Archive for June, 2007
6 Professional Resume Tips: Know What Human Resources Really Want
If you know what Human Resources professionals want, you will have a better chance to be the next candidate called for an interview. Professional resume tips will definitely give you that much needed edge!
Professional resume tips #1 – Size really does matters
The length of your resume will be partially determined by how much working experience that you have, but length prevents your resume from standing out.
If you are new jobseeker or just do not have much experience in the field in which you are applying, Human Resources staff prefer to see just a one page resume. This is a brief way to sum up the qualities and work experience that you do have without wasting their time.
Of course, if you more experienced in the position for which you are applying, a two page resume may be more suitable. Of course, if you are just listing things to make the resume longer, you may not have the outcome you would like.
The bottom line is to be as brief as possible without ommitting something that the Human Resource people would like to know.
Professional resume tips #2 – Are the dates consistent
Many resume writers are worried about whether or not to alter the dates of their different jobs just to make a seamless chronology of their work history.
First of all, that is being dishonest. And you do not want to begin a new job with a lie that could be discovered.
Second of all, HR professionals prefer to see the gaps of your work history and how these breaks were filled by you. Perhaps you had a newborn baby or there was a family crisis that caused you to leave your career for a period of time. Whatever the reason, just be ready to explain the gaps.
Professional resume tips #3 – Discussing your previous positions
What you might need to do is describe positions that are related to the one that you are applying for. While you will still be asked how long you were in each position, showing the relevance is much more helpful to the HR people.
You must give your positions their correct titles or ones that express the same idea. Manager and Supervisor are frequently used interchangeably. For example, supervisor sounds slightly more professional.
As long as you are not fabricating titles, you are fine to smooth out their wording.
Professional resume tips #4 – What are your accomplishments
Hiring managers need to know what you have already done for your previous employers. You should have all the facts and figures that you could quote and discuss. Did you increase sales? Did you save the company money? Provide the HR person with things in black and white and you will see that you get better responses.
Discuss the positive things that you have done for your previous employers, and if there were any negative situations, find the positive side in them in case you are asked.
Professional resume tips #5 – Cover letter please.
Do you really need a cover letter? In many cases, hiring managers like to see something that demonstrates your individual personality. After several resumes, they will begin to look the same. This is not to say that you should begin with a something funny or send a photo of yourself, but you should use a cover letter to provide some indication of the kind of employee you are.
You want to show that you know what kinds of responsibilities is expected of you if hired and that you fully comprehend the goals of the company.
Show them that you really want this job and that you are more than ready for the challenge.
Professional resume tips #6 – 100% error free
Simple errors in grammar and spelling will hurt your chances of getting hired in any higher position. Take the extra time to have someone proof read your resume to make sure that you sound and look professional.
Just remember that hiring managers only have a limited time to read every resume that they receive. Get right to the point and your resume will get you the interview.
By: Andrew Chin
About the Author:
Professional resume tips #1 – Size really does matters
The length of your resume will be partially determined by how much working experience that you have, but length prevents your resume from standing out.
If you are new jobseeker or just do not have much experience in the field in which you are applying, Human Resources staff prefer to see just a one page resume. This is a brief way to sum up the qualities and work experience that you do have without wasting their time.
Of course, if you more experienced in the position for which you are applying, a two page resume may be more suitable. Of course, if you are just listing things to make the resume longer, you may not have the outcome you would like.
The bottom line is to be as brief as possible without ommitting something that the Human Resource people would like to know.
Professional resume tips #2 – Are the dates consistent
Many resume writers are worried about whether or not to alter the dates of their different jobs just to make a seamless chronology of their work history.
First of all, that is being dishonest. And you do not want to begin a new job with a lie that could be discovered.
Second of all, HR professionals prefer to see the gaps of your work history and how these breaks were filled by you. Perhaps you had a newborn baby or there was a family crisis that caused you to leave your career for a period of time. Whatever the reason, just be ready to explain the gaps.
Professional resume tips #3 – Discussing your previous positions
What you might need to do is describe positions that are related to the one that you are applying for. While you will still be asked how long you were in each position, showing the relevance is much more helpful to the HR people.
