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#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – 13 Tips to Age-Proof Your Resume … Great REad!

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As such, it is imperative that this community is competitive when facing off against younger workers. The first step in landing an in-demand job is crafting an eye-catching resume.

“The resume continues to be a crucial tool every savvy job seeker needs,” says resume writer and career advice expert for TopResume. “Older workers are often confronted with many stereotypes in the workplace, from being unable to keep up with technology, to being too rigid in their ways.

While not all stereotypes can be completely overcome within the confines of a resume, there are ways to draw the focus away from a candidate’s age and place it where it belongs: on the candidate’s qualifications.”

Here are AARPs top tips for age-proofing your resume. Grab a pen and paper, you’ll want to take notes.

Tip #1. Focus on your recent experience.

The further along you are in your career, the less relevant your earlier work experience becomes. Employers care most about your recent work that matters for the roles they’re filling, not your experience from 15 or more years ago. As a result, give more detail about the positions you’ve held in the past 10–15 years that are related to your current job search and say less about your earliest jobs.

“Focus on elaborating on your most recent positions, assuming they support your current goals. Ask yourself the following questions,” says Augustine:

  • Did I identify ways to make operations run better, faster, cheaper, or safer?
  • Did I help reduce costs, grow revenue, or increase productivity?
  • How else could I quantify my work? How many people did I manage or supervise? Approximately how many accounts did I have? How big was my budget or territory?

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

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Tip #2. Eliminate older dates.

Remove the dates related to work experience, education, and certifications if they fall outside the 15-year window. While you may want to consolidate older work experience in a separate section or a “Career Note,” including the dates of employment is unnecessary. Similarly, it’s important to share your credentials on your resume, but the employer doesn’t need to know you earned your MBA 17 years ago.

The Dos and Don’s of Resume Editing

Tip #3. Limit your resume to two pages.

The straight-no-chaser reality is “employers truly don’t want to weed through a long resume document to understand why a candidate is qualified for their open position,” says Augustine. Therefore, you’ve got to stick to two pages.

Most recruiters spend less than 10 seconds reviewing a resume before deciding if the candidate should receive further consideration. With so little time to make the right impression, it’s important to streamline your resume to two pages. Focus on using this space to highlight your recent work experience and accomplishments that best match your current career goals.

Tip #4. Avoid the “jack-of-all-trades” approach.

Although you may have held numerous roles throughout your career, your resume shouldn’t be a laundry list of everything you have done. Focus on tailoring your resume’s content to support your current career objective, rather than providing a generalized summary of your entire work history.

“When you’ve worn many hats over the course of a multi-decade career, it can be tempting to include all of this information on your resume,” says Augustine. “However, when you do that, your resume turns into a mini novel (which recruiters hate) and your document will lack focus.”

21 Words To Never Include In Your Resume

Tip #5. Optimize your resume with keywords.

Seventy-five percent of all online applications will never be seen by human eyes thanks to the hiring bots, which are software programs known as an applicant tracking system (ATS). Their job is to collect, scan, and rank an employer’s inbound applications. To improve your resume’s chances of making it past this digital gatekeeper and on to a human for review, make sure your document includes the appropriate keywords. If a word or phrase repeatedly shows up in the job listings you’re interested in, incorporate these terms into your resume.

Remember, says Augustine, “if a candidate’s resume isn’t designed and written with these bots in mind, even the resume of a qualified candidate could end up in the trash.”

Can Your Resume Beat The Bots? How to Make It ATS-friendly

Tip #6. Upgrade your email address.

Older workers sometimes are seen as lacking technical savvy. Don’t give employers a reason to believe you might fit this stereotype. Ditch your old AOL or Hotmail email account for a free, professional-looking Gmail address that incorporates your name.

Tip #7. List your mobile phone number.

If you’re still listing your landline on your resume, it’s time to mobilize your contact information. Only list your cell phone number on your resume so you can control the voicemail message, who answers important phone calls from recruiters, and when.

How to Write A Cover Letter

Tip #8. Join the LinkedIn bandwagon.

LinkedIn is a valuable platform for connecting with others in your industry and uncovering new job opportunities. It’s also an important place to advertise your candidacy to prospective employers. In fact, a study by recruiting software provider Jobvite found that 93 percent of employers admit to reviewing candidates’ social network profiles — regardless of whether the candidates provided that information.

If you’ve avoided using LinkedIn in the past, now’s the time to create a profile that supports your career goals. Then, customize your LinkedIn profile URL and add it to the top of your resume to ensure recruiters find the right profile for you.

Tip #9. Showcase your technical proficiencies.

The fact that you know how to use Microsoft Office is no longer noteworthy (unless your role requires advanced knowledge of Excel). Show employers that you’ve kept up with the latest tools and platforms related to your field. If you’re in a non-technical profession, create a small section toward the bottom of your resume that lists these proficiencies. If you realize there’s a skill or tool outside your wheelhouse that’s routinely appearing in the job descriptions you’re targeting, check out sites such as edX, Coursera, and SkillShare to find free or low-cost online courses.

Top Skills to Include on Your Resume

Tip #10. Customize each online application.

Small tweaks to the content of your resume can make a big difference in determining whether your online application reaches a human being for review. Before you submit another online application, re-evaluate your resume based on the job posting. Then, make small edits to customize your resume so that it clearly reflects your qualifications for this specific role.

“Focus on highlighting the information that addresses what hiring managers care most about: ‘Prove to me that you possess the right skills and experience to do this job well,’” insistes Augustine. “If you focus on this objective, you’re more likely to craft a resume that is set up for success in combating age discrimination.”

Tip #11. Ditch the objective statement.

Avoid using a run-of-the-mill objective statement that’s full of fluff and focuses solely on your wants and needs. Instead, replace it with your “elevator pitch.” In a brief paragraph, known as a professional summary or executive summary, explain what you’re great at, most interested in, and how you can provide value to a prospective employer. In other words, summarize your job goals and qualifications for the reader.

How to Develop and Nail Your Elevator Pitch

Tip #12. Aim for visual balance.

If content is king in a resume, then design is queen. How your information is formatted is just as important as the information itself. Focus on leveraging a combination of short blurbs and bullet points to make it easy for the reader to quickly scan your resume and find the most important details that support your candidacy.

Since you’re keeping the length to two pages, any experience older than a decade ago can be cut or condensed. In fact, you can summarize your earlier positions in one of two ways:

  • Write a short blurb as a “Career Note” where you mention the job titles or types of positions you previously held and namedrop any clients or employers that are considered attractive to industry insiders.
  • Create an “Earlier Work Experience” section at the end of your professional work history that simply lists job titles, employer names, and locations. Additional details can always be made available to an employer, should they make a request.

