Resume Help Blog

Posts Tagged ‘job search’

Sometimes your resume can hurt more than help you. In today’s job-search market, you are often competing against large numbers of applicants, and your resume has to be good enough to make it past the first screening.

The first people to view your resume are often lower-level staff looking for a quick way to weed candidates out of consideration. You can minimize the chances of your resume being eliminated during this round by following three simple rules.

LESS IS MORE

Don’t tell too much. A good resume should leave the prospective employer with a whetted appetite, a desire to know more. They will be likely to call and phone-screen you. So don’t fill in all the details just yet. Save that for the interview. Do, however, paint a big picture of who you are and what you can offer.

For example, you may have worked several years at your present employer. Certainly you could fill up several paragraphs with all that you’ve done. Instead, think of the one or two most critical projects, duties or functions that you provide. List the most important and give them no more than a sentence or two each.

Here is an example:

EXPERIENCE: Mar 2003 to Present: XYZ Company, Their City, CA Senior staff design engineer. Products designed/Projects involved: A, B, C. Description of Most Important Project and why Description of 2nd most important project and why

Skip the hobbies and personal info. Avoid mind-numbing detail that will cause a reader’s eyes to glaze over. One page is ideal — two pages only if you are a 15- to 20-year veteran with a significant growth and promotion history.

MORE KEYWORDS

You want the computers to flag your resume for closer examination. Do this by including as many keywords as possible that are relevant to your job and your job skills, as well as specific industry words that may be appropriate. A convenient method to accomplish this is to include a separate “Keywords” section on your resume just below the “Objective”. Think of this as an important catchall specifically for the computers to “see”.

Here is an example from a candidate employed as a medical quality assurance auditor:

KEYWORDS: Quality System, QA, QS, Audit, Good Manufacturing Practices (cGMP), International Standards (ISO), Corrective and Preventive Action Programs (CAPA), training, QSR, Medical Device, calibration, 510K, TQM, PMA, FDA.

Also, include the names of major companies you worked with or for, as this often is important to employers. Include those in the “Experience” section.

BE SPECIFIC

Don’t just tell them what you did. Move beyond that and tell the benefit of your accomplishment.  A good way to do this is to include several specific ways you helped your employer make money or save money. Remember, the only benefit you can bring to the table is past performance. When you interview (either phone or in person) this is what will be discussed.

Think of all your jobs in the past and bring forth examples of some of your best work. How can an employer think of you as a problem solver? If at all possible, try to “monetize” your accomplishments (state them in terms of money). At the interview, you will be prepared to enlarge upon these successes.

SUMMARY

Building an effective resume doesn’t have to be drudgery. Using the above three guidelines will keep your resume lean and to the point standing a greater chance of landing on the “to call” stack and getting you a phone screen.

“Everybody does it” as they say. The job market can be a very tough place to compete. If everyone inflates their experience then how can an honest person get a job?

Well, as tempting as it may be, you do NOT want to risk lying on your resume.

Whether it’s personal information, job experience, or schooling – employers are finding new ways to sniff out liars and you don’t want to be one of them. Misrepresenting facts on your resume is a giant No – No! Period!

PERSONAL INFORMATION

While some information may not be easily verified, information such as a criminal record, can be very costly to you in the event it is checked out. With sites like rapsheets.com you can never guarantee that an employer won’t be able to find the information.
JOB EXPERIENCE

Clearly this is not the place to boast about fake employment as you can be sure these are the first places they will call. If you were fired for some reason better to face up and explain it than let it be discovered later. If you have what the employer is looking for they will give you credit for honesty. So be honest.

EDUCATION

Do you really think that nobody will notice if you slip in an education you don’t really have? If you have the degree or certificates to back your claim then you have something to boast of. Even if you do have the skills, you can’t afford to claim education you can’t provide proof of. EmployAct.com is a new service that will allow employers to have background checks – similar to criminal or credit checks – to verify your claim.