You must give your positions their correct titles or ones that express the same idea. Manager and Supervisor are frequently used interchangeably. For example, supervisor sounds slightly more professional.
As long as you are not fabricating titles, you are fine to smooth out their wording.
Professional resume tips #4 – What are your accomplishments
Hiring managers need to know what you have already done for your previous employers. You should have all the facts and figures that you could quote and discuss. Did you increase sales? Did you save the company money? Provide the HR person with things in black and white and you will see that you get better responses.
Discuss the positive things that you have done for your previous employers, and if there were any negative situations, find the positive side in them in case you are asked.
Professional resume tips #5 – Cover letter please.
Do you really need a cover letter? In many cases, hiring managers like to see something that demonstrates your individual personality. After several resumes, they will begin to look the same. This is not to say that you should begin with a something funny or send a photo of yourself, but you should use a cover letter to provide some indication of the kind of employee you are.
You want to show that you know what kinds of responsibilities is expected of you if hired and that you fully comprehend the goals of the company.
Show them that you really want this job and that you are more than ready for the challenge.
Professional resume tips #6 – 100% error free
Simple errors in grammar and spelling will hurt your chances of getting hired in any higher position. Take the extra time to have someone proof read your resume to make sure that you sound and look professional.
Just remember that hiring managers only have a limited time to read every resume that they receive. Get right to the point and your resume will get you the interview.
By: Andrew Chin
About the Author:
Andrew Chin is a recognized authority on the subject of Employment. His website Employment Exposed provides a wealth of information on Employment Opportunities. All rights reserved. Articles may be reprinted as long as the content and links remains intact and unchanged.
Job Finding Tips
Finding a job is hard. It takes persistence, confidence and preparation. That being said, there are things one can do to make the transition from unemployed to office superstar faster and less frustrating. The number one thing that alleviates job-finding anxiety is preparation. It cannot be stressed enough. Proper preparation includes researching the best job sites for one’s industry, having an updated resume always available, and even knowing what to wear.
JOB SITES
Whether we like it or not, job search sites are a major part of finding a job. Find the best job site for your industry. Below are some of the best job sites around, but there are a ton of job sites out there. Find one you like and visit it often. However, be sure not to limit yourself. It is a good idea to sign up for email alerts from multiple sites, that way you can be first to respond to jobs that are right for you.
MULTIPLE INDUSTRY JOB SITES
Free Agents Jobs
http://www.theFreeJobs.com
A great new site. It’s like a ‘visual’ craigslist—a simple, intuitive search solution. Free Agents Jobs offers free email job alerts to keep you in the loop if your perfect job pops up.
Indeed.com
http://www.indeed.com
Indeed is a very powerful job search engine. It’s like Google, for jobs. When you click on a job at Indeed.com you will be taken directly to the site where the job is posted.
Craigslist
http://www.craigslist.org
Find your city and start lookin’! Craigslist has tons of jobs in every industry and provides a nice local touch. However, conversion rates are pretty low, so don’t count on an interview.
SPECIALTY JOB SITES
Krop
http://www.krop.com
For creative and tech professionals. Krop is a fast growing site with great design and interface.
Joel on Software
http://jobs.joelonsoftware.com
Jobs from a specialty software and programming blog. If you’re on top of your game, this is the place to look!
37 Signals
http://jobs.37signals.com
Job board from 37 Signals, internet web application programmers. These guys produce great web apps! Another great job resource If you’re on top of your game!
Creative Hotlist
http://creativehotlist.com
Great resource for creative positions (designers and such)!
RESUME FORMAT: Don’t Get Cute!
Use a style similar to business letter formatting. Avoid using elaborate headers or multi-column layouts. These kinds of flare DO NOT make you look unique, they make you look unprofessional. If you want to show a bit of your personality, let it peek through in your cover letter. Your resume should serve to provide a structured outline of your qualifications, nothing more. Remember that consistency and simplicity are priorities with your resume. Treat each section the same. Make sure that you use reverse chronological order for all entries. DO NOT prioritize your employment history. Just because something was important to you, does not mean your potential employer will think so. Let them make the decision when reading with no surprises. For instance, you don’t want to go from 1997 to 2006, back to 2000. You want to go from 2007 to 2006 to 2005, and so on. No surprises, nothing to hide.
