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#JobSearch : How to Prep for Your First Job Search: A Two-Day Boot Camp. A MUst REad!

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DAY ONE
9 a.m. Triple check your resume

Making sure your resume has the essentials should always be your first move.

“I can’t tell you how many times there’s been errors with email addresses or phone numbers on resumes,” says Tonia LaPietra, corporate human resources manager at Wegmans Food Markets.

Make sure you have these things on yours: your contact information, college major, part-time jobs, past internships, involvement in extracurricular activities and leadership roles. If you don’t already have a professional email address, set one up. Make sure you triple check everything for accuracy.

You can also show personality on your resume, says Jon Singel, senior director of talent acquisition at Spotify. Mr. Singel says he connected with a recent college graduate who designed a Spotify-themed resume that showcased her passion for the company. She interviewed and got the job. “Remember, your resume is a reflection of you,” he says.

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

Article continued …

 

11 a.m. Set up your virtual interview space

Any job interviews you have will likely take place over Zoom, Microsoft Teams or Google Hangouts. Make sure you’re set up on those platforms with job-appropriate usernames.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS : What advice do you have for people entering the workforce? Join the conversation below.

Think carefully about the best place to do an interview, and, if you can, consider setting up the space with small conversation starters that can showcase your personality, such as memorabilia from college clubs or activities. These small items can help show your interviewer your passions, and serve as conversation starters, says Gracie Keyser, campus lead for university recruiting and relations at Booz Allen Hamilton.

Make sure your computer works by calling a friend or relative to check your connection and surroundings.

12 p.m. Set up your voice mail

Some college students don’t set up their voice mails or listen to their messages, says Ms. LaPietra, of Wegmans. She once called someone about a job and left a message, but didn’t hear back from them for three weeks. The job was filled by then, she says.

If you are job searching, set up a professional-sounding voice mail, and be sure to check it daily. Set a calendar reminder if you don’t have push notifications set up for your voice mail.

Lunch Break
2 p.m. Make your digital presence professional

After a lunch break, make sure your LinkedIn profile is updated, and consider creating profiles on Handshake or Symplicity, which are online platforms that can connect students with job opportunities.

“Recruiters have really shifted to finding talent virtually on the entry-level side more so than we ever had before the pandemic, so having that virtual presence is important,” says Roderick Adams, a talent acquisition leader at PricewaterhouseCoopers.

Still, some parts of your virtual presence may need sanitizing. You should take a look through your social media profiles to make sure they are future-employer friendly. Try googling yourself to see what old accounts and email addresses are tied to you. You might consider making some of your profiles private, but, even if you do, be sure to take a look at your usernames to make sure they reflect the stage of life you are currently in.

You don’t have to delete all of your old pictures, tweets or posts, but anything you do leave up can be considered fair game in an interview, says Ms. Keyser, of Booz Allen Hamilton. “If you, at the end of the day, or even 10 years from now are like, ‘Man, I really wish somebody didn’t bring that back up,’ probably best to stay off social media,” she says.

DAY TWO
9 a.m. Send strategic networking emails

It’s time to invest time and effort into making connections at companies where you would like to work.

If you are sending a cold email, do your research to find the best people to contact. You can reach out to friends or friends-of-friends who have interned or landed a starting role at a company you are interested in working for. In addition, you might try reaching out to alumni from your college or university who work at the company. Write a highly personalized email that hints at what you have to offer, but doesn’t directly ask for a job.

Don’t assume it’s an automatic “in” just because you got an introduction or referral. If you do get an interview, you should do the same amount of research and preparation as you would without that introduction, says Mr. Singel at Spotify.

You might also check out podcasts, webinars, and Discord channels on landing the dream job, said Suzana DelliSanti, senior vice president of global futureforce recruiting at Salesforce. You can reach out to some of these creators as well.

 

Lunch Break
2 p.m. Practice your elevator pitch

Hiring managers say your resume is what gets you in the door, but your interview is your chance to talk about what you’ve been up to—even if it’s helping around the house or a passion project the past year.

“If you graduated, you still haven’t found that prime job, or if you didn’t have an internship last summer because of Covid, you don’t want a blank spot,” says Tim Agnew, head of global university relations at PayPal. “You want to show you were busy, and that you’ve been keeping your skills up.”

Not all examples need to show that everything happened perfectly, says Miranda Kalinowski, vice president of global recruiting at Facebook. “Often the best candidates we meet are the ones who learn from things that didn’t go according to plan.” Because students have gone through a lot in the past year, with both schooling and jobs being shifted to remote, you may also choose to share how you practiced resilience in everyday life.

You should also think about more than just the internships you might have had, says Ms. Keyser. Recruiters try to see the holistic picture of who you are, and it is valuable to share stories of leadership or of being a team player from extracurriculars and part-time work. “I want to know about that, because that paints a really good and clear picture of who you are, and what you might be passionate about,” she says.

