Since transforming resumes is a big part of my business, maybe it is a bit ironic that I don’t write many posts about resume writing. However, I had an opportunity at the Career Management Alliance conference last week in NOLA to hear a highly respected professional – Don Orlando, speak about “Powerful New Ways to Showcase Clients’ Value.” He focused a lot on how to improve resumes and what types of things to include. I was nodding the whole time! Much of what he shared is exactly the type of advice I give my clients and the strategies he suggested are very similar to the ones I use when I write resumes, so it seemed a perfect opportunity to actually blog about the resume itself!

First, Don reminded listeners that the resume is about the future, not the past! How often have I told my clients that very thing? It is very important to remember that demonstrating how you can be useful in the future – how you can solve the employer’s problems – will make the difference in helping you land a job. Don’t write a resume full of jargon from your past positions if that is not the same jargon your targeted employer understands or speaks. That is akin to ordering in French at a Chinese restaurant; you are unlikely to get the food you crave.

Don reminded us how important it is to illustrate how you solved problems and achieved results on the resume. He also noted that focusing on relative results – in context – is key. That is, if you improved sales by 15% in a downturn, when averages were in the negative numbers – say so! If you overcame obstacles to achieve a desired result – the reader wants to know! Focus on transferable skills without stifling yourself as a result of misdirected modesty. Don notes,  the story is about the job seeker, not about the company.

Remember, having a great resume is one way to help you prepare to successfully network, interview and negotiate an offer, as Don remarked while I nodded…Yes! Having a great resume helps you bridge to your next job. I always say, “Show, don’t tell.” An action-packed, fully optimized resume is key.

I’ve written about how to evaluate your resume – how to look at your resume and decide if it is answering the key questions. Are you doing more than listing a bunch of “stuff” on your resume? In a competitive market, you must ensure that your materials are optimized to help get you to the next step.  Take a good, long look at your materials. Are they a bridge or a roadblock to your targeted opportunity?

photo by Sandy Austin

Recently, I have been working on a corporate job. One of the things I have been doing is writing annotations of resumes. I review the documents and then write up some notes explaining how each one addresses the key issues that are necessary to connect with a hiring manager. I assess the points the author is making and indicate how the body of the document supports those main points.

It occurred to me that it is a GREAT idea for job seekers to use this analytical process to evaluate their own resumes. Think about it…

Identify your main points. (The goal is for these to resonate with the hiring manager.) For example, a manager may have the following points to include in the Highlights of Qualifications section:

• Mentoring/supervisory skills,
• Diplomacy/communication
• Leadership and
• Specific subject matter expertise.

Once you identify the important skills – review the resume and identify which of the bullets PROVE each of your main points. When someone else reads the resume, will that person see proof of the intended skills? Does the resume include accomplishments related to each of the points? It is not unusual to see a resume that states something but fails to prove it in the body of the resume. Any point that you are not supporting with evidence in your resume is a lost opportunity to drive home your point to the hiring manager.

So, take a stab at your own resume…How are you supporting your points? (Or not?) Fill in the details – include skills and accomplishments to really give a full picture. I always say to my clients: You don’t send a prospective employer a “dot-to-dot” and expect him or her to fill in the blanks. Send a fully fleshed out portrait that leaves no doubt that you have what it takes to solve the employer’s problems.

photo from Beth Hampton

Last night, I had a chance to hear John Jantsch, author of Duct Tape Marketing and (soon to be released) The Referral Engine. I was so excited to have the opportunity to meet John, as his highly acclaimed book has long been on my “to read” list. (It also seems to be on the “recommended” list of many of my colleagues’ blogs.) John has a great blog as well, dedicated to helping small businesses find “simple, effective and affordable” marketing solutions.

I also have to give a shout out here to the Atlanta Business Marketing Association and Kris Elliot (@regusatlanta) from Regus Atlanta Office Solutions for hosting a terrific event in their beautiful office space! (Win one year of fully furnished office space at one of their 23 Atlanta locations enter HERE!)

I had a feeling that I’d get some great ideas to share with you from John, and I was not disappointed! The fact is (can’t say this enough): Job search is nothing more than marketing YOURSELF. And John’s definition of marketing absolutely hits the spot:

“Getting someone who has a need to know, like and trust you.” What a great way to define the point of the job search!

