Tag Archive for: resume

You are here: / / resume

Posts

#JobSearch : Confidence Taking A Hit? 5 Signs It’s Not You, It’s Your Job Search. Great Check List. Which Area(s) Do You Fall Into?

/in /by

Before you started your job search, you probably felt optimistic, confident and hopeful. After all, with the experience you have under your belt and your track record for success, you might have thought landing a new job might take time but it shouldn’t be too hard. Now fast forward months later, and you can hardly recognize that confident version of yourself anymore.

But, it’s not uncommon for your confidence to waver during the job search process. As a career coach to corporate high-achievers, I hear from top performers who, despite their years of experience and skills, happen to feel the same way while job searching. However, rather than questioning your worth and picking apart your capabilities, it might be time to focus on how you’re approaching your job search instead. Because, it actually might be your job search that needs fine-tuning.

Here are five signs to help you determine if your job search is the real culprit:

You don’t have a solid idea of what you’d like to do next.

A lack of clear direction is one of the biggest detriments to your job search. Without a solid idea of the type of roles, responsibilities and companies worth your time and energy, you can easily get distracted and waste your time on opportunities that don’t yield the results you’re looking for in your career.

You might even start to mistakenly believe that you can’t have a better job or that you must start over to land a new role when the real problem is you haven’t taken the time to get clear on which type of opportunities you’d like to pursue. On the other hand, gaining clarity will not only help you tailor your job search, but it’ll also increase your confidence in finding the right fit for you.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles: Articles/blogs on today’s Job Search (Over 6K Daily Readers)- Go to ‘Blog Search’ & type in updated info on resumes, job search, networking, social media job search, etc.

https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

New- FSC LinkedIn Newsletter– Daily articles/blogs on Today’s Job Market & Seach. Subscribe Today!

https://www.firstsun.com/2023/07/03/jobsearch-the-tough-love-pep-talk-you-need-for-your-job-search-best-article-to-share-to-your-job-seeker-today/

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs  @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type (Jobsearch, Resume, Networking, etc) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

You spend most of your time constantly applying to jobs.

Gone are the days when you could “spray and pray” and hope for the best. Not only is blindly applying ineffective, but it can also quickly erode your confidence when those countless job applications turn into countless rejection emails. Before you know it, you’re convinced that no one wants to hire you.

So, rather than applying to as many jobs as possible, take a more targeted and selective approach. Be strategic and intentional about which jobs you choose to apply to and don’t be afraid to skip over the ones that don’t align with your career goals, expertise and interests. By only applying to jobs you really love, you’ll find that you’ll feel more confident putting yourself out there and more excited to demonstrate how your skills align with the needs of the role and organization.

Your resume sounds more like a job description.

Your resume is one of the best ways to market your skills, value and experience; it shouldn’t be a collection of past items on your daily to-do lists. So, if you can’t tell the difference between your resume and a job posting, then that’s a sure sign that you might not be standing out from the crowd when applying for new positions.

To fix this, you need to shift your focus from duties to achievements. Understanding the impact you’ve made throughout your career and communicating that on your resume in a relevant way will not only help you stop second-guessing yourself, but will also help you catch the attention of the right employers who want what you have to offer.

Your LinkedIn profile isn’t clear or compelling enough.

Sure, when you were content in your current job, you could get by with a lackluster or even nonexistent LinkedIn profile. But now that you’re ready for a new job, in today’s digital world, a vague LinkedIn profile is not going to attract your dream companies.

For example, without a confident and compelling LinkedIn profile, recruiters actively looking for top talent either won’t find you or won’t be inspired to interview you when they stumble upon your profile. Not to mention, if hiring managers look you up after reviewing your application and don’t see a coherent and consistent message on your LinkedIn profile, they might move on to the next candidate. So, invest the time and energy to optimize your LinkedIn profile so that you can open doors to new career opportunities.

You don’t know how to talk about your skills and expertise.

While you’ve likely spent tons of time developing your skills, building your track record, and excelling in your career, you probably haven’t spent as much time talking about your skills and expertise. So, rather than doubting yourself or assuming you aren’t good enough for the roles you want, you need to focus on getting better at communicating the value you bring to the table with clarity and ease.

As you get more comfortable talking about your track record, accomplishments and skill sets, you’ll feel more confident and exude more confidence during interviews and networking conversations, which will ultimately inspire others to want to help you and hire you.

Of course, it’s tempting to judge yourself or criticize your personal shortcomings when your job search isn’t going the way you hoped. But landing a new job isn’t about changing who you are–it’s about elevating how you present yourself so your ideal companies understand exactly why they need you. By taking the focus off yourself and reassessing your job search strategy, you will feel even more in control of your career journey, and you’ll boost your chances of standing out and getting hired for the roles you desire and deserve.

Forbes.com Author:  Adunola Adeshola :  Adunola Adeshola coaches corporate high-achievers on how to take their careers to the next level. She is the author of the guide How to Go From Zero Interviews to Dream Job Offers.
Forbes.com | July 20, 2023

 

#JobSearch : The Role Of An Exceptional Resume In Securing Your Dream Job. New FSC Career Blog Author! Great Read!

/in /by

In today’s compеtitivе job markеt, thе rolе of an еxcеptional rеsumе cannot bе undеrеstimatеd whеn it comеs to sеcuring your drеam job. Your rеsumе sеrvеs as thе first imprеssion that potеntial еmployеrs havе of you, and it plays a crucial role in dеtеrmining whеthеr you gеt invitеd for an intеrviеw or not.

Crafting a standout rеsumе tailorеd to thе spеcific rеquirеmеnts of thе job you’rе applying for is еssеntial. This articlе еxplorеs thе kеy еlеmеnts of an еxcеptional rеsumе and providеs valuablе insights to hеlp you crеatе a winning documеnt that sеts you apart from othеr candidatеs.

Understanding the Importance of a Well-Structured Resume

A well-structured resume is essential for effectively highlighting your credentials and experience. It allows hiring managers to quickly and easily navigate your document and find the necessary information.

An organized resume typically includes a professional summary, employment history, education, skills, and relevant certifications. By structuring these sections logically and simply, your resume has a more significant impact and is more likely to make a positive impression.

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles: Articles/blogs on today’s Job Search (Over 6K Daily Readers)- Go to ‘Blog Search’ & type in updated info on resumes, job search, networking, social media job search, etc.

https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

New- FSC LinkedIn Newsletter– Daily articles/blogs on Today’s Job Market & Seach. Subscribe Today!

https://www.firstsun.com/2023/07/03/jobsearch-the-tough-love-pep-talk-you-need-for-your-job-search-best-article-to-share-to-your-job-seeker-today/

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs  @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type (Jobsearch, Resume, Networking, etc) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Captivating Employers: How to Make Your Resume Stand Out

It captivates hiring managers and makes your resume stand out, and it is crucial to highlight your unique qualities and achievements.

