The Resume Blog by ResumeEdge

THE IMPORTANCE OF TRANSLATING MILITARY JARGON INTO CIVILIAN LANGUAGE

2009-09-08T05:29:00.000-07:00

by Jennifer Stiglic, BA, ME, CPRW, ResumeEdge.com Editor

There is a big difference between, “Provide mission critical technical services to the battalion for the tracking of all cargo material in a combat zone” and “Direct IT services to support a 150-person operation, tracking all cargo materials in a demanding work environment.”

Job responsibilities in the military can easily translate to corporate positions; you just need to overcome the language barrier and jargon. The process of translating military jargon into civilian language is essentially the same as translating a resume from Spanish into English…it is a different language. For example, common words in military resumes include command, battalion/soldiers, and mission. These can translate into civilian terminology as supervised, team, and organizational goal. Hiring managers may not understand the significance of your experience when they read resumes with military jargon stating leadership of defensive techniques, combat readiness, weapons storage or combat zone operations.

In order to increase your marketability for a civilian job, break down your experiences and re-word the content to match the language of your target position.

The first step is to break down job duties into individual tasks to identify key strengths. To accomplish this task, read job postings, company job descriptions, and industry resumes located on job boards and industry association websites to match your experiences to civilian jobs. A great resource is the U.S. Department of Labor’s Occupational Outlook Handbook located online at: www.bls.gov/OCO. This site provides overviews of job positions with detailed information on the nature of the work, language used, and education needed. The second step is to go through your experience and transition your resume using civilian language found in the job postings and company descriptions. Some responsibilities could relate to equipment maintenance, international relations, budget management, team training and leadership, personnel management, and logistics management.

Accomplishments are critical to the resume whether they are for the military or corporate/civilian positions. Be sure to highlight your accomplishments in the resume and quantify the results based on impact to the organization.

In the end, one easy way to test your resume is to have a non-military person review the resume and let you know the verbiage or wording they do not understand.

To request Jennifer for your ResumeEdge.com order, simply request her by name in the online order form.

Work the Web

2009-09-02T02:25:00.000-07:00

It's a given. The more information you have about prospective employers, the better prepared you are. Not only can you target your resume, but you can add facts to spice up your cover letter and casually mention during an interview. Unfortunately, you can't always predict what information will persuasively demonstrate that you are a strong candidate for the job. Don't let that stop you—your information-gathering is well worth the effort.

A good start is with a company's Web site. Most companies fill theirs with public relations mumbo-jumbo that you must sift through to get to the company's core. The "About Us" page might be a little PR heavy but it and the mission statement will certainly tell you something about the corporate culture, such as corporate diversity initiatives or employee benefits. Some experts think you should use the same terminology and buzz words found on a company's Web site in your cover letter. Others think that's over the top.

More sources to look for factoids that instantly reveal you are up on what the company does are press releases and articles. Pick apart the press releases from the last six months to find out what the company executives think is important. You will be informed about new products or initiatives—always a positive thing to note. Articles are also useful. General Electric's Web site, for instance, posted articles about the company from The Economist, the Wall Street Journal, Forbes, and Vanity Fair, all of which are easy reads and full of information.

Companies don't always publish annual reports on their Web sites, but if they do, you will find ample material to give you a feel for the firm's values and state of its business. Anything that helps you align with that company is what you are looking to uncover. Check out Internet sources such as Hoover's Inc., CorpTech®, LexisNexis®, Dow Jones & Company, and Thomson Research.

Some information on a company's Web site fits the "This is something I care deeply about and so I want to work for this company" category. Employers like to hear positive things about their company and know that if employees are behind their corporate culture, they are much happier and more productive.

Even the design and maintenance of a Web site offers insights about a company. For instance, if you are considering a career in marketing or public relations, you should note if a site's links aren't working or the information is months or years old. PR and marketing obviously aren't a high priority for that company. Or, they might just really need your skills!

Another creative approach to finding information is through company blogs. Do a Web search on a company to find a blog someone is keeping. It might be about a speech given at a convention or just comments about the company picnic. Either way, there are nuggets of information out there to use to your advantage or to just give you the warm fuzzies about a possible employer.

Armed with compelling facts, you can go beyond noting that Company XYZ has been Number One on a business magazine's list for the last five years. Instead you can make the astute observation, "I saw that Company XYZ is launching this unique product line and my experience in ABC can add to the expertise in marketing it."

Dealing with Age Discrimination and Employment Gaps

2009-08-25T05:26:00.000-07:00

You've heard the saying, "You're not getting older, you're getting better." Well maybe so, but employers don't necessarily think that way when scanning resumes. Unfortunately, many of them shy away from hiring seasoned people because these pros are perceived as inflexible, over-trained, and worst of all, too expensive.

Likewise, what if you have gaps between jobs? It's not that you decided to drop out for a while to find your inner self or lost a job and couldn't get hired. Perhaps you had a baby and took some time off. Maybe you suffered an injury or had to take care of an aging parent. Whatever the situation, many people have employment gaps for very legitimate reasons. A resume doesn't show why the gaps are there and employers often don't take the time to find out. How do you get past age discrimination or explain why you didn't work for a few years?

Your resume can overcome either obstacle in subtle ways that establish your capabilities. For instance, to overcome age discrimination, consider limiting your experience to 15 years for a managerial job, ten years for a technical job, and five years for a high-tech job. Leave other experiences off your resume or list it without dates. If you have gaps in your employment history, consider highlighting what you did during your time off. Perhaps some volunteering, part-time consulting, or freelance work encompassed the skills or experience the company is looking for.

You could also use a functional resume rather than a chronological resume. When you write a functional resume, you list your skills as they apply to a specific job. With this format, your resume explains what you can do, what you have learned, and what precise abilities you bring to a new job. Although not many job applicants use this format, it is often far more effective than the chronological resume in answering the prospective employer's most important question: "What skills do you have and how can they help me in my company?" This format is especially effective for job hoppers, career changers, people just entering the job market who have little work experience, and applicants who have been out of the job market for an extended length of time.

Your goal is to only use information that is directly relevant to the job you are seeking. This is honest as well as fair to your prospective employer. After all, if you're a 50-year-old applying for a job in accounting, why would your prospective employer care that you worked as a counselor for five-year-olds at Camp Gichi-Goomi when you were 16 years old? That's exaggerating the concept, but you get the point.

A word of advice: No matter how you deal with employment gaps and age discrimination, always tell the truth. Always.

USING LINKEDIN DURING YOUR JOB SEARCH

2009-08-18T05:17:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com, ResumeEdge.ca Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

The use of social networking via Facebook, Twitter, and MySpace has changed the landscape of personal interactions. The same is true for the employment field. Today, job hunters can use networking sites to reach a wider group of individuals in their field. Your best source for this is LinkedIn.

Daily, I answer questions from candidates on this site. My answers, along with those of other experts, help individuals to navigate the currently unfriendly waters of job search. By joining LinkedIn and posing questions or readings the answers to others’ inquiries, you may be able to gain an advantage over your competitors.

Some of my previous answers on the site, include:

"Business cards" for students and non-professionals?

“You should absolutely consider using business cards. It will help you stay in the potential recruiter and/or hiring manager's mind. I have seen business cards with a professional photo of the individual or their work product (if they're in an artistic field) on the front of the card. Very impressive. On the back, you should list your qualities, skills, and accomplishments, personal websites (if any) as they pertain to your job search - somewhat like the opening summary of a resume. Darlene Zambruski ResumeEdge.com, ResumeEdge.ca Managing Editor Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)”

Does it help in an interview or career fair if the job seeker has a business card to include with his resume?
“Anything that can help you stay in the potential recruiter or hiring manager's mind should be utilized. I have seen business cards with the individual's professional photo or work product (if they're in an artistic field) on the front of the card. . .very impressive. On the back of the card, could be a summary of your qualifications and skills, much like the opening summary of a resume. Be certain to include accomplishments. There are numerous internet and local printing companies that offer excellent work product at a reasonable price. I'd suggest using these sources for your business cards, unless you have a top-quality printer at home and you choose a high-grade paper. Darlene Zambruski ResumeEdge.com, ResumeEdge.ca Managing Editor Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)”

Hey which fonts are readable by machines & search engines when I post my resume online?

“We use Courier New, Times, Arial. To be safe, you might want to turn your Word or Works resume into ascii/txt. You should have no problems with that. Darlene Zambruski ResumeEdge.com, ResumeEdge.ca Managing Editor Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)”

What is the "value" of working with a career marketing company?

“It would depend upon the company, including their credentials, years in the business, partnerships, and success rate. Individuals looking for assistance in writing their resume and honing their job interview skills would do well to determine if the company they want to hire is a member of an industry organization, such as the PARW (Professional Association of Resume Writers), and if the company writers are certified as CPRWs and CEIPs. Next, they should determine if the company is a resume writing or job interview partner with any major company, for example the Wall Street Journal or the New York Times. Are they a member of the BBB? Do they guarantee results (be wary of those sites, it's impossible to guarantee results when the actual job hunt is in the individual's hands). If an individual has trouble organizing their professional data and 'blowing their own horn', they would do well to hire outside experts. It takes the strain off them, provides a fresh perspective, and results in a document and marketing plan that's professional and proven. Darlene Zambruski ResumeEdge.com, ResumeEdge.ca Managing Editor Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)”

What should a 21st century resume look like?

“First and foremost, a resume should convey your value proposition to an employer. To do that it should contain: 1. An opening summary with one (preferably two) quantified and relevant accomplishments for your new career goal, an overview of your skill set, willingness to relocate, language skills (bilingual, multilingual), and any pertinent certifications. 2. Accomplishment section: Here, you should list by company name, your quantified accomplishments (do not repeat those from the opening summary). Make certain your accomplishments dovetail toward the new position. 3. Professional Experience. Don't go all the way back to the first day you started working. Generally speaking, you shouldn't go back more than 10 to 15 years. Include only those job duties that are relevant to the new position you seek. Begin each bullet with an action verb. Be specific in your verbiage, not general. 4. Education. Include college and post college work. The above organization allows a hiring manager to quickly scan your resume and determine if you should be invited to interview. No hiring manager will scan a three to four page resume looking for data. It's important to remember that a modern resume is as long as it needs to be, provided it contains only relevant information for the new job search. Cut out the extraneous material. Darlene Zambruski ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW)”

As you can see by the above – the questions are diverse, the answers comprehensive. LinkedIn is a perfect (and free) resource to ask an expert your pressing question so that you can get on with your job search.

My answers can be found on a daily basis within the Resume Writing and Job Search categories of LinkedIn.

Keep the Momentum Going

2009-08-11T06:10:00.000-07:00

After you've written a great cover letter and resume and sent everything on its merry way, the real work of getting a job begins. Following up on all the resumes you've sent is not fun. Maybe that's why many don't follow up. It does take guts. No one wants to experience the downside of getting a straight out "No" or being blown off. Grit your teeth and do it anyway.

Following up demonstrates your drive and initiative. Someone who calls and says, "I have applied for such and such position. I understand you must be busy, but I would love to hear back from you because I am really interested in working for XYZ Company" is not only proactive, but also shows consideration for the employer's side of the process.

However, there is a fine line between aggressively following up and being downright annoying. From your perspective, you're anxiously waiting to hear if you got the job. On the other side of the equation is a stressed-out human resource manager trying to make a decision from a stack of resumes. Follow-up calls are acceptable … up to a point.

It's a tough situation. If you call and the recruiter has six positions open and 125 resumes for each one, no way will he or she stop and search through the piles. You are more likely to get voice mail anyway. Some advise to call after hours and leave a message. Then you've made it known you're really interested, but the employer doesn't have to respond, only note that you've called.

Employers who use electronic application processes usually have clear guidelines as to how they want people to follow up. They don't want to get calls to see if an application was received, since many automatically send out an acknowledgement or receipt. Some also have procedures in place for applicants to track their resumes online.

There is no way human resources people in large companies can physically get back to every applicant anyway. A corporate recruiter from a large asset management company notes that because of the tremendous volume of applications they get, their Web site clearly states applicants are not to call. So if applicants do call, it is seen as a bad move along the lines of "You are not following the process on our Web site. You have shown us already that you don't know how to follow instructions."

If there are no instructions about how an employer wants you to follow up, the consensus is to wait about two weeks and then have the follow-up call or e-mail. Most agree that if your cover letter states you will follow up in a specific time frame, follow up in that time frame. If you don't, you send the signal that you are not doing what you said you would do. How's that for a recommendation? In any case, err on the side of caution to ensure that you aren't pegged as pushy, irritating, or a waste of anyone's time.

For additional resources consider online marketing experts or SEO experts that can shape your resume and distribute to a wide audience.

Move Up the Ladder at Your Current Company

2009-08-04T04:54:00.000-07:00

by Marcie Niedbalski, MBA, BS, CPRW, ResumeEdge.com Editor

Moving up the corporate ladder does not necessarily require you to gain employment at a new company. Many times employees can earn a promotion within their current company through initiative and hard work. In order to increase your value to your current employer, you need to continually enhance your qualifications and skills. The suggestions below may seem obvious, but often times are ones employees tend to overlook.

1. Volunteer for projects when they become available.Offering to lead projects shows your willingness to go above and beyond your assigned job duties, and gives you visibility with your superiors, whether in your own or other departments. It shows initiative and organizational skills while allowing you to increase your skill set and experience.

2. Be visible to other departments/areas.
You can increase your visibility to other hiring managers by volunteering for cross-functional projects. You'll gain exposure to employees in different areas of the company. Make sure you demonstrate a positive attitude and a willingness to help wherever you are needed.

3. Do an excellent job for your current employer.
Managers regularly check with their peers for a reference on internal candidates, and if your current manager sings your praises (and explains how you demonstrated the needed skills while working for him/her, even if they weren't part of your regular job), that will certainly be compelling to a potential manager.

4. Be willing to increase your skills through education.
There are many ways you can keep yourself up to speed on changes within your industry. While going back to school can certainly increase your skill set, it is not always the easiest or the least expensive way to learn. Instead, consider conferences, individual courses or local programs that can increase your knowledge without emptying your wallet. Also check to see if your department has money to use specifically for education. Increasing your skills will increase your chances of moving up the ladder.

As you look to move forward within your career, keep in mind that perhaps the fastest and easiest way to a better position is within your own organization. Be a team player, be a leader, take initiative, be visible to multiple departments, and give your current manager a reason to brag about your abilities to other hiring managers within the company. If you keep these simple suggestions in mind, you may just find yourself moving up the ladder at your current company.

Marcie has been a Recruiter for seven years, recruiting for all aspects of business. She has an MBA from the University of Memphis and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the Indiana University, as well as her CPRW (Certified Professional Resume Writer) credential. She has written or edited over 250 resumes/CVs/cover letters. Her areas of expertise include Information Technology, Marketing, Human Resources, Finance, Accounting, Operations, Sales, eCommerce, Engineering, Telecommunications and Legal. Prior to writing resumes she taught a college course on achieving employment goals after graduation, with resume writing a large part of the curriculum. She also volunteers at the City Rescue Mission, sharing her expertise on gaining employment. She works full-time as a Corporate/Technical Recruiter.

To request Marcie for your order, please select her name from the drop down menu at time of purchase.

Retain Your Position After a Temporary Assignment

2009-07-28T05:51:00.000-07:00

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.

PUTTING YOUR BEST FOOT FORWARD AND BEING PREPARED FOR THAT ALL-IMPORTANT FUTURE JOB OPENING

2009-07-21T06:32:00.000-07:00

by Vicel Meyer, ResumeEdge.com Editor

Temporary employees view seasonal or part-time positions in different ways. Some think of them as just a means to a paycheck. Others recognize these types of positions as a valuable glimpse into an organization and a great opportunity to get their foot in the door.

Many employers hire seasonal, contract, and part-time workers with the future in mind. This means the position is really a working interview. The hiring manager may already have a budget for a full-time person, and wants to try someone’s skills and fit with the team first with a seasonal or contract position. The employer may intend to convert the contract employee within the first three months, or may expect approval for a full-time position in the near future. This means that putting your best foot forward on the job and treating it as a long-term position will inevitably benefit you. You will gain or sharpen skills, find possible future opportunities within the company, or walk away with excellent references for your next position.

Think of your seasonal or part-time position as a stepping stone in your career. Take inventory of all the skills you’re honing and gaining in your position, whether it is new software you’re learning or improving your secretarial skills. Make sure you revise your resume to reflect what you know and what you’ve learned.

Many seasonal employees find themselves asked to stay longer than expected in the job due to their reliability, professionalism, and perhaps a new need in the company that has just opened up. In fact, many departments rely on each other for referrals of seasonal, contract, and part-time employees to use for their own needs. It is not uncommon for a seasonal employee to start in one department and get cross-trained in several others, meanwhile extending the length of employment.

Even if the position you are in doesn’t convert to full-time now, putting your best foot forward can keep you in the running and fresh in the hiring manager’s mind for future openings based on the great impression you leave. It can also lead to a hiring manager recommending you to someone in his professional network and providing excellent references that you can use in your job search.

You can now look at your temporary or part-time situation with a different mindset. Think of the possibilities of honing and gaining new skills, being considered for future openings, and being recommended to other companies, plus adding excellent references to your job-hunting arsenal.

Vicel received her Bachelor’s Degree from San Francisco State in Psychology, and has over 12 years of Human Resources experience in varied industries, including finance, staffing, insurance, outplacement and shipping industries. She specializes in recruiting from administrative to Executive-level positions. Her resume writing experience has been for clients with backgrounds in I.T., Real Estate, Finance, Automotive and Senior management.

Managing Your Personal Brand with LinkedIn

2009-07-14T06:06:00.001-07:00

Everyone knows resumes serve as the quantification of who you are, what you've accomplished, and what expertise you can bring to your next employer. A professionally written resume is a necessity in today's business world that no savvy business person would forego.

But today's business people also need actively managed profiles on the social media sites that recruiters and others are using to find and learn more about potential hires.

LinkedIn is the most popular of these sites. While many people think of it as a Web-based contact management system, it's so much more. In fact, it's really a 24/7 personal branding machine.

The first step to fully leveraging LinkedIn is to think about your "positioning." Since most people will not remember a lot about you, you want to give them one or two nuggets of information to associate with your personal brand. Let's say you're a salesperson who specializes in selling widgets to emerging bio-tech companies. Your profile should be constructed around reinforcing that bit of information so anyone reading it knows that's what you are about: selling bio-tech widgets.

