Watch the video for additional ideas.

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OLD RESUME

PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE 

Managing Web Editor, XYZ Company
New York, NY  March 2008 – Present

-Manage high-traffic Web site for 1.5-million member organization.

-Edit and write content for Web magazine, marketing materials and internal memos and reports.

-Project manager for Web site overhaul. This includes planning and testing design, navigation and developing streamlined functionality to stimulate e-commerce activities.

How could this description be improved?

• Underlines look dated. Usually, you’ll only include months in the date section if the experience was one year or less.
• Bullet points shouldnâ€t just list WHAT you did, but focus on HOW you did it so it relates to the employer. Decide what they need you to do and show that on your resume. Ask yourself, “SO WHAT?” for every bullet point and provide an answer in your resume. Incorporate skills and accomplishments when giving the answer.
• Be sure all bullets are consistent – parallel tense. Begin each with a verb: manage, edit and “project manager” donâ€t match.
• Donâ€t make your resume a laundry list of “stuff” youâ€ve done.

NEW RESUME

CAREER ACHIEVEMENTS

Managing Web Editor, XYZ Company  New York, NY   2008 – Present

• Analyzed site traffic using Google Analytics, Lyris HQ Agency Edition and SiteCatalyst. Identified strategic patterns, trends and popular content and recommended changes to site, resulting in 17% increase in page views in only three months.
• Supervised siteâ€s overhaul in compliance with companyâ€s goals. Conducted needs assessment, identified market opportunities and planned and tested design, which stimulated e-commerce and increased profitability from $15M to $20M in 2010.
• Authored content for Web and email newsletters and created and recorded podcasts highlighting organizationâ€s mission. Management attributed increased membership rates to high-quality online and audio content.

What is better about this description?

• Decide if your title or the organization name is more important. In this case, the resume focuses the reader on job titles. Be consistent across the entire resume.
• Incorporate details important to the employer. Use key words (for example, the names of the programs to analyze site traffic).
• Show your impact – use $ amounts, %ages and other numbers when possible. (These answer the question, “So what?”)

photo by y-a-n

Stay tuned for another post with resume tips!

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Review these suggestions to see if there are any changes you may want to incorporate in your resume.

OLD HEADER

Jill Jack
123 Main Street – New York, NY – 212-555-0000 – Jill.Jack@hotmail.com

Objective

Innovative, highly motivated, dynamic team player with extensive experience, stellar writing skills and the ability to effectively manage concurrent projects seeks opportunity to contribute in Fortune 500 Company.

What’s wrong with this header?

Jill Jack
123 Main St. – New York, NY –  212.555.0000 – JillJack@gmail.com
http://www.linkedin.com/in/JillJack – @JillJack – gplus.to/JillJack – JillJack.com

Multimedia Manager — Communications Strategist — Content Developer
Market savvy, writer/editor experienced in producing profitableonline, video and ezine content.

“Jill combines a flair for the creative, an intuitive understanding of market trends and consumer needs with her unbeatable technical, writing, editing and management skills. Iâ€ve never known anyone who can evaluate the landscape, design a strategy and execute on plans as well as Jill.”
– Peter Pan, Overseeing Editor, XYX Company (View this and other endorsements via LinkedIn)

What’s better about this header?

• It incorporates social media URLs – indicating this person is involved online and up-to-date. By inviting the reader to review her Twitter stream and LinkedIn profile for additional information, it’s clear (no matter how old this job seeker may be), the candidate is an early adopter (showing a Google+ account) and clearly willing to learn new things. Only showcase these URLs if you are using social media professionally. However, don’t assume no one will find your Twitter and other social media outlets.
• Notice this resume includes a link to the job seeker’s personal website/social resume. Having this online portfolio really demonstrates she is using technology and is up-to-date.
• This header uses important resume “real estate” at the top of the document to hone in on important points: job titles and key skills. It avoids “empty” words that donâ€t describe a connection between the candidate and the job. Itâ€s important to select KEY words from job descriptions, company websites and LinkedIn profiles from others in your industry.
• It includes a recommendation from someone found on LinkedIn. This is a great way to help tell your story and to prove your qualifications from an outside perspective.

Watch the video here:

Stay tuned for more tips to help you evaluate and improve your resume!

photo by cobalt123

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Last week, I joined CNN anchor Fredricka Whitfield on the air to share some tips with job seekers. (Stay tuned for a link to the segment.)

Here are some tips to help you change directions if things aren’t going well.

Biggest job seeker mistakes:

• Using the same resume to apply for every job and not personalizing it for employers†needs. You need to spoon feed your resume to the employer. If you aren’t customizing it, you’re doing the equivalent of feeding a toothless infant a whole apple — she’ll likely use it to play a game of “drop and get.” Ideally, you’ll offer applesauce to a baby, and a resume detailing what you can do to solve the employer’s problems.
• Applying for the wrong jobs. It’s tempting to apply for “just any job.” After all, YOU know you can do anything, right? It’s possible you can, but writing to an employer with a broad statement offering to be interviewed for “any” job is a recipe for disaster. The employer doesn’t know what to do with you and thinks you are desperate. In other words, you don’t hear back.
• Ignoring social media resources or assuming they wonâ€t make a difference. How many job seekers have been looking for work for over a year, but have never even tried using LinkedIn, Twitter or even Facebook to see how social media may help get them out of their job hunting rut? Too many, in my opinion. Using social media well is a big step in the right direction.