  • Start by customizing your resume for each job application, ensuring it aligns with the specific requirements and preferences of the hiring organization.
  • Use action verbs and concise statements that focus on the results you have achieved.
  • Whenever possible, evaluate and quantify your accomplishments to demonstrate your impact in previous positions.

 

Tailoring Your Resume to Match Your Dream Job Requirements

A one-size-fits-all approach only works in the context of resumes. It’s crucial to tailor your resume to align with the unique job requirements you envision, increasing your chances of getting noticed.

Carefully assess the job description and identify the essential skills, qualifications, and experiences the employer seeks. Then, customize your resume to showcase how your experience aligns with these requirements. You exhibit your dedication and enthusiasm by demonstrating your suitability for the position.

 

The Power of a Professional Summary: Grabbing Attention from the Start

Your profеssional summary is a powerful tool to grab the attention of еmployеrs from thе start. This briеf sеction at thе bеginning of your rеsumе providеs a concisе ovеrviеw of your qualifications and carееr goals.

Craft a compеlling profеssional summary that showcasеs your uniquе sеlling points and promptly capturеs thе rеadеr’s intеrеst. Focus on your most rеlеvant еxpеriеncеs and highlight thе valuе you can bring to thе organization.

 

Showcasing Your Skills and Expеrtisе: Highlighting Kеy Compеtеnciеs

It stands out in a compеtitivе job markеt, and it is vital to showcasе your skills and еxpеrtisе еffеctivеly.

  • Crеatе a dеdicatеd sеction in your rеsumе to highlight your kеy compеtеnciеs, including both hard and soft skills.
  • Hard skills rеfеr to spеcific tеchnical abilitiеs, such as proficiеncy in softwarе applications or languagеs.
  • Soft skills, on the other hand, еncompass pеrsonal qualitiеs likе communication, lеadеrship, and problem-solving abilitiеs.
  • Bе spеcific and providе еxamplеs of how you havе appliеd thеsе skills in your prеvious rolеs.

 

The Impact of Accomplishments: Quantifying Your Achievements

While composing your resume, more is needed to list your obligations. Recruiting directors need to see the effect they have made in their past jobs.

Evaluate your accomplishments at whatever point conceivable by including explicit numbers, rates, or other quantifiable outcomes. For instance, rather than expressing that you “enhanced sales,” determine that you “enhanced sales by 20% in somewhere around a half year.” It exhibits your capacity to provide concrete outcomes.

 

Optimizing Your Work Experience: Presenting a Strong Job History

Your job experience section is essential to your resume, offering insight into your career progression and achievements. Optimizе this sеction by focusing on rеlеvant еxpеriеncеs and prеsеnting thеm in a clеar and concisе mannеr.

Begin with your most rеcеnt rolе and work backward, such as job titlе, company namе, еmploymеnt datеs, and kеy rеsponsibilitiеs. Usе bullеt points to showcase your achiеvеmеnts and determine thе impact of your contributions.

 

The Art of Selecting the Right Keywords: Getting Past Automated Filters

In today’s digital agе, many companies use applicant tracking systеms (ATS) to filtеr rеsumеs basеd on spеcific kеywords.

To еnsurе your rеsumе gеts past thеsе automatеd filtеrs, it is crucial to sеlеct thе right kеywords. Carеfully rеviеw thе job dеscription and incorporatе rеlеvant kеywords naturally throughout your rеsumе.

Strikе a balancе bеtwееn including important kеywords and maintaining a wеll-writtеn and cohеsivе documеnt.

 

Aesthetics Matter: Designing an Eye-Catching Resume Layout

Thе visualized appеal of your rеsumе plays an essential rolе in attracting thе attеntion of еmployеrs.

  • Dеsign an еyе-catching rеsumе layout that is visually appеaling and effortless to rеad.
  • Usе a clеan and profеssional font, adequatе spacing, and consistеnt formatting.
  • Include pertinent sеction hеadings and bullеt points to boost rеadability.
  • Considеr using subtlе colors or icons to add visual intеrеst whilе еnsuring a polishеd and profеssional look.

Building an Imprеssivе Onlinе Prеsеncе: Lеvеraging Social Mеdia

In today’s digital еra, building an imprеssivе onlinе prеsеncе is crucial for job sееkеrs. Employеrs oftеn conduct onlinе rеsеarch on candidatеs bеforе making hiring dеcisions.

Ensurе your social mеdia profilеs, particularly LinkеdIn, rеflеct a profеssional imagе. Highlight your skills, еxpеriеncеs, and achiеvеmеnts on thеsе platforms. Engagе in industry-rеlatеd discussions, connеct with profеssionals, and showcasе your еxpеrtisе to еnhancе your onlinе rеputation.

Networking Strategies for Landing Your Dream Job

Nеtworking plays an essential rolе in landing your drеam job. Lеvеragе both onlinе and offlinе nеtworking stratеgiеs to еxpand your profеssional connеctions.

  • Attеnd industry еvеnts, join rеlеvant profеssional associations, and еngagе in informational intеrviеws.
  • Activеly rеach out to individuals in your dеsirеd fiеld and sееk mеntorship opportunitiеs.
  • Building a robust nеtwork can provide valuable insights, rеfеrrals, and potеntial job opportunitiеs.

 

Rеsumе Mistakеs to Avoid: Common Pitfalls and How to Fix Thеm

It crеatеs a stеllar rеsumе; it is еssеntial to avoid common pitfalls that can undеrminе your chancеs of succеss.

  • Common mistakеs includе typos and grammatical еrrors, including irrеlеvant information, using cliched phrasеs, and failing to tailor your rеsumе to thе spеcific job rеquirеmеnts.
  • Proofrеad your rеsumе carеfully, sееk fееdback from trustеd individuals, and еnsurе that еach sеction adds valuе and aligns with thе job you arе targеting.

Thе Importancе of Proofrеading: Polishing Your Rеsumе to Pеrfеction

Proofrеading is a critical stеp in thе rеsumе writing procеss. Evеn minor еrrors can crеatе a nеgativе imprеssion and undеrminе your crеdibility.

 

Aftеr complеting your rеsumе, takе thе timе to carеfully rеviеw it for spеlling mistakеs, grammatical еrrors, and formatting inconsistеnciеs. Considеr еnlisting thе hеlp of a trustеd friеnd or profеssional proofrеadеr to providе an objеctivе pеrspеctivе.

 

Customizing Your Resume for Different Job Applications

Each job application is unique, and your resume should reflect this. Tailor your resume to match the specific requirements and preferences of each job you apply for.

It includes adjusting your professional summary, emphasizing different skills and experiences, and reordering sections to highlight the most relevant information. Customization demonstrates your attention to detail and genuine interest in the position.