Tip #13. Focus on achievements, not tasks.

At this point in your career, recruiters are less concerned with the tasks you’ve completed and more interested in learning what you’ve accomplished. Separate each job under your work history into a short blurb that describes your role and responsibilities. Then, add a set of bullet points to describe the results you’ve achieved and the major contributions you’ve made that have benefited the organization. By bulleting these details, you’re drawing readers’ eyes to the information they care most about: your qualifications. Whenever possible, quantify your accomplishments to provide additional context for the recruiter.

“Numbers are important! Quantify the scope of your work as much as possible,” says Augustine. “That said, seasoned workers shouldn’t get anxious if they no longer have access to the data that would allow them to quantify their earlier work.”

 

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#CareerAdvice : #JobSearch – 4 Things to Do Now to Prepare for Your 2019 Job Search.

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Most people looking for a job put it on hold in December. That’s generally because hiring slows down during the holiday season as people take vacations and lose time to seasonal events, and companies do other year-end activities like budgeting and employee evaluations.

December may not be when you’ll land a lot of interviews for permanent work, but it’s still a time of opportunity. If you know you will be seeking a job in the new year, you should take the month to get as ready as you can for the new year and the return of normal hiring rhythms.

Of course, if you’re out of work, you should not put your search on hold for December. Work on all of these things while you keep looking, because a hiring slowdown isn’t a hiring stoppage. And if you’re employed but ready to move on, these are good ways to get ready.

1. Get Your Resume in Order

It’s not enough to just update your resume. You also need to research whether resume format for your industry has changed. For example, in journalism, a one-page resume was the standard throughout the 1980s and 1990s. At some point in the 2000s that changed, and multiple pages became not just appropriate, but expected for more senior-level people.

In addition to making sure you have your resume copyedited and checked for other errors, it’s important to make sure it’s current. Talk to hiring managers or other people in your field who have recently gotten hired to find out what’s the current norm.

Top Resume Trends to Try Right Now (Plus, Two Trends to Ignore)

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

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2. Get Your References Set

Very few people like surprises — at least when it comes to reference requests. Your references may all agree that you’re a wonderful person and an excellent worker, but they probably don’t want a surprise call asking about you.

Let your references know that you plan to start a job search and that you’re using them as references. This will have them expecting calls and give them a chance to opt out — maybe they will be traveling out of the country, or maybe they don’t think they can say anything nice about you.

3. Use Some Vacation Time

Vacation policies vary by company. Some carry vacation over into the new year, and some pay you for unused time if you decide to leave, while others do neither.

December is a popular month to take time off, and in some cases, even companies where unused time does not carry over will allow you to book January vacations using 2018 time. If you have unused days, see if you can use them early in 2019, which can give you time to search for a job and go on interviews.

7 Sneaky Ways to Search For A Job When You Have One

4. Polish Your Skills

Consider the type of job you’ll be applying for and examine your skill set. Maybe there’s something you know how to do that you’re a little rusty at. Take an online refresher course or do something that lets you show during an interview that you worked on that area. Even just starting the process can make a big difference to prospective employers.

Being Rested & Ready Will Pay Off

While December can be a hectic month, it also tends to be a time when most workers in fields that aren’t retail-related get time off. Use that time both to prepare for your job search and to recharge your batteries.

Do things like setting up email alerts for certain job titles and bookmarking company careers pages you want to track. Make sure you have interview outfits ready to go and that you have nicely printed copies of your resume and references. There’s only so much you can prepare, but doing what you can will make it easier once the job market picks back up in the new year.

 

GlassDoor.com | December 25, 2018 | Posted by 

#CareerAdvice : #YourCareer – The 10 Most Popular Work-Life Articles/Stories of 2018! Must Read!

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2018 was a year of both hopeful and discouraging moments in the world of work. As Fast Company‘s Lydia Dishman reported, we’ve seen many instances where employees pushed for accountability from their leaders. We saw workers strike to demand better rights and conditions, and actively protest company policies that they morally opposed. Some leaders responded to those concerns, by publicly shouldering responsibilities and taking steps to have the necessary, yet difficult conversations. Others did not.

Technology continues to raise questions around the future of work–and how humans will coexist with machines. We also learned more about the upsides and downsides of existing in the gig economy, as well as its promises and perils.

But amid all the volatility and changes in the landscape of work, Fast Company readers remain committed in their desire to succeed in work and in life. As we head into 2019, we can look to these stories to put us in the right path to do just that.

1. 7 WARNING SIGNS THAT YOU SHOULDN’T ACCEPT A JOB OFFER

It’s difficult to make an accurate assessment of a company culture in a 20 minute interview, Piyush Patel, author of Lead Your Tribe, Love Your Work, told Fast Company‘s Stephanie Vozza. However, Patel believes that there are a few things that should raise red flags. Messy bathrooms, for example, can be a signal that employees in that company lack a collaborative attitude.

2. WHAT HAPPENED WHEN I TRIED THE U.S. ARMY’S TACTIC TO FALL ASLEEP IN TWO MINUTES

Many of us have trouble falling asleep. In fact, 50 to 70 million U.S. adults have some sort of sleeping disorder, according to the American Sleep Association. If you’ve ever struggled with any sort of sleep issues, you probably know that it has a huge impact on your mood and productivity. Fast Company’s Michael Grothaus has tried everything from meditation to medication to combat his occasional sleep problems. This year, he experimented with the two-minute technique that the U.S. Army employed to help soldiers fall asleep quickly in “less than ideal conditions.”

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

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3. NEUROSCIENCE SAYS THAT LISTENING TO THIS SONG REDUCES ANXIETY BY UP TO 65%

People use all sorts of different tactics to manage stress, one of which is sound therapy. As Inc. columnist Melanie Curtin wrote, neuroscientists in the U.K. have now composed a playlist that has been scientifically proven to ease your anxiety. Curtin wrote, “In this age of constant bombardment, the science is clear: If you want your mind and body to last, you’ve got to prioritize giving them a rest. Music is an easy way to take some of the pressure off of all the pings, dings, apps, tags, texts, emails, appointments, meetings, and deadlines that can easily spike your stress level and leave you feeling drained and anxious.”

4. SIX VERBS THAT MAKE YOU SOUND WEAK (NO MATTER YOUR JOB TITLE)

Words have a lot of power. No matter your job title, they can either command respect or hamper your credibility. Leadership communication expert Judith Humphrey shared the six verbs that can do the latter. When you say “think,” for example, you’re conveying something less than definitive, while saying “need” can “conjure up a feeling of dependency on the part of the speaker.”

