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#JobSearch : 2 Key Attributes Your Resume Should Communicate. How’s Yours? Great Two(2) Min Read!

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Your resume is a compilation of your career for the purpose of evaluation. Your resume is written for the reader. They are looking for indications you will be suitable for a specific opening, and that reader uses your resume to determine if an interview should be scheduled. Every hiring manager or recruiter will be looking for two areas, which are summed up:  learn and lead.

The ability to learn is essential no matter which position you are filling in an organization. From the top executive to the lowest rung of the career ladder, if you aren’t continually seeking to learn how to increase your effectiveness, you are dead weight. This can be shown in a resume through several means:

  • seminars and classes attended
  • organizations and volunteer activity
  • certifications

 The ability to lead is really the ability to think and act independently for the good of the group. Some of this ability isn’t going to show in a resume — having the strength of character to avoid gossip, for instance. Still, a resume can show that you have accomplished goals. The positions you have held in any organization, the time spent as a member, and the activities you participate in all show leadership by example even when they are not “head” positions. Your references will reveal what kind of person you are, which will give an indication of what kind of worker you probably will be.

 

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

Article continued …

During an interview, you are assessed in the light of your resume. The impression the resume gave is adjusted to include the face-to-face interaction and the whole package is considered. Will you be able to learn the job? Will you be able to do the job well even when distractions occur? Will you be a positive force in their particular workplace? If your resume hasn’t shown that you might fit, you will probably not be called in for that interview.

If your resume hasn’t resulted in being called in for any interviews, maybe it’s time to look at it again. Does it show that you know how to both learn and lead? Is it well written? Professional Resume Services has carefully built a site with many ways to help you develop an excellent resume for distribution. Explore the tips and services and see how your resume can be one that gets you that interview and the opportunity to learn and lead in a new job.
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 – January 21, 2021 

 

#BestofFSCBlog : #JobSearch -Not Getting Job Interviews? Your Resume Is The Problem. ATS(AI) Software Robots Deletes 75% of Resumes When you Apply Online.

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Cathy is a 59-year-old Hotel Sales Director who has had a vert successful career until COVID hit and she lost her job. She has been job hunting for seven months and has applied to over 300 jobs. “No one is calling. No interviews, not even one email or inquiry. I’m so frustrated. Is the job market really that impossible right now?”

“I have to wonder what I’m doing wrong,” says Tom, a Baby Boomer IT executive who contacted me about resume help. “I have sent out so many resumes – literally over 100—and I haven’t gotten one interview. Any recruiters that email me are looking at work I did two jobs ago as a project manager, but I never get any interviews for current my job level. Help!”

Although it is a difficult job market, there are still jobs available, and more positions are opening up every day. If you aren’t getting any response to your resume, no matter who helped you write it, you have to wonder if something is wrong with your resume.

The first and most important thing is to be sure that you are applying for the correct job opportunities and are a good fit for those opportunities. That you have the specific skillset and the experience the employer is asking for. You are not “just trying to get your foot in the door,” which is a very old-fashioned strategy that does not work anymore. Recruiters complain that too many people are applying for jobs that they aren’t qualified to perform. This approach will not work when you have such a competitive marketplace. Assuming that you are applying for jobs at the correct level, you have to analyze your resume closely and ensure you get the next two items right.

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

Article continued …

Employers want outcomes

The number one mistake that most job hunters make is that they do not create a resume full of accomplishments and results. Instead they focus on vague, boring job descriptions or take the job listing and copy the content and paste it into their resume. These approaches do not work. Employers want to see results. They want to know the level of success that you have delivered in your previous jobs. So vague statements that don’t have any quantification won’t be effective at all.

The formula to follow is MY ACTIONS = My RESULTS

Whenever possible, use numbers, statistics, money or time saved, or note the dollars added to the company’s bottomline.

Here are some examples:

·  Streamlined the company’s sales process from start through installation. Improved processes. Implemented new sales training and changed suppliers. Results tripled sales within twelve months from $10M to $30M.

·        Spearheaded the moving of company facilities from one expensive location to three inexpensive locations including warehouses. Created strategic plan. Negotiated new leases. Results decreased rent, reduced labor, and transportation costs. Total savings of $7M.