You'll want to populate your profile with keywords that someone looking for a person with your expertise would use when they search LinkedIn for job candidates. This helps LinkedIn serve your profile to them as an option.

Once your profile is configured, you'll want to proactively cultivate your image as an expert. An easy way to start is to join LinkedIn Groups where people with similar interests congregate. Resist the temptation to jump into the conversations you find posted there. Rather, sit back and observe for a week or so, getting a feel for the ways people communicate, then start participating in discussions. Eventually you will want to begin new discussions for others to join too.

These are just a few of the ways you can make better use of LinkedIn for business networking. For more on using LinkedIn and Facebook for business networking, order Jump Start Social Media's reference guides. And if you'd like expert help in setting up your profiles and LinkedIn and/or Facebook, order the professional set-up services which include the guides. You'll be networking like the pro you are in no time.

Tell Me Exactly Why You Deserve This Job?

2009-07-07T06:17:00.000-07:00

That's the question consciously or unconsciously running through the mind of someone looking through a stack of resumes. That person will often not find the answer if there's no cover letter from you. Resumes list the information about your skills and experience. Cover letters pinpoint why you should receive serious consideration for a particular job. A cover letter helps readers see how your experience relates specifically to what they are looking for in an employee. Instead of making readers interpret your resume, your cover letter does the work for them. A cover letter says, "I know your company and what it does. Here's why you should take notice of my qualifications."

The general manager of a water and power agency who does the hiring sums it up: "Outstanding letters summarize authors' knowledge, skills, abilities, and specifically why they are interested in my organization. They summarize an understanding of how my recruitment process works and references their attached resumes, identifying sections that are responsive to a specific request for information that may have been included in my job announcement."

A planning advisor for a huge oil corporation who scans hundreds of resumes a week looks at it this way: "The more someone can tell me what attracted him or her to my company, the better. I try to get a feel for whether the applicant is interested in our industry, which is sometimes clear in the resume and sometimes not. That is where a cover letter can make a difference. If I get 10 resumes with similar experience and skills, the cover letter prioritizes who I need to speak to. If the resume is strong, then I don't need the cover letter, but lots of times resumes don't answer the questions I have."

Keep in mind that the people who read resumes and cover letters spend mere seconds on them. You could meet every requirement of the job you're going for but unfortunately, your qualifications might be buried somewhere in your resume. The people who are considering you for a job don't like to dig. Readers don't want to search for your abilities among the various jobs you have held or experiences you list. Resources: Marketing Jobs, Marketing Forums, SEO expert

Resumes are a record of your past and current experience. A well thought-out cover letter selects only those skills and experiences that apply to a job description and company. It summarizes your qualifications for that particular job so the hiring manager doesn't have to search for them on your resume. If your cover letter doesn't showcase the main points of your resume that match their requirements, the hiring manager is more likely to move on to the next candidate. And in this job market, you don't want that to happen.

Yur Final Go-Thru

2009-06-30T06:09:00.000-07:00

It is astonishing how many recruiters say they receive resumes and cover letters filled with spelling errors. A spelling slip-up, even a minor one, says more about you than the most articulate choice of words. For instance, is it "too" or "to"? Did you write "it's" or "its"? Just those two words alone count for a lot of mistakes.

Get as many people to proof and edit your resume and cover letter as possible. You can never have too many eyes. The corporate content manager of a large instrument company says she sees a lot of spelling and grammatical errors. Once she sees a mistake she won't read any further. She is not alone. When asked about the worst resumes and cover letters they have ever received, those that read them can come up with some hilarious shockers. How about the person applying to work at ExxonMobil? Nice resume, great cover letter, but he spelled the company's name Exxon Mobile. There goes that job prospect.

While such big blunders are not that common, many people do make simple mistakes that could be easily avoided.

The top four common mistakes are:

Spelling and grammar are at the top of the list, probably because people rely too much on spell check. Spell check is a useful tool, but you also need several sets of eyeballs to catch everything. Spell check doesn't check the context and use of words—your or you're, four or for?

Repeating verbatim what's in your resume on your cover letter

Forgetting to replace a company name when cutting and pasting parts of a letter

Carelessness—"I'd like to work for your company" (and the organization is a non-profit or government agency) or "I read your ad in the Philadelphia Inquirer" and it was run in another publication.

To make your way through the maze of errors that inevitably pop up, follow these simple steps:

Find people who will critically read each resume and cover letter you write for the content as well as the details. You might not notice that a period is missing from a sentence or an indentation that should be there isn't. A reader hunting for errors will find them.

Read your resume and cover letter backwards from the bottom up, word by word. It sounds silly, but doing so allows you to see errors you would probably gloss over reading it from the top down.

Read the resume and cover letter aloud to find words that don't make sense or aren't meaningful.

If you send a resume or cover letter to several companies, highlight each specific change so you make sure not to send Company A's letter to Company B.

Finally, if you send a resume and cover letter via e-mail, stick it in the draft folder for an hour and then read it again before actually sending it.

ADVICE FOR NEW GRADUATES TO COMPETE SUCCESSFULLY: BE REALISTIC

2009-06-23T05:56:00.000-07:00

by Julie Luongo, ResumeEdge.com Editor, CPRW

You’ve heard the hype. The economy is bad. There aren’t any jobs to be had. Things are tough all over, kid. But since when do you listen to the naysayers?

Sure, you’re not going to step out of college and into a CFO position. But you’re also not stepping into a part-time job selling hot dogs on the side of the road. Being realistic about your opportunities goes both ways, and the most fatal mistake job seekers make is selling themselves short.

Be Confident

Congratulations, you have a college degree! Maybe you weren’t in the top of your class with a full academic scholarship, but you have a higher education and that means something to hiring managers. What it means exactly is that you have the latest information about your field of study. You’ve most likely worked with cutting-edge technology. And you’re not so set in your ways that you can’t be trained. This gives you a distinct advantage over people who aren’t fresh out of school. When you go to interviews, remember this.

Be Enthusiastic

College graduates have something many other job applicants don’t have. Enthusiasm! All things being equal, someone with a positive attitude will get the job over someone who is jaded, indifferent, or world weary. It’s not all about what you know. It’s also about who you are. Show hiring managers that you’re someone other people would want to work with.

Be Strategic

Employers are looking for long term investments and are hopeful that you will be loyal to their company. When they ask you what your five year plan is, don’t tell them that you hope to be traveling in Europe. Nor should you point to the company president and say, “I want to be there.” Consider your audience.

Be Persistent

Don’t be so confident that you think everyone should want you. Always tailor your resume and cover letter for each position. Follow up with a phone call. If you don’t hear from the employer in 4 weeks, send another letter with another resume. Call again. Don’t give up until you’ve heard a definitive answer. If it’s a “no” send a thank you letter anyway to ask that they keep you in mind for any future positions. Repeat for each job search. If you want an employer to see you’re willing to go the extra mile, show them up front.

Being a realist when it comes to job searching is hard work. Sure, it takes work to get work. But landing a job and putting yourself on the road to a successful career is worth it.

The Resume and Self-Reflection

2009-06-16T08:31:00.001-07:00

ResumeEdge attended the CCA national convention in Orlando on June 14th and June 15th. A common theme heard among the attendees is the notion that students must learn how to prepare a resume. Having a professional write the resume for them serves no educational value.

We couldn’t agree more.

Resume preparation, like leadership, is very self-reflective. You must examine your personal values, communication style, and experiences, and put them down on paper in a manner that sets you apart from your competition. The resume experts at ResumeEdge provide verbal and written feedback designed to help you learn about your unique strengths (and weaknesses) – and how to convey those strengths to a hiring manager. This self-reflection works to the benefit of the job seeker and prospective employer. The job seeker gains the confidence needed to excel in a job interview, while also learning where to focus for improvement. The employer gains insight into an applicant’s history – to determine if he is a perfect fit.

Check out our photos from CCA: http://www.facebook.com/reqs.phpfriend#/album.php?aid=84775&id=16472597901&ref=mf

SHOWCASING ACADEMIC EXPERIENCE WHEN YOU HAVE NO REAL WORLD EXPERIENCE

2009-06-16T06:18:00.000-07:00

by Jennifer Stiglic, BA, ME, CPRW
Resumeedge.com Editor

Every job candidate faces the same challenge after graduating college – How do I get a job when all I have is a degree? If you look closer, you’ll understand you have more than a degree – you have group projects, research papers, class assignments, honors, activities, campus jobs, and campus leadership experiences.

Hiring managers are looking at your resume to understand your background and the type of employee you will be at their company. After all, past performance is the best predictor of future success…this statement is true whether you are referring to past professional or academic performance.

The first step in preparing your post-college resume is to take an inventory of any and all experience you have that falls into the following categories: academic honors (GPA, Dean’s List, awards, recognitions), class projects, leadership experience on project teams, extracurricular activities, campus work experience, publications, papers, and volunteer activities. It is important to highlight any projects that pertain to the industry you are targeting, e.g. business case studies, design projects, research papers, etc.

After determining your areas of experience, you can divide the resume into sections and add bullets to detail your involvement in the activities.

Examples of resume sections include:

EXTRACURRICULAR ACTIVITIES

UNIVERSITY NAME, City, State
Committee, Organization or Group Name, Position Held
* Add information on projects, assignments or work completed

HONORS & AWARDS

Name of Award, Organization Presenting Award, Date Received

CLASS PROJECTS

UNIVERSITY NAME, City, State
Course Name
* Add bullets with information on the project; focus on your specific role in completing the project

If your collegiate activities, honors and projects are limited, then you can always list the specific courses you completed that relate to your target industry or position. You can also include special projects or assignments within these courses.

The most important thing to remember is that your experiences during college help to demonstrate the contributions you will make to a company or organization. By expanding the details of your collegiate experience, you are communicating your value in your post-college resume.

PUTTING THE EMPLOYER FIRST TO ENSURE AN INTERVIEW AND JOB OFFER

2009-06-09T05:56:00.000-07:00

by Vicel Meyer, ResumeEdge.com Editor

Are you sending out dozens of resumes each week, but getting no response? Do you feel discouraged about a tough job market and your competition?

In your efforts to get noticed, you should keep one thing in mind: Put yourself in the hiring manager’s place. Ask yourself, “What would the employer think of my resume in the initial few seconds she takes to read it?” Even if you’re exactly right for the job, you may never be asked to interview unless you make the proper first impression with a well-written resume and cover letter.

The content and format of your resume are very important. A resume that employs a tiny font and has too much information will be quickly passed over by a hiring manager in favor of a clean, easy to read, well-spaced document. Use bullet points and even-spaced margins. Don’t make the mistake of including every single thing you did at a previous job. Instead, list key accomplishments and major, progressive responsibilities that highlight your skills. You can then expand on your previous responsibilities in a cover letter and during the first interview.

Does the content of your resume reflect transferable skills related to the position for which you’re applying? Hiring managers often glance at a resume looking for key phrases and buzz words that they want in their ideal next employee. Take the time to tailor your resume specifically to a job description. These key phrases may get you past the employers’ Web-based application filter as well as generate enough interest for a first interview.

A basic, yet overlooked, detail is keeping your resume free of spelling and grammatical errors. You want to convey that you are professional, detail-oriented, can write well, and take your work seriously. One glance at a resume with spelling and grammatical errors might cause an employer to think: “sloppy, makes mistakes, and is wasting my time.” Take the time to proofread your resume. Then, have someone you trust review it for you.

Your cover letter should always express your interest in the specific job. Does it give you an opportunity to expand your skill set? Is the company dynamic and progressive? Clearly convey your strong interest in the company and position, and then explain why you’re the ideal candidate. This shows you have done your homework on the company and truly want to work there.

Putting the employer first by having a tailored cover letter and well-written resume will ensure you have sent out the best possible representation of yourself. It will also bring you a step closer to getting that interview and job offer.

Vicel received her Bachelor’s Degree from San Francisco State in Psychology, and has over 12 years of Human Resources experience in varied industries, including finance, staffing, insurance, outplacement and shipping industries. She specializes in recruiting from administrative to Executive-level positions. Her resume writing experience has been for clients with backgrounds in I.T., Real Estate, Finance, Automotive and Senior management. You can request Vicel for your resume or cover letter service when ordering.

RESUME BEST PRACTICES

2009-06-02T05:12:00.000-07:00

Resume Best Practices & Standards

1. Resume Design: Selecting the right design template to showcase your accomplishments based on your industry is important. If you’re in a conservative industry (banking, accounting), your template should reflect that and not lean heavily on designer fonts or frivolous designs.

2. Page Length: Recruiters and Hiring Managers prefer resumes to be two pages or less. However, the rule of thumb is: a modern resume is as long – or as short – as it needs to be, provided only relevant information for the new job search is included. Nothing extraneous.

3. Qualification (Opening) Summary versus Objective Statement: Recruiters and Hiring Managers prefer a qualifications summary over an objective statement every time. They want to see what candidates can bring to their organization in terms of performance rather than the candidate stating a position they want.

4. Quantify Accomplishments: A resume must have quantified accomplishments not a reiteration of a job description. Example: Increased productivity 58% within three months of hire by retraining staff on latest accounting software. Providing percentages, dollar figures, and timeframes strengthens achievements.

5. Strong Data Prioritization & Organization: The resume needs to be organized in standard sections. Within each section, the data is presented in reverse-chronological order (the last job or school listed first). The information is prioritized based on value to the Recruiter and Hiring Manager. Information pertinent to the targeted position should be showcased first. For example, if Education is the most important qualification; it’s presented before Work History, rather than last on the document.

6. Non-relevant & Repetitive Data: An effective resume focuses on enhancing your candidacy and avoids repetition and inclusion of non-relevant information. For example, hobbies & interests should only be included if relevant to the job. Personal information (birth dates, marital status etc.) is included in some overseas resumes. Find additional tips at marketing forums and SEO expert | SEO expert.

7. Language: Use of business language is critical to the professionalism of a resume. Resumes should avoid the use of personal pronouns (“I’ “my” “we”) and slang at all times.

Resume Misconceptions - What a Resume is Not

2009-05-26T04:49:00.000-07:00

1. A document that reflects your personality: Unless you're in the performing arts or involved in a creative industry, a resume should err on the conservative side — no designer fonts or unusual designs.

2. An exhaustive listing of everything you've done: Recruiters and Hiring Managers want recent experience, not all experience. The rule of thumb is to go back 10 years for IT professionals and no more than 15 years for those in other industries. Ideally, a resume should not be longer than 2 pages.

3. A document that tells the recruiter or hiring manager what you want: Recruiters and Hiring Managers are interested in what you can bring to their organizations in terms of performance — increasing profits or reducing costs. What you want (your objective) is secondary.

4. A document that will guarantee an interview or job offer: A resume is the beginning of your job search. It cannot guarantee the end result. No matter how well your accomplishments are detailed and your data presented, if your background doesn't closely match the requirements of the job, you will not be called in for an interview

5. A one-size-fits-all document: Certainly, there are basic standards for all resumes, such as page length and data prioritization/organization. However, your background is unique and needs to be presented to showcase your skills, not fit a general template designed for everyone.

6. A document that will please your spouse, parents, colleagues, etc.: The only audience that matters is Recruiters and Hiring Managers. Relatives, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances may be well-meaning, but they are not experts in resume writing. They may tell you to add hobbies, when you should not - or include personal data when it's not required.

7. A document that is perfect in every way: Organization of data and showcasing accomplishments are what matter most in a resume as does language and tone (be professional at all times). Recruiters and Hiring Managers are looking for hard skills that you can bring to their organization, not whether you used the word 'oversaw' rather than 'managed'.

GLOBAL RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS

2009-05-19T05:30:00.000-07:00

UNITED KINGDOM

Resume Guidelines

Education:

1. Secondary education, include dates/names/locations of schools, plus qualifications received

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Professional Experience:

1. Include reasons for leaving

Interests/Hobbies: Describe how time outside of work is spent

Format: Education followed by professional experience

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length: One page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-05-12T06:06:00.000-07:00

THAILAND

Resume Guidelines

Education:

1. University: include data about student training work/thesis projects stating length of time and references.
2. Secondary school/high school – state major subjects studied; provide details on specific courses and programs. Indicate if you’ve studied abroad.
3. Include extracurricular activities

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Professional Experience:

1. Explain all gaps in employment
2. If employed part time, indicate why you did not choose full time work

Military Experience: Include details, including military service status

Interests/Hobbies: Briefly mention

Format: Begin with personal information, then academic achievements, additional information (training, professional associations, hobbies), employment record (reverse chronological order), and references.

Length and Format:

No more than two pages, three is the max; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. What job is being applied for, why, and how you found out about it (newspaper ad, etc.)
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Address to person in charge of recruitment

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-05-05T06:06:00.000-07:00

SWITZERLAND

Resume Guidelines

Format:

1. Education
2. Awards/honors
3. Additional education/specialized training
4. Detailed work experience descriptions (reverse chronological format)
5. Achievements/accomplishments
6. Special skills (especially languages)
7. Interests/hobbies
8. Personal information

Format: A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

Length: One to two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. State current position
2. Position you’re applying for and why
3. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
4. Career goals
5. Geographical preferences
6. Ability to relocate
7. Salary range
8. State if currently unemployed
9. Address letter to specific person

Length: One page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-04-28T05:51:00.000-07:00

SWEDEN

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Photo

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Education:

1. Provide focus areas during upper secondary school/high school (i.e. specific courses/programs)
2. Indicate if you studied abroad

Professional Experience:

1. Indicate whether it was full or part time work
2. Explain gaps in emp loyment
3. For part time work, explain why you didn’t choose full time

Military Experience: Include with focus on training, field of responsibility, and managerial positions. List dates and location of service.

Interests/Hobbies: Briefly mention

Format: Begin with education, followed by professional experience

Length: No more than two pages

Other: It’s important you have your resume/CV “attested” or “verified.” Ask someone who can verify information’s validity (i.e. a parent, teacher or good acquaintance). Have them sign final page of resume/CV, references, grades, etc.

