Career Tip: Quick Resume Advice

Never lie on your resume.  While you may be desperate to get a specific job, or even any job, a lie can truly come back to haunt you.  First, your experience is good enough if applying for the right jobs.  Second, a lie, even discovered years down the road, can result in immediate dismissal (think of the Yahoo CEO who lied about having a degree on his resume and was ousted from his position within days).  It will never pay to lie, whether discovered immediately in an interview or checking references, or years from now, the damage is done.

Career Tip of the Week

When creating your LinkedIn profile, other social media, blog posts, and on your career documents (resume/cover letter/reference listing), use proper name capitalization.  I often see resumes and LinkedIn profiles with names in all lower case, which can have a negative influence on your job potential.  Showing your understanding of proper capitalization and when it is used, particularly with your own name will help you significantly in making a great first impression on paper or online.  Here is a terrific resource on when, and when not, to capitalize: http://grammar.yourdictionary.com/capitalization/10-rules-of-capitalization.html 

To your career success!

10 Phrases You Should Never Use in a Resume

A job search is challenging enough, but sometimes we create more problems for ourselves by using outdated language or statements that cause us additional issues.  Here are 10 of those phrases to avoid:

1)     References Available Upon Request

a.       Hiring managers already know this fact.

b.      You are wasting space on your resume.

2)     Excellent Written and Verbal Communication Skills

a.     See it frequently, but this is not the definitive based info hiring managers are looking for on the resume.  Your resume writing itself should show excellent writing skills and the interview, your verbal communication skills.  Use it if you want on the cover letter, with an example  demonstrating your excellent communication skills.

b.      Again, wasting space, this time with a generic statement.

3)    Works Well in High Pressure Situations

a.     This is something everyone deals with today in the business world, so instead of a generic statement like the above, give them an example of a project that got done on time and on budget with a time-compressed schedule, or a client that you helped with a product shipment issue that was going to shut down their factory, but you saved the day.

4)    The words Duties or Responsibilities include…

a.     These are highly overused and you want to get a thesaurus and find other action oriented words to being your resume bullet points.

5)    Gained Expertise

a.     Showing hiring managers how you used the expertise is the important part, not just that you learned it.

6)    Strong Work Ethic

a.       Unfortunately many of the people who say this on their resume don’t have one.  

7)    Meets or Exceed Expectations

a.       Generic statement, instead use a real example of how your met or exceeded a goal.

8)    Highly Qualified

a.     Again, generic statement, give specific examples of how you are qualified from your work experience.

9)    Results-Oriented, Results-Focused, Results anything…

a.     Yes, we have all used this phrase or some incarnation of it in our past resumes, but it is time to put this one to bed and give the hiring manager an actual example of results.

10)  Objective Statement

a.     We have covered this before in another blog post, but I find myself still telling this to jobseekers on a fairly consistent basis.  Don’t use an objective statement, which is about what you want, instead use a job title.  Until the company wants to interview and hire you, they don’t “care” about what you want.  By giving them a (their) job title, this communicates what the resume should cover in regards to “type” of experience.

Whether you call them filler words, general or generic statements, or just fluff, including several of the above phrases in your resume will look less than professional.  You only have a few seconds in the initial review of your resume to get the attention of a Hiring Manager, HR, Recruiter, etc.  The last thing you want to do is alienate them with canned phrases and space wasters.  Give real examples of your work successes with some detail, as this is what anyone who reviews resumes and/or hires employee’s wants to hear – proof you are up to the challenge.  To your job search success!

A Great Resource for any Job Search

O*NET, an incredible database resource to learn about various jobs, education required, salary ranges, and whether a particular job type is in demand, green-related, or declining, has made some updates.  Not only have they updated information for 116 occupations, but they revised the Tools and Technology section.  O*NET added 121 new technologies across 134 occupations, and has now created a new identifying category of “hot technologies” featuring 17 in-demand technologies.

Visit O*NET today at http://www.onetonline.org/ and learn more about a job type you have interest in for career transition, explore several potential careers, or gather additional information to assist you in writing your resume.  To your job search success! 

Get a Different Perspective to Create a Standout Resume

Don’t be afraid to ask past colleagues (be wary of asking current colleagues, of course), family, friends, and those you volunteer with about what you have done in your various jobs (including volunteer work) that might be great to mention on a resume.  What have you been really excited about that you have discussed regarding work?  What projects do they remember you working on specifically?  Do they remember you winning any awards or recognition's?  What about a performance review that was particularly good?  Do they remember you writing any standout documentation (manuals, policies, tips sheets, website verbiage, etc.)?  Do they recall you training others in the workplace or giving presentations at work or in a volunteer capacity?   

