THE PROFESSIONAL TOUCH – JOB TITLES – ALSO KNOWN AS TAG LINES

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

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

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.

THE ART OF INTERVIEWING

by Lynne Rhys-Jones, JD, CPRW, ResumeEdge.com Editor

You’ve got a great resume, and you’re starting to get requests for interviews. As an ex-lawyer who got plenty of practice doing the Big Firm Law Clerk Interview Tango (an intricate and frenzied succession of 15-minute interviews lasting as many as 12 hours at a time), I’ve become something of an expert on talking my way into jobs. I’ve also been on the other side of the hiring table, asking the hard questions. Based on my experience, I’ve developed some interviewing guidelines, and I offer them to you here:

First, research the company and the relevant industry. If you’re hungry for a job, you may not really care where you work. But your interviewers are looking for someone who wants to be there and can be passionate about their mission. Knowing about the company can help you convey the interest that will help you stand out from the crowd.

Second, have some questions of your own to ask. As you’re researching the company, look for things to ask about: “I saw your press release about your expansion into the micro-widget market. What has the response been from your competitors?” Or more generically, “How do you think this company differs from your competitors in terms of work culture?” Asking questions of your own accomplishes three things. First, it shows your interest in the company. Second, it kills time. And third, it helps put you in control of the interview.

Third, think of the hardest questions an interviewer might ask. Think out your answers and rehearse them until they flow easily. Don’t forget about questions like “what are your weaknesses?” and “what do you want to be doing in five years?” As you’re pondering, consider what the interviewer might want to hear. Then, craft honest answers that will address the interviewer’s concerns.

Fourth, dress up. If you’re not sure what to wear, it’s better to over-dress than to under-dress. Doing so lets the interviewer know you understand business culture, and conveys that you really care about being there.

Interviews can be stressful, but they’re simply conversations with other human beings. Prepare thoroughly, clean yourself up, and relax. Even if it doesn’t go as well as you hope, you’ll learn from it. Over time, you’ll gain skill and confidence that will land you the job you want!

Lynne Rhys-Jones is a Certified Professional Resume Writer who specializes in legal, entertainment, and management resumes. A freelance writer and musician, she holds a Juris Doctor degree from Harvard School, a Master of Science in Information Studies from Florida State University, and a Bachelor of Arts in Economics and Philosophy from the University of New Mexico. Request Lynne for your ResumeEdge.com product by keying in her last name only, no caps (rhys) in the 'request your editor' field of the ResumeEdge.com online form. http://www.resumeedge.com/