WHAT YOU SHOULD HAVE

With all that said and done, how can you create a resum that will highlight your skills and abilities without needing to lie?

Give yourself credit. If you are not sure how to write a resume that will highlight your skills and training then hire a professional to write one for you. They will know exactly how to showcase your skills in the best light because that’s what they do. You may not know what an employer is looking for, they will. With many jobs that don’t require a particular expertise, you many find that they are looking for people who are able to learn on the job. Proof that you have gained skills as a worker (or even a volunteer if you’re just starting out) can be very valuable.

Be certain that you focus on skills. Expand your descriptions. Rather than say ‘I worked in an office’, say ‘I was responsible for answering the phones and directing calls to the proper departments. I also was able to multi-task by providing supportive administrative assistance to the head receptionist including maintaining a filing system, processing inter office memos, delivering documents in a timely manner, directing clients to their meeting appointments and providing relief reception.’ Also provide a list of computer programs you are proficient in — i.e. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint etc. These are a real plus but make sure you don’t exaggerate your skills. If you know some of the lesser known computer programs list those as well.

As you can see from the above example, it is perfectly acceptable to elaborate on your skills, but do so in an honest and ethical manner. Have confidence in keeping the job you are sure to get by doing it right the first time.

Most of us have heard the old hunter’s tale which talks about how a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush. This story was talking about a bird shot for dinner, not employment. Many people will say they have decided to take the offer they have rather than to wait or continue to interview for the position they really want.

When an offer is extended, most companies do not wish to wait for an answer for more than a few days. They have accepted you and they expect you be excited about the prospect of working for their company. When a candidate puts them off they know the candidate is putting them off waiting or hoping for an offer from another company they really prefer.

When an offer is extended and the candidate is unsure if the position is right for them, it probably isn’t. If you receive an offer and are not excited about it, don’t take it. If you are interviewing for several positions simultaneously, treat each one as though they are the most important position. Once you have an offer, you may at that point become picky. Until you have the offer, you really don’t have a decision to make.

If you take a position which does not pay enough for you to survive without tremendous stress, you are de-valuing yourself. No matter what happens while you are employed with this company, you will not feel you are being treated fairly even if the company doesn’t pay anyone the amount you feel your services are worth. I personally worked for a firm like this once. Their policy was they never paid anyone the “top” wage. They felt that if you felt you couldn’t go any higher you would be unhappy. Everybody was unhappy anyway and just the opposite was true. You should NEVER accept less than you feel you are worth.

It’s a dangerous thing as it plays a critical role in your self-esteem. So what should you do? Let’s look at some answers.

First, the criteria you have set for yourself in your next career. Perhaps list your likes and dislikes. Let’s take sales since that is a department that I was personally involved in for a number of years:

1. This position must be full time.
2. This position must pay a base salary. (Most don’t)
3. There must be an incentive for me to sell. Does the company pay commission or bonus?
4. What type of training program does this prospective employer utilize?
5. Is the company willing to pay auto expenses or do they provide a corporate vehicle?
6. There can be no relocation.
7. I must be able to make a potential of $____________per year.
8. The product must be a product I believe in.

Make a list of criteria for yourself. What are you willing to accept? Where do you see yourself in a year or five years? If this new job offer does not allow you room to achieve your goals, interview elsewhere. And don’t stop until you find what is right for you. You may be saying, yes, that sounds good, but I need to make money today. I have to take a position, any position to pay the bills. Well, if that is your situation, then take a position with a company where they have a lot of turnover and expect it.

Be careful when you make that decision to accept a position. Always make certain it is a positive move. However don’t be afraid to take a menial position to put bread on the table and pay the bills until you receive an offer from the right company and keep your self respect. I never forget when I was about the first grade that my father worked three jobs to pay the bills. Of course they weren’t 8-hour jobs but he was never afraid to take any honest job to pay the bills and I never remember missing any meals. Be honorable and honest and you will always be a success.