Tuesday, July 28th, 2009
by David Jensen, CPRW, CARW, CEIP, ResumeEdge.com Editor
Businesses rely on a hardworking, innovative staff to be successful and profitable. In fact, corporate managers often attend workshops on recruiting and retaining top candidates. After completing a seasonal or temporary assignment with a company, you might wonder how to become the type of employee a hiring manager wants to retain. According to a group of Human Resource professionals, this endeavor goes beyond possessing the necessary skills and experience. It is also something you should pursue long before your assignment has ended. Here are a few tips to help you retain that position:
1. Know What is Expected of Top Employees
Even after a brief tenure with a company, you should be familiar with the organization’s culture and working environment. With a clear understanding of the company’s mission and what is expected of you, you are much easier to hire. Knowing the expectations includes functioning with little or no supervision and making sound decisions that you are willing to stand behind. It also includes ensuring that you have your tasks and assignments under control.
2. Expand Your Knowledge
Employers appreciate your willingness to continue learning and expanding your skills. Take advantage of training and professional development opportunities (both inside and outside the company). This will help boost your standing as a top performer. If you don’t have an official mentor (or even if you do), watch other people in the company who tend to be top performers. Observe how these people function and interact with others. You might even want to ask for tips on how to succeed in the organization.
3. Be Proactive
Sometimes you can spot opportunities to get the attention of a hiring manager. This might be challenging when you are busy with your current assignments, but the effort is always rewarded. At a large advertising agency, an executive often mentioned that it would be helpful to have some case studies to present to new and prospective clients, but he never assigned the project to anyone. Several weeks later, one of the executive’s staff decided to create the case studies despite being busy with other projects. He did much of the work on his own time. This employee was immediately revered as a resourceful, top-performing employee and was often awarded some high-level assignments for the company.
4. A Responsible and Trustworthy Team Player
Being a reliable employee that is professional, polite, and punctual might seem like an obvious prerequisite to gainful employment. Still, reliability ranks as one of the top characteristics most admired by employers. The same goes for being a team player. Outside of your skills and talents, employers look at how well you fit in with the organization and how your contribution benefits the company as a whole. Be willing to collaborate and share the successes and failures that come with productivity. Also, when talking about other projects you worked on, use the term “we” instead of “I” as you discuss the processes and outcomes.
If you have been working as a temporary or seasonal employee, you should be familiar with the company’s culture and organizational conventions. With a little extra effort and perceptiveness to the qualities of other successful employees, you can elevate your status to someone the hiring manager is eager to keep on board.
Dave has a Master’s Degree in Professional Communication. He is an accomplished consultant with 5 years of experience in résumés, employment interview coaching, and career coaching. After working as a documentation specialist at Novell, he has become an accomplished freelance writer with specialties in SEO articles, press releases, technical documentation, and journalism. Dave is a Certified Professional Résumé Writer (CPRW), Certified Advanced Résumé Writer, (CARW), and a Certified Employment Interview Professional (CEIP). He has prepared hundreds of résumés for various professions. His specialty includes résumés and cover letters for information technology, advertising, public relations, sales, and graduate school admissions.
To request Dave for your business document, simply choose his last name (Jensen) in the drop down menu on the order page.
Tuesday, August 5th, 2008
by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME
Due to changes in staffing in the IT field, which include outsourcing and downsizing, jobseekers should be fully prepared to showcase their skills and talents during that small timeframe allotted to them by the hiring authority.
Unlike the last decade when IT skills were at a premium, now candidates must prove their worth. This can be done by following these tips:
1. Bring your resume and a list of completed projects to the interview:
Be certain to have enough copies to go around. Your past projects should include these components:
A. Project goals (i.e. Was the project initiated to resolve a problem or to grow business?)
B. Challenges faced in reaching said goals.
C. Results directly related to your work on the project.
2. Be prepared to be tested:
With so many applicants and so few positions, management may very well decide to pose a sample project and ask you to provide a solution. . .within the time allotted during the interview process.