Font: Times, Times New Roman or Georgia
Font Size: 10pt
Margins: 1″ on all sides
Tabs: 0.5″
SAMPLE FORMAT
————————————
Jane Boogie
555 Some Street
Great City, US 20817
(212) 555-1212
jboogie@gmail.co
SUMMARY
Six years professional design studio experience. Four years freelance design experience. BA, Graphic Design from Rhode Island School of Design. Cum laude.
EDUCATION
2007 University of Southern California
BFA, Sculpture, Cum Laude
EXPERIENCE
2006 BCBG
Graphic Designer | May 2005 – Aug 2006
Responsible for xyz. Managed four employees.
AWARDS
2007 ABC Design Award
2006 XYZ Sweetness Award
————————————
HOW TO DRESS FOR A JOB INTERVIEW: ALWAYS OVER DRESS! (Just a little bit)
Rule #1: Dress Nicely!
Set aside an outfit that you know you’re comfortable in and makes you feel confident. If the employer does not specify what the dress code is, assume it’s BUSINESS CASUAL and plan to dress a little nicer than that!
Women: Wear dark dress pants and either a sweater, blouse or button down dress shirt. NO JEANS! NOTHING REVEALING! Don’t even risk it for a first impression. For shoes, knock yourself out. If you like heels, wear heels. If you like flats, wear flats. NO SNEAKERS, no matter how cool they are! Keep the makeup to a minimum, don’t overdo it lady!
Men: Wear dark dress pants and a button down dress shirt or stylish, lightweight sweater. NO JEANS! NO POLO SHIRTS! For shoes, wear dress shoes, NOT sneakers OR sandals. Remember, if you wear dark grey or black pants, wear a black belt and black shoes. If you wear dark brown or dark green pants wear a brown belt and brown shoes. Chances are you could care less about this sort of thing, but it DOES MATTER (at least for a first impression)! Please remember to shave at least 3 HOURS BEFORE your interview, just in case you knick yourself or you have sensitive skin and are prone to ‘raspberries.’
NOTE: If an employer specifies a very casual dress code, then certainly go with that. Remember to still dress a little bit nicer than you think you should. It always pays off!
Rule #2: Smell Nice!
Wear some deodorant for once! If you have a light cologne or perfume you like to wear, put on a little bit, but not too much. Having a nice smell is very underrated in social situations. Furthermore, if an employer turns up the heat, you don’t have to worry about getting all hot and bothered. You will, naturally, smell like roses
CONCLUSION
These tips will help you get started in the right direction. Now go put yourself out there! Set up some interviews and even accept a few interviews you know you don’t want. Practice makes perfect and the only way to practice is to be under the microscope in a small office with a peculiar HR person asking you questions and telling you the way it is. But, these situations will prepare you for the interview that goes perfectly, where you can’t say the wrong thing and feel respected and wanted. In order for that to happen, you have to be prepared and stay persistent.
By: Rick Derris
About the Author:
JOB SITES
Whether we like it or not, job search sites are a major part of finding a job. Find the best job site for your industry. Below are some of the best job sites around, but there are a ton of job sites out there. Find one you like and visit it often. However, be sure not to limit yourself. It is a good idea to sign up for email alerts from multiple sites, that way you can be first to respond to jobs that are right for you.
MULTIPLE INDUSTRY JOB SITES
Free Agents Jobs
http://www.theFreeJobs.com
A great new site. It’s like a ‘visual’ craigslist—a simple, intuitive search solution. Free Agents Jobs offers free email job alerts to keep you in the loop if your perfect job pops up.
Indeed.com
http://www.indeed.com
Indeed is a very powerful job search engine. It’s like Google, for jobs. When you click on a job at Indeed.com you will be taken directly to the site where the job is posted.
Craigslist
http://www.craigslist.org
Find your city and start lookin’! Craigslist has tons of jobs in every industry and provides a nice local touch. However, conversion rates are pretty low, so don’t count on an interview.
SPECIALTY JOB SITES
Krop
http://www.krop.com
For creative and tech professionals. Krop is a fast growing site with great design and interface.
