Making your resume stand out from among hundreds of others can be a challenge. The fact is that you have only a few seconds to grab the reader's attention. If they spot something interesting, you may get a little closer review. If not, your resume may be discarded with a stack of others, never to be seen again. So how can you entice the reader to keep reading? Here are a few proven strategies:
Use titles that match the job you want. Rather than saying you are looking for an accounting position, be more specific. What type of accounting position are you looking for? General accounting? Tax accounting? Payroll accounting? While you may have experience that qualifies you for any of these jobs, the employer is only looking for experience relevant to the position they are hiring for. A perfect match to the title they are looking for will more effectively grab their attention than a non-related one.
Use numbers and power words. Be clear and concise throughout your resume. When appropriate, include specific numbers. Did you help reduce overhead costs within your department? Did you increase sales? Did you consistently exceed your sales quota? Great! Put a number with it to make it measurable. Also replace more passive words with stronger, action-oriented words. Instead of saying "responsible for" repeatedly, substitute power words such as directed, managed, or implemented. Power words highlight results instead of responsibilities.
Proofread, proofread, proofread! This is perhaps the most important thing you can do. Even one minor spelling mistake shows a lack of attention to detail and can instantly move your resume into the discard pile. Let me say this again - proofread your resume. Make sure the font is consistent throughout, words are spelled and used correctly. It is a good idea to have someone else review your resume for you.
Omit irrelevant or assumed information. There is no need to include information about your hobbies, your age, or other personal information (other than contact information) unless it is specifically asked for. This takes up valuable space and most hiring managers are not interested anyway. There is also no need to include phrases such as "references available upon request" or "available for interview". Most people reading your resume will assume that you are available for an interview and willing to provide references.
If you are interested in more tips to help fine-tune your resume, please join us for our telephone seminar on Wednesday, April 29th at 8 PM Central. We will discuss these tips and many others as well as allow for questions and discussion. For more information, click here.
Any comments or tips that you would like to share with other readers? Feel free to send us your thoughts!
Coach April
Nexus Coaching Partners
"Bringing Inspiration to Life!"
www.nexuscoachingpartners.com
Tuesday, April 14, 2009
Sunday, March 22, 2009
Differentiating yourself in the job market
It's all over the news every day...unemployment figures are at an alarmingly high rate and growing worse by the day. The actual numbers vary day by day but it's undeniable that there are many, many people are unemployed. With all of these highly talented, highly skilled and highly qualified workers on the job market, competition for jobs is at an all-time high. While this is a good situation for employers to be in, it often leaves candidates frustrated and unsure how to differentiate themselves to potential employers. Traditional job search methods often don't bring desired results either. So how can you stand out among other candidates? Here's how:
Review your resume. Look over your resume again or ask someone else to help you. Ask yourself if there is anything you could change to make your qualifications stand out. This could be something as simple as changing font, highlighting certain words or phrases or as detailed as a format change. Due to the quantity of resumes received, hiring managers often only give resumes a quick once-over. If there is nothing that grabs their attention immediately, they will discard that resume and move on. Be careful to not bury your most valuable qualifications among resume "fluff".
Get creative. There are many different ways to get creative about finding a job. Some people have rented billboards, carried signs down the street, or purchased ads in different publications. While these examples are a bit extreme, they do show that thinking creatively can help you explore new methods that just might grab an employer's attention.
Network. Use all of the contacts that you have to spread the word and keep their eyes and ears open for potential opportunities. Many people are willing to help out in this way. Simply sending them a note with your resume attached letting them know you are looking for employment can have great success. Many companies don't advertise all of their job openings and this may be an inside connection that you wouldn't have otherwise found. Use existing relationships and work on developing new ones as well. There are many networking groups where members support each other. This can be a very valuable resource as long as you are willing to help others when you are able. Social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn are great tools as well. A word of caution though - make sure any content is appropriate for potential employers to view.
Minimize effort on traditional methods. There are many websites available for candidates to apply for jobs online. However, many people report little to no success using these sites. This is due largely to the fact that little effort is required to send in a resume and employers are often flooded with resumes from unqualified candidates.
Volunteer. With unemployment so high, many charitable organizations are hurting. Perhaps you have skills that would benefit a non-profit in some way. If not, this is the perfect opportunity to learn a new skill. By volunteering your time, you keep your skills sharp or learn new skills and you help others in the process. This experience is also something you can add to your resume. Volunteering can also serve as a networking opportunity as well as a chance to showcase your skills.
What other ways have you heard about, seen or done yourself that got the job? Leave a comment with your thoughts and you could win 2 complimentary coaching sessions.