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Include when you started current position, work content, field of responsibility, organizational level/reporting structure, name of employer.
4. Personal data: Include marital status, ability to relocate, availability to travel for business
5. Recent volunteer experience, longer periods of foreign travel, your future professional goals
6. Indicate if you’re presently unemployed

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-04-21T05:04:00.000-07:00

SPAIN AND PORTUGAL

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Place of Birth
3. Marital Status

Education:

1. List high school/secondary school name, location and graduation date
2. Indicate if you studied abroad
3. Do NOT mention extracurricular activities

Professional Experience:

1. Use company descriptors

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (proficiency: basic, middle, high or fluent)
2. Computer Skills

Volunteer Experience: Should be supplied

Interests/Hobbies: Briefly mention

Format: Personal information first, followed by education and experience
A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

Length: No more than three pages; two pages is customary

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-04-14T05:06:00.000-07:00

SOUTH AFRICA

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Marital Status
3. Nationality

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (include level of proficiency)
2. Computer Skills
3. Public Speaking
4. Specialized Training

Education:

1. List high school/secondary school name and graduation date

Professional Experience:

1. Use company descriptors
2. Explain gaps in employment

Formats:

1. Brief profile: Summarized version of comprehensive resume that includes personal data, educational background. Professional experience is not elaborated. Current or relevant positions are detailed. Brief profiles are submitted initially.

2. Comprehensive CV: Includes specifics in each position you’ve held. Begin with personal data, then education, followed by experience. Chronological, reverse chronological or functional formats are all acceptable

Length: No restrictions

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Include qualifications and area of expertise
2. Name current employer and describe your position
3. If applying to a job posting, list the reference and job title at top of page
4. A work permit is required if you are not a South African
5. Explain why you are not presently employed
6. Specify availability to interview

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-04-07T04:26:00.000-07:00

SINGAPORE

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Age
2. Race
3. Nationality
4. Sex

Education:

1. List high school/secondary school name and graduation date
2. Include extracurricular activities during high school and college

Professional Experience:

1. Indicate your reason(s) for leaving
2. Explain gaps in employment

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (especially the ability to speak Mandarin. Japanese, Bahasa Indonesian/Malaysia, or Thai are useful. Helpful Chinese dialects are: Cantonese in Hong Kong and Kwang-chou, and Hokkien in Taiwan and some parts of China.

2. Computer Skills

3. GAAP (Generally Accepted Accounting Principles – US Companies)

4. GAP (General Accounting Principles – British Companies)

Military Service: Include rank, achievements, areas of training, responsibilities

Hobbies/Interests: Include to give employer idea of what kind of person you are (can also mention religious interests)

Length: No longer than three pages; one page is most common

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Address to a specific person
2. In Singapore, Chinese surname appears first (i.e. Tan Eng Hock should be written as Mr. Tan)

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-03-31T05:56:00.000-07:00

SAUDI ARABIA

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Marital Status
3. # of Children
4. Nationality
5. Citizenship(s)
6. Religious Affiliation

Education:

1. Include name and address of each institution attended

Professional Experience:

1. Use company descriptors
2. List all employers worked for

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Residency Permit/Letter of Release:

1. Note whether you have a transferable igama (residency permit) or can obtain a letter of release from your present employer

Format:

Education, experience, personal details (in that order); do NOT leave any gaps in dates.

Length:

Three to four pages is acceptable

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Detail any commitments preventing you from traveling to an interview on specified dates

GLOBAL RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS

2009-03-24T05:03:00.000-07:00

RUSSIA

Resume Guidelines

Education:

1. Indicate any international experience as a student

Professional Experience:

1. Use company descriptors for those organizations that are not widely known
2. Specify whether job was part or full time
3. Use a bulleted format for job responsibilities
4. Explain gaps in employment
5. For part time employment, explain why you did not choose full time

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Military Experience:

1. Focus of training
2. Field of responsibility
3. Managerial positions

Hobbies/Interests: Mention briefly

Format: Always list education first, followed by additional education/training, then finally professional experience

Length: No longer than three pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-03-17T03:49:00.000-07:00

POLAND

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Marital Status

Education:

1. List high school name and graduation date

Professional Experience:

1. For recent graduates: List internships and professional experience as students.

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Military Experience: Mention briefly

Interests/Hobbies: Mention briefly

Format: In this order:

1. Personal data
2. Education
3. Internships/training
4. Professional Experience
5. Other information (hobbies, etc)

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Do NOT repeat in detail any data here that is already in resume

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-03-10T05:02:00.000-07:00

PHILIPPINES

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Civil Status

Do NOT include weight, sex, health, children’s names, church affiliations

Professional Experience:

1. Go back no further than ten years

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Indicate some knowledge of company to which you are applying 4. Use hiring manager’s name in salutation

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-03-03T05:03:00.000-08:00

NORWAY

Resume Guidelines

Education:

1. Begin with data on secondary/high school such as specific courses and programs
2. Indicate if you studied abroad
3. This section is in chronological order

Professional Experience:

1. This section is in reverse chronological order
2. Specify if employment was part or full time
3. Explain gaps in employment
4. Explain why you chose part time over full time employment

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Military Experience: Must be included

Interests/Hobbies: Briefly describe

Format: Do NOT use a functional format; begin with education followed by experience

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Include date you started your current position and personal/professional development with company
4. If unemployed at present, state that in letter

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-02-24T05:01:00.000-08:00

NETHERLANDS

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Marital Status
2. Nationality

Education:

1. List starting and ending dates
2. List practical training, student internships, including assignments

Professional Experience:

1. Specify if full or part time employment

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Interests/Hobbies: Briefly mention

Format: Educational info first, then professional experience in chronological order; end resume with personal details and references

Length: No longer than two to three pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-02-20T06:23:00.000-08:00

MEXICO

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Place of Birth
2. Date of Birth
3. Civil Status

Objective:

Specify professional goals, type of position sought, etc.

Professional Experience:

1. List in chronological order

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Length: Can be five to six pages long, with a maximum of ten pages

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-02-10T06:02:00.000-08:00

MALAYSIA

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Marital Status
2. Age
3. Gender
4. Personal Interests

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Format:

Information can be provided chronologically, reverse chronologically, or in a functional format; begin with education followed by experience, then ending with a list of references

Length:

No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-02-03T05:04:00.000-08:00

REPUBLIC OF KOREA

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Place of Birth
3. Nationality
4. Marital Status
5. Family Size
6. Resident Number (if you are Korean)
7. Whether you’re the eldest in the family (if you are Korean)
8. Include a photo

Education:

1. Include secondary/high school information

Professional Experience:

1. Explain all employment gaps
2. Include short term employment
3. Achievements and awards are listed in chronological order; work experience in reverse chronological order

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Military Experience (include):

1. Exact dates
2. Unit
3. Duties
4. Leadership Responsibilities

Hobbies/Interests: Include to show what you do to counteract stress from your job

Format: Personal data, education, experience, other (languages, special courses, etc.), usually in reverse chronological order (except for accomplishments)

Length: No longer than two to three pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-01-27T05:02:00.000-08:00

JAPAN

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include for English-style resume):

1. Nationality
2. Age
3. Marital Status

Personal Information (Include for rirekisho (Japanese)-style):

1. Nationality (if non-Japanese)
2. Age
3. Marital Status
4. Gender
5. Family Members
6. Hobbies
7. Club Memberships

All of the below pertains to the English-style resume:

Professional Experience:

1. Include company descriptors
2. Specify if work was full or part time
3. Include all teamwork experience

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (especially Japanese)
2. Computer Skills (specify PC or Mac)

Length: One to two pages long

Cover Letters are generally NOT a part of an application for a job

For more information on marketing jobs, or jobs of any type, contact ResumeEdge.com

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-01-22T14:34:00.000-08:00

ITALY

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Place of Birth
3. Marital Status
4. # of Children

Education:

1. Include secondary/high school information
2. Grades received
3. For university studies, include thesis title and professor you worked with; also if you graduated within minimum amount of years (four)
4. Study abroad, including when, where, and length of time
5. Mention relevant extracurricular activities, steering clear of religious/political references

Professional Experience:

1. Dates: Month/Year you started job; Month/Year you left job
2. Include company descriptors, including if its national/multination company, headquarter location, # of employees in your division, and turnover rate.
3. Explain gaps in employment
4. Specify if employment was part time or contract

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (Levels of Expertise)
2. Computer Skills

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Format & Length: Handwritten letters are preferred; no longer than ½ page in length

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-01-13T06:04:00.000-08:00

INDONESIA

Resume Guidelines

Education:

1. Include secondary school information
2. Specify if you’ve studied abroad
3. Include extracurricular activities, especially if you held some school office

Professional Experience:

1. Specify if it was full or part time work
2. Explain any gaps in employment
3. For part time jobs, explain why you didn’t seek full time employment

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (fluency in English is critical)
2. Computer Skills

Format: Begin with position you are applying for, then education followed by experience (in that order)

Length: No longer than two to three pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. State how you learned about job
2. Include brief summary as to why you’re interested in job
3. Specify why you are qualified for job
4. Request a personal interview

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2009-01-06T05:02:00.000-08:00

INDIA

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Martial Status
2. Whether spouse is working and where
3. # of children and their ages
4. Your photo can be included

Education:

1. Focus during college; specify specific courses and programs
2. Mention if you studied abroad
3. Specify extracurricular activities

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Professional Experience:

1. Specify if it was full or part time work
2. Explain any gaps in employment
3. For part time jobs, explain why you didn’t seek full time employment

Format: Education always comes before Professional Experience in chronological, not reverse chronological format.

Length: No length restrictions are given

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Indicate current position, work content, field of responsibility, organizational level/reporting structure, and name of employer.
2. State core competencies and noteworthy experiences in related industries.

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-12-30T05:21:00.000-08:00

HUNGARY

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. A photo
2. Marital status
3. Date of Birth
4. Nationality

Education:

1. State if you have studied abroad
2. New graduates: Explain majors during upper secondary school/high school; provide graduation date
3. Keep education brief if you have several years of professional experience
4. Include work experience during college or university years in this section, not professional experience

Professional Experience:

1. Experience held before 1989 should be listed, but NOT described
2. Use bulleted format for job duties

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (Levels of Expertise)
2. Computer Skills
3. Whether you possess a driver’s license

Military Experience: Indicate if you have successfully completed this requirement

Format: Always begin with education, then work experience in a reverse-chronological format

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. What job is being applied for, and how you found out about it (newspaper ad, etc.)
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. State if you are currently unemployed

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-12-23T05:59:00.000-08:00

HONG KONG

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Age
2. Marital Status
3. # of Children

Education:

1. Secondary/high school information is optional
2. Specify whether attendance at a university/college was part-time or distance learning
3. Specify any relevant extracurricular activities

Professional Affiliations:

These are important to mention if you’re in the following careers:

- Finance
- Accounting
- Securities & Banking
- Engineering

Professional Experience:

1. Include company descriptors
2. List job duties in bulleted format
3. Early employment can be summarized
4. Explain reason why you want to leave current position
5. Explain all gaps in employment
6. Specify whether employment was part time or contract
7. Explain why a permanent position wasn’t held

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Format: CHRONOLOGICAL, not reverse chronological. NEVER use a functional format.

Length: Tied to years of experience. 10+ years of experience – three pages or less; less than 10 years of experience – no more than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Always use hiring manager’s name in salutation
2. Position you’re applying for
3. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-12-16T05:23:00.000-08:00

GERMANY

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (Include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Marital Status
3. # of Children

Education:

1. List junior and secondary schools chronologically, detailing years spent at each
2. Include major course of study at secondary schools and degree attained (i.e. A-levels, high school diploma, leaving certificate, etc.)
3. Include any information about study at foreign universities
4. Extracurricular activities in student/business organizations

Professional Experience:

1. Indicate whether work was part or full time
2. Include company descriptors detailing company size, # of employees, etc.

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (Levels of Expertise)
2. Computer Skills

Military Experience:

1. Specialized training or achievements should be included

Interest/Hobbies (include): So that employer knows what you do outside of work

Format: CHRONOLOGICAL, not reverse chronological. Personal details first, then educational background, then employment history, then extracurricular activities (in that order)

Length: Determined by level of experience. Two pages is generally used for new graduates or young professionals

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Geographical preferences
4. State if you are currently unemployed

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-12-09T06:16:00.000-08:00

FRANCE

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (optional, but generally included):

1. Date of birth or age
2. Marital status
3. Number of children

Education:

1. In addition to college/university education, list only that you received high school diploma – no specifics about high school are necessary, not even name of high school.
2. List final ranking in school.

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (and level of expertise that includes one of the following):
- basic
- school knowledge
- reading knowledge
- writing knowledge
- fluent
-professional use

2. Computer Skills – specify languages and tools – do NOT be vague

Professional Experience:

1. List data in this order:

Dates of employment, name of firm, activity sector (company descriptor, including sales and number of employees), location, your job title, then accomplishments and duties.

Professional Affiliations: Do NOT include unless you are currently a member and play a significant role in the organization.

Military Experience (optional)

Format: Chronological or reverse chronological, but reverse chronological is preferred. Begin with personal information, then professional experience, followed by education, then everything else (in that order)

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-12-02T05:33:00.000-08:00

FINLAND

Resume Guidelines

Education:

1. List focus areas during upper secondary school/senior high, plus year of graduation.
2. Mention if you studied abroad.

Professional Experience:

1. Indicate whether work was part-time or full-time.
2. Explain all gaps in employment history.

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Military Experience:

1. Compulsory in Finland, so include dates and all relevant details.

Interest/Hobbies (include): So that employer knows what you do outside of work

Format: Reverse chronological – begin with Education, then move on to Professional Experience and everything else after that (in that order)

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Current position, responsibilities, organizational level, reporting structure, achievements, employer’s name
4. Ability to relocate, travel for business, future professional goals
5. If you are currently unemployed

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-11-25T07:48:00.000-08:00

DENMARK

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (include):

1. Whether married or not
2. Number of children
3. Your Age and Date of Birth
4. Nationality

Education:

1. Include all educational data in a chronological (not reverse chronological) format.
2. Provide names/titles and results of exams you have taken

Professional Experience:

1. Explain all gaps in experience since leaving secondary school

Interest/Hobbies (include): So that employer knows what you do outside of work

Format: Chronological (not reverse chronological). Do not boast or exaggerate.

Length: Limit it to one A4 page; and certainly no longer than two pages
(A4 is found on page setup – it’s a 210x297mm rather than 8 ½” x 11”)

Cover Letter Guidelines

Content (include):

1. Position you’re applying for and why 2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-11-18T06:11:00.000-08:00

CZECH REPUBLIC

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (include):

1. Year of Birth
2. Citizenship
3. Marital Status
4. Number of Children

Education:

1. Include focus areas during high school referencing specific courses and programs. State graduation year and whether study was abroad.
2. Use a chronological (rather than a reverse chronological) order for this section.

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills (fluency in Czech and English is generally required)
2. Computer Skills
3. Sales Skills

Professional Experience:

1. Indicate whether work was part-time or full-time.
2. Explain all gaps in employment history.

Interest/Hobbies (optional)

Format:

Begin with Objective, then go to Personal Information, Education, Professional Experience, followed by everything else (in that order)

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

Content (include):

1. What job is being applied for, and how you found out about it (newspaper ad, etc.)
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Date of availability and ability to relocate
4. DO NOT mention salary expectations

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-11-11T04:55:00.000-08:00

CHINA

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (include):

1. Sex
2. Marital Status
3. Date of Birth
4. Nationality
5. Permanent Address

Career Objective:

Describe what you want to achieve and position sought

Education:

1. List high school education with reference to specific courses and programs
2. Include extracurricular activities that are relevant to job search

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Professional Experience:

1. Indicate whether work was part-time or full-time.
2. Explain all gaps in employment history.
3. If part-time work was chosen, indicate why you did NOT work full-time.

Personal Interests (include):

1. Sports activities
2. Other interests

Format:

Begin with Objective, go to Education, then list Professional Experience and everything else (in that order)

Length: Two pages; no longer than three pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

Content (include):

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. Date started with present company and professional/personal development with it
4. Marital status, ability to relocate, availability to travel for business.
5. Future professional goals

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-11-05T04:10:00.000-08:00

CANADA

Resume Guidelines

Education (include):

1. Extracurricular activities

Professional Experience:

1. Employment dates should be years only (i.e. 1999-2003) not months/years
2. Explain gaps in employment
3. Explain reason for part-time rather than full-time employment

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills
2. Computer Skills

Volunteer Experience:

1. Include if there is any

Hobbies/Interests:

1. Include to give employer idea of what you do outside of work

Format:

Qualifications Summary (or Profile), Professional Experience, Education, Professional
Affiliations, Hobbies/Interests (in that order)

Length: No longer than three pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

Content (include):

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
3. If you are unemployed at present

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-10-28T06:07:00.000-07:00

BRAZIL

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (include):

1. Age
2. Marital Status

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills, with level of knowledge (fluent, good, basic)
2. Computer Skills

Format:

List Personal Information, Education, and Professional Experience (in that order)

Length: No longer than two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

Content (include):

1. Position you’re applying for and why
2. Education, foreign language proficiency, field of professional experience
3. Foreign travel (if any)
4. Future professional goals
5. If you are unemployed at present
6. Ability to relocate and to travel for business

Length and Format: No more than one page; A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-10-21T05:51:00.000-07:00

BELGIUM

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (include):

1. Nationality
2. Civil (Marital) Status
3. Date of Birth
4. Personal Life (brief), including what sports you like, cultural activities, hobbies, and so on

Education (include):

1. Beginning and graduate dates
2. List of other studies even if you did not complete program or receive a degree
3. Extracurricular activities, including participation in student/youth movements, weekend work, travel, etc.

Professional Experience (include):

1. Company Descriptors (indicating scope of company activities)

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills, with level of knowledge (fluent, good, basic)
2. Computer Skills

Military Experience (include):

1. Date and duration of service
2. Where you were based
3. What duties were performed

Format:

List Personal Information, Education, and Professional Experience (in that order)
Length: Usually no longer than three pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

Content (include):

1. What job is being applied for, and how you found out about it (newspaper ad, etc.)
2. Why this particular company interests you
3. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-10-14T07:44:00.000-07:00

BALTIC STATES: LITHUANIA, LATVIA, AND ESTONIA

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (include):
1. Date of Birth (optional)
2. Marital Status
3. Photograph (headshot) in upper right-hand corner of resume

Professional Experience:
1. Explain any gaps in employment

Special Skills (include):
1. Language skills, especially fluency (written and spoken) in Lithuanian, Latvian, and/or Estonian, as well as English and Russian

Personal Interests/Hobbies (include):
1. Some to give employer an idea of what you do outside of work

Format:
List your name, education and training, work experience, and special skills (in that order)

Length:
One page is preferable; two pages is maximum length (only for those with extensive experience and accomplishments)

Cover Letter Guidelines

Content (include):
1. What job is being applied for
2. Why you are interested in this particular position
3. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company

Length and Format:
Brief, no more than 3-4 paragraphs. A4 page setup rather than 8 ½” x 11”

For additional resources including marketing magazines, marketing jobs, and more, visit ResumeEdge.com.