5. NEVER, EVER UTTER THESE PHRASES IN A SALARY NEGOTIATION

Salary negotiation is both an art and a science. There are certain techniques that can work no matter who you’re negotiating with. Likewise, there are strategies that will almost always backfire on you. Josh Doody, author of Fearless Salary Negotiation, shared the phrases that you should stay away from if you want to impress the hiring manager. First things first? Don’t fall for the trap of answering the “dreaded salary question.”

6. THIS 75-YEAR HARVARD STUDY FOUND THE 1 SECRET TO A FULFILLING LIFE

These days, it’s hard to prioritize what’s important in your life. But according to a study, there is one thing that trumps everything when it comes to bringing happiness–quality relationships. As Melanie Curtin wrote, “The data is clear that, in the end, you could have all the money you’ve ever wanted, a successful career, and be in good physical health, but without loving relationships, you won’t be happy.”

7. HERE ARE SIX SIGNS THAT IT’S TIME TO QUIT YOUR JOB

Jobs tend to have an expiration date. Sometimes new opportunities prompt you to move on, but other times, that end date isn’t always clear. Fast Company’s Stephanie Vozza wrote about the warning signs that signal it might be time for you to go elsewhere. Perhaps you’ve found it more and more difficult to get out of bed, or that you’re not being recognized for your hard work. If any of these signs look familiar to you, it might be time to wave your current job (or company) goodbye.

8. THESE ARE THE 5 “SUPER SKILLS” YOU NEED FOR JOBS OF THE FUTURE

The world of work is constantly changing. That means that what it takes for you to succeed in your job today will be different to what it will take for you to succeed in five years’ time. That’s why to stay relevant, you need to make sure that you’re consistently working to master these “super skills,” from being adaptable with technology to being resilient in the face of change.

9. THIS IS WHAT IT’S LIKE NOT TO OWN A SMARTPHONE IN 2018

Fastcompany.com Deputy Editor Kate Davis has never owned a smartphone, making her an oddity among U.S. adults (77% are smartphone users.) But she doesn’t plan to change that anytime soon. Becoming a parent has solidified her “low-tech commitment,” and not being tethered to digital distraction has allowed her to maintain a level of sanity in the exhausting news cycle. She wrote, “There’s a way to stay informed about and proficient in technology while setting boundaries around how much it infiltrates my life.”

10. DON’T TELL RECRUITERS THESE THINGS IF YOU WANT THE JOB

There is a lot of emphasis on what to say and what not to say during a job interview. But every interaction in the job search process matters. Glassdoor’s Amy Elisa Jackon shares what you shouldn’t say to a recruiter if you want a competitive job offer, from accepting the starting salary without negotiating, or complaining excessively about your previous job.

 

FastCompany.com | December 24, 2018

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – 6 #Resume Mistakes To Avoid At All Costs…Resumes, after all, are your First Chance to Show a Company What a Perfect Fit you Are for a Position — but if Done Incorrectly, they Could also Be your Last.

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“You only get one shot — do not miss your chance to blow.” Eminem may have been referring to rap battles when he dropped this lyric back in 2002, but he just as easily could have been talking about resumes and the job search. Resumes, after all, are your first chance to show a company what a perfect fit you are for a position — but if done incorrectly, they could also be your last. That’s why it’s absolutely critical to get them right the first time. Otherwise, all the time you spend filling out applications is essentially for naught.

But for every resume mistake, there’s a remedy. We’ve rounded up a few of the most common resume errors that prevent you from moving onto the next round, as well as solutions for how to fix them. It may take some time to tweak, but the payoff is worth it.

1. Telling Instead of Showing

It’s an age-old adage in writing: show, don’t tell. When job seekers simply state how great they are without providing any evidence, they lose credibility in recruiters’ eyes. One common way job seekers do this is by “using buzzwords (strategic, specialized, leadership, experienced, passionate, focused, creative, enthusiastic),” shares career coach Jeanne Patti.

The Fix: “Instead of using these words, demonstrate how you use that skill. It’s a powerful way to share your experiences and what makes you stand out without boring the person on the other end,” says Patti. One common approach is the STAR method — provide the situation, task, action and result of different initiatives you have been involved in, making sure to include specific information like metrics as relevant.

How to Write a Resume

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

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2. Including an Objective

If your college career counselor ever told you to put an objective like “Find an entry-level position in marketing” at the top of your resume, we’re giving you full permission to disregard them. “[fusion_builder_container hundred_percent=”yes” overflow=”visible”][fusion_builder_row][fusion_builder_column type=”1_1″ background_position=”left top” background_color=”” border_size=”” border_color=”” border_style=”solid” spacing=”yes” background_image=”” background_repeat=”no-repeat” padding=”” margin_top=”0px” margin_bottom=”0px” class=”” id=”” animation_type=”” animation_speed=”0.3″ animation_direction=”left” hide_on_mobile=”no” center_content=”no” min_height=”none”][One of the biggest mistakes] that I often see in a resume is an objective in lieu of a professional summary. Objectives should notbe used in a resume,” says Wendi Weiner, resume writer & career transition coach.

The Fix: Don’t just say you want a job — show recruiters why they should hire you for the job with a professional summary. “Your professional summary should resonate who you are as a professional and the high-caliber skill sets you have to offer,” explains Weiner. “Think of a professional summary as an introduction to the novel about yourself. It should allure the reader and entice him/her with information that will make him/her want to continue on reading to learn more.”

3. Not Customizing Your Resume

When you’re applying to multiple jobs, it’s tempting to use a generic, cookie-cutter resume and blast it out everywhere you’re applying to. But that strategy may end up preventing your resume from getting in a recruiter’s hands at all. “Most resumes are reviewed electronically before a human sees them,” Patti says, and if your resume doesn’t have the keywords specified in the job description, it will likely be overlooked by the software.

The Fix: It may be a pain to create a customized resume for each company, but if you’re truly interested in a position, it’s worth it. “Tailoring each submittal with keywords from the job posting is critical to pass the electronic screening,” Patti says.

4. Focusing on Job Functions Over Results

If your resume reads like the original job description you saw when you applied, it’s time to spice it up. “Most people focus too much on their job tasks/functions to ensure [that] the keywords are in the resume, and fail to devote time to strategically marketing their best skill sets and career wins,” Weiner says.

The Fix: Instead of talking about the day-to-day, describe the big picture impact you had. “The more effective thing to do is to have a separate core skills sectionand focus your work experience section on results, major contributions and key projects you have worked on at various companies/organizations,” Weiner says. “It is the number one way to distinguish yourself among the hundreds of applicants applying for jobs.”