Wishing you all the best,
Coach April
Certified Life and Career Coach - Nexus Coaching Partners
"Bringing Inspiration to Life!"
http://www.nexuscoachingpartners.com
Review your resume. Look over your resume again or ask someone else to help you. Ask yourself if there is anything you could change to make your qualifications stand out. This could be something as simple as changing font, highlighting certain words or phrases or as detailed as a format change. Due to the quantity of resumes received, hiring managers often only give resumes a quick once-over. If there is nothing that grabs their attention immediately, they will discard that resume and move on. Be careful to not bury your most valuable qualifications among resume "fluff".
Get creative. There are many different ways to get creative about finding a job. Some people have rented billboards, carried signs down the street, or purchased ads in different publications. While these examples are a bit extreme, they do show that thinking creatively can help you explore new methods that just might grab an employer's attention.
Network. Use all of the contacts that you have to spread the word and keep their eyes and ears open for potential opportunities. Many people are willing to help out in this way. Simply sending them a note with your resume attached letting them know you are looking for employment can have great success. Many companies don't advertise all of their job openings and this may be an inside connection that you wouldn't have otherwise found. Use existing relationships and work on developing new ones as well. There are many networking groups where members support each other. This can be a very valuable resource as long as you are willing to help others when you are able. Social networking sites such as MySpace, Facebook, and LinkedIn are great tools as well. A word of caution though - make sure any content is appropriate for potential employers to view.
Minimize effort on traditional methods. There are many websites available for candidates to apply for jobs online. However, many people report little to no success using these sites. This is due largely to the fact that little effort is required to send in a resume and employers are often flooded with resumes from unqualified candidates.
Volunteer. With unemployment so high, many charitable organizations are hurting. Perhaps you have skills that would benefit a non-profit in some way. If not, this is the perfect opportunity to learn a new skill. By volunteering your time, you keep your skills sharp or learn new skills and you help others in the process. This experience is also something you can add to your resume. Volunteering can also serve as a networking opportunity as well as a chance to showcase your skills.
What other ways have you heard about, seen or done yourself that got the job? Leave a comment with your thoughts and you could win 2 complimentary coaching sessions.
Wishing you all the best,
Coach April
Certified Life and Career Coach - Nexus Coaching Partners
"Bringing Inspiration to Life!"
http://www.nexuscoachingpartners.com
Sunday, January 11, 2009
Change your focus and change your results
Happy New Year! Now that we are a couple of weeks into 2009, how are your New Year's resolutions going? Have you been able to stick with them or have you given up already?
I often hear people complain about not being able to successfully reach their goals. While many of these people have specific, realistic goals, the problem lies in their focus. Sometimes this is just a matter of your choice of words. Try this quick example: don't think about chocolate. What are you thinking about now? More than likely, you are thinking about chocolate. This is what sabotages many of our goals - we think about what we DON'T want to do rather than what we DO want to do. By simply changing your words, you change your focus, which changes your thoughts, and in turn changes your results. Sounds simple enough, right?
Consider this example:
Goal: To lose 10 pounds in the next 2 months by not eating fast food.
Analysis: This is a great start! This goal is specific, measurable, timely, and achievable. However, it focuses on an activity that is to be avoided.
New goal: To lose 10 pounds in the next 2 months by eating meals at home.
Obviously, these are the same goals...to lose 10 pounds. But this subtle difference in wording allows the brain to focus on the desired behavior, rather than the non-desired behavior. Your chances of success can increase exponentially with only a simple change in words. Amazing, isn't it?
My challenge to you this month is to carefully examine your goals and see if you are focused on a positive outcome. Can you change your focus to change your results? If you need help getting started, please feel free to email or call me to set up a session. If you've got an example you'd like to share, please post your comments.
Wishing you much success,
Coach April
http://www.nexuscoachingpartners.com/
"Bringing Inspiration to Life!"
I often hear people complain about not being able to successfully reach their goals. While many of these people have specific, realistic goals, the problem lies in their focus. Sometimes this is just a matter of your choice of words. Try this quick example: don't think about chocolate. What are you thinking about now? More than likely, you are thinking about chocolate. This is what sabotages many of our goals - we think about what we DON'T want to do rather than what we DO want to do. By simply changing your words, you change your focus, which changes your thoughts, and in turn changes your results. Sounds simple enough, right?
Consider this example:
Goal: To lose 10 pounds in the next 2 months by not eating fast food.
Analysis: This is a great start! This goal is specific, measurable, timely, and achievable. However, it focuses on an activity that is to be avoided.
New goal: To lose 10 pounds in the next 2 months by eating meals at home.
Obviously, these are the same goals...to lose 10 pounds. But this subtle difference in wording allows the brain to focus on the desired behavior, rather than the non-desired behavior. Your chances of success can increase exponentially with only a simple change in words. Amazing, isn't it?
My challenge to you this month is to carefully examine your goals and see if you are focused on a positive outcome. Can you change your focus to change your results? If you need help getting started, please feel free to email or call me to set up a session. If you've got an example you'd like to share, please post your comments.
Wishing you much success,
Coach April
http://www.nexuscoachingpartners.com/
"Bringing Inspiration to Life!"
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