It can very difficult for us to see our accomplishments.  Often the things we do daily are some of the most important information to include on a resume, but we just see it as part of our job. Getting another perspective regarding your career and your performance in various jobs can really help bolster the information you can provide on a resume.  To your job search success!  

Resume Tip: Action Verbs

Using action verbs on a resume should be something most people have learned by now, but I still see many resumes without these important, accomplishment oriented words.  Instead of saying "duties included" or "responsibilities were" to start bullets points on your resume, try using various forms of manage, create, implement, communicate, research, analyze, organize, coordinate, market, and coach.  In showing a potential employer that you actually did the task, not just talking about the task in general, you give them the vision of you having that real-life, on-the-job experience.  Be careful not to reuse these action verbs repeatedly; which means you will want to get out that old thesaurus or use the one in Microsoft Word to help you choose the right synonyms to develop a document full of diverse actions verbs.  If all else fails, go to Google and type in "action verbs" and you will see many lists for use by jobseekers writing resumes.  To your job search success!  

Your Resume is a Marketing Brochure!

Always think of your resume as a marketing brochure, never as a duties and responsibilities list.  Your resume must market you towards a specific position and show how you have been of value to your past employers.  It is never just a general career document.  Remember, companies look for keywords and key phrases that relate to the position they are hiring for, and the explanation of how you used those skills, software, competencies, career-related acronyms, etc., in your bullet points under each position.  To your job search success!

Be Original: No More Resume Templates!

Even though you will use a traditional reverse chronological resume for Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) when applying for a job online, traditional doesn't have to mean a template.  The same goes for the resume you hand to the interviewer or networking contact.  Looking at lots of different samples to determine how you will overall format your resume is fine, but just picking a generic template that employers see way too frequently will not make for a positive first impression. Be a bit more original while keeping within the boundaries of what ATS and those viewing you resume expect, and see more response.  To your job search success!

Colored Fonts and Resumes – That’s a Big NO!

From critiquing resumes brought to me by students seeking jobs after graduation or during the summer, to fielding applications in the past, I am surprised at how many job seekers use colored fonts in their resumes.  Sometimes it’s because they don’t know how to reverse the blue color in a web address (put the cursor at the end of the web address and hit the backspace key), but at least this one I understand.  More often than not, it’s purely an issue of neglecting to change the printer cartridge or selecting black in your print choices. When color shows up on a printed resume the reader immediately has less respect for the document.  Perhaps it shouldn't be that way, but presentation is everything.  Always print your resume text in black to ensure you showcase a professional document and present yourself in the best possible light.  To your job search success!

September is Update Your Resume Month

On an annual basis Career Directors International runs a September Campaign to “Update Your Resume.”  In this day of job uncertainty and workers constantly moving or being moved between positions, it is highly recommended all employed individuals keep their resume updated.  From company mergers and acquisitions, to layoffs and dismissals, you never know when your job could be changed or even disappear, and having a resume ready to go at a moment’s notice could pay huge dividends.  Far from just being for a negative reason, you want to keep your resume updated for potential promotion opportunities, that recruiter that might call or email you out of the blue, or for an annual performance review to “remind” your boss of your many contributions throughout the year. To your career success!

Value of Ongoing Professional Development Coursework

Whether provided by your current employer, past employer(s) or training seminars/workshops/conferences you participated in and paid for yourself, professional development is highly valued by employers.  While you wouldn't want to list everything on your resume if you have taken a great deal of professional development in last 10 years, you want to track everything you take, and ultimately provide the best of the best info for the resume document.  Furthermore, a secondary addendum document with a full listing of development opportunities taken in the last seven to 10 years can also be created to supply for performance reviews, networking, interviews, or promotion opportunities.  

There are many different types of professional development that should be tracked and these include:  leadership, management, marketing, sales, customer service, business protocols, EEOC, sexual harassment, computer applications and systems, specialized compliance or technical training related to job or industry, and OSHA, just to name a few.  Keep those professional development completion certificates, listings from your employers, and any accompanying educational materials.  Now you will have both a terrific list of coursework along with the proof!  To your career success!    