·        Drove the turnaround of the department during acquisition. Restructured organization reducing team members by 35% plus improved processes and implemented new direction. Results increased revenues by 13% within nine months.

·        Developed the company’s marketing strategy and execution launching a new product into 13 countries.

·        Led the team project involving a complex redesign of a complex electrical system. Collaborated with engineering, manufacturing, and factory supervisors. Oversaw the implementation. Results saved $2.5M.

·        Created the training class for a new change management course. Taught class to over 300 managers.

·        Negotiated terms and pricing contract with the vendor. Results saved $100,000.

·        Established a new service program to improve the reach of the organization. Results delivered a 27% increase in aiding women and children.

Not everything is quantitative. When creating a new program or service, or you make an innovation that in and of itself is the accomplishment.

ATS blocks 75% of resumes

Over 95% of Fortune 500 Employers use an applicant tracking system called ATS software, that uses robots to review the resume and streamline the process. According to a study by job search firm Preptel, 75%of all resumes are never seen by a real human being. Instead, they are filtered out by ATS software robots. That’s right; these systems delete 75% of resumes when you apply online. That means if 300 resumes are submitted, over 225 are deleted and never seen by human eyes.

WHY?

CNBC reported that out of 1,000 resumes analyzed that were submitted through an ATS, 43% were sent in an incompatible file type. That means not even the computer saw them. You need to ensure that you are using a WORD file and which seems to be universally accepted. Also, avoid using graphics, tables, columns, text boxes, headers, or footers. And of course, you must include the keywords that are specific for performing your job. (For more specifics, read Employers Ignoring Your Resume? 5 Mistakes To Avoid )

To get a different result – employers calling you for interviews – you must change what you have been doing. Improving your resume is a great way to increase your odds of getting hired.

Forbes.com | October 20, 2020 | Robin Ryan

 

#JobSearch : Fast Fixes for Your Resume.The Job Market is Tough Right Now, So you Have to Take Advantage of any Opportunity.

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There are a myriad of tactics and tools you can use to improve your resume and not all are painful or require a lot of redo to your resume. The thing is – they can help you get a job, and isn’t that what you want?

So how do you go about fixing your resume quickly?

1- Delete your objective.  Many companies do not care what you want. It’s a sad truth but one that you have to live with. Removing your objective gives more space for you to focus on skills that the employer craves. Instead, replace this with a Career Summary, communicating your brand messaging and value proposition.

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

Article continued …

2- Add a straightforward statement that explains why you are uniquely qualified for the position.  Such as: Proven Marketing Leader with Far Reaching Corporate Experience. Make sure that your statement is true and matches your job description. The last thing you want to do is make yourself out to be something that you’re not. HR Managers hate this, especially if you use a headline in your resume. But if done correctly, a statement helps recruiters immediately see that you are what they’re looking for in a candidate.

3- Include a summary of skills (keyword bulleted list) – especially if you have skills related to the open position. But, also include things like certifications, features you have, language skills, and any technical abilities that would set you apart from your peers. Do you understand Linux or can you program C++? Then add that on your resume. Any skills that you possess should be showcased, because it gives you extra value to the employer. You may not need those skills, but it’s good to have them on your resume.

4- Look through job descriptions in order to identify keywords companies are looking for on your resume. This sounds trickier than it actually is, but there’s a site called wordclouds.com. There you can copy and paste the job description, and it will give you a simple, easy to read explanation about the keywords that your prospective employer is looking for. Keywords help your resume stand out, and if a company sees that your resume has the needed keywords, you stand a better chance of landing the job. Adjust your resume according to the keywords and to match the description of the job.

6- Replace weak words and statements with Power Words. Instead of saying “Contributed to the company newsletter,” write, “Managed the award-winning Vista monthly publication, the flagship magazine of Made-Up Company, the world’s largest manufacturer of silicon diodes.” Both statements may be true, but the second one carries a lot more weight and showcases your talents. Make sure your statements are said with power.

The job market is tough right now, so you have to take advantage of any opportunity. Do not let one slip by because your resume is not up to par.

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 | October 19, 2020

 

#JobSearch : How to Target Your Resume to the Job Description. You Can’t Send the Same Resume to Each Job Opening!

