Winning Tips, Strategies to help you get your dream Job

Resume mistakes to avoid

2006-10-27T04:43:00.000-07:00

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5 Killer Resume Mistakes You Must Avoid At All Costs.

Resume Mistake # 1

Failure to state your objective clearly and succinctly.

All too often resumes are submitted in many cases without the use of an objective and a clear statement of the role for which the candidate is applying. And on the occasions that objectives are used they can be nonspecific or worse, too wordy while failing to clearly state the candidates desired role.

Take for example a large organization, which may be recruiting for up to, and including 30 positions at a time. A recruiter will not sift through hundreds of resumes and spend valuable time attempting to discern which role a candidate is applying for when they have failed to state it clearly at the outset of their resume.

An example of an effective objective statement is as follows:

A highly experienced sales and marketing professional with comprehensive skills in strategic planning and implementation seeking a position as a Sales Manager where these skills will add value.

A statement such as this gives a brief overview of the candidates experience and immediately generates interest on behalf of the recruiter/employer.

Failure to create a strong but concise objective will ensure that your application is relegated to the bottom of the pile.

Resume Mistake # 2

Focusing on duties and responsibilities rather than achievements and successes

Let’s face it employers want to see what you can do for them quickly and effectively. They hate hiring and they like it to be as quick and painless as possible. No Manger/Recruiter wants to sit down and read a resume that is simply a comprehensive listing of every work task a candidate has performed throughout their career.

Imagine reading a resume that contains the following:

Completed filing and archiving.
Performed word processing duties.
Answered the telephone to clients.
Completed the accounts payable transactions.
Managed the invoicing system.
Looked after the office equipment.

This is a complete and frankly uninteresting way to detail daily responsibilities. An effective resume should focus on successes and achievements. An employer/recruiter will assume that an Administrative Assistant can type, use Word, archive etc. in the same way as they will expect that a Sales Manager can manage employees, prepare forecasts, market products etc.

Resume Mistake # 3

Resume length and use of big words!

Even now candidates fail to understand that a three and four page resume holds no attraction for a recruiter/hiring manager. With the volume of applications received for each job advertisement it is little wonder that mangers become frustrated by the length of resumes and the abundance of large words used within the resume itself.

Resumes should ideally be a one to two page document depending entirely on each candidates level of experience, expertise and their profession.

A professional resume should be long on facts but short on words!

Resume Mistake # 4

Poor Resume formatting and visual layout

The two most widely used resume formats are:

The Chronological Resume

The Functional Resume

Visual Impact

Poor layout will have a detrimental effect on the success of your resume. All too often candidates create resumes that are a mishmash of fonts, bullet points, underlines and italics.

A resume should be where possible uniform with bullet points used to highlight specific accomplishments or achievements and not every sentence or they lose their effectiveness. Think of your resume as packaging for you as the candidate of choice. Create a professional resume by choosing the format that suits you, keeping the layout clear and easy to read and using white space effectively.

Resume Mistake # 5

Spelling and Punctuation

It really goes without saying that this is the faux pas of all faux pas! It will not matter that you have created the perfect layout, written the most effective text and the used the format that suits your career perfectly if you submit a resume that contains poor punctuation or spelling mistakes.

The first thing an employer/recruiter will think when they see a spelling mistake included in a resume is that you are careless and lack attention to detail, neither of which are attributes that will endear you as a candidate.

Spell-checking your resume simply won’t do. Computers are not infallible. Get your resume proofread by several people both friends and colleagues who are au fait with the terminology used within the resume.

Make sure that sentences are written in the correct context. Ensure that punctuation is accurate and that all spelling is correct. Sentence structure should be easy to read and professional in manner.

Don’t create an otherwise well-written resume only to have it discarded because you failed to cross your T’s and dot your I’ s!

6 powerful job getting tips

2006-10-16T20:07:00.000-07:00

1.Determine your priorities. Do you want a real career-related experience?

2.Do research about potential employers.

3.Develop a resume to emphasize your skills.

4.Be prepared for interviews.

5.Complete forms neatly and thoroughly.

6.Always send a thank-you letter or e-mail to interviewers expressing your appreciation.

Write a winning resume with this

2006-10-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

Tip 1 - Use Titles or Headings That Match The Jobs You Want

With employers receiving hundreds of resumes you must make sure that your resume hooks an employer's attention within a 5-second glance. A great way to do this is to use job titles and skill headings that relate to and match the jobs you want. For example, compare the headings Roger used in his before resume to the headings used in his after resume.