All too often, job seekers fail to connect and land because they don’t focus on what the organization or employer wants. Big mistake. Find this information by studying the job description, thoroughly reviewing the organization’s website and social networking sites and making good use of information from people you have met via informational interviews.

What are their problems? (Their “pain points.”) You need to understand those problems before you can try to solve them. (Follow THIS LINK for a story that helps explain why!)

Job search is not about you. Your resume is not even all about you – it is an opportunity to make connections between what you offer and what the organization desires. If you ignore those all important NEEDS, it is unlikely that you will connect with an employer in this very competitive market.

Take a good look at your resume. Are you taking into consideration who will be reading it and what appeals to him or her? Do you make an effort to connect your skills and accomplishments in a context that resonates with your audience? What can you do to incorporate information with the “hooks” to appeal to the jobs you are hoping to “catch?”

Stay tuned for more that John shared that really resonated for me and related to job search!

Key advice for job seekers – apply for jobs you are clearly qualified to do! However, it’s also clear that there will be times when you need to apply for jobs that may be a bit of a reach. I don’t think that this is contradictory advice. The important thing is to demonstrate that you are qualified to do what it is you want to do. Don’t assume that anyone reading your resume is going to give you “credit” for anything that you don’t clearly show that you can do.

Here are some things to think about…

Job ads are “best case scenarios,” sometimes considered “pie in the sky” descriptions.

In the old days, employers who advertised paid by the word or square inch for a newspaper or magazine ad. Today, with online ads, the sky is the limit. Linking and unlimited space offer employers the opportunity to list EVERY possible skill desired. Do they really expect to find someone who meets every qualification? Probably not.

Focus on accelerating your career.

Most employers hope to fill jobs with people who have already done exactly what they need someone to do! No learning curve means less training and less trouble for the new employer. However, if you only apply for jobs that list skills you’ve already accomplished ad naseum, how will you advance your career?

Think about the touch points between what you have to offer and what the employer wants. Highlight those points and connect the dots.

Make a point to understand your skills and qualifications. Know your limitations and where you have potential to successfully stretch.

A little self-assessment can go a long way. You must know yourself to sell your skills. If you apply for a position that is a stretch, be prepared to sell yourself and defend your ability to get the job done. Know what transferable skills you possess that will make you successful. You can apply for “reach” jobs until you are blue in the face, but if you don’t know how to convince the employer that you CAN do the job, even if you haven’t ALREADY done it, you’re going to be looking for a long time. I cannot overemphasize the importance of your transferable skills.

Here are some additional thoughts from Kathy Hansen at Quint Careers:

1. Consider playing up school and other unpaid experience.

2. Don’t apply for jobs for which you’re grossly underqualified, but do remember that job postings and employment ads are often employer wish lists.

3. Indicate your flexibility and willingness to learn or gain additional training.

4. Find out more about the employer’s needs.

5. Consider a career portfolio with work samples.

6. Consider volunteering to work on a unpaid trial basis.

photo by Joe Thorn

I recently spoke to a woman who is losing her job. Her company is closing, and she has an end date. She sent her resume to me, explaining that she knows it needs some help and that a networking contact had suggested she get in touch.

When we spoke, she admitted that she probably hasn’t fully accepted the fact that she is going to be looking for a job and explained that she is having a lot of trouble getting her head around the whole thing. It’s been a long time since she has looked for work. (And it has always been HER idea in the past.) She’s upset to be in this situation, and it is getting her stuck in a rut.

This is something I hear over and over again. It’s tough to rise above the situation to really focus on what is important – identifying and highlighting skills and accomplishments that connect with your goals.

Surprisingly, it’s not much different for employed clients. Even though they may not be dealing with the emotional issues involved in a downsizing, it is not easy to hone in on the key points and focus on what to say on the resume.

If either of these describe you, think about the value of having an unbiased, expert specialist write your resume. It could be like a breath of fresh air for your search!

Don’t forget that clear, concise, optimized job search materials AND a strong, well executed plan are key for job search success! I can help with every part of your job hunt! Need a great resume? Tips to use social networking? Interview coaching?  If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, don’t forget those social networks! Be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community! Since we’re on the subject of doing something new…Are you on Twitter? Jump on and touch base with me @keppie_careers.

photo by MAS Photography

Yesterday’s post about avoiding errors on your resume and job search materials was actually inspired by THIS post by Rachel Rose, an independent multimedia communications professional based in Atlanta. (And, I’m happy to say, a Twitter friend!) Rachel wrote about 42 commonly confused English words – AKA – homophones.