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Whether you are reworking an old resume or starting from scratch, writing a resume can be a daunting task. And in today’s competitive job market with so many unknown variables, it can seem overwhelming at times. But even if you have a resume you’ve used in the past, chances are some significant adjustments need to be made if you’re searching for a new job.

If you have never done this in the past, resume targeting is writing a resume specific to a position you are applying for. You do this by taking the job description and matching your resume to the position. You probably have heard from an executive resume service that it’s important to do so, but in what ways are you supposed to match them?

Here are some tips to consider when writing your resume. 

Find Keywords from the Job Description

The first step is to have a printed copy of the job description, grab a highlighter, and mark each keyword you can find. These keywords should describe the particular candidate the employer is looking for, as well as the strengths and skills you possess. Once you identify them all, plug them into your resume as high on the page as possible. Include as many keywords as you can, but be careful not to stuff too many of them in to make it sound unnatural.

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

Article continued … 

Consider the Audience

When you write a resume, you need to think about who will be reading it. It’s easy to talk about your past experiences and accomplishments. The biggest mistake professionals make is talking about previous achievements that aren’t relevant to the job they are applying for. When writing an effective resume, you have to write it while thinking about how a potential employer will read it. They want to see what value you bring to the table specifically for their company, and don’t necessarily care about anything else. By looking closely at the job description, the best professional resume writers can identify what’s appropriate to mention and what should be avoided. 

Determine What You Want from a Job

A mistake that many make is trying to reach a broader audience, keeping it more general. The thought is the more general your resume, the better your chances are of landing another open position, even if you don’t qualify for the one you really want. This can lead to a sloppy resume and an unfocused job search effort. Taking the time to truly discover what you want from a job, from a salary standpoint, cultural standpoint, work/life balance, and more will help you target your resume.

Ensuring your resume matches the job description shows the recruiter you took the time to review the qualifications for the position and you didn’t send a generic resume to multiple employers. This goes a long way in showing you are serious about their organization.

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 | October 15, 2020

#JobSearch : Resume Quiz To See If Employers Will Respond To Your Resume. A MUst REad!

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Writing a persuasive resume is challenging for most people. Yet, a top-quality resume that effectively sells your skills and accomplishments to an employer is essential to your success. Is yours good enough to grab a recruiter’s attention? As a result of the COVID-19 recession, many employers are being flooded with resumes that will likely never get through the Applicant Tracking System so no HR person or recruiter will ever physically see it.

I have created this quiz, based on dozens of hiring surveys, hundreds of employer interviews, and nearly 30 years of resume writing experience. It doesn’t matter what generation you are from, I’ve worked with Baby Boomers, Gen Z every age in between to create eye-catching resumes that landed jobs.

Take out your resume as we put it under a “hiring microscope.” Looking over your current resume, take the following quiz to see if your resume would be selected from today’s competition.

Place a check mark by each question that you answered correctly.

1.   __How long is your resume?

ANSWER: Two pages is the current maximum that employers want to see or are willing to read. Whether you are a 60-year old executive or a professional who recently graduated, being brief and concise works best. Employers glance at your resume giving it a 15-20 second glance. Be a skillful editor, deleting the portions which are not relevant or are least helpful to supporting the particular job title you currently seek. Emphasize your more recent experience in the last 7-10 years.

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

Article continued …

2.    ___Do you list a career objective?

ANSWER: A generalized resume won’t resonate with employers. They are hiring a specialist. Emphasize what your specific skill set is geared towards and the targeted job you’re looking for. Therefore, list the appropriate job title you are seeking even if it’s the next level, i.e., Project Manager or VP Sales or Marketing Manager. If you have varying and different job titles that you can do, i.e., Trainer versus Program Administrator, create two resumes, one for each of these positions. Be specific and target each resume to the different job title.

3.    ___Did you use keywords?

ANSWER: CNBC reported that over 75% of resumes never get seen by human eyes. An uploaded resume goes through scanning software called the applicant tracking system or ATS. To be found by a human recruiter or hiring manager, you need to add appropriate keywords. This does not mean copying every word from the job opening and putting them into your resume. Most employers are seeking your hard skills as determined by the work tasks you have done in the past. Try making a list of your job functions. If you review several job openings, you will see a pattern that the employers all want certain skills. For example, a software engineer needs to list the technical programming languages they use but also the other similar skills that employers desire.  If words such as project management or process improvements show up as responsibilities in the ads, you’ll want to include those in your resume.