 

Conclusion

In conclusion, an еxcеptional rеsumе plays a pivotal rolе in sеcuring your drеam job. It sеrvеs as a powеrful tool to showcasе your skills, еxpеriеncе, and qualifications to potеntial еmployеrs. By crafting a wеll-structurеd and tailorеd rеsumе, you can еffеctivеly highlight your uniquе valuе proposition and stand out from thе compеtition. Rеmеmbеr to еmphasizе your achiеvеmеnts, showcasе your kеy compеtеnciеs, and еnsurе a profеssional and visually appеaling layout. Invеsting timе and еffort into crеating an еxcеptional rеsumе can significantly incrеasе your chancеs of landing your drеam job.

 

FSC Blog Author: Mary Jean –  As you embark on your journеy to sеcurе IT intеrnships in Mеlbournе or any othеr dеsirеd location, mastеring thе art of resume writing is paramount.

 

FSC Career Blog – June 6, 2023

 

 

#JobSearch : 4 Job Search Lessons From Hiring Managers Who’ve Worked At Meta, Shopify & IBM. Asked these Recruiters on HOW to Stand Out? A MUst REad.

/in /by

How can I stand out from other candidates? What do hiring managers actually look for when it comes to deciding if they’ll interview someone, move them along in the hiring process, or give them a job offer?

                     Question: How do you stand out?

​​With tech layoffs still happening, there are thousands of job seekers in the tech industry looking for a new role right now. And these are some of the top questions job seekers ask me as a career and future of work expert.

So I went to the source and talked to hiring managers at Gusto, Cash App, Meta, Shopify, and IBMIBM +0.6%. Their top advice and takeaways will help you avoid making mistakes and increase the chances that you stand out in the sea of candidates out there and get hired for the job.

Lesson #1: Don’t discount your cover letter

I spoke with Amy Thibodeau, Chief Design Officer at Gusto, the SaaS company for HR and payroll, and here’s what Amy had to say about how to stand out with a cover letter.

“I pay attention to cover letters. I pay attention to the storytelling around why this role is for you because in the absence of that storytelling, all I have to go on are the facts that you happen to have listed in your CV. When I look at those facts, if I can’t see really clearly why this role makes sense for you, then I’m probably going to move to reject you before we even talk.”

She goes on to explain that a personalized cover letter that addresses the specific company you’re applying for goes a long way. Many people do not include cover letters with their job application and they are likely ending up in the no pile.

Lesson #2: Your interview is really your first day on the job

I spoke with McLean Donnelly, who is currently a professor of UX design at Savannah College of Art and Design.

When I spoke to him, he was the director of UX at Shopify and McClean, and I discussed the importance of the interview and the way you prepare for and conduct yourself in an interview is a foreshadowing of how you’ll perform once you are hired. Here’s what McClean had to say.

“People perform at the company like they interview. When you interview, you’re really starting the company, you’re building your peer group – it’s really setting the tone is not just like getting the job, it’s actually how you’re going to step into the company. And so if you’re upbeat, positive, well prepared. That’s kind of how people work, too. And so really think of it as almost like you’re starting your job. I really think there’s a correlation between how you interview and how people perform. And for me, I do keep an eye on that as we go through the interview process.”

To help take the pressure off during interviews, try to imagine that you’re having a conversation with someone who’s already a colleague. Try to create opportunities for back and forth dialogue rather than you rattling off answers and waiting for the next question.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles for Today’s Job Search (Over 12K Daily Readers) :  https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=FSC%20Career%20Blog%20&sid=TL)

Best of FSC Career Blogs on LinkedIn with over 2.5 Reads:  Go to your profile and then to the top left to go to the Search bar, then type:  #BestofFSCBlog

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

Lesson #3: Sweat the details of layout and design

Our third lesson is to sweat the details of layout and design. This one comes from a chat I had with Tyler King, who is currently a senior UX researcher at SAP, and when we spoke, Tyler was a UX research lead at IBM.

Tyler mentioned the importance of not neglecting the basics such as spelling and grammar, which seems so obvious, but as someone who’s done hiring myself, I can say with certainty, a lot of times candidates miss these details. Another thing she mentioned though, is the content and design of your resume.

So many resumes are either overly designed, or frankly unreadable due to small font sizes, poor layout, et cetera. Here is what Tyler had to say.

“Most of the time it’s hard to see red flags in resumes, but as a designer, if there’s not good information architecture and I can’t read your resume very easily, I’ll think, why are you a designer?

Help me get through your resume easily and parse very quickly, and make sure you have action words at the beginning of each statement. An example: “My leadership yielded… X amount of new users.”

Lesson #4: Understand that job descriptions are a wishlist

Our fourth lesson is that job descriptions are a wishlist.

Alik Brundrett, a Head of Design at Cash App and previously a Product Manager at Meta shed light on how job descriptions are written, why sometimes they aren’t written very well, and why candidates need to see job descriptions as a wishlist and not a hard set of requirements. Here’s what Alec had to say.

“Speaking broadly, not every job descriptionis written by the person who’s hiring for that job.

I think that that’s one big thing to keep in mind is that, at many companies, there’s a HR person or a recruiter that’s actually helping the hiring manager, and they might be the one drafting the job descriptions, or they might be going off of templates for when the last time they hired a designer.

As an example, if I need to get someone ramped up on a tool or software, it’s really not a big deal for me. I think if the right person applies for the role, we interview them and they don’t know a specialized software, if they really are the right fit, we will definitely consider them.

Most hiring managers view that as a low cost way to hire the right fit as it takes minimal cost for us to include training videos on a new tool.”

In the world of career and job search advice there is a lot of conflicting information out there. However, one thing that stands out is a lot of the advice lacks context and explanation. Next time you hear career advice that you’re templated to follow, ask yourself “why” to understand the strategy and context – just as we’ve heard from these four people involved in hiring.

 

Forbes.com Author: Sarah Doody –  Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website.

 

Forbes.com | June 22, 2023

#JobSearch : 5 Essential Skills To Put On Your Resume. Resumes Should be One Page Long. What is Important to You?

/in /by

Resumes are one page long. One page isn’t enough space for me to express my full thoughts on slight tweaks to the Instagram Reel algorithm—it’s not enough space for my professional life.

But, alas, we all must boil ourselves down to the one-pager. And between job experience, education, and summary statements, we must fit our skills. This is, after all, what you do at a job—use skills. I recommend not skipping the skills part—nearly 90% of resumes include it. Choosing what skills to put on a resume requires precision. You have a limited amount of space, and you need to strike the right balance of skills you have, skills the company wants, skills that are hard to acquire, and skills they might not know you have.

 

Read on for five tips on what skills should make the cut.