Homophones are defined by dictionary.com as:

While receiving documents addressed to “Dear Sir or Madman” or suggesting that the candidate has a “keen eye for derail” might provide a chuckle, as it is an obvious error, misspelling homophones does not even offer a chuckle. Assuming the reader knows the difference, I think these errors are even more serious, as they indicate that the applicant may not be smarter than a 3rd grader!

My personal pet peeves – and errors I see over and over again:

There – There is going to be a party after the play.

Their – Their children are very well behaved.

They’re – They’re having a lot of trouble on the spelling test.

Incidentally, I personally learned the difference between their and there from a beer commercial. It said something along the lines of it’s the Bud (?) and then inserted ‘ir” for it’s their Bud…Not sure why I remember that…

Your – Your dress is lovely

You’re – You’re going to be sorry if you don’t edit that resume!

Its – The doll lost its shoe.

It’s – It’s going to be a very long day.

Read Rachel’s post and learn what other homophones you should know!

No matter what, avoid these errors in your application materials!

If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community!

photo by lexnger

How you communicate your skills and accomplishments is key to a successful job search.

OfficeTeam’s website notes:

The adage “It’s not what you say, but how you say it” holds particular weight when it comes to resumes, a recent survey shows. Eighty-four percent of executives polled said it takes just one or two typographical errors in a resume to remove a candidate from consideration for a job opening; 47 percent said a single typo can be the deciding factor.

The survey was developed by OfficeTeam, a leading staffing service specializing in the placement of highly skilled administrative professionals. It was conducted by an independent research firm and includes responses from 150 senior executives at the nation’s 1,000 largest companies.

Executives were asked, “How many typos in a resume does it take for you to decide not to consider a job candidate for a position with your company?” Their responses:

One typo……………………………………………………… 47%

Two typos ………………………………………………….. 37%

Three typos …………………………………………………. 7%

Four or more typos ………………………………………. 6%

Don’t know/no answer…………………………………… 3%

However, typos are not the only types of errors that pop up in resumes. Take a look at these, from another post about errors in resumes:

• Hope to hear from you, shorty.”
• “Have a keen eye for derail.”
• “Dear Sir or Madman.”
• “I’m attacking my resume for you to review.”
• “I am a rabid typist.”
• “My work ethics are impeachable.”
• “Nervous of steel.”
• “Following is a grief overview of my skills.”
• “GPA: 34.0
• “Graphic designer seeking no-profit career.”

I’ve written about how *impotent* it is to review your resume carefully! Click through to THIS POST with a really funny video on the subject.

In one of my very first posts for this blog, I suggested:

Don’t assume that your spell check is a good editor!  How often are words misspelled only to inadvertently form other words? You don’t want to advertise that you were distinguished as the “best manger of the year.”

Be sure to read through your resume, and have a trusted friend review it as well.  You never know when “public” may become indecent, or you’ve used “suing” instead of “using.”  The list goes on and on: their/there, and/an, faculty/facility, board/bored…

A tip to consider:  create an ”exclusion dictionary” in your Microsoft Office program.  This personalized dictionary will flag a word as misspelled (such as manger), even though the main dictionary knows it as a proper word.

Stay tuned tomorrow for more resources to help you avoid embarrassing errors on your resume!

If you need help mobilizing your networks and your job search plans, learn more about how I can help you! While you’re at it, be sure to become a fan of Keppie Careers on Facebook…I’d be thrilled to have you as part of the community!

photo by cole007

I see a lot of resumes. Some, quite honestly, need to grow up! If you are writing your resume in the style you learned in college, but college was…5, 10, maybe even 15 (!) years ago – it’s time for an update!

Certainly, styles have changed. Content has changed. (The previously required “Objective” is no longer even suggested, for example.) Suffice to say that a lot has changed! Do you really want to be sending the equivalent of “your father’s resume” when you apply for a job at that hip start-up? Or, even to the newly redesigned and rebranded business down the street? Probably not!

So many people forget that the resume style they used right out of school isn’t going to be the right choice now that they have actual “work experience.”

I hear from many job seekers who have many years of experience, but are still spending a lot of time listing awards won in college that have no significance for today’s reader. Many job seekers fail to move their “Education” section to the bottom of their resume once they have a position and enough experience under their belt (and no specific reason to keep Education on top).  A few still list their high school diploma, even when they have a bachelor’s degree.