4.    ___Does your resume use lengthy job descriptions?

ANSWER: Long paragraphs with wordy job descriptions often are too generic to work. Results and accomplishments are what recruiters and hiring managers want to know about. Employers want proof that you can do the job. Specifics that demonstrate your achievements are crucial. Using bulleted statements are easier to read and more effective. Outline what you have increased or decreased, how you saved money or time, made the organization money, created something new that solved a problem, and contributed to employee productivity and the bottomline whenever possible.

5.   ___Is your resume visually appealing?

ANSWER: The appearance of the resume cannot be overemphasized! Don’t get creative with your resume. Fancy fonts, tables, columns, text boxes, color inked, graphics, charts, headers, and footers are often not able to be read by some of the ATS bots employers use. Instead, you get blanks or garbled, unreadable text. Use a standard format. Make use of italicizing, CAPITALS, underlining, bolding, indentations, and bullets to emphasize your essential points. Keep your font readable, size 12 is best and only use common fonts like Arial or Times Roman. PROOFREAD carefully to make your resume a perfect example of you!

6.   ___Does your resume include a Summary of Qualifications section?

ANSWER: This 4-6 sentence section includes your experience and top-selling points to do the job. It has a high impact on employers, but most candidates neglect to include it. This part of the resume has an incredible impact since employers reported that this was one of the very first areas they read. And, if the briefly stated summary demonstrates solid ability to fill the advertised job, it then causes them to slow down and give that candidate more careful consideration. (Read more on this section in the Forbes article Time To Update Your Résumé—Here’s One Secret To Use)

7.   ___ How do you start each sentence under professional experience?

ANSWER: Begin sentences with descriptive action verbs, such as established, analyzed, implemented, designed, or researched. They add power to your sentences by demonstrating actions. Never use the word “I” in your resume. Action verbs help you create powerful statements by listing the step you took and the results the action created.

8.    ___ Have you used acronyms and abbreviations?

ANSWER: Spell out names of schools, cities, work acronyms and abbreviations completely. It is better to give complete information, as employers may not recognize abbreviations or acronyms. They often glance quickly over the resume, and you don’t want them to get tripped up or annoyed when you don’t state the entire phrase.

9.   ___Does your resume get you interviews?

ANSWER: This is the ultimate test to determine if you have written an effective resume. If you are not getting appropriate interviews, you may need some professional intervention to learn why it is not working. Typically, it’s not getting through the ATS, or it may be too generic without specific accomplishments. Then again, you may be applying for jobs you aren’t qualified for. No interviews mean you need to overhaul and edit it to stress your crucial work tasks, your past actions, and the results achieved.

Author: Robin Ryan – I am a career counselor that helps clients land jobs. I offer Resume Writing, LinkedIn Profile Writing, and Interview Coaching services. I’ve appeared on Oprah, DrPhil

…
Forbes.com | June 9, 2020

#ResumeWriting : Executive Resume Targeting is More Important Than You Think . Targeting your Resume is Critical Today, and Here’s Why it’s So Important.

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What’s the first thing you think about when you start preparing or updating your resume? A common misconception today is thinking you have to craft your resume to be more general since you don’t know exactly what an employer wants to see.

The reality is hiring managers are looking specifically for people who understand their needs and have the skills and knowledge to solve their problems. The key to getting recognized is writing an effective resume geared toward acknowledging those specific needs and demonstrating why you have the skills they are looking for.

Targeting your resume is critical today, and here’s why it’s so important.

Targeting Doesn’t Limit Your Job Search

Your first thought when the best executive resume writers tell you to target your resume may be that you’re limiting your job search options. There’s no such thing as a one-size-fits-all resume. Employers need to see specifically how you can help their current and future situation, so only including relevant information in your resume is critical. When writing an effective resume, your time is much better spent researching a potential employer and targeting the resume accordingly rather than trying to create a general resume to reach a wider audience.