Before Resume:Accounting / RecordkeepingAdministrativeComputer Skills

After Resume:Management of A/R and A/P AccountsComputerized Accounting ApplicationsDepartmental Administration / RecordkeepingWhich set of headings are the strongest for an Accounts Payable / Receivable Manager position?

Even though Roger's title was Accounting Assistant, he actually managed over 1,000 A/R and A/P accounts. Using skill headings that market the true nature of Roger's job duties will generate him more interviews and higher salary offers.

Tip 2 - Use Design That Grabs Attention
Employers make snap judgments when glancing at your resume. If they see unrelated job titles or skills the likelihood is very high that they will make an immediate assumption that you are not qualified for the job you want. Adding to this problem is the fact that employers don't have the time to read through each of your job descriptions to determine if you have the skills they need.
You Must Do That For Them! The design of your resume must highlight the most important information about your work experience, skills and education. At first glance this information forms the image that employers have of your skills and abilities.

Tip 3 - Create Content That Sells
Resume design should get attention but it's really the content of your resume, the descriptions you include of your skills and abilities, that determine how many interviews you generate--as well as the level of salary offers you receive. Compare the before and after statements from Roger's resume shown below:
Before Resume:Maintained records for accounts receivable and accounts payable accounts.
After Resume:Managed over 1,000 accounts receivable and payable accounts working directly with the Chief Financial Officer.Which of these examples presents Roger as being more qualified, having higher skills and worth a higher salary? As this example illustrates, our image of Roger is changed and elevated when we read the after example

Tip 4 - Quantify and Use Power Words
As Roger's after statement demonstrates, using numbers to describe your achievements and responsibilities can greatly expand and elevate your image. Using numbers and quantifying creates vivid images in our mind when we read them, whereas general statements like the before examples are easy to skip over or forget. Typically the more specific you can be in describing your duties the better.

Another strategy that is extremely important in controlling the image that employers develop about you--is to use Power Words or verbs that match the level of position you want. For example, Roger wants to use the experience he's gained to move into a management position. To strengthen his image he should use as many "management oriented" words as possible. Which example below do you think is the strongest?
Typical Verbs:Gave work assignments to staff of entry level accounting clerks.
Power Words:Directed workflow, supervised and trained accounting staff performing posting to general ledger, accounts receivable and payable accounts.

Tip 5 - Analyze Ads and Job Descriptions to Identify Key Words
Learning how to analyze the key words that employers provide in help wanted ads and job descriptions is a key element in creating powerful resumes. For example, read the ad Roger found for an Accounts Receivable Manager below and see how many key words, phrases, or skill descriptions that it includes.
Accounts Receivable ManagerSeeking experienced A/R Manager to oversee accounts, manage billing and collections, train accounting and clerical staff, develop status reports for management and prepare monthly balance sheets. B.A. Degree or A.A. Degree with minimum of 2 years experience required.

Even though this ad is small it contains 12-13 key words or phrases that should be addressed in Roger's resume. Roger can also key words from an ad like this to create headings for his resume such as:
Key Word Skill HeadingsManagement of A/R AccountsBilling and CollectionsSupervision of Accounting and Administrative StaffBalance Sheet and Management Status Reports

Tip 6 - Identify and Solve Employer's Hidden Needs
In addition to the skills or needs listed in the ad shown above, the employer will have many more needs that Roger should identify and address in his resume and cover letter. For example, this employer will need someone who can deal effectively with other departments, research accounting issues and records to solve problems. To beat today's heavy competition for jobs, it's important that you identify and anticipate the full range of needs each employer faces and show how you can solve those needs.

Tip 7 - Sell the Benefits of Your Skills
Most resumes provide a list of duties that each applicant has been responsible for--without explaining the benefit of those skills to employers. For example, a secretary's resume might state she can type 80 wpm and is extremely accurate. This statement lacks an explanation of how her typing speed and accuracy benefit an employer's bottom line. The real benefit is that the employee can produce more work and ultimately save the employer money. A better statement for this person's resume would be:
Selling The Benefits of Skills· Achieved top production volume by maintaining high degree of accuracy with typing speed at 80 wpm.· Cut labor expense over $6,000 annually by eliminating the need for part-time wordprocessing staff.