Practice these anecdotes so you can deliver them at appropriate points of your interview. It’s natural to feel nervous before an interview, says Ms. LaPietra. The best way to combat this is to practice with as many people as you can, she says.

An interviewer can often forgive being nervous, but it is important to have thoughtful answers prepared for the questions you expect to be asked. Also, don’t forget to smile. Students often want to show they are professional so they are serious, but it is important to be likable, says Ms. LaPietra

 

The Class of 2021 Goes to Work

Read more of the Journal’s coverage of the job market for new grads, and advice on landing an entry-level role.

Lots of Jobs Await the Class of 2021. So Does Plenty of Competition.

New grads will have to vie with their unlucky 2020 predecessors as the U.S. economy pulls out of a pandemic-led slump. It will take some work to stand out.

Networking Makes a Comeback

When Rebecca Moser, a 26-year-old MBA student in New York City, first started her postgrad job search, she spent countless hours scrolling postings on Glassdoor and LinkedIn. But her school’s career advisers told her to stop—and to pick up the phone.

How to Dress for a Job Interview

“When done right, your look isn’t the first thing your prospective employer notices,” says Dena Giannini, the style director for British Vogue. “They just notice that you are polished and possess an air of quiet confidence.” Here’s how to pull it off.

How to Negotiate Your Salary

Salary negotiation is an art, but there are proven techniques you can use to get what you want.

Catching Up With the Class of 2020

The Class of 2020 was primed to enter one of the most robust job markets in history. Instead, they faced one of the most challenging environments for young people in decades. Things are looking up now, though.

 

 

WSJ.com  –  April 30, 2021 – Allison Pohle

#BestofFSCBlog : Why Your #JobSearch Isn’t Yielding Results? Also, Wondering Why your Search is Taking so Long?? A MUst REad for ALL!

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According to a recent survey conducted by Resume Builder and YouGov, the Covid-19 pandemic has affected employment for 30% of workers, and almost 25% of Americans say there are no suitable employment opportunities. That’s why it’s more important than ever to make yourself a competitive candidate. Unfortunately, many job seekers are struggling, wondering why their search is taking so long.

If you are one of those people, here are some reasons that your job search may not be yielding results.

Your resume doesn’t reflect the job you want

The Resume Builder survey also revealed that only 1 in 4 American workers impacted by COVID-19 update their resumes. That’s a shocking statistic. A common mistake job seekers make is allowing their resumes to reflect their previous positions, not the job they want. For example, if you’ve spent the last several years in marketing communications but want to pivot to business development, your resume should highlight your skills and experience in that area. It’s easy to write a general resume that lists past job titles and accomplishments, but recruiters look for talent specific to the positions they are looking to fill. Tailoring your resume to fit the work you want will help you land your dream job.

 

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Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Your job search is too broad

I’ve had job seekers tell me that they want to “keep their options open,” so they purposely keep their job search broad. That’s a mistake. A better approach is to start by identifying what type of job you want. Not just what you would be a good fit for. There may be hundreds of positions that you’d be very qualified for, but would you be jumping up and down with enthusiasm about all of them? While skills and experience are essential, hiring managers also look for passion. Some would even say that passion is the most important credential when looking for a job. That’s because skills can be taught, but passion can’t. Identify roles you are passionate about so you can bring your whole self to the job interview. That way, you can make it clear how excited you are about the opportunity.

You are ignoring the hidden job market

If you are simply applying to job postings, you are missing out on a huge opportunity. Historically, the hidden job market was about unadvertised jobs. Now it’s about getting to hiring managers and recruiters early in the process, ideally, before the position is posted. That’s why it’s so important to update your social media profiles. Because on LinkedIn, for example, recruiters are actively searching for top candidates based on specific keywords. Networking is also critical. Focus your energy on building relationships to gain access to inside information about job opportunities that may not have been posted publicly yet. Start with people you know, then reach out to friends of friends. Determine who the decision-makers are at your target companies and ask them for a 15- or 20-minute virtual coffee to learn more about the culture. Step out of your comfort zone and craft messages tailored to the individual. You will be surprised by how many positive responses you’ll get.

You aren’t leveraging social media

Social media has become a valuable job search tool that many potential candidates underestimate. In a survey conducted by LiveCareer, 68% of recruiters said job seekers need a LinkedIn profile, and 65% of hiring managers said that they don’t mind being contacted by potential candidates on LinkedIn. Studies have also shown that 92% of companies are using social media for hiring and that three out of four hiring managers will search for a candidate’s social profiles. Use social media to research the companies you’re interested in. Identify executives in the companies that you are targeting and reach out to them. By following them and commenting on their tweets or posts, you can stand out as a potential candidate. Showing your value will give you an advantage over other job seekers who aren’t putting themselves out there. Start posting and reposting items relevant to your career or area of expertise to establish yourself as a thought leader. Strive to have a consistent tone and style throughout all your social media profiles. You should be using these platforms not only to job search but also to build your personal brand.