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-10-07T08:09:00.000-07:00

AUSTRIA

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Religion (optional)
3. Information Concerning Your Parents (ask client what this means)
4. Nationality
5. Marital Status
6. Number of Children

Education (include):

1. Details of junior, secondary schools, and colleges/universities attended in a chronological listing, plus years spent at each
2. Periods of study at foreign universities
3. Extracurricular activities, including Participation in Organizations, Special Events, or Specific Activities

Professional Experience:

1. Indicate whether work was an internship, part-time or full time.

Special Skills (include):

1. Language Skills, with level of knowledge (fluent, good, basic)
2. Computer Skills

Military Experience (include):

1. Beginning and ending dates
2. If there is continuing involvement

Format:

1. Data should be presented in chronological format, in these sections:
A. Personal details: full name, title, address, phone numbers, date of birth, nationality, marital status, # of children
B. Education: primary, secondary, high school, college/university
C. Work experience: Full time as well as part time
D. Other skills: Languages and computer
E. Interests and hobbies

Length: A maximum of two pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

Content (include):

1. Hiring Manager’s Name in Salutation (if not stated in ad, call company to determine name)
2. Why you are applying
3. What is special about your application and why you have chosen this particular company
4. A request to interview

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES & COVER LETTERS

2008-09-30T05:46:00.000-07:00

AUSTRALIA

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (include):

1. Date of Birth (optional)
2. Language Proficiencies (other than English)
3. Visa or Resident Status
4. Personal Interests (Hobbies and Sports Activities) – not mandatory to include, but common
5. Marital Status - not mandatory to include, but common

Education

1. Including Years of Graduation is not mandatory, but voluntary

Format

List Personal Information first, then Education, Professional Affiliations (if relevant), Additional
Education, Specialized Training, then Professional Experience

Length: No more than five pages with lots of space and wide margins

Cover Letter Guidelines

Content (include):

1. What job is being applied for
2. Why you are interested in this particular position
3. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
4. Education, job title, years of experience in positions comparable to one being applied for
5. If currently unemployed, this must be stated

Length: No more than one page

GLOBAL RESUMES AND COVER LETTERS

2008-09-23T05:54:00.000-07:00

Resumes and cover letters being distributed outside of the U.S. have specific requirements as to content, structure, and length. In the following weeks specific requirements for specific countries will be posted in this blog.

If the country in question requests personal information on the resume, this should come before qualification summaries or profiles.

The below guidelines are in addition to what is normally included in a resume or cover letter. If a certain area is not addressed for a specific country (eg: Education) that means the area does not differ from US resumes.

In referring to A4 page set up, this is the paper size used in some foreign countries. To use this for your document, simply go to page set up, paper size, and choose A4, rather than 8 ½” x 11”

ARGENTINA

Resume Guidelines

Personal Information (include):

1. Date of Birth
2. Place of Birth
3. Marital Status (“Civil” status refers to marital status)
4. Personal Identification Number
5. Number of Children and Their Ages (optional)
Never include religious or political beliefs, views, or interests

Objective:

1. If not applying for a specific position, an Objective is used.

Education (include):

1. GPA (10 points is the maximum)
2. Student internships or diploma work (thesis), including length of time and subject
3. Indicate if client has studied abroad
4. High School Education, including name of school, year graduated, and if study was abroad

Professional Experience (include):

1. Company Descriptors (indicating scope of company activities)
2. Gaps in Employment must be explained

Special Skills:

1. List Proficiency in Foreign Languages
2. List Specific Computer Skills
Length: No longer than three pages

Cover Letter Guidelines

Content (include):

1. What job is being applied for
2. Education, job title, years of experience in positions comparable to one being applied for
3. Key achievements
4. Why you are interested in this particular position
5. Skills, experience, abilities that will be valuable to targeted company
6. Salary requirements (if required by job posting)
7. Ability to relocate and travel for business
8. That you are interested in scheduling an interview

Additional Resources
ResumeEdge
SEO Expert | SEO Specialist

WHAT A RESUME IS NOT

2008-09-16T04:24:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

1. An exhaustive listing of everything you’ve done: Hiring managers aren’t interested in details from the beginning of your academic/professional career. Rule of thumb is to go back 10 years for IT professionals and no more than 15-20 years for those in other industries. Hiring managers won’t read excessive data, and by including too may years of experience you may be excluding yourself form consideration due to age discrimination.

2. A document that will guarantee an interview or job offer: A resume is the beginning of your job search. It cannot guarantee the end result. No matter how beautifully a resume is written, if your background doesn’t closely match the requirements of the job you will not be called in for an interview.

3. A document that will please your spouse, parents, colleagues, etc: The only audience that matters are hiring managers. Relatives, friends, colleagues, and acquaintances may be well-meaning, but they are not experts in resume writing.

4. A document that reflects your personality: Unless you’re in the performing arts or involved in a creative industry, a resume should be professional – period. Use of designer fonts and unusual formats will get you noticed and quickly dismissed as not being serious enough for the position.

5. A document that tells the hiring manager what you want: Hiring managers don’t care what you want – they’re interested in what you can bring to their companies in terms of increasing profits or reducing costs.

6. A document that is perfect in every way: Organization of data and showcasing accomplishments are what matter most in a resume. Worrying about cosmetic changes (eg: should there be one or two spaces after periods?) or tweaking the content (eg: should it be oversaw or managed?) till the end of time won’t garner an interview. In fact, endless revisions will cause you to miss out on important opportunities. Hiring managers aren’t looking for perfection in a resume, they are looking for hard skills that you can bring to their companies.

POWER VERB LIST

2008-09-09T05:26:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

To make your resume stand out from the countless others competing for a hiring manager’s attention, you must write interesting job descriptions. The best way to start is to begin all bulleted sentences with action verbs.

While the following list is not exhaustive, it does provide variety to spice up your text and increase readability. One caution though – the verbs you choose should reflect the industry you’re targeting and your career level.

For example: The CEO of a Fortune 500 company might write: “Expedited company sale by enlisting buyers from the British and Asian divisions.” On the other hand, a fast-food manager wouldn’t write that he “Expedited client orders by overhauling operations.” Rather, he would write: “Provided fast customer service by opening up new register lines, when needed."

A
abated
abbreviated
abolished
abridged
absolved
absorbed
accelerated
accentuated
accommodated
accomplished
accounted for
accrued
accumulated
achieved
acquired
acted
adapted
adopted
added
addressed
adjusted
administered
advanced
advertised
advised
advocated
affirmed
aided
alerted
aligned
allayed
alleviated
allocated
allotted
altered
amassed
amended
analyzed
answered
anticipated
appeased
applied
appointed
appraised
approached
appropriated
approved
arbitrated
aroused
arranged
articulated
ascertained
aspired
assembled
assessed
assigned
assimilated
assisted
assured
attained
attended
audited
augmented
authored
authorized
automated
averted
avoided
awarded

B
balanced
began
benchmarked
benefited
bid
billed
blended
blocked
bolstered
boosted
bought
branded
bridged
broadened
brought
budgeted
built

C
calculated
calibrated
capitalized
captured
cared for
carried
carved
categorized
catalogued
caught
cautioned
cemented
certified
chaired
challenged
championed
changed
charged
charted
checked
chose
chronicled
circulated
circumvented
cited
clarified
classified
cleaned
cleared
closed
coached
coded
collaborated
collated
collected
combined
commanded
commended
commenced
commissioned
communicated
compared
compiled
complemented
completed
complied
composed
compounded
computed
conceived
concentrated
conceptualized
condensed
conducted
conferred
configured
confirmed
confronted
connected
conserved
considered
consolidated
constructed
consulted
consummated
contacted
continued
contracted
contributed
controlled
converted
conveyed
convinced
cooperated
coordinated
copied
corrected
corresponded
counseled
created
critiqued
cultivated
customized
cut

D
dealt
debated
debugged
decided
decoded
decreased
dedicated
defined
delegated
delineated
delivered
demonstrated
deployed
derived
described
designated
designed
detailed
detected
determined
developed
devised
diagnosed
differentiated
diffused
directed
disbursed
discovered
discussed
dispatched
dispensed
displayed
disposed
disproved
dissected
disseminated
dissolved
distinguished
distributed
diversified
diverted
divested
divided
documented
doubled
drafted
dramatized
drew up
drove

E
earned
eased
economized
edited
educated
effected
elaborated
elected
elevated
elicited
eliminated
embraced
emphasized
empowered
enabled
encouraged
ended
enforced
engaged
engineered
enhanced
enlisted
enriched
enrolled
ensured
entered
entertained
enticed
equipped
established
estimated
evaluated
examined
exceeded
executed
exercised
exhibited
expanded
expedited
experienced
experimented
explained
explored
expressed
extended
extracted

F
fabricated
facilitated
factored
familiarized
fashioned
fielded
filed
filled
finalized
financed
fine tuned
finished
fixed
focused
followed
forecasted
forged
formalized
formed
formulated
fortified
forwarded
fostered
fought
found
founded
framed
fulfilled
functioned as
funded
furnished
furthered

G
gained
garnered
gathered
gauged
gave
generated
governed
graduated
grasped
greeted
grew
grouped
guaranteed
guided

H
halted
halved
handled
headed
heightened
held
helped
hired
honed
hosted
hypnotized
hypothesized

I
identified
ignited
illustrated
implemented
imported
improved
improvised
incited
included
incorporated
increased
indicated
individualized
indoctrinated
induced
influenced
informed
infused
initiated
innovated
inspected
inspired
installed
instilled
instituted
instructed
insured
integrated
intensified
interacted
interceded
interpreted
intervened
interviewed
invented
inventoried
invested
investigated
invigorated
invited
involved
isolated
issued
itemized

J
joined
judged
justified

L
launched
learned
lectured
led
lessened
leveraged
licensed
lifted
limited
linked
liquidated
listened
litigated
loaded
located
logged

M
made
maintained
managed
mandated
maneuvered
manipulated
manufactured
mapped
marked
marketed
mastered
maximized
measured
mediated
memorized
mentored
merged
merited
met
minimized
mobilized
modeled
moderated
modified
molded
monitored
monopolized
motivated
mounted
moved
multiplied

N
named
narrated
navigated
negotiated
netted
neutralized
nominated
normalized
notified
nurtured

O
observed
obtained
offered
officiated
offset
opened
operated
optimized
orchestrated
ordered
organized
oriented
originated
outdistanced
outlined
outperformed
overcame
overhauled
oversaw
owned

P
paced
packaged
packed
pared
participated
partnered
passed
penetrated
perceived
perfected
performed
persuaded
photographed
piloted
pinpointed
pioneered
placed
planned
played
praised
predicted
prepared
prescribed
presented
preserved
presided
prevailed
prevented
printed
prioritized
processed
procured
produced
profiled
programmed
progressed
projected
promoted
proofread
proposed
protected
proved
provided
pruned
publicized
purchased
pursued

Q
quadrupled
qualified
quantified
queried
questioned
quoted

R
raised
rallied
ranked
rated
reached
read
realigned
realized
rearranged
reasoned
rebuilt
received
recognized
recommended
reconciled
reconstructed
recorded
recovered
recruited
rectified
redesigned
redirected
reduced
re-engineered
referred
refocused
registered
regulated
rehabilitated
reinforced
reiterated
related
released
relied
relieved
remained
remodeled
rendered
renegotiated
renewed
reorganized
repaired
replaced
replied
replicated
reported
represented
reproduced
requested
researched
reserved
resolved
responded
restored
restructured
retained
retooled
retrieved
returned
revamped
reversed
reviewed
revised
revitalized
revolutionized
rewarded
risked
rotated
routed

S
safeguarded
salvaged
saved
scanned
scheduled
screened
sculptured
searched
secured
seized
selected
sent
separated
sequenced
served
serviced
set up
settled
shaped
shared
sharpened
shipped
shortened
showed
signed
simplified
simulated
sketched
slashed
smoothed
solicited
sold
solidified
solved
sorted
sourced
sparked
spearheaded
specialized
specified
speculated
spent
spoke
sponsored
spurred
staffed
standardized
started
steered
stimulated
streamlined
strengthened
stretched
structured
studied
submitted
succeeded
suggested
summarized
supervised
supplied
supported
surpassed
surveyed
swayed
swept
symbolized
synthesized
systemized

T
tabulated
tackled
talked
tallied
targeted
tasted
taught
teamed
tempered
tended
terminated
tested
testified
tied
took
topped
totaled
traced
tracked
trained
transcribed
transformed
transitioned
translated
transmitted
traveled
treated
trimmed
tripled
troubleshot
turned
tutored
typed

U
uncovered
underlined
underscored
undertook
underwrote
unearthed
unified
united
updated
upgraded
upheld
urged
used
utilized

V
validated
valued
vaulted
verbalized
verified
viewed
visualized
voiced
volunteered

W
weathered
weighed
widened
withstood
won
worked
wove
wrote

Y
yielded

COVER LETTERS – YOUR FIRST CHANCE TO MAKE A LASTING IMPRESSION

2008-09-02T04:04:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Hiring managers routinely receive hundreds, perhaps thousands, of responses from applicants for any given job. To avoid having your resume sink in this sea of paper, it’s imperative to stand out from the crowd and make a good first impression.

A compelling cover letter that employs five essential rules will convince a hiring manager to read an applicant’s resume.

Rule #1 -- Appearance

The resume and cover letter must be aesthetically pleasing and consistent in appearance. This would include using the same heading and fonts in each with both produced on a high-quality printer and paper (if documents are being “snail” mailed). Save the designer stationery and stylish fonts for writing letters to friends. A professional employment package never sets a casual tone.

Rule #2 – Target Your Audience

Always use the hiring manager’s name in the salutation. If the contact’s name isn’t provided in the job posting, a bit of Internet research or a well-structured phone call can produce results. In using the contact’s name, the cover letter is personalized, while also showing the applicant’s interest in the company. Remember, a letter addressed to ‘Dear Sir or Madam’ or worse, ‘To Whom It May Concern,’ has the same impact as one addressed to ‘Dear Occupant.’

Rule #3 – A Strong Opening

A dynamic opening paragraph is essential to capture and retain a hiring manager’s interest. Pared down to essentials, for a quick and effective read, it should include reference to the position being sought and a brief statement as to why the applicant feels qualified to fill the job. Emphasis should always be placed on what the applicant can do for the targeted company, while also providing quantifiable proof as to why this is true.

Rule #4 – Showcasing Accomplishments

Include a bulleted area to emphasize accomplishments pertinent to the targeted job. Not only does this break up large blocks of text that a hiring manager might find daunting, it also draws the eye towards the most important part of the cover letter – what the applicant has to offer.

Rule #5 – A Proactive Closing

Always initiate further action at the end of a cover letter. A proactive closing indicates that the applicant will call within a few days to see if a time might be scheduled to meet. To wait for a hiring manager to take that first step is to risk losing the opportunity to another candidate.

AVOIDING THE TOP TEN PITFALLS OF RESUME WRITING

2008-08-26T05:28:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Creating a succinct and attractive resume that contains well-prioritized data is one of the major challenges facing candidates today. Not only will an applicant’s resume be competing against hundreds of others, it must clearly portray the candidate in the most favorable light and as the most appropriate choice for the opening. In order to do this, several resume pitfalls must be avoided:

1. Poor or Inappropriate Formatting: The first impression a resume makes on an admissions director or hiring manager is generally the most lasting. Large blocks of uninterrupted text, small margins, text that is very small, or an abundance of bolding, italics, and “designer” fonts make documents difficult to read. Only one font (preferably Times New Roman or Arial) should be employed and never in a point size lower than 11. Bolding should be left to the header information (name, address, phone number, email) and subheadings within the document (Profile, Work History, Education). A candidate’s industry or field will determine whether the resume format will be conservative (i.e. Physicians, Teachers, CPAs, Individuals Seeking Admission to Graduate Schools, etc.) or more stylish (i.e. Marketing Professionals, Artists, Performers, etc.).

2. Lack of Focus: An effective resume should indicate to the reader within seven seconds, or less, the candidate’s targeted position and qualifications that match the opening. It’s not enough to list schooling, work history, and activities. Admissions directors and hiring managers will not thoroughly read a resume to cull needed information – candidates must provide this data quickly and effectively. Qualifications Summaries should include information as to what is sought (a position or entrance into a university program) and the candidate’s qualifications that are related to this. Employment History, Accomplishments, and Education should build upon what is provided in the Qualifications Summary.

3. Use of Self-serving Objective Statements: In today’s economy hiring managers are not interested in what a candidate wants (i.e. Seeking a position that will fully utilize my college education and provide for sufficient advancement within the industry). Rather, they seek candidates that clearly state what they can do for the targeted company in terms of cutting costs, increasing profits, and enhancing productivity. Hiring manager’s take note of applicants who place the company’s needs above their own.

4. Poor Data Prioritization: A resume should reveal the candidate’s professional & academic background as it applies to the targeted position or program being sought, and in reverse-chronological order (the last job worked or school attended is listed first within that section). If Education is an important qualification it should be presented before Work History, not dead last on the document. If real-world experience is valued, then it should come before Education. If special skills, such as IT, are at a premium, they should be showcased immediately after the opening summary, not left to the end of a two-page resume.

5. Failure to Showcase and Quantify Accomplishments: Hiring managers and admissions directors will not read every line of a resume to determine what a candidate has to offer, especially if it’s buried within dense blocks of text. Applicants must provide special sections indicating professional or academic achievements and these must be quantified. It’s not enough to write: Increased productivity within the division. Hiring managers and admissions directors will find this self-serving. A better way to present the data is to write: Increased productivity 58% within three-months of hire by retraining staff on latest accounting software. Providing percentages/dollar figures and time frames strengthen achievements.

6. Including Non-relevant Data: Hobbies and interests unless directly related to the current job search should never be included – such activities do not enhance candidacy. Additionally, birth dates, religious affiliations, race, social security numbers, and marital data should never be included.

7. Inappropriate Length: There is no one correct page length for a resume. The document is as long as it has to be in order to provide a clear and effective picture of the candidate. Professionals with many years of experience will most likely have two pages. To cram this data into one page or exclude important information in order to reach an arbitrary length will only dilute candidacy. The key is to provide only that data which is relevant to the current career goal. When this rule if followed, appropriate page length is always reached.

8. Personalizing the Document and using Casual Language: Modern resumes are business documents and should never be personalized with use of “I’ “my” “we” or other personal pronouns. Additionally, the tone of the resume should always remain professional and businesslike – slang is always excluded.