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

Article continued … 

What to Do Before Writing Your Resume

The top resume writing services always suggest thinking hard about exactly what you want to do at your next job. Once you have your goals and desires set, you can search for potential employers that can help you achieve those goals. Take a look at what attributes and skills the company needs and identify where you can help them out the most. When writing your resume, be sure to demonstrate your brand clearly so the hiring manager will know exactly who you are, what you stand for and how you can help the company achieve its goals. 

Make Your Resume Stand Out

Hiring managers want to see you’ve done your research on them before sending in a resume. The best executive resume writers can help you with relevant keywords and phrases employers want to see. When you value the idea of working for an employer, the hiring manager will be able to see it and you’ll have a better chance of getting called in for an interview.

It can be difficult to wrap your mind around targeting a resume. While resume targeting has always been important, employers today take it much more seriously in their efforts to narrow down candidates to find the right fit. Take the time to make your resume a stand out by writing a targeted resume to show them you are the candidate of choice.

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 |  May 28, 2020

#Resume : Why an Objective On A Resume Makes You Look Old.

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The days of your resume starting out with “Objective: Experienced Executive Sales Manager seeking to ….” are long gone!  If you are still using a line like that to open up your executive resume, you may as well realize that your chance of getting selected for an interview is probably long gone as well.  Lose the “Objective” and replace that one-liner with a dynamic career summary that pulls the reader in and shows that you have the experience, skills, and credentials to get the job.

A career summary is a brief statement/paragraph at the top of your summary that immediately communicates your qualifications for the job.  In just a few sentences, you need to be able to articulate the value you can offer, what you have that makes you more uniquely qualified than others, and why the hiring manager should call you, and only you, in for the interview.  A few tips to get you on your way…

The hook…

  • Clearly define your goals:  think about this- if you were already in the interview, what would be the top 3-4 things you would tell the hiring manager about yourself to show you are the one to hire? Now, put those 3-4 things in writing on your career summary.

The line…

  • Highlight your applicable experience, strengths, and skills:  incorporate keywords and keyword phrases that are relevant to the position you’re applying for/industry throughout your summary. If the resume is being screened by an ATS program, using the appropriate keywords will help to ensure that your resume will get selected from the pile. If you have space, you can even share an achievement that shows how you’ve increased sales or revenue, improved productivity, implemented a new program―how you’ve created value for others during your career. You can also include the job title or a little bit about your personal brand in your summary to make an even stronger connection.

Reel em’ in…

  • Build them up and leave them wanting to know more:  you’ve made your point, now conclude your summary with a catchy phrase that shows the impact you have made in your career for your past employers.

 

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

Continue of the article:

Here are examples of what we found at the top of two resumes submitted by candidates applying for the same position with an association:

 

  1. Objective: Experienced candidate seeking to work as an executive for a large company where I can grow my skills and expertise in the field.

 

  1. Executive Summary: Entrepreneurial leader accomplished in designing game-changing strategies to propel growth and membership within sales associations. Valued for providing insight, evaluating current practices, identifying market trends, and achieving unprecedented results. Expertise in developing strong and sustainable solutions to maximize partner retention and affinity relations, facilitate expansion, and generate revenue growth. Capable of building strong relationships with business partners and influencing at all levels to generate results.

Which candidate would you call in for an interview?

There is nothing more satisfying than watching someone progress in their career, and a strategically-written resume is a great place to start. Recruiters and hiring managers want to be sold on you as a candidate in the first few seconds they spend on your resume―you have to be able to show your ROI with high-value information to keep the reader interested in learning more about you.

Go a step further and use your summary on your resume as the basis for your summary on your LinkedIn profile.  Nobody wants to see “I am seeking a job as a Sales Executive” in the “About” section on your profile.  You have 2,000 characters to sell yourself in the “About” section.  Include a brief summary, some bulleted achievements, and your most relevant strengths and expertise to show all you offer in just a few quick seconds.  Make it personal and creative―let the reader see who you are, how you operate, and how you can impact their organization if they hire you.