Forbes.com | April 11, 2021 | Caroline Castrillon

#JobSearch :What Your Resume Needs to Grab an Employer’s Attention! Today’s Online World has Created a New Terrain that Can Make it Difficult to get Hired.

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Whether you’re looking for your first job after college or you are ready for a career change, writing an executive resume can be an intimidating process. Do you know what employers are really looking for in resumes that get you hired? Many professionals don’t know the answer to this important question. The top resume writing service can help you ensure these elements can be found in your resume.

Relevant Keywords

Keywords aren’t just something you implement into your website or any other content you post online. An executive resume should include keywords relevant to the job you are applying for. An employer wants to know a candidate is qualified without spending a lot of time reading through the contents. If you aren’t using the right keywords, your resume will likely be passed over without a second glance. And with today’s applicant tracking system, your resume won’t get to the eyes of a human without the right keywords.

 

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Skill Exaggeration

In order to qualify for a job, you need to convince a future employer you have the right skills and experience and can fit into the company culture. Writing an executive resume is about portraying this information succinctly and accurately. However, it can be tempting to slightly exaggerate some of your skills to help secure the job. Unfortunately, many employers are ready for this tactic and will be looking for inconsistencies and other flags that may indicate you aren’t being completely honest.

Career Progression

How you progress through your career plays a role in whether you are a suitable candidate for a particular job. It’s important to make sure your resume tells a story about who you are and what jobs you have performed in the past. Be sure to address key responsibilities in your past positions that relate to the prospective job. You may have had a great achievement in your past position, but if it really isn’t relevant to the position you are applying for, consider carefully whether to include it. You should also let a future employer know how these responsibilities have shaped who you are as an employee.

Personal Branding

Hiring decisions are no longer solely about what employers find in your resume and what they learn during your interview. Many employers also look at your online presence before deciding whether you are a good fit for the company’s culture. It can be a useful asset to include links to your online portfolio to assist potential employers with learning more about you and what you can contribute to their company.

Resumes that get you hired have changed over the years. Today’s online world has created a new terrain that can make it difficult to get hired. It may be time to consider hiring a professional to help you make the right decisions when writing an executive resume, giving you the competitive edge and helping you land the job of your dreams.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Ms. Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – April 13, 2021

#JobSearch : Why Was My Resume Rejected? Here’s 7 Reasons to Consider. A MUst REad!

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You have sent your resume out time and time again, but no interview invitations have come. You need to consider that something in your resume may be the problem. Your executive profile can play a major role in whether you get hired for a job. If you aren’t using the best resume writing services to help you in your job search, you may find your resume is constantly rejected.

Instead of giving up on your job search, consider whether one of these reasons applies to your resume.

  1. An Overwhelmed Hiring Manager

Everyone gets overwhelmed in their jobs sometimes, even hiring managers. If there is too much information coming at them, your resume may be overlooked, especially if they feel the content is irrelevant. This is why it’s important to determine the exact information that impacts your ability to do the job and stick to that information alone.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

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Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

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Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

  1. Missing That “It” Factor

Cover letter writing services can help you determine if you’re missing something critical that could be preventing you from getting the job. While sometimes this “It” factor may be beyond your control; there may be other factors you need to highlight or potentially leave off your resume and cover letter for the best results.

  1. Relocation Issues

If you’re applying for a job that requires you to relocate, one of the biggest issues can be when you are able to make the move. In some situations, your timeline may not line up with the requirements of the job. Therefore, it’s important to make sure you are flexible with your moving plans to eliminate this issue.

  1. Currently Unemployed

As frustrating as this can be, sometimes employers want to hire someone who is already working. While unemployed individuals aren’t always in their situation due to their own fault, it seems like companies view it as a negative. However, this can be one of the most difficult elements to fix. It may be necessary to work for a temp agency or do some freelance work for a while to flesh out your resume.

  1. Staffing Agencies Can Also Hurt

While a staffing agency can be a great way to fill in your employment gap if you’re unemployed, going through one to get the job you want may not be your best option. Some hiring managers purposely ignore these resumes or put them at the bottom of the pile.

  1. Incorrect Job Descriptions

You expect businesses to create accurate job listings, but like anyone else, individuals in charge can make mistakes. Because you use this description to create your executive profile, you may not be as good of a fit as you thought when errors exist.

  1. Social Media Damaged Your Reputation

After you created a stellar resume your online profiles did major damage. Hiring managers are going to look at your social media presence and make judgment calls about you based upon what they read and see. They determine if people will be a good fit for their business. Before you apply, make sure you clean up your social media to eliminate anything that may be offensive or present a negative image.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – March 31, 2021

 

#Resumes : Resume Clichés that are Cringeworthy (embarrassing). Get it Right, you are, in Essence, Selling Yourself to a Potential Employer.

