Resume Help Blog

Archive for the ‘Write A Resume’ Category

Yesterday I ran a post on how to get hired 65% faster and lots of you emailed me and asked me if this were true. Let me be perfectly clear — YES, 100% true. Today I would like to follow up and give you another idea or two. But this isn’t all there is – if you will take the next step and follow the link to Guerrilla Resume you will learn and receive lots more. These methods really work. The example we gave yesterday came from someone living in Michigan where the unemployment rate is at least 15% (conservatively) and if this will work there, why won’t it work where you live?

• Guerrilla job tip: Your job search is a sales and marketing campaign.

Many people never think of it that way. You should and must!

Think about it.

To get hired, you must identify, qualify and contact prospects (decision makers who can hire you) and sell to them (convince them to offer you a job). Anyone who has ever had a sales job knows the above to be true. You must sell the decision maker!

Here are 2 Guerrilla Job Search tactics based on *unconventional* sales and marketing methods.

Try one or both today, to get hired faster tomorrow …

• Treat Voicemails as Radio Spots

Here’s an idea: Think of your voicemail messages as 30-second radio commercials.

That means you should script and rehearse the voicemails you leave for employers.

Don’t adopt a fake baritone, but do try to sound upbeat and professional.

While other job seekers leave dull, rambling messages, you can give employers one more reason to hire you, by leaving tantalizing voicemails that practically force them to call you back.

Example:

“Hi, this is Steve Jones. I wanted to make

sure you got the resume I mailed you on Monday

for the position of accountant. I had something

to add to the part where I saved $27,000 last

year for a firm just like yours. If you’d like

to know the missing piece, please call me at

702-555-1212. Thank you!”

• Send Sales Letters, Not Cover Letters

It’s been said (by us) that you can’t bore employers into hiring you. So why send out the same dull cover letters as other job seekers?

To sell an employer on the idea of hiring you, it helps to send them a … sales letter.

Here’s a crash course to get you started:

• Personalize your opening. Example: “Dear Mr. Jackson.” Never, ever write: “Dear Sir or Madam.” Can’t find the name of the hiring manager? Pick up the phone and call.

Timid job seekers have skinny kids.

• Focus on the reader. All good sales letters are written about “you,” the reader, and not, “I,” the author. If you change all instances of “I” to “you” in your cover letter, you’ll make it more effective.

• Make specific claims, then prove them with facts. Look at your last letter. How many numbers, percentages, and dollar signs do you see? Add more.

• Ask for the sale. Example: “Please call me today to learn how I can save you money as a customer service manager.” Or, better: “I will call your office at 10 a.m. Wed. to answer any questions and tell you how I saved $15,000 in my last role as a customer service manager.”

Are you beginning to think you will NEVER find another job? Are you tired of being unemployed? You don’t have to be! Want to know more? The real key to your success is whether you are willing to take the next step or not. It’s that simple. Click here for more details!

Well, what we feared has suddenly happened. The Labor Department reported that the official unemployment rate for October rose from 9.8% to 10.2%, in September. (don’t be fooled, it’s actually higher) And just today they announced another 485,000 lay-offs last week. Just one week before Christmas; what a great Christmas gift! Everyone feared this was coming and just wondered how long it would take. Hundreds of thousands of people are unemployed and job opportunities on a large scale just aren’t available.

So now the next question; what are we to do now?

There seems to be a spirit of cynicism and foreboding everywhere. It’s frightening!  This is an age of political divisiveness, there is a huge dose of bashing and finger-pointing. The plain truth is we have collectively allowed our manufacturing base to be stripped away and it doesn’t look like it’s coming back any time soon.

Don’t expect Obama to rescue you, no matter what he promised in his campaign speeches. The plain truth: you’re on your own. There is no magic bullet that will solve this problem. In fact the way the current majority political party is going it just may get worse. Many of the over 15 million unemployed are not going to find a job again.  ANY job. Am I being pessimistic? I don’t believe so.