Tip 8 - Create An Image That Matches The Salary You Want
As you write your resume, keep in mind the level of job and salary you want. Be sure to create an image that presents you at the appropriate level. For example, language used in a resume for an $8 an hour position is much different than the language used for a $16 an hour position. I recently met Lynn, who had held a Health Insurance Claims Management position making $42,000 per year. She had retrained for the accounting field and hadn't yet gained any "direct accounting experience" although she had prepared monthly accounting reports as a Department Manager.

I was appalled when she shared the resume she had been counseled to create. It began with this statement:
Seeking an entry level position in the accounting field.
Now what pay rate do you think this statement would motivate employers to offer Lynn? A much better statement would be:

Seek an Accounting position utilizing my experience:
· Managing a department and accounting for up to $250,000 in monthly claims.My goal is to help people either stay at their current salary level or move up--not go backwards. As you can see, the last statement greatly elevates Lynn's image and will be much more likely to generate salary offers comparable to her last pay rate.

Tip 9 - Prioritize the Content of Your Resume
Another big mistake that job seekers make is to list very important data in the lower sections of their job descriptions. As you compile statements for your resume, prioritize them by importance, impressiveness and relevance to the job you want. Remember that a strong statement which uses power words and quantifies will affect every statement under it. Read the two examples below. Which one has the most impact?

UnprioritizedMaintained records control, filing, office supply purchasing and equipment maintenance.Managed front office functions to support the President, Vice President and staff of 20 Sales Representatives.
PrioritizedManaged front office functions to support the President, Vice President and staff of 20 Sales Representatives. Maintained records control, filing, office supply purchasing and equipment maintenance.

Tip 10 - Tweak and Target Your Resumes and Cover Letters
You will generate many more interviews by tweaking your resume and cover letter so that they address the specific skills each employer requests. For example, Sally originally wanted a customer service position, then found an ad for a Retail Management opening. How well qualified do the headings in the left hand column present her for the Retail Management position? Do you think the headings in the right hand column will generate more and better interviews for Retail Management positions?
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24 hot tips to a powerful reume

2006-10-16T19:19:00.000-07:00

1. What is a resume anyway? Remember: a Resume is a self-promotional document that presents you in the best possible light, for the purpose of getting invited to a job interview.It's not an official personnel document. It's not a job application. It's not a "career obituary"! And it's not a confessional.

2. What should the resume content be about? It's not just about past jobs! It's about YOU, and how you performed and what you accomplished in those past jobs--especially those accomplishments that are most relevant to the work you want to do next. A good resume predicts how you might perform in that desired future job.

3. What's the fastest way to improve a resume? Remove everything that starts with "responsibilities included" and replace it with on-the-job accomplishments. (See Tip 11 for one way to write them.)

4. What is the most common resume mistake made by job hunters?Leaving out their Job Objective! If you don't show a sense of direction, employers won't be interested. Having a clearly stated goal doesn't have to confine you if it's stated well.

5. What's the first step in writing a resume? Decide on a job target (or "job objective") that can be stated in about 5 or 6 words. Anything beyond that is probably "fluff" and indicates a lack of clarity and direction.

6. How do you decide whether to use a Chronological resume or a Functional one? The Chronological format is widely preferred by employers, and works well if you're staying in the same field (especially if you've been upwardly-mobile). Only use a Functional format if you're changing fields, and you're sure a skills-oriented format would show off your transferable skills to better advantage; and be sure to include a clear chronological work history!

7. What if you don't have any experience in the kind of work you want to do?Get some! Find a place that will let you do some volunteer work right away. You only need a brief, concentrated period of volunteer training (for example, 1 day a week for a month) to have at least SOME experience to put on your resume.Also, look at some of the volunteer work you've done in the past and see if any of THAT helps document some skills you'll need for your new job.

8. What do you do if you have gaps in your work experience? You could start by looking at it differently.General Rule: Tell what you WERE doing, as gracefully as possible--rather than leave a gap.If you were doing anything valuable (even if unpaid) during those so-called "gaps" you could just insert THAT into the work-history section of your resume to fill the hole. Here are some examples:
1993-95 Full-time parent -- or
1992-94 Maternity leave and family management -- or
Travel and study -- or Full-time student -- or
Parenting plus community service

9. What if you have several different job objectives you're working on at the same time? Or you haven't narrowed it down yet to just one job target? Then write a different resume for each different job target. A targeted resume is MUCH, much stronger than a generic resume.