5. Leaving Out Social Media Links

“Many people aren’t using the presence of social media to their advantage and use their resume as a stand-alone document,” Patti says. But in a constantly connected world where being transparent and informed is critical at every stage of the hiring process, it only makes sense to add links to your professional social media profiles.

The Fix: Give another layer of depth to your resume by linking to relevant, professional social media links. Patti recommends that job seekers “remove your physical address and add your LinkedIn URL. By linking to your updated profile, you will immediately gain credibility through your recommendations and endorsements of your skills and show insight into your personal brand and value,” Patti adds.

Use Social Media to Build a Personal Brand and Stand Out from the Crowd

6. Poor Writing

When it comes to your resume, your experience and career accomplishmentsare the most important, but how you present that information comes in at a close second. “The way you express yourself on your resume (and in any form of communication) impacts the way others perceive you,” says Angela Copeland, Career Coach. Spelling mistakes, clichés and complex, industry-specific jargon will all count against you.

The Fix: “First, ensure your resume is grammatically correct. Then, be sure that it is worded in a professional manner with a somewhat formal tone. Last, ensure your resume is understandable to someone, even if they don’t work in your industry,” Copeland says. “The easiest way to improve your choice of words is to read your resume out loud to yourself. This can catch many of the potential issues before anyone else sees it. Then, ask a friend or family member who works in another industry to read it. If they find your resume to be confusing, consider updating the wording, so that it’s more clear.”

 

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#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – How to Write an Irresistible #TechnicalResume …To find Out, we Reached Out to the Talent Acquisition Team at #NorthropGrumman — Here’s What They had to Say. Bonus, #JobOpenings Enclosed!

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In the midst of a record-low unemployment rate, the prospects for job seekers — especially for those with in-demand technical skills — have almost never been better. Today, there are more jobs available than qualified candidates, meaning job seekers have their veritable pick of the litter when it comes to choosing where they want to work next.

Just because companies are urgently seeking employees, though, doesn’t mean they’ll hand out jobs to just anyone who wants them. Above all, recruiters are looking to hire people who are the right fit, so it’s still on job seekers to prove that they’re worth the investment.

The best way to do communicate your talent is by crafting an impressive technical resume — with the right mix of relevant experience, accomplishments and skills, recruiters will be knocking down your door with opportunities. But what exactly are technical recruiters looking for in resumes, and how can you best incorporate that?

To find out, we reached out to the Talent Acquisition team at Northrop Grumman — here’s what they had to say.

1. Get Straight to the Point

A fancy-looking resume won’t mean a thing if it buries what recruiters really want to see.

“A candidate has 20 to 30 seconds to capture a recruiter’s attention — so make sure your resume is well-formatted, easy-to-read and that your most noteworthy accomplishments/skills are captured near the top of page one,” says Kortnie Sullivan, a Talent Acquisition Business Partner at Northrop Grumman, who primarily recruits information technology professionals.

“When looking at a technical resume, I look to see if the candidate’s technical skills/tools match or are comparable to the needs of the position. I also go over the two most recent positions to see if the candidate has experience doing the same or similar tasks that they would be doing in the new role.” shares Albrenna Richardson, Talent Acquisition IT Recruiter.

Other important things to prominently feature are education, certifications and clearance level, if you have one, says Melissa Wallace, a Talent Acquisition Business Partner who focuses mainly on engineering and other technical positions.

“I want to be able to quickly glance at a resume and make sure they meet the criteria for the level of position I’m looking for and then if they do, I’ll read their resume more closely,” Wallace adds.

Innovation & Purpose: Behind the Scenes at Northrop Grumman

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

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2. Tailor Your Resume to Each Application

A generic resume is a guaranteed way to lose a recruiter’s interest, so make sure that you take a good look at the specific job description(s) you’re applying to in order to highlight what matters most.

“Taking time to build a strong resume that is customized to the position gives you more control in the process. It takes the ‘guessing’ away from the recruiter and hiring manager and makes a clear, immediate case that you should be interviewed,” explains Jessica DeVilbiss, a Talent Acquisition Business Partner at Northrop Grumman focusing on aerospace systems. “It’s worth the time investment for roles that you are interested in and targeting for your next step.”

In particular, DeVilbiss recommends that job seekers “read the specific skills that are listed in the position and include the applicable skills in your resume.”

And when detailing your work history, make sure to connect what you’ve done in previous roles with the job you’re applying to.

“I like clearly-written resumes that allow the reader to have a thorough understanding of what they did and how it relates to the position that they are applying for,” Richardson says.

3. Give Context to Your Skills

While it’s important to share your skills and the technical tools you use, it’s not enough to simply list them without providing any additional information. Richardson recommends that candidates “provide specific detail on how they have used those tools under the description of their current and past positions.”

“As a recruiter, I am looking to see that the tools you listed are something that you have actually used in your work or class projects and how you have used them. So instead of simply listing Java and Linux in the skills section, add a statement like this: ‘I developed X website using Java and Linux on the backend.’”

You might also want to consider detailing exactly how familiar you are with the various tools and skills you mention.

“It’s especially helpful if candidates rank their skill level with technologies from beginner to expert level,” DeVilbiss explains.

4. Quantify Your Success

Beyond giving context to your skills, you’ll also want to give context to your achievements at work. One of the best ways to do that is by describing the concrete results of your efforts in your work history bullet points.

“I really like when a technical resume calls out specific examples using real data and numbers. It immediately builds credibility with me and the hiring manager,” DeVilbiss shares.

When considering which sorts of metrics to include, “think about what would be important to an employer,” Wallace recommends. “If you saved the company money by something you were responsible for, by all means, make sure it is on your resume.”

A few example bullet points from Sullivan include:

  • Accomplished X results in X number of days
  • Ensured X customer requirements were met
  • Utilized X training/experience to stay on schedule and under budget

One other note on including metrics, in addition to numbers, percentages can tell a powerful story, especially if your experience is from a company of a different size than where you are applying. For example, saved the company 15 percent on annual expenses in X category due to Y activity/process.

4 Metrics Recruiters Love to See on Resumes

5. Sweat the Small Stuff

When looking at a technical resume, recruiters primarily care about relevant skills and experience — but that doesn’t mean they won’t notice typos, a clunky design or other common resume mistakes.

One issue in particular that job seekers should watch out for is accidentally name-dropping the wrong company. “There is nothing more cringe-worthy than a candidate expressing interest in your competitor when applying for a job at your company,” Wallace says.

Another tip to keep in mind: “Spell out technical acronyms,” Richardson says. “Technology is continuing to evolve at a rapid rate and it will assist the technical recruiter if the technology is clearly stated. Acronyms can mean one thing at one company and a different thing at another.”