Many of our icons that we thought would be here forever are gone are on the verge of going. Many companies are barely surviving, their management are on shaky ground and know it. It’s time to change your thinking from “it’s all about me” frame mind. It’s extremely difficult when the rent’s due and you’ve had no income or possibilities. One solution remains, companies have problems to solve and if you are a problem solver you have a product to sell and lots of buyers.

Look for ways to show that you are a problem solver.  Answer this question: “How can I help them solve their problem NOW?”  This simple change in mentality serves a great purpose in your resume writing or during your job interview.

Start making a list. (be specific) Then boil it down and refine it then do it again till you are convinced it’s the best. These are problems that you’ve already solved.  This what employers will buy today. Don’t just rely on the Internet but take your message out there to the real world to get an audience.

Networking is where it happens, but that could be as simple as talking to someone in line at the supermarket or mall. You have to be “on” all the time.  So develop a great elevator pitch that’s short and sweet.  It should sound natural and reflect exactly how and why you’re a problem solver. That’s what it will take and you can do it. I have a friend who does this in California. She calls her company “Corporate Solutions”.

Not everyone is buying right now but there are jobs. And even if it’s not the ideal job it’s an opportunity for you to shine. You’ll snag one only if you’re “on” and ready to offer someone solutions for the immediate future because of problems you’ve solved in the past. So get that resume polished and I mean as the military calls it; put a “spit shine” on it. If you need help getting that resume to shine, here are two sources for a professionally written resume — Resume Rabbit and Resume Edge. — I know you are thinking; “that’s too expensive”, without even checking it out. Don’t do that, check it out! Both companies are the best in the business.

Now, if money really is in short supply here’s an alternative! Resume On A Budget is a site where you can get excellent resume templates and professional resume help for less. This site offer resume help the same way that Legal Zoom offers legal help. Resume templates, resume help, job interview help all prepared by professionals. Go to —  ResumeOnABudget.com – you will be glad you did.

by Darlene Zambruski

1. A document that reflects your personality: Unless you’re in the performing arts or involved in a creative industry, a resume should err on the conservative side — no designer fonts or unusual designs.

2. An exhaustive listing of everything you’ve done: Recruiters and Hiring Managers want recent experience, not all experience. The rule of thumb is to go back 10 years for IT professionals and no more than 15 years for those in other industries. Keep your resume to one page.

3. A document that tells the recruiter or hiring manager what you want: Recruiters and Hiring Managers are interested in what you can bring to their organizations in terms of performance — increasing profits or reducing costs. What you want (your objective) is secondary.

4. A document that will guarantee an interview or job offer: A resume is the beginning of your job search. It cannot guarantee the end result. No matter how well your accomplishments are detailed and your data presented, if your background doesn’t closely match the requirements of the job, you will not be called in for an interview

5. A one-size-fits-all document: Certainly, there are basic standards for all resumes, such as page length and data prioritization/organization. However, your background is unique and needs to be presented to showcase your skills, not fit a general template designed for everyone. This is where you can benefit from a professional resume writer. And it doesn’t have to be expensive. We have an budget resume site that will provide you with a professional resume for under $50

6. A document that will please your spouse, parents, colleagues, etc.: The only audience that matters is Recruiters and Hiring Managers. Relatives, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances may be well-meaning, but they are not experts in resume writing.

7. A document that is perfect in every way: Organization of data and showcasing accomplishments are what matter most in a resume as does language and tone (be professional at all times). Recruiters and Hiring Managers are looking for hard skills that you can bring to their organization. If you are frightened of the whole process then the best idea would be to hire a professional resume writer. They will do a one-on-one interview and provide you with the best there is. This won’t be cheap but will give you an edge over your competition.

If you are just starting out or on a tight budget then we have an excellent alternate idea. You absolutely must check out our budget resume site. Resume On A Budget can get your resume prepared with professional templates for under $50.