9. Redundancy of Data: Once information has been provided in a resume, whether it’s in the Qualifications Summary, Career Accomplishments section, or Professional Experience section, it is not repeated elsewhere. Hiring managers and admissions directors soon tire of redundancy and feel the candidate is padding the resume to reach a certain page length.

10. Spelling or Grammatical Errors and Incorrect Verb Tense: Once a spelling or grammatical error is detected by an admissions director or hiring manager, they will stop reading the resume. Their trust in that person’s abilities is forever lost. This is also true when dates of employment or education are obviously incorrect (i.e. a recent college graduate listing the date of graduation as 1979 instead of 1999), or when verb tense does not match dates of employment (i.e. current jobs have duties listed in present tense; previous jobs have duties listed in past tense).

WHEN YOUR RESUME NEEDS TO BE CONVERTED INTO A CV

2008-08-19T06:12:00.001-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Generally speaking, CVs or Curriculum Vitaes, are only used in the United States when the candidate is:

1. Seeking an academic position or a fellowship

2. Has been published frequently within their career field

3. The company or institution to which the CV is being submitted requests a longer, more
detailed version of the candidate’s history

Overseas, however, the situation is far different. Although some countries will accept resumes, most still want CVs. If you are applying to another country for a position it’s important that you note how candidate data differs in that country and in this one. Overseas employers may ask for a listing of:

1. Personal information such as date of birth, marital status, nationality, religion,
and number of children.

2. Linguistic and computer capabilities (this is nearly standard in other countries)

Additionally, presentation of data may vary from country to country (some prefer Education to be listed first, while others want Professional Experience or Work History)

General Rules for Converting a Resume to a CV

Font Type & Format

When creating a CV from a resume, it’s important to note that CVs tend to be more formal. Whereas a stylish format and “designer” font can be used in resume creation, it’s best to err on the conservative side with a CV.

Choose the Times New Roman font and a standard template that separates data under appropriate subheadings – i.e. Career Accomplishments, Licensing, Professional Experience, Publications, etc. CVs are generally so lengthy, they should be easy to navigate.

Data Inclusion

Because most resumes are two-pages or less, information such as publications, extensive training, and career history that spans decades is rarely included.

In a CV, however, all publications should be listed, as well as all relevant training. Full work history should also be provided even if it encompasses twenty years or more.

WHEN YOU NEED TO TURN YOUR CURRICULUM VITAE INTO A RESUME

2008-08-12T05:34:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

While Curriculum Vitaes, or CVs as they are known, are quite standard in other countries, resumes are the norm in the United States.

So what do you do if you have a 10 to 15 page CV, but need a resume that does not exceed two pages?

Your first goal is to retain only that which is relevant to your career search, and pare down or exclude all non-essential data.

The Essentials – What to Keep

1. Your name and contact information (address, phone number, and email)

2. An opening summary that gives a clear and quick picture of what you have to offer, and contains an objective statement if you’re in a career transition or are targeting a specific industry/job.

3. Career Accomplishments that are quantified and are relevant to your new career goal.

4. Professional History providing a succinct listing of daily duties. Note: It’s important not to go back more than 15 years. For IT professionals, the maximum would be 10 years. Hiring managers are not interested in reading about every job a candidate has ever had. They want to know what you’ve recently done.

5. Educational data, and any training that’s germane to your new career search.

The Non-essentials – What to Exclude

1. Personal information. U.S. hiring managers cannot, and will not, ask to see details concerning your marital status, number of children, religious or political affiliation, or your date of birth on a resume.

2. Publications and Presentations. Whereas CVs generally list page after page of the candidate’s published work, resumes do not.

3. Hobbies or Interests. Hiring managers want to see only that data which proves a candidate will be able to fulfill job duties or excel at them. Collecting stamps, listening to music, or reading books does little to enhance anyone’s candidacy.

4. Volunteer work: Always exclude unless it’s directly related to your career goal. For example, volunteering time at a hospital when you’re in a health-related field.

By prioritizing data and keeping work history within a certain time frame even the lengthiest of CVs can be effectively reduced to a readable and appropriate two page format.

TECHNICAL (IT) INTERVIEWS

2008-08-05T02:34:00.000-07:00

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.

HOW TO PREPARE FOR THE BIG INTERVIEW

2008-07-29T02:22:00.000-07:00

by Lou Huskey, ResumeEdge.com Editor, CPRW

Aside from having an effective resume prepared, one of the most important aspects of your job search will be knowing how to get ready for a face-to-face interview. There are several tips that will help you maximize your communications skills and leave the hiring authority ready to make you a job offer.

1. First of all, usually a telephone interview will be arranged by either the company representative or your personnel recruiter. You will want to be in top form on the phone, listening intently and giving enough information regarding your background to entice the hiring authority to bring you in and learn more about what you have to contribute.

2. When arriving for your interview, be sure to be on time, bright-eyed and bushy-tailed. If you are late for your appointment, know that the prospective employer will see this as a sign that you will be late to work. Be sure to greet everyone you are introduced to with a smile and a firm handshake. Image is important, so dress professionally and remember that you get one chance to make a good first impression.

3. As the interview progresses, be attentive and ask questions in a manner that will keep the conversation balanced. The last thing you want to do is talk too long and go on about details the employer may not be interested in. Watch and listen to make sure you are holding their attention by offering answers that are brief and to the point. It is always an excellent idea to do research about the company ahead of time so that you can ask intelligent questions and make reference to information you have learned about your prospective employer. The interviewer needs to hear that you are impressed with their organization and the direction they are headed in the marketplace.

4. By searching on the internet, you will find possible questions that might be asked. This will give you a chance to think over how you will respond on the day of your interview. Study the job requirements and if there is something you are familiar with but not proficient in, you can search these topics as well to be sure you will have knowledge in these areas. By preparing yourself ahead of time, answers will come much easier and the conversation will flow without hesitation. Of course, you won’t know exactly what they will ask, but you can have a bit of a heads up on some things that might surface by doing a little reading before you meet with the company.

5. Before leaving, be sure to acquire business cards from the key people you interviewed with. It is crucial to have this contact information so that you can follow-up with a thank you letter when you return home.

Keep in mind that it may take several interviews before you find the right career opportunity that best suits your expertise and interests. When you do, be sure to let the hiring authority know you would like to have an offer and that you will prove to be an asset to their team.

Lou Huskey served over 25 years as a professional recruiter first with a private employment agency, then with Management Recruiters, and eventually as owner of her own recruiting and consulting firm. She is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and has prepared thousands of resumes for candidates at all levels over the span of her career. Lou has a solid understanding of exactly what prospective employers are looking for in a resume and how to “sell” an individual’s background by creating effective resumes, cover letters, follow-up and thank you letters for each of her clients. Request Lou for your ResumeEdge.com product by keying her last name only, no caps (Huskey) in the ‘request your editor field of the ResumeEdge.com online form. http://www.resumeedge.com/

WHAT ‘RIGHT-SIZING’ MEANS TO YOUR CAREER

2008-07-22T02:21:00.001-07:00

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.

OVERCOMING EMPLOYER OBJECTIONS TO AN ONLINE DEGREE

2008-07-15T03:30:00.000-07:00

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.

THE PROFESSIONAL TOUCH: MAKING THE MOST OF YOUR CERTIFICATIONS & LICENSURE

2008-07-08T03:06:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Every professional designation that is germane to your career goal should be listed and showcased at the very beginning of your resume. Providing hiring managers with visual cues as to your professional level quickly and effectively captures their attention.

Methods to Showcase Your Certifications and Licensure:

1. Include the licensure after your name in the resume heading (eg: CPA, MD, RN, JD, etc.)

2. Provide a separate section directly beneath the Qualifications Summary with details as to where you are licensed to practice law, medicine, sell real estate, etc.

3. Use company logos to indicate certification (eg: Microsoft Certified Systems Administrator, Oracle Certified Professional, etc.)

A Word About Providing Details of Your Certifications & Licensure

Because hiring managers expect specifics in applicant resumes, you should:

1. Include ending dates of certification, when applicable.

2. States or countries where the certification or licensure is in effect.

3. Whether continuing education is being met or has been met in order to retain certification.

A Word About Data Security

If you are planning to email your resume or post it to a website, it is advisable not to include any certification or license numbers. In the past, individuals have taken these numbers and sold them on the open market. Your best bet is to list the licensing agency and date on your resume with the note that your license or certification number will be provided during the interview process.

Answers to Frequently Asked Questions

· Although I am an attorney, I don’t practice and am currently looking for work in the HR field. Should I still include those states where I’m licensed to practice law?

Yes. All industries have legal issues that must be addressed. In HR these might be employment law, union negotiations, and contracts (just to name a few). By indicating on your resume that you’re an attorney and licensed to practice in the states where your resume will be distributed could give you an advantage over less-qualified applicants.

· Since I’m targeting a job as an Oracle Database Administrator, should I exclude my Microsoft Certifications?

Certifications within a certain industry (in your case IT) indicate that you’re willing to remain current in your field and to excel. With new IT companies and products continually entering the market, your past history of certification (Oracle and Microsoft) will indicate to a hiring manager that you will be receptive to future certification, no matter the company. However, because Oracle Database Administration is your current goal, it should be showcased first.

· I’ve only passed two parts of the CPA exam so far, how do I include this on my resume?

You may include it in your Qualifications Summary, writing something like this:

“Seeking CPA certification; successfully passed two parts of the examination in January 2003.”
By adding the date the examination was passed or the date you expect to be certified indicates to a hiring manager that you are serious about obtaining this designation.

IF YOU HAVE A CRIMINAL BACKGROUND

2008-07-01T04:20:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Initiating a successful job search and creating an effective resume if you have a criminal background will depend upon several key factors.

1. Was your offense recent or well in the past?

The laws governing employer inquiries into a candidate’s criminal past vary from time to time and could vary from state to state. If your offense was well in the past (15 or more years removed), and there have been no new offenses, and your work history since that time has been consistent, then your resume should be no different than one provided by a candidate without a criminal past.

2. Was your offense classified as an infraction, misdemeanor, or a felony?

Infractions and misdemeanors (eg: speeding tickets, disturbing the peace, etc.) will not alter your professional history (unless your speeding tickets resulted in a license suspension and you need a driver’s license to work). Therefore, your resume should be no different than one provided by any other candidate.

However, if your offense was for a serious felony, and you were convicted, there will be an employment gap on your resume. If the felony was well into the past and no criminal activities have occurred since that time, the professional history on your resume can begin after time was served. Another option is to create a functional resume where your skills and qualifications are presented first, while a listing of your employers is placed last. Such data organization helps to minimize gaps in employment that may have been caused by incarceration.

3. Was your offense substantially related to your past or projected career?

Convictions for offenses that cause disbarment, removal of licenses, etc., will substantially alter your chances to again work in that field. For example, if you were an accountant convicted of embezzlement, your best option is to transition to a new career in which your analytical and math skills are useful, but you will not be handling funds. Again, a functional resume format stressing capabilities, your intent of entering a new career field (in which you can use your past skills), while minimizing gaps in employment, is best.

4. Did you have consistent work history and performance before the offense?

If you were a valuable employee with numerous accomplishments, these should be showcased. Again, a functional format emphasizing skills and abilities is best

5. Are you about to be paroled?

Generally speaking, parole is contingent upon available employment. If you’re seeking parole, your resume should list work history before incarceration and any training or coursework taken while incarcerated. A reverse chronological format or a functional format is acceptable as your criminal history will be known to the potential employer.

A GENERAL GUIDE FOR RECENT HIGH SCHOOL GRADUATES

2008-06-24T03:46:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

As you enter the job market for what may be the very first time, there are some key points to remember as to what employment opportunities you can expect, and how to maximize your chances within this field.

1. Employment prospects for recent high school graduates:

Generally speaking, high school graduates will be hired for entry-level vocational work (if appropriately skilled) such as auto repair and service-related positions whether that’s in administrative and clerical or as a food service worker at a local fast-food chain. Other opportunities lie in physically demanding work such as a warehouse loader.

2. Maximizing skills to get that first full-time position:

Clearly state on your resume any vocational skills learned during high school that are valued by employers. These would include:

A. Clerical or administrative skills
1. Typing (be certain to include wpm)
2. Data entry
3. 10-key by touch
4. Proficiency in computer software (list specific programs)

B. Trades
1. Auto Mechanics
2. Cooking
3. Sewing (and tailoring)

3. Minimizing Youth & Professional Inexperience:

Even before being called in for an interview, the best way to prove you have a mature attitude (despite your youth) and a professional demeanor is to submit a flawless, meticulously crafted resume.

Nothing shouts inexperience more than using personal pronouns in a resume (eg: “I” “my” “our” “we”). The same goes for putting an objective within the document (eg: “I’m looking for a position where I can earn good money and advance quickly.”). Seasoned professionals know that the hiring manager is always more interested in what the applicant can do for the company, rather than what the company can do to make the applicant happy.

By crafting an outstanding resume that is to-the-point and clearly states your employment skills as related to your goal, you’ll be telling the hiring manager that you are ready for that first full-time position.

The Professional Touch: Using Consistency in Publication Presentation

2008-06-17T03:24:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Publications are generally included in a Curriculum Vitae (CV) for scientific and academic professionals. The standards of presentation have evolved so that consistency is maintained throughout. This includes:

1. Placing your and co-author names as they appear in the publication.
2. Bolding your name.
3. Maintaining consistency in presentation of names (eg: first initials only or full names for all)
4. Providing the date of publication or expected publication date last.
5. Italicizing the name of the publication in which the data appeared.
6. Providing publication volume and page numbers so that the data can be accessed by
interested parties.
7. Indenting the second line of type so that the data is attractively presented and easy to read.
8. Presenting data in reverse chronological order.

An example:

Kale, M, Ph.D.; Withers, T; Roberts, A; Trent, Z; and Forsyth, L. “Vitamin D deficiency in mature rats.” Neurobiol. Advisor. 51:770-774. 2002.

Brennan, DK; Rose, C; Kale, M, Ph.D.; Zhang, F; Sares, H; Reese, M; Haenal, D; and Nolan, R. “Inner retina retinoid metabolism.” Exp. Res. 14:564-570. 2001.

Wolfe, B; Norville, D; Jennings, M; Dosenbach, JT; Freeland, T; Guillianno, A; Kale, M, Ph.D.; and Withers, T. “Retinol dehydrogenase.” Modern Biochemistry. 11:1430-1440. 2000.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

· I’m going to be placing my publications on my website – are there privacy issues in listing my co-authors’ names?

Only if the publication has not been accepted as yet. In that case, you might ask for your co-authors’ permission to post their names on your website. In the event they refuse, you might want to list your full name followed by “…with co-authors”. Make certain that at the end of the listing you write “publication pending,” in lieu of a date and that you list this publication under the subheading of “Submitted Manuscripts.”

· How are Abstracts listed?

The same as Publications and Presentations. The idea is to maintain consistency throughout your resume or CV so that your document has a professional appearance with data that is easily accessible.

· Colleagues have indicated that there is one way to present publications for scientific CVs and another for academic CVs. Since I am involved in both fields, which should I use?

If you’re submitting your CV to a particular school or institution, you may want to call first and ask if they have a preferred format. If so, adhere to it. If not, make certain that all of your data follows one consistent format.

SAMPLES

Whether your CV or resume contains publications, presentations, abstracts, submitted manuscripts, conferences – or all of these – the important thing is to maintain consistency of presentation for a professional and winning appearance.

For example:

PUBLICATIONS

Refereed Paper

“Industry Analysis and Corporate Strategy of Telecommunication Resales,” Policy Issue, Vol. 22, No. 7, #13, DIKI: New Mexico, 2000.

“Trends of Mobile Telecommunications,” Policy Issue, Vol. 20, No. 26, #15, DIKI: New York, 1999.

Project Report

“Radio Promotion Tactics,” Song, T; Wright, J; Manville, KK; Winters, F, Thompson, C; Larkspur, L; and Franklin, M. Research Reports, #07-30, 2001.

“Number Portability Demand Survey,” Franklin, M; Wright, J; Thompson, C; and Franklin, M. Project Reports, #15-22, 2000.

PAPERS

Industry Analysis Papers

“Mobile Number Portability Analysis,” Information Policy, DIKI: Las Vegas, Nevada, Vol. 3, No. 7, #482, pp. 150-170, 2003.

“EU Member Countries Number Portability Policies,” Telecommunications Policy, DIKI: Salt Lake City, Utah, Vol. 53, No. 2, #55, pp. 1-21, 2002.

“European Telecommunications Market Restructuring,” Information Policy, DIKI: Seattle, Washington, Vol. 21, No. 51, #116, pp. 1-7, 2000.

CONFERENCES

International Refereed Conferences

“Planning Toward IMT-2000: Telephony Service,” 17th International Conference: Analysis, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, 2003.

“Telephony Resale Market in Europe,” SPROP’ 2002, Singapore, 2002.

Domestic Refereed Conference

“Local Number Portability,” 2002 Conference, State College, Phoenix, Arizona, 2002.

“Policy for the Broadband Wireless Local Loop,” 2001Conference, State University, Dayton, Ohio, 2001.

The Professional Touch – Personal Data

2008-06-10T03:54:00.000-07:00

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 - i.e. 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.

HOBBIES & INTERESTS ON RESUMES

2008-06-03T04:24:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Generally speaking, hiring managers expect resumes to be focused towards business-related activities that can indicate to them your potential on the job. However, hobbies and interests that show leadership, technical skills, commitment to community, or team-playing capabilities may also enhance your candidacy. These might include:

1. Volunteer work for such organizations as Junior Achievement, the “Y”, Girl or Boy Scouts, being a Big Brother or a Big Sister, etc.

2. Clubs that enhance skills and test proficiency, which can be useful on the job. These would include Computer Clubs, Language Clubs, Toastmasters, International (public speaking), etc.

3. Participating in events to help a good cause (eg: 10-K run for cancer research)

A Word About Hobbies and Interests that Should Not be Included in Resumes

Avoid mentioning those with:

1. Political overtones (eg: The Young Republican Club, volunteering for an individual seeking public office)

2. Danger (eg: skydiving, racing cars, mountain climbing, motorcycling)

3. Expense beyond your means (eg: coin collecting, European travel, buying antiques)

4. Unusual (eg: collecting Elvis paraphernalia, attending Star Trek conventions)

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

· I’m a female company vice president whose only hobby is knitting. Won’t that make me seem old or too female?