Technical Skills

Include relevant technical skills that are specific to your industry or the job you want. For example, proficiency in programming languages, software applications, data analysis tools, or design software. Technical skills also demonstrate a certain type of problem-solving ability which can be more broadly applicable, even if you’re not using those particular skills at work. Highlight your critical thinking and creativity via the technical tools you’ve mastered.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles for Today’s Job Search (Over 12K Daily Readers) :  https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=FSC%20Career%20Blog%20&sid=TL)

Best of FSC Career Blogs on LinkedIn with over 2.5 Reads:  Go to your profile and then to the top left to go to the Search bar, then type:  #BestofFSCBlog

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

Collaboration

Working with others is a skill—and one that you should share (since you’re good at sharing!). Nearly 61% of recruiters say that soft skills are as important as hard skills, so don’t skip this. “People who enjoy team-based, collaborative projects, if even just a little, should highlight that fondness in cover letters and ensure their resumes include a prominent line or two that demonstrates relevant experience, aptitude, and training,” says Dr. Deb Mashek, collaboration expert, consultant, and author of Collabor(h)ate. “If you like collaborating with others, say so!”

To show off your collaboration skills, highlight experiences where you contributed to group projects,. Emphasize your ability to effectively convey information, listen actively, write, and speak in public. All of these demonstrate you can work on a team.

Leadership

If you have experience leading teams or managing projects, emphasize your leadership skills. This may include: team building, delegation, conflict resolution, and project management. Get specific about what you’ve learned as a leader, and be ready to talk through details of how you invested in developing your leadership prowess. Leadership is important even if you’re not going to be managing anybody—you may lead a small project, or even just have an easier time working in a team if you understand the benefits of leadership. If you know how to do it, put it on the resume.

Social Media

Even if the job doesn’t require that you use social media directly, it can help to demonstrate that you understand where the customers are. Furthermore, an understanding of the shifting social media landscape shows that you’re ready and willing to adapt. In today’s rapidly changing work environment, employers value candidates who can adapt and thrive. Social media is essentially marketing, so understanding how to sell something on TikTok shows more than just dance skills—it shows you know how people in the year 2023 consume content.

Customer Service Skills

In many ways, we almost all have a customer service component to our jobs—even if the customer is internal. At some point, you’re providing someone else with a product or deliverable, and you want them to be happy with what you created. So if you’re good at working with customers and meeting their needs, include that in the skills section.

There are many other skills you may want to include on a resume, depending on which ones you have. Above all, the most important skills to highlight are the ones you feel most confident in. Just remember—everything on a resume is an invitation for a question. The interviewer could ask for details about any of the skills you claim to have, so be sure to be honest. And good luck!

 

Forbes.com | June 22 | Ginny Hogan

#BestofFSCBlog : Over 12K Reads-How To Stand Out And Win The Job Interview. How do You Stand Out? A MUst REad before Your Next Interview.

/in /by

Heading into a job interview is an important and stressful event. Even if you are the best at what you do, you cannot waltz into an interview without being prepared.

To succeed in the interview, you must research the company, search for the interviewers on LinkedIn, thoroughly read the job description to ensure you understand the requirements and update your LinkedIn profile. You’ll also need to master the art of small talk to make an excellent first impression and pay attention to the message you’re signaling with your body language.

Have questions prepared to ask the interviewer to show you’re interested? Let the hiring manager know that you want the job. Mirror the interviewer and be charming, yet authentic and genuine.

Doing Your Homework Is Essential

Try to find out about the people with whom you’ll meet. You can seek them out on LinkedIn and search for information about them online. By learning a little bit about the interviewers, you’ll be able to have enough information to engage in relevant small talk to break the ice and establish a bond.

The interview questions will be based on the job description. Ensure your résumé is in sync with the requirements. Think of your current and prior experiences and skills that can be matched with what the job responsibilities demand.

Look into the company’s products, services, mission statement and place within the sector, so you won’t have to worry when asked, “So, what do you know about our company?” Seek out people from your network who work at the firm or someone who knows an insider who can give tips on how the hiring process works.

Prepare and practice an elevator pitch to help you effectively sell yourself within 30 seconds. Role-play commonly asked interview questions with a mentor or trusted friends and colleagues. Ask for feedback and constructive criticism to improve your interviewing technique. Take a fresh look at your LinkedIn profile to ensure it aligns with your résumé, and everything is accurate. If you are utilizing the services of a recruiter, pump them for as much information about the job, corporate culture, interview process and people you’ll be meeting with.

First Impressions Count

If the interview is in an office setting, make sure you’re dressed appropriately. Check out the commute beforehand, so you’re not running late. When entering the building and meeting people, pull your shoulder back, hold your head high and walk confidently. Be polite to everyone you meet, as they’ll offer their input to human resources and the hiring personnel.

If it’s a video call, ensure your background, lighting, audio and internet connectivity are top-notch. Remember to look into the camera, but not to stare too hard. Having some notes discretely taped to the computer is okay if you need help or feel stuck.

You want to capture the interviewer’s attention from the start. Upon meeting, you can say, “Thank you for inviting me to the interview. I’ve always admired and respected your company, and I feel honored to be considered for this important role.” Then ask, “Why did you choose my résumé over all the others you’ve received?” The rationale behind the question is that it will force the interviewer to think about all the positives regarding your background, experience and good qualities that fit the role.

You want to make the interviewer like you. While people will tell you that possessing the right skills is the only thing that matters, managers want a person they feel comfortable with, find pleasant to deal with and have a positive, can-do attitude.

The Subtle Art Of Small Talk

Armed with knowledge about the interviewer, due to your research, you have an advantage. You can bring up a topic you know will resonate with the person. A good icebreaker would be, “I don’t know if you follow sports, but did you watch the Yankees game last night?” The interviewer will come to life and happily respond that they’re a huge Yankees fan and the game was thrilling.

You can then subtly bring up a few topics you already know the person is interested in. The conversation will organically go in a positive direction, and you will establish a bond.

Mirror The Hiring Manager

Interviews tend to go better when you mirror how the interviewer talks. This doesn’t mean mimicking them. For instance, as a New Yorker, I’ll slow down my cadence and smooth out the brashness in my tone when talking to someone from the South.

People like to hear their own name. Throughout the conversation, sprinkle in the manager’s name. Don’t overdo it, as it will come across as phony.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles for Today’s Job Search (Over 12K Daily Readers) :  https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=FSC%20Career%20Blog%20&sid=TL)

Best of FSC Career Blogs on LinkedIn with over 2.5 Reads:  Go to your profile and then to the top left to go to the Search bar, then type:  #BestofFSCBlog

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

All Eyes Are On The Interviewer

It’s understandable to be fidgety and awkward in an interview, but you must suppress the tendency to shake your leg, fiddle with something on the desk, get distracted or look away from the video lens. You must offer your full attention and actively listen to the hiring manager. This interviewer is the most important person in the world to you at the moment.

A good couple of questions to ask right away to demonstrate interest and empathy is, “How can I help you? What would I need to do to be successful in this role and exceed expectations?” When you get the manager talking, it’s a good sign. The more they speak, the more invested in you they are. It’s a psychological hack. The hiring manager talks themself into hiring, thinking, “Wow, I’m really selling this person on the job. They must be really good!”