6. Don’t Forget Soft Skills

Familiarity with the right skills and tools is critical for technical roles, but soft skills like communication, leadership and collaboration are often equally important. But when it comes to including soft skills on your resume, it’s best to be subtle about it.

“When highlighting soft skills, make them bulleted and targeted based on what the role is seeking, and then again, use facts and figures, if possible, to demonstrate your competency,” DeVilbiss advises. “For example, if you are saying you are a skilled lead, talk about the number of people you’ve led and mentored and/or your specific achievements in a project.”

A couple more ways you can show off your soft skills: “List a handful of extracurricular activities you are involved in and if you’ve had any leadership in those roles,” and “list some accolades you’ve received, for example, a top performance rating or an on-the-spot-recognition,” Wallace says.

How to Identify and Develop Soft Skills

7. Keep it Short & Sweet

One of the biggest mistakes Sullivan sees in technical resumes? Unnecessary length.

“I tell candidates to keep their resume to two pages — a recruiter’s eyes start to glaze over if it goes beyond two pages,” Sullivan explains. “And really, that first ‘block’ of experience/work history on page one is what needs to catch the recruiter’s eye.”

There’s no doubt that writing a technical resume is challenging. After all, it’s no easy feat to condense your years of experience, achievements and skills into one short document. But the importance of resumes in the job search can’t be overstated. They’re the number one tool you have to catch a recruiter’s attention and convince them that you’re worth spending time on, so a little extra time spent tweaking it is well worth the effort. Keep these tips in mind, and you’ll be well on your way to an impressive technical resume — and hopefully, the job of your dreams.

Want to learn more about Northrop Grumman and the opportunities available at their company? Check out their open jobs here!

 

GlassDoor.com |  Posted by 

#CareerAdvice – #ResumeWriting – Three (3) #ResumeTips to Ignore Right Now…Don’t Waste Valuable Hours Making Changes that Won’t Make Much of a Difference.

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Writing a resume can be a lot of work. Not only do you have to condense the entirety of your career and knowledge into just one page of paper–you have to customize it for the position and company you’re applying to, proofread it, and revise it until it’s perfect (your resume is, after all, the most important document of your job search). All of this can add up to a significant amount of time, and seriously slow down your job search.

While there are no shortcuts to a great resume, there are a few pieces of “common knowledge” based largely on outdated truths or misconceptions that you can throw out the window, thus saving yourself valuable time. Thankfully, Glassdoor & Grammarly’s Ultimate Guide to Resumes is here to help you work smarter, not harder. If you want a stellar resume, but don’t want to waste time with unnecessary tweaks, read on.

BAD TIP #1: INCLUDE AN OBJECTIVE STATEMENT

You might have been told early on in your career that all resumes should contain an objective statement: a brief sentence that explains what your goal is (such as “To secure a marketing internship”). But over the years, objective statements have largely fallen out of favor. Why? Well, for one, they’re pretty redundant. If you’re submitting an application for a marketing intern position, of course your goal would be to secure a marketing internship–stating that on your resume is just a waste of space.

But for another reason, objective statements are very self-serving. When skimming through resumes, recruiters and hiring managers are looking for what they want, not what you want. That’s not to say they don’t care at all about what candidates are looking for–this will be top-of-mind once they’re ready to extend an offer–but before they can begin to think about meeting your wants and needs, they need to first determine that you have the skills and experience necessary to succeed in the role.

Instead of an objective, include a professional summary: “a brief, one- to three-sentence section featured prominently on your resume that succinctly describes who you are, what you do and why you’re perfect for the job,” the guide recommends. For a particularly compelling professional summary, avoid generic descriptors like “hard-working” and “self-motivated,” and cite concrete metrics that demonstrate your impact. If you’ve worked for a particularly impressive company, you might also want to name-drop them.

In the end, your professional summary might look something like this: “ROI-driven marketing professional who is equal parts creative and analytical. Experienced in Marketo, Google Analytics, and driving 27 percent year-over-year traffic growth.”

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

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BAD TIP #2: MAKE YOUR RESUME A WORK OF MODERN ART

You might have seen some resume templates on Etsy or Pinterest that look like they could hang on the walls of a museum, but unless you’re applying to a design position, they probably won’t get you very far. In general, recruiters and hiring managers care far more about substance than flash. After all, it’s the content of your resume that’s going to demonstrate whether or not you’re the right fit for the role, not the design.

The visual aspect of your resume isn’t completely unimportant, though. While you don’t want to go overboard with creating a complex design, you do want to make sure that your resume is clean and easy to read. A few tips:

  • Choose a simple font
  • Add sufficient space in the margins and in between your different sections
  • Avoid cramming too much information into one space
  • If you want to add a touch of creative flair, incorporate some color into the theme–avoid anything too visually busy like patterns or images

Need some inspiration? Check out these free templates.

BAD TIP #3: PAD YOUR RESUME WITH UNNECESSARY EXTRAS

If you’ve ever come up short when writing an essay with a strict word count, you know how tempting it can be to fill it out with fluff–suddenly, phrases like “My name is Emily” become “The given name that my mother and father chose to bestow upon me as an infant was Emily.”

Some people feel tempted to do the same in their resumes. But rather than dragging out sentences for as long as possible, they add unnecessary, unimpressive, or exaggerated skills and experiences.

“Only include the skills that truly make an impact–not ones that are basic requirements (Microsoft Word, email) or irrelevant to the job you’re applying to,” Glassdoor’s guide recommends. Similarly, don’t feel like you have to include every job you’ve ever held in your work experiences section, especially if you’ve had a particularly long and illustrious career, or if you’ve switched industries entirely. Instead, narrow in on the requirements that are specifically called out in the job description.

Remember: Recruiters only spend about six to seven seconds reading resumes, so by trimming the fat, you’ll make sure they see only the most important content, making you that much more likely to move on to the next round.

 

FastCompany.com | October 8, 2018 | BY EMILY MOORE—GLASSDOOR 4 MINUTE READ

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – Stop Wasting Your Time on These 3 #Resume Tips…If you Want a Stellar Resume, but Don’t want to Waste Time with Unnecessary Tweaks, Read On.

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Writing a resume can be a lot of work. Not only do you have to condense the entirety of your career and knowledge into just one page of paper — you have to customize it for the position and company you’re applying to, proofread it and revise it until it’s perfect (your resume is, after all, the most important document of your job search). All of this can add up to a significant amount of time, and seriously slow down your job search.

Remember: Recruiters only spend about six to seven seconds reading resumes, so by trimming the fat, you’ll make sure they see only the most important content, making you that much more likely to move onto the next round.