Unless the hobby enhances your candidacy, it probably shouldn’t be included on your resume. However, if you’ve donated articles you knitted (to a local woman’s center or perhaps for preemies at the hospital), mentioning this indicates to a hiring manager that you are a well-rounded individual capable of running a business, while also attending to ‘people’ issues.

· I really don’t have any hobbies other than watching television at night. Should I just make something up?

Hobbies and interests are not required on a resume, therefore it’s advisable to exclude your television viewing habits. It’s always best to remain truthful so that you’re not surprised by any questions during the interview process.

ILLUSTRATE YOUR RESUME!

2008-05-27T11:28:00.000-07:00

by Amrita Douglas, ResumeEdge.com Editor

So you’ve finally rendered every last trim and run Compressor with your fingers crossed for the last time. After weeks of being a slave to cornea bending slices of time, you are very wisely stopping just before you ruin your work. You would trade two weeks in Tahiti for two weeks in REM, easy, but before you go anywhere, you have to remind the world you’re still in it. Your reel is up on blogspot, but then so is everyone else’s, and the videos still take a while to load—are you going to hand out business cards with your blog address and hope for the best? Wait until someone kindly offers you a few hours of work in Dreamweaver for free so you can finally get your web site up?

Better to illustrate your resume in Word! As they say, a picture is worth a thousand words, especially if any old mail program can open it. These days, Word can perform all sorts of tricks that once only Quark could do. You can import pictures and resize them in place, run text around images, over and under them, distort them and add animations. But it’s best not to get carried away, because your resume should be about what you can do, and not about what the application you write it in can do.

Choose your text carefully. Keep it spare and simple, and make its content traditional, because this time the pictures are going to do a lot of the talking. If you position an image right by the relevant text, it will illuminate the text. But if you list your work for the Discovery Channel, don't place your favorite, most recognizable frame from A Clockwork Orange next to that listing. Overall, make sure that the images you select are in keeping with the work you're applying for. If you badly want to work on John Waters’ next film, it’s better to show that you made a promotional spot for the BBC version of Life and Loves of a She-Devil or even Teletubbies than to put in a frame from Army Wives. If you have a special hand with certain kinds of transitions, select a frame that shows an actual transition to show what you can do.

Make a folder and fill it with images that you have grabbed out of halted footage. Assign a key in Photoshop to cut down on time when reducing the file size of each image to just short of thumbnail, and don't bother with anything bigger than 72 dpi—it needs to stay small. When you have the text saying exactly what you want, avoid using text boxes and start positioning pictures straight into the text using the commands under Insert and the Formatting Palette under View. Click on the image to start manipulating it in the Formatting Palette. You can do more positioning manually if you go to Wrapping then Style and select Through. Once you have the pictures positioned as you want in order to project a particular overall concept, save the document as a PDF and then use Acrobat Pro to optimize and further reduce the file size, ready for deployment at any time. You can go back and re-illustrate the same text with different sets of images to highlight different aspects of your work experience and save different versions ahead of time so you can respond to openings immediately.

By all means, display the url for the site where you have posted your reel in a prominent position. After looking at your resume, people should be tempted to move on and check out samples of your work in action.

Amrita Douglas is a writer and an editor of both text and footage, with an academic background in Psychology, Biology, English Literature and Design. She lives in New York City and has transliterated research papers from many parts of the world into Standard American English. Culturally omnivorous, she draws on her background in India, Britain, the East Coast of the United States and other places, to reach out to others from beyond those parts of the world. As an editor, she takes particular interest in the ways that English is developing in different countries and in learning about the concerns and values of a wide variety of clients. Request Amrita for your ResumeEdge.com product by keying in her last name only, no caps (douglas) in the 'request your editor' field of the ResumeEdge.com online form. http://www.resumeedge.com/

GENERATING INTEREST IN YOUR RESUME

2008-05-20T05:04:00.000-07:00

by Lou Huskey, ResumeEdge.com Editor, CPRW

When applying for a specific position, it is important to make sure you include as many keywords within your field of expertise in order to generate a potential employer’s interest. Companies are receiving hundreds of resume each day and yours needs to stand out among all the others.

1. If there is a specific position that you are interested in applying for, be sure to research the company and thoroughly go over the job description and position requirements. If they have specific requirements for the opening and you have experience that fits what they are looking for, highlight this information early on in your resume so the reader can quickly see that you “match” the position. Use caution that you aren’t repeating the wording in the advertisement and don’t rule yourself out even if you feel you’re not a close match. Send the resume and let them decide.

2. When submitting your resume to various job sites and employers, it is important to include contributions and achievements along with, of course, explanations of your duties and responsibilities with current and past employers as well as your educational background. The resume is basically your advertisement and your goal is to create enough interest that will result in the organization wanting to learn more about you by telephone or in a face-to-face interview. When too many heavy details are included, you run the risk of overloading the reader, which can result in missing important accomplishments you have contributed during your career. A prospective employer isn’t going to take the time to read a resume that is too lengthy.

3. Finally, if you have been caught in a reduction in force, be assured that you will eventually have success in landing a job. Candidates who appear to be in a desperate situation simply don’t come across as well as candidates who have an image of confidence and self-worth. Many times when someone is no longer working, they feel lost and unsure. If you can look at an unemployment situation as a way of putting 100% of your efforts into the new job search, you will find far more success than those who sit by the phone waiting for it to ring. Get out there and make things happen!

Lou Huskey served over 25 years as a professional recruiter first with a private employment agency, then with Management Recruiters, and eventually as owner of her own recruiting and consulting firm. She is a Certified Professional Resume Writer (CPRW) and has prepared thousands of resumes for candidates at all levels over the span of her career. Lou has a solid understanding of exactly what prospective employers are looking for in a resume and how to “sell” an individual’s background by creating effective resumes, cover letters, follow-up and thank you letters for each of her clients. Request Lou for your ResumeEdge.com product by keying in her last name only, no caps (huskey) in the 'request your editor' field of the ResumeEdge.com online form. http://www.resumeedge.com/

FORMATTING YOUR RESUME TO SEND AS AN ATTACHMENT

2008-05-13T14:09:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Although computers have simplified document creation and delivery (at least most of the time), there are some basic formatting rules to follow so that the document you see on your computer screen will look the same on the potential employer’s PC.

1. IF YOU’RE SENDING YOUR RESUME AS AN ATTACHMENT:

The most basic rule to follow is to choose a font that is universal on all PCs and Macs, rather than one of the more stylish designer fonts. The reason for this is simple – not all computers have all fonts. In fact, many have only a few (this would include the universal Times New Roman or Arial). Therefore, when a document with designer fonts is downloaded onto an individual’s computer that doesn’t have those fonts, another will be substituted. The font may be far larger or smaller than the one originally chosen. This, of course, throws off formatting, creating a document that’s two pages (when it should be one), or three (when it should be two). To avoid this, always use Times New Roman or Arial to maintain formatting.

If your document absolutely requires a designer font because you’re in an artistic field (eg: graphic designer, artist, writer, etc.), then you can create an Adobe PDF of the document. It will transmit beautifully to any computer – however, keep in mind that an Adobe Reader is needed to view the document. If the potential employer doesn’t have one on the company computer, your beautiful document will come up as code.

2. IF THE PROSPECTIVE EMPLOYER WON’T ACCEPT ATTACHMENTS BECAUSE OF THE THREAT OF VIRUSES:

In this case your only choice would be to provide an ascii/txt resume, which you’ll paste into the body of your email.

What is an ascii/txt resume?

It’s your Word resume, converted to a non-formatted layout. That is, all text is flush left with no italics, no bolding, and no underscoring. Instead of bullets, asterisks (*) are used.

For example, a portion of a Word resume might look like this:

CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE, Taylor’s, Lawrenceville, New Jersey 2002-Present
- Manage 14 major trade accounts, including EDI orders, and online store information for 200+ titles.
- Process inclusion and major trade credits; acquire proof of delivery for all major trade shipments.
- Conduct weekly inventory and provide backorder adjustments.
- Provide phone/customer support for CyberEdit.com; handle all e-mail support for various divisions.

That same information converted to ascii/txt would look like this:

CUSTOMER CARE REPRESENTATIVE, Taylor’s, Lawrenceville, New Jersey, 2002-Present
* Manage 14 major trade accounts, including EDI orders, and online store information for 200+ titles.
* Process inclusion and major trade credits; acquire proof of delivery for all major trade shipments.
* Conduct weekly inventory and provide backorder adjustments.
* Provide phone/customer support for CyberEdit.com; handle all e-mail support for various divisions.

To convert to ascii/txt simply save your Word document as Plain Text, then go to “Start” “Run” “Notepad”, then wherever you saved the document on your computer. Once it’s on your screen, clean up the formatting by taking out unnecessary spaces. That’s all there is to it.

YOU’RE A NEW GRADUATE AND YOUR DEGREE DOESN’T FIT THE POSITION

2008-05-06T09:08:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Many entry-level candidates either graduated in a field that is considered “industry-soft” (eg: History, English, Liberal Arts, etc.) or in such a crowded field (eg: Information Technology, Marketing, Education) that when it comes time to find a job, they must seek something outside their field of interest.

This creates the challenge of proving to a hiring manager that despite a non-related degree, the candidate is a good match for the opening. To overcome employer objections, adhere to the following guidelines when creating your resume:

1. Fully research the job opening: Look at several openings in the same field you’ve targeted to get a sense of what an employer is looking for in terms of qualifications. Make a list of all the qualifications required that you meet.

2. Dovetail what an employer wants with what you can do: Taking that list of qualifications you’ve just made, write a brief sentence on how you fulfilled that qualification in the past (eg: “Bachelor’s Degree needed” -- Received Bachelor of Arts in History in 2004). This will build your summary of qualifications which will open your resume.

3. Showcase previous work history that’s related to the new opening: Even if you only worked summers and part-time at night during school, list any professional activity that’s related to the new job. For example: If you worked in customer service and received stellar reviews because of your interaction with customers, this can be used in a resume in which you’ve targeted a sales position, which is certainly people-oriented.

4. Emphasize general coursework if what you learned will help in the new job: Every college student has to take math, English, and a host of other general academics in order to graduate. If you are considering an entry-level job in which math is important, showcase the math you took during college, while also including any academic awards you received.

5. List general skills that are sought by all employers: This would include typing speed (if over 40 wpm), ability to do 10-key, experience in answering multi-lined telephone systems, and computer proficiency (be certain to include names of applications as hiring managers always prefer specifics).

6. Also include specialized skills: Languages in which you are fluent, licensing if it can be used by the employer (eg: notary public, medical billing), and anything else that will enhance your candidacy.

7. Volunteer work or community activities: If you’ve met goals in fund-raising or helped a candidate get elected to office, these are invaluable people skills that could be parlayed into a sales position.

The idea is to take what you have and show how it relates to the current job opening.

IF YOU’RE RETURNING TO WORK AFTER A LONG HIATUS

2008-04-29T07:10:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

It’s no secret that an increasing number of men have opted to be stay-at-home moms, while even the most energetic career women sometimes have to leave the workforce because of family needs.

Even if years separate you from the last job and the new career goal, there are tricks to turning a potential negative into an asset – it’s just a matter of knowing what to do.

1. Never explain in a resume that you have been unemployed for a number of years.

Opening a resume with a negative immediately places you at a disadvantage to other candidates applying for the same position. Instead, you should focus on your skills and qualifications as they relate to the job opening. That’s really all a hiring manager wants to see.

2. Personal data regarding your hiatus should not be included in the document.

All too often, candidates feel they must be completely up-front in a resume, or somehow explain their absence from the workforce. Therefore, they include comments like: “Being a stay-at-home mom with Johnny was one of the most rewarding periods of my life.” (That may well be, but a hiring manager will wonder if that person will be effective and professional in a business environment.) or “A serious disease and subsequent operation took me out of the work force. However, now I feel quite well and am able to meet all work-related challenges.” (Most hiring managers would worry about hiring a candidate who was so seriously ill, and that person’s effect on the company’s health insurance premiums.)

3. Use a functional format that stresses skills, rather than a reverse-chronological format that stresses an unbroken history of employment.

Think of a resume as a marketing tool with you as the product. Showcase the positive (skills, qualifications, recent education in the chosen field), while downplaying the negative (employment gaps).

4. List any Volunteer work or Community Service that is relevant to your new career goal.

If you have organized numerous charitable functions, raised funds, directed a group of volunteers, or interfaced with the media about community-related events, these are all transferable skills.

5. Showcase only that Education and Training which is current to the career sought.

This is particularly true for someone in Information Technology. IT has changed so rapidly over the years that showcasing coursework or degrees attained even 10 years ago will date your document, and be certain to hurt your candidacy. Instead, current training – as it applies to the new career – should be accentuated.

TRADE & VOCATIONAL RESUMES

2008-04-22T05:03:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

As recently as five years ago, many trade and vocational positions (eg: auto mechanics, beauticians, plumbers, etc.) did not require that an applicant produce a resume with relevant professional and vocational history. The interested party simply approached the individual in charge of hiring and asked for a job. In today’s tight employment market, with many of the local operations being absorbed by corporate-run chains or franchises, a resume is an absolute must. And like all resumes, the content must be tailored to the appropriate audience and contain relevant candidate skills.

1. For candidates who are High School Graduates

High school vocational classes such as typing, data entry, word processing, auto mechanics, and the like should be stressed on the resume, in particular if there is no accompanying professional experience. A detailed listing of the coursework can be provided, and if the final grade was stellar, this should also be included. In many positions open to high school graduates, hiring managers want to know about expertise in computer software (Word and Excel lead the list) or speed with 10-key.

Additionally, if a candidate has excelled in English or math during high school, this should clearly be stated in the resume as these skills are required for administrative assistants and in other entry-level positions. The key is to match the employer-listed qualifications (math skills, writing skills) to what was learned in high school.

2. Trade School Graduates

If the trade school attended is a leader in the field and recognized for producing outstanding graduates, then the name of the school should be stated in the Qualifications Summary (eg: Recent graduate of the Bates-Fowler Beauty School in Hollywood, California. . .). This provides immediate and relevant information to the hiring manager, while substantially enhancing an applicant’s candidacy.

Next, a listing of all relevant certifications and coursework (with hours completed) should be provided. If the candidate was a recipient of an academic scholarship or received an award for outstanding coursework, this should be appropriately showcased.

Again, the key is to tailor what was learned in trade or vocational school to what the employer is seeking in terms of qualifications and skills.

3. Emphasizing Technical Certifications

This data is crucial to a hiring manager and can be showcased in two ways.

A. If the certification has an accompanying icon or logo (eg: a Microsoft or Oracle certification), then that image should be placed in the header of the resume where the candidate’s name and other contact information is provided. This provides visually-arresting and immediate data to the hiring manager. Within the resume, the date the certification was received and the granting institution should be provided.

B. If there are numerous certifications, then a listing should be showcased within a special section directly beneath the opening summary. The date the certification was received and the granting institution should be provided in this section.

4. Using Temporary (Contract) Jobs to Downplay a Spotty Employment History:

In modern resumes, hiring managers generally prefer a reverse-chronological format with the most recent job presented first, followed by the next most recent, etc., so that they can track job history and spot any gaps in employment. In today’s job market, however, the reality is that many workers are making do with contract jobs until a permanent position comes along.

To downplay numerous jobs of short duration, it’s always wise to list the temp agency as the employer along with the total dates of employment. The actual place of employment should be listed after the job title and followed by the exact dates the candidate was at that location.

For example:

JOHN JONES EMPLOYMENT AGENCY, Boise, Idaho 1999 – 2003
Administrative Assistant, Fred Ware Industries (2002-2003)
Data Entry Clerk, Trent Howard, Inc. (2001-2002)
Receptionist, Phillips Tools (1999-2000)

The above accomplishes two things:

A. It shows consistency of employment with the agency. Hiring managers are aware that the economy is producing more and more temporary/contract workers, rather than permanent employees. The above listing shows that the worker did well enough with the agency and the contract employers to be sent on numerous positions – therefore, the worker must have performed well.

B. If the contract jobs were of increasing responsibility, this will clearly be shown in the titles held – receptionist to data entry clerk to administrative assistant. Hiring managers take note of this upward progression, even if it were done on a contract basis.

5. Breaking into a Male-Dominated Trade for Female Trade Professionals

In today’s workplace, a woman’s place is everywhere as long as she has the skills and qualifications to meet the demands of the job.

In building the resume for a traditionally male-dominated field, it’s important for the female candidate to showcase the following:

A. Certifications or licensure required for the position – always include dates of attainment and the granting institution. If the final grade was stellar, include that as an inducement to the hiring manager. All academic scholarships and honors should also be listed.

B. Physical qualifications: Some male-dominated jobs require lifting loads of 50 lbs. or more in addition to the general duties. It’s important for a female candidate to state in the opening summary that she can meet the physical demands of the job. Additional physical information can be given regarding the candidate being a non-smoker, non-drinker, and free of substance abuse.

C. Willingness to engage in business-related travel and ability to relocate. In many male-dominated fields, hiring managers may still feel that a female candidate will be tied to a certain area because of family concerns. If the candidate does not have these restrictions, they should be noted in the opening summary of the resume.

Additionally, the overall tone of the resume should be as businesslike as possible, and should market whatever capabilities the female candidate has that can get the job done.

FORMATTING YOUR COVER LETTER FOR MAXIMUM EFFECTIVENESS

2008-04-15T06:06:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Because a cover letter is your first chance to make a lasting impression with a hiring manager it must be professional. To accomplish this:

1. Always use the same heading for your cover letter that you have used in your resume.

2. Whenever possible, use the hiring manager’s name. This personalizes the document and shows attention to detail.

3. Include in your opening paragraph what job you’re interested in and a specific reason as to why you feel qualified for this position.

4. Include in the body of the letter specific experience, skills or accomplishments from your past that dovetail with the requirements of the new job. This data should be bulleted, rather than presented in a solid block of text. The human eye is drawn to bulleted areas, and they provide the data in an easy-to-read format so that the hiring manager can digest the information from one sentence before moving on to the others. Examples of bulleted areas follow:

As my enclosed résumé indicates, my background includes more than two decades of service at US Flight with significant experience in:

· Aircraft accident investigation as a member of the US Flight disaster team.
· Security checkpoints where I handled countless calls for assistance.
· Training the Ground Security team to protect and promote public safety.

In addition to the above skills, I can also offer your firm:

· More than 30 years of experience in the airline industry.
· Expertise in dealing with government agencies, including the FAA where I facilitated communications to reduce company fines.
· Reduced absenteeism and occupational injuries, standards I maintained at US Flight where I achieved the best employee safety record of all US Flight cities.

