Tuesday, March 18th, 2008
by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME
For those individuals who have just graduated from high school or those who have faced lengthy unemployment because of downsizing in their field, there may be a sense of what do I do now? Where can I best use my strengths?
As with every other endeavor in life, it’s best to determine what you want and what you’re capable of doing, before composing a resume that lacks focus, and then submitting it for jobs you neither want nor expect to get. Rather, take the following steps to get focused and stay-on-point in your resume writing and job search.
1. DO AN ONLINE (HOTJOBS.COM, ETC.) JOB SEARCH TO DETERMINE WHAT INDUSTRIES ARE HIRING & HOW YOUR INTERESTS AND STRENGTHS MAY FIT:
Rather than focusing on what you had or should have, be realistic and flexible in your job search. If you’re uncertain of the field, research those you are most interested in – forget the rest. Once you’re into the targeted industry, research the job postings for entry-level or experienced employment that is a good fit with your academic or professional experience. Most postings list Qualifications sought in an employee. Review these to see if what the company’s looking for matches your skills. Again, it’s important to be flexible. No job is perfect. And what may seem just tolerable at first may very well turn out to be the perfect job for you or even a chance at that higher position you really want.
2. USE KEYWORD SEARCHES TO WIDEN THE FIELD, WHILE KEEPING FOCUSED:
Let’s say the fields or industries you’re interested in aren’t hiring – what then? Use keywords (i.e. tech writer, taxation, mechanic) in online searches that may very well produce industries and fields you never considered. Again, be flexible. And always determine how your strengths fit with the employer’s needs.
3. CONSTRUCT A RESUME THAT REFLECTS YOUR STRENGTHS AS THEY PERTAIN TO THE JOBS FOR WHICH YOU’RE APPLYING:
Nothing is worse, and less effective, than sending the same resume to different industries for diverse positions. Hiring managers don’t have the time – nor will they take the time – to read every line of a resume in the hopes that you have the skills they want. You must tailor each resume to each opening. Use keywords from job postings in your opening summary, make certain to reflect how your skills match those asked for in the advertisement, and determine which of your qualifications is transferable to this industry. It sounds like a lot of work, but in the long run it causes you to be focused and will take months off your job search.
Tuesday, February 26th, 2008
by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME
At first glance, your resume should answer two important questions for a hiring manager:
1. Who You Are
2. How You Can Be Contacted
Who You Are
This includes your name and any professional designations you have obtained, such as an MBA, Ph.D., RN, MD, or any of a number of professional distinctions. By including these designations with your name in the header you are providing the hiring manager with immediate and valuable data regarding your candidacy and career level.
The manner in which you present your name is also important. Including familial designations such Joe Jones, III may very well be seen as pretentious by a hiring manager. Using a “Jr.” after your name may be applauded by your family, but it could give a hiring manager the wrong first impression – that you are young and inexperienced. Caution is always advised in these instances.
A word about nicknames:
Nicknames can work for you or against you given the circumstances.
If you were named “Kendrick,” but go by “Ken,” use of your nickname would be appropriate as Ken is more modern and sounds more youthful than Kendrick.
However, if you were christened “Barbara,” but are known as “Babs” – even at work – it would be best to err on the conservative side during your job search, especially if the targeted industry is a traditional one such as banking, accounting, or education. Once hired, you can then decide whether using your nickname is appropriate.
How You Can Be Contacted
This data should be instantly obvious to a hiring manager.
Your phone number and email address are your most important contact data. For easy access by hiring managers, phone numbers and emails should be bolded and in a larger type than the physical address, as hiring managers rarely, if ever, contact a successful candidate by “snail” mail.
A word about phone numbers:
Although you may be tempted to list numerous phone numbers, including fax numbers, don’t.
Work Numbers: Never include a work number even if your boss knows you’re searching for another position as this sends the wrong message to a potential employer. He or she will wonder about your loyalty and whether you’ll be using company time at your new job to speak to prospective employers.
Cell Phones: Never include these because you may just be contacted while you’re in traffic with its intrusive background noise, or where the phone signal is weak which could irritate a busy hiring manager when neither of you can hear each other speak above the static.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
· I have numerous professional designations – should I include all of them after my name at the beginning of the resume? What is too much?
The key here is to target your approach and to include only what’s germane to your current job search. If you have a Ph.D. in Biology and an MBA, you would only list your Ph.D. in the heading when applying for an academic position.
· I’m planning to relocate to Georgia from California and am currently seeking employment in the Atlanta area. Should I list my California address on my resume?
As previously stated, physical addresses aren’t as important to hiring managers as phone numbers and emails. In your case, your physical address should be removed from the resume and replaced with “Relocating to the Atlanta, Georgia area.” It would be well advised for you to provide a time frame for this move so that a hiring manager knows you’re serious.
· My name is foreign-sounding and it’s not immediately apparent to a U.S. hiring manager whether I’m a “Mr.” or a “Ms.” Should I just use an initial for my first name?
Use of an initial would do little to clarify the matter for a hiring manager. Many overseas clients use their given names. then add – in parentheses – the U.S. or European equivalent – eg: Étienne (Stephen) Dore.
· Is there a negative connotation to using a P.O. Box rather than a street address in the heading of a resume?
Absolutely not, especially in these days of heightened security and when responding to “blind” postings on Internet job sites.