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Writing a professional resume is often more difficult than you could imagine. It’s different than writing any other type of document. This is why many people turn to a professional resume writing service. Writing a resume is actually writing a marketing piece about yourself. You are, in essence, selling yourself to a potential employer. You are communicating your brand and value to them, and showcasing why you are the best candidate above anyone else they have looked at, or will look at. For that reason, your language needs to be unique and how you articulate yourself in your resume will determine whether an interview invitation comes your way.

We review hundreds of resumes every year, and these are some of the resume clichés that are cringeworthy to steer clear of if you are attempting to write your own resume.

“I’m Very Enthusiastic, or Positive, or Energetic, or …”

It might seem like a good thing to be excited about a new job, and it is; however, this statement can actually make you sound desperate. You may really want the job, but saying so isn’t going to make it a reality. It’s up to you to show your prospective employer why you are the right choice, not why you are excited about the prospect of working there.

“I’m an Excellent Team Player and Can Work Independently”

These are buzz words the best resume writing services know are best left off of your resume. These are the phrases many candidates think employers want to hear. When they see it on a resume, though, they will be paying close attention to what the candidate does and says to back it up. They may want to see you are capable of working well with others, as well as on your own, but you shouldn’t have to spell it out. Your other words and actions should portray the message.

Like this Article?  Share It!    You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

“I Have Extensive Experience In…”

Experience is important to land any job, but you need to be careful how you use this phrase. Using it to describe every work experience you’ve ever had, including part time employment or internships, weakens the phrase and causes it to lose meaning. While you’ll need some experience, you don’t need to overcompensate and exaggerate to land the job you’re looking for.

 

“I’m Passionate About…”

Passion can be an incredible thing in the working world, but it’s important to be honest about it. You may choose to use this phrase to describe an early interest in the field, when in reality, it was just an interest. For instance, you may claim you have been passionate about the environment since the age of 12 when applying for an environmental job. However, if you really consider it, you may have just started developing an interest in exploring the area further. It’s best to leave your passions out of your resume, at least until you have an interview.

Writing a professional resume takes attention to detail and careful consideration to ensure it has the right impact on a hiring manager. Avoiding these, and other common resume clichés, will ensure you are portraying your experience and value appropriately, all while capturing the attention of your prospective employer. Talking to a professional resume writing service about how to word similar phrases can help you make the best impression, giving you a better chance at obtaining the right job.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

FSC Career Blog – March 23, 2021

 

#BestofFSCBlog : How to Write a Résumé and Choose the Best Format. Chronological, Functional or Hybrid? Great REad!

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You have just over seven seconds to make an impression with your résumé. That is the average time it took recruiters to make up their minds about candidates based on their résumés, according to a 2018 eye-tracking survey by the career site Ladders. Professional résumé writers say you could try shaking up your résumé format if you are struggling to get callbacks.

If you are unsure how your résumé should look, start with the chronological format.

The most common résumé format is chronological, listing your work experience in order, with the most recent experience at the top. It is straightforward, and many hiring managers prefer it because it is easy to understand.

How to format a chronological résumé
  • Contact information: This should come first. Include your name, phone number, email address and location (city and state). You could also include the URL to your LinkedIn profile. Make it easy for hiring managers to reach you.
  • Work experience: List your previous jobs in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Format each position in the same way so it is easy for the hiring manager to read. Include the employer’s name, location of the role (city, state), your job title, and start and end dates. If you are still in the job you can write, for example, “January 2020 to present.” If you had more than one role with an employer, make it clear as a subheading or another line under the company name. List three to five accomplishments under each job. See more tips here.
  • Education: What you include here depends on your education history. If you didn’t attend college, recently graduated or are still in college, you may include your high school here. Otherwise, it usually isn’t necessary. Include the name and location of the college you attended, your degree and the years you were there. Recent graduates can also bulk up this section with their grade-point averages, although Ashley Watkins, a career coach and résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC, advises her clients not to include their GPA if it is below 3.5. Extracurricular activities and accomplishments can also go in this section.
  • Additional skills: This section is a great place to put expertise that goes beyond a specific job or internship experience, such as other languages you speak and proficiency with certain software or other technology. You may also mention soft skills, such as the ability to work independently, a particularly useful asset if you will be working remotely.
  • Certifications: If applicable, include professional licenses, technical courses or other certificates you have earned that are relevant to the job posting.

In most cases, résumé-writing experts say the chronological format is the way to go. “Overall, the chronological format is the most used format, and you don’t really see other formats too often nowadays,” says Demisha Jennings, a certified professional résumé writer, and founder and owner of She Assists LLC.

If you want to emphasize your skills, build a résumé with a functional format.

If you don’t have much work experience and the chronological format is not working, you could try the functional format. This type of résumé prioritizes skills over direct work experience and can also be useful for those who have been out of the workforce for some time.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!You now can easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwidein our various Social Media formats below:

LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Want the ‘the best/current articles/blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, LLc (FSC) is celebrating over 30 years in the delivery of corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 of our corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, UK, & Mexico!  

