bring back skills (as needed), rather than jobs. They are far more strategic about which critical positions they need to have “in-house” and which they can bring in "as needed".

What does this mean for you in the future?

There is a big change on the horizon in the way we should conceive of the concept of jobs – and it is dramatically changing how job security will be created in the future. For many, jobs of the future may be more like multiple income generating activities (or gigs) where we leverage our talents and skills. Job security will no longer be derived from being employed 40 hours/week. Rather, it will be something we create for ourselves when our talents and skills are in demand.

This is a mind shift.

The emphasis of the future will be on the skills you bring, rather than the job you occupy. There will be a far greater focus on self-management of both our skills and our network, two critical components of career success. Possessing more sought-out skills and having a strong network will be related to more income opportunities, whether working for a single organization or as an independent contractor.

Perhaps we need to take a collective deep breath and realize that, while change is afoot, this free agent mentality may also come with some upsides:

• You will now have tremendous flexibility to plan and grow your own career, no longer relinquishing career management to an employer.
• You will now have the ability to craft your sources of income across multiple opportunities if this is what you chose to do.
• You will now have the opportunity to engage in a career that fits with your life – and not vice versa.

Wishing you success and happiness,

Paula

via paulacaligiuri.com

 

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