While there are no shortcuts to a great resume, there are a few pieces of “common knowledge” based largely on outdated truths or misconceptions that you can throw out the window, thus saving yourself valuable time. Thankfully, Glassdoor & Grammarly’s Ultimate Guide to Resumes is here to help you work smarter, not harder. If you want a stellar resume, but don’t want to waste time with unnecessary tweaks, read on.

Bad Tip #1: Include an Objective Statement

You might have been told early on in your career that all resumes should contain an objective statement: a brief sentence that explains what your goal is (such as “To secure a marketing internship”). But over the years, objective statements have largely fallen out of favor. Why? Well, for one, they’re pretty redundant. If you’re submitting an application for a marketing intern position, of course your goal would be to secure a marketing internship — stating that on your resume is just a waste of space.

But for another reason, objective statements are very self-serving. When skimming through resumes, recruiters and hiring managers are looking for what they want, not what you want. That’s not to say they don’t care at all about what candidates are looking for — this will be top-of-mind once they’re ready to extend an offer — but before they can begin to think about meeting your wants and needs, they need to first determine that you have the skills and experience necessary to succeed in the role.

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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(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

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Instead of an objective, include a professional summary: “a brief, one- to three-sentence section featured prominently on your resume that succinctly describes who you are, what you do and why you’re perfect for the job,” the guide recommends. For a particularly compelling professional summary, avoid generic descriptors like “hard-working” and “self-motivated,” and cite concrete metrics that demonstrate your impact. If you’ve worked for a particularly impressive company, you might also want to name-drop them.

In the end, your professional summary might look something like this: “ROI-driven marketing professional who is equal parts creative and analytical. Experienced in Marketo, Google Analytics and driving 27 percent year-over-year traffic growth.”

7 Creative LinkedIn Summary Examples to Help You Craft Your Own

Bad Tip #2: Make Your Resume a Work of Modern Art

You might have seen some resume templates on Etsy or Pinterest that look like they could hang on the walls of a museum, but unless you’re applying to a design position, they probably won’t get you very far. In general, recruiters and hiring managers care far more about substance than flash. After all, it’s the content of your resume that’s going to demonstrate whether or not you’re the right fit for the role, not the design.

The visual aspect of your resume isn’t completely unimportant, though. While you don’t want to go overboard with creating a complex design, you do want to make sure that your resume is clean and easy-to-read. A few tips:

  • Choose a simple font
  • Add sufficient space in the margins and in between your different sections
  • Avoid cramming too much information into one space
  • If you want to add a touch of creative flair, incorporate some color into the theme — avoid anything too visually busy like patterns or images

Need some inspiration? Check out these free templates.

Bad Tip #3. Pad Your Resume With Unnecessary Extras

If you’ve ever come up short when writing an essay with a strict word count, you know how tempting it can be to fill it out with fluff — suddenly, phrases like “My name is Emily” become “The given name that my mother and father chose to bestow upon me as an infant was Emily.”

Some people feel tempted to do the same in their resumes. But rather than dragging out sentences for as long as possible, they add unnecessary, unimpressive or exaggerated skills and experiences.

“Only include the skills that truly make an impact — not ones that are basic requirements (Microsoft Word, email) or irrelevant to the job you’re applying to,” Glassdoor’s guide recommends. Similarly, don’t feel like you have to include every job you’ve ever held in your work experiences section, especially if you’ve had a particularly long and illustrious career, or if you’ve switched industries entirely. Instead, narrow in on the requirements that are specifically called out in the job description.

7 Skills to Leave Off Your Resume

Glassdoor.com |  | Posted by 

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – 13 Must-Have Words to Include In Your #Resume …

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We’ve all read about what not to include in a resume. After all, one of Glassdoor’s most popular articles “21 Words to Never Include In Your Resume”is bookmarked even by our staffers who want to gut-check before making resume faux pas. However, it’s time to talk about what works should be included in your resume.

Diction or word choice is important when it comes to drafting your resume, not just to ensure that your resume is reviewed positively by software, but also because you want to wow recruiters with your skills, competencies and relevant credentials.

How to Give Original Answers to 7 Cliche Interview Questions

“The words used show what level the candidates is at in their career,” says Susan Joyce, owner and operator of Job-Hunt.org, the guide for a smarter, safer job search. “If I picked up a resume for a C-suite candidate who chose vague descriptives, they would immediately be discredited. Some might think a candidate’s experience outweighs the actual text of a resume, but this is often not the case. If a hiring manager doesn’t see key indicators a candidate is qualified by appropriate word choice or diction at first glance, chances are, the resume will be eliminated before they are even considered.”

To help land your resume at the top of the pile, we tapped an expert panel of career coaches, resume writers and experts to ask, “What are the words you like to see on resumes?” Here’s what they had to say. Bookmark this article ASAP!

1. Numbers

“If you want to show that you’re results oriented and hard working, share the numbers. As they say, the proof is in the pudding,” says job coach Angela Copeland. “For example, rather than stating that you’re an “excellent digital marketer,” prove it. Say something that reflects your actual results, such as, ‘Grew online sales and revenue by 200% in one year.’ Now, that’s impressive!”

The Best and Worst Time to Job Hunt by Season

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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(#career, #leadership, #life) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

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

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2. “Redesigned”

For life & career coach Jenn DeWall, action verbs are a must on any resume. But not just any action verbs. She advises clients to include verbs that show leadership and transformation. “‘Redesign’ demonstrates problem-solving skills as well as the ability to think big picture and reduce process inefficiencies.”

3. “Launched”

If cliches are a no-no, simple yet powerful words are your go-tos, according to Glassdoor columnist Anish Majumdar. “Simple, practical words that denote responsibility have the most impact. Launched, solved, transformed, and optimized are all examples of action verbs that make you look good without resorting to cliches.”

4. “Modernized”

According to master resume writer Jacqui Barrett-Poindexter, this word along with “conceived and metamorphosed” are, “like a switch, powering up the candidate’s story, showing how they’ve improved, envisioned and transformed their work environments, and therefore, gained revenue, customer growth, reputation, etc. traction for their company. They empower and advance the candidate’s story!”

How to Write a Letter of Interest in 2018

5. “Value” or “Valuable”

“These words show that the candidate is thinking about their own activities in terms of how they’ll improve the business,” says expert and author of Fearless Salary Negotiation Josh Doody. “Terms like ‘hard-working’ don’t do this because working hard doesn’t necessarily produce better results. But focusing on being productive, adding value, and making progress show that the person is tuned in to improving the company, which almost always resonates with hiring managers.”