We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Think carefully about using this type of résumé. “From a hiring manager’s perspective, I find this to be less effective,” says Dana Leavy-Detrick, founder and director of Brooklyn Resume Studio. “They want to know what you did on the job even if it wasn’t directly related. Were there some kinds of transferable skills or experience?”

How to format a chronological résumé
  • Contact information: This should come first. Include your name, phone number, email address and location (city and state). You could also include the URL to your LinkedIn profile. Make it easy for hiring managers to reach you.
  • Work experience: List your previous jobs in reverse chronological order, with the most recent at the top. Format each position in the same way so it is easy for the hiring manager to read. Include the employer’s name, location of the role (city, state), your job title, and start and end dates. If you are still in the job you can write, for example, “January 2020 to present.” If you had more than one role with an employer, make it clear as a subheading or another line under the company name. List three to five accomplishments under each job. See more tips here.
  • Education: What you include here depends on your education history. If you didn’t attend college, recently graduated or are still in college, you may include your high school here. Otherwise, it usually isn’t necessary. Include the name and location of the college you attended, your degree and the years you were there. Recent graduates can also bulk up this section with their grade-point averages, although Ashley Watkins, a career coach and résumé writer with Write Step Résumés LLC, advises her clients not to include their GPA if it is below 3.5. Extracurricular activities and accomplishments can also go in this section.
  • Additional skills: This section is a great place to put expertise that goes beyond a specific job or internship experience, such as other languages you speak and proficiency with certain software or other technology. You may also mention soft skills, such as the ability to work independently, a particularly useful asset if you will be working remotely.
  • Certifications: If applicable, include professional licenses, technical courses or other certificates you have earned that are relevant to the job posting.

Functional résumés often work best if you are sending your résumé to a person you have had contact with, as opposed to submitting through a job portal, which often will use an applicant tracking system, says Ms. Watkins. “Functional résumés work for direct contacts because you are there to have a conversation, the feedback is there, and they can put a person to the position,” Ms. Watkins says.

To write a résumé that plays up both your skills and experience, try the hybrid format.

Hybrid résumés combine the best parts of the chronological and functional formats. The hybrid format allows you to emphasize your skills, but also provides more context around your past work experience, says Ms. Leavy-Detrick, who favors the format and says it tends to give a “better picture of who the candidate is on the whole.”

How to format a hybrid résumé
  • Contact information: Include your name, phone number, email address, location (city, state), and the URL to your LinkedIn profile, if appropriate.
  • Summary: Similarly to the functional résumé, include a strong statement outlining your expertise, the types of employers you have worked with and your accomplishments.
  • Skills: List your relevant expertise in bullet points.
  • Select projects: If relevant to your desired role, you could add a section highlighting projects or campaigns you have worked on and what you achieved.
  • Relevant professional experience: Focus on relevant duties when describing your work history. Elaborate on how you used the skills that you listed.
  • Education: If applicable, include the name and location of your college, your degree and the years attended.
  • Certifications: Just as with the chronological and functional résumés, you can list professional licenses, technical courses or other certificates you have earned that are relevant to the job posting.
Resources
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WSJ.com | March 12. 2021 |   

#JobSearch :Tips to Edit Your Resume Like a Professional. Editing your Resume is One of the Most Important Steps you can Take when Applying for a Job.

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Writing an effective resume is about more than just creating a resume once and distributing it to prospective employers. An executive resume writer will tell you how important it is to review your resume and edit it often. Unfortunately, many people find one of their biggest weaknesses is editing. Hiring an executive resume service can provide the assistance you need, but learning to edit on your own can be invaluable.

Focus on Your Achievements

Many individuals focus on what their responsibilities have been at their jobs, rather than what they have actually achieved. Prospective employers want to know what your skills are and how you have used those skills to accomplish things in your past work history. If you could do it for a past employer, then you can do it for them. Think about the requirements of the job to which you are applying and focus on the skills you need to meet the demands of the position.

 

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

 

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We here at FSC want to thank each of corporate partners in the opportunity in serving & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment !

 

Article continued …

Market Yourself

Your resume is your chance to sell yourself and tell your prospective employers why they should consider hiring you, rather than one of the other individuals who have applied. You may easily tell potential employers what you can do, but you also need to show them how well you can do it. When writing an effective resume, you need to show them how well you have done in past positions. Quantify your value, don’t just state it.

Remove Irrelevant Material

An executive resume writer can go through your resume and help you pick out the items that aren’t relevant to the job for which you are applying. Many people create a single resume and try to distribute it to all of their prospects. However, employers are looking for the best fit for the job. If your resume is filled with information that doesn’t relate to the open position, your resume is more likely to find its way to the bottom of the pile, rather than in the interview pile.