How to best use social media

• Choose the best networks for you – the ones that highlight and show off your skills. For example, if you love to write (and you’re a good writer), a blog might be great for you. If youâ€re a better talker, consider creating an online radio program. I outline many different social networks in my book, Social Networking for Career Success.
• Completely fill out your profiles using key words – the words people will use to find someone who does your type of work. It’s important to do this well so it’s easier for people who may want to hire someone with your skills to find you.
• Find people online in your field of work. Use the various search tools in the different networks to identify potential contacts. For example, in LinkedIn, use “advanced search” to locate contacts and join groups pertaining to your interests. Use Listorious.com and WeFollow.com to find people with common interests using Twitter. See what they are saying online, respond, add to the conversation. Try to become known as a person who is “in the know,” is friendly and giving. Do not ask for job leads until you establish a relationship. You may be surprised by how generous your new online contacts are!

In my next post, I share “before” and “after” resume samples and provide specific tips to help update your resume.

The post Overcome job search frustration by making some changes in your job hunting routine appeared first on Keppie Careers.

Consider Indeed.com’s ranking of the “number of unemployed per job posting for the 50 most populous metropolitan areas in the U.S.” While these statistics can be a bit misleading (they indicate the number of jobs per the number of people without specifically taking into account the types of job), they list the following as the best U.S. cities to find work:

• Washington D.C.
• San Jose, CA
• Baltimore, MD
• New York, NY
• Salt Lake City, UT
• Oklahoma City, Ut
• Hartford, CT
• Boston, MA
• Seattle, WA
• Austin, TX

Another recent listing of places to consider working is from a study reported by Kate Lorenz, CareerBuilder.com/CNN by Apartments.com and CBcampus.com, which list the top 10 cities for new grads are:

• 1. Atlanta – Average rent:* $723: Popular entry-level categories:** sales, marketing, customer service
• 2. Phoenix – Average rent: $669: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, training
• 3. Denver- Average rent: $779: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, health care
• 4. Dallas – Average rent: $749: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, health care
• 5. Boston – Average rent: $1275: Popular entry-level categories: sales, marketing, training
• 6. Philadelphia – Average rent: $938: Popular entry-level categories: sales, marketing, health care
• 7. New York – Average rent: $1,366: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, marketing
• 8. Cincinnati – Average rent: $613: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, management
• 9. Baltimore – Average rent: $1,041: Popular entry-level categories: sales, customer service, management
• 10. Los Angeles – Average rent: $1319: Popular entry-level categories: sales, training, health care

Anthony Balderrama, from CareerBuilder’s The Work Buzz suggests these questions to consider when evaluating a move:

1. What is the entire cost of the move itself?
2. What is the comprehensive cost of living adjustment?
3. When is your last day on the old job and your first day of the new one?
4. What are your career opportunities in this new city?
5. What does saying “no” to the relocation mean for your career?
6. If you’re switching employers, what are your career opportunities at the new company?
7. Do you want to move?

Giving a move serious consideration? Be sure to visit the Riley Guide’s list of resources if you are planning to make a career move. Links include cost of living calculators as well as moving companies!

photo by mattindy77

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I vaguely remember her story, which Wikipedia sums up:

Caroline Michelle “Carrie” Prejean (born May 13, 1987)^[1] is an American model and former beauty queen from Vista, California. She held the title of Miss California USA 2009, and placed first runner up in the Miss USA 2009 pageant. She gained nationwide attention over her answer to a question about same-sex marriage. She was eventually dethroned on June 10, 2009, with the producers of the Miss California USA pageant citing continued alleged breach of contract issues as the reason. Prejean called those claims false, and filed a libel suit alleging that she has been discriminated against due to her religious views.^[2][3] However, the legal battle between her the pageant officials was settled out of court on November 3, 2009 following the revelation of a “sex tape” involving Prejean^[4].

Since it would be a shame for me to take the evening off (!)…I happened to tune in to the interview when Carrie was talking about why she was fired from her role. She made it clear that she had not been released from her contract (which involved a highly confidential settlement) because of any moral considerations. Instead, she noted that it was because she was “difficult to work with.” Hmm…

I am not an expert on her case, but further in the interview, she did make a point of saying that she hopes her book teaches other young women to be careful of what they do and that they don’t do anything they’d be embarressed about down the road.

I have some career advice for Ms. Prejean – and everyone else:

Announcing that you are “difficult to work with” on national television is not a great career move. Maybe I am going out out a limb here, but I am willing to bet that there are more people out there who would work with someone who had a lapse in judgement as a teenager than people who would like to work with a self-professed “difficult to work with” 22-year old!

Ironically, the interview continued by Carrie telling Larry King he was being “inappropriate” in his questions to her, and then she almost walked off of the set when he took a phone call that she said was not part of the agreement. (Could she have just reminded him that she was not planning to take any calls?)

To me, it looked like a career lesson. On my evening off. So – there it is for you. Don’t make a sex tape. Don’t be rude on national television. And, most importantly, do NOT announce that you were considered “difficult to work with.” This is not an asset for most jobs.

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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 cattius photo

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