There is no fail safe ”one size fits all” advice for resume writers, but most job seekers will want to make these changes and more to their job seeking documents before applying for their targeted jobs.  Otherwise, they will appear less experienced than they may be and jeopardize their chances for an interview.

Take a look at the “before” and “transformed” resumes on my site. Which one does your resume most resemble?

Need help with your job search? Contact me!

Video resumes. They are all the rage in the personal branding community, but the jury is still out as far as the majority of recruiters go. A recent post in the New York Times is headlined “Video Resumes Get More Popular.” However, if you read the article, there are many caveats. (In other words, just because they are popular with the job seekers does not mean they are popular on the hiring side!)

When Serene Buckley received her first video resume from an applicant, she was interested and reviewed it, it seems more out of curiosity than anything else! She noted that it would be important for the video to be accompanied by a strong, traditional resume.

As candidates attempt to “stand out” in a tight job market, more and more applicants are turning to video. However, there are many concerns that are important to consider before directing “Resume You.”

• Recruiters and hiring managers don’t have time to review videos. You only get 8-10 seconds for a resume!
• Most companies use computer software to scan resumes and are not equipped to review video resumes.
• The obvious emphasis on the candidate’s appearance could lead to racial discrimination.
• The video could actually hurt a candidate who is not attractive.
• A non-professionally produced video could highlight negative qualities.

The Times article quotes Don Straits, CEO of Corporate Warriors, an executive placement firm in Auburn, CA, ”...The only way that video resumes are really effective is when they’re used in context with supporting documents.” That means combining a video with a strong written resume and information about a person’s past performance.

”When video resumes are not used properly, they are worthless,” Straits said. ”And in fact, may do more harm than good.”

Not surprisingly, the article highlights the importance of production quality. Job seekers who know how to produce and edit a quality video (or hire someone to do it) have a strong advantage. It would be a shame to send a video that actually detracts from your search.

Before you start sending out a video of yourself, you want to really study what image you present. Look at your appearance, mannerisms, listen to how you sound.

Assume that your video (even if is well done and appropriate for your industry) is unlikely to help you unless your written materials catch the hiring manager’s eye first! In most cases, you must attract attention by communicating your value via traditional means that are easy to scan and assess, which usually means a strong written resume.

I can help you create a strong resume and online presence.  Learn more about how I can help with your job hunt.

photo by ezalis

I’ve been sharing career related epiphanies resulting from my recent sojourn in New York City. Specifically,  from the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Today’s focus: My, how our tastes and trends have changed!

Opinions about what is beautiful and what are useful ways to spend our time certainly have changed over the centuries! (When was the last time you donned a suit of armor to challenge a foe? Or slept in a Versailles-era inspired bed?) The same is true of resume conventions.

My friend and colleague Erin Kennedy recently pointed out a modern resume writing trend – adding color to resumes! As she notes, this is not an idea most professional resume writers would have entertained several years ago, but is something job seekers can consider today. Similarly, I find myself explaining to clients that I don’t write “your father’s resume.”

Yes – there are many things about resumes that are similar to those 20 years ago, but a lot has changed! Who would have thought that resumes would actually include online profiles, “social resumes” and blogs? Just as women don’t walk around corseted with big bustles, you want to be sure that your resume doesn’t look like something that belongs in a musuem because it is out of date!

I recently worked with a client whose resume I totally redesigned using a very modern style. Her reply, “I thought it was going to look more like the one I sent…Will this appeal to recruiters?”

I explained that the best resume professionals are not writing “your mother’s resume” anymore. Times have changed, and we need to change with them. My client showed her new resume to an (older) recruiter who admitted it wasn’t what she expected to see, but that she liked the format and how it outlined the candidate’s skills and made her stand out! I couldn’t have been more pleased!

One of my twitter friends, Vicki, suggested I update this post to provide some visual examples of dated and modern resumes. So – follow this link to review my resume transformations – for some examples of the way resumes look today compared to old-fashioned versions. Thanks, Vicki!

What job search trends confuse or interest you?

There is no “one size fits all” career advice. Don’t you deserve the best, personalized information and help? Learn how I can help you with your search.

Frustrated that your search isn’t resulting in a job? In Atlanta? Join me and Stephanie A. Lloyd, CEO of Radiant Veracity for our series of in-person job search interventions. Read more about how to propel your search and sign up here.