Let The Interviewer Know You’re Interested

Whether it’s an onsite or video interview, the same principles apply. Pay attention to the conversation, make eye contact and, most importantly, let the interviewer know you want the job. Many job hunters play hard-to-get and think that’s an effective formula for success. It’s not, and that strategy often backfires. Managers want a person who desires the role. They are disinterested in mere window shoppers.

Selfishly, hiring managers want someone they know will accept an offer. It is problematic if the hiring process lingers on for six months with 10 different individuals involved, only to end up with the applicant taking a pass. All the time and effort is wasted. Senior management and everyone involved in the hiring process will be irritated by expending so much time, energy and political capital only to have to start the search all over again.

Always Be Authentic

Come across as positive, motivated and enthusiastic. Demonstrate that you are a team player. Avoid putting on pretenses. Be your true genuine self, and let them know the real you.

Don’t default to acting like the stuffy, corporate drone, espousing corporate jargon and buzzwords. Be your genuine and authentic self. It doesn’t pay to pretend because they are hiring you for you. If it turns out that you are a drastically different person than you pretended to be, it will be uncomfortable once you start. Your employer will feel as if you committed a bait and switch.

Don’t say anything disparaging against your former or current boss and co-workers. When you do this, the manager will instinctively believe you will one day badmouth them when you leave the firm and interview with another company. It makes the hiring manager feel that you’re not trustworthy.

You have to win over all the interviewers with your charm and likability, in addition to possessing the right skills. Listen intently to what people say. Then you can reframe their thoughts to show that you get it and are paying close attention. Nod your head when you agree with a statement someone made that resonated with you. It demonstrates that you are both on the same page. Avoid interrupting when the interviewer is talking.

What To Say

You want to come across as motivated and enthusiastic. Tell the hiring personnel, “I’m so happy to be here and meet you. I’ve extensively researched the company, reread the job description 10 times over and spoken with many people who raved about your company. I believe my skills, background, talent, education and credentials perfectly match the opportunity.”

At the end of the interview, you need to have some questions ready when they ask, “Do you have any questions for me?” Rather than worrying about what questions to ask at the end, which distracts you from being in the present, ask genuine questions based on your curiosity and interests as they arise.

A Call To Action

As the interview is winding down, give it one last pitch. “It was fantastic to get to know you and (reference others involved with the process). It was a pleasure learning about the opportunity and company.”

Share something from the heart: “When I initially read the job description, the opportunity spoke to me. After all the great conversations, I’m even more convinced that I have all the right skills for the role and would love to come aboard.”

“It was a pleasure meeting you. I look forward to the next step” is a smart way to position yourself before the meeting ends. Then, offer, “Can you please share the next steps and who I’ll meet with for the following rounds?” The questions frame that you are motivated to get the role and subtly nudge the interviewer to start thinking about the next steps and moving forward.

 

Forbes.com Author:  Jack Kelly –  Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

Forbes.com | June 12, 2023

#JobSearch : Write A Cover Letter To Get Noticed (And Hired!): 4 Best Practices. Best Way to Stand Out, Get Noticed! MUst REad!

/in /by

Despite headlines about layoffs and companies downsizing, the job market is still strong. But to find a great job, you must set yourself apart, and a primary way to make an impression is with a compelling cover letter.

                                Question: How do you stand out?

The cover letter is still critical to the way you present yourself—and perhaps more importantly—the way you distinguish yourself from so many other job seekers.

Cover Letters Matter

Fully 56% of employers prefer a cover letter, according to an article published in Business and Professional Communication Quarterly. And 45% of recruiters said that not having one could result in your application being rejected, according to stats collected by Resume Now.

Hiring managers say cover letters make them more likely to pay attention to an application. They say they read them, and they are an important factor in the hiring decision. In addition, 47% of people include a cover letter, based on the Resume Now stats.

Cover letters admittedly require a lot of effort to research, customize and write—but they are worth it and a necessary part of the process. Write one whether or not it is requested, because it will make you more memorable and separate you from the pack. Just make sure you provide a high-quality cover letter, because a poor letter is worse than none at all.

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles for Today’s Job Search (Over 12K Daily Readers) :  https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=FSC%20Career%20Blog%20&sid=TL)

Best of FSC Career Blogs on LinkedIn with over 2.5 Reads:  Go to your profile and then to the top left to go to the Search bar, then type:  #BestofFSCBlog

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

Write on Purpose

When you’re developing your cover letter, be sure you write with its purpose in mind. Use it to introduce yourself and as a vehicle to create your first impression. A cover letter should communicate why you want the role, why you’d value working for the organization and why you believe you’re a good fit to the role and the culture.

A cover letter is meant to provide details which go beyond your resume, expanding on responsibilities, giving examples and highlighting your achievements and results. If necessary, you can also use it to explain gaps in your resume or extenuating circumstances related to your employment.

Write for Relevance

In addition to writing a cover letter in the first place, perhaps the most important thing you should do in the document is to show a match between your talents and the job you’re applying for.

Do your homework, researching the job and the organization so you can reflect the company’s direction and priorities and make a case for how you can contribute to reaching them. Highlight the way your achievements relate to the role you’re applying for.

In addition, be humble. Talk about making a contribution to something, not achieving it by yourself. Communicate what you have learned about the job or the organization through your research, but stop short of saying you understand it perfectly. Hiring managers want to know you’ve put in the effort to read, review and learn, but they also want to know you get that there’s still a lot to discover.

Write for Alignment

Be sure your cover letter is aligned with your resume, but doesn’t repeat it. Be consistent in the format you use for both documents, and ensure your name and contact details are identical between the two.

In addition, align what the reader will see on each document. If your cover letter includes an example of the results you drove in your project management role with a volunteer association, be sure you reflect the details (for example, the name of association and type of responsibilities) similarly so they can make easy references. In addition, be sure the experiences you’re referring to in the cover letter are actually reflected in the resume.

The cover letter is also an opportunity to highlight which elements of your resume are most relevant. You may be a brilliant financial mind and previous roles demonstrate this—but if the job you’re applying for doesn’t include a finance component, you should use the cover letter to highlight the skills which are most related to the job you’re pursuing.

Write for Accuracy

Your cover letter should include a header (your contact information as well as the organization’s) as well as a salutation. Be sure to address it to a real person if you can determine the name of the proper recipient.

After these, your letter should include an introductory paragraph which talks about why you’re interested in the job and a body which provides details about how your experience is a match. Finally, it should include a concluding paragraph which summarizes your interest and invites the hiring team to contact you.

Be descriptive in your cover letter, but also concise. Fully 70% of hiring leaders prefer a shorter letter, according to the Resume Now stats. In addition, be creative and let your personality show, but avoid being goofy or gimmicky.

Always be sure to proofread your letter multiple times and even ask a friend to check it for you—to be sure it strikes the right tone and is error-free. When you’re deciding what to include in your cover letter, also be sure to follow directions from the organization, including all the necessary specifics they request.

A Reflection of You

Your cover letter is a reflection of you. It demonstrates your commitment to making the effort and putting in the work to make a case for yourself in relationship to the job and the organization. These will send a strong message to the potential employer about how you’ll perform and present yourself in a job.