5. If the letter is being addressed to a specific hiring manager, close your letter proactively indicating that you will be contacting the hiring manager’s office within the next week to see if you might set up a time to meet.

Sending Your Cover Letter by “Snail” Mail

With today’s technology, most resumes and cover letters are sent as attachments via email. However, if you have reason to send your cover letter and resume by “snail” mail, the documents should be printed on good bond paper (20 lbs) with a watermark. Choose a color that evokes professionalism – the best choices are white or cream, though a light gray can also be considered.

The Professional Touch: Enhancing Your Candidacy with Courses & Seminars

2008-04-08T04:53:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

In many professions such as Accounting, Medicine, Nursing, and Law, professionals are required to maintain skills through continuing education and seminars. By providing this information to a hiring manager, you’ll be stating unequivocally that you are prepared for the demands of the current industry, and that you meet all legal and licensing requirements.

A Word About Courses and Seminars for Candidates Who Lack College Degrees

In this education-focused world, candidates without college degrees are often in a panic about what to put in the Education section of their resumes. High school diplomas don’t seem like enough (and usually aren’t). To overcome this, specialized training, in the form of courses and seminars, can go a long way to enhancing candidacy. This is especially true if the field is in the trades (i.e. construction, auto repair, etc.), but it is also relevant to white collar positions, such as administrative assistants or office managers. In those jobs, computer skills learned during evening/community college courses or at seminars are acceptable to hiring managers.

Positioning your Training for Maximum Impact

If your industry requires continuing education to maintain licensing, then mentioning your adherence to this should be included in the Qualifications Section of your resume. For example:

“Currently enrolled in accounting coursework to maintain CPA certification through June 2005.”

Or

If you are transitioning from one career to another, then training can be an acceptable substitute for lack of professional experience. In this case, industry-specific training should be added to the Qualifications Summary or immediately after it in a special section.

Or

Never combine Education and Training if they are not related. Never place Training at the end of your resume or in the Education section of your resume if it’s directly related to your current job search and can enhance your candidacy.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

How much detail should I provide in listing my training?

Training should always include the date, sponsoring agency, location, name of course or seminar, and whether certification or licensure was granted. Training that is especially important to your job search may include a brief description of the coursework to give the hiring manager a better indication of what was actually learned or accomplished.

How far back should I go in my training and coursework as an IT professional?

No more than 10 years as the Information Technology field is constantly evolving. Any training that led to certification through companies such as Microsoft or Oracle should be showcased if the data is germane to your current job search.

Should I include my online coursework, or will hiring managers dismiss this kind of non-traditional training?

It would depend upon the scope of the training and the sponsoring agency. If you’re taking online coursework sponsored by Microsoft or Oracle, hiring managers would easily accept this as valid. If your training is sponsored by a company with little to no name recognition, then it’s wise to include details, including course hours, level of expertise (beginner, advanced, expert), and any other information that will give the hiring manager a clear idea of what you’ve learned.

I received a lot of my training overseas, should I include it in a U.S. Resume?

If it’s relevant to your current job search. However, make certain to indicate what the U.S. equivalent of your foreign coursework would be to provide an accurate picture of your training to hiring managers.

The Professional Touch: Effective Networking Using Professional/Academic Affiliations

2008-04-01T04:56:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Because resumes are sent electronically or by regular mail, it’s not often that you can use your networking savvy until – or unless – you’re called in for an interview. However, by listing memberships in professional and academic societies, your resume is a silent partner in networking your skills to hiring managers who are also members of these groups. Additionally, affiliations quickly and effortlessly indicate your professional industry or academic status.

When to Emphasize Professional Affiliations

Mention membership in Professional Affiliations within the Qualifications Summary when:

1. You’ve held a leadership position within the organization (eg: President, VP, Secretary, Treasurer)

2. The organization is recognized as the leader in your specific industry (eg: AMA – American Medical Association – for a physician; SPHR for human resource professionals; The Writers Guild for authors)

3. Membership is required in your career field.

A Word About Maximizing Your Professional Affiliation Data

If you are in possession of the hiring manager’s name and background (through research on company websites), it’s a good idea to research professional membership files (eg: college alumni associations) to see if that person is affiliated with the organization to which you belong. If so, make mention of your membership in your cover letter. Networking in this manner may give you an edge in being granted an interview.

When to Emphasize Academic Affiliations

1. If you are a recent college graduate

2. If you have little to no professional experience

In the above scenarios, showcasing academic affiliations, especially honor societies, will impress upon a hiring manager your dedication to the chosen field and your potential as an employee.

Frequently Asked Questions

1. My only memberships are with the PTA and similar organizations since I’ve spent the last few years raising my children. Should I include this information on my resume?

If you held leadership positions within these organizations that would indicate to a hiring manager your potential for a management role. Even if you did not hold such a position, if you served on committees, that would indicate your teamwork capabilities and commitment to your community. This information should be included.

2. I’ve been out of college for nearly 20 years. Do I still include alumni membership information on my resume?

It never hurts to include this information as the HR professional viewing your resume may very well be an alumnus of the same school. That data, alone, may very well capture the hiring manager’s interest so that added attention is granted the information on your resume.

3. What is preferred by hiring managers – national associations or local chapters?

It would depend upon your role in each. If you are simply a member of a national association, but are president of a local chapter, the leadership position should be emphasized.

4. One of the professional associations to which I belong is fairly new and not widely recognized, should I include it on my resume?

If it enhances your candidacy, and if you provide the hiring manager with additional data regarding its importance. For example:

Member, Culinary Specialists Guild, founded in 2002 to promote the culinary profession and to provide beginning chefs with worthwhile information to master the craft.

SCANNABLE RESUMES - WHAT THEY MEAN FOR YOUR JOB SEARCH

2008-03-25T05:30:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Like it or not, we are all caught in the loop of modern technology. Place a call to your favorite store or banking institution and you’re usually dealing with voice mail and automated menus, rather than reaching a human being.

The same is now true when you send your resume to the human resources department of major and mid-sized corporations (and in increasing numbers, hiring managers at smaller companies). Because hundreds or even thousands of individuals apply for one opening, software that is preset to determine applicant skills and qualifications is used to “weed out” those individuals who don’t match the job criteria.

Therefore, to make the most of a job search, it’s essential for the modern resume to:

1. Be in the appropriate format that can be read by optical character recognition (OCR) software, if the targeted company is using this.

2. Contain essential keywords* related to the job opening or industry.

* Keywords are nouns or noun phrases that the software has been programmed to search for. The more keywords or “hits” the software finds in the resume, the more likely the document will be read by a human resources professional. In fact, for some federal job openings, a resume must have a 95%, or higher, hit rate if the candidate is to be given serious consideration. That is, a moment of the hiring authority’s time, and perhaps even an interview.

Sound daunting?

It doesn’t have to be when you know the tricks of the trade in creating this modern resume. The essentials include:

1. The technology you’ll be dealing with
2. How to find keywords and make the most of them
3. Your contact information (Name)
4. Your contact information (Address/Phone/Email)
5. What fonts are scanner friendly
6. Formats to use
7. Paper

OCR Technology

Optical Character Recognition (OCR) was developed in the 70’s by Ray Kurzweil, a graduate of MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology). Although Mr. Kurzweil’s intent was to develop a machine (known as the Kurzweil Reading Machine) that helped visually impaired individuals to read printed materials, OCR technology has since become indispensable in modern business.

Generally speaking, what OCR means to the modern job hunter is that initially a computer rather than a human being will be scanning the resume for appropriate content. Since machines are not impressed by font style/size or formatting enhancements, content is all-important as is presenting your document in a scanner-friendly manner. With computer technology changing daily, scanner-friendly may mean a document that’s stripped of all formatting and enhancements or one that bears some formatting that can be read by the more modern software.

However, regardless of which format is used, content is still essential, beginning with keywords.

Keywords

Keywords are nouns or noun phrases indicating a candidate’s skill set or qualifications as they pertain to the current job search.

Examples of keywords for an Administrative Assistant might be:

* Typing 90 wpm
* Dictation
* Microsoft Word
* Microsoft Excel
* Microsoft PowerPoint
* Reception
* Phone Support

For an Accountant keywords might be:

* Tax Accounting
* Reconciliations
* General Ledger
* Profit and Loss Statements

Where to Find Keywords

1. Current and Previous Job Descriptions.

In most positions, employees are given job descriptions. Using these, pull out nouns or noun phrases of what you do on a daily basis as long as those tasks are still relevant to your current job search.

2. Resumes.

Cull data from the Professional Experience and Skill sections of your current or old resumes. These daily duties will provide relevant and significant keywords for your scannable resume.

3. Job Postings.

These are perhaps the most significant resource a candidate can use. By dovetailing past experience with required qualifications and skills, a candidate is effectively targeting the new job, while enhancing candidacy.

How to Use Them

Here, you have two options:

1. Create a keyword list for inclusion at the very beginning of your resume
2. Sprinkle keywords throughout your resume.

A keyword list at the beginning of your resume would read like this (for a Senior Product Manager):

Pharmaceutical Marketing. Territory Growth. Market Share. Opportunity Mining. Physician Rapport. Marketing Strategies. Budget Oversight. Targeted Goals. Sales Force Leadership. Problem Resolution. Market Data Analysis. Sales Forecasting. Productivity Monitoring. Performance Enhancement. Sales Representative Training. Product Launches. Microsoft Office. Microsoft Outlook. Microsoft Excel. Master of Arts in Marketing. Medical Doctor. Emergency Room Experience. Zithromax. Diflucan. M.D. Bilingual. Spanish Fluency. English Fluency.

Keywords in a Qualifications Summary would read like this (for a Senior Product Manager):

Dynamic, effective Physician and Pharmaceutical Marketing Professional with a strong background in maintaining standards of honesty and integrity while mining new opportunities for territory growth and market share. Easily establishes rapport with physicians based on a background that includes a Master’s Degree in Marketing, a Medical Degree, and emergency room experience. Creative problem-solver experienced in devising new strategies for Zithromax and Diflucan to eliminate lost sales to generic brands. Client-oriented with superb communication and organizational skills in preparing successful marketing strategies, overseeing budgets, and leading a sales force towards targeted goals. Fluent in Spanish and English. Technically proficient in Microsoft Office, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.

Remember, the more closely your background matches the qualifications of the new job, the more likely it is that you’ll be invited to interview.

Contact Information

Your Name

It’s always wise to put your name on each page of your scannable resume. Why? If one of the pages of your three-page resume gets separated from the others, it will be nearly impossible for the administrative assistant handling it to know where it might belong. It’s best to avoid this situation by putting your name at the top of each page, along with a page number.

Physical/Email Address

In addition to your street address, including your city, state and zip, it’s important to include an email address. With today’s technology, a hiring manager most often contacts successful candidates by phone or by email. Because of the importance of email correspondence in a job search, it’s wise to choose an email that is businesslike in tone, rather that one which reflects a special interest or a nickname.

For example, the following would be considered inappropriate:

sexylady@net.net

savethewhales@net.net

pinballchamp@net.net

overthehillgal@net.net

Another consideration is to avoid using work-related email addresses. Hiring managers are rarely interested in interviewing someone who is using their current employer’s time or email system to look for another job. The key is: Always be professional

Phone Numbers

In addition to your home phone number, it’s sometimes wise to include a cell phone number, especially if that’s your easiest point of contact. However, be certain of the quality of your cell phone and service provider before offering the number. Nothing is more frustrating to a hiring manager than to conduct a cell phone conversation through static and breaks in conversation due to poor technology.

In modern resumes, fax numbers are rarely provided. Most hiring managers will not fax an interview request to prospective candidates.

Never include current work phone numbers in your scannable resume. Hiring managers think poorly of candidates who use a current employer’s time to search for new opportunities.

Scanner Friendly Fonts

Since scanning equipment may differ from company to company, it’s best to err on the conservative side when choosing fonts that will be easily read by the software. Therefore, avoid all “designer” fonts that are difficult for a human being to read. If anything, the scanning software will have even more difficulty. It’s best to stick with classic fonts such as Arial, which is san serif or Times New Roman, which is a serif font. Other good choices are Garamond, Bookman, Courier New, and Century Schoolbook.

Font size

Don’t make the software work extra hard to read all the characters in your resume. It’s best to use a font size between 9 and 12, depending upon the font.

Effective Formatting

Unlike resumes being read by a human audience, scannable resumes must be easy-to-read by computer software. Therefore, it’s essential to stick to basics and avoid formatting headaches. Your best choice is to:

1. Be certain all type is flush left
2. Separate sections with white spaces, rather than dashes (--), dots (. . .), or tildes (~~~).
3. Do not use tables
4. Do not use graphics
5. Put section headers in ALL CAPS

Paper

If you are “snail” mailing your scannable resume – that is, going through the US Postal Service for delivery to an employer or employers, then you should consider using a professional business stock of paper in a business size – 8 ½ x 11. The choice in colors should err on the conservative side – that is, white, cream, and in some cases a very pale gray with no graphics or borders whatsoever. Fine quality business stock can be found at any business supply store or chain. When mailing your document, be certain not to fold or staple the pages as this may reduce the accuracy of the scanning software.

WHEN YOUR CAREER OBJECTIVE IS VAGUE

2008-03-18T05:35:00.000-07:00

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.

COVER LETTER TYPES

2008-03-11T05:33:00.000-07:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

There are generally three cover letter types for the jobseeker:

1. Those sent to a specified person (eg: the hiring authority)

2. Those sent in response to a “blind” advertisement (eg: only PO Box or Job Reference # is provided)

3. Those sent to recruiters

Cover Letters Sent to a Specific Person

When you have the hiring manager’s name, always use it in the salutation, no exception. This personalizes the letter and shows attention to detail on your part. In the opening paragraph, state the job for which you’re applying as the hiring manager may have posted for numerous company openings that week. In the body of your cover letter detail what qualifications and skills you have that relate to this new job opening.

Cover Letters Sent in Response to a “Blind” Posting

Often, a job seeker will reply to newspaper ads requesting that a resume and cover letter be sent to a PO Box # with no indication as to the company’s name or the hiring manager’s identity. Online, jobseekers will find Job Reference #’s as the only identification provided. In each of these cases, the cover letter content remains the same – showcase experience and qualifications as it relates to the new position. However, rather than using the outdated “Dear Sir or Madam,” or worse “To Whom It May Concern,” as a salutation, instead drop the salutation altogether and write:

Re: Job Reference # (then include the number in the job posting)

- or –

Re: Assistant Store Manager’s Position

After that reference, drop down one line, then begin the cover letter’s first paragraph.

Cover Letters Sent to Recruiters

Recruiters represent clients in terms of finding the appropriate employee (you) for a company (their client). Because of this, you must be clear in your cover letter as to what your preferred industry and position may be, where you’re willing to work (and travel or relocate, if necessary), and salary considerations (if negotiable, include this information). The remainder of your cover letter will contain the same data as that going to a specified hiring manager or a “blind” posting – that is, you will include your skills and qualifications as they relate to your preferred industry and position. In other words, you will be selling yourself to a recruiter, rather than to a hiring manager.

IF YOUR LAST JOB WAS OVERSEAS

2008-03-04T05:07:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Unlike times past where being an American meant knowing only about our country and speaking English exclusively, an increasingly global economy means that additional skills are valued.

To ensure that your overseas work receives the attention and consideration it deserves from American hiring managers, showcase the following:

1. LINGUISTIC CAPABILITIES:

If you worked in a non-English speaking country and are already fluent (or have perfected your skills) in a foreign language, mention that in your cover letter and in the opening summary of your resume. In many American locales (especially the South and Southwest), fluency in a foreign language is desired, and in some instances, required.

2. KNOWLEDGE OF A FOREIGN CULTURE

Again, if you’re applying for positions within a major metropolitan area where there are numerous foreign nationals and immigrants, knowledge of their home country’s culture and mores is indispensable. This would be especially true if your chosen career is in HR or any other discipline in which you’ll need to interact with staff.

3. YOUR ABILITY TO DEAL WITH OVERSEAS CLIENTS, VENDORS, ETC.

This is a valuable skill that you can bring to a prospective employer. Rather than having to guess at what will make the wheels of commerce work, they’ll have an in-house subject matter expert (you) to guide them through the intricacies of dealing with individuals in overseas locations.

4. YOUR ADAPTABILITY IN WORKING WITHIN DIFFERENT CULTURES:

Switching from one country’s set of rules to another can be bewildering and exhausting. However, if you excelled within the social and professional milieus of a foreign country, this provides ample evidence to a hiring manager that you are adaptable to changing environments. This is especially valued as the global economy is ever changing.

5. LIST THOSE SKILLS THAT ARE VALUED BY AMERICAN EMPLOYERS:

Even if your religious or political activities were lauded in your overseas assignment, don’t make the mistake of bringing that cultural preference to this country. If you respect what’s valued in America (while here), just as you respected what was valued in another nation (while there), you’ll do well to impress a hiring manager with your expertise.

THE PROFESSIONAL TOUCH – PERSONAL DATA

2008-02-26T05:10:00.000-08:00

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.

JOB FAIRS

2008-02-19T05:18:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Traditionally, job seekers have answered newspaper and online job postings, used networking contacts, or have simply submitted their resumes to large companies, hoping that something will be available that matches their skills and needs.

In today’s tight employment market, an additional option that may quickly maximize your search is the job fair.

Job fairs are usually held at major hotels or convention centers and offer a prospective candidate numerous opportunities in various industries. For example, a recent job fair in Boston showcased these fields:

· Accounting
· Banking
· Finance
· Insurance Sales & Marketing
· Healthcare & Human Services
· Retail
· General

The advantage to having numerous industries represented is that a candidate in career transition (accounting to sales) or one at the entry-level stage (newly graduated with an accounting degree, but willing to accept a general office position) may find employment faster through a job fair than sending out resumes to numerous postings in one industry.

An additional advantage is personal contact. A firm handshake, engaging smile, and winning personality cannot be translated through a resume attached to an email. If you’re able to spend some quality time with the company representative, your resume may very well merit additional consideration.

How can you make the most of a job fair? By being well prepared.

It’s not enough to simply show up in appropriate business attire, resume in hand. Once you’re committed to attending the fair, draw up a list of job-related questions that can be asked of the company representative. These questions should focus on what you can do for the company rather than what the company can do for you.

For example, if you’re an accountant a good question would be, “What is your company’s time table for staff accountants to become CPAs? I plan on taking the test this June.” (That data should also be on your resume). Not only does this show that the candidate is interested in industry certification, but that a timetable has already been established. This is far better than saying, “I’m applying for the staff accounting position. How much does it pay?”

