Tuesday, October 19th, 2010
Suppose you had just one chance to advertise yourself on a billboard overlooking a busy highway, and that passing motorists had only a few seconds to glance at it. It doesn’t matter what your occupation or skill set is. How would you make your advertisement meaningful and memorable?
Think of your résumé as a portable version of that billboard. The motorists whizzing by? Human resources professionals and other hiring entities. They don’t have time to read a biography of a jobseeker, and they don’t want to read your job description. (They aren’t interested in knowing that you report to work and do what an employer expects of you – the daily tasks for which you are paid.) They want to know what makes you special; how you add value; how you can make a difference in their organizations. They want to glance at your résumé and say, “Here’s someone I need to meet.”
It’s not always easy or comfortable for people to try to “sell” themselves this way. There’s a fine line between hollow bragging and effective advertising. Professional resume writers know the difference, and ResumeEdge.com’s writers will work with you to turn a so-what list of responsibilities or accomplishments into a powerful marketing tool. Here are some real-life examples:
Before
- Daily processing of portfolio transactions in accordance with department policies and procedures.
After
- Provide investment managers and clients with accurate, time-sensitive portfolio information through diligent processing, analysis, reporting and dissemination of cash and transaction data.
Before
- Inspected, marketed and sold properties to first time homebuyers.
After
- Created home ownership opportunities for low- and moderate-income residents who might otherwise be excluded from the housing market. Provided prospective buyers with inception-through-settlement financial consulting services and education.
Before
- Presented PowerPoint presentations to civic, photography and hiking clubs around the country with client endorsements.
After
- Increased revenue and brand awareness by making sales presentations to clubs and associations countrywide, incorporating customer testimonials about tour experiences as marketing technique.
Before
- Organized profitable & charitable events.
After
- Organized and ran for-profit and charity events attracting more than 45 musicians of regional, national and international influence in the avant-garde genre, including two-time world DMC champion DJ Klever. Ready to see yourself in a new light? Help is only a mouse click away!
Getting to the point quickly, succinctly, and effectively is what separates a winning resume from one that’s discarded by the hiring manager or recruiter.
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Category: Entry Level, Executive, Job Search, Professional, Resume, Tips | Tags: Tags: certified writers, federal resume preparation, Job Search, meeting employer expectations, Resume, resume preparation, resume tips,
Tuesday, July 6th, 2010
A Qualifications Summary is your first and best chance to make a favorable impression on a hiring manager. It is a marketing tool that sells your unique skills to the targeted company.
To be effective, a Qualifications Summary must:
1. Provide a snapshot of you as the ideal candidate for the position.
2. Be concise and to the point, addressing what expertise you can bring to the job to benefit the prospective employer.
3. Address pertinent qualifications in the job posting.
4. List your most stellar and recent quantified accomplishment that pertains to your current job search.
5. Provide additional data that enhances your candidacy, including:
A. Linguistic capabilities in foreign languages
B. Certifications
C. Licensure
D. Willingness to travel or to relocate for the new position
6. State specific skills, such as computer proficiencies (if applicable)
7. List your past employers if they are well known, eg: Boeing, Wall Street Journal, Macy’s, AT&T, etc.
8. Work Permits or Green Card data for foreign nationals.
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Category: Entry Level, Executive, Professional, Resume, Student, Tips | Tags: Tags: certified writers, meeting employer expectations, Resume, resume format strengths, resume preparation, resume tips, resumes,
Tuesday, April 20th, 2010
We all love to get something for nothing. However, few things are truly free. Take resume critique services that promise to give you an honest appraisal of your document.
How many really do? How many provide a written-for-you-alone critique instead of using a boilerplate to pop in your name and a few random comments before emailing you their ‘opinion’ along with a sales pitch to try their services?
At ResumeEdge, we don’t do that. Because we know there’s nothing magical about resume writing. No one company can boast that only their resumes get results. Competent and professional resume writing services will employ CPRWs (Certified Professional Resume Writers) who will organize and edit your document in accordance with PARW (Professional Association of Resume Writer) standards. It’s as simple as that. Companies may have differing templates and may favor one font over another; however, that’s where their differences end. Resumes are all written in the same fashion, if industry standards are adhered to.
So before you fall for the ‘free’ critique sales pitch, do your homework and check out the countless free articles on the web or on our site about writing an effective resume. Be knowledgeable before you place an order with any resume writing company, and know this – no hiring manager prefers one resume writer’s style over another’s. It’s not style or formatting they’re looking for, but your core skills that will help them fill the position.
Tuesday, April 13th, 2010
Too many candidates mistakenly believe that being called in for an interview is being guaranteed a position. Nothing could be further from the truth. You might be the last person on a short list of candidates. Your skills, knowledge, and abilities are good – but not a perfect match for the company. However, the hiring manager is interested enough to meet with you and allow you to sell yourself to the company.
How do you do that? Preparation, preparation, preparation.
1. Know how to dress. If you’re not familiar with the company culture, visit their website or their offices during work hours to see how staff dress. No matter how casual they may be, the key is for you to look professional – you’re not on staff yet.
2. Do extensive research about the company. Know what they’re about. Nothing’s worse for a hiring manager than to interview someone who hasn’t a clue what their company produces.
3. Compose a list of questions about the company that indicates your interest in what is produced and how things work.
4. Prepare a list of answers to the most frequently asked interview questions. For example: Where do you see yourself five years from now?
5. Practice, practice, practice. Make certain your voice and body language don’t give away your anxiety.
6. Know how long it will take to get to your interview so you arrive on time.
To assist you in interview prepartion, consider the ResumeEdge.com JobInterviewEdge service. Details at this link: http://www.resumeedge.com/services/jie-home.html