Done well, a cover letter takes a significant investment of your time, but it will surely pay off in finding a great role!

Forbes.com Author:   Tracy Brower, PhD Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.
Forbes.com | June 5, 2023

#JobSearch : How To Write A Resume Objective Statement That Will Land You That Interview. First Tip: Learn What it Is. Do you Know & What is It?

/in /by

Resume objective statements have never made the most sense to me. The objective of a resume is obvious—it’s to get a job. Trust me, I’m not writing one for fun. It’s not a Bluesky skeet or anything like that.

But in these tough economic times, it can never hurt to be too careful when it comes to expressing yourself well in job applications. Whether you’re a new grad looking to land that first gig out of college, a freelancer looking to upgrade to full-time, or someone looking for a new job after years at the same place, a tight resume can be the key to getting you through the door. And it starts with a resume objective statement.

Here are a few tips for writing a resume objective statement that will land you that coveted interview.

What Is a Resume Objective Statement?

My first tip for writing a banger resume objective statement is to learn what it is. Don’t skip this step! A resume objective statement is a brief statement at the beginning of a resume that summarizes the career goals and objectives of the job applicant. That’s it!

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles for Today’s Job Search (Over 12K Daily Readers) :  https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=FSC%20Career%20Blog%20&sid=TL)

Best of FSC Career Blogs on LinkedIn with over 2.5 Reads:  Go to your profile and then to the top left to go to the Search bar, then type:  #BestofFSCBlog

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

Be Specific

Your objective statement should be specific to the job you’re applying for. Make sure you read the description carefully and highlight the skills and experience you have that are relevant to the position. If you have a particular goal in mind, such as working in one specific industry or becoming a manager, you can include that in your objective statement. Just make sure it’s tailored to the job you’re applying for. For example, if you want to work in sales, don’t say that you want to become a vet (learn from my mistakes!).

Ideally, use exact words from the job description in your resume objective statement. This means—I’m so sorry to say—that you need to write a new one for every position you’re applying to. It does pain me to tell you this, but one day you’ll have a job with healthcare, and you’ll thank me. And it doesn’t have to be entirely new—slight tweaks go a long way.

Be Succinct

Your objective statement should be concise and to the point. Fewer words is always better, and this is true across all mediums—resume statements, break-up texts, etc. Aim for one or two sentences that summarize your skills and experience as they relate to the job.

The resume objective statement is located right below your contact information. It might not be the most important part of the resume—that really depends on what the employer is looking for, and whether or not they’re seeking someone with super specific experiences—but it is the first thing they read. Get to the point and leave them wanting more!

Highlight Your Value

Your objective statement should make clear what value you can bring to the employer. Think about what sets you apart from other candidates and what skills or experiences you have that would make you an asset to the company. If you don’t have any skills, acquire some! Or, expand your definition of a skill. In my opinion, in this day and age, any attitude other than nihilism counts as a skill (but don’t put that on your resume). In all seriousness, though, skills as broad as social media, effectively using ChatGPT, or public speaking can appear in a resume objective statement if it aligns with the job you’re applying for.

Be Unique

To whatever extent possible, I recommend trying to avoid cliches. You’re trying to get your resume to stand out from hundreds of others. Phrases like “seeking an exciting role” or “looking to develop my skills” or “hire me rent is so high” are overused and don’t add much value to your objective statement. Instead, focus on specific skills or experiences that would make you a good fit for the job. My advice? Throw in the word “myriad.” It fits into every sentence, and there are myriad benefits to showing off your vocabulary in this way.

Once you have that perfect resume objective statement, you’re well on the way to the next challenge: acing an interview. Good luck!

Forbes.com | May 5, 2023

#JobSearch : How To Stand Out As Companies Are Flooded With Résumés. A MUst REad!

/in /by

There is a Catch-22 in the job market. White-collar office workers have been laid off in disturbingly large numbers. Those who are still employed are concerned about their job security. In challenging times, people are understandably submitting dozens or more résumés each day. They feel it’s a numbers game, and the more they apply, the better their chances of securing an interview.

Highlighting the plight of job seekers, a Tiktoker (petersbrainfolds) recently took to the social media platform to voice his frustration over applying to 557 jobs since July 27, 2022. “I’m applying for jobs within and out of my field of expertise. I’m applying for big companies and small companies. I’ve even had a recruiter look at my résumé and rework it for me and tell me how to get around the system,” Peter said in the TikTok video. “I’d say more than three-fourths haven’t even responded.”

Moreover, the application process at a marquee brand, like Google, can be quite competitive. In fact, over 2 million people apply to work there every year. According to MentorCruise, getting hired at Google is 26 times more difficult than getting accepted into Harvard University.

The paradox is that the avalanche of résumés makes it nearly impossible for recruiters, human resources, internal corporate talent acquisition and hiring managers to go through them all adequately. This leads to candidate frustration, anger and calling out recruiters and companies as being callous and rude for ghosting job hunters.

What You Should Do

Terrence Seamon, a career coach and leadership development consultant, advises job seekers to use the “SMART” strategy—be strategic, memorable, active, relating, and tweak the résumé before you hit submit.

Instead of spraying and praying that your résumé gets noticed, Seamon suggests you take a “surgical strike” approach by targeting companies you would love to work with and focusing your energies on the specific roles you desire.

You want to be “memorable” by finding ways to stand out in a crowded market. Don’t worry about fancy fonts on the résumé. Instead, ensure that the document clearly aligns with the requisite requirements of the job description. In addition to a core résumé, tailor it for each submittal to match the specific job advertisement requirements.

Having a LinkedIn profile is only table stakes. Seamon advises that you must actively promote yourself on the social media platform to get noticed by recruiters, human resources and potential hiring managers. Check into your network to find out if anyone has a connection with your target companies who can offer a recommendation and help get you to the front of the line.

Most companies use applicant tracking systems, due to the large daily volume of résumés. Use relevant keywords applicable to the position and industry to improve your chances of gaining attention.

According to Indeed, job seekers should apply to 10 to 15 different jobs each week. Avoid applying to five or more jobs at the same company, as they’ll feel you’re just shot-gunning your résumé out of desperation and don’t really care about the company or any of the jobs you applied for.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles for Today’s Job Search (Over 12K Daily Readers) :  https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=FSC%20Career%20Blog%20&sid=TL)

Best of FSC Career Blogs on LinkedIn with over 2.5 Reads:  Go to your profile and then to the top left to go to the Search bar, then type:  #BestofFSCBlog

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

What Not To Do

On LinkedIn’s job board, you can see the number of people who applied for a position. When you see hundreds of responses, your initial response would likely be not to bother. However, since so many people are sending out résumés, especially with LinkedIn’s Easy Apply function, many respondents shoot their shots and do not possess the right skills and experience for the role.