Additionally, weave into the conversation as much as you can about your qualifications and accomplishments. It’s never enough to say that you know the field – many candidates know the field. It’s those individuals who have excelled professionally or academically who are offered the position.

TIPS FOR INTERNAL INTERVIEWS – JOB PROMOTIONS OR LATERAL MOVES

2008-02-12T05:04:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Because internal promotions and lateral moves involve individuals that are already known entities, the key is to come prepared with proof of past job performance and answers to any objections that might be made.

Of course, this process of rating one’s worth should begin the very first day on a new job and continue until a promotion is offered or a lateral move requested.

1. Keep Detailed Records of Your Job Performance to Justify a Promotion:

No matter how fair an employer tries to be, they don’t have the same vested interest as you in personal career progression. What’s more, they have many staff to consider, while your focus is understandably personal in nature.

Therefore, don’t assume that an employer will recall the good you’ve done for the company. Keep detailed records of past projects, ideas, and successes in which you were directly involved. Quantify all accomplishments with dollar figures or percentages and time periods. Specify what you’ve done to improve work performance, whether that involves continuing education or learning a new technology.

In other words, prove your worth on paper and be certain to provide copies to those involved in the interview process. Once the interview begins, be well prepared to speak about what you’ve already written down.

2. Create a Proposal of How You Can Contribute to the Company in a Lateral Move:

Whatever the reasons are for a lateral move (eg: a more personally rewarding position, moving to a more profitable division, a chance to get away from an intolerable manager or co-worker), you should be prepared to state how the move will benefit the company.

Detail in writing and verbally your transferable skills and what a good fit you would be with the new department. No company will move an employee from one area to another if major training or adjustments have to be made.

3. Overcoming kneejerk objections:

Few managers like change, especially when you’re a good fit within a certain part of the organization. Some of the objections you may have to overcome are from those who like things just as they are (eg: a manager who knows you’ll get the job done) or those who don’t want to rock the boat (management that is skeptical of how you can positively impact their division).

The key is to always be prepared, and be proactive about what you have done. Additionally, presentation is everything. When providing details about your accomplishments and qualifications, be certain that your work is flawless, easy to navigate, and showcases your talents.

WHEN YOUR RELEVANT PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE IS MINIMAL

2008-02-05T09:08:00.000-08:00

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.

The Professional Touch: Enhancing Your Candidacy with Honors & Awards

2008-01-29T08:52:00.000-08:00

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.

WORRIED ABOUT BEING CONSIDERED TOO YOUNG FOR A POSITION?

2008-01-22T06:57:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

The best way to overcome reverse age discrimination (eg: you’re considered too young for a major position, rather than too old), is to deliver a flawlessly crafted, exceptionally professional resume that details your relevant skills and qualifications, while showcasing your accomplishments.

The best format for an up-and-coming young executive is a reverse-chronological format (your most recent position detailed first, followed by the next most recent, etc.) within an executive-style template.

What is an executive-style template?

It’s a format that delivers a powerful marketing message about your unique talents and qualifications – and it does all of this in less than seven seconds.

How?

The executive format generally begins with a tag line, which is the position title you want and one for which you must be qualified. Following that is a line listing your unique skills. Next, a brief summary paragraph provides a snapshot of you as a candidate. Within the paragraph should be your most stellar and recent accomplishment (as it relates to your current job search) and it must be quantified with dollar figures or percentages and time periods.

An example for a young banker:

INVESTMENT BANKER

Mergers & Acquisitions ~ Wealth Management ~ Investment Strategies ~ Marketing Plans

Results-driven, multilingual professional with a solid industry background for such notable firms as Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. and Morgan Stanley Dean Witter. Consistently works 15+ hour days, while thriving in fast-paced environments. Recent achievement includes retaining $20 million in funds by assisting in wealth management for corporate executives nationwide while at Bear, Stearns & Co. Inc. Continues to foster business connections with executives in Mexico and Portugal. Fluent in English, Spanish, and Portuguese.

The above is succinct, powerful, and professional. It emphases employment history, major companies worked for, and a stellar achievement.

One last note: Unless your academic history is germane to your professional career (eg: you’re in a career transition and studying for the new field), it’s best not to unduly showcase this information. It will label you as a student or an entry-level candidate rather than a seasoned professional.

IF YOU ARE APPLYING FOR A NON-PROFIT POSITION

2008-01-15T09:08:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Generally speaking, positions in the non-profit sector require the same qualifications as do other job openings. That is, related professional experience, academic degrees, and availability to relocate or to travel – to name a few.

However, there are a few areas of expertise that are unique to non-profit. By showcasing your past work history in regards to these areas, you’ll be substantially enhancing your candidacy.

1. GRANT WRITING: Securing funds through grants is one of the paramount duties of a non-profit concern. Although most directors will want someone already skilled in this endeavor, if you have a graduate degree in English, and have researched successful grant proposals, you may want to create some sample grant proposals which you can submit with your resume. By doing this, you may be considered for a support role within the organization.

2. FUND RAISING: An equally important aspect of the non-profit sector. Here, people skills and networking are at a premium. If you are articulate, self-composed, and easily interact with people, mention those skills in your resume – and then support those claims with details from your employment history even if it’s not from a related fund-raising endeavor.

For example: If you’ve been an outstanding sales representative and have won numerous awards, your past performance will enhance your candidacy.

Also, if you have volunteered for community events or have assisted political candidates to reach their goals, showcase this information in the opening summary of your resume.

3. FAMILIARITY WITH 501(c)(3) ACCOUNTING PRACTICES: 501(c)(3) refers to the tax-exempt status for non-profit organizations. Accountants or bookkeepers who are knowledgeable of this are sought out by the non-profit sector.

However, even if you don’t have experience in these accounting practices, by familiarizing yourself with the requirements – or by taking related courses in the subject – you will be advancing your candidacy over others without similar knowledge.

In addition to following the above guidelines, it’s also wise to thoroughly research the organization’s website to determine their non-profit “culture”. Are they conservative? Or are they on the cutting edge and considered hip? Knowing, in advance, the way the organization is structured and the types of individuals that operate it will provide key information for the format and structure of your resume, so that it’s effective and gets noticed.

TAILORING RESUMES TO TARGET SPECIFIC JOB OPENINGS

2008-01-08T02:55:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

In today’s competitive job market applicants are now competing against hundreds of others with similar qualifications. No longer can you simply state Education and Professional Experience and hope to get an interview. Hiring managers have neither the time - nor the inclination - to search for an applicant’s skills as they relate to that particular opening. It is now the responsibility of the job seeker to showcase relevant skills for each resume submission.

A STEP-BY-STEP APPROACH TO TAILORING A RESUME:

1. Use online resources to determine job requirements within the targeted industry: Search online job sites such as HotJobs or online versions of newspapers such as the Wall Street Journal, Los Angeles Times, New York Times for employment openings. Within these postings will be the job requirements. Each requirement that matches your qualifications should be included in the opening summary of the resume. This provides immediate and relevant data to a hiring manager. It tells them that you are a serious contender for the position, because you have the skills and background to do the job.

2. Prioritize data within the resume that meets the requirements stated within the job opening: For example, if the opening is for an IT professional, then all relevant computer skills (including years of experience and certifications) should be presented at the beginning of the resume, preferably showcased in a separate section immediately following the Qualifications Summary. Don’t hope that hiring managers will search for this data – they won’t.

3. Determine what’s most important to the employer – educational background or professional experience – and list it in that order: The most important section should follow the opening summary. However, if the posting does not specify that experience is required, and the only experience in the field is of an academic nature, then Education should always be placed before non-related Professional Experience. The key is to place relevant information first.

4. Pull out industry jargon (also known as keywords) from the job posting: For example, a posting for a CPA (Certified Public Accountant) would include key words such as GAAP, tax audits, IRS, reconciliations, financial statements, etc. When a candidate’s experience matches those keywords, then they should be included in the opening summary of the resume. (eg: “Additional skills in GAAP, tax audits, other IRS-related matters, reconciliations, and financial statements.”) Failure to provide keywords, especially when submitting to large corporations that use scanning software to search for this industry jargon, will result in the resume being dismissed.

5. Use the appropriate formatting and tone as it relates to the targeted job: A sales professional, for example, may use a more stylish format and perhaps a more casual approach in wording, if appropriate to the targeted industry. If that industry were pharmaceuticals or educational book publishing, a conservative approach would be employed. The entertainment field or high fashion would warrant a more stylish/casual approach.

6. Include ONLY what is relevant to the targeted position: If the candidate has numerous degrees in different fields (i.e. Biology, Marketing, Art History), but is seeking a position as a Biologist, only that degree should be listed. Resumes do not contain an exhaustive listing of all academic pursuits or jobs worked. They should only contain what is essential as it relates to the targeted position.

THE PROFESSIONAL TOUCH: ENHANCING CANDIDACY WITH LANGUAGE SKILLS

2008-01-01T04:39:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

With each passing year, the global marketplace becomes a smaller, more interrelated community. With increasing frequency job postings are listing foreign language skills as desirable or required in a candidate. Because of this shift in focus from all-American (eg: English speaking only) to international, language skills should be showcased. This can be accomplished using these methods:

1. List language skills in the Qualifications Summary at the beginning of your resume.

2. Include Language Skills in a separate, special section.

3. Provide additional information regarding special schooling in English (for overseas students) and any certifications granted that indicate proficiency.

When NOT to Include Language Skills on a Resume

Never include data on a resume that indicates “familiarity with” or “knowledge of” a language. If you are not fluent or conversant in a language, then your skill level regarding it does little to enhance your candidacy. An additional note: It’s not necessary to write: “Fluent in oral and written...” Fluency in a language assumes you can write, read, and speak it.

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

· I am multilingual, but have a varying degree of skill in these languages. What is the best way of presenting this on my resume?

There are two options. You can write:

Fluent in English, Spanish, and French; conversant in Portuguese, Thai, and Chinese.

Or you may be even more specific writing:

LANGUAGE - SKILL LEVEL

English - Fluent, certified through US Language Institute, 2003

Spanish - Fluent, certified through US Language Institute, 2003

Portuguese - Intermediate; currently enrolled in advanced classes

Thai - Advanced; will take certification test Summer 2003

Chinese - Intermediate; currently enrolled in advanced classes

· I am a native English-speaker, but also fluent in Chinese, and have a Chinese name. Because of my name, should I even indicate that I know the Chinese language (I’m afraid a US company will think I’m not fluent in English)?

Rather than exclude an obvious skill, write something like this:

Bilingual, with fluency in English (native-speaker) and Chinese.

· I know 15 languages, and numerous dialects, should I list them all?

If the companies to which you are applying have international divisions where these languages and dialects are spoken, then certainly list them. Generally speaking, the only languages/dialects you might not include would be those that are not widely used in international business.

SAMPLES

Showcasing Language Skills for a Foreign Applicant in the Qualifications Summary:

PROFILE

Marketing & Sales Background ~ Client Relations ~ Bilingual, English & Japanese

Conscientious, results-oriented professional with a solid business background in promoting products, providing superior customer service, recruiting and managing teams, and researching competitors to determine market strategy. Currently seeking admission into an MBA program with an emphasis on marketing to gain additional knowledge for career success. Academic achievements include A.U.A. certification in English, 2002.

Emphasizing Language Skills in a Special Section:

LANGUAGE SKILLS

- Fluent in English, Russian (native tongue), and Hungarian.
- Demonstrated excellence as an interpreter in verbal and written translations.
- Interpreted conference lectures on business issues from English and Hungarian into Russian for audiences of up to 1,000 attendees.
- Translated business documents from English and Hungarian into Russian and back.
- Certificate in Hungarian Language, UK Language Institute, 2001
- TOEFL scores include a CBT 260, which is equivalent to a PBT 620.

THE PROFESSIONAL TOUCH – JOB TITLES – ALSO KNOWN AS TAG LINES

2007-12-25T05:10:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

A tag line can say so much more than an Objective and in a minimum of space. In today’s time intensive workplace, hiring managers appreciate information that’s delivered in a concise and well-prioritized fashion. Tag lines do just that whether they are specific or general.

A COMPARISON OF SPECIFIC AND GENERAL TAG LINES

Specific

Oracle Database Administrator
Elementary Teacher – Grades K-5
CPA – Tax Planning
Immigration Attorney
Portfolio Manager

General

IT Professional
Educator
Accountant
Lawyer
Financial Services Professional

TO ACHIEVE THE MOST MILEAGE OUT OF TAG LINES

1. Use specific tag lines whenever you’re applying to a job posting.
2. Use general tag lines when you’re distributing many resumes to numerous industries.
3. If you’re new to the field, it’s best to use a general tag line to increase opportunities.
4. If you have specialized expertise and want to remain in that niche, use specific tag lines.

JOB TITLES – ANSWERS TO FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

QUESTION: I want to keep my resume as general as possible to apply for all opportunities, so isn’t it smart to use “Profile” or “Summary of Qualifications” rather than any tag line?

ANSWER: Not really. In the modern workplace there are no “one size fits all” jobs. However, many jobs require multiple talents beneath one job heading. This would include:

Administrative Assistants who handle reception, word processing, mailing, and in many cases, bookkeeping.

Communication Professionals who are charged with marketing, public and media relations, graphics, and website design.

Sales Professionals experienced in inside/outside sales, B2B sales, consumer sales, etc.

In each of the above, a general tag line covers many opportunities, while also being specific enough to engage a hiring manager.

QUESTION: What if I’m transitioning from one career to another? How do I reflect that in a tag line?

ANSWER: Your best bet would be to use the word “Candidate” before an actual job title as listed on a posting (or for the general industry), while also indicating past experience that can be transitioned towards the new career. For example:

Candidate: Commercial/Individual Insurance Sales - B2B/B2C Sales Experience

Candidate: Insurance Sales - B2B/B2C Sales Experience

QUESTION: I’m looking to apply for a position within the federal government. Are tag lines the same for those postings as for private sector resumes?

ANSWER: Tag lines for federal positions are far more specific and should include the agency and the vacancy announcement number. For example:

Legal Secretary – State Department – Vacancy Announcement # 20057

JOB TITLES (TAG LINES) - EXAMPLES

Specific:

Physician: Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology
Law School Candidate: Intellectual Property Law Experience
Manager – Telecommunications
Vice-President - Academic Affairs
Business Developer - Entertainment Industry
Graduate School Candidate: Mathematical Finance Program

General:

Consultant
Senior Project Manager
Journalist
Sales Professional

TIPS FOR TELEPHONE OR VIDEOCONFERENCING INTERVIEWS

2007-12-18T03:08:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

With non-traditional interview methods being employed more and more for telecommuting and other jobs, it’s important to know appropriate and effective conduct that will enhance your candidacy.

1. Always use a landline, not a cell phone during these interviews:

Why? Because cell phone signals have a tendency to cut in and out. Additionally, poor reception will not only distract from the interview process, it will certainly aggravate the employer. The best advice is don’t risk it.

2. Always use a phone that’s in a quiet area:

It’s unprofessional and certainly not conducive to impressing a potential employer when there are children crying or shouting in the background, dogs barking, trash being picked up or a TV/stereo blaring away. You wouldn’t conduct an interview in an office in this manner – don’t do it that way at home.

3. Speak clearly and loudly enough to be heard:

If an employer is forced to say, “Excuse me, I can’t hear you,” several times without the problem being rectified, you can be assured that person will stop listening. Additionally, never eat or drink anything while on the line. This can clearly be heard, and it’s not something you would do if you were face-to-face with that person.

4. Never interrupt:

Many individuals feel that their behavior can be more casual when using the telephone. Nothing could be further from the truth. You wouldn’t interrupt the interviewer in person – don’t do it by phone.

5. If this is a videoconference:

Dress in appropriate business attire. What’s more, make very certain that the area behind the video monitor looks professional. Don’t make the mistake of having clothes and dirty dishes strewn about, or inappropriate posters hanging on the wall. Everything, right down to what’s on your desk, should look orderly and professional.

6. If you are asked a question and don’t immediately know how to answer, don’t keep quiet while you think of a response.

This is especially true of telephone interviews. After several seconds of dead air, an interviewer may very well think that you’re no longer on the line. Instead, preface your coming remarks with, “That’s a good question. I want to answer it fully, so please give me a second.” That gives the interviewer a cue as to what’s happening on your end.

WHEN YOU HAVE MULTIPLE CAREER GOALS

2007-12-11T02:33:00.000-08:00

by Darlene Zambruski, ResumeEdge.com Managing Editor, CPRW, SME

Contrary to popular belief, it’s not necessary to have completely different resumes for each career goal. After all, your professional and academic experience doesn’t change. That said, how you construct an effective resume for multiple career goals does depend upon prioritization and organization of data, and answers to these questions:

1. Are the career fields similar?
2. Are the career fields diverse?

SIMILAR CAREER FIELDS

Let’s say as a Registered Nurse you’ve taught nursing students, you have served as an administrator of a nursing home, and you have worked in a hospital. Three careers, but all basically related. A resume in this instance can be both general (for application to many jobs) and specific (targeting one job) – it’s all in how you organize and prioritize the information.

For example, your Professional Experience can be broken down into three categories on your resume – Nursing Experience – Administrator Experience – Teaching Experience, with the appropriate employer and daily duties listed within each section (in a reverse chronological format). When applying for Nursing positions, that section would be listed first. When applying for a Teaching position, that section would be listed first.

In this way one resume, with minor modifications, can be used for many postings.

DIVERSE CAREER FIELDS

You began your professional career in real estate sales, but then transitioned to the paralegal field, and finally chose yet another career in bookkeeping. Three very different careers that would seem to require three separate resumes, but that’s certainly not the case.

To avoid producing resume after resume for each job, and if at least some of the skills are transferable within different industries, then a functional format is best for you.

Functional formats stress professional skills, rather than employers or industries. So, instead of providing a reverse chronological resume that clearly shows you’ve been moving from career to career and back (which some employers might find troubling), a functional resume states core qualifications beneath varying subheadings. The example given above would warrant three or more subheadings, namely: Contract Negotiation (Real Estate); Sales (Real Estate); Contracts (Paralegal); Payroll (Bookkeeping). These subheadings can be organized in order of importance to the targeted position (eg: if Sales interests you, then you would list your Real Estate Experience first, followed by your other experience). The subheadings can also show broad experience that could very well be valued in an economy where employees are expected to wear many hats and to perform many functions.