Don’t Give It All Away

A resume is meant to be a snapshot of your work history to get employers to call you. For this reason, it’s important to make sure you don’t give too much away. Make sure you leave them with questions so they want to talk to you. It’s important to make sure you can work on selling yourself at the interview to close the deal.

Check for Common Mistakes

Grammar and spelling errors can be devastating to your ability to get a job. An executive resume service will be able to identify these problems, but anyone with a firm understanding of the English language can go over your resume and point out potential issues. You should also double check names, addresses, and other important information for accuracy.

Editing your resume is one of the most important steps you can take when applying for a job. Writing an effective resume will help set you apart from the other people applying for a job and can increase your chances of landing the job you want.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

FSC Career Blog – March 11, 2021

 

 

 

#JobSearch : Hiring Has Restarted. Here’s What You Need to Know to Land a New Job, Now. Question: What are your best strategies for job-hunting in the pandemic era?

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One year since the coronavirus was declared a pandemic, there are glimmers of a sustained jobs recovery—and that means new opportunities for prepared job seekers.

There are reasons to believe the latest uptick in job creation has more legs than similar spurts last summer and early fall, even though Federal Reserve Chairman Jerome Powell warned at The Wall Street Journal’s Job Summit last week that the economy remains far from maximum employment.

The number of help-wanted ads returned to pre-pandemic levels in January, fueled in part by more high-wage openings in technology and finance, according to job-search site Indeed. Weekly unemployment claims have fallen to their lowest levels in months. There also are signs that economic activity is poised to pick up as more people are vaccinated.

As hiring accelerates, millions of unemployed Americans will be vying for openings alongside workers jockeying for new jobs and promotions. Yet, the pandemic’s impact on the job hunt is likely to linger: Workers will need to be prepared for virtual interviews and onboarding. They may need to pick up new skills, or reinvent themselves for the next phase of their career.

Whether the pandemic has left you unemployed, underemployed or gearing up for the next step, you will need to stand out in the crowd. Economists, executives and career coaches offered advice to thousands of job seekers at the Journal’s Jobs Summit. Here is what they said:

Get your résumé in front of a human

Before your résumé even reaches a recruiter, it will need to charm a piece of software. Adding certain keywords—the terms most relevant to the job you’re seeking—is essential. For an engineer, that can mean listing programming languages you are fluent in.

“Using those words that are going to be important to the recruiter in your résumé is a key first step,” said Scott Bonneau, vice president of global talent attraction at Indeed. He recommends keeping a résumé to one page: “Once your résumé makes it to a recruiter, they may only have a few seconds or a few minutes to spend on an initial scan.”

After your résumé clears the robots and recruiters, it has a chance to gain the attention of hiring managers. Mr. Bonneau said a succinct summary or objective statement at the top of your résumé can help. “That is your brief but important way to give that hiring manager or that recruiter a contextualized overview of your experience with respect to the role,” he said.

Paige Ross, senior managing director and global head, human resources, at private-equity firm Blackstone, studies outcomes when reviewing résumés. “What have you worked on, and what were the results?,” she said.

Laura Fennell, executive vice president and chief people and places officer at financial-software maker Intuit, seeks clarity: “Résumés can get super flowery and hard to understand, so real clarity around what you’ve done—I love that.”

Work the system—but don’t try to game it

Though it is important to be strategic, overplaying your hand can backfire, Mr. Bonneau said. Key words are vital to get your résumé noticed but cramming in phrases lifted verbatim from the job description or make your résumé hard to read won’t get you far. You may get past the applicant-tracking-system algorithm only to end up alienating the recruiter who receives a résumé filled with key words that don’t genuinely reflect your abilities.

“It’s important to make sure that we focus on the relevant experience, the relevant words, but backed up by your accomplishments and what makes you the best candidate for that role,” he said.

Timing is everything

Once a job is posted online the clock is ticking, and applications that come in at the end of the submission window may already be handicapped, recruiters said. Sifting through applications and interviewing candidates begins almost immediately, and there likely will be internal candidates as well as finalists for previous vacancies all jockeying for the role.

Applicants should make thoughtful—but swift—edits to their résumé and cover letter, Indeed’s Mr. Bonneau said. “A couple of days might be the difference between a job being there or being filled by the time you apply,” he said.

He suggests setting alerts on Indeed and other sites for when relevant jobs are posted. “Let the tools do some of that work for you,” he said.

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

“Network, network, network”

Even as you’re working to get your résumé noticed, don’t forget networking. Jane Oates, president of WorkingNation, a nonprofit focused on unemployment, recommends that as job seekers tap professional contacts they include details that may elicit particular advice.

“When you’re networking with the people you know, don’t say ‘I’m looking for a job,’ ” said Ms. Oates. “Say instead, ‘I really have great organizational skills. That has to help me get a job. Do you have any idea about that?’ Be a little bit more specific.” Even if you don’t know anyone at the company or the field where you’re applying for a job, she added, try making contacts at professional or trade organizations.

