How To Make Your Resume Stand Out

Posted on August 24, 2008
Filed Under Job Seeking

How To Make Your Resume Stand Out by Christine Hassler, Huffington Post

There’s nothing more disheartening than feeling like a tiny fish in a sea of hundreds of applicants. Sometimes it’s just the luck of the draw and knowing the right people that lands a job; however, there are several things you can do to make yourself more visible and a stronger candidate to a hiring manager that go beyond chance and connections.

My first tip is perhaps the most obvious, but the most necessary. Make sure your resume and cover letter are tailored to each job and are 100% error free, clearly organized and look extremely professional. You would be amazed at the number of applicants who neglect this vital step and whose resumes get discarded first. Consider even downloading a unique, yet professional font so your resume stands out.

While you are proofreading and drafting your application materials, really showcase your experience in short, powerful statements that pop off your resume like “increased sales by 75%” or “promoted to senior position in less than 6 months” or “supervised over 20 employees.” And make sure your resume has words and NUMBERS - people like tangible things. These small changes make your resume easier to read and thus more enticing to future employers.

Another important step is to become more than a name on a piece of paper. Do whatever you can to find some kind of “human” connection at a company; don’t just rely on submitting your resume on-line. Remember the six degrees of separation rule. I have a client who when she is applying for a job, sends an email out to her contact list asking if anyone has a connection at the place she is applying. This extra step will take you no time at all, and you would be surprised at how wonderful the “friends of friends” network can be. And even if you can’t find a connection, try to find a number for the HR department and call to speak with the hiring manager in charge of your desired position.

And finally, in addition to your resume, create a web presence. Consider keeping a blog which showcases your abilities and expertise in a certain area. For example, if you are applying for marketing jobs, blog about current marketing trends you are seeing. Be “Google-able” and include your blog page on your resume. This shows hiring managers that you are really passionate about your future career.

Now for a different voice than my own, listen to the expert advice of Misti Burmeister, author of From Boomers to Bloggers: Success Strategies Across Generations, and CEO and Founder of Inspirion Inc., a company formed to create partnership in the world through increased communication between generations. “First, recognize that over 90% of jobs are filled by referral. The vast majority of job seekers are searching through the same medium you are, so you have to be different to get noticed. There are three ways to do this: 1. Do your research about the company you are applying to and the individual you are interviewing with, 2. Tailor your cover letter and resume to each job, 3. Professionalize your social media while searching for a job (employers DO look at them!).”

You really only get one chance to make a first impression, and your cover letter and resume are your calling card so do some legwork and make them great. The more proactive and focused energy you invest in the way you go about your job search and present yourself, the more likely you are to stand out.

© %FIRST Vick - visit the resume help area for more great content.


Welcome to Your Glorious Portfolio Career!

Posted on August 24, 2008
Filed Under Job Seeking

My college Sociology teacher predicted that the average person to my right and left would engage in four or five careers in his lifetime.

A radical thought, but it seems Dr. Quinn was prophetic.

What he didn’t predict, however, is that some of us would enjoy as many as four or five occupations, SIMULTANEOUSLY. But that is precisely what “Portfolio Careerists” are doing.

Risking the smear that “Jacks of all trades are masters of none,” PCs are finding ways to practice law, do some real estate transactions, consult, publish, and accept speaking engagements, not only in the same lifetime, but in the compass of a few weeks or months.

Why would they spread themselves so thinly? Short answer: Like peanut butter, it tastes better and goes down easily.

Doing the same-old, same-old, gets old, which is a fate that some 21st century folks aren’t willing to accept. So that dentist is also a sculptor and he day-trades stocks before his first patients arrive in the morning.

And he does everything quite well, thank you very much; which shocks many, who are sold on specialization and compartmentalization.

“If you’re an A, you simply cannot be a B at the same time,” or so conventional thinking goes.

Happily, you don’t have to be Leonardo Da Vinci or a genius to enjoy a portfolio career.

Consider Steve Allen. He was a late night talk show host. But wait, he was also a stand-up comedian. Moreover, he was a gifted songwriter, a fine dramatic actor, and a very prolific book author, and I haven’t mentioned the fact that he played multiple musical instruments.