Career Tip

Keep track of your accomplishments at work on a regular basis.  From being part of a project team to saving the company money, anything you do to make a difference for the organization should be written down and saved.  Now, during performance reviews you have a list of achievements to review with your supervisor, and lots of information to choose from for a resume update.  I recommend having a file just for career accomplishments at your home where you can easily find the information.  Whether you track it month-to-month or year-to-year you will have a comprehensive account of your work success. 

Do You Need A Resume If You Have A LinkedIn Profile? Yes!

Having been a Career Counselor for 20+ years, I’ve heard a lot of comments that the resume is dead, and yet it is still here and just as necessary as ever.  Recently jobseekers are asking if they need a resume when they already have a LinkedIn profile – and the answer I give them – an unequivocal yes!  While LinkedIn is exceptionally important from both a job search and career management standpoint, in order to develop a quality profile that encourages the reader to ask for your resume, you still need to write a resume. 

LinkedIn was never intended to be your resume, it was meant to entice a reader to find out more about you.  Putting your entire resume on LinkedIn can in fact overwhelm the reader, and you may lose them before you ever get a chance to exchange an email.  Possessing a great resume gives you the option to pick and choose what you put in your LinkedIn profile.  Furthermore, Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS), interviewers, recruiters, and sometimes networking contacts desire a copy of your resume, not just your LinkedIn profile. 

I advise my clients to do both, and use them both as intended.  No, the resume isn’t dead, nor will it be anytime soon, but will continue to morph with the times and adapt to technology, and be used to enhance both your personal brand/social media presence and your overall job search or career management marketing strategy.  

Just Say “No” to the Resume Objective Statement

Although there have been many blog posts and articles concerning why an objective statement should no longer be used on a resume, it always bears repeating.  Too often I see the traditional objective statement on resumes saying what a jobseeker wants from a job, company, and career.  Plain and simple, it is always about what the company wants until you are in negotiation for the salary and benefits package.

Instead, use a job title, and let the reader know what relevant experience they will be evaluating in the resume. This of course means you may have two, three, or more resumes, concentrating on the different types of jobs you are pursuing.  You can follow that job title up with one of three choices:

1)      A summary statement (keep it to a short paragraph – no long statements).

2)      Three or four of the best and most relevant bullet points from your resume (remember to reword these back in your resume experience under the specific job for which they apply).

3)      A set of keywords and key phrases tailored to the job you are targeting.

Now, in a very short presentation you can better communicate your relevant experience prior to the reader reviewing your entire resume, and help HR, the Hiring Manager or Recruiter make a more informed decision.

Set Yourself Apart from Others with Your Resume

I want to talk to you today about the importance of setting yourself apart from others with your resume.  Your resume is not a one-size fits all document, and you are not a one-size fits all employee.  So let’s look at a few suggestions that will help you with your resume:

1)    More than one page is okay.  That rule came about for college students who were just graduating and had no real work experience.  Two to three pages will be the norm for most jobseekers.

2)    Showcase what makes you a beneficial employee.  When companies interview you they want to see that you will make difference in their organization.  Here are some items to consider:

§  Increasing profit or revenue.

§  Supervising employees (hiring, interview, dismissal, performance reviews).

§  Reducing costs.

§  Managing a budget.

§  Creating or co-creating proposals, policies and procedures, employee manuals, tips sheets, spreadsheets, etc.

§  Dealing with, assisting, or other regular contact with big name clientele in your daily work, like GE, AT&T, 3M, IBM, Bank of America, and Garmin.  This also includes big name companies within your city or region that others outside of the area might not know.

§  Managing inventory.

§  Sales numbers.

§  Building new business.

§  Training and coaching employees.

§  Negotiating pricing (with customers or vendors).

§  Starting a new department or branch from scratch.

§  Improving customer service.

§  Project Management.

3)    Use bulleted points instead of paragraphs.

4)    Use action words/verbs to start each bullet point (manage, develop, implement, systematize, increase, decrease, coordinate), remember to use the proper tense, and not overuse the same action verbs (get your thesaurus out or use the one Microsoft Word provides).

5)    Avoid generalizations like Microsoft Office and instead use each application – for instance:  Microsoft Word, Microsoft Access, Microsoft Excel, and Microsoft PowerPoint.

6)    Proof, proof, proof your document.  Read it to yourself, wait a few hours and then come back to the document and read it out loud (this is a great way to catch syntax errors), and then read it backwards (better to catch spelling, punctuation, and double word errors).

Follow these simple tips and you will have better resume, and increase your chances of an interview.