Experts often talk about a candidate being a brand and marketing oneself to the employers. On the other hand, too much information could result in discriminatory acts - intentional or subconsciously - that could cost you a new position. Debra Wheatman, a Certified Professional Resume Writer and Career Coach, discusses the strategy of concealing parts of your identity when applying for jobs. She explains to Tim Muma how cert...
So, you have a great resume that showcases all your achievements and your educational background. But is it relevant to the position you are applying for?Relevance simply means a connection between who you are, what you want, what the position you are applying for is, and what the company offering the position wants.Is Your Resume Relevant?If you have the experience asked for by the company, and you have shown it on your re...
You have to love keywords. OK, you don’t have to LOVE them but you do have to know how to use them, because if you have the right keywords, employers will find you on LinkedIn, and their algorithms will find you when you submit a resume. If you are not using the right keywords, no one is going to find you. And that’s not good.So, how do you know which keywords to use on your resume? Which ones will get you noticed, and whic...
If you are submitting your resume online, then you need to know about ATS. It is an abbreviation for Applicant Tracking Software, and it is a catch-all term for programs that allow employers to upload your resume that you have created in Word or plain text, and then deliver it to a database that searches it for keywords. Large corporations often use ATS to weed out suitable resumes and identify the candidates that they want...
Even perfect resumes—perfect in format and content—can fail to gain you the interviews you hoped for. Here are the four biggest reasons why resumes go wrong:1.You are targeting the wrong job. As I’ve mentioned often, one-size-fits-all resumes (or generic resumes) have no value in the marketplace. Employers want to know that you understand and meet their specific requirements. Your resume may be perfect, but it has to match...
You know the myth—a good resume should be no longer than one page. Why in the world should that be etched in stone?Maybe one page is not the right length. You might have a lot of accomplishments to share. You might have a very long career history. And it might not be even remotely reasonable to expect you to sum yourself up in one page.Now, that said, how long is too long?Best Length for a ResumeHere is my best advice … Say...
It is important to include your education on your resume, even if you have none.Now, how did that statement even make sense?Well, having no formal education doesn’t mean that you have never learned anything during your lifetime. There has to be something in your background that is relevant to the position you want. You just have to make it fit your resume.Where Do I Put My Education?Okay, the good thing about education is t...
Are you sending out resumes, and answering advertisements on company websites? Did someone tell you that you could upset and turn-off Human Resources if you bypass them? You have been “good” by following the “rules”. You say to yourself, “I’m perfect for the job.”You wait. It’s now weeks later and you’ve received no reply: “How can they miss my great background? If I could just get to the manager…”Here’s an important fact:...
Why is it important to use numbers on your resume? It’s simple. Numbers tell your potential employer where, how, and why you have succeeded. You can always make general statements. For instance, I could say “I have helped a lot of people create resumes that got them interviews and jobs.” Is that quantifiable?No, it is not. But if I say: “Of 1,000 clients who came to me for assistance, 85% had multiple interviews in under tw...
As spring is followed by summer, hopefully your job interviews will be followed by reference checks!
Don't be knocked out of the running by relying on any of these deadly myths.
Myth #1: Employers will only contact the persons you include in your references list.
Not true. Many will contact others; it's neither illegal nor particularly difficult. They can even discover and contact past employers you haven...