Today we're issuing an alert to all job seekers … accuracy is key. Be certain that your LinkedIn profile and resume are consistent in every detail, especially regarding company names, job titles, and exact dates of employment. There should be no discrepancies. Why? It's the little details that are vital. Little things make big things happen. - John Wooden, Head Basketball Coach at UCLA from 1948 -1975 who guided the Bruins to win 10 NCAA titles in his last 12 seasons before he retired. If you want to win interviews and land a great job, be meticulous in reporting the details of your employment. Companies will verify your employment history, and inaccuracies could raise unwarranted red flags that may knock you out of consideration. Don’t be sidelined for lack of attention to detail. Take time to gather the appropriate information.
The bottom line is that no one knows your employment history better than you do. Verify all personal information contained in your career documents. Ultimately, you are the last line of defense when it comes to accuracy on your resume and LinkedIn profile. Make sure all of your data is correct and consistent, both in print and online. Your attention to detail will impress decision makers at your new place of employment. Cheering you on to score a great job with the compensation you deserve! The Mission Possible Team
Today, we'd like to share an infographic created by Grad School Hub on the topic of resume lies.
Source: http://www.gradschoolhub.com/resume A frustrated job seeker told me, “Shoot the Resume Robots! Can’t they see I’m qualified for the job?”
Although I shared her pain (computers have dehumanized the job search), I had to laugh. Her statement conjured up a vision of steely Resume-bots sorting through mountains of professional resumes and asynchronously reporting, “Applicant does not quality … does not qualify … does not qualify.” It had all the makings of a job seeker’s nightmare, or a B-rated movie. For better or for worse, computerized resume screening tools are here to stay. While Applicant Tracking Systems (ATS) make employers’ lives easier, they pose yet another obstacle for job seekers to overcome. What can you do to satisfy the gatekeeping robot? The answer is simple. Feed the computer the data it craves. 1. Make sure you meet the minimum requirements for the job posting. If the job posting states, “Applicant must have x number of postgraduate credit hours” or names a minimum of specific courses required in order to be considered for the position, and you have none of the coursework, do not apply for the job. It will save you from receiving a computer-generated rejection notice. If, however, the job posting reads “an applicant must have a bachelor’s degree in a particular field or equivalent work experience” and you lack the educational requirements but have plenty of relevant work experience, then apply for the job. Send a resume and cover letter showing that you have the exact skill set the employer is seeking and why you would be a good fit for the position. 2. Pack your resume with truthful accomplishment statements that correlate to the job description. Focus on core competencies (think technical skills) that relate to the job posting. Omit irrelevant information. Customize each resume to the specific job posting but state genuine facts. Front-load your accomplishment statements with quantifiers such as revenue gains, amount saved, or percentage increases in productivity. A job posting for a senior supply chain director asked for strong analytical and negotiation skills. The job seeker listed “Global Distribution & Transportation Networks” and “Vendor Sourcing & Contract Negotiations” under his professional skills then went a step further to describe several accomplishments that showed his analytical and negotiation skills in action. However, he made the mistake of placing the results last. Instead of writing, “Developed tools, processes, and reports used to analyze international small parcel shipping costs and led negotiations with carriers, which saved $1.2 million in small parcel shipping expense across all business units.” Front load the quantifying terms. Rewrite the accomplishment statement to read, “Saved $1.2 million in small parcel shipping costs across all business units by analyzing international small parcel shipping expense and negotiating discounts with carriers.” Do you see how moving the quantifier to the front of the bullet statement and shortening it makes it more powerful? In summary, submit your application to those postings where you meet the minimum educational and experiential requirements, pack your resume with quantified accomplishment statements, and watch your interview rates soar. Satisfy the gatekeeping Resume Robots by spoon-feeding them the precise data they crave. © 2014 Sharla Taylor – All rights reserved. Job Seeker: Your mission to land a great job fast begins by creating an attractive resume using classy fonts and a letterhead that presents your contact information in a professional manner. Cyberspace is a dangerous place. Protect your privacy. If you are posting to a public job board, omit your street address. Your letterhead should display your name; your city, state, and zip code; one telephone number, and one email address.
In summary, the letterhead design and font you choose should suit your profession and personality. Use the same letterhead on all your career correspondence (cover letter, resume, reference sheet, follow-up letter, etc.). Be sure to provide hyperlinks to your email and social media profile. Before you finalize the first draft of your resume, analyze your letterhead. Is it visually appealing? Is your contact information presented in a manner that makes it easy for a prospective employer to reach you? Remember, the top right corner is prime space for your phone number and email address. Even in your letterhead, content is king if you want your phone to ring! © 2014 Sharla Taylor – All rights reserved. Job Seeker: To carry out your mission to land a great job fast, you must provide a top-notch resume to your future employer. First impressions count. Design an attractive resume using classy fonts. There are two basic types of fonts: serif and sans- serif. Serif fonts have small lines trailing from the top-and-bottom edges of the letters. Serif fonts give an elegant, formal appearance. Some examples of serif fonts are: Bodoni Bookman Old Style Cambria Century Schoolbook Garamond Georgia Goudy Old Style Palatino Linotype Sans-serif fonts don’t have top-and-bottom lines on each character. Sans-serif fonts give a modern, minimalistic look. Some examples of sans-serif fonts are: Arial Narrow Calibri Century Gothic Futura Gill Sans Lucida Sans Tahoma Trebuchet Veranda Notice the difference in character height and width in the above-mentioned 12 pt. fonts. If you are having trouble squeezing text onto the page, consider changing typestyles. Avoid itty-bitty squint font. Choose a reasonable size font (10, 11, or 12 point for the body text and 12, 14, or 16 point for major headings). You will also notice that two fonts were intentionally left off the list: Arial and Times New Roman. Both are overused. Avoid them if you want your resume to stand out from the crowd. You can creatively blend serif and sans-serif fonts in your resume. For section headers, use sans-serif fonts; for the body text, use serif fonts, or vice versa. Be judicious; do not mix more than two type styles in one resume. Avoid script-like fonts. They are hard to read. Don't use creepy fonts (like Matisse ITC) or outlandish fonts (like Neurochrome). Your resume is not a playbill for a Broadway show. Your resume is not a love note. No frilly or flowery fonts. Keep it simple and professional. I share this advice with you because I like you and want you to succeed in your job search! Don’t cram text into margins less than.75 width on all sides. Keep healthy margins. Leave enough white space throughout the document for optimum visual appeal. And that’s the straight skinny on fonts. Be creative and professional in the design and layout of your resume. Job seeker, this concludes the mission briefing for today. Check back soon for more details of how to write a resume that will generate interviews and help you land a great job fast. © 2014 Sharla Taylor – All rights reserved. |
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Sharla is a mulit-certified career coach, executive resume writer, job search strategist, networking consultant, and published author. Through her company, Written by a Pro, Sharla has been helping executives and mid-career professionals land great jobs with better compensation and work-life balance for more than 20 years. She approaches her business from a Christian perspective. Her favorite Scripture is Matthew 19:26 "with God all things are possible" and this Bible verse is the inspiration for the Mission Possible Career Coaching Program. Click here to explore some free resources for mid-career and executive job seekers and book your free, 20-minute consultation with Sharla Taylor. WRITTEN BY A PRO
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Austin Farmer, graphic artist, is a graduate of Savannah College of Art and Design where he majored in Industrial Design and minored in Architecture. Austin creates marketing materials for businesses and uses his artistic and musical talents to enhance the worship service at Compassion Church. He also draws exquisite portraits and creates amazing animations! Austin's favorite Scripture passage is Isaiah 12:2. |