A recent trend on TikTok is “rage applying.” Feeling overlooked, unappreciated, passed over for a promotion and unfairly compensated, people are hunkering down and applying to as many jobs as possible to get out of their current position. This plan won’t work out well. Acting out of haste will haunt you in the future. You may be inclined to accept the first offer received just to leave your employer. After a couple of months, you’ll regret the job switch, as you didn’t do enough homework on the job, management team and corporate culture.

Be Forewarned: There Are Lots Of Fake Jobs

In a survey conducted by Clarify Capital, as reported by the Wall Street Journal, around 25% of hiring managers self-reported that they’ve kept job listings open for more than four months. Moreover, they don’t intend to hire anyone in the near future.

The reasons for posting “ghost jobs” include building a pipeline of candidates for when the tide turns and recruiting gears up again, making it seem as if the company is doing well and expanding and humoring employees that help is on the horizon with new staff arriving to help with the workload.

As a recruiter, I’ve seen this trend play out over two decades. Human resources and hiring managers place phantom jobs, anticipating that things will improve and companies will eventually hire.

 

Forbes.com | April 10, 2023

#JobSearch : Does Your Résumé Pass the Six-Second Test? How to Make your Résumé Stand Out in Today’s Job Market.

/in /by

No pressure, but your résumé has six seconds to make an impression before it is sent to the don’t-even-bother pile.

That is how long a recruiter typically skims a résumé to decide whether to pass it on to a hiring manager, said J.T. O’Donnell, chief executive of career-coaching site Work It Daily. Recruiters often have hundreds of online applications to wade through, even with algorithms helping filter many of them out. They will likely give yours little more than a glance to judge whether you make it onto the shortlist of candidates.

In other words, your résumé has to be highly “skimmable,” Ms. O’Donnell said at The Wall Street Journal’s recent Jobs Summit. “The human eye works in a Z-pattern, and I’m going down, looking for four to five things that I was told you need to have or you cannot be considered.”

The CV won’t clinch a job offer, but it gets you to the next step, she and other career coaches say. A résumé that’s hard to skim or fails to mention key skills needed for the job could keep you from ever getting the chance to make your case in an interview.

Some ways to make your résumé stand out, and some job-search killers to avoid, according to the experts at the summit:

1) Forget the professional statement.

Job seekers have long been advised to include a short paragraph atop of their résumé summing up their skills, experience, achievements and goals. No more.

“Recruiters don’t have time for that,” Ms. O’Donnell said. Instead, open with a one-line “headline” stating your occupational specialty—ideally with words matching the role you’re applying for, like “digital marketing specialist” or “technical writer,” she said.

Follow the headline with two short columns of bullets with concrete skills. If you coordinated a team to pull off a big assignment and the job posting mentions project-management experience, use that same language, since that’s what recruiters and their applicant-tracking-systems will screen for, said Jane Oates, president of WorkingNation, a nonprofit focused on workforce development.

“Every job you apply for, you should customize your résumé just a little bit by putting in some of the words that are in that job description,” Ms. Oates said.

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles for Today’s Job Search (Over 12K Daily Readers) :  https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=FSC%20Career%20Blog%20&sid=TL)

Best of FSC Career Blogs on LinkedIn with over 2.5 Reads:  Go to your profile and then to the top left to go to the Search bar, then type:  #BestofFSCBlog

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

Article continued …

2) Don’t be a jack of all trades.

It is tempting to pack your résumé with the entirety of your work experience, especially for those who have a lot of it. Resist the urge, and focus on your relevant professional work history. “You don’t need to have any more that you scooped ice cream at the Margate Dairy Bar,” Ms. Oates said.

Recruiters are looking for a match to that particular job opening, Ms. O’Donnell said. They aren’t interested in the twists and turns of your career, which could suggest you’re overqualified for the role.

“A lot of companies don’t want to overpay, and that’s exactly the message you’re sending when you put everything on your résumé,” she said.

It is OK for a résumé to be two pages, if necessary, she adds. But make sure it is formatted with enough white space to be easily skimmed. Start each line about your experience with the bolded job title, so that they are easy to scan down the left side.

3) Use numbers.

Avoid subjective, ambiguous language, such as “passionate self-starter” or a “dedicated hard worker.” The hiring manager or recruiter will assess your soft skills when they interview you, Ms. O’Donnell said. A résumé is about your hard skills, which are best told through numbers.

Her tip: Circle all of the nouns on your CV, because they can usually be quantified.

If you are describing your experience as a receptionist, for instance, don’t just say “Answer phones.” More effective is something like: “Work for a 300-person company, answering more than 100 calls a day, on a 12-line phone system,” she said.

4) Make your LinkedIn profile the priority.

“Your LinkedIn is really your best résumé,” said Brian Liou, founder and CEO of Rora, which advises tech-industry professionals in negotiating with employers. Recruiters trawl LinkedIn to find candidates for a given job opening. A few hacks can improve your chances of coming up in their searches.

First, set a reminder to switch up some of the keywords in your profile every two weeks. Changing the content helps prompt the site’s algorithm to re-scan your profile, keeping it toward the top of recruiter searches.

And take advantage of Creator Mode, which Ms. O’Donnell calls one of LinkedIn’s best-kept secrets. The setting alters the presentation of profiles to emphasize topics that users discuss most on the platform and lets them choose hashtags aligned with their skills, showing LinkedIn you are an active user. “This is going to help get your content showcased,” she said.

One LinkedIn feature she does discourage using is the “Open to Work” banner. Though more hiring managers say they don’t frown upon career breaks, discrimination against people between jobs persists, she said. Instead, tweak your privacy settings to signal more indirectly to recruiters that you’re open to invitations, she suggested.

5) Resist using ChatGPT.

The artificial-intelligence chatbot from OpenAI has quickly become a popular tool for creating and tweaking résumés. The trouble is, recruiters can spot a ChatGPT-built résumé “a mile away,” Ms. O’Donnell said, “and you get points off for that sort of thing.”

The chat assistant can be helpful if you’re building a résumé from scratch, but use it only as a starting point, she cautions.

One tool she does suggest is a free word-cloud app. (Wordart.com and wordclouds.com are two popular ones.) Paste the text of the job posting to see which words show up as the biggest—the ones repeated most often in the ad.

 “That’s how you’re going to find your top five or six things” to describe your skills and experience, she said.

WSJ Author:  Write to Kailyn Rhone at kailyn.rhone@wsj.com

WSJ.com | April 17, 2023

#JobSearch : How To Leverage AI And Use ChatGPT In Your Job Search, According To Résumé Writers And Career Coaches. A MUst REad!

/in /by

ChatGPT has taken the world by storm. The chatbot saw a meteoric rise, gaining 1 million users within the first five days of its November 30, 2022 launch. By January, it became the fastest-growing platform with 100 million users, reaching 1 billion visits in February alone. To put ChatGPT’s ascendency into perspective, it took social media app Twitter five years to reach 100 million users, while Instagram took 2 ½ years after its launch and TikTok nine months.