Preparing beforehand for such an eventuality is obviously crucial. By taking the time to fully understand the requirements of the job (as listed in the posting) and researching the company online, you’ll get a feel for where it’s going and what its future IT needs will be.
3. Propose solutions:
Even if you’re asked to resolve problems in a sample project, use what you’ve learned about the company online and through the job posting to propose innovative solutions for:
A. Growing the business
B. Improving service
C. Going to the next level in the technology race.
By following the above three steps, you will significantly enhance your candidacy and will stand out in an increasing crowded field.
Tuesday, July 22nd, 2008
by Keala Griffin, ResumeEdge.com Editor
In the wake of imminent layoffs and the newly created term of “right-sizing,” it is important to establish yourself as a much needed fixture for your organization. The company you work for should believe that they are unable to operate smoothly without you. Much like electricity, you want to be considered a necessary commodity.
It is imperative in this day and age that you remind the company of your talents and skills that you bring to the table. Everyone, at some point, operates on the premise of the WIIFM (what’s in it for me). Companies are asking that same question when they have to decide to retain you or your counterpart.
Here are a few key objectives you can incorporate into your repertoire to stay off the “right-sizing” radar:
Accentuate your skills: Management is inundated with meetings, reports and budget cuts. If you see a need that you can fill, utilizing your training and skills, approach your manager and ask to assist or take on a particular project. This will show management what you are capable of, setting you apart from your coworkers.
Become a leader: Spider-Man said it best, “With great power comes great responsibility.” Many people prefer to stay behind the scenes. However, often times, they are the first ones to be let go. Do what you can to step into any leadership roles.
Increase your knowledge: Take the time (on your own) to stay educated on your particular industry and your company. If there is an opportunity to attend any seminars or training programs, do so. The more you know the more you can bring to the table at the appropriate time.
Submit an action plan: It’s time to get aggressive. Develop an action plan with suggestions on how certain tasks can be done more efficiently. Or if there is a particular issue plaguing management, determine a problem resolution to that issue and present it. Include an updated resume and cover letter to complete this action plan, as you can remind management of your skills and experience. This shows management that you are thinking of the company and willing to go above and beyond the call of duty.
It has become apparent that these days, employees are vying for the same prize – retaining their position. Establishing yourself as a valuable asset will allow you to rise above the competition. Seize any opportunity to think outside the box and you will find that management will sit up and take notice.
Tuesday, July 15th, 2008
by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME
As the world and economy changes so does the manner in which an individual completes educational requirements. To ensure that employers and interviewers give the same weight to an online degree as one received from a traditional school, include the following points on your resume or make mention of them during the interview process:
1. The Online School’s Accreditation. This, alone, should provide ample evidence to employers that the Bachelor’s or Master’s you received was not from a diploma mill, but from a legitimate institution of higher learning.
2. Quality of Education as Compared to a Traditional School: This can easily be proven by listing the coursework required for completion of a degree, including the required reading list for each course. These lists will most likely not differ from those in traditional schools. Mention can also be made that transcripts will be provided, upon request.
3. Does the Online School Have a Traditional Campus? If so, and classes are held there, mention that in the educational section. This lends credence to the school’s reputation.
4. School Instructors: Provide, if necessary, a listing of your instructors, their degrees, and the granting institutions.
5. Coursework Relevancy to Real World Practices: If your online coursework was specifically designed around ever-changing technology or the newest needs of an industry, be certain to mention that.
6. Are Graduates Recruited by Employers and Headhunters? If so, mention that in the educational section. Again, this lends credence to the school’s reputation.
7. Student or Employer Testimonials: If the online school provides these, include a link to that page in your resume.
One Last Point to Consider:
1. Showcase your multi-tasking skills in that you were able to attend school while continuing to hold a job. Employers are always impressed by self-starters that go the extra mile in educational and professional pursuits.
Working full-time while attending school online also gives employers the sense that you will remain at their company during new educational pursuits, rather than asking for time off.
Page 9 of 11« First...«7891011»