So, to answer the question in the title of this article, you need to lose the “Objective” you’re still showing on your resume and replace it with a dynamic career summary that markets you as the best fit for the employer’s needs. When written and presented the right way, a strong career summary statement at the beginning of your resume will not just introduce you to the reader, but more importantly will effectively convey that YOU are the ideal candidate for the job, right from the get-go.

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 14, 2020

#ResumeWriting : Five(5) ‘Extras’ That Can Make an Impact on Your Resume.

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Most people who are creating a new resume know that they need to include a summary at the top of the document, a skills section, professional history, and educational background.

However, beyond these ‘typical’ sections, there are also extra things that can pack a ‘punch’ with your new resume.

#1 – Freelance or Contract Projects. Many individuals work as a freelancer, consultant, or temporary worker between full-time job opportunities. Don’t discount these experiences as un-important. Instead, they may be able to highlight a particular skill, shows your ability to remain flexible, and provides you with the opportunity to learn new things quickly. Use this to your advantage and show your diverse background and how this can impact future employers.

#2 – Side Hustles. More and more people are building a business ‘on-the-side’ and this may be able to be highlighted as you discuss your entrepreneurial spirit. Whether you are involved with a network marketing organization or serve as a business consultant, this may be pertinent information. One caveat – if your side business may be seen as competition with the intended job opportunity, you may have to be creative with how you word this information or portray it on the document.

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

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#3 – Continuing Education. If you have worked at any length during your career, you have most likely attended workshops, seminars, or other events that further your education. This is important because it allows you to showcase that you are not stagnant in your career and are always trying to learn more and better yourself.

#4 – Volunteerism or Community Engagement. If you are a consistent and ongoing volunteer with an organization such as United Way, Junior Achievement, or Kiwanis, it’s important to show that you are giving back to the community and are striving to make a difference. Many organizations look for employees who are aligned with community-oriented initiatives.

#5 – Testimonials or Endorsements. If you have letters of recommendation or LinkedIn testimonials and you have a little extra space on your resume, you can also include what others have said about you. Not only does this solidify the information you have told the employer with your job history, it gives you third-party validation as you apply for future positions.

Remember that it is important to highlight your work history in your resume; however, it is also vital to show other ways that you stand apart as a potential employee. That can mean showcasing your volunteerism, leadership positions, unpaid work experience, and testimonials from former co-workers and supervisors.

FSC Guest Author: Dr. Heather Rothbauer-Wanish has a BBA in management from the University of Wisconsin-Eau Claire, an MBA from Lakeland College, and a Ph.D. in Organization and Management from Capella University. She LOVES helping people position themselves for today’s job market. She can help boost your confidence by creating a resume that helps you land your DREAM JOB. Visit her website @ https://www.feather-communications.com

If you are still unsure how to make your resume stand-out, contact me today for a free resume review!

 

FSC Career Blog | April 2, 2020 | FSC Guest Author, by  

 

How Old is Your Executive Resume? Simply Updating will Not Do.

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If it’s been a while since you looked for a new job, you likely haven’t updated your resume during that time. Depending on how long it has been, simply making updates to it won’t be sufficient. When writing an effective resume today, you have to take into consideration how it looks digitally as well as on paper.

And a lot of the resume writing strategies that applied a decade ago should be avoided now. Recruiters and hiring managers will be able to easily tell if your resume is dated, so here’s how you can rework yours to catch it up with modern times.

Old Resumes Need To Be Reworked Completely

Any professional resume writing service will suggest rewriting your resume completely if it’s close to a decade old. Sometimes it’s best to start with a blank document so you won’t be tempted to operate under the same framework as your old resume. But when you’ve only written a couple of versions of your resume, and none of them have been recent, how do you know where to start? An executive resume writer is a good resource since they are up-to-date on what should and shouldn’t be included. 

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

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Resume Writing Strategies To Consider

Old resumes didn’t typically highlight a job applicant’s personal brand. Today, personal branding is essential to include on resumes, since it’s what sets you apart from the rest. It can be difficult to do this if you’ve never done it before, so there’s no harm in working with an executive resume writer for assistance.

Keywords, formatting, hyperlinks and more should also be modernized in your resume. With more employers using applicant tracking systems to help them filter through resumes, it’s essential to include proper keywords and phrases to ensure your resume gets recognized. Targeting is also highly recommended when writing an effective resume. Employers can spot a general resume quickly, so do your research and demonstrate your knowledge about the company and their needs in yours. 