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS

What are your best strategies for job-hunting in the pandemic era? Join the conversation below.

You don’t need to check every box

Some job descriptions may read like an unachievable wishlist—but that shouldn’t necessarily stop you from applying.

“‘Preferred requirements’ or ‘nice to haves’ doesn’t mean that you have to have that skill set to apply for the role,” said LaFawn Davis, Indeed’s group vice president of environmental, social and governance. She recommends explaining in your cover letter how your skills can translate to the role you are seeking.

“You should go for it if you have most of those things because, I guarantee you, the skills that you have will work out well in that role,” she said. “If you’re ready to get into something new, if you’re open to stretching yourself, you can learn those other three to four things that maybe you don’t have right now.”

 

WSJ.com | March 7. 2021 |  

#JobSearch : Identifying Your Strengths & Weaknesses – Where to Look. Question: What can you Contribute for the Job?

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Much of the time a candidate for a job is viewed in terms of what they can contribute to that job. Often, during an interview, you will be asked about your strengths and weaknesses. This is the time to be honest, but make sure you have an accurate view of yourself by looking carefully at the evidence.

Every job entails at least 4 places to look at for this evidence:

  • tasks
  • processes
  • relationships
  • communication 

Tasks are the actual things you have to do on the job. For instance, every certification you possess reflects a strength because you can do that task. If you are applying for a job that uses specific technical skills, those are tasks you need to be competent in.

Processes are the way you go about dealing with your responsibilities. You could utilize a coach to figure out your learning style or go over past reviews you’ve had. Ask a friend who won’t sugarcoat the painful truth to tell you where you need help. Do you make lists that get lost? Commit to too much and let things slide? Get sidetracked easily? Or the opposite; are you so set on doing a task that you miss important signals?

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What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened’ ?

Article continued …

Relationships are important because you do not work in a vacuum. Think about it; even those who work alone interact with somebody in order to do part of their job, right? The way you get along with coworkers affects team projects, workplace atmosphere, and a lot more. How do you react to criticism? To compliments?

Communication is the only way others can understand you. It’s one of my favorite subjects because it involves language for the most part, and I love words. But words have to say what you mean and be understood to mean what you thought you said. I will wait while you read that again…
…because it illustrates a point about communicating. If the people you are writing to, or calling, or trying to reach via your online profile do not understand what you say, it really doesn’t matter how great you thought you said it. This affects your resume because you communicate your appropriateness for the job. It affects your interview, because you communicate how you will be in the workplace. And it affects your workplace because communication is the oil in the gears that keeps the machinery of business running smoothly.

 

FSC Career Blog Author:  Erin Kennedy, MCD, CMRW, CPRW, CERW, CEMC, is a Certified Professional Resume Writer/Career Consultant, and the President of Professional Resume Services, named one of Forbes “Top 100 Career Websites”. Considered an influencer, she is consistently listed as a “Top Career Expert to Follow” on Twitter and LinkedIn.

 

 

FSC Career Blog – February 22, 2021

 

#JobSearch :High Salaries Haunt Some Job Hunters. Recruiters Increasingly Ask about Pay History Early in the Hiring Process, putting High Earners in a Quandary.

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After more than 20 years as an electronics engineer, Pete Edwards reached the low six-figure pay level. Now, as he looks for a job following a layoff, he finds that salary success a burden.

Although his experience includes the sought-after field of 3-D printing, the 53-year-old hasn’t been able to land a permanent full-time job. Time and again, he says, employers seem to lose interest after he answers a question that they ask early on: “What was your last salary?”

That question comes up sooner than ever nowadays. Hiring managers used to broach salary history or requirements only in later stages, after applicants had a chance to make an impression and state their case.

Today, pay increasingly is mentioned early in the process, either as a required field in online applications—which are used more often—or during initial interviews, say recruiters, compensation consultants and job seekers.

The shift is vexing applicants, mostly those of a certain age and pay level, who are concerned that a salary they worked to attain now gets in the way of having a job at all. “I’m unemployable now as a result of getting to the top of the tree,” Mr. Edwards lamented.

Josh Rock, a recruiter at Fairview Health Services, a 20,000-employee health system in Minnesota, said that during the last recession, recruiters used compensation queries as a quick way to cull the large numbers of candidates for open jobs. The habit has stuck, he said. “Why not figure out what’s going on sooner in the process than doing a dance?”

Human-resources executives say asking about pay right off the bat helps contain compensation costs, ensures that candidates have reasonable expectations and spares recruiters from chasing prospects they can’t afford.

“Unfortunately, some clients use salary as a pre-screening question,” said Susan Vitale, chief marketing officer at iCIMS Inc., a provider of recruiting software in Matawan, N.J. “So if the role tops out at $55,000 and they say they want $60,000, it might knock the candidate out of consideration” even if the person would be open to salary negotiations.