A grad school professor of mine risked heresy when he published an article touting the benefits of “Amateurity.” His thesis stated that becoming a knowledgeable amateur in many fields is thrilling and very rewarding, and dabbling in this and that, while derided as dilettantism, makes a positive contribution to one’s quality of life and to society.

He toyed with that term he coined, contending that Amateurity requires “maturity,” a certain self-confidence and experimental nature to be other than perfect in every pursuit.

Additionally, according to Dr. Bryant, all of us, no matter how professional we consider ourselves to be today, started out as amateurs before we reached greater levels of mastery.

Portfolio careerists don’t allow themselves to become daunted by labels or by detractors, and neither should you.

With a life expectancy of 75, 85, or even 95 years or more, you might agree that sticking to one vocation, however capably you perform in it, simply won’t be enough.

Take heart.

Today, working isn’t like running the bases. You don’t have to take your foot completely off first, to steal second.

You can straddle, and even play multiple positions; along the way rewriting the career rules to suit yourself.

Dr. Gary S. Goodman is an attorney, real estate broker, college professor, best-selling author, TV commentator, and professional speaker, among other things. He can be reached at: gary@customersatisfaction.com and his profile can be read at: http://www.linkedin.com/pub/0/a91/833

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Does Your Resume Keep It Real?

Posted on August 24, 2008
Filed Under Job Seeking

Years ago, all a resume needed was a brief objective statement before you wrote anything about your experience. Some resumes even skipped the use of an objective completely. When a summary of qualifications section was used, it really made a big difference and was considered cutting edge.

One of the first resume writers to emphasize the importance of the summary of qualifications section was the late Yana Parker - a true pioneering trailblazer. Before long, it really became the standard and is used to this day in one form or another. One of the great things about Yana Parker ’s approach to resume writing was that she kept it real. Yes, people like to come across highly sophisticated on paper. But, if you are too sophisticated, it can work against you unless you have significant achievements.

Sometime in the last ten or more years, resumes have evolved significantly. The standard objective statement has been replaced by a title statement. Taking it to the next level, it is augmented by a tagline. This was in response to the objective being so generalized that it became cliche. Many job seekers failed to specify what they were all about and what they were looking to do. The result was a statement that wasn’t worth the paper it was printed on or the reader ’s valuable time.

The same thing happened with the summary of qualifications section. Originally, it was meant to include important qualifications that related to the requirements of a position. After a while, job seekers would fill this valuable space with an extensive list of soft skills and attributes, failing to ensure their information supported their career direction.

The answer to the growing demand for qualified candidates and the need to make a strong impression on paper gave way to the career profile. This paragraph format serves more as a bio written in narrative as opposed to the bulleted summary of qualifications section.

Unfortunately, this too has been compromised with the over use of soft skills, attributed and too many overly descriptive words about how wonderful a job seeker is. The solution to that problem was to add a keywords list after the profile to give the reader a quick understanding of the job seeker ’s core competencies. This was effective for a long time. Now it is fast becoming passe to include a general keywords list following a profile. Recruiters and hiring managers do not pay as much attention to the keywords list these days because, again, it has become cliche.

And now? Mini sections and sub categories broken down by job-specific functions, not attributes. The format might end up being a title statement followed by a tagline followed by a profile. These elements will then be followed by a chart that is visually appealing and breaks down a few important core competencies by category and examples of real experience, not soft skills and cliche statements.

The result? A resume that has substance and gives the reader a true understanding of how the job seeker ’s qualifications are a good match for the requirements of a position. It will make them put the resume to the side for furthering reading instead of throwing it out.

It is important to note that this is all before you even get to the experience section. You must first grab the reader ’s attention. Later you must hold it. It is advisable to make the extra effort to include very specific information in a resume and not just fill it with fluff and fancy words. That said, keep the information both real and interesting throughout your entire resume.

Do your research to see what types of formats work best and be certain not to be too general. It is your one chance to make a good impression. Maximize that opportunity by telling the reader exactly what you have to offer. They are looking for someone to fill a particular position. Make it perfectly clear that you are that person. Without specifics, you are just another faceless job seeker in the crowd.

Make the extra effort and you will increase your chances of standing out from the rest who have not. Again, keep it real and interesting. Make it about you with their needs in mind to make it count.

© %FIRST Vick - visit the resume help area for more great content.


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