Outdated Details Should Be Removed

Details like where you live, professional references, outdated expertise, an objective statement or other personal information don’t belong on resumes anymore. Of course, if a specific employer asks for this information, then you should have it handy and ready to provide it to them. Nothing demonstrates an outdated resume more than including these types of details, which most employers aren’t interested in.

Keeping up with the times is difficult today in the fast-paced world we live in. It’s especially difficult to do so if you have held the same job for many years and need to put together a resume quickly. Take time to consider whether your resume may be out-of-date before you start your job search process.

 

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 10, 2020

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – How To Write A #Resume That Gets You a #JobInterview .

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With the average job receiving 250 applicants, building a standout résumé matters, especially if you have some rocky patches to explain, like job gaps or career shifts.

In my time as a career coach, I have been sent hundreds of résumés that are in dire need of help. Like so many people, a recent client, Sarah, came to me struggling to find a new job after having been laid off a few months prior. She sat down already feeling defeated, “I just don’t know how to get myself into another role…who would want to hire someone who has job gaps and was laid off?”

Everyone has a story for their career setbacks and I wanted to understand hers. Sure, Sarah’s job history was a little spotty, but that didn’t mean she wasn’t a hard working and dedicated employee. Turns out, her layoff story was telling: after the company laid of 70% of their staff, she was one of the last they let go. Why? Because she was an incredible, hardworking hire. This meant helping her craft a résumé that stands out in the pile, and even more importantly, an elevator pitch so that she’s memorable to the interviewer.

Here are three ways to make your résumé showcase your strengths and help you stand out. 

1. Focus less on what you’ve done and more on what you want to highlight.

Your résumé is all about showing where you’ve been as it relates to where you’re headed. This means taking the thread of your past and relating it to your future. Sure, you can list out your past jobs and roles, but cater your résumé to highlight skills and job experiences that relate to where you’re going even more so than where you’ve been. This is especially important if you are looking to make a career transition into a field you might not have direct experience in.

Look at the job you are applying for and focus on the responsibilities it lists that you have experience in, whether direct or indirect. Don’t leave off the skill section of the resume, you can really capitalize on this to outline what skills your current position requires that translate into the new role.

Under each job, focus primarily on the responsibilities that relate to your past, and apply also to the job announcement–ideally tasks you want to do more of. Be sure that your first bullet under each job is always your best bullet. This means it’s high impact, quantitative and results driven.

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

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2. Don’t neglect the power of soft skills.

The value of soft skills is on the rise in the job market. By 2020, it is estimated that skills such as problem-solving and communication will increase the perceived value of employers by over one third. Why? Because robots are taking over the workforce. But they cannot compete fully with a human being in their soft skills.

Use your résumé language as a means to describe a soft skill the hiring manager is looking for. You can use facts or stats from your job history to show, not tell, what your communication and management skills have done. Weave together your soft skills of customer service, collaboration or public speaking into the outcome these skills have formed.

3. Showcase your achievements.

Roles are often either task oriented or results oriented. Resist the desire to simply outline the day to day tasks completed in your job history. When I reviewed Sarah’s résumé further, she had only included a bulleted list of job duties performed each day (project management, product research and market testing). Although it is great to showcase what you can do, hiring managers are looking to see what the results you provided the company. That means getting out of tasks and into results.

Don’t be shy with quantifying your results to the best of your ability.

In fact, Sarah’s work for the company resulted in saving $1M in revenue. This should’ve been a major highlight on her résumé as it showcased her ability to complete tasks and make a positive impact.

Sarah did some major revamping considering these tips and was able to get in the door for multiple interviews. She used her résumé as a talking tool within the interview and was able to illustrate what she could bring to the team to lock down not one, but two job offers.

If you are on the job market or considering a new opportunity, review your résumé to be sure it is a positive representation of you. Don’t let this single piece of paper make or break your next career move!

Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.

Author: Ashley Stahl Contributor

I’m a career coach who helps job seekers via online programs and one-on-one coaching in finding their purpose, landing more job offers and launching their dream business…

Forbes.com | June 27, 2019