6. “Orchestrated”

“Anyone can say they “led” a team. Instead, use verbs that really explain what happened in that specific task,” insists Joyce. “Consider the verb ‘orchestrated’ and how it shows, versus just telling, the hiring manager what was accomplished. Orchestrated, by definition, means to arrange and direct. The key is to make a resume better than any great piece of fiction by embracing the storytelling aspect and showing readers your true qualifications.”

7. Get specific

If “results-oriented” and “hardworking,” are overused and lame, Joyce says instead of looking for the 2017 buzzword, job seekers are better off being specific in their resume. “It is really more about choosing words that accurately describe actions or goals that were met. In lieu of hard-working, consider saying what hard work was done, e.g. did a candidate work tirelessly to reach an impossible deadline? It is important to use verbs that really pinpoint what was accomplished, i.e. influenced, improved, achieved, etc. This way, there is no miscommunication about a candidate’s qualifications.”

8. “Create, lead, managed”

“I like to look for candidates who have had a role in shaping something from idea all the way through execution,” says executive coach Kate O’Sullivan. “One of the main qualities I look for is someone who can take a vague idea or strategic goal and see it through to completion, rather than someone who executes on a plan that’s already been decided. Using these key words will definitely signal that you’ve had a role in this higher level thinking, and will grab the attention of most hiring managers.”

9. Provide examples

“In general, it’s very hard to convince a resume reader that you possess various soft skills, e.g. team player, just by listing these on your resume,” says O’Sullivan. “If you put yourself in their shoes for a minute you will understand why. Most job seekers want to be desirable and so they list these in-demand skills. But just listing the skill doesn’t do any thing to set you apart from the crowd. The most powerful thing you can do is give examples. If you want to show that you are a team player, you can talk about things like working on cross-functional teams, on boarding new hires, or developing a cross-training program. By listing concrete accomplishments and projects, you are demonstrating you have these skills in a credible and believable way that will help set you apart.”

6 Prompts That’ll Help You Write a Cover Letter

10. Be skimmable

Doody insists that a resume should be impactful while still skimmable, or able to easily be skimmed by recruiters and hiring managers. “I coach my clients to assume the hiring manager won’t even look at their resume until they’re already in the process of interviewing them,” says Doody candidly. “Hiring managers don’t sit down the day before an interview, pour a glass of wine, and meticulously read through each resume they’re considering. Instead, they scramble to make it to the interview on time, open up the resume as the interview is starting, and skim it to find things to talk about.”

11. “Spearheaded”

According to Copeland, a resume —and the job search, in general— is not the time to be shy. “Use strong words that emphasize your level of involvement. This isn’t the time to minimize yourself or your contributions. If you were instrumental in a project, replace the word “helped” with the word “spearheaded.” Spearheaded, created, and initiated all show that you took the lead and were not merely a participant in a project.

12. “Committed”

Show that you’re dedicated to your work, start to finish. This word, says DeWall, does just that. “If you disregard diction and word choice and think that they don’t carry any weight you’re wrong.  Managers can gauge aptitude, readiness and even your leadership skills from paper,” she adds.

13. Edit expertly

Reading and re-reading your resume is just the beginning of the editing process. Don’t believe us? Each of our experts weighed in on the importance of editing a resume. Here are a few of their insights:

“Word choice is incredibly important. You only have a limited amount of real estate on your resume, so every single word counts,” says O’Sullivan. “Focus on achievements, quantify where possible, and make an effort to tailor your experiences to your target job. It’s more effective to talk about fewer projects and responsibilities more in-depth than to list every single thing you’ve ever done. Along these lines, concentrate on your most recent experience. Edit with the mindset of “does this piece of information directly help sell my experience for this role? If not, take it off.”

“The easiest way to improve your choice of words is to read your resume out loud to yourself,” advises Copeland. “This can catch many of the potential issues before anyone else sees it. Then, ask a friend or family member who works in another industry to read it. If they find your resume to be confusing, consider updating the wording, so that it’s more clear.”

Track Your Job Applications With Ease

“It’s not just about using the right words, it is equally about teasing out the nuances of your stories and then combining them in a way that is attractive to your target reader: recruiter, hiring manager, etc,” says Barrett-Poindexter. “You can use all the right ‘nouns and verbs’ that make a resume sing (on the surface), but without the right, focused stories, your resume will fall flat to the intended reader’s eyes and ears.”

“In addition to diction and word choice it’s important to be strategic and concise.  No one has time or energy to invest in a multi-page resume,” insists DeWall. “Make sure that you’re highlighting the most relevant and topical experience necessary for the position.”

 

 

GlassDoor.com |  Posted by 

#CareerAdvice : #ResumeWriting – 10 #ResumeTips You Haven’t Heard Before..After All, #HiringManagers & #Recruiters Generally only Spend About 7 Seconds Reading your Resume Before Deciding Whether to Move Forward or Not.

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Having a well-crafted resume can be the key to getting your foot in the door at the company of your dreams. But figuring out how to make your resume fully representative of your experience and also stand out is easier said than done.

Don’t let this happen to you!

After all, hiring managers and recruiters generally only spend about 7 seconds reading your resume before deciding whether to move forward or not. Most people know the basics of how to put together a decent work history, but here are some tips you probably haven’t heard before that can help your resume stand up to the 7-second test.

1. Only include your address if it works in your favor.

If you’re applying to positions in the city or town you already live in, then go ahead and include your address. In this case, it lets the hiring manager know you’re already in the area and could theoretically start working right away.

But if you’re targeting jobs in another area and you’d need to move in order to start working, it’s probably a good idea to leave your current address off of your resume. Why? Recruiters are sometimes less excited to interview candidates from another city or state, since they often require relocation fees.

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

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2. Be a name dropper.

It may be poor form to drop names in everyday life, but you absolutely should do it on your resume. If you’ve worked with well-known clients or companies, go ahead and include them by name. Something like: “Closed deals with Google, Toyota and Bank of America” will get recruiters’ attention in no time flat.

How to Write a Resume If You’re Changing Careers

3. Utilize your performance reviews.

You might not think to look to your annual review for resume material, but checking out the positive feedback you’ve received in years past can help you identify your most noteworthy accomplishments and best work attributes—two things that should definitely be highlighted on your resume. Including specific feedback you’ve received and goals you’ve met can help you avoid needing to use “fluff” to fill out your work experience.

4. Don’t go overboard with keywords.

Many companies and recruiters use keyword-scanning software as a tool to narrow the job applicant pool. For this reason, it’s important to include keywords from the job description in your resume—but don’t go overboard. Recruiters can spot “keyword stuffing” a mile away.

5. Use common sense email etiquette.

There are two types of email addresses you shouldn’t use on your resume or when applying to a job via email: your current work email address, or an overly personal or inappropriate email address, like loverguy22@gmail.com. Stick with something professional based on your name in order to make the best possible impression.