Tuesday, February 5th, 2008
by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME
Whether you’re just starting out in your chosen profession or you’ve been forced to transition to another career because of the fluctuating needs of the economy, there may be times when you’re faced with having little professional experience to offer an employer. However, there are ways to maximize what you do have.
1. FOCUS ON ACADEMICS IN THE CHOSEN FIELD OR RELEVANT TRAINING:
Rather than placing education or training last, as is the case in most resumes, move that section directly beneath the Opening Summary (and before Professional Experience). Within that section, (whether you’re a recent graduate or a seasoned professional transitioning to a new career), list all coursework that is relevant to your new profession. For example, an aspiring Accountant would list tax courses, finance, bookkeeping, and computer proficiency in Quicken, Excel, and Peachtree software. If you’ve excelled academically in your chosen field, and have been granted a scholarship or won a school award, this should also be mentioned.
2. SHOWCASE ALL PREVIOUS PROFESSIONAL SKILLS THAT CAN BE TRANSITIONED TO THE NEW CAREER:
Instead of listing everything you’ve ever done in hopes of impressing a hiring manager, you should prioritize and showcase past skills that are relevant to the new career. For example, you’re a newly licensed Real Estate Agent, but your past experience has been as a Marriage and Family Counselor. What seems disparate on the surface, could very well work to your advantage. Showcase your people skills, including the ability to listen and to provide expert advice, which are all important in a sales-related career.
3. CHOOSE A RESUME FORMAT THAT WILL EMPHASIZE YOUR SKILLS, RATHER THAN WHERE YOU ATTAINED THEM OR THE LENGTH OF EXPERIENCE:
Although most employers do prefer a reverse-chronological format (that is, your most recent experience detailed first, followed by your next most recent, etc.), there are times when a functional format is best. Functional formats showcase professional skills such as negotiating contracts, dealing with unions, administering multi-million dollar budgets, etc. that may have been used in the previous career. These formats can also stress pure academic experience – in the case of an entry-level Accountant that would mean listing coursework taken or specialized training under the subheading of Accounting Skills.
4. BUILD YOUR SKILLS LIST FOR THE NEW CAREER BY STUDYING JOB POSTINGS FROM ONLINE SOURCES (HOTJOBS.COM, ETC.):
Match up any qualifications the hiring manager wants that you also have, whether you gained those skills professionally or academically. Then use those matches as proof that you have what it takes to get the job done.
Tuesday, January 29th, 2008
by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME
In a competitive job market many candidates find themselves lost in the shuffle, especially when other applicants have similar professional and academic histories.
One way to make certain that you get noticed is to showcase, within the first half of your resume, your Professional and/or Academic Honors and Awards.
You can emphasize industry or academic recognition of your work by:
1. Including it in your Qualifications Summary
2. Presenting it in a special “Awards and Honors” section
3. Placing it in your “Career Accomplishments” section beneath the subheading of “Awards and Honors.” You can further subdivide it by indicating whether it is Professional Recognition or School-Related.
The idea is to provide hiring managers with specific and well-organized data
A WORD ABOUT PROVIDING DETAILS OF YOUR AWARDS AND HONORS
Although mention of your Awards and Honors can enhance your candidacy for a position, its impact will be significantly strengthened by providing the hiring manager with specific details. These include:
1. Dates you received the award or honor
2. Significance of award (eg: is it given to everyone in your office/school or are you one of a select few?)
3. Purpose of award – (eg: an academic or sports scholarship; one given to top journalism student at the school; recognition for being the #1 salesperson in a territory, etc.)
4. Scope of the award – is it national, regional, or local?
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Honors & Awards: Answers to Frequently Asked Questions
· I’ve won many awards during my IT career, but I’m now transitioning to financial services where my experience is nil. Do I still mention my IT awards? If so, where?
Because past achievement is so often indicative of future performance, mention of your repeated recognition in the IT field will indicate your degree of capability to a hiring manager. This can be very important for someone with little to no experience in a new industry. Although it’s not necessary to list all of your IT awards up front, listing your most stellar and current IT accomplishment in the Qualifications Summary provides the hiring manager with a glimpse of your potential. If your transition to the new field is accompanied by stellar academic work, that can also be used to enhance your candidacy. For example:
Currently Enrolled in the Honors Banking & Finance Program
at the American Banking Institute
Bachelor of Arts in Business & Management with an Accounting Major, GPA 4.0
Additional Coursework in Accounting at New York State College of Business
Articulate, results-oriented professional with an academic base in accounting, banking, and finance, augmented by comprehensive knowledge of information systems and significant business experience. Background includes receiving the IT Professional 2001 Award for an information systems improvement that increased growth at Trent Industries 28% over a two-year period. Possesses strong attention to detail, excellent organization/time management, and proven capabilities in problem-solving. Self-starter with a background of assuming responsibility to get the job done accurately and within tight time constraints.
· Should I include my employment awards in a resume that’s being sent for admission to business school?
Yes. Business school resumes are no different than resumes submitted to employers. School admissions directors need to know if candidates for their programs are committed to the educational process and if they will be assets to the school. Industry-specific awards that indicate excellence in the field only enhance an applicant’s candidacy.
· Rather than honors or awards, I have only performance evaluations that I consider quite good. Is it acceptable for me to use them in a resume?
Any data that enhances your candidacy is acceptable. To showcase your performance evaluation data, you may want to list it in a special section and include direct quotes from satisfied clients or management.