10. What if you have a fragmented, scrambled-up work history, with lots of short-term jobs?To minimize the job-hopper image, combine several similar jobs into one "chunk," for example:
1993-1995 Secretary/Receptionist; Jones Bakery, Micro Corp., Carter Jewelers -- or
1993-95 Waiter/Busboy; McDougal's Restaurant, Burger King, Traders Coffee Shop.

Also you can just drop some of the less important, briefest jobs.But don't drop a job, even when it lasted a short time, if that was where you acquired important skills or experience.

11. What's the best way to impress an employer?Fill your resume with "PAR" statements. PAR stands for Problem-Action-Results; in other words, first you state the problem that existed in your workplace, then you describe what you did about it, and finally you point out the beneficial results.Here's an example: "Transformed a disorganized, inefficient warehouse into a smooth-running operation by totally redesigning the layout; this saved the company thousands of dollars in recovered stock."Another example: "Improved an engineering company's obsolete filing system by developing a simple but sophisticated functional-coding system. This saved time and money by recovering valuable, previously lost, project records.

"12. What if your job title doesn't reflect your actual level of responsibility? When you list it on the resume, either replace it with a more appropriate job title (say "Office Manager" instead of "Administrative Assistant" if that's more realistic) OR use their job title AND your fairer one together, i.e. "Administrative Assistant (Office Manager)"

13. How can you avoid age discrimination?If you're over 40 or 50 or 60, remember that you don't have to present your entire work history! You can simply label THAT part of your resume "Recent Work History" or "Relevant Work History" and then describe only the last 10 or 15 years of your experience. Below your 10-15 year work history, you could add a paragraph headed "Prior relevant experience" and simply refer to any additional important (but ancient) jobs without mentioning dates.

14. What if you never had any "real" paid jobs -- just self-employment or odd jobs? Give yourself credit, and create an accurate, fair job-title for yourself. For example:
A&S Hauling & Cleaning (Self-employed) -- or
Household Repairman, Self-employed -- or
Child-Care, Self-employed
Be sure to add "Customer references available on request" and then be prepared to provide some very good references of people you worked for.

15. How far back should you go in your Work History?Far enough; and not too far! About 10 or 15 years is usually enough - unless your "juiciest" work experience is from farther back.

16. How can a student list summer jobs?Students can make their resume look neater by listing seasonal jobs very simply, such as "Spring 1996" or "Summer 1996" rather than 6/96 to 9/96. (The word "Spring" can be in very tiny letters, say 8-point in size.)

17. What if you don't quite have your degree or credentials yet?You can say something like:
Eligible for U.S. credentials -- or
Graduate studies in Instructional Design, in progress -- or
Master's Degree anticipated December 1997

18. What if you worked for only one employer for 20 or 30 years?Then list separately each different position you held there, so your job progression within the company is more obvious.

19. What about listing hobbies and interests?Don't include hobbies on a resume unless the activity is somehow relevant to your job objective, or clearly reveals a characteristic that supports your job objective. For example, a hobby of Sky Diving (adventure, courage) might seem relevant to some job objectives (Security Guard?) but not to others.

20. What about revealing race or religion?Don't include ethnic or religious affiliations (inviting pre-interview discrimination) UNLESS you can see that including them will support your job objective. Get an opinion from a respected friend or colleague about when to reveal, and when to conceal, your affiliations.

21. What if your name is Robin Williams?Don't mystify the reader about your gender; they'll go nuts until they know whether you're male or female. So if your name is Lee or Robin or Pat or anything else not clearly male or female, use a Mr. or Ms. prefix.

22. What if you got your degree from a different country? You can say "Degree equivalent to U.S. Bachelor's Degree in Economics-Teheran, Iran.

"23. What about fancy-schmancy paper?Employers tell me they HATE parchment paper and pretentious brochure-folded resume "presentations." They think they're phony, and toss them right out. Use plain white or ivory, in a quality appropriate for your job objective. Never use colored paper unless there's a very good reason for it (like, you're an artist) because if it gets photo-copied the results will be murky.

24. Should you fold your resume?Don't fold a laser-printed resume right along a line of text. The "ink" could flake off along the fold.

Article by Yana parker (www.damngood.com)

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2006-10-16T19:15:00.000-07:00

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