7 Resume Points That Immediately Grab a Recruiter’s Attention

6. When it comes to skills, quality over quantity.

There’s no need to list skills that most people in the job market have (Think: Microsoft Office, email, Mac and PC proficient), which can make it look like you’re just trying to fill up space on the page. Keep your skills section short, and only include impactful skills that are relevant to the job you’re applying to.

7. Choose to share social accounts strategically.

Including links to social media accounts on a resume is becoming more and more common. But it’s important to distinguish between professional accounts—like a LinkedIn profile or Instagram account you manage for work—and non-professional ones, like your personal Twitter or Facebook account. While it might be tempting to include a personal account in order to show recruiters who you are, you’re better off only listing accounts that are professionally-focused. Save your winning personality for an in-person interview.

8. Use hobbies to your advantage.

Not all hobbies deserve a place on your resume, but some do. Hobbies that highlight positive personality qualities or skills that could benefit you on the job are worth including. For example, running marathons (shows discipline and determination) and blogging about something related to your field (shows creativity and genuine interest in your work) are hobbies that will cast you in the best possible light and might pique a recruiter’s interest.

64 Action Verbs That Will Take Your Resume From Blah to Brilliant

9. Skip generic descriptors.

Hardworking, self-motivated, self-sufficient, proactive, and detail-oriented are all words you’ll find on most people’s resumes. But most job seekers are motivated and hardworking, so these traits don’t really set you apart from the rest of the applicant pool. Instead, focus on the specific skills and accomplishments that make you different from everyone else applying to the position.

10. Keep an accomplishment journal.

Keeping a log of your work accomplishments and positive feedback as they come up can make putting together or updating your resume significantly easier. Include as many details as possible so you don’t have to spend time tracking them down later.

 

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#CareerAdvice : #ChangingCareer – Considering a #CareerSwitch ? Here’s How to Write your #Résumé …Making the Decision to #ChangeCareers is a Huge Undertaking, so Here’s How to Make Sure you Get the Job you Want.

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Making the decision to change careers is a huge undertaking. Not only do you have to be willing to acquire new skills and step outside your comfort zone, but you also have to be able to sell your past experience to recruiters and hiring managers.

DO YOUR RESEARCH

“It’s critical to talk to those who are in the careers you want to go into to find out what they would want to see in a resume,” says Denise Riebman, a career development specialist. What are the hot terms in the field right now? The most in-demand skills and relevant knowledge? These are things you need to find out, then incorporate into your resume where you can.

Related: What career changers wished they knew about making the switch 

HIGHLIGHT TRANSFERABLE SKILLS

“When you’re changing careers, it’s assumed that your recent work experience will not perfectly align with the role you’re now targeting,” says Amanda Augustine, career advice expert for TopResume. “To ensure your resume isn’t immediately trashed by the ‘bots’ or a recruiter, you need demonstrate that you possess the skills necessary to do the job well, even if this new job isn’t a natural next step after your previous role.”

That’s where transferable skills come in. “Some transferable skills are universal, regardless of the field: leadership, communication, analytical skills, and many others,” Augustine says. But to find industry-specific ones, you’ll want to conduct informational interviews and review the job descriptions you’re targeting. Look for commonalities between the postings, and you should get a good idea of what skills hiring managers are looking for.

“If you need help, create a word cloud out of the job descriptions using a site like Wordle to identify which skills are emphasized the most across multiple job postings,” Augustine suggests.

Related: This is how to change careers without spiraling into the unknown

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

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SHOW, DON’T TELL

This is good advice for any resume, but it’s especially important for career changers. Why? Well, you’ll be able to not only highlight transferable skills, but also prove that you’re excellent at them.

“Use statistics and numbers to show concrete information about the value you bring,” recommends Dustin Polk, president and executive resume writer at Oracle Resumes. “Instead of just saying ‘developed and implemented innovative process improvements,’ say ‘increased operational efficiency and annual revenues by 13% by developing and implementing innovative process improvements.’ Show the value you bring, don’t just claim to bring it with nothing to back it up.”

LEARN THE LINGO

“Each industry has its own jargon–terminology, acronyms, and initialisms that only make sense to people who are familiar with the field,” Augustine says. “It’s your job to figure out how to translate your experience and past successes into terms that will resonate with your new target audience. Subscribe to industry-specific publications and follow their social media accounts, set up Google alerts for some of the major players in the space, and attend trade shows and other events that are relevant to your target field to gain this insight. Then update your resume accordingly.”

Related: 5 books to read when you’re considering making a big change 

USE YOUR SPACE WISELY

“You don’t have unlimited space,” Polk points out. “You get one to two pages to fill with your most impressive accomplishments and qualifications.” Especially if you have a long job history in a previous career, this can be difficult to enforce.

“Many people will turn into a sort of hoarder when writing their resume,” Polk says. “You can’t fit 18 bullet points of details for a job you had in 2002. It’s barely relevant, and a busy hiring manager won’t read it. If they want extreme details on the things you’ve done, your resume has already done its job, and you’ll be getting a call for an interview. Keep it clear, concise, and as relevant to your new industry as possible.”

PUT EDUCATION IN THE RIGHT PLACE

Most resume advice tells you that once you’re a few years out of school, you should move your education down to the bottom of your resume. This is true for the most part, but there’s an important exception career changers may want to consider. “If you recently earned a degree relevant to your new field, place your education section before your experience section,” Polk recommends. “Make sure they see that new degree. If it came with a designation, put that with your name at the top of the page, i.e. ‘John Smith, MBA.’ ”

CHOOSE YOUR FORMAT WISELY

Sometimes, a functional resume–one that highlights skills above job history and is generally not chronological–is recommended for career changers, as it allows candidates to showcase what they choose. “While I strongly discourage professionals from using a functional resume format, some career changers find it easy to present their marketable skills in this structure,” Augustine says. “A word of caution: Recruiters despise this resume format and most applicant tracking systems (ATS) have difficulty reading and parsing your resume’s information when it’s presented this way.” That means you could automatically get rejected just for using the wrong resume format.

The consensus among experts? Stick with a chronological format, providing more or less detail for each job, depending on how transferable your responsibilities and accomplishments were.

REMEMBER THAT YOU’RE MORE THAN YOUR RESUME

Having a great resume is no doubt important, but when you’re a career changer, there are things that matter more. “Especially when you are making a career shift, connecting with people in the field through authentic relationship building can give you a leg up, so that someone is willing to take a chance on you–no matter what is on your resume,” Riebman points out.

 

FastCompany.com | August 14, 2018 | BY JULIA MALACOFF—GLASSDOOR 4 MINUTE READ