Joel on Software
http://jobs.joelonsoftware.com
Jobs from a specialty software and programming blog. If you’re on top of your game, this is the place to look!
37 Signals
http://jobs.37signals.com
Job board from 37 Signals, internet web application programmers. These guys produce great web apps! Another great job resource If you’re on top of your game!
Creative Hotlist
http://creativehotlist.com
Great resource for creative positions (designers and such)!
RESUME FORMAT: Don’t Get Cute!
Use a style similar to business letter formatting. Avoid using elaborate headers or multi-column layouts. These kinds of flare DO NOT make you look unique, they make you look unprofessional. If you want to show a bit of your personality, let it peek through in your cover letter. Your resume should serve to provide a structured outline of your qualifications, nothing more. Remember that consistency and simplicity are priorities with your resume. Treat each section the same. Make sure that you use reverse chronological order for all entries. DO NOT prioritize your employment history. Just because something was important to you, does not mean your potential employer will think so. Let them make the decision when reading with no surprises. For instance, you don’t want to go from 1997 to 2006, back to 2000. You want to go from 2007 to 2006 to 2005, and so on. No surprises, nothing to hide.
Font: Times, Times New Roman or Georgia
Font Size: 10pt
Margins: 1″ on all sides
Tabs: 0.5″
SAMPLE FORMAT
————————————
Jane Boogie
555 Some Street
Great City, US 20817
(212) 555-1212
jboogie@gmail.co
SUMMARY
Six years professional design studio experience. Four years freelance design experience. BA, Graphic Design from Rhode Island School of Design. Cum laude.
EDUCATION
2007 University of Southern California
BFA, Sculpture, Cum Laude
EXPERIENCE
2006 BCBG
Graphic Designer | May 2005 – Aug 2006
Responsible for xyz. Managed four employees.
AWARDS
2007 ABC Design Award
2006 XYZ Sweetness Award
————————————
HOW TO DRESS FOR A JOB INTERVIEW: ALWAYS OVER DRESS! (Just a little bit)
Rule #1: Dress Nicely!
Set aside an outfit that you know you’re comfortable in and makes you feel confident. If the employer does not specify what the dress code is, assume it’s BUSINESS CASUAL and plan to dress a little nicer than that!
Women: Wear dark dress pants and either a sweater, blouse or button down dress shirt. NO JEANS! NOTHING REVEALING! Don’t even risk it for a first impression. For shoes, knock yourself out. If you like heels, wear heels. If you like flats, wear flats. NO SNEAKERS, no matter how cool they are! Keep the makeup to a minimum, don’t overdo it lady!
Men: Wear dark dress pants and a button down dress shirt or stylish, lightweight sweater. NO JEANS! NO POLO SHIRTS! For shoes, wear dress shoes, NOT sneakers OR sandals. Remember, if you wear dark grey or black pants, wear a black belt and black shoes. If you wear dark brown or dark green pants wear a brown belt and brown shoes. Chances are you could care less about this sort of thing, but it DOES MATTER (at least for a first impression)! Please remember to shave at least 3 HOURS BEFORE your interview, just in case you knick yourself or you have sensitive skin and are prone to ‘raspberries.’
NOTE: If an employer specifies a very casual dress code, then certainly go with that. Remember to still dress a little bit nicer than you think you should. It always pays off!
Rule #2: Smell Nice!
Wear some deodorant for once! If you have a light cologne or perfume you like to wear, put on a little bit, but not too much. Having a nice smell is very underrated in social situations. Furthermore, if an employer turns up the heat, you don’t have to worry about getting all hot and bothered. You will, naturally, smell like roses
CONCLUSION
These tips will help you get started in the right direction. Now go put yourself out there! Set up some interviews and even accept a few interviews you know you don’t want. Practice makes perfect and the only way to practice is to be under the microscope in a small office with a peculiar HR person asking you questions and telling you the way it is. But, these situations will prepare you for the interview that goes perfectly, where you can’t say the wrong thing and feel respected and wanted. In order for that to happen, you have to be prepared and stay persistent.
By: Rick Derris
About the Author:
Rick Derris is the senior staff writer for Free Agents Jobs, http://www.theFreeJobs.com.