Screening candidates this way may be a factor in wage stagnation, some analysts suggest. Average hourly earnings rose 2.5% in 2015, modest by historical standards. Wage growth has averaged only about 2% for the past five years.

Focusing on compensation history “holds down wages because now the jobs are being filled by people with lower salary expectations,” said Thomas Kochan, a professor of employment research at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology’s Sloan School of Management. “We have a whole generation of people who are permanently adversely affected.”

Though hiring tactics have received little attention in the economic debate about wage stagnation, Mr. Kochan said they could have profound effects: “The decisions of firms individually are…creating collectively this macro phenomenon of stagnation,” yet are hard to measure because they are shrouded in secrecy.

U.S. employers continue to hold the line on wages despite six years of economic recovery and an unemployment rate of 5%. Finance chiefs are “probably looking ahead and saying they want to keep the escalation of labor costs from going up in a way that will put pressure on earnings,” said Ajit Kambil, global research director of Deloitte’s CFO Program.

In Deloitte’s most recent quarterly survey, 47% of chief financial offers said they plan to work to lower or control labor costs this year, by taming compensation growth, reducing benefit costs or other means. Moreover, employers may feel they can lowball applicants because they believe there is still a surplus of qualified candidates.

“Workers are still a little discounted” in most fields, said Linda Barrington, executive director of the Institute for Compensation Studies at Cornell University’s ILR School. “Employers won’t pay what the last person in the job was paid because labor is now on sale.”

Steve Carpinelli recently applied for a public-relations position with a nonprofit organization in Washington, D.C. The role called for a minimum of five-to-seven years of experience. He has more than 14.

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Mr. Carpinelli’s pay reached high five figures before the 45-year-old switched to the generally lower-paying field of nonprofits. While preparing for a phone interview with the Washington organization, he discovered that the last person in the job earned $101,000. So when asked early on about his salary expectations, he put his range squarely around what the last employee earned, seeking $85,000 to $110,000.

“After that, the conversation was very robotic, not a two-way conversation about what they’re truly looking for,” Mr. Carpinelli said. “I definitely got the impression that I’d priced myself out.”

In his experience, “there has been a definite shift or emphasis on beginning the conversation with: ‘What is your salary range?’” Mr. Carpinelli said. “I was always told you never talk about salary until you’re given an offer. But I’ve noticed the salary-range question comes up far earlier in the conversation.”

The organization ultimately hired a young woman with five years’ experience. Mr. Carpinelli is still looking for a permanent job.

Older job seekers sometimes see such outcomes as evidence of bias. But “employers can make financial decisions and it’s not necessarily age discrimination,” said Raymond Peeler, a senior attorney-advisor at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission. “What an employee would have to prove…is that the employer is using the salary level as a proxy to disqualify all the older applicants.”

A majority of workers take a salary cut when they get a new job after a stretch of unemployment, but those over 45 usually take a bigger hit than workers under 35 years of age, according to research from Ms. Barrington and a Cornell colleague, Hassan Enayati.

A survey by AARP last year found that of job seekers between 45 and 70 years old who found work after a spell of unemployment, nearly half earned less than before.

Some employers hesitate to hire at far below a past salary, concerned that the employee would resent earning so much less. “If someone wants $100,000 and settles for $75,000, they’re not going to be happy,” said Steve Gross, a compensation specialist and senior partner at consulting firm Mercer.

Workers, however, say they would like the chance to decide for themselves.

“The presumption that I would walk into a job and get $150,000 is not there,” said Rosemary Lynch Kelleher, a baby boomer who has earned at that level during her 25-year career in international trade policy, and has been looking for a permanent job for several years.

“I realize very clearly that it’s not there. And I would take something for $100,000 or $75,000.”

In Austin, a woman who lost her six-figure position as a data architect in 2014 but recently landed a job, said she had been tempted to say she earned $60,000 to improve her chances of getting hired.

While she was searching, the 63-year-old said: “I hate putting down what I want” in salary. “If you put down too much, they think you’re expensive. If you don’t put down enough, they think you’re undervaluing yourself.”

Much of this ambiguity could be avoided if employers published a pay range for positions, but they don’t want to tip their hands. So experts suggest job seekers research market rates for particular positions and try to finesse salary questions.

“Say, ‘I’m open to a salary commensurate with the job,” recommended Blake Nations, a former recruiter who was laid off and then founded Over50JobBoard.com. “And if they keep going, ask: ‘What do you expect to pay someone with my experience and education for this position?’ ”

Some applicants, faced with a salary-history question they fear would exclude them from the start, have toyed with putting a bogus number in a required field in an online form.

Mr. Edwards, the electronics engineer, says he tried that once. Not hearing back from the company, he contacted its HR department and was told he was too expensive. That baffled him because he had listed $1,000 as his previous pay. It turned out HR had changed that to $100,000, assuming it was a mistake.

Author: Lauren Weber at lauren.weber@wsj.com

 

WSJ.com | February 4, 2016