ChatGPT’s resonance with its global users and overnight success can be attributed mainly to the chatbot’s many uses and its human capability. OpenAI’s technology platform managed to score in the 90th percentile on both the college-entry SATs and the attorney bar exam.

Cutting-Edge Job Seekers See An Advantage To Using ChatGPT

Forward-thinking job seekers are also leveraging artificial intelligence in their job searches. According to a February survey from ResumeBuilder.com of 1,000 current and recent job hunters, nearly half (46%) of job seekers are using the chatbot to craft their résumés or cover letters.

Seventy percent of respondents saw a higher response rate from companies when using ChatGPT. Seventy-eight percent of candidates who used the chatbot scored interviews, while nearly six in 10 job hunters were hired after using the AI tool during their application process.

However, it is worth mentioning that 11% of job seekers were rejected once it was learned from the hiring company that the candidate used ChatGPT.

With the AI platform disrupting the job search, I spoke with career coaches about the manner in which they were advising job seekers on how to gain a competitive advantage by using ChatGPT to streamline and guide the application and interview process.

 

Like this Article?  Share It!    You can now easily enjoy/follow/share Today our Award-Winning Articles/Blogs with Now Over 2.5 Million Growing Participates Worldwide in our various Social Media formats below:

Daily FSC Career Blogs/Articles for Today’s Job Search (Over 12K Daily Readers) :  https://www.linkedin.com/search/results/all/?keywords=FSC%20Career%20Blog%20&sid=TL)

Best of FSC Career Blogs on LinkedIn with over 2.5 Reads:  Go to your profile and then to the top left to go to the Search bar, then type:  #BestofFSCBlog

Connect with us on LinkedIn (under Chris G. Laughter) : https://www.linkedin.com/in/chris-g-laughter-b46389198/

Twitter: Follow us @ firstsunllc

Best Daily Choice: Follow the Best of FSC Career Articles/Blogs @

https://twitter.com/search?q=bestoffscblog&src=typeahead_click

Question: Searching for ‘the Best Daily Career Search Articles/Blogs on the web’ on Job Search, Resume, Advancing/Changing your Career, or simply Managing People?

Answer: Simply go to our FSC Career Blog below & Type(#Jobsearch, #Resume, or #Networking) in Blog Search:  https://www.firstsun.com/fsc-career-blog/

What Skill Sets Do You have to be ‘Sharpened‘?

Did you know?  First Sun Consulting, Llc (FSC) is celebrating over 32 years in delivering corporate & individual outplacement services & programs to over 1200 corporate clients in the U.S., Canada, the UK, & Mexico!   Visit & contact us @ www.firstsun.com

We here at FSC want to thank each of our corporate partners for the opportunity to serve & moving each of their transitioning employee(s) rapidly toward employment!

 

Article continued …

Here’s What Career Coaches Are Saying About The Benefits Of ChatGPT And Some Challenges

Hannah Morgan, Job Search Strategist

“ChatGPT is empowering job seekers. It can provide answers to their specific questions beyond what a basic Google search will find (articles and videos). For example, ChatGPT can help develop a list of questions a job seeker can ask during an informational meeting. It can help job seekers identify alternative job titles in a new industry. It can even help them make a career shift to something totally different. Plus, it helps get rid of writer’s block. It can craft a rough draft of a cover letter, thank you note or even a follow-up email.”

Samantha Foster, Executive Recruiter

“ChatGPT is a great ‘complementary’ tool. I just started using it and it cuts the time I spend rewriting boring job descriptions and preparing better interview questions. For candidates, it is definitely helping them stay organized when applying to and interviewing for several positions simultaneously.”

Sweta Regmi, Career And Résumé Strategist/ Interview And Branding Coach

“Job seekers have the power to use AI just the way employers have been using it for years for recruiting.

I tested ChatGPT as a job seeker by providing the prompt. I asked ChatGPT to identify core competencies based on the targeted role and added four job postings. Now, I have the resources with soft skills and hard skills to create a résumé. It helped me understand my strength, weakness, opportunities and threat (SWOT) to self-reflect.

As an employer, I created job descriptions to test out. It saved me time on productivity. I still have to have knowledge of HR and employment laws in my country and city. AI can only help if you have the skills or knowledge.”

Marti Konstant, Workforce And Career Agility Trainer And Writer

“Use AI as your personal genius bar and you will not lose jobs to robots. You will only lose out to those who embrace AI.

AI use cases for job search: conduct job research; compare your transferable skills to open up ideas for new role possibilities; create project planning examples to demonstrate your understanding of the work requirements; extract language and requirements from job description to use in your job search process and ATS; develop branding phrases and talking points that integrate your competencies and strengths; feed in your accomplishments, milestones and your “about” section via LinkedIn (requires specific prompt crafting) and identify case studies in your area of expertise (digital marketing, product development and learning and development) and include these in your written and verbal talking points during the outreach or interview process.”

Ruth Sternberg, Job Search And Résumé Writer

“AI can help you when you’re preparing your materials for a job search by providing a compilation or list of expectations from job postings, all in one place; providing rough organization of your career history—an outline to give you somewhere to start and helping you identify new job possibilities.

When you feed it your résumé, you can ask to see jobs that seem to align with it. ChatGPT can give you a list of what’s important for a particular role, based on descriptions and other developed material, so you can compare your own job history to see if you match up. You also can ask the software to suggest ways you could improve what you’ve written based on a particular job. It can help you determine what types of jobs match a particular college major.

It also could translate résumés into other languages; add keywords from a particular industry and help you spot incongruities or flag unusual claims in your narrative to prompt a fact check.”

Virginia Franco, LinkedIn And Résumé Writer

“I see AI tools serving as powerful tools for job seekers, who will be able to use it to support interview prep and even outreach. AI could disrupt ATS systems as we know them! I’ve tested it out by plugging in the résumé I wrote and a job posting and asking it to write a cover letter. It provided a great start, but a so-so final product. Once I edited it, it was good!”

Adrienne Tom, Executive Résumé And LinkedIn Profile Writer

“Job seekers must understand the limitations of AI. Content is not always accurate, customized, or personalized. So, AI support may only be a starting point or a booster, not the complete solution. The output of AI is typically only as good as the input or questions it is asked. So knowing what to ask is critical.”

Shennee Rutt, Executive Résumé Writer And Career Strategist

“I think as AI evolves, and more shortcuts from writing a résumé, applying for a job, interviewing could potentially eliminate highly qualified candidates due to bias in scripted computer-generated content. It also removes the “human” in human resources and talent acquisition. Since humans write the codes, it could be biased and adversely impact job hunters.If the human-being who writes the code has biased discrimination and it is interpreted in the code written, this could impact candidates and job seekers with disabilities or pre-existing conditions.”

 

Forbes.com Author Jack Kelly :  Follow me on Twitter or LinkedIn. Check out my website or some of my other work here.

 

Forbes.com | April 3, 2023 | Jack Kelly